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Jalen Duren achieves NBA first with latest near-perfect game
Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren. Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

Pistons' Jalen Duren achieves NBA first with latest near-perfect game

By Mike J. Asti  |  Last updated Apr 1, 2026 12:50 AM ET

With Cade Cunningham still out of action, Jalen Duren stepped up once again to lead the Detroit Pistons to another victory on Tuesday night. 

And as Detroit beat the Toronto Raptors 127-116, Duren put up a box score that no one has achieved as often throughout the entire league this season. 

In a near-perfect performance, Duren scored 31 points in 35 minutes. He missed only one single shot all game, going 12-of-13 from the field and 7-of-7 from the charity stripe. (He did not take a three all game.)

No NBA player has scored as much and been almost perfect as often as Jalen Duren 

Duren, named an All-Star for the first time this season, is now the only player to record more than one game with 30-plus points on a 90-plus shooting clip. His other such occurrence came back on Nov. 17 when he also hit 12-of-13 shots for 31 points, granted he did it in 29 minutes in that game against the Indiana Pacers.  

Jalen Duren came close to duplicating his accomplishment multiple other times 

Duren also came close several other times, including recently, scoring 30 off an 83.3% 10-of-12 night two games prior against the New Orleans Pelicans. Earlier in the month of March, Duren shot 90%, but was shy of 30 with 26 points at Brooklyn. Going further back, he converted 10-of-11 shots for 23 points in a Jan. 29 loss to the Phoenix Suns. 

Jalen Duren impacts a game by more than just efficient scoring 

Showing his complete versatility as a player, Duren added nine rebounds and dished out three assists on Tuesday, and he brought down 15 boards in his first-near perfect game in November. 

Duren's latest big game moved his season averages to 19.5 points, which would be a new career-high for a season, 10.6 rebounds and 1.8 assists with a 64.7% shooting mark. 

While the Pistons still need Cunningham — who was having a season worthy of being an MVP candidate before being forced to miss time after suffering a collapsed lung on March 17 — back to have a shot at a deep run in the playoffs, Duren has shown he can carry the load when needed and can be the complimentary star many were questioning if Detroit had on the roster. 

Mike J. Asti
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Mike Asti is an experienced media personality and journalist with a vast resume and skillset, most notably from time with TribLIVE Radio and WPXI-TV. Asti now serves as the Managing Editor of WV Sports Now, where he leads the coverage of WVU sports. He has also covered the Steelers, Penguins, Pirates and other teams within the Pittsburgh market

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