Jalen

Duren

Duren was named to the All-NBA third-team last week, making him eligible for a max contract worth up to $287 million over five years. Amick, who appeared on the Run It Back show Friday, said he has a hard time seeing the Pistons offering that much, which potentially could leave the organization and the player far apart in negotiations initially. With only a handful of teams with cap space this offseason, Duren, a restricted free agent, may still get his best offer from the Pistons, even if it isn’t a max deal.

All five third-team selections were named All-NBA for the first time in their respective careers on Sunday. Duren’s selection may be the most impactful, as he’ll hit restricted free agency next month. The All-NBA selection makes him eligible for a max deal worth up to $287 million over five years. However, given his struggles during the postseason and the Pistons’ need to also address Ausar Thompson’s future, Duren may not strike it that rich this summer. Especially with other teams unable to offer a deal on par with what the Pistons can.

Sunday’s defeat was the painful conclusion to Duren’s disappointing playoff run. While active on the boards, the Pistons’ center did not offer much value in Game 7. After averaging 19.5 points per game during the regular season, that number dropped to 10.2 in the playoffs. And with Duren hitting restricted free agency next month, the question is how these playoffs will affect his market. From a fantasy standpoint, Duren has top-50 potential, and he can be even more valuable to managers willing to punt free-throw percentage.

Benched for most of the fourth quarter and the entirety of overtime of Game 5, Duren hit his low point in these playoffs. Give him credit for bouncing back in Game 6, picking a great time to record his first double-double since Game 2. Duren was also impactful as a rebounder and defender, with the three blocks matching his total from the first five games. For the Pistons to win Game 7 and advance to the conference finals, they’ll need a similar performance from Duren on Sunday.

Duren played 25 minutes, but was -16. The 22-year-old center sat on the bench for most of the fourth quarter and overtime in favor of Paul Reed. Reed had 10 points, eight rebounds and two blocks in 17 minutes. The Pistons have stuck with Duren for the entire playoffs up to this point. With Detroit on the brink of elimination, it’s entirely possible Reed draws the start in Game 6 in Cleveland on Friday.

Harris continues to provide reliable scoring, having now scored 20 points or more in each of his last eight games. The Pistons’ forward shot the ball well in Game 3, making 50 percent of his attempts from the field overall. However, Harris recorded no assists or defensive stats after being responsible for two steals and two blocks in Detroit’s Game 2 victory. With Jalen Duren (11/4/1/2) and Ausar Thompson (nine points, seven rebounds, five assists and two blocks) continuing to underwhelm, this places more pressure on Harris to perform.

Shooting inefficiency left Duren unable to deliver the scoring impact that helped make him an All-Star this regular season. However, he crashed the offensive glass extremely well, using seven on that end of the floor to total double-digit boards altogether. The fourth-year center also showed off his rim protection and even made contributions on the offensive end as a passer. Once Duren finds his rhythm as a scorer, he’ll be back to putting forth some strong final stat lines.

Duren recorded his first double-double of the season on Sunday to help the Pistons win three straight games and complete the series comeback to advance to the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Sunday’s win marked the first-time All-Star’s highest scoring total of the series, and was also the first time he collected double-digit rebounds. He’ll look to have a much more consistent second round, but his performance in Game 7 should provide him with the necessary momentum to start off the next series productively.

Harris may have shot just 35 percent from the field in Game 6, but he has been a consistent offensive presence alongside Cade Cunningham in this series. Despite spraining his left ankle during Game 5, the veteran forward logged 38 minutes on Friday, and he’s scored at least 20 points in each of the last four games. Harris’ double-double was his second of the series, and the Pistons will need a similar effort in Game 7, especially if Jalen Duren (8/9/1) continues to struggle.

Duren’s numbers once again did not align with his regular-season production, but the Pistons got enough production from Cade Cunningham and Tobias Harris to compensate. The Pistons’ center finished one rebound shy of what would have been his first double-double of the series, and he did block two shots. However, Duren attempted only six shots, and foul trouble limited him to 28 minutes. For Detroit to force a decisive Game 7, they’re going to need more from Duren in Game 6 on Friday night.