The Detroit Pistons host the Los Angeles Lakers tonight at the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. Both teams will play without key players, as Jalen Duren (right hamstring strain) and Luka Doncic (lower back soreness) are expected to miss this matchup.
Before the game, the Pistons released an update that claimed Jalen Duren has resumed full on-court activity but will be reevaluated after two weeks. Ahead of the game, the Pistons’ head coach J.B. Bickerstaff spoke to the media and shared the latest reason for delaying Duren’s return.
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“It’s a slow process because it’s one of those things you don’t want to push too far. We’re in a position where we want to ramp him up but also want him to be in a position to come back and stay back. We’re not going to rush him. We’re going to take our time and make sure we’re doing things right so when he comes back, he’s back for good,” Bickerstaff further said.
Jalen Duren last played on October 23, in just the second game of the season, against the Miami Heat. After a 22-point performance in the first game of the season, Duren was sidelined just 10 minutes into his second game.
Therefore, he is currently averaging 13.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.0 assists while shooting 58.8% from the field. This timeline suggests Jalen Duren could return when the Pistons face the Magic on November 24 or the Bucks on November 27.
But while the Pistons will clearly miss his presence on the court tonight, they also face a shorthanded opponent, as the Lakers will play without their best player (Luka Doncic).
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When J.B. Bickerstaff was asked how the Pistons plan to navigate the Lakers’ offensive threat in Luka Doncic’s absence, he said people shouldn’t underestimate Austin Reaves.
“I mean, Austin Reaves is obviously going to have a higher usage; we expect him to be aggressive. With Collin Sexton coming off the bench, if he does come off the bench, expect him to be aggressive,” Bickerstaff said.
“But they play their system, they move the ball well, and they’ve got guys that can make shots, shoot at a high level, especially in catch-and-shoot situations, so they’re definitely going to try and generate those.”
With Jalen Duren’s return still at least two weeks away, the Pistons will have to continue navigating life without their starting center. However, Luka Doncic’s absence presents an opportunity to secure a win tonight.
Bickerstaff’s comments also suggest the Pistons know Reaves remains a significant offensive threat. So it will be interesting to see how the Pistons perform tonight against the Lakers.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
