Jalen Duren dropped to the floor after the final buzzer, pounding his fists in celebration as the Pistons ended a long and painful losing streak. After weeks of tough losses, Little Caesars Arena was filled with the joy of victory again on Saturday night.

Duren played a key role in securing the Pistons’ first win in over two months, dominating inside with 18 points and 17 rebounds in their 129-127 victory over the short-handed Toronto Raptors.

Earlier in the season, each Pistons player received a custom blue-and-white boombox. For the first time since their last win on October 28, music filled the locker room, thanks to Duren blasting Ja Rule’s “Caught Up” before he spoke about the rare victory.

 

“The message is, ‘Enjoy this, but we’re not done yet,'” Duren said post-game. “The record still looks bad, and we’ve got a lot to fix, but it feels great to get this monkey off our back.”

Duren finished several easy baskets with powerful dunks and tied his season-high in rebounds. This was his third game back after a two-week absence due to an ankle injury, but his athleticism shone throughout. Despite picking up two early fouls, he played under control and managed to stay on the court until the final quarter, narrowly avoiding a foul-out.

Duren has been on a tear since November 30, averaging 14.8 points, 13.3 rebounds, and 1.8 assists while shooting 69% over the last six games—a performance unmatched by any Pistons player in the shot-clock era.

He credits his success, in part, to the ankle braces he now wears during practices and games to prevent further injuries. Reflecting on the 15 games he missed, Duren acknowledged the negative impact it had on the team.

“Those injuries were tough,” Duren admitted. “It was the first time I’ve ever had to sit out like that, and it hurt not being able to fight with my team. I missed so many games, and I feel like it cost us.”

Cade Cunningham, the first to congratulate Duren after the win, praised him for his strong presence inside.

“He was huge for us,” Cunningham said. “It felt like he had his double-double early. His impact is big, and it’s so fun to play with him.”

Adding some fun to the victory, Wingstop’s promotion—offering free wings once the Pistons won—finally kicked in. Even Duren joked about claiming his wings on Instagram.

Notably, Duren was perfect from the free-throw line for the second time this season, sinking all six of his attempts, including four critical shots in the final minute as the Raptors mounted a comeback.

With 44.8 seconds left, fans chanted “Let’s go, Pistons!” in contrast to the “Sell the team!” chants directed at owner Tom Gores in previous games. Duren confidently knocked down two clutch free throws and later reflected on the moment.

“We weren’t losing this one, not because of me,” he said. “I’m confident in the work I’ve put in.”

When asked about the fan chants, Duren humorously noted, “It felt way better than ‘Sell the team!'” He expressed gratitude for the fans’ continued support and reiterated that the team has a lot more to achieve.

It was just one win with 50 games left, but Duren’s dominance on the court gave Pistons fans—and even himself—a chance to enjoy a well-deserved victory, both figuratively and literally.