Lakers commend team’s perseverance despite defeat to Pistons
DETROIT — Luka Doncic’s final shot missed the mark, resulting in the Los Angeles Lakers’ nine-game winning streak coming to an end with a 113-110 defeat against the Detroit Pistons on Monday. L.A., competing in the fifth match of a six-game road trip, began the game sluggishly against the top team in the Eastern Conference and fell behind by as much as 16 points during the third quarter.
The Lakers gained their first lead of the second half with two free throws from Deandre Ayton with 39.9 seconds left, but Detroit’s Daniss Jenkins responded by scoring six of his career-high 30 points shortly thereafter, regaining the lead for the Pistons.
After a timeout with 9.0 seconds remaining, LeBron James’ inbounds pass aimed at Doncic was deflected by Detroit’s Tobias Harris, who was guarding James along the sideline.
Lakers backup center Maxi Kleber, who was setting a screen for Doncic, attempted to catch the deflected pass, but it slipped off his hand. Doncic retrieved the loose ball and sought a clear opportunity for a game-tying 3-pointer, but Detroit’s 6-foot-10 All-Star center, Jalen Duren, effectively restricted his space with solid defense.
“We were down … and then fought our way back,” stated Austin Reaves, who scored 16 of his 24 points in the second half. “We executed some really good plays, and there are areas we need to improve, but, you know, it’s a long trip and I appreciated our competitive spirit.”
Playing without Marcus Smart (right ankle) and Rui Hachimura (right calf), L.A. certainly held its own against the Pistons, who were also missing Cade Cunningham (collapsed lung).
However, the Lakers faced challenges in shooting against a Detroit squad that boasts the No. 2 defensive rating in the league.
Doncic recorded 32 points but shot 11-for-29 (3-for-13 from beyond the arc). James was 0-for-5 in the first halfβmarking just the third occasion in his career with a scoreless first halfβand concluded the game 4-for-10. Luke Kennard, who was the standout against the Orlando Magic on Saturday, shot 1-for-5.
Nonetheless, the Lakers acknowledged their effort in trying to extend the streak, despite not achieving the desired outcome.
“Just our mental toughness,” James remarked when asked about the winning habits the team has cultivated. “There were a few games where we fell behind; a few games where we took the lead; teams made runs, seized leads, and we managed to remain resilient and come back. So we’re a tough-minded group. Even tonight, we fell behind again against a very strong team on their home court. Clearly, they had likely been anticipating this matchup.”
Prior to the streak beginning on March 5, L.A. was positioned No. 6 in the Western Conference. With the streak now concluded, the Lakers stand at No. 3 in the West with 10 games left in the regular season.
“I spoke about … the progress we’ve made in being able to bend but not break,” said Lakers coach JJ Redick. “And tonight was another instance of that.”
Redick was asked to evaluate his team now that the winning streak has ended.
“We’re a good basketball team,” he stated. “I believe that we’re a good basketball team. I thought we could be a good basketball team all season long. We’ve seen glimpses of it. We’ve witnessed brief stretches of it, but we’re a good basketball team.”
Redick emphasized the need for L.A. to maintain its momentum while also focusing on the return of Smart and Hachimura, all while managing the health of the rest of the roster.
“We need to conclude the season strongly, but we also need to finish the season healthy,” Redick added.
L.A. will wrap up its six-game road trip on Wednesday against the Indiana Pacers, who defeated the Magic on Monday to end a 16-game losing streak.
“It’s the final game of the road trip,” James noted. “I know everyone is eager to return home, but we have business to attend to, so we’ll be prepared.”
