Jalen Duren, Kevin Huerter lead Pistons past Pelicans

Detroit wins for the fifth time in six games, thumping visiting New Orleans 129-108

Mar. 27, 2026 at 7:10am

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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. Kevin Huerter fired in 22 points while Daniss Jenkins supplied 19 points and nine assists for the Eastern Conference leaders. Zion Williamson topped the Pelicans with 21 points.

Why it matters

The Pistons are making a strong push in the Eastern Conference playoff race, while the Pelicans continue to struggle in the West. This game showcased the Pistons' depth and ability to win without several key players.

The details

The Pistons were missing several guards, including All-Star Cade Cunningham and Duncan Robinson, but got big games from Duren, Huerter, and Jenkins to pull away from the Pelicans. Detroit led by as many as 15 in the third quarter before New Orleans made a run to get within six, but the Pistons rebuilt their lead in the fourth quarter.

  • The game was played on Thursday, March 27, 2026.

The players

Jalen Duren

A dominant center for the Detroit Pistons who had 30 points and 10 rebounds in the win.

Kevin Huerter

A key contributor off the bench for the Pistons, scoring 22 points in the victory.

Zion Williamson

The star forward for the New Orleans Pelicans, who led his team with 21 points in the loss.

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What they’re saying

“We must continue to play with this level of energy and focus if we want to make a deep playoff run.”

— Jalen Duren, Pistons Center

What’s next

The Pistons will look to continue their strong play as they push for a top seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Pelicans will try to rebound from this loss as they fight to stay in the playoff picture in the West.

The takeaway

The Pistons' depth and balanced scoring attack proved too much for the struggling Pelicans, showcasing Detroit's potential as a contender in the East. Meanwhile, New Orleans' star Zion Williamson had another solid performance, but lacked enough support from his teammates to pull off the upset.