The Los Angeles Lakers entered tonight’s matchup with the Detroit Pistons with a 4-2 record, showing some spectacular play but also falling into a rut in the second half because of how they were dominated inside. The Pistons out-rebounded the Lakers 55-37 and had a nine-point advantage in second-chance points (22-13). Lakers fans are probably frustrated with this loss right now, but credit has to be given to the young Pistons.
The Pistons held a losing record at 2-5 and have found a way to get closer to .500 with their impressive victory. The Lakers trailed by double-digits towards the end of the third quarter before making a late run but could not overcome the Pistons’ presence in the point along with Jaden Ivey dropping 26 points.
Anthony Davis led the way for the Lakers with 37 points and nine rebounds, once again proving he is an MVP candidate, and LeBron James added 20 points and 11 assists to counter Cade Cunningham’s triple-double (17 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists). With the Lakers sitting 4-3 after seven games in the NBA season, let’s give each player a grade for tonight’s performance.
Anthony Davis: A
Stats: 37 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, 0 steals, 0 blocks, 2 fouls, 3 turnovers, 13-23 FG, 0-4 3-PT FG, 39 mins
Superstar Anthony Davis was once again a dominant force, scoring 37 points on 13-of-23 shooting and grabbing 9 rebounds. His four assists showcased his playmaking ability, although his lack of blocks and steals was uncharacteristic. Despite the Lakers’ struggles on the boards, Davis kept them competitive and continued to build his MVP case.
LeBron James: A-
Stats: 20 points, 8 rebounds, 11 assists, 0 steals, 0 blocks, 1 foul, 3 turnovers, 7-16 FG, 1-2 3-PT FG, 40 mins
LeBron contributed across the board with 20 points, 8 rebounds, and 11 assists, acting as the Lakers’ primary playmaker. Although he wasn’t as efficient as usual in the field, he still performed solidly, including his leadership in the Lakers’ late run. His 40 minutes on the floor showed his commitment, but the team needs more rebounding help around him.
Austin Reaves: B
Stats: 17 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 0 steals, 0 blocks, 4 fouls, 1 turnover, 7-17 FG, 3-10 3-PT FG, 39 mins
Reaves added 17 points and 4 assists while hustling for 4 rebounds. He struggled with efficiency, shooting 7-of-17 overall and 3-of-10 from three, but his energy was evident. Reaves’ ability to contribute on both ends was solid, though his fouling (4 fouls) somewhat hindered his defensive impact.
D’Angelo Russell: C+
Stats: 11 points, 3 rebounds, 8 assists, 0 steals, 0 blocks, 2 fouls, 1 turnover, 4-14 FG, 2-5 3-PT FG, 33 mins
Russell finished with 11 points and 8 assists but had a rough shooting night, hitting just 4-of-14 from the field. While his playmaking was helpful, he couldn’t find his rhythm offensively, and his limited contribution on defense left the Lakers exposed in key moments. His efficiency needs to improve, especially in games where the Lakers struggle on the boards.
Rui Hachimura: C
Stats: 8 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 0 steals, 0 blocks, 2 fouls, 0 turnovers, 2-6 FG, 2-2 3-PT FG, 35 mins
Hachimura provided 8 points and 4 rebounds off the bench, shooting 2-of-6 from the field. While he made both of his three-point attempts, he wasn’t able to contribute much inside, which was an area of weakness for the Lakers in this game. Rui’s impact was limited, and the team needed more from him to help with rebounding and interior defense.
Cam Reddish: C
Stats: 0 points, 5 rebounds, 0 assists, 0 steals, 0 blocks, 2 fouls, 0 turnovers, 0-0 FG, 0-0 3-PT FG, 14 mins
Reddish didn’t score but grabbed 5 rebounds in his 14 minutes. His effort on the glass was helpful, but he struggled to make a meaningful offensive impact without any shot attempts. Reddish’s defense was decent, though he’ll need to find ways to be more involved offensively to earn more playing time.
Gabe Vincent: D
Stats: 0 points, 0 rebounds, 0 assists, 0 steals, 0 blocks, 0 fouls, 0 turnovers, 0-0 FG, 0-0 3-PT FG, 18 mins
Vincent had an off night, failing to score or contribute in other statistical areas during his 18 minutes. His lack of impact on both ends hurt the Lakers in a game where they needed depth contributions. Vincent’s struggles to find his role with the team are evident, and he’ll need to bounce back with more effective minutes in the upcoming games.
Jaxson Hayes: N/A
Stats: 5 points, 3 rebounds, 0 assists, 0 steals, 0 blocks, 0 fouls, 1 turnover, 2-5 FG, 0-0 3-PT FG, 9 mins
Jaxson Hayes did not manage to get 10 minutes of action on the court but was able to contribute better than most players coming off the bench. The big man probably should have seen more minutes on the court considering the Pistons were so dominant against the Lakers around the basket.
Max Christie: N/A
Stats: 0 points, 1 rebound, 0 assists, 0 steals, 0 blocks, 2 fouls, 0 turnovers, 0-2 FG, 0-1 3-PT FG, 4 mins
Max Christie didn’t get much play time, contributing in limited minutes. JJ Redick felt that he needed to use experience over youth in this game and the Lakers might have benefitted from the extra energy on this court.
Dalton Knecht: N/A
Stats: 5 points, 0 rebounds, 0 assists, 0 steals, 0 blocks, 1 foul, 0 turnovers, 2-2 FG, 1-1 3-PT FG, 9 mins
Knecht played only 9 minutes but made the most of it, scoring 5 points on 2-of-2 shooting, including 1-of-1 from three. His brief appearance showed promise, but with limited minutes, it’s hard to assess his overall impact in this game.
Report: The Lakers will play Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday, 8:00 pm EST before ending their road trip against the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night.
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