Los Angeles Lakers host the Utah Jazz in the NBA preseason basketball game at Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA. on Tuesday, October 22, 2013. (Photo by Sean Hiller/Daily News)
Coming off a loss to the Golden State Warriors in China, the Lakers beat the Utah Jazz 108-94 on Tuesday night at Staples Center in the seventh game of the preseason.
Laker’s Jordan Farmar dropped 13 of his surprising 20 points in just 3:17 of fourth quarter. Pau Gasol, Nick Young and Shawne Williams had nine points each and the Lakers closed with an 11-0 run that included nine free throws by the end of the game.
The Jazz , who missed the playoffs last year by one game, had six players in double figures. Former Laker, Brian Cook, had 18 points while Gordon Hayward added 15 and Burks, 14. Forward Mike Harris, the second player off the Utah bench, picked up his fourth offensive foul and fifth of the game with 4:33 left in the third quarter. He played 12 scoreless minutes. In the end, Utah’s Alec Burks cut the margin to 97-94 on a tip-in with 4:52 remaining, but didn’t make another shot for the rest of the game.
Because of Gasol and Williams’ success, Lakers head coach Mike D’Antoni is considering starting the two in the regular season.
“We’re just going to see if it works,” D’Antoni said before the game. “See if they can hold their own being posted up, see if it spreads the floor, see if it helps Pau’s game, see how the interaction is and see if it’s better to start with it or play with it during the game. That could be an ongoing process for a while.”
After another matchup with the Jazz on Friday, Oct. 25, the Lakers will kick off their regular season next Tuesday against the Clippers at the Staples Center.
