Instead of Sunday being a tale of two halves, the Lakers’ win over the Jazz felt more like a tale of four quarters. Or, more precisely, one quarter versus three quarters.
The first quarter will rank as one of Los Angeles’ worst games this season. The Jazz shot unsustainably, as we will see, they were also outplaying the Lakers.
They had an incredible 24-4 advantage in points in the paint. They got 16 second-chance points off six offensive rebounds. Everything they did seemed to work.
The great thing about having a superstar, however, is that she can cover up your flaws on any given night. And from the second quarter onwards, it was Luka Dončić’s world with Austin Reaves playing an overqualified Robin.
They are still struggling to bounce back. They still lost the battle in the paint. But they made 11 more threes and six more free throws in the final three frames to overcome that.
The end result was a tough win that leaves the team with a lot of work to do, but they can do it with better morale.
So let’s dive into victory. As always, ratings are based on each player’s expectations. A “B” rating represents that player’s average performance.
25 minutes, 11 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 3 steals, 1 block, 1 foul, 4-8 FG, 3-7 3PT, +12
As uncertain as I remain about the long-term viability of starting Thybulle and Williams, if they want to play and shoot like that, then it’s hard to make the case for moving away from that as well. They give the Lakers the ability to cross defense, which can also lead to confusion on the other side.
30 minutes, 11 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 2 fouls, 3-9 FG, 3-7 3PT, 2-2 FT, +11
There are still a few too many times where he goes to the rim without really knowing what to do and hopes his athleticism can bail him out. But he shoots the ball well and is an active defender. He really seems to have consolidated his place in this formation.
28 minutes, 2 points, 7 rebounds, 1 block, 4 fouls, 1 turnover, 1-2 FG, +2
After the match, he admitted that he let his emotions get the best of him and it impacted his game. It showed, as he was relatively a non-factor in this one. Given the circumstances and the way he played in the first two games, we’ll give him the benefit of the doubt.
35 minutes, 29 points, 1 rebound, 4 assists, 1 interception, 2 blocks, 5 fouls, 3 turnovers, +14
Reaves will be a bit of an unsung hero in this one for about 52 reasons, but his second quarter was as important as any play in this game. He scored 15 points on 4-5 shooting from the field while making all four of his free throws and brought the Lakers back into the game.
38 minutes, 52 points, 8 rebounds, 10 assists, 2 steals, 4 turnovers, 17-30 FG, 8-18 3PT, 10-11 FT, +3
Fresh off one of his worst games as a Laker, he has one of his best. He played the Lakers quite well in this match. He started the game 3-8 from the field and 0-5 from three, meaning he made 14 of his last 22 shots and eight of his last 13 threes.
A special, special evening.
20 minutes, 3 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 2 fouls, 1-2 FG, 0-1 3PT, -8
After a few good games to open the season, Grimes wasn’t as productive on Sunday. The advantage of having a strong team is that they don’t need to rely on him if he’s in trouble.
20 minutes, 9 points, 3 rebounds, 2-4 FG, 1-2 3PT, 4-6 FT, -3
The Lakers lined up quite often with Mamu at five and Looney really struggling. This isn’t his best option against most opponents, but it looks like they’ll have to make do. It was nice to see him get to the line for six free throws.
20 minutes, 13 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 fouls, 2 turnovers, 5-11 FG, 1-5 3PT, 2-2 FT, +1
Considering this is the second time he’s suited up this season, a surprisingly strong game from Sexton. He showed his value as a release valve and dribble threat alongside Luka and Reaves. It’s still shaking off the rust, but this was more than just a glimpse of its value.
15 minutes, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 2 fouls, 1 block, 0-3 FG, 0-2 3PT, +14
This was a game where the score didn’t do justice to LaRavia’s impact. As soon as he entered the second half, he really helped change the course of the match. Even without scoring, he was a scoring player, as evidenced by his tying for a team with a plus-minus score.
I don’t think this section will be much different for the vast majority of games this season. It’s very obvious that he’s past his prime and can no longer make an impact.
Fighting his way into an early foul for Walker Kessler wasn’t optimal, but you can understand why he did it. This left the Lakers in a tough spot for the rest of the game, but it was nice to see neither player able to perform the difficult, circular motion with their finger for most of the game.
Sunday inactives: Cameron Carr, AK Okerek, Adou Thiero
Sunday’s DNPs: Jaden Hardy, Bronny James, Arthur Kaluma, Chris Mason, Jarred Vanderbilt
You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.
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