Could-Have-Been Lakers Carry Jazz In Los Angeles
Nov 4, 2022, 11:54 PM | Updated: Nov 7, 2022, 1:57 pm
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Jazz moved to 7-3 on the season with an impressive 130-116 shootout victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.
Lauri Markkanen bounced back after a tough performance against the Dallas Mavericks, scoring 27 point, grabbing 12 rebounds, and handing out four assists.
Russell Westbrook led the Lakers with 28 points while Anthony Davis added 22.
Non-Lakers Backcourt Has Big Outing
There were reportedly discussions during the offseason about a potential trade that would have sent Westbrook to the Jazz along with future draft picks in exchange for Jordan Clarkson, Mike Conley, and either Malik Beasley or Bojan Bogdanovic.
Ultimately, the Lakers decided that that was too high of a price to pay in a trade centered around the Jazz veteran backcourt.
After Friday night’s performance, Clarkson and Conley might have the Lakers front office second-guessing their decision.
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The Jazz dynamic duo combined for 35 points, nine rebounds, 13 assists, and just two turnovers in 60 minutes on the floor, significantly outplaying the Lakers starting backcourt of Patrick Beverley and Lonnie Walker IV who combined for 22 points, six rebounds, and two assists.
Most impressive from the non-Lakers backcourt was how they took over in the fourth quarter.
Clarkson knocked in a crucial floater midway through the final period to rebuild the Jazz lead to 10 before Conley took over the game entirely.
The 35-year-old guard scored eight fourth quarter points on 3-4 shooting including a shot clock beating three and a pivotal and-one to put the game out of reach.
“It’s just us having fun. It’s pure joy.” #WalkoffInterview | @lhmauto pic.twitter.com/JTUpbcCBKW
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) November 5, 2022
It’s worth noting that Westbrook had his best game of the season against the Jazz scoring 28 points on a super-efficient 9-14 from the floor, and his energy nearly turned the game in the Lakers favor.
But ultimately, the Jazz got the win.
If Westbrook can keep up this level of play off the bench, the Lakers might not regret holding onto the volatile guard, but if they don’t start winning, they may want to see if Danny Ainge is still willing to deal.
LeBron James Worst Game Against The Jazz?
Was that the worst game LeBron James has ever played against the Jazz?
Statistically, James has had worse nights than the 17 point, 10 rebound, eight assist outing he had on Friday, but the superstar’s impact on the game was hardly felt.
His 17 points were his third-fewest ever against the Jazz. And, his 7-19 shooting marked only the second time that he’d had fewer points than field goal attempts against the Jazz.
James missed all five of his three-point attempts, two of his five free throws, and turned the ball over three times in 34 minutes.
Worse yet, the Jazz had little problem scoring against the Lakers once-defensive dynamo.
much like his fashion choices, he doesn’t miss 🎯#TakeNote | @JordanClarksons pic.twitter.com/DLkVSWWA2T
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) November 5, 2022
Jazz guards repeatedly beat James off the dribble throughout the night, while Markkanen and Kelly Olynyk combined for 45 points against the Lakers star-studded frontcourt.
It’s a true testament to James’ greatness that he nearly recorded a triple-double in what was arguably the worst performance of his career against the Jazz. But, if you hadn’t looked at the box score, you might not have known he was on the floor.
Jazz Hang In Los Angeles, Face Clippers On Sunday
After Friday’s win over the Lakers in Los Angeles, the Jazz moved to 7-3 on the season.
The Jazz have an opportunity to enjoy their win in Los Angeles on Saturday before facing the 5-4 Clippers at Crypto Arena.
The Clippers opened the season at 2-4, but have bounced back with three straight wins, including a victory on Friday night over the Spurs in San Antonio.
Los Angeles led the Spurs by as much as 17 in the first quarter, but watched that lead quickly wash away after a 40 point second quarter from San Antonio.
The Spurs led by as much as 10 before Paul George took over the game and led the Clippers to a 113-106 victory. George had 32 points on 11-16 shooting in the win.
Though the Clippers have won four straight, they haven’t been healthy. Kawhi Leonard has played a total of 42 minutes this season after returning from a knee injury that caused him to miss all of last season.
Leonard is believed to have avoided serious reinjury despite having missed the last five games of the year.
The Clippers three consecutive victories include back-to-back wins over the Houston Rockets last week.
Extras
- Kelly Olynyk had a quietly impressive 18 point, four rebound, three assist performance against the Lakres. The center was a team-high +17 in 30 minutes.
- Collin Sexton’s run of strong played continued with 17 points on 7-13 shooting including 3-5 from the three-point line.
- Walker Kessler had a strong first quarter scoring six points and grabbing three rebounds, and finished with eight points and four rebounds in 10 minutes off the bench.
- Nickeil Alexander-Walker didn’t play in Dallas, but was +10 in a crucial eight minutes to end the third quarter and open the fourth.
- Anthony Davis had two points in the second half on 1-4 shooting.
Jazz Next Broadcast
The Jazz and Clippers will tip off at 8 pm MT in Los Angeles. The game will be televised on AT&T SportsNet and can be heard on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone. The game will also be streamed on DirecTV Stream and FuboTV.
