LeBron James, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, had a rare off-scoring start on Monday night. In the Los Angeles Lakers’ 113-110 loss to the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena, the 41-year-old went scoreless in the first half.
Still, by the end of the night, James had nearly recorded a triple-double, prompting coach JJ Redick to highlight his decision-making rather than the scoring.
JJ Redick Praises LeBron James’s Unselfish Play Despite Scoreless First Half vs. Pistons
King James’ night against the Pistons was unusual from the opening tip. Playing in his 23rd NBA season and fresh off becoming the league’s all-time leader in games played, James went 0-for-5 from the field in the first half and failed to score before halftime.
It marked only the third time in his career he has been held scoreless through two quarters and the first since Dec. 20, 2010, during a game against the Dallas Mavericks,
Despite the zero on the scoreboard, James remained active. He recorded 4 rebounds and 6 assists in the first half, helping the Lakers stay within reach as they trailed 65-52 at the break.
For a player who has built his career on scoring consistency, including a stretch of 1,297 consecutive games with at least 10 points and nearly two decades without dipping below double figures, the first-half drought against the Pistons stood out as a clear anomaly.
But Redick chose to focus on a different aspect of the performance. Speaking postgame, Redick highlighted the overall impact of James instead of just zeroing in on his scoring.
“I thought he played a really unselfish game,” Redick said. “Ended up with 10 assists. We missed him a couple times. … We ran some plays for him, and he did a really good job of not just trying to score and make the right play like he always does and got 10 assists.”
JJ Redick on LeBron scoreless 1st half tonight:
“I thought he played a really unselfish game. Ended up with 10 assist. We missed him a couple times… We ran some plays for him and he did a really good job of not just trying to score and make the right play like he always does… pic.twitter.com/w7IjBz3TlQ
— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) March 24, 2026
Although quiet at the start, James adjusted in the second half, finishing with 12 points, 9 rebounds, and 10 assists. While the scoring came late, his playmaking remained consistent throughout, reinforcing Redick’s point about his approach.
At 41 and deep into a demanding stretch of the season, James’s ability to shift his role when needed continues to define his game. Notably, despite the rare first-half zero, he has never been held scoreless in an entire NBA game.
Despite that, the Lakers fell short in their comeback effort. James and company entered the matchup riding a nine-game winning streak, their longest since the 2019-20 championship season, and looked to extend it to 10.
Instead, they ran into a resilient Pistons team that matched them throughout the night.
Detroit, playing without superstar guard Cade Cunningham due to a collapsed lung, built a lead that stretched to 16 points in the second half. The Pistons created separation by knocking down 11 3-pointers compared to the Lakers’ eight.
Lakers, missing Marcus Smart and Rui Hachimura, responded with a strong push in the fourth quarter, erasing the deficit and tying the game late. However, the Pistons executed better down the stretch to secure the 113-110 win.
Luka Dončić led the Lakers with 32 points on 11-of-29 shooting. Likewise, Austin Reaves added 24 points, including 16 in the second half, while also contributing 5 assists and 2 rebounds on 7-of-15 shooting.
For James, the night ultimately reflected both rarity and reliability. The scoreless first half was unusual, but the overall contribution was not. Even without early scoring, he influenced the game, facilitated the offense, and nearly delivered a triple-double.
