Detroit — Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren will have Pistons fans cheering for a long time.
Detroit’s two lottery picks had electric performances in their NBA debuts.
Ivey, the No. 5 overall pick scored 19 points had four assists in Detroit’s 113-109 win over the Orlando Magic on Wednesday. Duren, the No. 13 pick, threw down thunderous dunks and defended the paint, finishing with a double-double of 14 points, 10 rebounds and three blocked shots.
Duren has only played one NBA game, but he’s building a reputation as a highlight reel, waiting to happen. The 18-year-old center gave fans inside Little Caesars Arena plenty to cheer about as he threw down dunk after dunk.
When Duren drew Paolo Banchero’s fifth foul and connected on the layup to give the Pistons a late two-point lead, the crowd erupted. He received a standing ovation when he checked out with one minute left in the game.
Ivey, who’s known for his quickness and speed, used his talents to get into the lane early and often. For his first career basket, the former Purdue star cut to the basket and his backcourtmate Cunningham found him for a wide open layup. Ivey also used his firs
“Both of those young kids are going to be our future,” Casey said.
Here are a couple of more observations from Wednesday’s 113-109 win over the Magic:
Bogdanovic catches fire
Bojan Bogdanovic has a reputation as a flat-out scorer. On Wednesday, he showed why the Pistons traded Kelly Olynyk and Saben Lee for his services.
The high-scoring forward connected on 6-of-10 from 3-point range. Once Bogdanovic began to get going from 3, it opened opportunities up for his teammates. Cade Cunningham was able to knock down his first 3-pointer of the game as a result of the attention that Bogdanovic created.
If Bogdanovic can do this consistently, it adds another scoring threat to a group of playmakers that includes Ivey, Cunningham and Killian Hayes.
mcurtis@detroitnews.comTwitter: @MikeACurtis2