Detroit Pistons Lose Key Starter to Ejection vs Rockets

As Duren left the game, he embraced the hostile Houston crowd by tugging at his own jersey to highlight Detroit, channeling Isaiah Stewart, who pulled off a similar move last season.

Going forward, Duren could be facing further punishment. The NBA will have to decide whether a suspension or a fine is necessary for Duren.

During the first quarter of action, Duren appeared in the game for a little under eight minutes of action. He made both of his shots from the field, totaling four points. The veteran center came down with four rebounds, blocked one shot, and snatched a steal.

In the second quarter, Duren had checked in for four minutes of action. He tacked on another two points to bring his total to six points, along with six rebounds. He left the court after 12 minutes had been played by the veteran big man.

While Duren was the only player ejected through the first half of Friday’s action, the game included plenty of fouls from key players. On Houston’s side, Amen Thompson had four fouls, while his team totaled for 12.

On Detroit’s side, Isaiah Stewart had four, Ron Holland, Cade Cunningham, and Duncan Robinson each had three, while Ausar Thompson and Duren had two.

Heading into the second half, the Pistons will carry a 63-56 lead. Detroit is working on bouncing back and grabbing its first win after the Pistons came up short against the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night.

In that first game, Duren had checked in for just under 20 minutes of action as a starter. He produced points on 58 percent of his shots from the field, scoring 15 points. Along with his scoring, Duren came down with six rebounds and had one assist, one steal, and two blocks. Duren was a minus-nine throughout the 115-11 loss against the Bulls.