The Lakers sit second in the West at 2-0, and the afternoon brings the first road game of the season against a Utah team that is also 1-1. Two wins, a power-rankings jump from 14th to 5th in a week, and a roster still sorting itself out make this trip a real measure.
Quiet Overnight Ledger
Nothing new broke since the Clippers win. Cameron Carr (right oblique) and Adou Thiero (left knee) remain out, both listed to return Oct. 27, the night the Trail Blazers visit. Jake LaRavia was cleared Saturday after a sprained right ankle, which gives Redick a body back. Silver Screen and Roll calls this the first road game of the season.
The Jazz Across the Floor
Utah, coached by Will Hardy, is 1-1 and rested one day, same as Los Angeles. Keyonte George is averaging 20.5 points and 7.5 assists, Jaren Jackson Jr. 19.5 points, and Lauri Markkanen 17.0. Jusuf Nurkic and Trey Alexander are both out. The Jazz have a net rating of minus 9.2 through two games, a small sample but a soft landing spot for a team that has scored 127 and 125.
The Number and the Question
The number is 24.0: Walker Kessler's scoring average over two games, with 8.5 rebounds, for a center who carries a $30.2M salary. The question is the bench. Payroll is $201.3M, about $0.9M over the $200.4M tax line, and with two guards out the rotation is leaning on a short list. Can the 2-0 start survive a week that runs through Utah, Portland, the Clippers again and Golden State?
When do the Lakers play the Jazz?
The Lakers play at Utah on Oct. 25, their first road game of the 2026-27 season. They are 2-0 and second in the West.
Are Adou Thiero and Cameron Carr playing against Utah?
No. Both are listed out, Thiero with a left knee injury and Carr with a right oblique injury, with an estimated return of Oct. 27.
