SUMMARY
- The Lakers and Pistons are set to face off at the Crypto.com Arena.
- Spencer Dinwiddie is expected to make his debut.
The Los Angeles Lakers have been surprisingly well lately, and the addition of Spencer Dinwiddie could revitalize the entire environment. During their previous game, LA recorded an incredible win over the New Orleans Pelicans. One of the biggest reasons for that win was players taking equal responsibility and stepping up to the occasion. The Lakers held everything together tightly and did not turn the ball as much.
SPENCER DINWIDDIE MAKES HIS LAKER DEBUT TODAY pic.twitter.com/Clp8AxpEW6
— Lakers Lead (@LakersLead) February 13, 2024
Their opponents for the night will be the Detroit Pistons. This team is still shaking off the rough start they had, however, they’ve been accumulating a couple of wins recently. The Pistons are 4-6 in their last ten games but they were still the worst team in the league with a 8-44 record. LA is currently the ninth seed in the West with a 28-26 record. Now, let us take a look at their injury reports.
Spencer Dinwiddie is available to play for the Lakers vs. Pistons game
Spencer Dinwiddie was recently acquired by the Lakers from the free-agent market. The veteran point guard was traded to the Toronto Raptors a couple of days ago. The Brooklyn Nets received Thaddeus Young and Dennis Schroder in return. Immediately after being traded to Toronto, Dinwiddie was waived thus making him a free agent.
Spencer Dinwiddie already practicing with the Lakers 💜💛 pic.twitter.com/Qe7fUcmfIA
— JAKE (@KingJakeonX) February 12, 2024
This season, he has been averaging 12.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 6 assists per game. He will be coming off the bench for the Lakers, giving them a much-required offensive boost. While he will most likely make his debut with the team, LA has a few other injuries listed out unfortunately.
Los Angeles Lakers Injury Report:
- Anthony Davis (Questionable)
- LeBron James (Questionable)
- Gabe Vincent (Out)
- Max Christie (Out)
- Cam Reddish (Out)
- Jarred Vanderbilt (Out)
Los Angeles Lakers Expected Lineup:
- D’Angelo Russell
- Austin Reaves
- LeBron James
- Rui Hachimura
- Anthony Davis
Detroit Pistons Injury Report:
- Quentin Grimes (Out)
- Isaiah Steward (Out)
Detroit Pistons Expected Lineup:
- Cade Cunningham
- Jaden Ivey
- Simone Fontecchio
- Troy Brown Jr.
- Jalen Duren
All together in Los Angeles📍 pic.twitter.com/OSf2OHzrgP
— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) February 12, 2024
The Pistons will be lacking some balance in their second unit since Quentin Grimes has been sidelined. Detroit has stated that Isaiah Stewart will most likely return following the 2024 All-Star Weekend. He has been dealing with an ankle injury. Averaging 11 points and 6.8 rebounds as a starter, the Pistons have a terrible record without him in the lineup.
Spencer Dinwiddie and the Lakers are expected to win against the Pistons
LA already has a win against the Pistons from earlier this season. Detroit’s biggest issue during that matchup was getting into foul trouble. They ended up giving the Lakers 38 free-throw attempts during the game while they had only 14 in total. Once again, the Lakers were offensively sound with D’Angelo Russell leading the pack scoring 35 points.
Russell could be the reason why the Lakers may potentially reach the playoffs once again. After having a rough start to the season, the point guard has been averaging 17.5 points and 6.2 assists per game consistently. He recorded 30 points against NOLA and 28 points the game before.
The Pistons headed towards numerous problems as their lack the stars put the Lakers on a crutch. They have the second-worst defensive rating in the league and do not have much offensive firepower to balance it out. LA has a winning record against the Pistons and the latter hasn’t won against the Lakers since 2021. Overall, LA is expected to win this game.
