Jalen Duren scored a career-high 33 points in the Pistons’ 122-110 win over Dallas in Mexico City on Saturday.
Jalen Duren scored a career-high 33 points in the Pistons’ 122-110 win over Dallas in Mexico City on Saturday.
Mexico City — In a game featuring two No. 1 overall picks, Cade Cunningham (2021) and Cooper Flagg (2025), Jalen Duren emerged as the standout player in Mexico City on Saturday night.
Duren scored a career-high 33 points on 13-of-16 shooting, leading the Detroit Pistons (4-2) to a 122-110 victory over the Dallas Mavericks (2-4) at Arena CDMX. In addition to his scoring, Duren posted a double-double, complemented by 10 rebounds.
“Domination. He was phenomenal,” Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “He put pressure on the rim and ran the floor. He scored in a bunch of ways, working the offensive glass. He dominated the interior tonight.”
Duren was instrumental in helping the Pistons overcome another slow start, scoring 17 points in the first half. His performance led Detroit on a 21-2 run midway through the second quarter.
BOX SCORE: Pistons 122, Mavericks 110
“I just wanted to get the win,” Duren said. “Coach had a great game plan. My teammates found me when I was open. And the rest was history.”
Coach J.B. Bickerstaff took pride in the Pistons being hosted for the 2025 NBA Mexico City Game. He viewed it as an “honor” and believed that the game could inspire a child in Mexico who dreams of playing in the league one day.
Bickerstaff encouraged his players to be an inspiration and enjoy their time in a foreign country. However, he emphasized that his team was not just there for entertainment. The goal was to play Pistons basketball during their regular-season game against the Mavericks.
Bickerstaff’s message emphasized the Pistons’ dedication to providing fans with a complete experience, demonstrating their grit and relying on resilience to fight their way back into the game. The Pistons allowed 30 or more points in each of the first three quarters, losing every period by an average margin of 2.6 points. In the fourth quarter, Detroit outscored Dallas 35-17.
“We just finally decided to play some defense,” Bickerstaff said. “Our team, no matter how far we go, has to be our defense that leads the way. There were too many opportunities where I did not think we did a good enough job on the defensive end of the floor. We allowed them to get to the paint too often and we gave up too many open 3s.
“But in the fourth quarter, to hold them to 17 points after giving up 30 in each quarter, it showed what we are capable of. We just have to be more consistent on that end of the floor.”
Cade Cunningham notched 21 points to go along with a career-high of 18 assists. Ausar Thompson added 15 points and seven rebounds. Duncan Robinson continues to show that he is getting accustomed to a new system, finishing with 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting, including three made 3-pointers.
D’Angelo Russell led the Mavericks with 31 points on 7-of-13 3-point shooting. Flagg added 16 points on 3-of-14 shooting, eight rebounds and four assists.
“It was important for us to come out here and perform at a high level,” Bickerstaff said. “It is an honor to be asked to be a part of these games. To be a flagbearer of the NBA in an international city means a lot. We wanted to play well for the fans here. We wanted to give them a show, and I felt we did that tonight.”
The Pistons’ Isaiah Stewart on facing the Mavericks in Mexico City
“I’m looking forward to representing the franchise down here in a different country,” Isaiah Stewart said.
Dawg Pound shines in Mexico City: The Dawg Pound was in full effect in Mexico City. Along with Duren, Isaiah Stewart had a tremendous performance off the bench, contributing 10 points, four rebounds and two blocks. He helped keep the Pistons afloat during their early struggles with his play on both ends.
Stewart experienced a pivotal momentum shift midway through the fourth quarter. He executed a one-handed block against Caleb Martin, who attempted to dunk on the veteran big man.
Bickerstaff and Kidd share their fondness for Mexico City: Before the game, Bickerstaff and Kidd expressed their love and appreciation for playing in Mexico City.
They both enjoyed the enthusiasm exhibited by the fans for both teams. Bickerstaff revealed that a group of fans gathered outside the team’s hotel, wearing Pistons gear and cheering, demonstrating their passion for the game.
“The game of basketball brought so much to all of us. It is only the right thing to do to try to spread it and spread that opportunity for everybody,” Bickerstaff said. “To be able to play these games in Mexico City, knowing how much the sport is loved here, and how excited fans get about it. To give fans who may never have the chance to see an NBA game in person the opportunity to do so means a lot to us. We don’t take that responsibility lightly.”
Bickerstaff and Kidd have expressed their hope that the NBA will maintain its connection with Mexico City to promote the game globally. Kidd also mentioned his desire to see the establishment of an expansion team in Mexico City, primarily because the city already has a G League team, the Mexico City Capitanes.
“I think Mexico City would be a great place to host that team,” Kidd said. “The game of basketball is very popular here. I’ve played with some teammates from Mexico. When you talk about Canada and Mexico, you are talking about basketball at a very high level. Hopefully, we can continue this partnership, and hopefully we can have an NBA team.”
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