After another disappointing performance on Monday, the Detroit Pistons are now down 3-1 to the Orlando Magic in their first-round series matchup in the 2026 NBA playoffs.
The Pistons couldn’t find their rhythm in Game 4 in Orlando. Cade Cunningham went 7-for-23 from the field, scoring 25 points and committing eight turnovers. Jalen Duren wasn’t impactful, with just 12 points and eight rebounds in their 94-88 loss.
Desmond Bane had 22 points to lead the Magic in scoring, hitting a dagger 3-point shot with around a minute remaining. Franz Wagner had 19 points in 24 minutes, while Paolo Banchero added 18 points and eight rebounds.
Jamal Cain was huge off the bench, providing spark on both ends of the floor. He defended Cunningham in the second half and posterized Duren in what might be the dunk of the postseason.
Jalen Duren Drops Expletive Message After Loss
GettyJalen Duren #0 of the Detroit Pistons reacts after he dunks in the first half against the Indiana Pacers at Little Caesars Arena on November 17, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan.
Speaking to Hunter Patterson of The Athletic after the game, Jalen Duren expressed his disappointment with how the Pistons performed in their last two games in Orlando. Duren is in disbelief by just how bad they are playing against the No. 8 seed in the playoffs.
“Obviously, upset. We feel like we dropped at least more than one game that we were supposed to win,” Duren said. “Everything is self-inflicted. The turnovers, not executing when we needed to.”
However, Duren remains confident about the Pistons’ chances of coming back from a 3-1 deficit. They won 60 games in the regular season for a reason, and they will look to overcome the odds.
Duren added, “It ain’t over, bro. Teams have come back from down 3-1 so many times. It wouldn’t be the first time in history. We’ve got to keep it one at a time, go protect the crib and keep moving from there. Sh*t ain’t over.”
The last team to complete a 3-1 comeback was the Denver Nuggets back in the 2020 Western Conference Finals against the Los Angeles Clippers. That Nuggets team also came back from a 3-1 deficit in the first round that same postseason against the Utah Jazz.
Jalen Duren Set To Enter Restricted Free Agency
GettyJalen Duren #0 of the Detroit Pistons reacts against the Washington Wizards during the second half at Capital One Arena on March 17, 2026 in Washington, DC.
The Pistons and Jalen Duren failed to agree on an extension back in the summer. That meant Duren will be a restricted free agent this offseason, and he has already been linked to the Los Angeles Lakers by Bleacher Report’s Epic Pincus.
In an interview on The Zach Lowe Show back in December, Duren revealed that the Pistons didn’t understand his value at the time of negotiations.
Duren had something to prove entering the season, and he didn’t disappoint. He was named an All-Star for the first time, averaging 19.5 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game.
However, his value likely took a bit of a hit with how poorly he has been playing in the playoffs against the Magic. He is being outplayed by Wendell Carter Jr., though he still has a chance to find his rhythm and make an impact.
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