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The Los Angeles Lakers hit the road for a quick three-game road trip that kicks off with a back-to-back. Their first opponent, the Detroit Pistons, are one of the few teams that have arguably been worse than the Lakers to start the season. Considering the Lakers' 3-0 record against the Eastern Conference, this could be a great chance to pick up another win.
Stan Van Gundy has been tasked with a seemingly impossible job as he tries to put the Pistons back together. Sure, he has two big men to work with in Andre Drummond and Greg Monroe, but the rest of the roster really doesn't make sense. Josh Smith and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope are putting up 26.7 field goal attempts per game while they each shoot just 37 percent from the field, which is a glaring problem. It's not surprising Detroit has been one of the worst offensive teams in the NBA, averaging a third-worst 96.9 points per 100 possessions, per NBA.com.
This game will not be pretty. The Lakers' league-worst defense vs. one of the worst offenses in the league is going to be a slog fest. The Pistons are like a car with four flat tires, and the Lakers are essentially relying on Kobe to push their broken down bucket uphill on his own. One car will win this race, but not before an agonizing 48 minutes pass by.
Someone's gotta' win, so go along with the (bumpy) ride, and try to enjoy the game.
Time: 4:30 p.m. PT
Station: TWCSN