Hayward Scores 25, Jazz Beat Lakers To End Skid
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Gordon Hayward scored 25 points and the Utah Jazz snapped a seven-game road losing streak with an 86-74 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night.
Kobe Bryant didn't play for the Lakers (8-31) because of a strained right Achilles tendon. The NBA's third all-time leading scorer has played in only 72 of 205 games since tearing his left Achilles with two games left in the 2012-13 season.
Bryant started the past two games, scoring a combined 47 points in 59 1/2 minutes after missing the previous three with a sore right shoulder.
Lou Williams led the Lakers with 18 points, eight rebounds and six assists after scoring a career-high 44 in Friday night's 117-113 home loss to Oklahoma City.
Roy Hibbert had eight rebounds and six points before fouling out with 8:02 left and the Lakers trailing 66-56. Los Angeles teammate Julius Randle had 11 points and seven boards off the bench before fouling out in the final minute.
Utah led 43-30 at halftime after limiting the Lakers to 28.6 percent shooting. The Jazz took command in the second quarter, pulling out to a 40-23 lead with an 18-5 run capped by Rudy Gobert's short jumper with 2 1/2 minutes left in the half.
Gobert had 10 points and five rebounds in his third game back after missing 18 because of a sprained MCL in his left knee. He fouled out in the final minute as well.
The Lakers got as close as 76-66 on Randle's dunk with 2:42 remaining, but Hayward responded with a pair of jumpers and Gobert's dunk gave Utah an 82-72 cushion with 50 seconds left.
TIP-INS
Jazz: No one on the team has posted double digits in assists in any of the first 37 games. ... The Jazz hadn't won away from home since beating the Clippers 102-91 on Nov. 25. ... Derrick Favors missed his 10th straight game because of back spasms. ... Head coach Quin Snyder was a Lakers assistant under Mike Brown during the 2011-12 season.
Lakers: Top draft pick D'Angelo Russell sat out because of a sprained right ankle that occurred Thursday night at Sacramento and limited him to just under 8 minutes Friday against Oklahoma City. ... F Brandon Bass couldn't play because of a corneal abrasion in his right eye, leaving coach Byron Scott with 10 healthy players — five of which entered Sunday averaging less than 20 minutes per game.
UP NEXT
Jazz: At Portland on Wednesday.
Lakers: Host New Orleans on Tuesday.
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