Luka Doncic scored 52 points, grabbed eight rebounds and dished 10 assists as the Los Angeles Lakers erased an 18-point deficit to beat the Utah Jazz 132-123 on Sunday at Delta Center. The win moved the Lakers to 3-0, best record in the Pacific Division through three games.
Utah built its lead behind a 47-point first quarter, with Ace Bailey and Lauri Markkanen combining for 25 points in the opening 12 minutes. The Lakers answered with a 45-point second quarter, pulling within a point by halftime. Doncic scored 22 of his 52 in the first half alone, and the Lakers outscored Utah 58-52 over the final two quarters to close it out.
Key Moments: How The Lakers Rallied
Utah led 47-29 after one quarter behind 19 offensive rebounds in the first quarter alone. Ace Bailey and Lauri Markkanen led the Jazz’s early charge. Lauri Markkanen capped the first quarter with a buzzer-beating 26-foot bank shot for the 18-point cushion.
Los Angeles flipped the game in the second quarter, scoring 45 points while Doncic and Austin Reaves combined to attack the rim and draw fouls. The Lakers shot 32 of 38 from the free-throw line for the game, a disparity that kept them in front down the stretch even as Utah out-rebounded them 51-31. Los Angeles finished with six lead changes in the contest and held the ball down the stretch of the fourth quarter to protect a nine-point cushion, its largest lead of the game.
Top Performers
Doncic’s 52-point, 10-assist night led both teams in all three major statistical categories. He shot 17 of 30 from the field, including 8 of 18 from three-point range, and went 10 of 11 at the free-throw line.
Austin Reaves added 29 points on 7-of-12 shooting and went 11 of 13 from the foul line. Ziaire Williams scored 11 points off the bench and finished a team-best plus-11, while Matisse Thybulle added 11 points on 4-of-8 shooting with three steals.
For Utah, Markkanen led all scorers on his team with 28 points on 9-of-19 shooting. Keyonte George posted a near triple-double with 24 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds, though he finished a team-worst minus-12. Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 20 points, and Ace Bailey had a double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds.
What It Means
The Lakers are 3-0 for the first time this season and sit atop both the Pacific Division and the Western Conference standings. Los Angeles also leads the season series against Utah 1-0. The Jazz dropped to 1-2 and fell to 1.5 games back in the Northwest Division, where Oklahoma City, Minnesota and Portland all opened 2-0.
Utah’s defense allowed 30 points in the paint to Los Angeles while scoring 58 of its own in the paint, but 17 turnovers that led to 22 Lakers points proved costly against a Los Angeles team that converted its only 10 giveaways into 16 points.
What’s Next
The Lakers, riding a three-game winning streak, are next scheduled to face the Los Angeles Clippers in an early Western Conference measuring stick with both teams off to strong starts. The Jazz look to bounce back after falling to 1-2.
Don't stop here
Every Score. Every Story. One Home.
Breaking sports, entertainment and news from across the Total Apex network, updated all day.
Get the Full Story →
