Hayward Scores 22, Jazz Hand Lakers Their 50th Loss, 80-73
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Gordon Hayward scored 22 points, Trey Burke added 17 off the bench, and the Utah Jazz sent the Los Angeles Lakers to their 50th loss of the season, 80-73 on Thursday night.
The Jazz, coming off an 88-84 loss against that Washington that ended a season-best six-game winning streak, are 12-2 since the All-Star break.
The loss was the fourth in a row for the lottery-bound Lakers, who have dropped 25 of their last 30.
Tarik Black had 13 points and 10 rebounds for his third double-double and second with Los Angeles and Wesley Johnson had 12 points for the Lakers.
They reached the 50-loss mark for the second straight season and only the fifth in the franchise's 67-year history. That compares to 32 seasons with 50 or more victories and 16 NBA championships.
Utah's sudden surge may be too little, too late in terms of salvaging their postseason chances. They are 7 1/2 games out of the eighth and final Western Conference playoff spot with 14 games left on the schedule.
Utah center Rudy Gobert had just three points and seven rebounds, following a nine-game stretch in which he averaged 10.6 points and 17.4 boards.
The Jazz starting backcourt of rookies Rodney Hood and Dante Exum were a combined 0- for-11 from the field.
Utah took a 58-55 lead into the fourth quarter, and the lead changed hands three times before Hayward's two free throws put Utah ahead for good at 72-69 with 31/2 minutes to play. The Jazz increased the margin to 78-71 on Burke's layup and floating jumper 51 seconds apart, and another two foul shots by Hayward with a minute remaining.
The Lakers led 36-33 at halftime, closing the second quarter with a 14-2 run after trailing by as many as nine points.
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