The Los Angeles Lakers decimated the Utah Jazz 132-113 in what was a historic night. The Lakers were completely on their game, playing at the highest level possible. It was a total mismatch, as the Jazz are one of the worst teams in the NBA. But the Lakers addressed their issues with consistency with tonight’s performance and extending their winning streak to six games straight.
Luka Doncic played well in his first time wearing the purple and gold but did show signs of rust, putting up 14 points (5-14 FG), five rebounds, and four assists. LeBron James however, wasn’t going to be outshined, ending the game with 24 points (10-17 FG), seven rebounds, eight assists, and one steal. Austin Reaves continued to cement his importance to the team with a great performance consisting of 22 points (6-10 FG), nine rebounds, four assists, one steal, and one block.
As for the Jazz, Lauri Markkanen continued his ascendency into stardom with a strong performance, delivering 17 points (8-18 FG), three rebounds, one assist, one steal, and one block. Jordan Clarkson played decently against his former team, putting up 16 points (6-15 FG), one rebound, and four assists. John Collins also had a great game with 17 points (5-10 FG), 11 rebounds, two steals, and one block.
The Lakers were scintillating on the night, giving fans an exciting showing that will have fans looking forward to watching LeBron James and Luka Doncic ball out together. As for the Jazz, their loss tonight should come as no surprise, given how poor they have been this season. They currently sit 14th in the West with a 12-39 record, the third-worst in the entire league.
With all that said, here are three key takeaways from the Lakers’ dismantling of the Jazz:
Lakers Show Off Efficiency
The Los Angeles Lakers had an efficient night shooting the basketball. As a squad, they went 50-92 from the field, converting 54.3% from the field tonight. As for shooting from deep, the Lakers did well, going 15-42 from the field, converting 35.7% from beyond the arc. Their shooting on the night was excellent, allowing them to destroy the Jazz with relative ease.
Five players out of a possible 12 shot under 50%, which is great considering that at least half the team needed to be efficient with their scoring. Luka Doncic had an inefficient night, but that is understandable given that it was his debut with a new team and his first game after sustaining an injury in December.
The Lakers will be hoping for more efficient nights like these going forward, as they continue to make a push for a top-four seed in the Western Conference. They are currently half a game back from the Rockets and could surpass them come the end of this week.
Lakers Show Off Their Quick Hands
The Lakers ended the game with 11 steals as a squad, twice as many as the Utah Jazz who only had six steals. This will be a great sign for their perimeter defense going forward as they were able to get the job done quite well. This is one of the advantages of having a slightly smaller team on the court, as you can force the opponents into mistakes once they cross half-court.
The Lakers forced the Jazz into 19 turnovers tonight, which is very impressive. JJ Redick will try and inculcate tonight’s performance into a habit very soon, as the team’s defense has been scrutinized heavily since the season started. And with the Lakers losing their best defender in Anthony Davis, the rest of the players have to pick up the slack going forward.
Jaxson Hayes led the team in steals tonight, snatching the ball three times during the game. His performance was quite a reassuring one for Lakers fans as he is their starting center going forward unless they pick up another player on the buyout market in the weeks to come.
LeBron James Continues Phenomenal Season
While all eyes were on Luka Doncic tonight, LeBron James was by far the standout player for the Lakers. He delivered an exceptional 24-point performance despite not playing at full speed against a weak Jazz team. His presence during the transition period for Luka will be a great help to the Lakers going forward.
For the season, LeBron James is averaging 24.4 points, 9.0 assists, 7.8 rebounds, 0.9 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game while shooting 51.7% from the field, 39.2% from beyond the arc, and 76.4% from the free-throw line. He has been the most consistent player for the Los Angeles Lakers despite being 40 years old.
The Lakers will continue to rely on LeBron this season as he looks to make what could be the final championship push of his career in the playoffs. The Lakers are currently the fifth seed and realistically could end the season as the second or third seed in the Western Conference. Bringing another championship to the Lakers will be important for James, who is seeking his fifth ring.
Luka Doncic will need some time to adjust to not just a new team but also after what had been a pretty serious injury. Lakers fans will be patient, as Doncic isn’t just a star for now but a star for the future that they must be careful about protecting in the months to come.
The Lakers will get to celebrate their sixth consecutive win but will then turn their attention to the Jazz once again as they play the middling franchise on Wednesday night at 9 PM EST. Luka Doncic will be on the court once again, hoping to play himself back into form with his new team.
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