The Detroit Pistons will be without their All-Star center for at least two weeks as the big man sits with a right hamstring strain.
Duren had started the season hot, lighting up the preseason and scoring 22 points and securing nine rebounds in Detroit’s opening-day win against the Boston Celtics. He played just 10 minutes against the Miami Heat before suffering the hamstring strain early in the second quarter.
The injury is a blow to a young big man who was eager to prove he was worth the $200 million
deal he signed this offseason with Detroit, and will test Detroit’s big man depth. The Pistons traded away backup center Isaiah Stewart this offseason. That left Paul Reed to go from fan favorite third-string center to fan-favorite backup center, and now he gets a chance to be a fan-favorite starter.
Technically behind him will be Tolu Smith, who is in Detroit on a standard deal after showing promise as a two-way player the past few seasons. However, it is more likely that the Pistons will move to shift starting power forward John Collins into more small-ball five minutes while Reed rests.
Collins has had an up-and-down start to his Pistons tenure, and I guess this will be a great extended opportunity to see just how well Collins can hold up (or not) as a five in Detroit’s defensive system.
Pistons forward Ausar Thompson also suffered an ankle injury against the Heat, and he is listed as questionable against the Philadelphia 76ers.
