The Detroit Pistons claimed a 115-103 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night, despite a dominant 37-point effort from Lakers’ Anthony Davis.
Cade Cunningham led Detroit with an all-around performance, securing his third career triple-double with 17 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists, helping his team overcome Los Angeles on the Pistons’ home court.
The Lakers, now 4-3, saw Davis start strong, scoring nine points in each of the first two quarters. However, Detroit jumped to an early 33-22 lead after the first quarter, which proved difficult for the Lakers to overcome as the Pistons maintained control for much of the game.
Jaden Ivey contributed significantly to the Pistons’ offensive effort, matching his season high with 26 points, and Tim Hardaway Jr. added 19 points.
Los Angeles remained competitive through Davis’ consistent scoring and LeBron James’ versatile contributions. James finished the night with 20 points, 11 assists, and eight rebounds.
However, the Lakers struggled with rebounding, ending the game with just 37 boards compared to Detroit’s 55. The Pistons’ 22-13 advantage in second-chance points highlighted their control on the glass and their ability to capitalize on missed opportunities by the Lakers.
Austin Reaves contributed 17 points on 7-of-17 shooting for the Lakers but could not provide enough support to match Detroit’s balanced attack.
While the Lakers were undermanned, with Jarred Vanderbilt and Christian Wood sidelined due to injuries, Davis continued his impressive season, shooting 13-of-23 from the field while adding nine rebounds and four assists. Davis did experience a momentary scare with an apparent ankle injury late in the game but remained on the court.
Detroit, under head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, is showing marked improvement this season after leading the league in losses over the past two years. The Pistons, now 3-5, reached a three-win mark that took until late December to achieve last season.
Jalen Duren also added to the Pistons’ frontcourt dominance, finishing with 11 points and 14 rebounds. The Pistons relied on a diverse scoring effort, with Tobias Harris contributing 15 points and Duren’s 14-rebound night bolstering Detroit’s rebounding advantage. Off the bench, Ron Holland II made an impact with 12 points and key contributions on the defensive end, further emphasizing the Pistons’ depth.
