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Lakers’ Vulnerabilities Exposed In 115-103 Loss to Pistons. Davis Hurting. Christie Benched for Reddish?
When they visited the Cavaliers in Cleveland last week, the Lakers were thoroughly outclassed. The Cavs were faster to the ball, played with more “want,” and made the Lakers look bad. But, to be fair, the Cavs are undefeated this season. They’ve done that to six other teams, too.
Detroit? That’s a different story.
But Monday, the Pistons used the “Clevelant formula” to drop the Lakers to 4-3, beating them 115-103 in Detroit. The home team was quicker to every ball, much more explosive in the open court and punished the Lakers on the glass and in transition. Meanwhile, the Lakers bench was again wildly unproductive and uncharacteristically unenergetic (is that a word?) to the point that JJ Redick essentially pulled the plug on Max Christie (five minutes) and later, Dalton Knecht as well (only nine) in favor of Cam Reddish, who didn’t score any points but. provided energy and at least some defensive resistance.
What happens next is anyone’s guess, but the way Christie has played, he likely hasn’t built up a ton of leeway. But even if Reddish plays and provides a boost to the defense, he’s not going to address the bench’s total lack of offensive punch. The Lakers are relying on Knecht, maybe Christie, and hope that eventually someone like Christian Wood can bring a little offense.
Meanwhile, Anthony Davis is clearly beat up. He’s carrying the team, putting up MVP numbers, but the Lakers aren’t taking full advantage.
Much to think about as the NBA goes dark for election day.
Three Big Questions...
1. How is Anthony Davis’s ankle, and how long has this been a problem?
2. What kind of rotation changes could fix what ails the Lakers?
3. Can the Lakers recover following tomorrow’s GOTV day in the NBA, and finish the trip on a high note in Memphis?
Here’s something I love: The Detroit Pistons with a win record of 3-5, better than the combined record of the Bucks and the Sixers. Given Detroit’s slow start to the season, and that lopsided match against the Knicks last Friday, I thought we were in for another season where the best the Pistons could hope for was besting their last season record of 14-68.
Yes, there could still be a slump; yes, the play-in still feels like an aspirational goal for this team, but neither of those outcomes takes away from the truth of the matter which is, the league is better when the Pistons are competitive.
This is a franchise with a proud, hard-fought history, a winning history, and one that’s been hard to see these last few seasons under the tarnish of poor decision making and ill-timed coaching fits. Going back to Cade Cunningham’s rookie season, coached by Dwane Casey, that team and the iterations that followed were too good to be as bad as they appeared. Casey — who transitioned into a front office role with the team last season —is a great coach, if a touch old fashioned. Admittedly, I miss being more proximal to him for the Casey-isms alone he’d offer, e.g. More than one way to skin a cat. A front office, mentorship-driven fit was always the goal of Casey even as head coach, given the rebuilding stage the team was in and how in two years its median age of players dipped to one of the youngest in the league.
Skip to last season, Monty Williams’ brief tenure and that dismal aforementioned season record, and rather than treat it as an unfortunate blip, the Pistons young talent took it as a lesson. Cade is in his fourth season and has lost more than any of his five draft contemporaries he was in the running for Rookie of the Year with. Scottie Barnes, Evan Mobley, Jalen Green, Franz Wagner — these guys have certainly seen slumps, the nature of the Draft dictates likely being drafted to a struggling or rebuilding team, but they’ve also had their share of successes. Enough to keep them growing and developing. Cade has, in almost every way, had to take it upon himself to sift the lessons from the seasonal wreckage and keep his hope alive. That takes an incredible amount of discipline and fortitude.
Katie Heindl is a credentialed NBA and WNBA writer, her bylines have appeared with The New York Times Magazine, SLAM, The Athletic, Yahoo Sports, Dime, Rolling Stone, among others. She writes the bestselling Substack, Basketball Feelings and is working on a book of the same name.
Home and Away
Analysis The Lakers’ recent loss to the Pistons highlighted their defensive lapses and turnover issues, calling for strategic adjustments. (Sports Illustrated)
Fans Pistons fans chanted “We want Bronny” during the Lakers game, showcasing the young player’s growing appeal and marketability. (Sports Illustrated)
Personnel Former Laker has transitioned to a leading EuroLeague team, emphasizing the globalization and career opportunities in international basketball. Learn more. (Lakers on SI)
Injury Three Lakers starters’ game status remains uncertain against the Pistons, impacting team dynamics and game strategy. Check details. (Lakers on SI)
Fans D’Angelo Russell humorously addressed the Falcons’ playful banter following their win, engaging fans with his lighthearted response. See his reaction. (Lakers on SI)
Feel Good The Pistons had to take the subway to their game in Brooklyn because of the NYC marathon (ESPN)
Analysis Will the NBA pinpoint its 3 point problem? (TSA, Substack)
Fantasy Cheat Sheet
Fantasy Cheat Sheet
Is It Truly A Zach Edey Fantasy Basketball Breakout?
Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton (33) drives to the basket against Memphis Grizzlies center Zach Edey (14) and forward Jaren Jackson Jr. (13) and guard Scotty Pippen Jr. (1) during the fourth quarter at Barclays Center.|Photo by Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Monday’s NBA action was packed with thrilling games and standout performances, offering plenty of insights for fantasy basketball enthusiasts. Here’s a breakdown of some of the key matchups and player performances that could impact your fantasy strategy.
Milwaukee Bucks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
The Bucks faced off against the Cavaliers in a closely contested game, with Cleveland edging out Milwaukee 116-114. Giannis Antetokounmpo was sidelined with an adductor issue, which opened the door for Bobby Portis to shine. Portis delivered an impressive 21 points, 18 rebounds, and three blocks, showcasing his potential when given extended minutes. Damian Lillard also had a strong outing with 36 points and seven assists, while Brook Lopez contributed defensively with four steals and two blocks.
Golden State Warriors vs. Washington Wizards
The Warriors secured a road victory against the Wizards, 125-112. Stephen Curry returned to action, scoring 24 points in limited minutes. Buddy Hield continued his hot streak with 20 points, but his current shooting efficiency may not be sustainable. For the Wizards, Jordan Poole put up 24 points, but his high block and steal numbers suggest a potential sell-high opportunity.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Detroit Pistons
The Pistons pulled off a win against the Lakers, 115-103. LeBron James and Anthony Davis both had strong performances, with Davis scoring 37 points despite an ankle injury scare. Jaden Ivey impressed for Detroit, solidifying his status as a must-roster player with his improved play this season.
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Lakers’ Vulnerabilities Exposed In 115-103 Loss to Pistons. Anthony Davis Hurting. Christie Benched for Reddish? The Pistons used the same formula as Cleveland did last week to drop the Lakers to 4-3, beating LA 115-103 in Detroit. The home team was quicker to every ball, much more explosive in the open court, and punished the Lakers on the glass and in transition.
Report: Lakers Decline 3rd Year Option on Jalen Hood-Schifino. Are They Prepping for a Trade? The Lakers reportedly won’t pick up the third year option on last season’s #1 draft pick, Jalen Hood-Schifino. This is, unquestionably, an unusual move. Teams will sometimes choose not to pick up fourth-year options, but a third year? It doesn’t happen often. So why are the Lakers going in this direction?
The Lakers Look Horrible In Cleveland, Lose 134-110. Is Early Momentum Gone? Monday in Phoenix, the Lakers lost their first game of the season. Wednesday, they played their first horrible game of the season, losing to the Cavaliers in Cleveland 134-110. Everything about this game, from the flow of the offense to the work of the defense to the hustle and focus of the team overall was well below par.
Can a Homecoming Game Help LeBron Break a Slow (for Him) Start? Plus, Koloko Cleared, D’Lo Questionable For LeBron, can a homecoming game help him break out of what has been, by his lofty standards, a slow start to the season? Save a truly epic fourth quarter Saturday night against Sacramento, James has been (again, by his standards) pretty ordinary through four games.
