TITLE: Pistons lean on Jalen Duren, Cade Cunningham to steady series ahead of pivotal Game 4
SLUG: pistons-look-to-regroup-before-game-4-against-magic
CONTENT:
Down 2-1 in their first-round matchup with the Orlando Magic, the Detroit Pistons enter Monday’s Game 4 counting on a turnaround from struggling center Jalen Duren and ball-handling anchor Cade Cunningham.
Duren, a restricted free agent after the season and an All-Star this year, is averaging 9.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 2.0 blocks and 2.7 turnovers through three games. The 20-year-old has been outplayed by Orlando’s Wendell Carter Jr. and spent part of the second half of Game 3 on the bench. Despite the rough start, teammates remain confident.
“These last three games haven’t gone the way he wants, or we might want for him,” Cunningham said. “But I, and the whole team, have no doubt that he’s going to figure it out.” Forward Ausar Thompson added, “Encourage him, feed him the ball and give him some space to work … we’re not worried about him.”
Cunningham has his own issues to address. The guard is averaging 6.3 turnovers in the series and matched his nine assists with nine turnovers in Game 3. “It’s a possession game in the playoffs, and a lot of this falls on my shoulders,” he said, vowing to limit mistakes that have produced “too many empty possessions.”
Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said the mission is straightforward: win Game 4 and reclaim home-court advantage. “It’s one game at a time … we come down here, we win on Monday—we take home-court advantage back,” Bickerstaff noted, praising his club’s season-long resilience.
Michigan native Magic Johnson weighed in on social media, warning that Detroit must “get their swagger back on the defensive end” or risk an embarrassing early exit.
Injury-wise, reserve guard Kevin Huerter went through the morning shootaround but is still listed as questionable with left hip soreness.
Tipoff for Game 4 is set for Monday night in Orlando.
Source: Hoops Rumors
