LeBron James’ 41st birthday didn’t come with the result the Los Angeles Lakers were hoping for.
Detroit walked into Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday and turned a competitive game into a blowout win, pulling away in the fourth quarter for a 128-106 victory. The loss dropped the Purple and Gold to 20-11 on the season, while the Pistons continued to look every bit like the East’s top team.
James finished the night with 17 points, four rebounds, four assists, one steal and one block. While it was a decent performance, it never translated into momentum for Los Angeles as Detroit flipped the switch down the stretch.
Cade Cunningham set the tone for the Pistons, posting 27 points and 11 assists. Luka Doncic led all scorers with 30 points and added 11 dimes for the Lakers, though his eight turnovers loomed large as the deficit grew.
LeBron James Speaks Out on Lakers Role
After the game, James addressed the loss and discussed a noticeable shift in how he’s being used on offense this season.
“I haven’t really been on the ball,” James said, per Lakers Daily on X. “I’ve been playing off the ball a lot. If the coaches ask me to play on the ball, then I can do that. But I’ve been mostly off the ball this year.”
The comments weren’t framed as an excuse, but they came after another lopsided defeat. Los Angeles has now suffered four blowout losses in its last five games, with those defeats coming by an average of 21 points.
Doncic has been the focal point of JJ Redick’s offense, a logical decision given what the Lakers invested to bring in the ball-dominant star. That shift has naturally pushed James into more of an off-ball role, something he appears willing to embrace.
For now, James seems committed to adapting to whatever the Lakers ask of him. But with the team closing out the year in a rough stretch, adjustments may be on the table as Redick looks ahead to 2026.
