Lakers vs Pistons Preview and Game Thread: Can the Lakers maintain their surging defense?

The Lakers look to extend their winning streak to four straight versus the visiting Pistons.

The Lakers are back home where they will be greeted by the Detroit Pistons on Monday. This will be the second and final matchup between both teams this season unless, of course, they meet in the NBA Finals. Detroit drew first blood last November on their home floor.

Start time and TV schedule

Who: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Detroit Pistons

When: 7:30 p.m. PT, Dec 23

Where: Crypto.com Arena

Watch: Spectrum SportsNet

The Lakers’ back-to-back victories against the Sacramento Kings last week are easily one of their best so far this season. Not only did they secure the season series against a Pacific Division foe but they did so by putting together arguably their best defensive stretch of the year.

The purple and gold have been playing superb defense over the last four games, which is why it’s not a coincidence that they’re currently enjoying a three-game winning streak. Over the last four games, they’ve had the league’s best defense, allowing just 99.2 points per 100 possessions. They’ve limited their opponents to 30% 3-point shooting and 41% field goal percentage in that span.

To give context on how impressive Los Angeles’ defense was specifically against the Kings: Sacramento entered the last two games with the league’s fifth-best offensive rating and, after just scoring 199 points across those two losses to L.A., Sacramento has dropped to seventh.

Same with the Memphis Grizzlies who entered last week’s play date versus the Lakers averaging the most points scored per game (122.6) and with the league’s fourth best offensive rating (116.9) only for the Lakers to limit them to 110 points.

Suffice it to say that the Lakers’ defense has surged, but the question remains whether or not they can keep it up. If they indeed do, then this type of defense significantly increases their ceiling. The team’s defensive anchor, Anthony Davis, perfectly summarized why the team has improved on this side of the court as of late:

“Everything that we’re doing defensively, we’ve been physical, we’re talking, we’re communicating, we’re covering for one another,” Davis said. “We’re rebounding. Our coverage is on point. So we’re just flying around doing everything, being gritty, playing desperate on the defensive end.”

LeBron James, who has also visibly put more effort on defense over the last three games, also chimed in on what the Lakers have been doing well as of late:

It doesn’t take rocket science to prove that what James and Davis said is true. In fact, the Lakers’ defensive performance as of late will definitely be part of their opponent’s scouting report moving forward. In their next game, the Pistons will game plan against it and will for sure put up a fight once again.

No longer pushovers

The Pistons this year are unlike the ones we’ve seen over the last couple of years. As we saw earlier this season, they’re competitive, more organized and have a talented young core led by Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey. They also have quality veterans like Tobias Harris and Tim Hardaway Jr., who both combined for 34 points in their last meeting against the Lakers.

Speaking about that game, the Pistons significantly out-rebounded the Lakers in that one (55-37) and generated 58 second-chance opportunities. It would be nice to see this current version of the Lakers’ defense make sure that this doesn’t happen again.

This was also the same game when L.A. gave up 58 points in the paint to Detroit which played a big part in the game’s overall result. The Lakers’ perimeter defense at that time was nowhere to be found, thus allowing six Detroit members to score in double figures.

How the Lakers perform in this one will say a lot about their progress over the last month and a half. Will they make this Pistons team look like the mediocre squad that they actually are? Or will they allow them to sweep the season series on their home floor?

More importantly, can the Lakers build on not only their surging defense but also their excellent play as of late? We’ll get our answers on Monday night.

Notes and Updates

• Before we get to the injury report, I’d like to take this opportunity to point the play of Gabe Vincent, Max Christie, D’Angelo Russell and Rui Hachimura of late. These four role players have had a really good week and played a big role in the Lakers’ three-game winning streak. Vincent in particular, is arguably playing his best basketball since joining the Lakers. Here’s a fun stat I stumbled upon that was worth sharing:

• Of course, it would be disingenuous of me not to point out LeBron’s superb performance as of late too. He was phenomenal in that first half against the Kings last Saturday and he’s now string three straight impressive games since taking more than a week off this month. Hopefully, it’s a sight that continues because this version of James is just so fun to watch.
• As for the injury report, Anthony Davis (left shoulder contusion) and LeBron James (left foot injury management) are both considered questionable.
• Jaxson Hayes (right ankle sprain), Jalen Hood-Schifino (left hamstring strain), Jarred Vanderbilt (right foot surgery recovery) and Christian Wood (left knee surgery recovery) are all out.
• For the Pistons, Isaiah Stewart (left knee hyperextension) won’t suit up.
• We will be live on Playback for this game, so be sure to join us!

You can follow Nicole on Twitter at @nicoleganglani.