NBA Sunday: Austin Reaves Scores 43 Without Doncic, 76ers Reach 9-2 and the Kings Stay Winless at Home

Austin Reaves scored 43 points as the Los Angeles Lakers held off the Detroit Pistons 121-116 on Sunday night without Luka Doncic, who was ruled out with lower-back tightness after averaging 45 points over his previous four games, according to the CBS Sports box score, which carries the AP report. The win was the Lakers' fifth in a row and lifted them to 9-2.

Sunday's slate had seven games. These are the ones that moved the standings.

How did the Lakers win in Detroit without Doncic?

They did it early, then late. Los Angeles outscored Detroit by 24 in the first quarter and led 40-14 in the second, CBS reported. The Pistons clawed back to 84-81 late in the third quarter and still only trailed by seven entering the fourth, and Reaves hit an off-balance three with 46 seconds left before closing at the free-throw line. Walker Kessler added 12 points and 16 rebounds. For Detroit, Daniss Jenkins scored a career-high 31 off the bench and Kevin Huerter added 24. The Lakers had lost four straight to the Pistons before Sunday, and Detroit, 6-3, has now lost two in a row after a 6-1 start.

Who is the best team in the East after the 76ers' win?

For now, Philadelphia. The 76ers beat the Chicago Bulls 127-121 to move to 9-2, their best 11-game start since the 2000-01 season, per ESPN's recap. Jaylen Brown scored 29 and Tyrese Maxey 27, and LeBron James had a season-high 22, passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most career points against the Bulls, 1,897 to 1,895. Josh Giddey had 19 points and 15 assists for Chicago, which is 1-8 and has lost seven straight. The 76ers host the Celtics on Tuesday.