}
KobeMVP888 wrote:(13-23) PISTONS AT LAKERS (28-7)
Sunday, January 5, 2020, 7:00 PM PDT
Staples Center • Los Angeles, CA
Referees: Josh Tiven (#58), Bill Kennedy (#55), Derek Richardson (#63)
Replay Center: Bill Spooner, Scott Twardoski
Line: Lakers -14.5
National TV: NBA League Pass only
Local TV: Spectrum SportsNet
GAME PREVIEW: PISTONS AT LAKERSby NBA.com
Anthony Davis' shoulder is ailing as the Los Angeles Lakers enter Sunday's home game against the Detroit Pistons.
Perhaps it is a side effect from shouldering the load.
Davis is listed as probable for the contest as he comes off his fourth 40-point effort of the season.
Davis recorded 46 points and 13 rebounds in Friday's 123-113 win over the New Orleans Pelicans -- his former team -- to raise his team-leading averages to 27.8 and 9.5, respectively.
"I think my teammates just gave me great opportunities and put me in great positions to score the basketball," Davis told reporters afterward. "I don't think I did anything, especially (since) I didn't prepare any differently. Just came out and played basketball."
The six-time All-Star has 16 double-doubles during his first season with LeBron James as a running mate.
James is averaging 25.1 points and 7.7 rebounds, but the eye-popping stat is his NBA-leading 11 assists per game. A big part of that is how well he's mixing with Davis.
"He's the recipient of our flow on offense because he's just as fast as anybody on the floor, more dynamic than anybody that's on the floor, does it better playing in the interior, playing in the exterior," James said. "He can do so many things."
The duo has helped the Lakers win four straight games after they lost a season-worst four games in a row. Los Angeles (28-7) owns the best record in the Western Conference by four games.
Guard Danny Green provided help against the Pelicans by scoring 25 points and making six 3-pointers. Green has twice knocked down seven treys in a game this season.
"My teammates did a great job of finding me," Green said afterward. "'Bron gets to the paint spraying out, and just hit me in the corner. I get easy, wide-open open, rhythm shots in the corner, and once you see one or two go in, it's easy to let the next ones go confidently."
Detroit is 1-3 on a six-game road trip, and Saturday's 111-104 win over the Golden State Warriors was only the team's second in the past 10 games.
With the Pistons (13-23) going through a lackluster season, trade rumors involving two-time All-Star center Andre Drummond are making the rounds.
One report has the Atlanta Hawks interested, and there was enough concern on Drummond's part that he discussed the situation with Detroit coach Dwane Casey.
Drummond, who is in his eighth season with the Pistons, said after Saturday's victory that he doesn't want to go anywhere.
"I'm not a quitter, for one," Drummond told reporters. "I was never brought up to be a quitter. If I start somewhere, I try to finish there, try to complete the mission, which is to win a championship here. It will never be me that wants to go anywhere. ... I love being here. I would love to play here the rest of my career."
Drummond, who had 14 points and 18 rebounds against Golden State, presents a sticky situation for club ownership.
Drummond has one season left on his contract at $28.8 million, but it is a player option. So Drummond could decide to decline the option and become an unrestricted free agent this summer and leave the Pistons with zero compensation.
"I can't control what the front office does," Drummond said. "If they make the move, they make the move. I can't control that. I just have to play the game to the best of my ability.
"I'm here in Detroit now, and that's all that matters. So until that day comes -- if it does, or if it doesn't -- that's not for me to know."
The Pistons will likely be without power forward Blake Griffin (knee) for the fourth straight contest, and forward Markieff Morris (foot) is likely to sit out for the fifth consecutive game.
That figures to present a third straight starting opportunity for 19-year-old Frenchman Sekou Doumbouya, who has posted double-doubles in each of the past two games.
"Don't want to put a lot of pressure on him," Casey said of the rookie after the Golden State game. "He's still developing. A 19-year-old kid. Don't want to get too hyped up because -- I promise you -- that other side is coming. We've got to patient with that, too."
The Pistons have won five of last the seven games against the Lakers.
https://www.nba.com/games/20200105/DETLAL#/preview
. Pistons are a dirty team, always has been, so nice to get a fine win. LeBron had another TDB, I love him at this point so nobody in here change my mind about him 