Tuesday night, in the concluding group play match of the NBA In-Season Tournament, the Los Angeles Lakers played host to the Utah Jazz.

By thrashing the Jazz 131-97, the Lakers fulfilled their objective of securing the group and advancing to the quarterfinals. As one of the top two seeds in the Western Conference, Los Angeles will host their quarterfinal match before the tournament’s semifinals and finals are played in Las Vegas. This status is attributed to their immaculate 4-0 record in group play.

D’Angelo Russell assisted LeBron James in a basket for an effortless eight points to begin this contest. Early on, James established his form by contributing to the Lakers’ 11-7 lead with a pair of free throws and a triple. LeBron James became the first player in league history to surpass 39,000 points with the assist of the three-pointer.

Anthony Davis, Christian Wood, and Taurean Prince all completed simple layups to increase the Lakers’ lead to double digits at 24-11. This marked the Jazz’s first season in which the Lakers punished them down low.

Austin Reaves sank a late three to give Los Angeles a 32-17 lead heading into the second quarter. Davis led the way with eleven points and nine rebounds in the first quarter solitaryly. Groin discomfort after the first quarter ruled Lakers starting wing Cam Reddish out for the remainder of the evening; therefore, Max Christie filled in for him.

The deficit was reduced to double figures by the Jazz’s brief surge to start the second half. Davis continued to pressure the Lakers down low, while Russell reestablished the lead with a 16-pointer and compelled Utah to call a timeout.

Los Angeles held a 62-41 halftime advantage due to the Jazz’s inability to prevent the Lakers from entering the paint and attempting to score on free throws.

The Jazz fell within 15 points after failing to make a 3-pointer in the first half but started the third quarter on a tear with two consecutive 3-pointers. Nevertheless, LeBron James Jr. completed a dunk, and he and Russell both made consecutive three-pointers in an effort to spark a Lakers surge.

The Lakers would retain a comfortable 102-75 lead heading into the fourth quarter after Rui Hachimura contributed to the action with consecutive triples.

The Jazz were unable to execute a miraculous comeback, thus the Lakers secured the victory. James concluded with seventeen points, seven rebounds, and nine assists, whereas Davis scored twenty-six points, grabbed two steals, and recorded sixteen rebounds in just twenty-four minutes. Considering the Lakers host the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday in the second half of a back-to-back, the fact that neither player participated in the fourth quarter is significant.