Los Angeles @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 31, 2017 ) Detroit 93, L.A. Lakers 113

The Los Angeles Lakers have a chance to split a four-game road trip when they visit the Detroit Pistons in the finale on Monday. The Lakers dropped the first two stops at Indiana and New Orleans before snapping a four-game slide with a 100-93 win at Memphis on Saturday.

Los Angeles coach Luke Walton got on his team about the defensive effort after a 128-125 loss to the Pelicans, and the Lakers responded by holding the Grizzlies to 36 points in the second half on Saturday. "We were more physical, we were engaged, we were communicating," Walton told reporters. "There's no secret to playing good defense, it's communication, it's effort, and we did. It's ultimately why we gave ourselves a chance to win, was because of the way we started playing defense." The Pistons already played their way out of a realistic shot at an Eastern Conference playoff spot but are winners of three of their last four as they try to build some momentum. "We're giving it our all when stepping on the floor," Detroit small forward James Ennis III told reporters. "We have a goal right now and we have, like, nine games left, so we've got to finish strong."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, Spectrum SportsNet (Los Angeles), FS Detroit

ABOUT THE LAKERS (32-40): Los Angeles is missing Isaiah Thomas (hip) and Brandon Ingram (hip flexor), but rookie forward Kyle Kuzma stepped up with 25 points and 10 rebounds at Memphis. Kuzma, who is enjoying a run of three straight 20-plus scoring performances, scored seven straight points for the Lakers during a key run in the fourth quarter on Saturday. "I'm very competitive," Kuzma told reporters. "Those first three quarters I really didn't shoot the ball pretty well. Just told myself I wasn't going to lose this game and I just really tried to lock in."

ABOUT THE PISTONS (33-40): Detroit took advantage of the depleted Chicago Bulls on Saturday and set a franchise record with 13 3-pointers in the first half in a 117-95 rout. Anthony Tolliver scored a season-high 25 points and went 6-of-12 from 3-point range to lead the way, and the Pistons handed out 33 assists. "He had it rolling there, that's for sure," Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy told reporters of Tolliver. "He made a lot of shots. The eight guys who all played at least 20 minutes (were) all in double figures; 33 assists, it was a good night, the ball moved, we didn't even have to play Blake (Griffin) in the fourth quarter. It was a good night."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Lakers PG Lonzo Ball is 8-of-54 from 3-point range over the last eight games.

2. Pistons SF Stanley Johnson (right glute strain) left Saturday's game and is day-to-day.

3. Los Angeles earned a 113-93 home win over Detroit on Oct. 31, snapping a three-game losing streak in the series.

PREDICTION: Lakers 116, Pistons 115