Detroit Pistons Big man Remains on Injury Report for Matchup vs Heat

Pistons center remains questionable for NBA Cup matchup.

Nov 3, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren (0) reacts after committing a turnover in the first quarter against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

*UPDATE: Jalen Duren has been upgraded to AVAILABLE for Tuesday's game vs. Miami Heat

Coming off a nail-biting loss to the Houston Rockets, the Detroit Pistons will finish out their current homestand on Tuesday night. As they prepare for their first NBA Cup game of the season, they could continue to be without one of their key players.

Early on in last week's matchup against the Charlotte Hornets, Jalen Duren was forced to exit with an ankle injury. He was later diagnosed with a sprained ankle, which has forced him to miss the last two games.

Leading up to Tuesday's matchup with the Miami Heat, Duren remains questionable. As of now, there have been no clear updates on when the Pistons center will be making his return to action. However, Duren was seen getting work in with coaches following practice on Monday.

Jalen Duren during the media portion of practice. Missed the previous two games due to a left ankle sprain. pic.twitter.com/C6JHBn2YoO

— Coty M. Davis (@CotyDavis_24) November 11, 2024

Duren appeared in nine games this season prior to his injury against the Hornets. The third-year big man is averaging just shy of a double-double with 8.0 PPG and 9.7 RPG.

With Duren still on the injury report, the Pistons could be very thin in the frontcourt. While he's listed as probable, Isaiah Stewart is also listed as he too is dealing with an ankle injury. Aside from these two, J.B. Bickerstaff's option at center is Paul Reed. The former G-League has played in five games since coming over from the Philadelphia 76ers, averaging 5.8 PPG and 2.0 RPG off the bench.

This is a matchup where the Pistons are going to need size, as the Heat are going to be running a lot of stuff through Bam Adebayo. With Jimmy Butler ruled out, the All-Star big man is sure to see a larger workload against Detroit.

For those looking to tune into this NBA Cup action, tip-off is scheduled for 7:00 pm Eastern Time.