The clock ticked down, and as it often has for the past two decades, the ball was in LeBron James’ hands. The Los Angeles Lakers clung to a slim lead in the fourth quarter against the Utah Jazz, with James relentlessly attacking mismatches to create scoring opportunities. Yet, on this night, the ball refused to cooperate.
In one pivotal possession late in the game, the Lakers secured multiple offensive rebounds, only for James to miss three consecutive three-pointers. Despite the misses, the aggressive play embodied the approach that has defined James’ illustrious career—one that has delivered championships and solidified his legacy as one of basketball’s all-time greats. However, it’s a style that doesn’t perfectly align with head coach JJ Redick’s vision for the Lakers.
The game hung in the balance late, with the Jazz nearly snatching victory when Utah coach Will Hardy called a timeout moments before Collin Sexton’s would-be game-winning layup. Following the timeout, the Jazz couldn’t execute a clean play, allowing the Lakers to escape with a narrow 105-104 win to kick off a challenging four-game road trip, reported by ABC 7.
The Lakers were shorthanded, missing key contributors D’Angelo Russell, Cam Reddish, and Austin Reaves. Russell and Reddish were sidelined by illness, while Reaves was recovering from a left pelvic contusion sustained in a hard fall during Friday’s game. The absence of 40% of their regular rotation—including Jaxson Hayes—forced role players like Gabe Vincent, Max Christie, and Jalen Hood-Schifino to step up.
Anthony Davis led the charge with 33 points, while James added 27 despite missing all nine of his three-point attempts. Rui Hachimura contributed 13 points, and Vincent delivered a season-high 10 points along with a crucial late-game defensive play, forcing a turnover on John Collins in the post.
Reaves’ injury not only snapped his streak of appearing in 129 consecutive regular-season games but also highlighted the physical toll on the Lakers. With their depth tested, the remaining players around James and Davis had no choice but to figure it out.
As the NBA world remains unforgiving, the Lakers will hope to recover their health and rhythm quickly. For now, they’ll take the win—no matter how messy it was—and move on to the next challenge.