Daniss Jenkins Scores Career-High 31 Points as Detroit Pistons Fall Short Against Lakers

Undrafted guard Daniss Jenkins scored a career-high 31 points off the bench on Sunday, but the Detroit Pistons failed to complete a 26-point comeback against a Luka Dončić-less Los Angeles Lakers squad. As reported by The Detroit News, Detroit’s bench delivered a fierce second-half rally, but the early hole proved too deep to overcome. Jenkins posted nine field goals on 17 attempts and went 5-of-5 from the free-throw line over 32 minutes, keeping Detroit competitive as Los Angeles pulled away behind a 43-point night from Austin Reaves.

The scoring explosion was the latest step in the rapid rise of Daniss Jenkins, who has transformed from an undrafted depth player into a vital driver for Detroit this season. Whether filling in as an emergency starter or leading the scoring off the bench, Jenkins has provided consistent offensive production during an impressive opening stretch for the franchise.

Inside the numbers of Sunday’s bench rally

Los Angeles grabbed control of Sunday’s match right from the opening tip. As MLive reported, the Lakers hit seven of their first ten shots to quickly build a double-digit lead, keying in defensively to force eight first-quarter turnovers from Detroit. That aggressive start allowed Los Angeles to open up a 26-point cushion. The Lakers entered the night aiming for their fifth straight win and ultimately improved to 9-2 on the season despite playing without Dončić.

Reaves carried the main offensive load for Los Angeles with his 43 points, while Walker Kessler pulled down 16 rebounds to secure the interior. The victory allowed the Lakers to snap a four-game series losing streak against Detroit. Yet, despite facing a blowout scenario early on, Detroit stayed alive behind the play of its reserves.

Jenkins produced 31 points, five rebounds, four assists, and one steal in his 32 minutes of action off the bench. For instance, while Detroit’s starting backcourt struggled against the Lakers’ aggressive perimeter traps early in the game, Jenkins consistently broke down defenders off the bounce to score at all three levels. He knocked down five free throws without a miss and sank timely perimeter shots to pull Detroit close before the rally fell short.

How an undrafted guard became Detroit’s X-factor

Sunday’s scoring performance was not an isolated highlight. Earlier in the season, when starter Ausar Thompson was sidelined due to an ankle injury, Hunter Patterson of The Athletic reported that Jenkins was thrust into the starting lineup. Facing an unbeaten Philadelphia 76ers team, Heavy reported that Jenkins produced 18 points, eight rebounds, and six assists, leading Detroit to a win and helping the squad go 3-0 during a stretch without center Jalen Duren.

High-stakes minutes are familiar to Jenkins. Detroit Sports Nation noted that Jenkins started 19 regular-season games for the Pistons and earned starts in the playoffs, including Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against Cleveland. Reports from PistonPowered highlighted that while his perimeter shooting has drawn attention, Jenkins is evolving into a complete three-level scorer. His ability to hit late-clock buzzer-beaters has drawn comparisons to Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard’s role as a backup sparkplug.

Holding down second place in the East

Jenkins’ production has arrived at a key moment for the Pistons, who jumped to a 6-2 start to occupy second place in the Eastern Conference. Yahoo! Sports reported that Detroit built that record behind the NBA’s top-rated defense. Veteran guard Tim Hardaway praised teammate Cade Cunningham for setting the standard with his lock-down defensive motor, keeping Detroit winning even when short-handed.

RotoWire noted that Jenkins held season averages of 7.5 points and 7.0 across secondary stats heading into Sunday’s contest. Doubling his typical output off the bench gives Detroit crucial scoring cushion while managing player availability—a problem shared by teams like Denver, where Aaron Gordon was listed as questionable for Monday with a lower-body injury. Detroit now looks ahead to its next fixture, needing Jenkins to sustain his scoring rhythm while Thompson works back from his ankle injury.

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Meera Krishnan

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