SALT LAKE CITY — When Utah’s Brice Sensabaugh drilled a wide-open three-pointer in the third quarter, Lakers coach JJ Redick quickly called a timeout and began to gesture with both hands toward his players, clearly showing his displeasure with their defense.
The Lakers responded.
They especially picked up their defensive intensity for an important spurt in the fourth quarter, slowing down the Jazz as the Lakers’ offense took off, the two converging at the right time to rally them to a 143-135 win Thursday night at Delta Center.
The Lakers gave up 41 points in the first quarter and a season-high 78 by halftime. They gave up 57 points in the second half and rallied past the Jazz by scoring 41 points in the fourth quarter.
“Obviously we know this Utah team can score points at a very high rate, but it was very imperative that we got stops,” said LeBron James, who had another productive night with 28 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds. “We had to get stops to start that fourth and then it allowed our offense to click.”
But even with the Lakers building a 12-point lead in the fourth quarter, the Jazz continued to put stress on L.A.’s defense, getting to within four points with 1:05 left.
The Lakers’ Lebron James dunks over the Jazz’s Kyle Filipowski at Delta Center on Thursday night in Salt Lake City.
(Alex Goodlett / Getty Images)
The Lakers (19-7) had answers every time, keeping the game in their hands behind Luka Doncic’s triple-double — 45 points, 14 assists and 11 rebounds.
His 45-point triple-double and five steals made Doncic just the second player in NBA history to accomplish that feat since steals became official in 1973-74. Detroit’s Cade Cunningham (46 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists, five steals) is the other player to do so, against the Washington Wizards on Nov. 10 in overtime.
Doncic shot 14 for 28 from the field, four for 12 from three-point range and had only one turnover in 39 minutes 33 seconds.
Doncic was the first Laker to have a 40-point triple-double since Magic Johnson in 1981, also against Utah.
“I could do so much more,” Doncic said. “But I think that one turnover is the best stat-wise on this stat sheet. So, we had seven turnovers, which is impressive for us and we won the game. And again, that’s what matters. But I think we locked in a lot in the second half. We did a great job.”
The Lakers got a scare when James went down holding his left knee after a collision with Utah’s Walter Clayton Jr.
James was dribbling near the three-point arc when Clayton went for a steal and his knee hit the inside of James’ knee, knocking the Lakers legend to the court with 7:52 left in the second quarter.
James eventually got up and continued to play, taking a rest with 4:53 left in the half.
James described what happened on the play.
“Just a little bolt to the knee, like a sharp pain to the knee,” James said. “Got kneed on the inside, like the medial side of the knee. And just kind of wanted to take my time a little bit as it calmed down or whatever the case may be. Or hoping it calmed down. Told Mike [Mancias], my trainer, I said we dodged a bullet there.”
The Lakers already were without starters Austin Reaves (left calf strain) and Deandre Ayton (left elbow soreness), and then they added backup guard Gabe Vincent (lower back tightness) to the injury list, leaving them without three key players at Utah. Vincent will be reevaluated in a week.
Lakers guard Luka Doncic celebrates after making a play during the second half of a win over the Jazz on Thursday night at Delta Center in Salt Lake City.
(Alex Goodlett / Getty Images)
Jaxson Hayes started at center in place of Ayton and Smart started at guard for Reaves.
Smart had 17 points, going three for four from three-point range in the fourth quarter.
Hayes had 16 points, making all seven of his field-goal attempts.
Injuries also hit the Jazz, as star forward Lauri Markkanen, who’s tied with Reaves for the ninth-highest scoring average (27.8) in the NBA this season, was out because of a right groin injury.
Redick talked to his team at halftime about its poor defensive effort and did again in the third quarter during that timeout.
His message was simple.
“The players gotta go out and do it,” Redick said. “So it’s not, I don’t know if it sparked ’em or not, and I just know that after that they were better.”
