The Detroit Pistons just cooled off one of the hottest teams in basketball with a thrilling victory. They have once again swept their season series with the Los Angeles Lakers by defeating them at Little Caesars Arena 113-110.
The Pistons' Monday night win snapped the Lakers' nine-game winning streak and extended the Pistons' winning streak to four.
Detroit continues its success with a short-handed roster, which creates opportunity for new players to step up. This opened the door for another stunning performance by former G-League point guard Daniss Jenkins. The 24-year-old had a huge night for the Pistons, scoring 30 crucial points.
Jenkins has been a valuable asset for Detroit since the start of the season. His responsibility has increased since losing All-Star point guard Cade Cunningham to a collapsed lung. Pistons' head coach J.B. Bickerstaff admits he is no longer surprised at how Jenkins continues to rise to the occasion for Detroit.
“Again, no longer surprised. When he has the opportunity, he has delivered for us. Whether it’s throughout the game or in clutch moments, he finds a way to impact winning,” Bickerstaff stated. “I thought, again, he made huge plays down the stretch, made his free throws. So, he deserves a lot of credit tonight.”
Pistons leaned on Jenkins in the clutch vs. Lakers
The Pistons leaned on the clutch, stellar play of Jenkins as he put up eight points in the fourth quarter. Detroit lost the lead twice late in the final period to the Lakers. Jenkins swiped the momentum and the lead back with a big 13-footer and two sets of free throws to extend their lead.
These late-game heroics have been a staple of the breakout season of Jenkins. One of the biggest marks came against the Washington Wizards when Jenkins sank a game-tying triple to send the contest to overtime back in November. Jenkins spoke about his mindset on delivering in late-game moments for the Pistons this season.
“For me, I always say I’m forever humble, thankful, and grateful. But you know what you can do; how I can impact the game. Everybody else is surprised. For myself, I speak humbly and respectfully, but I just know the work that I put in. I just know when my number is called, I know what I’m about and how I’m going to help the team. So, that's all I try to go out and do. It really doesn’t surprise me. [I’m going to] keep putting in the work. Keep God first, keep my family right, my circle right, and I’m just going to be blessed.”
The Pistons survived a 32-point performance from Lakers' star guard Luka Doncic. He put up 17 in the first quarter and went quiet on his dominance after the opening period. Detroit held him to an efficient shooting night as he went 11-of-29 from the field and 3-of-13 from 3-point range.
All-Star center Jalen Duren continued his impressive play, scoring 20 points and pulling down 11 rebounds. Veteran forward Tobias Harris added 14 points and seven rebounds to help the Pistons. Guard Duncan Robinson heated up after a scoreless first quarter, hitting four triples and scoring 12 points for Detroit.
