Austin Reaves scored a season-high 43 points to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 121-116 win over the Detroit Pistons on Sunday, extending their winning streak to five games despite the absence of Luka Dončić.
The Lakers (9-2) overcame a late Pistons surge to secure the victory, with Reaves delivering a clutch shot to seal the game. According to Lakeshow.it, the victory came during Los Angeles’ first road trip of the season, facing a Detroit team (6-3) that entered the matchup as the NBA’s top-ranked defense.
Lakers Dominate Early, Pistons Mount Comeback
The Lakers jumped out to a commanding 38-14 lead in the first quarter, fueled by their league-leading offense. According to ESPN, Los Angeles shot 69.6% from the field in the opening period while forcing Detroit into nine turnovers, converting those mistakes into 17 points. Quentin Grimes scored 10 of his 12 points in the first quarter as the Lakers built their largest lead of the game.
Detroit chipped away at the deficit in the second and third quarters, outscoring the Lakers by 8 points during a stretch that began late in the third quarter with Reaves on the bench. The Pistons cut their deficit to one point, 90-89, before Lakers guard Collin Sexton scored a layup and made two free throws to restore an 88-81 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Reaves Steps Up in Dončić’s Absence
With Dončić sidelined due to lower back tightness, Reaves assumed a larger offensive role and delivered his highest-scoring performance of the season. He shot 14-for-27 from the field, including 4-for-6 from three-point range, and was a perfect 11-for-11 from the free-throw line. His performance included a memorable banked-in three-pointer in the third quarter that drew a comparison to his teammate.
“Honestly, when I stepped back and shot it, I was like, ‘This is some bulls— Luka would shoot,'” Reaves said, according to ESPN. “I didn’t try to bank it in. It went in, so it looks the same in the stat sheet.”
Lakers coach JJ Redick praised Reaves’ decision-making and aggressiveness in Dončić’s absence. “I thought AR’s decision-making, his aggression, his ability to just consistently touch the paint and get downhill was fantastic tonight,” Redick said, as reported by ESPN.
Lakers Secure Victory Despite Late Pistons Comeback
Five Lakers players scored in double figures, including Reaves, Sexton (17 points), Ziaire Williams (17 points off the bench), Walker Kessler (12 points, 16 rebounds, 3 blocks), and Grimes. Kessler defended both ends of the floor, recording multiple stops and anchoring the defense during critical stretches.
The Pistons, led by Daniss Jenkins with 31 points, cut the Lakers’ lead to two possessions late in the game. However, Reaves delivered a decisive three-pointer to extend the lead, and the Lakers closed out the game by making 9 of their 10 free throws in the final minutes, as noted by Lakeshow.it.
Lakers Remain Unbeaten Without Dončić
The win marked the second game this season that the Lakers have won without Dončić, who is the NBA’s leading scorer at 40.1 points per game. The Lakers are 2-0 in games he has missed, both due to back tightness and in a back-to-back scenario.
“Guys have to step up when someone’s averaging 40,” Lakers guard Collin Sexton said. “You got to fill the shoes and be ready to impact winning. And I felt like we did that tonight, and AR picked those shoes up and he wore them.”
Final: Lakers 121, Pistons 116 Huge win for LA in Detroit without Luka Doncic. They improve to 9-2 and have won five straight. Austin Reaves scored a season-high 43 points, shredding the league’s best defense with jumpers and floaters. LA set the tone early with a 26-point lead,…
Redick downplayed concerns about Dončić’s back being a lingering issue, suggesting the superstar guard would likely return to the lineup for the Lakers’ next game against the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night.
Next Up: Hawks in Atlanta
The Lakers continue their road trip with a matchup against the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night, as reported by Lakeshow.it. The game is scheduled for 1:00 a.m. local time, concluding Los Angeles’ back-to-back set.
Earlier coverage: Austin Reaves Scores 43 to Lead Lakers Past Pistons Without Doncic
More on Austin Reaves
RECAP: Austin Reaves led the #Lakers to a wire-to-wire victory over the Pistons without Luka Doncic.https://t.co/QaNPYfbatR
Austin Reaves is The Association Player of the Game! 👏@LaurenMRosen and @MoDakhil_NBA discuss Austin Reaves 43-point outing in Detroit in the Lakers victory! pic.twitter.com/PSojxApHgI
Worth a look
