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  1. FROM ABOVE ARTICLE:

    A real test to close out the year

    This was supposed to be my 30-game check.

    Instead, because of what unfolded over the past stretch and how big this game feels, I opted for a straight game preview. Over the last ten games, I’ve written plenty about the Lakers’ issues. Concerning defense, rotation tweaks, system breakdown, and the promise of an eventual reset. Those problems have been well documented, and enough has been said about what went wrong. What’s more interesting now is what happens next.

    JJ Redick softened the tone around his uncomfortable practice comments, and the Lakers responded to the Christmas no-show with better effort and a solid win against the Kings. But beating bad teams has never been the issue. Being uncompetitive against good, young, athletic teams has been, and that is where tonight’s game becomes a real test of whether the Christmas crisis actually inspired any change.

    The Detroit Pistons are a litmus test for toughness, just as much as the Houston Rockets are. In fact, those two teams sit second and third in point differential, behind only the Oklahoma City Thunder. On top of that, the Pistons are the second-best defense in the league and one of, if not the most physical team in the NBA. Yes, they have hit a small rough patch, losing their last two games, but so did the Rockets before facing the Lakers on Christmas. Detroit is another member of the new wave currently dominating the NBA. Alongside the Thunder, Spurs, and Rockets, these are young, aggressive teams that pride themselves on defense. They are also the teams that have dominated the Lakers so far this season.

    So let’s see whether the last game was a real reference point for focus and effort, or just a brief response before another low.

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    Lakers (20-10) vs Pistons (24-8) game facts
    Rest: LAL on 1 day of rest; DET on 1 day of rest

    Ranking: LAL 15th in Point Diff (+0.5), DET 3rd in Point Diff (+7.5)

    LAL vs DET 2024-25 record: 0-2

    LAL injuries: Austin Reaves (OUT), Gabe Vincent (OUT), Rui Hachimura (OUT)

    DET injuries: Caris LeVert (doubtful)

    LAL projected starting five: Luka Dončić (G), Marcus Smart (G), Jake LaRavia (F), LeBron James (F), Deandre Ayton (C)

    LAL key reserves: Jaxson Hayes, Jarred Vanderbilt, Maxi Kleber, Nick Smith Jr., Dalton Knecht

    DET projected starting five: Cade Cunningham (G), Duncan Robinson (F), Ausar Thompson (F), Tobias Harris (F), Jalen Duren (C)

    DET key reserves: Isaiah Stewart, Jaden Ivey, Ronald Holland II, Javonte Green

    Key storyline: Do the Lakers have enough depth for this battle?

    Athleticism, speed, toughness, and the ability to handle pressure are the obvious and persistent questions heading into this game. But with Rui Hachimura the latest addition to the injury report, the Lakers may have run out of depth to hang with the Pistons. Without Austin Reaves, Hachimura, and Gabe Vincent, the Lakers are down two starters and a key rotation piece. I expect Jake LaRavia to step into Hachimura’s spot in the starting lineup, but once that happens, the depth thins out quickly. As the key reserves list shows, there is not much left behind what was already one of the thinner benches in the NBA.

    Lakers on offense | Pistons on defense

    If you look at the Pistons’ defensive profile, two things immediately jump out as clear indicators of an aggressive scheme. They rank third in opponent turnover rate, and they rank last in opponent free throw rate allowed, meaning they foul more than any team in the league. The Lakers are a team that gets to the line more than anyone in the league, so how this game is officiated, and how much physicality is allowed against Luka Dončić and LeBron James, may be an even more decisive factor than usual.

    With Ausar Thompson, Ron Holland II, and even Cade Cunningham, J. B. Bickerstaff has an almost ideal group of defenders with the size, length, and athleticism to pressure Dončić all game long. So, Dončić having a good, composed game is a must for the Lakers to have a chance, and it starts with not turning the ball over under pressure. Dončić has had five turnovers or more in five of his last eight games, and repeating that against the Pistons would be a death sentence. To make his life easier, the Lakers should probably run more sets where Dončić starts possessions on the move, instead of bringing the ball up every time. Without Reaves and Vincent, and with limited depth overall, that may be easier said than done.

    Tobias Harris and Jaden Ivey are the most obvious targets for Dončić and James to attack, but with recent Lakers lineups often featuring two poor shooters such as Jarred Vanderbilt and Maxi Kleber, I expect the Pistons to blitz, double, or help aggressively against the Lakers’ two superstars.

    Pistons on offense | Lakers on defense

    Like the Rockets, who demolished the Lakers on the offensive glass, the Pistons are another team that strategically crashes the boards with force. The Lakers could not handle Sengun, Adams, and Amen Thompson constantly pressuring the rim and the glass, and now they will have to deal with an almost as physical unit in Jalen Duren, Isaiah Stewart, and the other Thompson twin.

    The other challenge the Rockets did not present is handling the pick-and-roll duo of Cade Cunningham and Duren, which leads the NBA with more than 500 picks set this season. If there is a game for Deandre Ayton to turn on the engines and bring as much physicality as he can, it is tonight against Duren and Stewart inside. Detroit is a team that wants to attack the rim. They rank third in the NBA in rim frequency and are first overall in paint points per 100 possessions.

    Pistons weakness is the shooting, or rather lack off. They are a low volume three-point shooting team, and besides Duncan Robinson don’t have a proven outside threat, which could be even bigger problem is Caris LeVert who is doubtful misses this game.

    What Detroit prefers, rather than facing a set defense that shrinks the floor off their non shooters, is to run and attack early at every opportunity. They rank second in the NBA in both transition frequency and fast break points per 100 possessions. Another sign of the athletic, fast teams the Lakers have struggled so badly against this season.

    Final thoughts

    I could write about a player under the spotlight, like Nick Smith Jr. proving he can be effective as a third ball handler against an aggressive, ball-pressing team, or James and Dončić showing they can keep up with the new, younger NBA. But this game is not about an individual player. It is a test of the Lakers’ connectedness and their collective spirit. A test of their willingness to fight and prove they can flip the negative narrative that has defined them far more than their impressive 20–10 record.

    Will it be a sign of a turnaround, or another exhibit of the roster’s glaring holes?

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