Lakers stumble into All-Star break after defensive woes exposed in bad loss to Jazz
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SALT LAKE CITY — LeBron James grabbed the ball from the net and slammed it to the court, the Lakers’ defense again wasting a possession with inactivity and lousy execution.
Wednesday, in the Lakers’ final game before the All-Star break, they looked slow. They looked unfocused. And most notably they looked pretty terrible.
In some ways this was all predictable, the Lakers playing lifelessly with an eye on the upcoming week off after an emotionally and physically draining first 52 games of the season.
But part of the reason the Lakers looked so disinterested in a 131-119 loss to the Utah Jazz had to do with just how locked in they’d been for the last month.
“I just didn’t feel like we were as connected on the defensive end. We had a lot of blowing coverages,” guard Austin Reaves said. “And then tonight when shots don’t fall, you got to be really good on the defensive end. And we weren’t.”
One game after Luka Doncic marveled at how connected the Lakers (32-20) had been playing, and they routed this same Jazz team in his Lakers debut, the team unraveled as the intensity faded, bringing an end to its six-game winning streak. James turned it over in the backcourt on one possession, fumbling the ball on a pass that went to no one. Doncic rifled a pass at Reaves’ feet, the two players getting crossed up on their timing.
They later connected on a highlight, Reaves hitting a three after a no-look, behind-the-back pass from Doncic.
“He is an unbelievable passer that can make any pass in basketball and I was just, at that point, hoping I made a shot,” Reaves said. “I was happy it went in.”
Jaxson Hayes, suddenly a critical part of the Lakers’ plans, exited because of a facial contusion after only seven minutes. The injury forced the Lakers to lean on new center Alex Len, who struggled on both ends of the court in his first game after signing Tuesday for the remainder of the season and finished with just four points.
The Lakers debuted Luka Doncic to a wild crowd Monday night in L.A. that showered the newest star with cheers and chants.
James scored 18, Doncic, hampered with foul trouble, had 16 and Reaves scored 15, making just one of 10 threes.
“We are approaching this break and we gotta rest,” Doncic said. “For me, I think it’s more mental rest than anything else. But I still gotta work. So I’m excited about this break and I can’t wait to go back to play.”
The Lakers, missing Dorian Finney-Smith and Gabe Vincent because of injury-management reasons heading into the break, had noticeably less energy and grit without the two key reserves and made just 17 of 30 free throws.
Dalton Knecht, playing for the first time since the rescinded trade with Charlotte, scored 10 points off the bench and Bronny James had a career-high nine points.
“We weren’t physical, we didn’t talk,” coach JJ Redick said. “Never really got to a place in the game where we were talking and executing the off-ball, curl-switch rules. And you give a team confidence, you let them be comfortable and this is what happens.
“That’s the NBA.”
The Lakers return to the court next Wednesday in Los Angeles against Charlotte.
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