For the Pistons to take down the Lakers featuring two superstars, it would be a tall task. It would take a valiant effort on the offensive end, and you would need to contain either Anthony Davis or LeBron James. Offensively, they got that performance they needed from mister consistent, Bojan Bogdanovic. The forward exploded with 38 points, with 25 of those points coming in the third quarter. Jaden Ivey was able to contribute 16 points of his own and Saddiq Bey contributed with 14 of his own. However, all of that was not enough, as Anthony Davis and LeBron James lead the Lakers past Detroit 124-117.

LeBron James and Anthony Davis combined for 69 and 12 assists. They got whatever they wanted on the offensive end, with Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart unable to contain Davis. As a whole, the Lakers shot 55 percent from the field and 42 percent from beyond the arc. They moved the ball with the gravity that their stars attract, got the ball to their best players, and allowed them to create. And when the Pistons are getting into a scoring battle with two of the greatest scorers of all time, it is not a battle that they will often find themselves winning. And that’s whether Cade Cunningham is in the lineup or not.

Pistons rotation moves seeming to pay off

Even though Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart struggled to defend Anthony Davis And LeBron, there are still flashes of good play to hang their hats on. In particular, Duren was able to be a presence on the boards, crucially getting 4 offensive boards down the stretch that gave the Pistons a chance. He made mistakes, committed fouls, and looked like a young player. But just about anyone is going to have those moments against this form of Anthony Davis. Another of having Jalen Duren in the starting lineup is that it allows Marvin Bagley to be a scoring threat in the second unit. What used to be Detroit’s biggest weakness seems to be one of their current strengths, as players like Bagley, Saddiq Bey, and Alec Burks all bring scoring off the bench.

Another adjustment that’s been made in the rotation is the reemergence of Cory Joseph and Kevin Knox. There’s also the fall of Hamidou Diallo. For the second game in a row, Diallo received a DNP. And with the current play of the second unit, it’s hard to see where Diallo gets consistent minutes currently. There’s still plenty of the season remaining, and changes can be made at any time. However, if Kevin Knox continues his quality play, it’s hard to see him losing his spot in the rotation.

Detroit has short break, travel to face the Hornets on Wendesday

The Pistons will have a couple of days in between their next game, as they will have a one game getaway to Charlotte. The Hornets find themselves in a similar situation to Detroit, with their franchsie player on the sidelines due to injury. However, unlike the Hornets, the Pistons still have a wealth of young talent to develop and focus on. The Hornets, however, have a roster built to get to the playoffs, and have commitments to vet’s like Terry Rozier and Gordon Hayward.

If Detroit wants to get back in the winning column, they’re going to need more production on offense than Bojan Bogdanovic. In addition, they need to get back to their defensive routes. The efforts that got them their win versus the Heat. And what kept them competitive against the Pelicans. There has been improved effort and Detroit has only had 3 double digit losses in the past month. However, if they want to get into the win column, it’s about consistency. Playing consistently with good habits, over four quarters, and 82 games. That’s the difference between the top and the bottom of the league.

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Featured Image Credit: David Reginek USA Today Sports