The Jazz hit the Lakers with a 47-point first quarter and an 18-point lead, and the road trip looked like a trap. Luka Doncic answered with 52 points, 10 assists and a final-minute free-throw pair to finish it, and Los Angeles is 3-0.
Digging Out
Utah opened with an 8-0 run, and the Lakers were down 12-21 when they called their first timeout at 5:34 of the first quarter. The Jazz led 47-29 at the end of it. Then Los Angeles scored 45 in the second quarter and went into the half up 74-71. The game was tied nine times and the lead changed hands six, but the Lakers never trailed by double digits again. The tone was set by that single quarter.
The Closers
It stayed tight into the fourth. The Lakers called timeouts at 110-111 and 118-117, then pulled away to outscore Utah 29-23 in the period. Doncic scored 13 in the fourth and Austin Reaves 11. Collin Sexton added 5. Reaves hit a 25-foot three with 33 seconds left, set up by Doncic's tenth assist, to make it 130-123. Doncic sealed it at the line with two free throws for his 51st and 52nd points. Walker Kessler took a defensive rebound with 19 seconds left. The closing five were Reaves, Doncic, Matisse Thybulle, Sandro Mamukelashvili and Ziaire Williams.
Report Card
Doncic gets an A. He shot 17-30, made 8 threes and 10 of 11 free throws, though his four turnovers matter. Reaves also earns an A: 29 points on 7-12 shooting, 11-13 at the line and a team-best-tying +14 in 36 minutes. Thybulle gets a B-plus for 11 points, 3 steals and a +12 in 26 minutes. Jake LaRavia matched Reaves at +14, in only 15 minutes. Quentin Grimes had the roughest night at -8 in 20 minutes. Keyonte George had 24 points, 9 rebounds and 10 assists for Utah, but also 6 turnovers. Markkanen scored 28 for the Jazz.
How did the Lakers beat the Jazz on Oct. 25?
They won 132-123 after trailing by 18 in the first quarter. Luka Doncic scored 52 points with 10 assists, and the Lakers outscored Utah 29-23 in the fourth.
What is the Lakers' record, and what is next?
They are 3-0 and hold the No. 2 seed. Next is the Trail Blazers on Oct. 27, then a trip to the Clippers on Oct. 28.
