{"id":165626,"date":"2025-11-05T09:00:32","date_gmt":"2025-11-05T14:00:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=165626"},"modified":"2025-11-05T00:21:49","modified_gmt":"2025-11-05T05:21:49","slug":"the-rise-of-the-pistons-double-big-lineup-begins-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/11\/05\/the-rise-of-the-pistons-double-big-lineup-begins-now\/","title":{"rendered":"The Rise of the Pistons Double Big Lineup Begins Now"},"content":{"rendered":"

The NBA\u2019s latest trend is clear: the return of the double-big lineup, and on Monday night, the Detroit Pistons<\/a> got their first honest look at it. With Tobias Harris<\/a> sidelined, Isaiah Stewart<\/a> slid next to Jalen Duren<\/a> in the starting frontcourt \u2014 and the results were immediate.<\/p>\n

Duren finished with 14 points and nine boards, while Stewart delivered the best performance of his career: 26 points, 14 rebounds, four assists, and four blocks. The Pistons’ 114\u2013106 win over the Grizzlies also moved them to 5\u20132 and revealed a promising new identity.<\/p>\n

Now the question becomes: was this a one-night wrinkle, or a blueprint for the future? Should J.B. Bickerstaff lean into the league\u2019s size comeback and roll with two bigs full-time \u2014 and what would that mean for the Pistons\u2019 rotation and spacing in the future?<\/p>\n

The Rise of the Pistons Double Big Lineup Begins Now<\/h2>\n

Pistons Double-Big Identity<\/strong><\/h3>\n

For a double-big lineup to work, the two players can\u2019t overlap \u2014 they have to complement, and the Pistons have that. Duren brings overwhelming size and vertical gravity, a lob threat who bends defenses simply by being around the rim. Stewart counters as a bruiser who anchors the paint defensively and spaces the floor enough to keep driving lanes clear.<\/p>\n

That balance translated immediately. Against Jock Landale<\/a> and All-Defensive big Jaren Jackson Jr.<\/a>, the Pistons\u2019 duo controlled the interior, winning the rebounding battle 23\u20139<\/a> and setting a physical tone Memphis never solved. Stewart\u2019s ability to step out and Duren\u2019s growing comfort in space kept the floor unclogged while still punishing the paint.<\/p>\n

Pick Your Spots<\/h3>\n

The double-big lineup shouldn\u2019t become the Pistons\u2019 default \u2014 it should be a tool, not a template. As intriguing as Duren and Stewart are together, the approach comes with real lineup risks. Both players play a physical brand<\/a> of basketball, and foul trouble is a natural byproduct. If either sits early, the Pistons\u2019 size evaporates quickly.<\/p>\n

In the right matchups, the double-big lineup can bully teams and control tempo. But leaning on it every night \u2014 especially when depth behind the duo is limited \u2014 could put the Pistons under challenging stretches if whistles pile up.<\/p>\n

Experience That Holds the Blueprint Together<\/h3>\n

The Pistons can\u2019t overlook what Harris brings to the starting unit. His impact goes beyond scoring \u2014 he provides structure, composure, and veteran awareness to a young group still figuring out how to close games. Harris understands pace, spacing, and when to calm things down, giving the Pistons a steadying presence in moments that typically trip up developing teams.<\/p>\n

On both ends, he fills crucial gaps. Harris offers reliable half-court creation without disrupting the flow, spaces the floor for Cade Cunningham<\/a> and Jaden Ivey<\/a>, and brings disciplined, physical defense that keeps the lineup balanced when the bigs deal with fouls or fatigue. Even as the Pistons lean into size and physicality, Harris remains the stabilizer \u2014 the veteran presence ensuring force doesn\u2019t become disorder.<\/p>\n

The Last Word<\/h3>\n

The Detroit Pistons don\u2019t need to pick just one identity \u2014 they need to know when to deploy each one. The double-big look gives the Pistons a bruising, throwback edge that can overwhelm teams physically and tilt games in the trenches. Combining physicality with Harris\u2019s steadiness and the young core\u2019s growth gives Detroit rare versatility and multiple winning styles.<\/p>\n

This early-season experiment wasn\u2019t just a fun wrinkle \u2014 it was a glimpse into how the Pistons can evolve. When the matchup calls for muscle, they can punch first. When the moment demands control, they can trust Harris and Cunningham to guide the offense home. In a league built on flexibility, the Pistons suddenly have options. If they balance power with poise, Detroit won\u2019t just rise \u2014 it\u2019ll arrive ahead of schedule.<\/p>\n

\u00a9 Petre Thomas-Imagn Images<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The NBA\u2019s latest trend is clear: the return of the double-big lineup, and on Monday night, the Detroit Pistons got their first honest look at it. With Tobias Harris sidelined, Isaiah Stewart slid next to Jalen Duren in the starting frontcourt \u2014 and the results were immediate. Duren finished with 14 points and nine boards, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5168,"featured_media":165703,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1608,10,62],"tags":[2380,4432],"class_list":["post-165626","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-basketball","category-pistons","category-nba","tag-isaiah-stewart","tag-jalen-duren"],"modified_by":"Jordan Pagkalinawan","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/165626","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5168"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=165626"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/165626\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":165704,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/165626\/revisions\/165704"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/165703"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=165626"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=165626"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=165626"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}