The Detroit Pistons continue to shock the basketball world, owning an Eastern Conference-best 54-21 record.
For Tuesday’s game against the fifth-seeded Toronto Raptors, they could also get one of their top players back in the fold. After missing an outing with a knee issue, there’s a new trend in C Jalen Duren’s status prior to tip-off at 8:00 p.m. ET.
With that in mind, let’s dive into the latest Jalen Duren injury update, also weaving in how it could impact PrizePicks player projections for Raptors vs. Pistons in Detroit.
{{nba_offer_banner="/style-system/ui-components-playbook"}}
Jalen Duren Injury Update vs. Raptors Tonight
Per the official NBA injury report, Duren is listed as probable for Tuesday night. His designation continues to read “right knee injury management.”
Duren most recently sat out of Monday night’s 114-110 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder with the knee ailment. On the first night of a back-to-back set, the Pistons opted to exercise caution with their second-best player.
To this point, Duren has played in 64 of 75 possible games for Detroit. In those outings, he’s setting career-high marks for points per game (19.3) while canning 64.2% of his field goal attempts. He made his first career All-Star team this season.
If Duren is indeed good to go on Tuesday, it’d give the East-leading Pistons a big-time boost vs. a playoff-caliber opponent.
Which Pistons Players to Target vs. Raptors on Tuesday?
Of course, the Pistons continue to navigate life without PG Cade Cunningham. The superstar PG is sidelined with a collapsed lung, which has held him out of action since March 19. Despite that, Detroit is 5-2 in its last seven games.
Duren is a major reason for that success, sans the aforementioned Thunder defeat. Per databallr, his +7.9 NET on-off is the highest of any Piston with 1,000+ minutes on the year.
Additional help may be on the way for Detroit, too. PF Tobias Harris and SF Duncan Robinson are each probable to be in the lineup after nagging hip injuries limited them recently. Harris is putting up 13.4 PPG, 5.2 RPG, and 2.5 APG, and Robinson’s 11.9 PPG on 40.4% shooting from deep make him a critical contributor.
Still, it’s typically the Duren show. In minutes without Cunningham, Duren’s usage rate and points per 75 possessions spike by 2.8% and 4.3, respectively. He’s a prime candidate to consider for Tuesday NBA projections.
Jalen Duren vs. Raptors Projections, Picks
Here are some top Jalen Duren projections vs. the Raptors tonight, via PrizePicks.
- 21.5 Points
- 11.5 Rebounds
- 1.5 Assists (Goblin)
- 35.5 Pts + Rebs + Asts
- 40.5 Fantasy Score
- And More
{{nba_offer_banner="/style-system/ui-components-playbook"}}
Make Raptors vs. Pistons Picks on PrizePicks
With Jalen Duren potentially returning for Raptors vs. Pistons on Tuesday, that opens the door for a multitude of additional projections on the PrizePicks NBA board.
You can make your NBA picks on PrizePicks, earning real-money rewards if you’re right. Just pick at least two players and predict More or Less on their projected stats.
With PrizePicks Team Picks, make predictions on game winners, spreads, over/unders, and more — now available in 35 states!
Keep it locked in here with the Playbook for continued NBA news, picks, and analysis every day.
