J.B. Bickerstaff after Duren’s debut: prioritize team, and ‘their talent will shine through’

MINNEAPOLIS — Oct. 14, 2026 — Jalen Duren needed only 15 minutes to drop 24 points in his preseason debut. After Detroit’s 128-106 win at Target Center, coach J.B. Bickerstaff spent less time on the numbers and more on the mindset he wants from the whole roster: prioritize the team, and the talent follows.

Duren went 8-of-9 from the floor and 8-of-8 at the line, with three rebounds, one assist, one block and two steals. Cade Cunningham added 14 points and nine assists in 25 minutes as the Pistons improved to 2-1 in the preseason. Minnesota led 38-29 after the first quarter before Detroit answered with a 36-20 second period and pulled away for good.

Bickerstaff on Duren: aggressive, free, and team-first

Asked what impressed him most about how Duren handled his return, Bickerstaff pointed to pace and aggression on both ends.

“I thought he was aggressive,” Bickerstaff said on the team’s official channel. “He looked really fast, quick, he was attacking, playing free. Both sides of the floor, I thought he did a great job, setting the tone for us. And again, it’s his first go at it, so I just expect him to continue to get better.”

A follow-up asked about Duren blocking out the noise and simply playing. The coach framed it as a team standard, not a one-night highlight.

“Yeah, I mean, he just did the job,” Bickerstaff said. “I think that’s where his focus was, and his focus was on helping the team. And as long as all of our guys prioritize team, their talent will shine through because they’re not dealing with the extra stuff, and I thought he did a great job of that tonight.”

Cade as ‘elite leader’

Cunningham finished with nine assists and a plus-11 in a little over 25 minutes. When the room turned to how teammates feed off his energy, Bickerstaff elevated the praise beyond the box score.

“Yeah, I mean, he’s an elite leader,” Bickerstaff said. “Not just a basketball player, but he’s an elite leader, and he sets the tone. He got everybody involved, but when he plays that way, his guys wanna follow him.”

What the night looked like

Detroit shot 45-of-79 (57 percent) with 33 assists. Duncan Robinson scored 15 points on 4-of-5 threes and a plus-20. Isaiah Joe had 14 off the bench, John Collins scored 11 on 4-of-5 shooting, and Anthony Edwards led Minnesota with 20 points. The Pistons host the Toronto Raptors on Friday to close the preseason; the Timberwolves visit Chicago the same night.

Bickerstaff also took a brief digression on Minnesota basketball — he is a former Golden Gopher — and credited staffers Kevin Burleson and Eric Curry for teaching and personality. The through line of the session stayed the same: do the job for the group, and the individual nights take care of themselves.