5 months ago
- Pistons
- Updated: Dec. 31, 2025, 1:23 a.m.
- Published: Dec. 31, 2025, 1:22 a.m.
The Detroit Pistons had nan biggest situation of their five-game West Coast roadworthy travel connected pat for nan last matchup arsenic they met nan Los Angeles Lakers Tuesday night.
After dropping 2 straight, nan Pistons (25-8) weathered a 30-point capacity by Lakers (20-11) characteristic defender Luka Doncic to gain a 128-106 triumph and adjacent retired their longest roadworthy plaything of nan play pinch a 3-2 mark.
Cade Cunningham paved nan measurement pinch 27 points and 11 assists connected 63.2% shooting, but 67 full points from Detroit’s chair led by Marcus Sasser (19), Isaiah Stewart (15) and Ron Holland (11) were captious successful a matchup wherever nan Pistons had to trust connected their depth.
Tobias Harris sewage nan Pistons going pinch a short jumper and a make from heavy to people Detroit’s first 5 points. His nighttime was short-lived arsenic a near hep sprain took him retired of nan crippled midway done nan first quarter.
From there, it was astir nan prima powerfulness early on.
Cunningham and Doncic dueled throughout, each serving arsenic nan focal constituent for their team’s offense.
Some crafty dribbling saw Cunningham driblet guardant Jake Laravia to nan court, giving him an uncontested make from three. Doncic later took a heavy changeable correct successful beforehand of an outstretched Ausar Thompson — Detroit’s superior defender for nan Lakers’ defender — that recovered its mark.
For nan first quarter, it was Doncic starring each scorers pinch 13 points and Cunningham conscionable down pinch 10 points, while adding six assists arsenic he pushed nan Pistons retired successful front, 36-30.
When Cunningham was disconnected nan court, Sasser saw immoderate early clip connected nan tribunal aft not playing successful nan past 4 games. Backup defender Caris LeVert was absent for nan crippled owed to near knee soreness.
But Sasser offered plentifulness of early contributions, knocking nan shot loose from Nick Smith Jr. astatine midcourt and hustling for nan loose shot to group up a slam for Jaden Ivey. He deed a precocious three-pointer to springiness Detroit its largest lead of nan play arsenic portion of a season-high 19 points, 5 assists and 2 steals successful 24 minutes.
Cunningham continued to thrust a dependable violative onslaught successful nan overgarment arsenic nan Lakers struggled to quell Detroit’s physicality successful getting correct to nan basket. The Pistons outscored Los Angeles successful nan overgarment 74-44 for nan game.
Big men Jalen Duren and Stewart were cardinal to that occurrence pinch 16 mixed points connected 6-of-8 shooting arsenic portion of a team-wide 67.5% shooting capacity successful nan opening half. However, their impacts — alongside Holland and Thompson’s — were dampened by each being called for 3 fouls successful nan first half.
An 8-0 tally to statesman nan 2nd 4th group Detroit up pinch a 14-point advantage, but pinch nan Pistons being forced to look further down their bench, nan Lakers pulled closer.
Forwards LeBron James and Jarred Vanderbilt recovered power from beyond nan arc, pinch 5 makes betwixt them successful nan 2nd quarter, to tie wrong 5 points astatine halftime.
Doncic made nan cardinal play midway done nan third, banking successful a fadeaway changeable and drafting a 4th foul connected Thompson to necktie nan crippled astatine 79 for nan first clip since nan people was level astatine 23.
Needing personification to respond, Holland showed up pinch a beingness thrust and decorativeness connected a reverse make disconnected nan solid that earned him a foul shot. While taking complete protect responsibilities connected Doncic, Holland made 3 consecutive baskets to kickstart a 15-6 tally pursuing nan tie.
With an eight-point lead heading into nan fourth, Cunningham remained connected nan chair and gave measurement for nan Pistons’ reserves to present immoderate cardinal baskets arsenic Ivey and Sasser deed threes to unit a Lakers timeout.
Cunningham yet joined successful connected nan action and nan Pistons went retired connected a 12-4 tally to spell up 20 points and build retired nan advantage nan Lakers wouldn’t beryllium capable to overcome.
BOX SCORE
Up next: The Pistons return location to Little Caesars Arena for nan first clip since Dec. 20 and nan first crippled of 2026 connected Thursday, wherever they will big nan Miami Heat. Detroit sewage nan amended of nan Heat successful nan first matchup this season, 138-135.
- Where to watch nan Detroit Pistons vs. Los Angeles Lakers for free tonight
- NBA All-Star Game voting: See wherever Cade Cunningham stands aft first batch of votes
- Why Jaden Ivey’s latest outing was an important milestone for Pistons
- Pistons outmatched by Clippers successful Kawhi Leonard’s monster night
- Jazz deed precocious game-winner to threat Pistons’ latest streak
Jacob Richman is simply a sports newsman for MLive.com and covers pro and assemblage teams crossed Michigan. Before joining MLive, Jacob covered assemblage sports successful Texas astatine LoneStarLive.com pinch a attraction connected Texas A&M and...
