by LeBron James took the ball from the net and hit him to the field, the defense of the Lakers wasted a possession with inactivity and poor version.
Wednesday, in the last match of Lakers for the All-Star Break, they looked slowly. They looked unfore. And in particular they looked pretty terrible.
In some respects this was all predictable, the Lakers who play lifeless with an eye on the coming week free after an emotional and physically exhausting first 52 games of the season.
But part of the reason that the Lakers looked so free in a loss of 131-119 for the Utah Jazz had to do with how locked up they had been in the past month.
“I just didn’t feel that we were just as connected to the defensive end. We had a lot of bladder coverage, “said Guard Austin Reaves. “And then when photos don’t fall, you really have to be good in the defensive end. And we were not. “
A match after Luka Doncic was wondering about how connected the Lakers (32-20) had played, and they sent the same jazz team in his debut in Lakers, unraveled the team when the intensity faded, ending his six-game winning Streak. James was all about the defense half on one possession and rumbled the ball on a pass that went to no one. Doncic focused a pass on Reaves’ Feet, the two players are crossed on their timing.
They later connected to a peak, where they touched a three after a no-look, behind Doncic’s back.
“He is an incredible passer -by who can make every pass in basketball and I was at that time in the hope that I had a chance,” said Reaves. “I was glad it was in it.”
Jaxson Hayes, suddenly a crucial part of the plans of the Lakers, left after just eight minutes after a facial contusion. The injury forced the Lakers to lean at the new center Alex Len, who struggled at both ends of the field in his first game after Tuesday for the rest of the season and ended with only four points.
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James scored 18, Doncic, hindered with dirty problems, had 16 and Reaves scored 15, and only made one of the 10 three.
“We are approaching this break and we have to rest,” Doncic said. “For me I think it is more mental peace than something else. But I still have to work. So I am enthusiastic about this break and I can’t wait to go back to play. “
The Lakers, who missed Dorian Finney-Smith and Gabe Vincent for the reasons of injury management on their way to the break, had noticeably less energy and grit without the two most important reserves and made only 17 of the 30 free throws.
For the first time since the withdrawn trade with Charlotte, Dalton servant played 10 points from the bank and Bronny James had a career-high nine points.
“We were not physical, we didn’t talk,” said coach JJ Redick. “Never really came to a place where we were talking and performing the rules of the off-ball, Curl switches. And you give a team trust, you let them be comfortable and this is what happens.
“That’s the NBA.”
The Lakers will return to the court in Los Angeles against Charlotte next Wednesday.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
