Los Angeles Lakers vs Detroit Pistons: Lakers won’t lose this… Right?

In this game, two historical rivals, who have seen each other in the NBA Finals three times will clash against one another. The Detroit Pistons will host the Los Angeles Lakers in a cross-conference affair. The Pistons are among the bottom teams having three times more losses than the wins while the Lakers have lost their last three games in a rather embarrassing fashion. For a quick overview, head to the “Notes” section.

Down in several metrics: The Pistons are perhaps the worst offensive team in the league The team scores a paltry 98 points per game and figures among the only two teams who score below the 100 mark. The squad also shoots at a horrendous 40.7% which is the worst field goal percentage in the league. The team grabs a paltry 41 rebounds per game which are also the worst in the league. Detroit allows oppositions to shoot 48% which is the worst performance in the league too. Surely, the Pistons are heading for another long season and the fans will have to endure a tough season yet again.

Young players: Guards Killian Hayes and Cade Cunningham are sophomores. Saddiq Bey and Isaiah Stewart are also young players with less than two years of experience and only Jermai Grant at the wing is experienced. The team shows its youth time and time again while Killian Hayes has only shot around 32% from the field, Saddiq Bey and Cade Cunningham show a lot of promise. Detroit can’t be expected to win many games even when the team is playing at home. 

Loaded roster coming short: It is appalling that a team with Westbrook, LeBron, and Anthony Davis is 8-9. The Lakers have lost against teams that have a losing record such as Minnesota, Oklahoma City, etc. and this has been the biggest reason why the fans are frustrated. If we combine the scoring of LeBron, Davis, and Westbrook, it is good for around 70 points each game and yet the team loses in the most frustrating manner possible. The team was slated as the title favorite when the season began but this unit doesn’t even look like a Playoff one right now.

The defense is especially bad: Lakers allow around 113 points per game and figure among the bottom three squads in points allowed per game. The team gives away 11.5 offensive rebounds per game and protecting the board has been an Achilles heel despite two world-class rebounders in Russell Westbrook and Anthony Davis. Teams that struggle to score has notched 110-120 points against the Lakers defense at times and even if the offense is in the top-half among teams, it does little to compensate for the defensive deficiencies.

Here are some quick hitters related to the game:

• Lakers are 4-3 without LeBron James in the lineup. He missed two weeks due to injury but the Lakers lost badly even in his return. He is listed as “questionable” for this match-up.
• The Celtics are 2-3 at home but have won the last two games there.
• The Lakers allowed the Celtics to score 130 in the last game. They have given away 120+ points eight times this season.
• Talen Horton-Tucker has scored more than 25 points twice in his last five games.
• Pistons are shooting below 30% from the three-point line and that is among the bottom-three percentage-wise.
• Lakers are just 1-4 on the road.
• Pistons are a paltry 2-6 on their home floor.
• Kelly Olynyk is expected to miss the next month as well with an injury.
• Austin Reaves, Kendrick Nunn, and Trevor Aliza continue to miss time for the Lakers.
• Jerami Grant leads the Pistons in scoring.

The Lakers have been disappointing so far despite fielding three superstars. The team has been poor at the defensive end but now it has caught a break. The Pistons are just about the worst team on both ends of the floor and this is the best chance the Lakers will have to win a game. It is clear that the Lakers are the favorites to win here but you never know how long this flailing squad will choke.

• W2 and Total 2 Over 105.5 for 1.90;
• Away Team Total Points: Over 108.5 for 1.95;
• Total: O 209.5 for 1.90.