Jalen Duren and the Detroit Pistons secured the top seed in the Eastern Conference with a 116-93 victory against the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night.
Their 57th win did more than pad their place at the top of the standings, as Duren sent out a bold warning to the rest of the conference.
Jalen Duren Puts the Eastern Conference on Notice After Win Over 76ers
The atmosphere in Xfinity Mobile Arena was palpable, as Detroit is no longer taking the floor hoping to clinch upsets. Even without Cade Cunningham, the Pistons are playing at a tempo few can keep up with.
And Saturday night was one of the examples of Detroit’s growing stature. The victory against the 76ers means the Pistons have secured the top Eastern Conference seed for the first time since the 2006-07 season.
In 30 minutes of play, Duren produced 16 points and 7 rebounds against Philadelphia’s frontcourt.
Meanwhile, Pistons teammate Ausar Thompson contributed 14 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals, going 7-11 from the field to finish with a +27 plus-minus.
DON’T MISS: Lakers’ NBA Champion Offers to ‘Come Out of Retirement’ After Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves Injuries
After the game, Duren and Thompson put the conference on alert with some bold declarations.
“Can we get Jalen Duren All-NBA? That’s all I gotta say. He deserves it. Obviously nobody stopped him, so yeah… ” Thompson said.
“The East runs through Detroit,” Duren said.
For Thompson, Duren, and the rest of the Pistons locker room, that kind of confidence comes naturally. The team has grown into a juggernaut that dictates the pace every single night.
And Thompson’s praise for Duren is not surprising, considering the latter controls the glass on a nightly basis. Duren is currently averaging 19.5 points, 10.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 0.9 blocks per game through 67 starts this season. He is shooting 64.5% from the field and 74.8% from the free-throw line.
Philadelphia was without center Joel Embiid, who was out due to a right oblique injury. Despite 23 points from Tyrese Maxey, 20 points from Paul George, and 19 from VJ Edgecombe, the 76ers struggled to maintain pace and also lost the possession battle, committing 15 turnovers compared to Detroit’s 11.
SEE ALSO: LeBron James, Rich Paul Just dropped a Major Hint About the Lakers Star’s NBA Future
Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff remained focused on the bigger picture after the team’s victory, stating, “[We’ll] take a moment, you know, reflect on where we’ve been, reflect on the work that we’ve put in to get here, but understanding that this isn’t the finish, right?
“So, to grow the way this group has grown together as quickly as it has, it is special. But, you know, we got more food to eat. So we’ll take tonight, enjoy this, and tomorrow we’ll get back to work.”
Having answered every challenge the regular season has provided so far, Detroit will conclude the campaign with upcoming matchups against the Orlando Magic, Milwaukee Bucks, Charlotte Hornets, and Indiana Pacers.
