LOS ANGELES -- There was no emotional letdown by the Utah Jazz following their
stunning upset of the two-time defending champion Miami Heat over the weekend.
Allen Barbre Eagles Jersey . The Los Angeles
Lakers just didnt have enough healthy front-line players to make that happen.
Reserve Alec Burks scored 13 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter and the Jazz
sent the injury-riddled Lakers to a franchise record-tying sixth straight home
loss, 96-79 on Tuesday night. It was the second time this season that the
third-year shooting guard led Utah in scoring during a victory. The other was
Jan. 13 against Denver, when they rode his career-high 34 points to a 118-103
triumph at Salt Lake City. "Alec is kind of our Jamal Crawford in some games,
and we need him to come in and score for us," Gordon Hayward said. "He brings a
lot of energy off the bench, and hes had some really huge games for us this
year. We can usually tell from the beginning that when hes active and hes more
engaged in the game, hes going to have a good night. "And, tonight, you could
tell right away that was going to happen." Hayward scored 15 points and reserve
Jeremy Evans had 14 for Utah, which enjoyed a 55-40 rebounding edge. Derrick
Favours had 11 points and 10 rebounds. "It was a great effort by the bench and
the starters," Burke said. "Everybody played great. Everybody was aggressive and
fought hard." Chris Kaman had 25 points and 14 boards for the Lakers, who have
dropped nine of 11 overall and 21 of 26 since Dec. 21. The loss to Utah put Los
Angeles in 14th place in the Western Conference, a half-game behind the Jazz and
a game ahead of last-place Sacramento. Undermined all season by a run of
injuries, the Lakers most likely will miss the post-season for only the fifth
time since the franchise relocated from Minneapolis to Los Angeles in 1960-61.
Five of their top six scorers -- Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Jordan Farmar,
Nick Young, Jodie Meeks and Xavier Henry -- are still on the shelf. The only one
from that group who played Tuesday was newcomer Kendall Marshall, who had seven
points and seven assists. "Its frustrating," Kaman said. "A lot of our guys are
just trying to figure out where theyre supposed to be and what theyre supposed
to be doing, because weve had so many guys hurt and then come back." Marshall
had 20 points and 15 assists against the Jazz on Jan. 3 -- the last time the
Lakers won a game at Staples Center. That was the first of his 15 starts at
point guard before Steve Nashs return to the starting lineup on Sunday. The
40-year-old Nash made a quick recovery from Sundays loss to Chicago, which he
left in the third quarter after getting hit in the his left leg -- the same one
that was fractured last season. The two-time MVP, who missed 39 games with a
nerve problem in his back before returning to the lineup last week, played 16
1/2 minutes against the Jazz before sitting out the second half. He had two
points and two assists. "He wanted to come back in the second half when we had
so few guys to play," coach Mike DAntoni said. "We just have to get through this
period and get guys back after the All-Star break. Well have three or four guys
back then, and that will help." Then there was Steve Blake, who also left the
building less than 100 per cent. "My arm got stuck in a screen between two guys
and I hyperextended my arm again," said Blake, who recorded his 500th career
steal in the fourth quarter. "It hurt, but I wasnt going to sit down. I just
played through it." DAntoni used his 26th different starting lineup, with Kaman
replacing Robert Sacre at centre and Shawne Williams at power forward instead of
Ryan Kelly. Kaman made 11 of 24 shots, after scoring 27 points with a
career-high 13 field goals against the Bulls. Williams, who signed a 10-day
contract last Thursday after getting waived on Jan. 7, had 11 points in 37
minutes. The Lakers first four baskets of the night came on 3-pointers, but they
didnt make another one the rest of the way and finished 4 for 16 behind the arc.
"We tried to keep them on the same side, and they werent getting as many looks,"
Hayward said. "We had our hands up, contested their shots and made them put it
on the floor." The Jazz rallied from a 15-point first-quarter deficit to lead
48-37 at halftime as Los Angeles shot 4 for 18 in the second period. Utah wants
to keep things going when it hosts Philadelphia on Wednesday night. The 76ers
are coming off a 43-point loss to the Warriors, which followed a 45-point
drubbing by the Clippers. So this is a golden opportunity for Utah to improve on
its 4-10 in the second half of back-to-back sets. "Tomorrows going to be a big
game," Hayward said. "Obviously, Philadelphias been beaten pretty handily the
past couple of games, so theyre going to come out with something to prove."
NOTES: The 1992-93 Lakers lost six consecutive games at the Forum in March of
that season under rookie coach Randy Pfund. ... The Jazz are 15-9 when their
starting five consists of Hayward, Al Jefferson, Marvin Williams, Favors and
Trey Burke. The rest of the time, they are 3-24. ... The 18-34 Lakers have been
taken off a nationally scheduled telecast for the third time this season, with
ESPN scrapping plans for the Feb. 23 at home against the Brooklyn Nets.
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Isaac Seumalo Eagles Jersey . The Raptors
head to Milwaukee Monday night and will try to win for just the third time in 10
games while facing a Bucks team that can add a reserve point guard to a list of
sidelined players.The Oklahoma City Thunder will be without Kevin Durant to
start their season as the superstar is expected to miss the next six to eight
weeks with a right foot injury, the cub announced Sunday. Thunder general
manager Sam Presti revealed the news in a statement Sunday morning, saying
Durant made the team aware of discomfort in his right foot after practice on
Saturday. At this stage, Kevin has been diagnosed with a Jones fracture.
Traditional treatment of thiss injury requires a surgical procedure and recent
NBA cases have resulted in a return to play in 6-8 weeks, said Presti.
Lane Johnson Jersey. We are in the process of
collaboratively evaluating the most appropriate next steps with Kevin, his
representatives, and Thunder medical personnel. Until a course of action is
determined, we are unable to provide a timeline specific to Kevins case. Durant,
26, was named the NBAs Most Valuable Player last season.
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