The Lakers missed their best defender in loss to Pistons 

DETROIT — It isn’t a coincidence that the Los Angeles Lakers’ best stretch of the season has come when they’ve had their full rotation available. 

It also isn’t surprising that their season-best nine-game winning streak ended with Monday night’s narrow loss to the Pistons at Little Caesars Arena, which was the first game the Lakers were without at least two main nine rotation players since the March 12 win over the Bulls. 

Because, even though the Lakers fought back from down 16 points and led within the final 30 seconds against the Pistons, there were multiple moments throughout the game where it was evident they missed Marcus Smart and Rui Hachimura.

Hachimura’s perimeter shooting (43.8% on 3s for the season for the league’s seventh-best mark) and ability to quickly create shots for himself would’ve been an ideal release valve for the Lakers’ offense that struggled to score like it normally does against the Pistons defense that ranks second in the NBA.

Smart’s ability to not only match physicality, but also dish it out, was missed against an ultra-aggressive Pistons team that regularly pushed the Lakers around on the perimeter. 

The Lakers still hung in despite the absences from Smart, who was dealing with a bruised right ankle and right hip tightness, and Hachimura, who was sidelined because of right calf soreness.

And Jarred Vanderbilt, the player who saw the biggest increase in his playing time, going from out of the rotation to being on the floor for 15-and-a-half minutes, played his role as well as expected. He finished with four points, four rebounds and two assists.

But nearly 30 minutes of Smart’s ball-handling and playmaking would’ve made it more challenging for the Pistons to key in on Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves. And the perimeter defense would’ve been handy when it came to trying to slow down second-year Pistons guard Daniss Jenkins, who scored a career-high 30 points in his third straight start for injured All-Star guard Cade Cunningham. 

“Not having Smart [on Monday] killed us,” coach JJ Redick said. “Vando did a great job. When he had his minutes, he was ready to play, but the way our team works, you need Smart for his ball handling, you need Smart for his defense, you need Rui for his shooting. Those pieces are important to complement everybody.”

So much of the Lakers’ season has been focused on their stars, in good or challenging times.

Dončić’s recent hot streak.

Reaves being established as the second option in the offensive hierarchy.

LeBron James adapting to what this version of the Lakers need from him.

But Monday was a reminder of the little things everyone can provide — from Deandre Ayton’s offensive rebounding physicality on the interior to Jaxson Hayes’ low man presence on defense — and how the usual nine-man rotation of Dončić, Reaves, Smart, James, Ayton, Hachimura, Hayes, Jake LaRavia and Luke Kennard complement one another.

The Lakers have an 8–2 record when all nine rotation players have been available since the All-Star break.  

“That’s important for us: That we can get healthy and we can play our rotation,” Redick said. “Post-Luke trade, I think when all nine guys have played, we’ve been a good basketball team. We need to finish the season strong, but we also need to finish the season healthy.”

But for now, the Lakers’ focus will be on finishing the six-game trip on a high note when they play the Pacers on Wednesday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

The Pacers, who are nine months removed from playing in the NBA Finals, have the league’s worst record (16–56) in light of All-NBA guard Tyrese Haliburton being sidelined for the season after tearing his Achilles last June. 

And it’s no secret they benefit from tanking, giving themselves a better chance of securing a higher draft pick in the summer’s draft. 

But the Pacers also ended their franchise-record 16-game losing streak on Monday with a road victory over a Magic team that’s fighting for a playoff spot.

“They play extremely hard, extremely fast, and they’re super well-coached,” James said of the Pacers. “So we got to be ready for that. It’s the last game of the road trip. I know everybody’s trying to get home, but we got business to take care of, so we’ll be ready.”

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