The Los Angeles Lakers aim to maintain their perfect streak in group play as they host the Utah Jazz.
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As the lone undefeated team with a flawless 3-0 record in the current NBA in-season tournament, the Los Angeles Lakers aim to maintain their perfect streak in group play as they host the Utah Jazz in Southern California on Tuesday.
While the Lakers aren’t the sole unbeaten squad in the tournament—six teams boast a 2-0 record as Tuesday’s games approach—they have the opportunity to be the inaugural team to secure a spot in the knockout rounds with an unblemished record.
The 8-6 Lakers haven’t exactly made winning the new in-season trophy their top priority. Instead, their focus has been on timing, as they’ve managed to turn things around from a sluggish start just as the in-season tournament kicked in.
Lakers: D’Angelo Russell, Taurean Prince, Cam Reddish, LeBron James, Anthony Davis
Jazz: Keyonte George, Jordan Clarkson, Ochai Agbaji, Lauri Markkanen, John Collins
Speaking of injuries, Venderbilt will not be playing for the Lakers due to a heel injury, and Vincent will be sitting out due to a knee injury. For the Jazz, Kesler will missing out.
Triumphant performances against the Memphis Grizzlies and the Portland Trail Blazers ensued, propelling the Lakers to a tournament-leading point differential of plus-42. In anticipation of Tuesday’s conclusive group-play match, Los Angeles geared up with a 105-104 triumph against the Houston Rockets on Sunday, which, notably, was not part of the tournament. LeBron James showcased his prowess by scoring a season-high 37 points, with an impressive 13 points coming in the crucial fourth quarter.
Austin Reaves of Los Angeles demonstrated his scoring prowess by contributing 17 points, notably netting nine crucial points in the closing period. This impressive performance comes as he adapts to his new role coming off the bench. Reaves’ game-changing moment occurred with a remarkable 31-foot 3-pointer, breaking a tie with just 24.2 seconds left and propelling the Lakers to a narrow victory over the Rockets.
The Jazz come into the upcoming game on the heels of a double-overtime loss to the Phoenix Suns, with a final score of 140-137 in favor of the Suns on Sunday in Salt Lake City. This marked Utah’s second successive high-scoring defeat at home against the Suns, who secured a 131-128 victory on Friday.
Lauri Markkanen, for the Jazz, achieved season-best performances on Sunday, notching 38 points and grabbing 17 rebounds. This remarkable display came on the heels of a Friday game where he scored 21 points but recorded a season-low of just two rebounds.
Similar to the Lakers, the Jazz haven’t experienced the season they had hoped for; however, they’ve discovered success in the in-season tournament with a 2-1 record. Tuesday’s matchup could have featured two undefeated teams if Utah had managed to secure a victory on Friday.
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