Lakers vs Jazz: Playoff Fears?

The Lakers keep winning, but this time they got really hot. While they had control of operations as money time approached, JJ Redick’s men suffered a big run from Lauri Markkanen and his gang, but ended up narrowly winning (106-108).

With a “Big Three” still very productive, even if Luka Doncic (33 points), Austin Reaves (22) et LeBron James (17) all three suffered a lot in terms of skill: 4/24 at 3-points in total… The collective level of skill was high enough for Los Angeles, which lost Deandre Ayton along the way (knee), to spend most of the evening ahead.

After taking the lead at the break (55-62), the visitors still had difficulty containing the vista of Keyonte George which allowed his team to reverse the momentum to take up to three possessions in advance at the heart of the third quarter (78-71). To which the three Californian strong men reacted to put the Lakers back on track.

Lauri Markkanen’s grand finale

In the last period, Luka Doncic had fun in front of Ace Bailey with a “fadeaway” in the heart of the racket, before signing a “stepback” 3-pointer. Then LeBron James, served in the high post, used his muscles to push George. Four minutes from the end, the Lakers had a 13-point lead (89-102). The attack of his team in distress (8 points in 8 minutes), George signed the prize-winning basket of the recovery.

He then found Lauri Markkanen on the “alley-oop”, an action which would wake up a Finn who had been extinguished until now: a first 3-point basket off the dribble, then a finish on the counter-attack after a ball lost on a “drive” by Doncic. Then another award-winning basket in transition without hesitation, while LeBron James had meanwhile just forgotten Svi Mykhailiuk baseline, and here the Jazz came back to within a point 40 seconds from time (106-107).

Thereupon, the Lakers once again struggled to achieve a clean possession, ending with a breakaway shot from Reaves. Markkanen then created a very good shot at the free throw line after making contact with James. But the ball rolled into the circle. One free throw converted from two by Doncic later, the Jazz had a final chance, but George’s impossible shot did not find the target.

WHAT TO REMEMBER

– Luka Doncic’s “little bridge”. One of the actions of the evening for the Slovenian who, seeing access to the counter-attack closed by Kevin Love, passed the ball between his legs. All to send a lobbed pass towards the leaping Jaxson Hayes. Showtime. The Delta Center was again served on the next possession when the same magician, served in the post by Marcus Smart, brought the ball out to the latter with a pass behind the head for a winning basket from Smart.

– An aerial LeBron James. After a first match this season, already against Jazz, where he was discreet and distributed, he showed himself to be more enterprising offensively. By more or less finding happiness. Without success behind the arc (0/4), he had less ease in expressing himself on a placed play than in transition or on the counterattack. Reaves or Doncic did not hesitate to put him into orbit and James took charge of finishing by showing off his athletic qualities, with several dunks at the finish.

– The Lakers still comfortable away. Second in the West, the Californians owe their current very good record (12 wins – 4 losses) to their travels, because they have had little opportunity to play at the Crypto.com Arena until now. Far from their bases, they have a record of 8 victories and 2 defeats.