Detroit, MI
Detroit Pistons’ guards go cold against LeBron, Lakers in L.A., 125-111

LOS ANGELES — Since snapping their 28-game losing streak in late December, the Detroit Pistons have been among the NBA’s hottest-shooting teams.
That wasn’t the case Tuesday.
The Pistons hit just eight of their 28 attempts (28.6%) in an 125-111 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena. They started poorly and trailed by as many as 16 in the first quarter. A 17-2 second-quarter run put the Lakers further in control, and the Pistons trailed by 23 at halftime after shooting 3-for-19 (15.8%) from downtown in the first half.
It was a rough night for Detroit’s guards. Cade Cunningham (12 points, seven assists, seven rebounds) and Jaden Ivey (15 points, five assists) combined to shoot 9-for-31, and Marcus Sasser missed his first nine attempts before making his 10th late in the fourth quarter.
WAITING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE: Quentin Grimes can’t wait to add his defense, winning mindset to Pistons
Ausar Thompson (19 points, 9-for-13 overall) and James Wiseman (18 points, 8-for-12) were more efficient. So was Evan Fournier, who scored 13 points in his Pistons debut.
The Lakers were led by LeBron James (25 points, eight assists), D’Angelo Russell (21 points) and Anthony Davis (20 points, 14 rebounds, six blocks).
It was Detroit’s second straight loss, following Saturday’s defeat to the Clippers, after consecutive road wins over the Portland Trail Blazers and Sacramento Kings.
New Piston Quentin Grimes, acquired from the New York Knicks last week, missed the game with a right knee sprain.
Detroit will fly to Phoenix to face the Suns on Wednesday before heading into All-Star break.
Pistons slump from 3 after hot stretch
Since Dec. 30, the Pistons are third in the NBA in 3-point percentage at 40.1%. It’s practically a 180 turnaround compared to the first two months of the season, during which they ranked 28th shooting 33.4% overall.
There were several factors driving Detroit’s improvement — including hot stretches by Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks and January’s trade that yielded Mike Muscala and Danilo Gallinari. Even after Thursday’s deadline, which saw all but Muscala depart the team, the Pistons project as a team that can knock down shots due to the additions of Grimes, Simone Fontecchio and Troy Brown Jr.
The Pistons couldn’t buy a 3-pointer in Los Angeles. A modest improvement in the second half — they went 4-for-8 after only getting three to fall in the first two periods — wasn’t enough to come back against the Lakers, who shot 14 of 35 (40%) from the 3-point line.
Fournier makes debut
The 31-year-old French forward, who arrived in Detroit alongside Grimes and Malachi Flynn last week, made his debut midway through the opening period. It wasn’t clear if the veteran would have a role on a team that suddenly has depth on the wing, but he was among Detroit’s better scorers on a night when most of the team struggled. He and Fontecchio were the only players to make more than one 3-pointer, with two each.
“I’m really excited to finally be out of New York, and looking forward to a new opportunity,” Fournier said after Sunday’s practice at UCLA.
“From watching those last three games and a couple of practices, high-energy team with a lot of enthusiasm. Hard-playing team, they’ve been playing really strong on the trip. So far, so good.”
[ MUST LISTEN: Make “The Pistons Pulse” your go-to Detroit Pistons podcast, available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify) ]
Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him @omarisankofa.
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Detroit, MI
Former congresswoman Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick lying in state at Wright Museum

Former U.S. Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick lie in state on Monday at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History for a daylong visitation ahead of her funeral on Wednesday.
Cheeks Kilpatrick, 80, died on Oct. 7 following a long illness, family and friends said.
The mother of former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick served seven terms in Congress and nine terms in the Michigan House of Representatives as a Democrat. She left office at the end of 2010 after losing reelection in a Democratic primary.
Cheeks Kilpatrick’s funeral is planned to begin at noon on Wednesday at Greater Emmanuel Church of God in Christ, 19190 Schaefer Hwy., on Detroit’s west side.
Monday’s visitation was scheduled from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the museum, 315 E. Warren.
Detroit, MI
MSP trooper injured after vehicle strikes patrol car on I-96 in Detroit

A Michigan State Police trooper was injured after his patrol car was struck by a Jeep Cherokee driver who lost control on Interstate 96 in Detroit, running into the trooper’s car during a crash investigation, police said.
The trooper was sitting on the shoulder of westbound I-96 at Fullerton Avenue in Detroit investigating a single-vehicle crash, according to Michigan State Police.
The 55-year-old driver of the Jeep Cherokee lost control and struck the patrol car, pushing it into the rear of the car involved in the initial crash, according to MSP. The trooper was in his patrol car and was injured, as were two people in the Jeep.
“It is important for drivers to remember to slow down in wet weather,” said MSP First Lt. Mike Shaw in a press release. “This particular driver was not only driving too fast for road conditions, he also had three of his four tires worn below the wear bars which also led him to lose control and crash.”
kberg@detroitnews.com
Detroit, MI
Detroit businesses prepare for economic boost from Free Press Marathon Sunday

DETROIT, Mich. (WXYZ) — Thousands of runners are expected to flood downtown Detroit on Sunday for the Free Press Marathon, and local businesses are gearing up for the economic boost that comes with the annual event.
Holly McClain, owner of Olin Bar and Kitchen on East Grand River, said her team is prepared for the influx of hungry marathoners and spectators.
“We get an uptick of people all weekend which is great for us especially on Sunday,” McClain said.
WXYZ
More than 26,000 runners are expected to participate in this year’s race, which starts at 7 a.m.
McClain said the restaurant sees customers both before and after the marathon, with many taking advantage of their Sunday brunch that starts at 10:30 a.m.
“We get right before the marathon, after the marathon. We have a Sunday brunch starts at 10:30 so we see a lot of guest from the marathon,” McClain said.
When asked if runners come hungry, McClain was ready with an answer.
“They do come hungry and we’re ready to feed them. All of them,” McClain said.
The restaurant owner said she’s excited about the continued growth and development in downtown Detroit, particularly with new businesses opening nearby.
“It’s great when our neighbors open up businesses especially having the Hudson site right next door to us and more businesses coming in and bringing more people to Olin,” McClain said.
The Free Press Marathon generates significant economic impact for Detroit. Last year, the race brought in more than $23 million for the city.
Beyond the economic benefits, the event also raises money for various charities including the Alzheimer’s Association of Michigan and Boy Scouts of America.
“The more people that come down to Detroit, we’re excited about it,” McClain said.
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This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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