Jaxson Hayes spoke Tuesday about the physicality of Detroit’s game following the Los Angeles Lakers’ 128-106 loss to the Pistons at Crypto.com Arena.
“Just a physical game, a hard-fought game… we just have to close it out. That fourth quarter was a little sad for us,” Hayes said, reflecting on the Lakers’ inability to finish strong despite a close first three quarters.
He expressed his frustration with the turnover. “It’s obviously frustrating … we’ll just figure it out and go from there,” Hayes said of the team’s 20-plus turnovers, which contributed to Detroit’s 28-point lead on Lakers mistakes.
Hayes discussed the ongoing search for team identity late in the season. “You don’t really find your full identity until you’re honest about a game like 70… it takes all year,” he explained, noting the challenge of inconsistent rotations and limited games with a full lineup.
The center emphasized consistent defensive efforts as a focus for the future. “We just have to dig deep and everyone has to make an effort every time,” Hayes said, underscoring the importance of accountability on that end of the floor.
Hayes also acknowledged the Lakers’ depth despite rotation challenges. “We’ve had some guys this year step up when we need them and it’s killed them,” he said, highlighting the contributions of bench players amid injuries and lineup changes.
Detroit’s Cade Cunningham led all scorers with 27 points and 11 assists, while Marcus Sasser added a season-high 19 and Isaiah Stewart chipped in 15 to propel the Pistons past the Lakers, who struggled to sustain drives in the paint.
LeBron James scored 17 points on his 41st birthday, including three 3-pointers, but sat out the final minutes as Detroit’s 16-6 run in the fourth quarter sealed the outcome. Luka Doncic led Los Angeles with 30 points and 11 assists, but the team fell short against Detroit’s aggressive offense.
The Pistons dominated inside, scoring 74 points in the paint while limiting Los Angeles to 45% shooting overall. Detroit improved to 25-8 on the season and snapped a two-game losing streak, while the Lakers fell to 20-11.
Detroit hosts the Miami Heat on Thursday and the Lakers return home the same day to take on the Memphis Grizzlies.
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