Talk about a reality check for the Los Angeles Lakers. They were always going to be underdogs against the Detroit Pistons during their Tuesday night game. However, the expectation was that LA was at least going to put up a fight against the top-seeded team in the Eastern Conference.
Instead, the Lakers got demolished by the Pistons, losing 128-106. Detroit's signature hard-nosed defense got to the home team, and LA also struggled to stop their opponent's relentless rim pressure. One stat from the game perfectly exemplified just how brutal the day was for the Lakers.
“The Detroit Pistons MADE more shots in the paint tonight (37) than the Lakers *attempted* (34),” Law Murray wrote for The Athletic.
It was a brutal day for the Lakers. Their defense has been a concern all season long, and it was once again exposed against the Pistons. The Pistons scored a total of 74 points in the paint, attacking their bigs all game long. Even when the Lakers seemed to mount a comeback in the third quarter, Detroit was able to stop the bleeding and mount a run of their own to put LA away.
Luka Doncic led the Lakers with 30 points and 11 assists. LeBron James, who celebrated his 41st birthday, had 17 points, while Jaxson Hayes had 13 points. For the Pistons, Cade Cunningham had 27 points and 11 assists and was a team-high +23 in his 27 minutes of play. Jalen Duren had 14 points, eight rebounds, and five steals to lead the Pistons' defensive effort.
The Lakers have lost four of their last five games, dropping to 20-11 and to fifth place in the Western Conference. Their next game is on January 2 against the Memphis Grizzlies.
