DETROIT — The Lakers’ nine-game winning streak ended Monday with a 113-100 loss to the Detroit Pistons after Luka Doncic missed a game-tying three-pointer at the buzzer.
Doncic had 32 points, seven rebounds and six assists, but was three for 13 from three and missed two big shots in the fourth quarter.
Austin Reaves had 24 points and put the Lakers ahead by one with 29.7 seconds left with a driving layup, bullying Daniss Jenkins toward the basket for a physical bucket. Jenkins got revenge by hitting a midrange baseline jumper over Reaves to put the Pistons back in front with 25 seconds left. In the back-and-forth fourth quarter, the Lakers blinked first as Doncic missed a go-ahead jumper with 12 seconds left.
Without star guard Cade Cunningham, who was out with a collapsed lung, Jenkins led the Pistons with 30 points and eight rebounds. Forward Jalen Duren had 20 points and 11 rebounds.
The Lakers were shorthanded without Rui Hachimura and Marcus Smart. Both key rotation players are day-to-day. Hachimura got imaging on his right calf and it came back clear, coach JJ Redick said, after he took a hit in the leg against Miami on Thursday. Smart injured his right ankle Saturday when an Orlando player fell on his leg. Smart is also dealing with right hip soreness from another fall in that physical game.
Smart leads the Lakers in overall plus-minus, a quiet cog that connects the Lakers’ constellation of stars. The Lakers looked disjointed early as LeBron James, Doncic and Reaves combined on seven-for-28 shooting in the first half. Doncic was scoreless in the second quarter as the Pistons too a 16-point lead. James was held without a point in the first half for just the third time in his career and for the first time since Dec. 20, 2010.
James didn’t hit first shot until the 5:54 mark of the third quarter, draining a three from the wing. James blocked a shot from Paul Reed on the next possession. He assisted on a three-pointer from Reaves then later finished a layup in transition off a steal by Doncic and an assist from Reaves.
James’ first made basket sparked a 20-6 run that tied the game late in the third when Doncic drained a step-back three with 33 seconds remaining.
The moment was short lived. The Pistons scored 20 seconds later on a dunk from Duren.
Each time the Lakers threatened, Detroit answered. A twisting, jumping bounce pass from James to Jarred Vanderbilt for a dunk tied the game 91-91 with 8:57 to go, but the Pistons answered with six consecutive points.
Luke Kennard was fouled shooting a three with 2:30 left and made all three free throws to tie the score. Tobias Harris then hit a layup on the other end.
The hero of the Lakers’ win over the Magic on Saturday, Kennard could have given the Lakers a two-point lead with an open three, but it rattled out with 1:20 left. He flailed both arms in exasperation.
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