Lakers Aim for 10th Straight Win Against Playoff-Bound Pistons

Luka Doncic avoids suspension after technical foul rescinded, while Cade Cunningham remains out for Detroit

Mar. 22, 2026 at 10:34pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Los Angeles Lakers will look to extend their winning streak to 10 games when they visit the Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons on Monday. The Lakers narrowly escaped with a 105-104 win over the Orlando Magic on Saturday, while the Pistons clinched a playoff berth with a 115-101 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Friday. However, the Pistons will be without All-Star Cade Cunningham, who is dealing with a collapsed lung and expected to miss an extended period of time. Luka Doncic, who initially picked up his 16th technical foul, avoided a one-game suspension after the NBA rescinded the technical.

Why it matters

This matchup features two of the NBA's top teams, with the Lakers looking to extend their hot streak and the Pistons aiming to solidify their position in the Eastern Conference playoff race. The absence of Cade Cunningham could be a significant factor, as the Pistons have relied heavily on their young star this season. The game also highlights the NBA's technical foul rules and the impact they can have on a team's lineup and strategy.

The details

The Lakers narrowly escaped with a 105-104 win over the Orlando Magic on Saturday, with Luke Kennard's buzzer-beating 3-pointer sealing the victory. The Pistons, meanwhile, clinched a playoff berth with a 115-101 win over the Golden State Warriors on Friday, led by Jalen Duren's strong performance. However, the Pistons will be without All-Star Cade Cunningham, who is dealing with a collapsed lung. Luka Doncic initially picked up his 16th technical foul, which would have resulted in a one-game suspension, but the NBA rescinded the technical, allowing him to play against the Pistons.

  • The Lakers (46-25) will visit the Pistons (51-19) on Monday, March 25, 2026.
  • The Lakers narrowly escaped with a 105-104 win over the Orlando Magic on Saturday, March 23, 2026.
  • The Pistons clinched a playoff berth with a 115-101 win over the Golden State Warriors on Friday, March 22, 2026.
  • Luka Doncic initially picked up his 16th technical foul on Saturday, March 23, 2026, but the NBA rescinded the technical on Sunday, March 24, 2026.

The players

Luka Doncic

A star player for the Los Angeles Lakers who initially picked up his 16th technical foul but avoided a one-game suspension after the NBA rescinded the technical.

Cade Cunningham

An All-Star player for the Detroit Pistons who is dealing with a collapsed lung and expected to miss an extended period of time.

Jalen Duren

An All-Star player for the Detroit Pistons who has led the team in scoring during their recent three-game winning streak.

Luke Kennard

A player for the Los Angeles Lakers who hit the game-winning buzzer-beater against the Orlando Magic on Saturday.

J.B. Bickerstaff

The head coach of the Detroit Pistons, who praised his team's defensive effort in their recent win over the Golden State Warriors.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We've had a number of things happen in the last couple of weeks, we've had a number of things happen on this road trip that has shown growth for our group. We did a good job of just playing through stuff, whether it was some cold shooting, some hot shooting for them for a little stretch there, getting down, playing on the road. The external circumstances of whatever (Saturday) was and not allowing that to get us off our game.”

— J.J. Redick, Head Coach, Los Angeles Lakers

“Just being part of a new team, obviously you're building new relationships, trying to find your role, what you do. But they brought me here for a reason, and that was to shoot. And it feels good. Feels good the way that everybody reacted, obviously.”

— Luke Kennard, Player, Los Angeles Lakers

“I'm just proud of my group. Proud of where I'm at now. This is something that I've always known I can be. I've always known I can be one of the better players in this league, and I've still got a lot of room to grow. I don't feel like I'm anywhere near as good as I can be. There's still a lot of things I can get better at, but I'm proud of everybody. ... From where we've started to now, I'm proud of everybody who has been a part of it.”

— Jalen Duren, Player, Detroit Pistons

“I thought that was a point of emphasis for us going into the game (was) trying to figure out how our defense can create that chaos that we're looking for, how that could create transition opportunities for us. I think that's something that we have the ability to do consistently, and if it gets us out in transition, lets our athletes be athletes (and) play advantage basketball, it's going to help us.”

— J.B. Bickerstaff, Head Coach, Detroit Pistons

What’s next

The Lakers will look to extend their winning streak to 10 games when they visit the Pistons on Monday, March 25, 2026. The Pistons will aim to clinch a higher seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs without the services of Cade Cunningham.

The takeaway

This matchup between the surging Lakers and the playoff-bound Pistons highlights the importance of depth and adaptability in the NBA. While the Lakers have been able to overcome adversity and maintain their winning ways, the Pistons will need to find a way to compensate for the absence of their star player, Cade Cunningham. The game also showcases the impact that technical fouls can have on a team's lineup and strategy, as seen with Luka Doncic's situation.