Lakers guard Luka Doncic reacts to a made three-point shot during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz, Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate)
Lakers forward LeBron James (23) drives to the basket guarded by Utah Jazz center Jusuf Nurkic, right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate)
Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen brings the ball up court after a steal during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Lakers, Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate)
Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) shoots the ball guarded by Lakers forward Maxi Kleber, center right, during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate)
Lakers guard Luka Doncic, right, shoots the ball over Utah Jazz guard Svi Mykhailiuk during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate)
Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George (3) shoots the ball over Lakers forward Maxi Kleber (14) and forward Jake LaRavia (12) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate)
Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) shoots the ball over Lakers forward LeBron James, center left, during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate)
Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George (3) takes the final shot of the game defended by Lakers forward Maxi Kleber (14) as the Jazz attempted to tie the game and send to overtime during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate)
Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George (3) passes the ball around the defense of Lakers forward Maxi Kleber (14) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate)
Utah Jazz guard Ace Bailey (19) drives to the basket guarded by Lakers forward Jake LaRavia, center left, during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate)
Utah Jazz forward Kyle Filipowski, center, dunks the ball during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Lakers, Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate)
Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) shoots the ball over Utah Jazz guard Svi Mykhailiuk, left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate)
Lakers center Jaxson Hayes, center, dunks the ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz, Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate)
Utah Jazz forward Brice Sensabaugh, top, looks to lay the ball into the basket over the defense of Lakers center Deandre Ayton (5) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate)
Lakers forward LeBron James, center, dunks the ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz, Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate)
Lakers forward LeBron James, center top, drives to the basket while defended by Utah Jazz center Jusuf Nurkic (30) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate)
Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) shoots the ball guarded by Utah Jazz forward Kevin Love, left, and Utah Jazz forward Kyle Filipowski (22) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate)
Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) reacts to a made basket and foul call on Utah Jazz forward Kevin Love, left, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate)
Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) shoots the ball over Utah Jazz guard Ace Bailey (19) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate)
Lakers forward LeBron James dunks the ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz, Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate)
Lakers forward Rui Hachimura shoots during warmups before an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz, Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate)
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Lakers guard Luka Doncic reacts to a made three-point shot during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz, Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Tyler Tate)
SALT LAKE CITY — After a rare four days off between games, the Lakers having an abundance of energy to start Sunday night’s road game against the Utah Jazz wasn’t surprising.
But the time since last Tuesday’s victory over the Jazz in Los Angeles helped bring to light what the Lakers needed to focus on to prevent another explosive scoring half from Utah after the Jazz had 71 points in the opening two quarters of the earlier matchup.
More discipline off the ball defensively; being more physical from the jump; not making up how they were going to defend Utah’s off-ball movement as they went and sticking with the initial game plan.
The Lakers showed improvement in these areas, helping them hang on to beat the Jazz, 108-106, at the Delta Center to improve to 12-4 on the season despite Utah’s late comeback attempt.
“We didn’t play our best game and we still [found] a way to win,” said Lakers star Luka Doncic, who set the pace with 33 points, 11 rebounds, eight assists and three steals. “That’s what great teams do.”
Led by Doncic, the Lakers led at the end of each quarter and had a 105-94 lead with 3:33 remaining.
But the Jazz (5-11) kept chipping away, with the Lakers making just one shot from the field over the final 3½ minutes.
A layup from Svi Mykhailiuk started an 8-2 run for the Jazz, with Utah eventually cutting its deficit to one (107-106) after a running 3-pointer from Lauri Markkanen (20 points and seven rebounds) with 41.3 seconds left, which capped a larger 17-5 run.
Doncic split a pair of free throws with six seconds left for a 108-106 lead, then Keyonte George’s contested jumper from the corner glanced off the rim just before the final horn. The Lakers won their fourth consecutive game despite shooting worse than 35% from 3-point range for the fourth time in five games.
The Lakers, who entered the weekend with the fewest amount of 3-point makes per game (10.9), shot 10 for 38 (26.3%) from behind the arc.
“That’s the encouraging part,” forward LeBron James said, “knowing that even when we’re not shooting the ball well, we’re still winning ballgames.”
Austin Reaves finished with 22 points, 10 rebounds and four assists.
James, playing just his second game after being sidelined by sciatica since training camp, recorded 17 points, eight assists and six rebounds in 34 minutes.
Midway through the second quarter, a seemingly tired James appeared to try to sub out of the game as Doncic was subbing in at the 7:14 mark of the quarter. But Doncic was coming in for Jake LaRavia, momentarily keeping James on the court after multiple turnovers and a missed 3-point attempt, all of which seemed to stem from fatigue.
“We were going to get him a sub,” Coach JJ Redick said. “Just to be clear.”
Not even a minute later, James scored six straight points, helping the Lakers take a 48-47 lead.
“The only way to get back in basketball shape is to be playing the basketball game,” said James, who scored most of his points on fast breaks and strong drives to the basket. “So, I’m in great shape physically. But as far as my wind, I got to [keep working]. And it doesn’t help that it’s my second game back playing in Utah altitude. It doesn’t help that’s for sure. So every game I’ll get better and better. My wind will get better and better. But this week was kind of like my training camp for me, to be honest. I didn’t get an opportunity to practice with the guys at all throughout camp, throughout the preseason. So I’m still working my way back.”
The Lakers seemed poised to break the game open early in the third quarter after back-to-back baskets from Jaxson Hayes and Doncic gave them a 67-58 lead. Utah countered with a 20-4 run to go in front 78-71, scoring baskets on seven straight possessions to kickstart the surge.
Neither team led by more than nine points until the Lakers went on a 13-0 run that was punctuated by Doncic’s 3-pointer with 6:06 remaining for a 98-85 lead. The largest advantage before that was when Lakers were up 67-58. The Jazz went on a 16-2 run for a 74-69 lead midway through the third.
Rui Hachimura (13 points and six rebounds) also scored in double figures.
George had 27 points, eight assists and five rebounds to lead the Jazz (5-11). Markkanen scored 12 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter. Jusuf Nurkic added 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Starting center Deandre Ayton (two points and three rebounds in 14 minutes) didn’t play in the second half and was ruled out of the game during the third quarter because of a right knee contusion. It wasn’t immediately clear after the game how Ayton suffered the injury and what his status would be after Sunday.
With Ayton out, Jaxson Hayes started the second half, but Maxi Kleber played most of the big man minutes despite not being in the first-half rotation.
There was a sequence late in the third quarter when Kleber blocked George’s layup attempt as the shot clock was expiring before running the full length of the court, including sprinting the final half, which sucked in Utah’s defense and opened up Doncic for a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer that cut the Lakers’ deficit to 78-77.
“He was one the best players on the floor for us,” Reaves said. “Just energy, effort, the way he plays, the plays he made. It’s not easy to do, sitting the whole first half and then coming out there and doing what he did. You tip your hat to guys like that. You want to see them succeed.”
UP NEXT
The Lakers will host the Clippers on Tuesday at 8 p.m. in the third NBA Cup group play game for both teams.