Daniss Jenkins stops the Lakers’ 9-game winning streak despite Cunningham’s absence

The Detroit Pistons ended the Los Angeles Lakers‘ nine-game winning streak with a 113-110 victory Monday night at Little Caesars Arena. Daniss Jenkins was the architect of this victory with a career-high 30 points, including six crucial points in the final 34 seconds.

Jenkins shines in Cunningham’s absence

Without their star point guard Cade Cunningham, sidelined with a pneumothorax, the Pistons were able to count on an exceptional performance from their replacement. Daniss Jenkins set his career high with 30 points on 11/18 shooting, including 4/5 from 3-point range, along with 8 assists and 4 rebounds. The number 24 guard particularly shined in crunch time, scoring the game-winning basket and then sealing the victory from the free-throw line.

This performance is part of an excellent run for Jenkins when replacing Cunningham. In the 10 games played by Detroit without their starting point guard this season, the Pistons have won 8, with Jenkins averaging 16.4 points and 7.9 assists during those occasions.

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Lakers fall short despite Dončić

Despite 32 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists from Luka Doncic, the Lakers failed to capture their tenth consecutive victory. The Slovenian guard missed the game-tying 3-pointer in the final seconds, blocked by Jalen Duren who didn’t give his opponent any space.

Austin Reaves contributed 24 points in support, including 16 in the second half, allowing the Lakers to come back from a 16-point deficit. « We were down… then we fought to come back, » Reaves said. « We did good things and there are things to correct, but it’s a long journey and I liked the way we fought. »

LeBron James had a difficult first half, remaining scoreless for only the third time in his 23-season career. He recovered in the second half to finish with 12 points, 10 assists and 9 rebounds. Coach JJ Redick praised his team’s resilience: « Our mental toughness. We’re a tough team. Even tonight, we were down again against a very good team on their court. »

DANISS JENKINS CAREER HIGH 30 POINTS + THE DAGGER TO END LAKERS 9-GAME WIN STREAK 🤯

WOW. pic.twitter.com/66ZgVnHra3

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 24, 2026

With this loss, the Lakers (46-26) see their streak end but maintain their third place in the West. The Pistons (52-19) secure their fourth consecutive victory and confirm their status as Eastern Conference leaders.