Lakers cruise past Jazz in dancing fashion
The Los Angeles Lakers gained ground in their 131-99 all-around win over the Utah Jazz on Tuesday, improving to 9-6 on the season and 4-0 in the West A group of the in-season tournament.
The win clinched West Group A for the Lakers and secured a home game in the quarterfinals on Dec. 4 or 5, with a trip to Las Vegas for the semifinals.
The Lakers jumped out to a 32–17 first quarter and followed it up with a 62–41 end to the first half, continuing that momentum throughout the game.
L.A.’s biggest margin win of the season was propelled by season-high assists and points in the paint, with 35 total assists and 76 total points inside, while shooting 37.9% (11-29) from behind the arc and 57% (49-86) overall.
Coming into the matchup, LeBron James was five points from 39,000 career points, something no player in NBA history has done. It took the NBA’s all-time leading scorer five minutes to surpass that feat and add to his historic resume.
“To be able to accomplish something that's a first of anything, I think that's always pretty cool. It’s a wow moment, that's for sure,” LeBron said.
LeBron finished with 17 points, nine assits and seven rebounds while shooting 3–5 (60%) from three and 6–10 (60%) overall from the field in 24 minutes.
Anthony Davis was the focal point of the Lakers' big win, showcasing dominance on the defensive end while shooting a high efficiency from the floor.
Davis finished with a game-high 26 points and 16 rebounds on an efficient 11–14 (78.5%) shooting from the field in 29 minutes.
A notable outcome of this victory was LeBron and Davis resting in the fourth quarter, courtesy of their substantial lead. The rest was crucial in ensuring fresher legs for their second game of a back-to-back on Wednesday against the Mavericks.
“Listen, whatever the game takes. I prepare myself to be able to play whatever minutes I need to play,” LeBron said. “If there’s a case of a game where I don’t need to play a lot of minutes, then I’ll take it, for sure. It’s all good.”
D’Angelo Russell had a near-perfect point guard outing night running the Lakers' backcourt, dishing out eight assists and committing zero turnovers with a plus/minus of +30 in his 26 minutes of action.
Russell finished with 20 points on 3–4 (75%) shooting from deep and 7–9 (77.7%) overall.
Cam Reddish left the game after playing just five minutes due to a groin injury. Ham said Reddish will undergo further evaluation on Wednesday to better understand the seriousness of his injury.
The Lakers had four bench players score in double figures, showcasing their all-around performance.
Austin Reaves scored the most among the second unit with 19 points, adding five rebounds, five assists and three steals in 26 minutes.
Chrisitan Wood finished right behind Reaves with a 16-point, eight-rebound outing on 6–7 (85.7%) shooting in 26 minutes.
Rui Hachimura and Jaxson Hayes were the remaining two Lakers to score in double figures. Hayes finished with 10 points on 4–4 shooting and Hachimura finished with 12 points and six rebounds on 4–13 (30.7%) overall from the field.
The Lakers are set to face the Dallas Mavericks at home on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in their second game of a back-to-back.
