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0 The Los Angeles Lakers secured their fifth win in six games as they defeated the Detroit Pistons 125-111 on Tuesday night. LeBron James led the Lakers with 25 points and eight assists, while Anthony Davis contributed with 20 points and 14 rebounds. The Lakers’ new starting lineup, which included D’Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura, and Austin Reaves, totaled 96 points and played another high-scoring game.
The Lakers have now won 10 of their last 15 games and are three games above .500 (29-26) for the first time since a week before Christmas. James and Davis credited their success to trusting each other and making shots and plays. Davis was also praised for his exceptional defense, highlighted by a key block on a Pistons fast break in the third quarter. James lauded Davis as “the defensive player of the year,” an award Davis has yet to win.
The Lakers took advantage of a rare three-day break between games and rolled to an early 24-point lead. They continued to dominate the Pistons for the rest of the game, with Davis scoring 18 points and grabbing 12 rebounds in the first half alone. Spencer Dinwiddie, who debuted for the Lakers after signing with the team last Saturday, had six points and seven assists and will be a key scoring option and playmaker off the bench.
Despite the loss, Ausar Thompson scored a team-high 19 points for the Pistons, while James Wiseman added 18 points and nine rebounds. Cade Cunningham had 12 points, seven assists, and seven rebounds in an otherwise unimpressive game for the Pistons.
The Lakers’ win was fueled by their explosive offense, which put up 87 points in the second-highest scoring first half in franchise history. The Pistons attempted a comeback in the fourth quarter, cutting the lead to 12 points with 4:50 to play, but were unable to close the gap any further. Davis sat out the entire fourth quarter to rest his legs for the back-to-back set.
Quentin Grimes, who was acquired by the Pistons in a multiplayer trade with New York, was unable to debut for his new team due to a sprained right knee. Lakers guard Max Christie also missed his second straight game due to a sprained right ankle.
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