SALT LAKE CITY — LeBron James grabbed the ball from the web and slammed it onto the court docket, the Lakers protection once more losing a possession with inactivity and awful execution.
Wednesday, within the Lakers’ closing recreation earlier than the All-Star break, they appeared gradual. They appeared unfocused. And, most notably they appeared fairly horrible.
In some methods, this was all predictable, the Lakers enjoying lifelessly with an eye fixed on the upcoming week off after an emotionally and bodily draining first 52 video games of the season.
However a part of the rationale the Lakers (32-20) appeared so disinterested Wednesday in a 131-119 loss to the Jazz (13-40) needed to do with simply how locked in they’d been for the final month.
One recreation after Luka Doncic marveled at how linked the Lakers have been enjoying, the workforce unraveled as their depth light. LeBron James turned the ball over on one possession within the backcourt fumbling the ball on a move that went to nobody. Doncic rifled a move at Austin Reaves’ toes, the 2 gamers getting crossed up on their timing.
And Jaxson Hayes, out of the blue a vital a part of the Lakers’ plans, exited with a facial contusion after solely eight minutes. The damage pressured the Lakers to lean on newly signed Alex Len, who struggled on each ends of the court docket in his first recreation after signing Tuesday for the rest of the season and completed with simply 4 factors.
James scored 18, Doncic, hampered with foul hassle, had 16 and Reaves scored 15, making simply one-of-his 10 threes.
The Lakers, by no means absolutely engaged, made 17-of-30 free throws. The loss snapped a six-game successful streak.
The Lakers, lacking Dorian Finney-Smith and Gabe Vincent for injury-management causes heading into the break, had noticeably much less vitality and grit with out the 2 of them. The workforce returns to the court docket Wednesday in Los Angeles in opposition to Charlotte.
Dalton Knecht, enjoying for the primary time because the rescinded commerce with Charlotte, scored 10 factors off the bench and Bronny James had a career-high 9 factors.