Jaxson Hayes addressed the physicality of Detroit’s play following the Los Angeles Lakers’ 128-106 loss to the Pistons at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday.
“Just physical game, hard fought game…we just got to close it out. That fourth quarter was a little sad for us,” Hayes said, reflecting on the Lakers’ inability to finish strong despite a close first three quarters.
He expressed frustration over turnovers. “Obviously it’s frustrating…we just figure it out and keep moving from there,” Hayes said regarding the team’s 20-plus turnovers, which contributed to Detroit’s 28-point advantage from Lakers’ mistakes.
Hayes discussed the ongoing search for team identity late in the season. “You never truly find your full identity till honestly a game like 70…it takes all year,” he explained, noting the challenge of inconsistent rotations and limited games with a full lineup.
The center emphasized consistent defensive effort as a focus moving forward. “We just got to dig deep down and everyone’s got to bring effort every time, all the time,” Hayes said, underlining the importance of accountability on that end of the floor.
Hayes also acknowledged the Lakers’ depth despite rotation challenges. “We’ve had a bunch of guys step up this year whenever we needed them to and they’ve killed it,” he said, highlighting contributions from bench players amid injuries and lineup shifts.
Detroit’s Cade Cunningham led all scorers with 27 points and 11 assists, while Marcus Sasser added a season-high 19 and Isaiah Stewart chipped in 15 to propel the Pistons past the Lakers, who struggled to contain drives in the paint.
LeBron James scored 17 points on his 41st birthday, including three 3-pointers, but sat during the final minutes as Detroit’s 16-6 run in the fourth quarter sealed the outcome. Luka Doncic led Los Angeles with 30 points and 11 assists, but the team fell short against Detroit’s aggressive attack.
The Pistons dominated inside, scoring 74 points in the paint, while Los Angeles was limited to 45% shooting overall. Detroit improved to 25-8 on the season, snapping a two-game losing streak, while the Lakers dropped to 20-11.
Detroit will host the Miami Heat on Thursday, and the Lakers return home to face the Memphis Grizzlies the same day.
