Jalen Duren dominated inside with 30 points and 10 rebounds as the Detroit Pistons won for the fifth time in six games by thumping the visiting New Orleans Pelicans 129-108 on Thursday night.
Duren added seven assists, two blocks and two steals for the Eastern Conference leaders.
The Pistons (53-20) had their four-game winning streak snapped by the red-hot Atlanta Hawks in overtime on Wednesday. They showed no signs of fatigue while pulling away from New Orleans (25-49), which has lost three straight.
Detroit was missing several guards. All-Star guard Cade Cunningham was out for his fifth straight contest due to a collapsed lung. Backcourt partner Duncan Robinson sat out due to a hip injury and backup Caris LeVert was sidelined due to knee soreness.
Kevin Huerter, replacing Robinson, fired in 22 points while Daniss Jenkins, filling in for Cunningham, supplied 19 points and nine assists. Tobias Harris had 12 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, while Ausar Thompson chipped in 11 points with three steals.
Zion Williamson topped the Pelicans with 21 points. Saddiq Bey had 17 points, while Jeremiah Fears added 13 points with six assists. Dejounte Murray finished with 12 points and seven rebounds.
Leading 48-46, Detroit reeled off nine consecutive points to take a double-digit lead. Huerter capped off the spurt with a 3-pointer.
Duren scored 17 points by halftime as the Pistons grabbed a 65-56 lead. Jenkins had 11 first-half points, while Williamson topped the Pelicans with 13 points.
The Pistons led by 15 late in the third quarter but the Pelicans finished the quarter on an 11-2 run to pull within six at 92-86. Bey scored five of those points.
When Fears made a layup to start the fourth quarter, Detroit’s advantage was down to four. Huerter then hit a 3-pointer and Javonte Green followed with another as the Pistons rebuilt their lead.
A Jenkins 3-pointer with 8:45 remaining extended the advantage to 107-90. Another Green long ball a few minutes later pushed the advantage to 119-100.
–Field Level Media
