Through 1 Quarter
We’ve got an early Upset Alert brewing as the Detroit Pistons have gotten out to a surprisingly quick start despite kicking off as a 10.5-point underdog. After one quarter neither team has the game in the bag, but the Pistons lead 26-25 over the Los Angeles Lakers. Nobody has stood out from the pack for Detroit offensively yet.
Detroit and Los Angeles both experienced trouble in their last games, but one is bound to make up for it today. Detroit will have to keep the pressure on with three quarters left to go.
Who’s Playing
Detroit @ Los Angeles
Current Records: Detroit 4-15; Los Angeles 10-11
What to Know
The Detroit Pistons will face off against the Los Angeles Lakers on the road at 9:30 p.m. ET on Sunday at Staples Center. Given that both teams suffered a loss in their last game, they both have a little extra motivation heading into this matchup.
The Pistons received a tough blow this past Friday as they fell 107-96 to the Los Angeles Clippers. Detroit was down 82-62 at the end of the third quarter, which was just too much to recover from. The top scorer for Detroit was power forward Jerami Grant (20 points).
Meanwhile, the Lakers fought the good fight in their overtime contest against the Sacramento Kings this past Friday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result, falling 141-137. The loss was just more heartbreak for Los Angeles, who fell 110-106 when the teams previously met in April. A silver lining for them was the play of point guard Russell Westbrook, who posted a triple-double on 29 points, 11 assists, and ten rebounds.
The Pistons are expected to lose this next one by 9.5. Those playing the odds have seen things go back and forth with Detroit, who are 9-10 against the spread.
The losses put Detroit at 4-15 and the Lakers at 10-11. A couple numbers to keep in mind before tip-off: Detroit is worst in the league in points per game, with only 98.6 on average. Los Angeles has experienced some struggles of their own as they are stumbling into the game with the second most points allowed per game in the league, having given up 114.5 on average. It’s possible one of these Achilles’ heels will wind up tripping the losing team up.
How To Watch
When: Sunday at 9:30 p.m. ETWhere: Staples Center — Los Angeles, CaliforniaTV: Bally Sports – DetroitOnline streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)Follow: CBS Sports AppTicket Cost: $44.00
Odds
The Lakers are a big 9.5-point favorite against the Pistons, according to the latest NBA odds.
The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Lakers as a 10.5-point favorite.
Over/Under: -110
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Series History
Los Angeles and Detroit both have six wins in their last 12 games.
Nov 21, 2021 – Los Angeles 121 vs. Detroit 116Feb 06, 2021 – Los Angeles 135 vs. Detroit 129Jan 28, 2021 – Detroit 107 vs. Los Angeles 92Jan 05, 2020 – Los Angeles 106 vs. Detroit 99Mar 15, 2019 – Detroit 111 vs. Los Angeles 97Jan 09, 2019 – Los Angeles 113 vs. Detroit 100Mar 26, 2018 – Detroit 112 vs. Los Angeles 106Oct 31, 2017 – Los Angeles 113 vs. Detroit 93Feb 08, 2017 – Detroit 121 vs. Los Angeles 102Jan 15, 2017 – Detroit 102 vs. Los Angeles 97Dec 06, 2015 – Detroit 111 vs. Los Angeles 91Nov 15, 2015 – Los Angeles 97 vs. Detroit 85
Injury Report for Los Angeles
LeBron James: Game-Time Decision (Abdomen)Anthony Davis: Game-Time Decision (Head)Kendrick Nunn: Out (Knee)Trevor Ariza: Out (Ankle)
Injury Report for Detroit
Frank Jackson: Game-Time Decision (Ankle)Chris Smith: Out (Knee)Kelly Olynyk: Out (Knee)
