Behind Daniss Jenkins’ career night, Pistons end Lakers’ win streak
Daniss Jenkins poured in a career-high 30 points, including four in the final 25 seconds, and the host Detroit Pistons ended the Los Angeles Lakers' nine-game winning streak with a 113-110 victory on Monday.
Jenkins added eight assists while Jalen Duren contributed 20 points and 11 rebounds in Detroit's fourth straight win. Tobias Harris had 14 points and Duncan Robinson added 12 for the Pistons (52-19), who played without All-Star Cade Cunningham for the third consecutive game. Cunningham was diagnosed with a collapsed lung last week.
Luka Doncic led the Lakers (46-26) with 32 points. Austin Reaves had 24 points and Deandre Ayton amassed 13 points and 10 rebounds. LeBron James finished with 12 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds.
Doncic was eligible to play after the team successfully won an appeal to the league. The superstar guard picked up his 16th technical foul on Saturday, triggering an automatic one-game suspension for reaching the season limit. However, the technical was rescinded on Sunday.
Jenkins made a baseline jumper with 6:20 left to give Detroit a 101-94 lead. An Ayton putback with 3:31 remaining brought Los Angeles within 105-102.
Luke Kennard hit three free throws to tie it before Harris made a fadeaway with 2:22 to play.
Ayton knocked down two free throws with 39.9 seconds left to give Los Angeles a 108-107 lead. Jenkins answered with two free throws five seconds later.
Reaves drove into the lane and scored to put the Lakers up 110-109 with 29.7 seconds left. Jenkins then made another baseline shot and Doncic missed a midrange shot. Jenkins was fouled and made both free throws with nine seconds left.
Doncic airballed a contested 3-point try at the buzzer.
Jenkins had 15 points and five assists by halftime as the Pistons jumped to a 65-52 lead. Doncic topped all scorers with 17 first-half points.
Jenkins set up Robinson for a pair of 3-pointers in the opening minute of the third quarter, giving Detroit a 68-55 advantage. The Lakers then chipped away and Doncic tied the score at 87-apiece with a 3-pointer in the final minute of the period. A Duren dunk allowed the Pistons to take a two-point lead into the fourth.