The Pistons secured a victory over the Thunder with ease, thanks to Duren’s impressive 20/20 performance

Jalen Duren played a pivotal role with 22 points and a career-best 21 rebounds as the Detroit Pistons halted the Oklahoma City Thunder’s five-game winning streak with a 120-104 triumph on Sunday.

Praising Detroit’s notable win of the season, Pistons coach Monty Williams attributed the success to the team’s dedication, saying, “I just think our guys care. We had every reason to make excuses – a back-to-back against the best team in the West – and our guys just competed.”

Duren’s standout performance featured a career-high nine of Detroit’s 15 offensive rebounds, marking the Pistons’ first 20-20 game since Andre Drummond on Jan. 31, 2020.

Highlighting his multifaceted contributions, Duren, in an interaction with the media, noted, “I also had six assists. I knew 20 and 20 was bound to happen for me at some point. The game is slowing down for me tremendously.”

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Jaden Ivey contributed 19 points to the Pistons’ efforts as they played without their leading scorer, Cade Cunningham, who was unexpectedly sidelined due to “injury management” following his return from a knee injury on Saturday, according to the team.

Pistons coach Monty Williams explained, “We felt like, on a back-to-back, if there was any level of concern, we didn’t feel good putting him out there.”

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 31 points, and Jalen Williams added 20.

While holding an 81-67 lead early in the third quarter, Detroit faced a pushback as Gilgeous-Alexander scored seven consecutive points, bringing the Thunder within reach at 90-86. However, Ivey’s consecutive jumpers initiated a 10-0 run, re-establishing control for the Pistons.

Thunder coach Mark Daigneault attributed the outcome to an energy disparity in both directions, noting that the Pistons displayed superior energy, beating them to loose balls and playing with intensity. As the game progressed, the Thunder struggled to match that energy level, and he acknowledged the Pistons deserved the victory.

Entering the fourth quarter with a 100-87 lead, the Pistons maintained control by consistently hitting crucial 3-pointers down the stretch. The 16-point victory equals their largest margin in what has been a challenging 6-40 season.

Reflecting on the game, Jaden Ivey commented, “That’s a great playoff team, but we showed a lot of resiliency all game. That’s what we need to bring every night.”

Gilgeous-Alexander and Luguentz Dort were absent from the fourth quarter, and Chet Holmgren had limited playing time, featuring for only 2 minutes and 8 seconds.

Coach Daigneault explained the decision, stating, “There’s always a balance. If I thought we had a chance to get back into the game, I would have obviously put them in, but with the way the game was going, I just didn’t feel it. Considering the schedule we’ve had and what lies ahead, I thought it was the prudent move.”

Despite shooting 56.5% from the floor in the first half, the Thunder found themselves trailing 70-61 at halftime. The Pistons held a 9-2 advantage in offensive rebounds and committed only one turnover.