Lauri Markkanen continued his strong play this season, scoring 27 points and grabbing 13 rebounds to lead the Utah Jazz to a 130-116 victory over the host Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night.
Former Laker Jordan Clarkson contributed 20 points with seven boards, Kelly Olynyk added 18 points, Collin Sexton scored 17 and Mike Conley totaled 15 points and 10 assists as Utah snapped a three-game road losing streak.
Russell Westbrook led the Lakers with 26 points on 9-of-14 shooting off the bench. Anthony Davis scored 22 points, but only two after halftime, and grabbed eight rebounds, and LeBron James tallied 17 points with 10 rebounds and eight assists. Lonnie Walker IV added 19 points.
The Jazz shot the lights out, hitting 50.5 percent overall and drilling 17 3-pointers, including three treys apiece by Markkanen, Olynyk and Sexton.
Los Angeles, trying to mount a three-game winning streak after losing its first five games, erased most of Utah’s 16-point, third-quarter lead, pulling within 97-95 after a pair of Tony Brown Jr. free throws late in the third.
But the Jazz took a 100-95 lead into the fourth quarter after a three-point play by Nickeil Alexander-Walker and then controlled most of the fourth quarter.
Los Angeles was never able to get closer than five the rest of the way.
Utah, which has won seven of 10 this season, got off to a blistering start, shooting 65.4 percent while taking a 40-34 lead after the first quarter.
The Lakers made a push early in the second with a 10-0 run capped by a Matt Ryan 3-pointer to snag a 46-44 lead.
But the Jazz quickly found their groove, beginning with back-to-back 3s from Sexton during a 10-2 surge. Utah finished the first half up 75-62 — the second time Utah has scored 75 in an opening half this year — thanks to 60.8 percent shooting overall and 9-of-17 accuracy from 3-point range.
Olynyk matched the Jazz’s biggest lead of 16, 85-69, with a layup with 8:04 remaining in the third quarter. The Lakers scored seven straight and continued to chip away, led by Westbrook, to pull within two late in the third.
Los Angeles hosts Cleveland on Sunday afternoon before heading to Utah for a Monday rematch. The Jazz remain in L.A. to face the Clippers on Sunday night.
–Field Level Media
