The development of basketball skills over the last few decades has ushered in a new era of big men in the NBA. Quicker, more versatile, and more agile than ever before, today’s elite big men possess the ability to gracefully weave their way into defenses to create havoc or step outside and swish outside shots with relative ease.
Whereas physically imposing big men like Shaquille O’Neal, Patrick Ewing and Karl Malone routinely relied on their physicality to dominate the league in the 1990s and early 2000s, today’s elite big men like Karl-Anthony Towns, Nikola Jokic, Alperen Sengun and Bam Adebayo use a varied skill set to wreak havoc on defenses.
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However, over in Detroit, the Pistons have a frontcourt duo that is a throwback to the big men of years past. With All-Star Jalen Duren and his backup, Isaiah Stewart, they have players who aren’t shy to dish out forearm shivers and impose their will inside. And according to Duren, his chemistry with Stewart has built a bond that allows them to do what they do.
A close bond on and off the court
That bond was on full display earlier this season during an intense game between the Pistons and the Charlotte Hornets. With the Hornets a fast-rising team keen to carve out a spot in the East and the Pistons currently lording over the conference, it wasn’t surprising to see tensions rise and eventually boil over between Duren and the Hornets’ Moussa Diabate.
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Upon seeing Duren under fire from both Diabate and Miles Bridges, Beef Stew didn’t think twice about inserting himself into the conflict and attacked the latter. It was a gesture that Duren truly appreciated.
“That’s my brother, man. That’s my brother. He’s probably one of the best teammates I ever had,” Duren stated.
Duren added that while Stewart’s act resonated with him, it wasn’t what truly built their relationship. Rather, it’s the time they have spent off the court, just chilling and talking about basketball and life.
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“It’s not even for like the probably the extra stuff that y’all see and all that goes on. It’s just the simple fact that who he is as a man. Like man to man, he’s man. He my guy dog,” Duren expressed.
“He’s a guy you could talk to. He’s a guy that’s always going to be there for you. He’s a guy that as a teammate you wouldn’t want nobody else. He’s a guy that you hate to play against but love to play with.”
Opposing players hate going against these two enforcers
Former NBA enforcer Kendrick Perkins has taken notice of the job Duren and Stewart have done to elevate the Pistons to the top of the East. And as somebody whose previous job was to strike fear into anyone who ventured into the shaded lane, Perk said these two are not to be messed with.
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“Those two monsters that they have down low, f—kingg Duren and ‘Beef Stew’, Isaiah Stewart, a lot of teams don’t want to face that,” Perkins said.
“They’re not shying away from any type of, they want all the smoke. So from a physicality standpoint, that culture is real over there. Bickerstaff got them boys playing on another level,” he added.
With the Pistons beginning their playoff march against the Orlando Magic, Duren and Stewart will have huge roles to play in the team’s quest to reclaim its lost glory.
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This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Apr 19, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
