NBA: LeBron, Lakers hold off Pistons to snap 3-game skid
LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts against the Detroit Pistons during the third quarter at Little Caesars Arena on December 11, 2022 in Detroit, Michigan. Nic Antaya/Getty Images/AFP
LeBron James had 35 points, Anthony Davis supplied 34 and the visiting Los Angeles Lakers snapped a three-game losing streak by defeating the Detroit Pistons 124-117 on Sunday.
Davis also had 15 rebounds and seven assists as the Lakers wrapped up a six-game road trip. Lonnie Walker IV tossed in 18 points and Russell Westbrook added 11 with nine assists.
Bojan Bogdanovic carried Detroit with 38 points, including 25 in the third quarter. Jaden Ivey had 16 points, Saddiq Bey contributed 14 and Alec Burks added 11.
Los Angeles led by six entering the second quarter. James, who scored 19 points by halftime, proceeded to score his team’s first 10 points of the quarter, with three of those baskets assisted by Westbrook.
LeBron and AD both went off for 30+ points to lead the @Lakers to the win on the road! #LakeShow @KingJames: 35 PTS, 5 REB, 5 AST@AntDavis23: 34 PTS, 15 REB, 7 AST, 2 STL pic.twitter.com/lwBFzV01Du
— NBA (@NBA) December 12, 2022
A three-point play by Davis gave the Lakers a 10-point advantage. Four more points from Davis, plus his assist on a James basket, nudged the Lakers’ lead to 53-39 with 4:47 left in the first half.
The Pistons then went on a 10-3 spurt, including eight Ivey points. The Lakers scored the last five points of the half to carry a 61-49 lead into the locker room.
Davis scored nine straight Lakers points during a stretch early in the third quarter to make it 73-60. Bogdanovic then took over, making five 3-pointers and three free throws in a span of 5:07 to pull Detroit within four at 85-81. Bogdanovic knocked down three more free throws with 17 seconds left in the quarter to cut the Lakers’ lead to 91-90.
Walker scored five points in the first three minutes of the fourth as the Lakers maintained a slim lead.
James’ three-point play with 5:36 remaining made it 112-104. James hit a turnaround jumper along the baseline for a 116-108 advantage, and his fastbreak layup with two minutes remaining gave Los Angeles a 119-111 lead.
The Lakers then came up empty on their next three possessions while Ivey, Burks and Bogdanovic made layups to make it a two-point game.
Austin Reaves then fired in a corner 3-pointer off a James kick out to stifle the Pistons’ rally.
