The Lakers won their fourth consecutive game Sunday, holding off the Utah Jazz 108-106 in Delta Center behind 33 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists from Luka Doncic.
The Lakers (12-4) nearly squandered a 10-point lead in the final six minutes and 36 seconds, allowing the Jazz to cut the lead to one with 41.3 seconds remaining on a three-pointer from Lauri Markkanen. The Utah crowd that had been cheering loudly for the Lakers finally erupted for the home team when the Finnish forward knocked down the shot.
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Markkanen could have given the Jazz (5-11) the lead with a 17-foot shot in the key, but the midrange jumper rattled out with 11.4 seconds to go. After Doncic split a pair of free throws, the Lakers forced Jazz guard Keyonte George into a contested three at the buzzer to seal the win.
LeBron James, playing in his second game of the year, had 17 points and eight assists. Austin Reaves had 22 points, 10 rebounds and four assists.
Starting center Deandre Ayton missed the second half because of a right leg contusion. He had just two points on one-for-two shooting in the first half while Doncic still powered the Lakers to a seven-point lead.
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The guard continued to struggle with his three-point shot, missing seven of his first eight shots from beyond the arc Sunday, but again dazzled with his playmaking. He intercepted a pass, bounced the ball between Kevin Loveâ€s legs while running the fastbreak and scooped up a lob pass to Jaxson Hayes. The roar from the pro-Lakers road crowd was just as loud as anything the Jazz did.
When Doncic attracted a triple team in the paint, he fired a two-handed, no-look pass backward over his head to Marcus Smart, who knocked down a three that put the Lakers up 55-49.
The Lakers entered the game shooting 33.8% from three, ranked 24th in the league. Doncic and Reaves, the teamâ€s highest-volume shooters, have struggled the most. Reaves was one for eight from three on Sunday. Doncic was three for 12, including shots so off course that they barely grazed the rim.
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When he finally got a shot to trickle over the rim in the third quarter, Doncic held both arms out in disbelief and relief as the ball bounced up high and then through the net.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
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