Detroit Pistons vs Los Angeles Lakers Live Score & Stats – December 30, 2025 Gametracker

Intending to avoid a losing streak, the Detroit Pistons will travel to the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday as they close out a five-game road trip.

The Pistons have lost consecutive games for only the second time this season after losing 112-99 to the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday.

While Cade Cunningham was held scoreless in the first half due in part to early foul trouble, the Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard erupted for a career-high 55 points in the game.

Detroit prides itself on its defense, ranking fourth in the NBA with 112.9 points allowed per game, but Leonard exposed the system designed by coach JB Bickerstaff and his staff.

“We just have one (defensive) system and whatever your position is, you have to implement the system,” Bickerstaff said. “For us, it’s not about (position) numbers, it’s about position responsibilities. Our perimeters have a job and they understand their job. Our big guys have a job, they understand their job. And then everything just kind of fits there.”

Cunningham and Ausar Thompson are versatile defenders capable of guarding all positions, but the usual plan was disrupted when Cunningham picked up three fouls in the first quarter and played only three minutes in the second quarter.

Cunningham didn’t score in the first half on four shots, but came back to score 27 points in the second half. Jalen Duren contributed 18 points and 14 rebounds for Detroit, which was down double digits just four minutes into the game.

The Pistons are now 2-2 on their trip to close out the calendar year.

The Lakers ended their longest losing streak of the season at three games with a 125-101 home victory over the Sacramento Kings on Sunday. Luka Doncic scored 34 points and distributed seven assists.

LeBron James scored 24 points for the Lakers, who were without Austin Reaves for the fourth time in the last six games. Reaves just began a four-plus week absence due to a calf injury.

A 119-96 loss to the visiting Houston Rockets on Christmas Day forced the Lakers to turn in on themselves. They held a team meeting Saturday and did some filming Sunday morning.

“This is the first game all year where we won all four quarters, so I think that speaks volumes about the approach and the consistent mentality that we played with,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said of Sunday’s victory. “Just constant basketball for 48 minutes.”

The Lakers shot 52.8% from the floor after shooting a combined 45.5% in the previous three games. Los Angeles also forced 19 turnovers and scored 23 points on those miscues.

While Marcus Smart started for Reaves on Sunday, Nick Smith Jr. made his case for more playing time, and even an extended run as a starter, with a 21-point effort coming off the bench. It matched Doncic’s total of five 3-pointers.

“I don’t want to create a story between me and Luka,” James said. “There are five guys on the floor and seven guys coming off the bench. It has to be all of us, (but) it’s important that we set the tone.”

–Field level media