Imago
Credit: IMAGN IMAGES
Imago
Credit: IMAGN IMAGES
After losing to the other LA team, the Detroit Pistons are in Crypto.com Arena hoping to not start a second losing skid this season. They’re hosted by a reworked, experimental Lakers trying out new strategies. On a big day too. It’s LeBron James’ 41st birthday tonight and he’s out to prove he’s still a very productive player on the other side of 40. In the end it was the Pistons who gift-wrapped a neat defeat to the Lakers and finished the calendar year with a 128-106 win.
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Los Angeles Lakers vs Detroit Pistons player stats and box score
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Los Angeles Lakers
| PLAYER | MIN | PTS | FG | 3PT | FT | REB | AST | TO | STL | BLK | PF | +/- |
| STARTERS | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| LeBron James#23 | 32 | 17 | 6-17 | 3-10 | 2-5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | -16 |
| Jake LaRavia#12 | 38 | 9 | 3-9 | 1-5 | 2-2 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 3 | -18 |
| Deandre Ayton#5 | 26 | 10 | 5-8 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | -9 |
| Marcus Smart#36 | 25 | 6 | 1-4 | 0-3 | 4-4 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 | -24 |
| Luka Doncic#77 | 36 | 30 | 9-22 | 3-11 | 9-13 | 5 | 11 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 3 | -15 |
| BENCH | MIN | PTS | FG | 3PT | FT | REB | AST | TO | STL | BLK | PF | +/- |
| Maxi Kleber#14 | 8 | 0 | 0-2 | 0-2 | 0-0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -4 |
| Jarred Vanderbilt#2 | 27 | 8 | 3-3 | 2-2 | 0-0 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | -17 |
| Dalton Knecht#4 | 4 | 10 | 4-4 | 2-2 | 0-0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | +4 |
| Adou Thiero#1 | 4 | 0 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | +4 |
| Jaxson Hayes#11 | 18 | 13 | 5-5 | 0-0 | 3-5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -17 |
| Nick Smith Jr.#20 | 17 | 3 | 1-6 | 0-3 | 1-2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | -2 |
| Bronny James#9 | 4 | 0 | 0-1 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +4 |
| TEAM TOTAL | – | 68% | 37-82 (45%) | 11-39 (28%) | 21-31 (68%) | 33 | 28 | 20 | 10 | 3 | 24 | – |
Detroit Pistons
| PLAYER | MIN | PTS | FG | 3PT | FT | REB | AST | TO | STL | BLK | PF | +/- |
| STARTERS | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Tobias Harris#12 | 6 | 7 | 2-2 | 1-1 | 2-2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +1 |
| Duncan Robinson#55 | 28 | 6 | 2-5 | 1-4 | 1-2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | +4 |
| Jalen Duren#0 | 28 | 14 | 6-8 | 0-0 | 2-4 | 8 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 4 | +1 |
| Cade Cunningham#2 | 33 | 27 | 12-19 | 1-4 | 2-2 | 5 | 11 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 3 | +23 |
| Ausar Thompson#9 | 22 | 7 | 3-6 | 0-0 | 1-4 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | -11 |
| BENCH | MIN | PTS | FG | 3PT | FT | REB | AST | TO | STL | BLK | PF | +/- |
| Paul Reed#7 | 8 | 3 | 1-3 | 0-0 | 1-1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | +2 |
| Isaiah Stewart#28 | 18 | 15 | 6-6 | 1-1 | 2-2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | +21 |
| Ronald Holland II#5 | 19 | 11 | 4-7 | 1-3 | 2-3 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | +19 |
| Javonte Green#31 | 31 | 8 | 3-7 | 1-4 | 1-2 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | +21 |
| Marcus Sasser#25 | 24 | 19 | 5-8 | 4-6 | 5-5 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | +14 |
| Jaden Ivey#23 | 17 | 9 | 4-5 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +20 |
| Chaz Lanier#20 | 3 | 2 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 2-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 |
| Daniss Jenkins#24 | 4 | 0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -4 |
| TEAM TOTAL | – | 128 | 48-76 (63% ) | 11-24 (46% ) | 21-29 (72% ) | 37 | 30 | 18 | 12 | 4 | 26 | – |
Lakers vs Pistons: Game summary and key moments
The Lakers are trying new defensive strategies and pacing out Luka Doncic and LeBron James at different intervals. With Austin Reaves sidelined for the coming weeks and Rui Hachimura also sidelined, Marcus Smart started tonight.
The Pistons core is intact although their bench is somewhat depleted from injuries. They ended up losing Tobias Harris to a hip injury in the first quarter.
Detroit remained consistent through the first quarter and held a small lead at the start. They extended that to a 12-point lead very early into the second quarter and finished the first half with a 70-60 lead.
The Pistons statistically outmatched them in every contest, showing the Lakers’ still need to rework themselves. They had the same old problems, 15 turnovers that cost them 30 points, had 44 points in the paint to the Pistons’ 74, and lacked in rebounding.
This loss has dropped the Lakers to fifth seed in the West. Whereas the Pistons have taken a big leap to the top spot in the East.
Who are the top performers who stood out?
Cade Cunningham is JB Bickerstaff’s answer to Luka Doncic. And he’s kept the Pistons alive with a 20-point first half. He finished the game with 27 points.
CADE VS. LUKA! In a true test for the Los Angeles Lakers against the No. 1, Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons, they fell to them, 128-106! 👀
Cade Cunningham: 27 PTS, 11 AST, 5 REB, 12/19 FGM
Luka Doncic: 30 PTS, 11 AST, 5 REB, 9/22 FGMJalen Duren: 14 PTS, 8 REB, 5… pic.twitter.com/A21rc1Tiv6
— Courtside Buzz (@CourtsideBuzzX) December 31, 2025
Doncic had the game-high statline with 30 points, 11 assists and 5 rebounds. Cunningham and Doncic matched each other for the highest number of dimes too.
Birthday boy LeBron James made his first 15 points by halftime, becoming the 12th player in NBA history to make a bucket on their 41st birthday. He finished the game with 17 points.
Marcus Sasser came off the bench to contribute 19 points for the Pistons. Isaiah Stewart added another 15. Jalen Duren had 14 points while taking the most rebounds (8) tonight.
Jaxson Hayes, on his return from the injury list had a decent 13 points going 5-5 from the field and making three of his 5 free throw attempts.
Who underperformed tonight?
Jake LaRavia’s moment in the starting lineup is not going to so great having made only 6 points in the first half. He finished the game with only 9 points.
But LakeShow is most disappointed at Deandre Ayton for 4 points and no rebounds by halftime. He had 10 points and 2 rebounds by the end of the game.
Marcus Smart too had a disappointing 6 points. Most of the Lakers bench barely scored.
JJ Redick will have to make the team ‘uncomfortable’ again before they host the Grizzlies on Friday. The Pistons will be taking on the Miami Heat on Thursday.
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