SALT LAKE CITY — After a rare four days off in between games, the Lakers having an abundance of energy to start Sunday’s road game against the Utah Jazz wasn’t surprising.
But the time since last Tuesday’s road win over the Jazz in Los Angeles helped bring to light what the Lakers needed to focus on to prevent another explosive scoring half from Utah after the Jazz had 71 points in the opening two quarters of the previous matchup.
More discipline off the ball defensively; being more physical from the jump; not making up how they were going to defend Utah’s off-ball movement as they went and sticking with the initial game plan.
The Lakers showed improvement in these areas, helping them hang on to beat the Jazz 108-106 at Delta Center to improve to 12-4 on the season despite Utah’s late comeback attempt.
“We didn’t play our best game and we still [found] a way to win,” Luka Doncic said. “That’s what great teams do.”
Led by Doncic (33 points, 11 rebounds, eight assists and three steals), the Lakers led at the end of each quarter and had a 105-94 lead with 3:33 remaining.
But the Jazz (5-11) kept chipping away, with the Lakers only making one shot in the final 3½ minutes.
A layup from Svi Mykhailiuk started a 8-2 run for the Jazz, with Utah eventually cutting its deficit to one (107-106) after a 3-pointer from Lauri Markkanen (20 points and seven rebounds) with 41.3 seconds left.
Doncic split a pair of free throws with six seconds left to put his team up 108-106, with the Lakers getting the final stop to secure the narrow victory for their fourth consecutive win despite shooting worse than 35% on 3-pointers for the fourth time in five games.
The Lakers, who entered the weekend with the fewest amount of 3-point makes per game (10.9), went 10 of 38 (26.3%) from beyond the arc.
“That’s the encouraging part,” LeBron James said, “knowing that even when we’re not shooting the ball well, we’re still winning ballgames.”
Austin Reaves finished with 22 points, 10 rebounds and four assists.
James, playing in his second game since being sidelined to start the season with sciatica, recorded 17 points, eight assists and six rebounds in 34 minutes.
Midway through the second quarter, a seemingly tired James appeared to try to sub out of the game as Doncic was subbing in at the 7:14 mark of the quarter. But Doncic was coming in for Jake LaRavia, momentarily keeping James on the court after multiple turnovers and a missed 3, all of which seemed to stem from fatigue.
“We were going to get him a sub,” Coach JJ Redick said. “Just to be clear.”
Not even a minute later, James scored six straight points, helping the Lakers take a 48-47 lead.
“The only way to get back in basketball shape is to be playing the basketball game,” James said. “So, I’m in great shape physically. But as far as my wind, I got to [keep working]. And it doesn’t help that it’s my second game back playing in Utah altitude. It doesn’t help that’s for sure. So every game I’ll get better and better. My wind will get better and better. But this week was kind of like my training camp for me, to be honest. I didn’t get an opportunity to practice with the guys at all throughout camp, throughout the preseason. So I’m still working my way back.”
Rui Hachimura (13 points and six rebounds) also scored in double figures.
The Jazz were led by 27 points, eight assists and five rebounds from Keyonte George.
Starting center Deandre Ayton (two points and three rebounds in 14 minutes) didn’t play in the second half and was ruled out of the game during the third quarter because of a right knee contusion. It wasn’t immediately clear after the game how Ayton suffered the injury and what his status would be after Sunday.
With Ayton out, Jaxson Hayes started the second half, but Maxi Kleber played most of the big man minutes despite not being in the first-half rotation.
There was a sequence late in the third when Kleber blocked George’s layup attempt as the shot clock was expiring before running the full length of the court, including sprinting the final half, which sucked in Utah’s defense and opened up Doncic for a catch-and-shoot 3 that cut the Lakers’ deficit to 78-77.
“He was one the best players on the floor for us,” Reaves said. “Just energy, effort, the way he plays, the plays he made. It’s not easy to do, sitting the whole first half and then coming out there and doing what he did. You tip your hat to guys like that. You want to see them succeed.”
The Lakers will host the Clippers on Tuesday in their third NBA Cup game.