The Lakers had three main factors contributing to their successful night as they wrapped up the regular season.
Firstly, they ensured the game against the Jazz kept their roster intact, with most essential players clocking in under 30 minutes.
Secondly, they secured a solid 131-107 win over the struggling Jazz at Crypto.com Arena.
And lastly, they had to rely on a game happening more than 1,300 miles away. It would be great if the Spurs could beat the Nuggets to give the Lakers a shot at climbing into third in the Western Conference standings.
If the Nuggets win, they would clinch the No. 3 seed, and the Lakers would end the season in fourth place.
In the game itself, Deandre Ayton and Rui Hachimura both had double-doubles, scoring 22 points apiece with 10 rebounds. LeBron James managed 18 points, along with six assists and four rebounds, in just 17 minutes, because both he and Luke Kennard sat out the second half.
Bronny James came off the bench, scoring 11 points and dishing out four assists, marking him as the third player with double-digit points over the last six games. Dalton Knecht, the Lakers’ first-round draft pick for 2024, also made his mark this season, scoring a personal best of 17 points, all coming in his fourth game.
What it means
This season, the Lakers recorded the highest number of wins in an 82-game regular season since their back-to-back championships in 2010-11, achieving 57 victories. It’s notable that this is the first instance in 15 years where they’ve managed to win 50 or more games in consecutive seasons.
Coach JJ Reddick remarked, “The most important thing is how hard we work to prepare our players and how committed we are to winning.” He added that the players’ responsiveness showed in the results.
Turning point
On February 9, the Jazz last won a game against a team with a winning record over 50%, defeating the Heat. Their next significant win was against the Timberwolves earlier in January. With the Jazz now aiming to finish in the bottom four of the league for better draft lottery odds, their hopes of leaving Southern California with a win were quite slim.
MVP: Deandre Ayton
Ayton had an impressive game, making 10 of his 14 shots—his most attempts in a game since January 30. This was his first double-double since March, where he also achieved 20 points and 10 rebounds against the Bulls.
Game status: 82
Jake LaRavia played in his first full 82-game season this Sunday, becoming the 45th player in the franchise to do so. “My biggest goal this season was to have a healthy, consistent year,” LaRavia noted, expressing his excitement about achieving that goal.
The last player to play all 82 games for the Lakers was Austin Reeves during the 2023-24 season. LaRavia was among 18 players going into Sunday with that opportunity.
To the next
The Lakers are set to face the Rockets in the opening round of the playoffs as the 4-5 seed. Game 1 is scheduled for Saturday in Los Angeles.
