Should Pistons bench Jalen Duren? Playoff struggles spark debate as Detroit faces elimination

CLEVELAND – The Detroit Pistons may be facing a difficult but necessary decision as their Eastern Conference semifinal series shifts deeper into crunch time: either reducing Jalen Duren’s minutes or temporarily benching him.

Detroit fell 117-113 in overtime to the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 5, leaving them trailing 3-2 in the best-of-seven series and one loss away from elimination.

Duren, an All-Star during the regular season, struggled again offensively and defensively in Game 5, finishing with nine points, five rebounds, and four assists in 25 minutes as head coach J.B. Bickerstaff benched him for the latter parts of the fourth quarter and all of overtime for “B-Ball” Paul Reed.

During the regular season, the 22-year-old averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds while helping lead Detroit to a 60-win campaign and the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.

But the postseason has been a different story as Reed has been outplaying him.

Duren has played 149 minutes in the second round and scored 38 points through five games, while Reed has scored 36 points in 41 minutes.

His minutes have been steadily decreasing as well, as he played 35 minutes in Game 1, 33 in Game 2, 29 in Game 3, 27 in Game 4, and 25 in Game 5.

Duren finished Game 5 scoring nine points, five rebounds, and four assists before getting benched.

Inconsistency carries over from first round

Duren also struggled during Detroit’s first-round series against the Orlando Magic, and his difficulties have carried over into the matchup with Cleveland.

In Game 5, the Cavaliers outscored Detroit by 16 points while Duren was on the floor.

The benching of Duren for Reed helped stabilize Detroit’s defense and enabled more switchability against Cleveland’s frontcourt.

→ Orlando casts ‘magical’ spell on Detroit Pistons’ Jalen Duren as playoff struggles continue

Postseason exposes regular-season strengths

The decision underscored a growing reality for Detroit: postseason basketball often exposes weaknesses that regular-season success can conceal.

While Duren remains one of the franchise’s most important long-term building blocks, his struggles protecting the rim, defending in space, and staying effective in high-pressure possessions have become increasingly difficult to ignore against a veteran Cavaliers roster consisting of James Harden, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and Jared Allen.

Contract extension adds another layer

The timing also adds another layer of intrigue, as Duren is set to become a restricted free agent during the offseason, when he can get a five-year max rookie extension worth north of $230 million.

Duren is young, and Detroit still views him as a foundational piece, but his playoff performance could influence both negotiations and expectations moving forward.

Despite the recent struggles, Duren’s overall development this season represented a major step forward for the Pistons.

His athleticism, rebounding, and efficiency around the basket were central to Detroit’s rise back into contention after years near the bottom of the standings.

Reed, smaller lineups could be key

Still, with the season now hanging in the balance, the Pistons may need to prioritize matchups and production over long-term potential.

If Detroit hopes to extend the series and keep its championship aspirations alive, Bickerstaff could again lean more heavily on Reed and smaller lineups while limiting Duren’s role in critical moments.

Catch Game 6 on Friday, May 15, at 7 p.m. on Prime Video inside Rocket Arena, where the Cavaliers are 5-0 in the postseason.