DETROIT — No Luka Doncic, no problem. Austin Reaves scored 43 points and the Los Angeles Lakers (9-2) beat the Detroit Pistons (6-3) 121-116 on Sunday night, riding a 38-14 first quarter and then Reaves’ closing hand to hold off a Detroit rally.
Doncic sat out with lower back tightness, and Reaves took the game over: 14-of-27 from the floor, 4-of-6 from three, a perfect 11-of-11 at the free-throw line, five rebounds and four assists. Late, with the Pistons closing in, he hit the dagger three, waved goodbye to the crowd and had words with a fan on the sideline on his way out of the play.
The Lakers needed all of it. After the 24-point first quarter, Detroit outscored them 34-23 in the second and 33-27 in the third, and the Pistons’ bench nearly stole the game: Daniss Jenkins scored 31 points on 8-of-15 shooting from three, and Kevin Huerter added 24 points, five rebounds, five assists and five blocks. Cade Cunningham finished with 14 points and eight assists for Detroit, which played without Jalen Duren.
Walker Kessler gave the Lakers 12 points, 16 rebounds, four assists and three blocks, Collin Sexton and Ziaire Williams scored 17 apiece off the bench, and Quentin Grimes added 12.
Both teams made 42 field goals. The difference was the free-throw line: the Lakers made 26 of 33, the Pistons 13 of 20. Detroit hit 19 threes to the Lakers’ 11 and won the offensive glass 18-12, but Los Angeles shot 50 percent from the floor and protected the ball just enough, 14 turnovers to Detroit’s 12.
Doncic’s scoring run waits for him — he has 361 points in nine games this season, with 40-point games in each of his last four, and the Lakers have now won five straight without needing the latest one.
The Lakers stay on the road Monday night at the Atlanta Hawks.
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