Jalen Duren breaks record previously held by NBA Hall-of-Fame center

Jalen Duren is the youngest player to do this since Dwight Howard

NBA Hall-of-Famer and NBA Champion Dwight Howard is a three-time defensive player of the year. He's one of the most dominant and efficient big men of his era. When Duren can find himself in he same category as Howard for any basketball-related reason, it gives Pistons fans another reason to be overjoyed with the fact that he's on their team.

Duren is the youngest player to score more than 30 points and 15 rebounds or more while shooting 90% from the field in a regular season game since Howard did so in 2010. It's been 15 years since anyone has dominated another team the way Duren did to the struggling Indiana Pacers Monday night.

Duren also added three assists to the stat line. This performance is just another display of dominance from what has been a potential Most Improved Player of the Year campaign.

Another first for Duren

Detroit doesn't win twelve out of their first fourteen games without the two-way efforts of Duren in the paint. He's averaging 20.3 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in just 28.9 minutes and an extremely efficient 67.4% from the field. This comes after averaging 11.8 points and 10.3 rebounds last season.

The offensive production has been impressive, but it's his defensive consistency that makes winning regular season games much easier. The 22-year-old is averaging more than one block and one steal for the first time in his short career.

The Pistons starting the season this hot is not a coincidence. It's Cade Cunningham's offensive relentlessness and Bickerstaff's leadership paving the way for this young Pistons squad, but Duren's defensive versatility is the anchor that keeps the rest of the team grounded when games get tough.

The Pistons look to win eleven straight games Wednesday night against the Jalen Johnson and the Atlanta Hawks.

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