FSM Essential Recap: Lakers vs Jazz - Game 8

FSM Essential Recap: Lakers vs Jazz – Game 8

Franchise Sports Media

Los Angeles Lakers (2-6) | Utah Jazz (7-3)

 

The Lakers defense crumbled as they lost 130-116 to the red-hot Utah Jazz despite shooting well from three and getting a great game from Russell Westbrook

 

The Lakers’ starters against Utah were Patrick Beverley, Lonnie Walker IV, Troy Brown Jr., LeBron James, and Anthony Davis. Russell Westbrook has continued to come off the bench and is a solidified spark plug for this team.

Dennis Schröder and Thomas Bryant remained out for this game. Juan Toscano-Anderson returned from the left ankle sprain he suffered against Denver.

James was initially probable (left foot soreness) along with having the non-COVID illness, and Davis was questionable (low back tightness) as he continues to battle through the back soreness that’s plagued him since the start of preseason. However, both were able to play through tonight despite visibly playing through pain.

Davis has been valuable on both sides of the ball so far this season for a Lakers team that came into this game ranking second in the NBA in defensive efficiency (104.3).

Utah came into the game with the NBA’s 14th-ranked offense, one that’s able to spread teams out due to the perimeter shooting of guys like Kelly Olynyk and Lauri Markkanen, which ended up being the leading cause of the Lakers’ loss.

Utah started this game 6 for eight from the field against the Lakers’ No. 2 ranked defense to open a 15-10 lead before a quick 5-0 Laker run tied it up. Brown Jr. was off to a strong start, hitting 3 of 4 field goals for 7 points.

 

Both teams started red hot from the field, with Utah 15 for 22 (68.2%) and the Lake Show 13 for 21 (61.9%), resulting in a 36-34 Jazz lead. Davis, at this point, was the most significant contributor with 14 points on 6 of 9 field goals.

The end of the first showcased one of the Lakers’ roughest defensive quarters of the young season, where they found themselves down 40-34 to Utah, despite their hot shooting from three (5 of 9) and a generally strong offensive showing (54.2% field goals).

Utah was 63% from the field with 2:11 left in the first half. They also had six more attempted shots than the Lake Show due to their eight turnovers, with just three turnovers from Utah.

A huge Walker IV dunk, his first hoop on the night, trimmed a 12-point deficit to 8 at 68-60 as the Lake Show had the last two buckets.

In a rarity this season, the Lakers played well offensively, with 62 points in the first half on 54.5% from the field and 7 of 16 from three. Still, they couldn’t get defensive stops when it mattered, as Utah hit 31 of 51 field goals (60.8%) and 9 of 17 threes, including five straight in the 2nd quarter, which resulted in 75 points total in one half.

 

The Lakers offense was playing above expectations but the Jazz could not miss as they exposed and abused the Lakers’ soft defense from three

 

With James’ 3-pointer not falling again, 0 for four so far after last game’s 0 for 7, he began taking it to the rim and had a layup, a dunk, and two free throws as the Lakers trimmed the margin from 16 to 8, midway through the 3rd quarter.

Utah went up to 13 made threes, keying their 91-82 lead. Then Westbrook sparked a 7-0 Lakers run, trimming a 16-point margin early in the quarter to just 4.

Mike Conley would come around and drain a shot-clock beating three, which Austin Reaves highly contested. If there were one play to describe how this game went for LA, that would be it. The Jazz made shots from everywhere, covered or not, including 17 for 38 from three as the deficit grew again to 116-105 with 5:09 left.

The Lakers could not overcome the otherworldly shooting from the Jazz and fell 130-116 at home, snapping their 2-game win streak. 

 

Key Takeaways

 

James finished with 17 points, 11 rebounds, and eight assists. Davis had 22 points, eight rebounds, and two blocks. Westbrook, off the bench, lit the Jazz up with a game-high 28 points on 9-14 from the field and 3-5 from three, six assists, and two steals. Walker IV poured in 17 points on 2-3 shooting from three.

James struggled from the field, 7 for 19 and 0 for five from three. Davis took only four shots in the 2nd half after scoring 20 in the 1st half. James’ three-point shooting has fallen to an all-time bad 20.7%. Over the last two games, he’s been 0-12. As a result, it’s been hard for the Lakers to overcome him. The Lakers also nearly had a 50-40-90 night (48.2% FGs, 42.3% 3’s, 89.3% FTs) but still lost, showcasing the importance of their defense.

The Jazz started and finished hot, hitting 52 of 103 attempts, including 17 threes. They played as a team finishing with 31 assists to the Lakers’ 22. Markkanen popped off for 27 points and 12 rebounds, and former Laker Jordan Clarkson contributed 20 points and seven rebounds.

This was an avoidable loss for the Lakers tonight, most of it was Utah being unbelievably hot shooting the ball, and that happens sometimes. Still, the Lakers added to that problem by giving up offensive rebounds, 14 to the Lakers 9. On the occasions when the Jazz missed, the Lakers gave them extra chances

Head coach Darvin Ham talked to reporters after the game about how the offense can be fluid, where shots fall some nights and don’t on others, “Defense is something you can get right damn near every night, we need to be accountable on that end of the floor, we gotta get stops to survive and excel.”

 

The Lakers stay at home and will take on the Cleveland Cavaliers Sunday, November 6th, at 12:30 p.m. at the Crypto.com Arena. The game will be available on Spectrum SportsNet, NBA League Pass, and Bally Sports Ohio.

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– Jake Ideguchi-Furukawa – Franchise Sports Media

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