Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren start off!

At the end of a very tight match (78-81), it was the Pistons who left the Thomas & Mack Center with their first victory of the Summer League under the elbow. As expected, the new duo of rookies from Detroit composed of Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren distinguished themselves and sparkled from the start of the meeting.

NBA fans who got up at 4 a.m. to see the duel between Paolo Banchero and Jabari Smith Jr. at the opening of this new Summer League must have been shocked to see… that there was still a match after the one they had just watched. Same for those who had just gotten up in the morning to go to work, and who, during a bite in their cracker, discovered that their journey to work was going to be accompanied by almost an entire game, not an end. fourth quarter as we usually know with regular season games. And yes, as some people thought, Portland-Detroit, it wasn’t 6 p.m. tonight, but 6 a.m., a nice matchup that wakes you up at a time not made for those not used to time schedules real university night sessions on the Pacific coast. On this second game on Thursday, of course, we expected the opposition between Jaden Ivey and Shaedon Sharpe, which finally only went in one direction since Sharpe decided to remain invisible on the pitch for a little longer. Next to JI? Great expectations around Jalen Duren and the arms he stole from Vin Diesel who, accompanied by Isaiah Stewart, had planned to wreak some initial havoc in the Blazers racket.

6 hours from the zblah. Eyes are still small for everyone waiting for the first sip of coffee. The mug approaches the lips, and the osmosis begins at the same time as the match. The Pistons have the first ball, and Jaden Ivey decides to activate the reactors attached to his shoes, the ones that allow him to pierce defenses at a speed exceeding the speed of sound… and throws the ball near the circle. His 18-year-old pivot with the combined power of a hippopotamus and a buffalo was hidden in the small corner, and Jalen Duren slams a big alley-oop to the back of the circle. First possession of their NBA career huh. The eyes are wide, the sip of coffee almost spat out, but at least the tone is set by Detroit’s sensational new duo.

Jaden Ivey ???? Jalen Duren

The @DetroitPistons rookies start the game with a ????

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— NBA (@NBA) July 8, 2022

In front of his mother Niele present in the stands, Jaden Ivey will finish the match with 20 points at 42% in shooting including 40% from parking and 100% in free throws, 6 rebounds and 6 assists at the counter. The performance is beautiful, clean, neat, find another synonym. The boy didn’t even lose a ball in the second half, a performance also marked by big explosive drives, big dunks and beautiful caviars. Caviars which therefore delighted Jalen Duren and his father’s arms, a baby daron who for his part finished the match at 9 points at 67% shooting and 2 blocks. Finally “cons” no, since it clearly looked more like volleyball smashes. He didn’t just use his rookie colleague’s caviars in attack, but also those of… Killian Hayes. The Frenchie, holder in the lead, made a very good passage, complete, on both sides of the field, with 7 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists and 1 steal. The Pistons’ five seemed to be getting along well and being on the court, which might even suggest an association… Duren – Stewart in the key. Indeed, even if Isaiah always remains a little (too) crazy in his way of playing and being, he downright planted 3-point clutches at the end of the match, because the Summer League remains a world apart.

For the Pistons, go Saturday for their second match of the competition against the Wizards. In the meantime, Jaden Ivey has returned to the hotel to recharge his Duracell-sponsored calves, and Jalen Duren has already gone back to the gym to develop an arm muscle no one knows but himself. After such a first match, we are sure that the two boys will not be unemployed until July 17, and that this announces – already – great things for the regular season.