Defense Lifts Lakers Over Jazz as Injuries Force JJ Redick to Shuffle Lineup
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The Los Angeles Lakers leaned on stout defense to edge the Utah Jazz on Sunday night in Salt Lake City, securing a 105-99 victory that marked their second straight win over Utah and fourth consecutive triumph overall. The result moved Los Angeles to 12-4 and into second place in the Western Conference.
Head coach JJ Redick was forced to improvise after starting center Deandre Ayton left the game at halftime with a leg issue suffered earlier in the night. With Ayton unavailable, Redick turned to Maxi Kleber and Gabe Vincent for extended minutes. Kleber logged 14 minutes and Vincent played 20, helping the Lakers erase a third-quarter deficit and clamp down defensively down the stretch.
Key stretch fueled by reserves
Kleber entered at the 6:59 mark of the third quarter with the Lakers trailing 72-68. From that point until the end of the period, Los Angeles outscored Utah 16-9 to reclaim the lead. Over the next 16 minutes—through the 2:52 mark of the fourth quarter—the Jazz managed just 22 points.
“Maxi coming in during the second half really changed the game for us with his physicality… Gabe was great as well. That’s where our defense was solidified,” Redick said postgame on Spectrum SportsNet. He noted the Jazz scored 17 points in the first five minutes of the third quarter but only 22 the rest of the half. “I think our defense won us the game.”
Shooting struggles continue
Redick acknowledged the Lakers remain one of the league’s poorer shooting teams and finished the night with 23 assists, a figure he said could have exceeded 30 with better shot-making. “We’ve got to shoot the ball better,” he added, emphasizing confidence and ball movement while the team relies on defense until its offense stabilizes.
Doncic praises Kleber’s effort
Star guard Luka Doncic, who logged heavy minutes in the win, applauded Kleber for his mobility and activity on both ends. The forward missed much of last season with a foot injury and has been working to regain form.
The Lakers remain thin in the frontcourt, making Ayton’s status a key storyline heading into the next game. Redick did not provide an update on the center’s availability.
Source: LakersNation.com
