DET 113, LAL 110: Jenkins (54) Edges Dončić (52) ESPN FP
Hiro Tanaka
Physical Therapy Assistant · Los Angeles Lakers fan
Daniss Jenkins Went Supernova, But the Lakers' Depth Cost Them in Detroit
The Lakers lost this one 113-110, and yeah, it stings. Close games are the worst because you can point to so many different moments that could've swung it. But for fantasy purposes, this game was absolutely wild for exactly one reason: Daniss Jenkins did something nobody expected him to do.
Top Performers
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luka Dončić | 52.0 | 55.4 | 32/7/6 | 33.4/7.9/8.4 | -1.4 |
| Daniss Jenkins | 54.0 | 44.8 | 30/4/8 | 8.3/2.0/3.3 | +21.7 |
| Tobias Harris | 38.0 | 37.9 | 14/7/5 | 13.1/5.2/2.4 | +0.9 |
| LeBron James | 36.0 | 36.8 | 12/9/10 | 21.0/5.9/6.9 | -9.0 |
| Jalen Duren | 32.0 | 34.7 | 20/11/3 | 19.2/10.5/1.7 | +0.8 |
| Austin Reaves | 34.0 | 33.9 | 24/2/5 | 23.5/4.7/5.5 | +0.5 |
| Jaxson Hayes | 42.0 | 33.1 | 11/3/1 | 6.8/4.0/0.9 | +4.2 |
| Deandre Ayton | 28.0 | 27.0 | 13/10/0 | 12.4/8.3/0.9 | +0.6 |
| Ausar Thompson | 17.0 | 21.5 | 6/5/3 | 9.9/5.8/2.9 | -3.9 |
| Kevin Huerter | 23.0 | 18.7 | 7/1/3 | 9.7/3.5/2.5 | -2.7 |
Jenkins Just Dropped 30 on 11-18 Shooting
Let's not dance around this. Daniss Jenkins went 30/4/8 on excellent efficiency and that's +21.7 from his season average. A backup point guard who averages 8.3 PPG just turned in a vintage All-Star Game performance. He was 4-4 from three, 4-4 from the line. The shot selection was clean. This wasn't a garbage-time explosion or lucky bouncing.
The real question: Is this real or a mirage? Here's my honest take as someone who watches a lot of film and has worked with guys through similar performances. Jenkins hit timely shots and ran the offense clean. He looked confident. But his season average tells you something important, he's not usually this guy. This feels more like a "perfect shooting night in a vacuum" than a breakout that's sustainable.
That said, if you're in a deeper league and he's available, grab him for a couple weeks and see if the usage rate sticks around. Ownership just jumped 0.2% which is basically nothing, so he's still out there in most leagues.
The LeBron Letdown Matters More Than You Think
LeBron James had 12/9/10 on 4-10 shooting. The line looks fine, 36.8 Yahoo points, but he was -9.0 from his season average. That's real, and it's meaningful because the Lakers needed him to be better in a close game. He played 38 minutes, which is heavy for a guy in year 21, and it showed in his efficiency. Some nights LeBron's just not hitting, and that's okay, but when your All-NBA second-team forward is underperforming in a 3-point loss, it compounds everything else.
What I noticed: He still moved the ball well (10 assists) and got physical on the glass (9 rebounds). So it wasn't a total wash. But scoring came harder. That's worth monitoring.
Austin Reaves Kept the Lakers Breathing
Austin Reaves was probably your only bright spot if you had him. 24 points on 7-15 shooting with a clean 8-9 from the line, 33.9 Yahoo points. He was basically hitting his season average and staying reliable when things got choppy. This is exactly what you want from your secondary scorer in a close game. He didn't go nuclear, but he didn't disappear either. That's the definition of solid fantasy contribution.
Deandre Ayton's Relief Appearance Caught Some People Off Guard
Deandre Ayton is suddenly owned in 69.3% of leagues after tonight, up 0.2%. He came off the bench, hit 5-6 from the field (perfect actually), and grabbed 10 boards in just 26 minutes. That's efficient and that's helping. If he's getting this kind of run in the rotation going forward, there's real value here, especially in deeper leagues or if you need a cheap source of rebounds and FG%.
The thing I'd watch: He had zero assists and didn't get a ton of opportunity to run the offense. It's all rim-running and pick-and-pop action. That limits his ceiling, but his floor just got a little safer if he's consistently getting 26 minutes.
The Jaxson Hayes Anomaly
Jaxson Hayes put up 11/3/1/2/4 in 20 minutes with a perfect 5-5 FG clip and +4.2 from his season average. That's the kind of cherry game that makes people add you off waivers. But here's the reality: Hayes averaged 6.8 PPG this season. One great quarter doesn't change that unless it signifies a role shift, and I don't see one happening. He's a fill-in guy who played well when given a chance. Don't chase it.
Detroit Won This the Right Way
The Pistons got solid contributions from multiple guys. Jalen Duren was his reliable self with 20/11/3, exactly what you want from your center. Tobias Harris did his job with 14/7/5. The bench unit (Robinson, Huerter, Kevin Huerter) combined for enough points to make a difference. This wasn't about one guy carrying them. It was depth, and that's why they won.
The Bottom Line
The Lakers have two All-NBA tier guys who combined for 44 Yahoo points and still lost by three. That tells you something about depth in this matchup. Detroit's supporting cast was better tonight, and Jenkins looked like a point guard for 39 minutes instead of a bench guy. It's one game, so don't overreact to either direction, but if you're shopping players, the Lakers' secondary options suddenly look a little thinner than they did yesterday.