A surprising player helped the Detroit Pistons defeat the Los Angeles Lakers, ending their nine-game winning streak on Monday.
Second-year guard Daniss Jenkins, starting for just the 11th time this season, scored 30 points in the home win of 113-110. Jenkins, an undrafted free agent in 2024 who finished his college career with Rick Pitino at St. John’s, made 11 of 18 shots, including 4 of 5 from three-point range. He also recorded a team-high eight assists and four rebounds.
Center Jalen Duren achieved his 37th double-double of the season, finishing with 20 points and 11 rebounds. The Pistons have now won seven of their last eight games, recovering from a four-game losing streak and maintaining their first-place position in the Eastern Conference with 11 games remaining in the regular season.
Daniss Jenkins shines as Detroit Pistons beat the Los Angeles Lakers
In place of injured star guard Cade Cunningham, who is out indefinitely due to a collapsed lung diagnosed last week, Jenkins scored 20 points in back-to-back games, taking full advantage of his chances.
After limited play time as a rookie, scoring just seven points in 23 minutes, Jenkins impressed against the Washington Wizards in November 2025, scoring 24 points in 33 minutes off the bench and hitting a tying three-pointer at the end of regulation to force overtime.