JJ Redick: Officiating a turning point as Pistons stun Lakers
Los Angeles coach JJ Redick said officiating became a factor in Tuesday’s 128-106 loss to the Detroit Pistons, a game that lurched away from the Lakers after being tight early. Detroit forced 21 turnovers that led to 30 points and closed out a five-game road trip by imposing physicality—an approach Redick predicted before tipoff, saying the Pistons would be foul-prone and that the officials wouldn’t call everything. The final foul totals were close: Detroit was called for 26 fouls and the Lakers attempted 31 free throws; the Lakers were charged with 24 fouls and the Pistons shot 29 free throws.
Turnovers and physical play frustrated L.A. throughout. Luka Dončić had a team‑high eight turnovers and said the Lakers needed to match Detroit’s physicality because the refs were letting contact go. The game featured several contact-related reviews and technicals: Marcus Smart was hit in the face by Duncan Robinson in the first quarter and drew a technical after arguing that the play wasn’t reviewed as a possible flagrant; Jake LaRavia was elbowed in the second quarter by Jalen Duren, a call that was upgraded on review to a Flagrant 1; and Dončić received a technical in the third quarter for what was ruled as flailing after his arm struck Ronald Holland II.
Tempers flared late as the outcome became inevitable—Smart stood from the bench to shout at an official over missed calls—and the loss dropped the Lakers to 20‑11. All 11 of L.A.’s defeats this season have been by double digits, six by 20 or more, underscoring the team’s consistency problems. LeBron James, playing on his 41st birthday, scored 17 points on 6‑for‑17 shooting with four assists and five turnovers and declined to critique officiating, saying that discussion wasn’t his lane. He did, however, note the roster instability has been disruptive: key players have missed significant time, including Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and Gabe Vincent at various points, and Jaxson Hayes only recently returned.
Redick called out the need to play through the physicality and limit giveaways, while Dončić stressed matching the Pistons’ approach. Beyond the officiating debate, the Lakers’ uneven availability and turnover issues were decisive in a game where Detroit’s defense and aggressiveness turned a close contest into a decisive win.
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