Lakers vs Pistons Pregame Report
Coming off a much-needed win over the Sacramento Kings, the Lakers will host the first-place Detroit Pistons for the first time this season on LeBron James’ 41st birthday.
Los Angeles will continue to be without Austin Reaves and Gabe Vincent. They will also be missing Rui Hachimura, who is dealing with right calf soreness. Look for JJ Redick to make adjustments with the starting lineup, along with bench rotations.
LEBRON TURNS 41 YEARS OLD TODAY 👴👑 pic.twitter.com/TFEX9DP1eg
— Lakers All Day Everyday (@LADEig) December 30, 2025
Defensive Impact
The Lakers have not been 100% healthy all year, and Redick has had to make multiple lineup changes every game. The most recent impactful change has been putting Jarred Vanderbilt back into the rotation.
Vanderbilt is the Lakers’ best on-ball defender who can guard multiple positions. He has also knocked down 50% of his three-point attempts since December 14th.
It has not just been Vanderbilt who has stepped up on the defensive end; Marcus Smart and Jake LaRavia have contributed on that end as well. Since Reaves and Hachimura are out tonight, Smart and LaRavia will most likely be in the starting unit.
Offensive Rebounding
The Detroit Pistons are a young, athletic team that does well on the offensive glass, led by their star center, Jalen Duren. His rebounding, along with efficiency in the paint, has controlled the tempo in multiple wins this season for Detroit.
Good news for the Lakers is that Jaxson Hayes will return tonight. Maxi Kleber has been the primary backup center in his absence, but with Hayes back, look for the Lakers to be more aggressive in the paint.
Deandre Ayton will be going up against Duren and Isaiah Stewart. So he definitely will have his work cut out for him, but this could be a statement game for him.
Three-Point Shooting
It is no secret that Los Angeles has struggled from three-point range this season. Now with Reaves and Hachimura out, Nick Smith Jr. stepped up big time and contributed 21 points off the bench and shot 50% from deep.
Redick has stated that Smith Jr. will be involved in the rotation moving forward, and he arguably is the Lakers’ best scoring option.
Doncic leads the team in three-point attempts, but he has had games where he has been inefficient.
The Lakers just need consistency from everyone when it comes to three-point shooting, so hopefully that is something they can get going tonight.
