Pistons End Lakers’ Win Streak as Luka Doncic Shines Despite Loss

Detroit, MI – The Los Angeles Lakers’ nine-game winning streak ended Monday night with a 113-110 loss to the Detroit Pistons, a result fueled by a career performance from Detroit’s Daniss Jenkins, who scored 30 points, including six in the final 34 seconds. The Pistons’ victory marked their seventh win in the last eight games.

Jenkins, an undrafted player averaging 8 points per game, proved to be the decisive factor, overcoming a 32-point performance from Lakers forward Luka Doncic and 24 points from Austin Reaves. Jalen Duren contributed 20 points and 10 rebounds for Detroit.

The Lakers, who trailed by as many as 16 points in the third quarter, mounted a comeback effort, briefly taking a 108-107 lead with 39.9 seconds remaining on two free throws by Deandre Ayton. However, Jenkins responded with crucial free throws and a late basket to secure the win for Detroit.

Luka Doncic, who was cleared to play after the NBA rescinded his 16th technical foul of the season, finished with 32 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists. He too surpassed 5,000 field goals made in his NBA career and reached 30 points for the 41st time this season, leading the league in that category. Despite his strong individual performance, Doncic missed a potential game-tying three-pointer at the buzzer.

Lakers coach JJ Redick acknowledged the impact of losing Marcus Smart to injury, stating, “It’s not an excuse, but our winning streak has also coincided with us being healthy… Not having Smart tonight hurt us a lot. It’s important for us that we can bounce back.”

LeBron James, who did not score in the first half for the first time since 2010, finished with 12 points, 10 assists, and 9 rebounds, narrowly missing a triple-double. Redick praised James’s playmaking, noting, “I believe LeBron James played a very generous game. He finished with 10 assists. We missed him a couple of times… We made some plays for him and he did very well, not only trying to score, but also making the right play as always, and he got 10 assists.” James himself stated, “This is the role I play on the team. So that we win the games. And that’s how the game unfolded.”

Austin Reaves, Deandre Ayton (who also had 10 rebounds), and Jaxson Hayes (11 points) also scored in double figures for the Lakers.

Redick also commented on the Pistons’ defense, stating, “They have one of the best defenses in the NBA,” acknowledging the difficulty Doncic faced in finding an open glance on the final possession.

The Lakers will next face the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday, even as the Pistons will host the Atlanta Hawks on the same day.