The Los Angeles Lakers edged out the Utah Jazz in a nail-biting 105-104 victory on Sunday night in Salt Lake City, led by standout performances from Anthony Davis and LeBron James. Davis dominated with 33 points and 11 rebounds, while James added 27 points and 14 assists, stepping up in the fourth quarter as Davis rested. Despite missing several key players, including Jaxson Hayes, Austin Reaves, D’Angelo Russell, and Cam Reddish, the Lakers managed to fend off a late rally from the Jazz. In the final moments, LeBron missed a three-pointer, giving Utah a chance to steal the game. However, Collin Sexton mishandled the inbounds pass, preventing the Jazz from attempting a game-winning shot before the buzzer. Earlier, James hit a left-handed hook shot with 41 seconds left, though Walker Kessler’s putback kept the Jazz within striking distance. Lauri Markkanen led Utah with 22 points, while John Collins contributed 21 in another frustrating loss for the Jazz, who have now dropped eight of their last nine games. Turnovers plagued Utah, with 15 giveaways leading to 20 Lakers points. A crucial moment came when Sexton’s potential go-ahead layup was negated after Jazz coach Will Hardy called a timeout, leaving just 2.1 seconds on the clock. James reached another career milestone, becoming only the second player in NBA history to surpass 15,000 career field goals, joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The win was a testament to the Lakers’ resilience despite their depleted roster. Next, the Jazz begin a seven-game road trip in Oklahoma City on Tuesday, while the Lakers face the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday.
