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Andre Drummond powers Detroit Pistons past Los Angeles Lakers

By Dana Gauruder, The Sports Xchange
Detroit Pistons center Andre Drummond (0). UPI/Mark Goldman
Detroit Pistons center Andre Drummond (0). UPI/Mark Goldman | License Photo

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Andre Drummond had a double-double by halftime on Wednesday and still came to the locker room angry at himself.

The Detroit Pistons center missed three layups and four jump-hook attempts in the first half, causing his consternation.

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"It's tough for me, missing all those shots that I usually make," Drummond said. "I just had to stay with it and get back on defense and play as hard as I could. My teammates really stayed on me, kept me positive and I knew the shots would fall eventually."

Drummond couldn't be stopped in the third quarter, making all seven of his field-goal attempts. He powered for 24 points and 17 rebounds for the game despite sitting out the fourth quarter and the Detroit Pistons pounded the Los Angeles Lakers 121-102 Wednesday night at The Palace.

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Drummond reached the 20-point mark for the 11th time and grabbed 15-plus rebounds for the 24th time. He was also a big factor defensively, blocking four shots and making three steals.

"I don't think the league has an answer when he starts to play like that," Pistons point guard Reggie Jackson said. "It's all on him each and every night. He can be the most dominant player in the league."

The Pistons' top three forwards also scored in double figures. Jon Leuer had 20 points, Tobias Harris tossed in 19, and Marcus Morris supplied 14.

Ish Smith added 10 points, seven assists and four rebounds, and Aron Baynes chipped in 10 points and six rebounds for Detroit (25-28), which has won seven of its last eight home games.

Julius Randle and Lou Williams had 17 points apiece to lead the Lakers (18-37), who have lost 11 of their last 14 games. Rookie Brandon Ingram contributed 15 points, five assists and four rebounds, and Jordan Clarkson added 12 points for Los Angeles, which committed 21 turnovers.

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"It's been something that we've struggled with all year long," Lakers coach Luke Walton said of the turnovers. "A big part of the scouting report was protecting the paint, making them shoot threes, knowing they're not a big 3-point shooting team. They scored 70 points in the paint, (so) we didn't set out to do what we wanted."

Detroit shot 71.4 percent in the third quarter and outscored Los Angeles 36-20 to turn the game into a blowout.

"The energy the whole night was a little off, couldn't really just somehow put it together," Lakers guard Nick Young said. "We let them get easy baskets. The turnovers led to easy points and they got lobs, easy layups, fast-break threes. Once you see them get easy buckets, it's just not fun, man."

Morris scored on consecutive possessions early in the quarter, finishing off an 11-4 Pistons spurt, which gave them a 67-54 lead. Following Los Angeles' sixth turnover of the quarter, Drummond converted an alley-oop pass from Jackson. Leuer dunked on Detroit's next possession to make it 77-61.

A Harris 3-pointer pushed the lead to 20. Drummond's putback in the closing seconds of the quarter increased the advantage to 22, 92-70.

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"He was able to get behind the defense and our guys did a good job of getting him the ball tonight," Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy said. "Even when we didn't get it to him and we missed shots, he was behind the defense and on the offensive glass. So, yeah, he had a good night."

Drummond collected his 34th double-double by halftime as the Pistons established a 56-50 halftime lead. Drummond had 10 points and 12 rebounds by the break, and Detroit also got an 11-point lift off the bench from Harris.

The Lakers committed 12 first-half turnovers but the Pistons only managed to score six points off them.

NOTES: Los Angeles has now won 12 of the last 16 meetings. ... Pistons PF Jon Leuer played his 300th career game. ... The Lakers have used 17 different lineups. ... Detroit PG Ish Smith ranks second in assist-to-turnover ratio at 3.59, behind only injured Los Angeles Clippers PG Chris Paul (4.06). ... The Lakers played their final regular-season game in Auburn Hills, with the Pistons moving into Detroit next season. Los Angeles coach Luke Walton was a member of the Lakers when they lost to the Pistons in the 2004 NBA Finals. "All the fruit they'd give us in the locker room was rotted and stale. All the popcorn was stale, the hot water didn't work in the showers," he said. "I respect it, honestly. It's the NBA Finals, they're trying to win and make it uncomfortable for the other team." ... Detroit is 2-18 when scoring under 100 points.

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