Iztok Franko: Lakers Game Observations: Game 72 @ Pistons

March 24, 2026 at 9:39 am

FROM ABOVE ARTICLE:

Lakers finally beaten.

The win streak stops at nine. The Lakers finally lost, falling 113–110 in Detroit after another hard-fought, physical battle.

This six-game road trip has still been a clear success, filled with big wins and exciting moments, but the last couple of games are starting to show the toll. The Lakers look like a tired, banged-up team that needs a break. And in this one, short-handed without key rotation players in Marcus Smart and Rui Hachimura, the clutch luck that carried them through the streak finally ran out.

Luckily for the Lakers, their direct competitor, the Rockets, lost as well. That means they still hold a two-game lead for the third spot and have a relatively favorable schedule ahead, by some metrics even the easiest among all contending teams in the West, with six of their last 10 games at home.

Source: tankathon.com

The Lakers need to forget this game quickly, recover as best they can, and finish the job by winning the final game of this road trip before finally returning home for a three-game homestand.

Today’s notes:

Tired legs stuck in Pistons mud

Turnovers, the ghost of games past

Marcus Smart is irreplaceable (VIDEO)

Jaxson Hayes activity and rim protection (VIDEO)

Kennard’s miss hurt, but the ones he doesn’t take are more problematic (VIDEO)

1-Tired legs stuck in Pistons mud

All teams are banged up and battling something at this stage of the season, and the team in yellow is no exception. This was their 13th game in 23 days in March, their fifth in the last eight days, all on the road and all hard battles against playoff-level teams.

And you could see J.B. Bickerstaff and his team knew this. Detroit is one of the most physical teams in the league, and they went right at the Lakers from the first possession. Full-court pressure, grabbing, holding, pushing, hitting… the OKC strategy of refs can’t call every foul, so keep fouling until they do. And in this game, they didn’t. I don’t want to say bad calls decided this one, my point is that the criteria and the lack of calls made it a game played on the Pistons’ terms. Luka Dončić, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves were all frustrated by the hits and lack of calls they received in this game.

Dončić also looked less spry, hobbled at times during the game, and maybe that was one of the reasons for his far from ideal night in terms of shot selection and shot-making. He still finished with 32 points, but used 29 shots to get there and was just 3 of 13 from three. A rare off night for a player we saw dominate on this trip, earning him another Player of the Week selection.

The Lakers, as a team, had an overall poor shooting night. They shot 17 of 53, or just 32 percent, on non-rim shots beyond four feet from the basket. A byproduct of the Pistons’ pressure, but also tired legs.

Source: Cleaning the Glass

2-Turnovers, the ghost of games past

Maybe I jinxed it. Yesterday, in my 70-game check, I highlighted the Lakers’ much improved ball control and ability to limit turnovers as one of the key trends behind their recent turnaround.

Last night, the Lakers, despite their poor shot-making, did enough to give themselves a chance. Despite some costly collapses, they battled on defense. They made another second-half run after falling behind by as much as 16. They took care of the ball, which kept the much more athletic Pistons in check in transition. Well, they did that last part until the fourth quarter.

The Lakers had 7, by my count even 8, of their 12 turnovers in the fourth quarter. Six of those, including two on the first two possessions, came in the first four and a half minutes during the stretch when Dončić was resting and Reaves and James were running the offense.

Reaves, who scored 24 points on 7 of 15 shooting, was the most efficient Lakers creator and probably could have gotten more opportunities down the stretch with Dončić struggling. But the Lakers had two rough stints with Dončić on the bench, struggling against the Pistons’ on-ball pressure and losing both decisively. Those fourth-quarter turnovers kept the Lakers trailing even during stretches when the Pistons couldn’t buy a bucket.

3-Marcus Smart is irreplaceable (VIDEO)

“Not having Smart tonight killed us.” – JJ Redick post-game.

Another thing I highlighted in the 70-game check is that the Lakers got healthy, finally figured out the starting lineup, and started to build continuity with it. Last night, Jake LaRavia replaced Smart, who was out due to right hip soreness, and the drop-off was visible and significant.

Without Smart, the Lakers’ perimeter and point-of-attack defense collapsed, allowing a career-high 30 points to Pistons second-year backup point guard Daniss Jenkins. Jenkins is an underrated on-ball creator, and both LaRavia and Reaves struggled to defend his pick-and-roll actions and drives to the basket.

Jenkins scored on two crucial, consecutive possessions against LaRavia and Reaves in the last minute. Especially that first LaRavia foul was a play where more patience and discipline were needed.

LaRavia has a great motor and can make an impact with his energy and hustle, but possessions like these show why he was overtaxed as a primary defender earlier in the season when he had to play extended minutes because of injuries.

The Lakers still had a chance to win, but went 0 of 2 on their final two possessions, with Dončić missing a mid-range pull-up over Kevin Huerter, and the Pistons deflecting James’ inbound pass to Dončić on the final play, forcing him into a heavily contested heave instead of an open three.

4-Jaxson Hayes activity and rim protection (VIDEO)

The Lakers’ defense had problems defending Jenkins’ pick-and-roll and Duncan Robinson’s dribble handoff actions for most of the game. Both got loose for a couple of open threes in the middle of the game, when the Pistons built their double-digit lead.

However, the Lakers’ activity and defensive playmaking were again good enough to keep them in the game until the end. Dončić had three steals and drew another charge, his 13th of the season. Unlike in prior games, Deandre Ayton had a very active first stint, with a block and multiple offensive rebounds. But it was his backup, Jaxson Hayes, who shined with 6 stocks (4 blocks and 2 steals).

Hayes struggled against the stronger Jalen Duren on the offensive glass, but made all five of his shots, once again showing the progress he has made this season into a solid backup center.

5-Kennard’s miss hurt, but the ones he doesn’t take are more problematic (VIDEO)

Luke Kennard, who was a hero in the previous game against the Magic, calmly draining the game-winning three, had a rough shooting night, going just 1 of 5 from beyond the arc in this one. He had another opportunity to hit a late-game dagger, but missed a good look after Ausar Thompson went for a double against Dončić late in the game.

Shooters shoot, and Kennard will make more than he misses. For Kennard and the Lakers, the more problematic shots are the ones he doesn’t take.

Kennard’s shooting makes him, in theory, an ideal partner for guard-to-guard screening actions with Dončić, something many teams, including past Dončić-led Mavericks teams, use in end-of-game or end-of-quarter situations. These actions either create a switch and a mismatch for Dončić against a smaller guard, or an open pop three for the shooter if the defense collapses on Luka.

Why in theory? Because Kennard’s slower release and hesitancy to shoot are big reasons why he has been a high-accuracy but low-volume three-point shooter throughout his career.

Some of the shots Kennard passed up weren’t ideal open looks, but they are shots a great shooter like him has to take to keep the pressure on the defense and serve as an antidote to teams loading up on Dončić. These are actions that become crucial in the playoffs, where closeouts are even faster with even less time to shoot. Reggie Bullock and Tim Hardaway Jr., two of Dončić’s former teammates, were not on Kennard’s level as pure snipers, but their quick trigger made them more dangerous in these guard-to-guard screening actions.

We’ll see if Kennard can grow more confidence and comfort with more reps, because as it stands, it puts a cap on his potential, especially for the playoffs.

Comments

LakerTom says

March 24, 2026 at 9:39 am

FROM ABOVE ARTICLE:

Lakers finally beaten.

The win streak stops at nine. The Lakers finally lost, falling 113–110 in Detroit after another hard-fought, physical battle.

This six-game road trip has still been a clear success, filled with big wins and exciting moments, but the last couple of games are starting to show the toll. The Lakers look like a tired, banged-up team that needs a break. And in this one, short-handed without key rotation players in Marcus Smart and Rui Hachimura, the clutch luck that carried them through the streak finally ran out.

Luckily for the Lakers, their direct competitor, the Rockets, lost as well. That means they still hold a two-game lead for the third spot and have a relatively favorable schedule ahead, by some metrics even the easiest among all contending teams in the West, with six of their last 10 games at home.

Source: tankathon.com

The Lakers need to forget this game quickly, recover as best they can, and finish the job by winning the final game of this road trip before finally returning home for a three-game homestand.

Today’s notes:

Tired legs stuck in Pistons mud

Turnovers, the ghost of games past

Marcus Smart is irreplaceable (VIDEO)

Jaxson Hayes activity and rim protection (VIDEO)

Kennard’s miss hurt, but the ones he doesn’t take are more problematic (VIDEO)

1-Tired legs stuck in Pistons mud

All teams are banged up and battling something at this stage of the season, and the team in yellow is no exception. This was their 13th game in 23 days in March, their fifth in the last eight days, all on the road and all hard battles against playoff-level teams.

And you could see J.B. Bickerstaff and his team knew this. Detroit is one of the most physical teams in the league, and they went right at the Lakers from the first possession. Full-court pressure, grabbing, holding, pushing, hitting… the OKC strategy of refs can’t call every foul, so keep fouling until they do. And in this game, they didn’t. I don’t want to say bad calls decided this one, my point is that the criteria and the lack of calls made it a game played on the Pistons’ terms. Luka Dončić, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves were all frustrated by the hits and lack of calls they received in this game.

Dončić also looked less spry, hobbled at times during the game, and maybe that was one of the reasons for his far from ideal night in terms of shot selection and shot-making. He still finished with 32 points, but used 29 shots to get there and was just 3 of 13 from three. A rare off night for a player we saw dominate on this trip, earning him another Player of the Week selection.

The Lakers, as a team, had an overall poor shooting night. They shot 17 of 53, or just 32 percent, on non-rim shots beyond four feet from the basket. A byproduct of the Pistons’ pressure, but also tired legs.

Source: Cleaning the Glass

2-Turnovers, the ghost of games past

Maybe I jinxed it. Yesterday, in my 70-game check, I highlighted the Lakers’ much improved ball control and ability to limit turnovers as one of the key trends behind their recent turnaround.

Last night, the Lakers, despite their poor shot-making, did enough to give themselves a chance. Despite some costly collapses, they battled on defense. They made another second-half run after falling behind by as much as 16. They took care of the ball, which kept the much more athletic Pistons in check in transition. Well, they did that last part until the fourth quarter.

The Lakers had 7, by my count even 8, of their 12 turnovers in the fourth quarter. Six of those, including two on the first two possessions, came in the first four and a half minutes during the stretch when Dončić was resting and Reaves and James were running the offense.

Reaves, who scored 24 points on 7 of 15 shooting, was the most efficient Lakers creator and probably could have gotten more opportunities down the stretch with Dončić struggling. But the Lakers had two rough stints with Dončić on the bench, struggling against the Pistons’ on-ball pressure and losing both decisively. Those fourth-quarter turnovers kept the Lakers trailing even during stretches when the Pistons couldn’t buy a bucket.

3-Marcus Smart is irreplaceable (VIDEO)

“Not having Smart tonight killed us.” – JJ Redick post-game.

Another thing I highlighted in the 70-game check is that the Lakers got healthy, finally figured out the starting lineup, and started to build continuity with it. Last night, Jake LaRavia replaced Smart, who was out due to right hip soreness, and the drop-off was visible and significant.

Without Smart, the Lakers’ perimeter and point-of-attack defense collapsed, allowing a career-high 30 points to Pistons second-year backup point guard Daniss Jenkins. Jenkins is an underrated on-ball creator, and both LaRavia and Reaves struggled to defend his pick-and-roll actions and drives to the basket.

Jenkins scored on two crucial, consecutive possessions against LaRavia and Reaves in the last minute. Especially that first LaRavia foul was a play where more patience and discipline were needed.

LaRavia has a great motor and can make an impact with his energy and hustle, but possessions like these show why he was overtaxed as a primary defender earlier in the season when he had to play extended minutes because of injuries.

The Lakers still had a chance to win, but went 0 of 2 on their final two possessions, with Dončić missing a mid-range pull-up over Kevin Huerter, and the Pistons deflecting James’ inbound pass to Dončić on the final play, forcing him into a heavily contested heave instead of an open three.

4-Jaxson Hayes activity and rim protection (VIDEO)

The Lakers’ defense had problems defending Jenkins’ pick-and-roll and Duncan Robinson’s dribble handoff actions for most of the game. Both got loose for a couple of open threes in the middle of the game, when the Pistons built their double-digit lead.

However, the Lakers’ activity and defensive playmaking were again good enough to keep them in the game until the end. Dončić had three steals and drew another charge, his 13th of the season. Unlike in prior games, Deandre Ayton had a very active first stint, with a block and multiple offensive rebounds. But it was his backup, Jaxson Hayes, who shined with 6 stocks (4 blocks and 2 steals).

Hayes struggled against the stronger Jalen Duren on the offensive glass, but made all five of his shots, once again showing the progress he has made this season into a solid backup center.

5-Kennard’s miss hurt, but the ones he doesn’t take are more problematic (VIDEO)

Luke Kennard, who was a hero in the previous game against the Magic, calmly draining the game-winning three, had a rough shooting night, going just 1 of 5 from beyond the arc in this one. He had another opportunity to hit a late-game dagger, but missed a good look after Ausar Thompson went for a double against Dončić late in the game.

Shooters shoot, and Kennard will make more than he misses. For Kennard and the Lakers, the more problematic shots are the ones he doesn’t take.

Kennard’s shooting makes him, in theory, an ideal partner for guard-to-guard screening actions with Dončić, something many teams, including past Dončić-led Mavericks teams, use in end-of-game or end-of-quarter situations. These actions either create a switch and a mismatch for Dončić against a smaller guard, or an open pop three for the shooter if the defense collapses on Luka.

Why in theory? Because Kennard’s slower release and hesitancy to shoot are big reasons why he has been a high-accuracy but low-volume three-point shooter throughout his career.

Some of the shots Kennard passed up weren’t ideal open looks, but they are shots a great shooter like him has to take to keep the pressure on the defense and serve as an antidote to teams loading up on Dončić. These are actions that become crucial in the playoffs, where closeouts are even faster with even less time to shoot. Reggie Bullock and Tim Hardaway Jr., two of Dončić’s former teammates, were not on Kennard’s level as pure snipers, but their quick trigger made them more dangerous in these guard-to-guard screening actions.

We’ll see if Kennard can grow more confidence and comfort with more reps, because as it stands, it puts a cap on his potential, especially for the playoffs.

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