The Los Angeles Lakers looked like they were well on their way to a victory as they had a 10-point lead with less than two minutes to go against the Utah Jazz. However, the Lakers took their foot off the gas pedal as they settled offensively while the Jazz reeled off an 8-0 run to force overtime.
It felt like the type of game the Lakers should’ve lost as they put themselves in a terrible position. Despite the adverse circumstances, Los Angeles was able to put away Utah because of the late-game heroics of LeBron James.
After taking a few games to round back into playing shape, James looked much more like himself against the young and inexperienced Jazz. In overtime, the King carried the offensive load and in the closing seconds, hit the game-winning layup to give the Lakers the win.
In 38 minutes, James led all scorers with 37 points on an efficient 14-of-27 shooting from the field. He also added six assists and five rebounds, though he wasn’t entirely perfect as he did commit five turnovers.
Austin Reaves had yet another strong game, acting as the secondary scorer behind James with 28 points. With the Jazz doing everything they could to slow down the Lakers’ stars, Reaves stepped up and hit several clutch shots to keep the purple and gold in good shape. Aside from scoring, Reaves also helped fill in the playmaking gaps with six dimes of his own.
Anthony Davis didn’t exactly have the scoring output most predicted he would with Utah missing some of its regulars, though he did put enough pressure on their defense to open the floor up for his teammates.
Because of the defensive attention he was getting, Davis only took 16 shots though he did turn those attempts into 21 points. He had more of an impact on the glass, grabbing 14 rebounds including four offensive boards. Defensively he was a menace, coming up with two blocks and two steals.
Lastly, Rui Hachimura was able to build off his last game as he led the Lakers’ bench in scoring with 17 points. Hachimura did well getting to his spots and running the floor as evidenced by his 7-of-11 shooting.
What’s next for Lakers
The Lakers’ road trip officially comes to an end on Wednesday, though they’ll be back at home for a pivotal game against the L.A. Clippers. After that, they get a marquee matchup against the Phoenix Suns.
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