How a soccer game at UCLA led to Pistons’ win vs. Lakers: ‘It was huge’

LOS ANGELES — The dog days of an extended road trip can leave any team in a funk. The Detroit Pistons, who had been on the road for 10 consecutive days, were feeling the fatigue when they arrived in Los Angeles for a two-game set against the Los Angeles Clippers and Lakers. The first game of the series took place on Sunday, and the Pistons suffered a blowout loss to the Clippers. Instead of addressing the team’s mishaps on UCLA’s practice court, the Pistons took a mental day to regain their composure on the school’s Intramural Field by playing soccer. The call by coach J.B. Bickerstaff led to the Pistons ending their five-game West Coast road trip with a 128-106 victory over the...