This game got out to a blistering start, so the final score was not a surprise at all. The Lakers were pushing the pace and the Pistons had to play fast to match their pace. Early on, Cade Cunningham made a couple of very good defensive plays on LeBron James with the help of Cory Joseph, who was starting in place of the injured Killian Hayes.
It was more out of necessity, but the Pistons played a smaller lineup that featured a frontcourt of Trey Lyles and Josh Jackson, with Hamidou Diallo, Frank Jackson, and Cade Cunningham on the wings.