Jazz never ceases to amaze. Faced with the Lakers who finally seemed to start their season, with two successes in a row, Will Hardy’s men signed another convincing victory (116-130) thanks to a new boss match signed Lauri Markkanen. Without complex, this remodeled team from Utah remains on the podium of its conference after ten games!
The visitors were quick to make it clear to their opponents that they had come to Los Angeles to score points. After twelve minutes, they had already scored 40 (34-40) and they continued their offensive efforts to return to the locker room with… 75 points scored (62-75).
Overwhelmed in defense and led by 16 points at the start of the third period, the locals reacted with a 26-12 in this period, to wake up the Crypto.com Arena. A good sequence to return to only two possessions before the last quarter (95-100).
Unfortunately for them, these good intentions in the game were quickly swept away by the opposing offensive strike force, and especially by the lack of defensive investment. The Lakers have never had a problem scoring runs. On the other hand, when it was necessary to stop the holders opposite… Result, Mike Conley and the other veterans of the Jazz unrolled their basketball in the last minutes to maintain a difference of ten points and allow their team to s impose without difficulty.
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– Three times fewer throws. To impose itself by shooting three times less throws than its adversary, the Jazz has just proved that it was possible. The Utah players finished with only ten attempts on the penalty line but they compensated with a larger volume of shots than the Lakers, especially from 3-pointers. They fired twenty more shots than their opponents, which explains their 130 points in the final table.
– Jazz still on the podium! Who would have imagined seeing the Jazz at the top of the West after ten games? Certainly not Danny Ainge… With seven wins in ten games, the Salt Lake City franchise remains the biggest surprise of the start of the season. To see if it manages to maintain the rhythm with a “back-to-back” to come against the Clippers then against the same Lakers, before a first “road trip” in the East (Hawks, Wizards, Sixers).
TOPS/FLOPS
✅ Lauri Markkanen. The size of Anthony Davis or the physique of LeBron James did not prevent him from experiencing another great evening. Author of a big start to the match near the circle, the Finn was content to shoot in the corners at 3-point in the following three quarters. With more or less success. It was already his fifth double-double of the year.
✅ Russell Westbrook. New match off the bench for the former MVP and new superb performance. The best since the start of the season. The point guard again played at the right tempo and was able to accelerate towards the circle or find his partners, in particular Anthony Davis, when necessary. Downside to his good outing, a defensive investment a tone below compared to his start to the season.
⛔ The Lakers Defense. The look of disappointment from Darvin Ham, when taking his time-out, after yet another penetration by Jordan Clarkson one minute from the end said a lot. His team did not know how to contain this Jazz at all. His penetrations in particular. The Jazz scored 64 points in the racket of Lakers unable to hold the first dribbles of the opposing “drives” and to come to the aid. This gloomy picture for the Lakers, yet applied in defense since the start of the season (3rd in the “defensive rating” with 106 points per game out of 100 possessions before this game), concerns the whole team, including its three stars.
MVPs! FOR… RUSSELL WESTBROOK!
THE FOLLOWING
Lakers (2-6) : reception of the Cavs, Sunday.
Jazz (7-3) : trip to the Clippers, Sunday.
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