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LeBron James Leads Lakers to Victory
Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
Salt Lake City witnessed LeBron James scoring 36 points and hitting eight 3-pointers, leading the Lakers to a 128-117 win over the Utah Jazz on Sunday.
Remarkable Performance by James
The Lakers were uncertain of their playoff fate before Sunday’s win, while the Jazz had known for a few days that they would be headed home. However, the undermanned Jazz still managed to trouble Los Angeles and were down just one possession with two minutes remaining. Kris Dunn had 26 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, and Kelly Olynyk had 23 points and five rebounds.
The Lakers’ 8-0 run in the final minute, featuring James’ deep 3-ball, put Utah’s upset bid to bed. This was an appropriate ending for the Jazz’s year, as they finished with a 37-45 record, the ninth worst in the league, giving them a 20.3% chance at getting a top-four pick at next month’s draft lottery, and a 4.5% chance at the No. 1 overall pick.
A Surprisingly Competitive Jazz Team
The Utah Jazz were not expected to do much and had a roster filled with castaways and reclamation projects. However, coach Will Hardy molded them into a strong competitive unit that fought in just about every game they played, no matter the situation.
In the season finale, Utah was without six rotation players, including Lauri Markkanen, Jordan Clarkson, Collin Sexton, Walker Kessler, Talen Horton-Tucker, and Rudy Gay, yet the team was still in the game until the end.
Outlook for the Future
The Jazz have some work to do in the offseason, with decision-making around their current players and drafting prospects. With a bit of luck, they may get a pick high enough to get some real talent to help turn their fortunes around.
Stay tuned for more updates.
