Wednesday, the Lakers will finish off a five-game trip in unique fashion — playing at home in Los Angeles against the host Clippers.
It’s the big game.
But it’s can’t be the biggest.
That, as much as anything, is what the Lakers had to fight Tuesday in Utah against the short-handed Jazz. “Trap” is a word players in the Lakers’ locker room used before the game and by the time the fourth quarter rolled around, it was no longer just a prediction.
Former Laker Damian Jones made two free throws with 11 seconds to cap a 10-0 Jazz run to force overtime, the Lakers with a foot on the team plane before the fourth quarter wrapped.
With the Lakers needing a stop in the final 40 seconds of overtime, Talen Horton-Tucker drove past Jarred Vanderbilt, who coach Darvin Ham played for the first time since the third quarter.
But Horton-Tucker split the free throws, opening up a crack for LeBron James.
James spun through the Jazz defense and scored on a right-handed layup to put the Lakers ahead, the team sealing the 135-133 win with one last stop on a missed Horton-Tucker jumper.
It’s the Lakers’ 41st win of the season, moving the Lakers into sixth place in the Western Conference while assuring the team will finish the season no worse than .500.
James scored 37, Austin Reaves had 28 and Anthony Davis finished with 21 to go with 14 rebounds.
Horton-Tucker, whom the Lakers traded to Utah before the season, led the Jazz with 23 points, seven assists, two steals and a blocked shot while guard Jordan Clarkson, All-Star forward Lauri Markkanen and rookie center Walker Kessler were sidelined for Utah. Veteran forward Kelly Olynyk contributed 23 points, seven rebounds and seven assists for Utah.
Double-digit leads routinely got cut in half, the Lakers forced to fight for every bucket and every stop despite their major talent advantage.
The Lakers, citing precaution, didn’t have point guard D’Angelo Russell because of left foot soreness. Russell missed the second half of the Lakers’ win Sunday in Houston.
And while their stars carried the way in the first half, neither James nor Davis could give the Lakers the necessary cushion to keep the Jazz from fighting, each missing multiple shots down the stretch.
James had a chance to win it at the end of regulation, but his driving left-handed shot rimmed out.
With one last chance in overtime, he finished off the Jazz, setting the stage for a showdown in L.A. against the Clippers, who are in fifth place at 41-38, even if it’s unclear who will be available to play after the Lakers needed overtime Tuesday.