Luka Dončić was sidelined Sunday because of back tightness, keeping the Lakers star out of a game that still ended with a 121-116 win over the Pistons.
The absence came at a notable moment for Los Angeles. Dončić had scored 40+ points in four straight games and was in the middle of a historic start before being ruled out against Detroit. The Lakers entered Sunday as the West’s top team, tied with OKC and San Antonio at 8-2, so even one missed game carried added weight.
Austin Reaves fills the gap
With Dončić unavailable, Austin Reaves stepped in as the Lakers’ leading scorer against the Pistons. That mattered because Dončić has been driving a huge share of the offense during the opening stretch, and Los Angeles needed someone else to absorb that load on Sunday.
The result was positive for the Lakers, who held on for the 121-116 victory and improved to 9-2. It was another sign that the team can survive a night without its biggest offensive engine, even if Dončić’s availability remains the more important long-term storyline.
What comes next
For the Lakers, the immediate question is how Dončić responds after missing the game with back tightness. For now, Sunday offered a useful reminder that the team’s early success has not depended on one path to scoring. For Detroit, Cade Cunningham was in the middle of a competitive loss, but the bigger headline belonged to the Lakers’ injury report and how they handled it.
Elsewhere on Sunday, the Sixers beat the Bulls 127-121 and remained atop the East after Friday’s five-game win streak was snapped by Cleveland in Emirates NBA Cup Group Play.
