Fans livid with Jalen Duren and Pistons, beg for Trajan Langdon move in offseason

The Detroit Pistons are in deep trouble against the Orlando Magic after losing an intense Game 3 at Kia Center in Orland0, 113-105.

They rallied from 17 down late in the fourth quarter, only to give up the game's final nine points and now trail the Magic, 2-1, in the series.

And fans and experts reacted accordingly.

Teams winning Game 3 of a best-of-seven series tied at 1 win the series 73.7% of the time in NBA history.

The NBA rarely sees 8-seeds beat 1-seeds in the playoffs, but it's not unprecedented.

The 1-seed Pistons went 60-22 in the regular season (the 8-seed Magic were 45-37). Only two teams to have won at least 60 games and lost their first-round series are the 2007 Dallas Mavericks (who lost to the "We Believe" Golden State Warriors) and the 2011 San Antonio Spurs (who lost to the Memphis Grizzlies).

The Pistons started the fourth with a Daniss Jenkins-Duncan Robinson-Ausar Thompson-Javonte Green-Isaiah Stewart lineup − one that apparently played eight total minutes in the regular season − and the Magic immediately went on a 7-0 run to lead by 15.

SHAWN WINDSOR: Pistons have no one to blame but themselves for lack of focus

The Pistons responded late, led by scoring from Cade Cunningham and Tobias Harris, but ultimately, their poor play for much of the game was too much to overcome.

Here's how fans and media reacted to Game 3 of Pistons-Magic, with much of the criticism centered on Jalen Duren (eight points, 3-for-10 shooting) and begging president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon to be more aggressive in his third offseason this summer.

No, the season is not over yet, but there were emotional reactions as expected.

Magic Pistons reaction to Game 3

I’ve done a complete 180 on duren. Can’t pay him.— Brandon Engel (@brandonengel_) April 25, 2026

What an absolute choke job. End this series so my GM is forced to make actual changes.— Justin Lambregtse (@JLambregtse) April 25, 2026

Down 2-1 as the 1 seed to a team whose coach lost the locker room— Eli (@EliBashiNBA) April 25, 2026

Bad News
- Down 2-1
- Cade just had his worst game of the series
- WCJ dominating the center minutes as Duren continues to struggle
- #Magic have mostly been better team outside of like 13(???) total minutes

Good News #Pistons
- Win on Monday and it's a Best of 3 series— Motor City Hoops (@MotorCityHoops) April 25, 2026

The Pistons are in no way out of this series

But every loss is a reminder of why we were begging Trajan to get this team another creator/scorer— PistonsThoughts (@PistonsThoughts) April 25, 2026

Franz two big time shots I ain’t got nothing to say— Ku (@KuKhahil) April 25, 2026

A Twitter List by MarloweAlter

If you are going to press up and double Black as he brings the ball up the court, someone has to stunt at or just full on rotate to Paolo after the screen. That is too much ground for Cade to recover to. pic.twitter.com/JjNxcQYhlK— Mo Dakhil (@MoDakhil_NBA) April 25, 2026

If the Pistons get eliminated first round I’m expecting some sort or change. This is inexcusable— nick (@nsitto2) April 25, 2026

It’s very tough to play guys that can’t shoot in the playoffs. Teams just go full “he’s with us mode” and load up on everyone else.— Nate Jones (@JonesOnTheNBA) April 25, 2026

“Duren, we need you to do something!”

Jalen Duren: pic.twitter.com/JDYvlAxV85— Schandy (@D_Schandy24) April 25, 2026

Detroit started the 4th quarter with a lineup of:

Daniss Jenkins/Duncan Robinson/Ausar Thompson/Javonte Green/Isaiah Stewart.

Per Cleaning the Glass, that lineup played 8 total minutes in the regular season and was a -78.6.— Aaron Johnson (@AJohnsonNBA) April 25, 2026

Ausar just took a 3, a sure sign that they're having issues generating anything.

Magic have their biggest lead of the series, 94-79. Pounced on the Cade-less minutes to open the 4th. JB calls timeout with 10:05 to go.— Omari Sankofa II (@omarisankofa) April 25, 2026

Game on the line and JB runs the “preseason game 3 lineup” to start the 4th

Get this trash team off my tv— Schandy (@D_Schandy24) April 25, 2026

Getting lapped by a team who’s coach has been a dead man walking for months something has to change this offseason— Vegas Thinks (@Shills0) April 25, 2026

That’s the ball game. Orlando starts out and extends the lead to 15 with Cade on the bench.

Pistons will be down 2-1, unless a remarkable comeback happens in these final 10 minutes—which we have no reason to believe.— Ku (@KuKhahil) April 25, 2026

I would like to reiterate Bane’s night began with JB taking Ausar off of Bane to start the game, which is what most of pistons twitter was begging him to do since game 1.— Keith Black Trudeau (@Charlottean28) April 25, 2026

The Magic defense is really good

But the Pistons offense is hideous— PistonsThoughts (@PistonsThoughts) April 25, 2026

And again, Stewart doesn't come over enough, tries to get the block late and that leaves Carter to crash down the lane. pic.twitter.com/TE4GSfxU7h— Mo Dakhil (@MoDakhil_NBA) April 25, 2026

Like, how do you come out with even less energy than you had in the first half

Not sure what’s going on but the guys that aren’t playing hard don’t need to play. You can’t play defense like this. It’s not acceptable— Keith Black Trudeau (@Charlottean28) April 25, 2026

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Pistons fans beg for Trajan Langdon move in summer after Game 3 loss