Game Grades: Lakers Tank Keeps Marches On Against Jazz

73. 20. Final. 80. 118

The Lakers gave us quite a scare tonight. The game was ugly overall, but they battled the Jazz and for a moment there you actually thought they were going to win this game. The Jazz have been playing great basketball, so this was a surprising performance by a Utah team that has been hot since the All-Star break. The Lakers lose 80-73.

We will be grading the players based on how they helped the tanking effort tonight, so here we go:

MVP: Jeremy Lin was the most valuable player tonight. He was 1 for 8 from the field and finished with two points. Lin did have four assists and three steals, so it wasn’t all positive for Lin. By missing seven shots and only contributing two points, he was instrumental in the Lakers getting another loss.

LVP: Tarik Black had a great game tonight, which is why he is our Least Valuable Player. He finished with a double-double, 13 points and 10 rebounds. He shot 50 percent from the field and even contributed with two assists and one steal. Black must not have received the tanking memo, because he was helping the Lakers win and they almost did.

Stat of the Night: 8-17. The Lakers missed nine free throws tonight, which could have won them the game if they would have knocked them down. The Jazz shot 21-31, so they got a lot of points from the charity stripe. The line was our friend tonight.

The Starters

Los Angeles Lakers. WAYNE ELLINGTON. B+. 24 min, 3-8 FG, 0-4 3P, 0-0 FT, 6 PTS, 2 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 1 TO<a href=. SG

B+. 27 min, 1-7 FG, 0-1 3P, 2-4 FT, 4 PTS, 10 REB, 0 AST, 2 STL, 1 BLK, 4 TOSome could argue that <a href=. C. Los Angeles Lakers. JORDAN HILL

30 min, 3-8 FG, 0-1 3P, 2-2 FT, 8 PTS, 5 REB, 8 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 1 TO<a href=. PG. Los Angeles Lakers. JORDAN CLARKSON. C

WESLEY JOHNSON. C+. 33 min, 5-12 FG, 1-3 3P, 1-2 FT, 12 PTS, 2 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO<a href=. SF. Los Angeles Lakers

F. 29 min, 6-12 FG, 1-4 FT, 13 PTS, 10 REB, 2 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TOBlack was tonight’s LVP. He went up against an impressive front line and played extremely well. Rudy Gobert has been pushing people around as of late, but Black was not having it. He played to win tonight, which is why he failed. . C. Los Angeles Lakers. TARIK BLACK

The Bench

ED DAVIS. D-. 18 min, 4-5 FG, 0-2 FT, 8 PTS, 8 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 0 TO<a href=. PF. Los Angeles Lakers

C-. 21 min, 5-9 FG, 1-1 FT, 11 PTS, 2 REB, 3 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 3 TOYou can always count on <a style=. PF. Los Angeles Lakers. CARLOS BOOZER

PG. Los Angeles Lakers. JEREMY LIN. B+. 22 min, 1-8 FG, 0-0 3P, 0-0 FT, 2 PTS, 1 REB, 4 AST, 3 STL, 1 BLK, 2 TONot his greatest game, which is exactly what the Lakers needed. He did get three steals, but overall an impressive performance to keep the tank rolling.

A. 14 min, 1-4 FG, 0-0 3P, 0-0 FT, 2 PTS, 1 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 1 TONot sure what to make of <a style=. PF. Los Angeles Lakers. RYAN KELLY

D+. 19 min, 2-4 FG, 2-2 3P, 1-2 FT, 7 PTS, 2 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 2 TOCan’t be too hard on <a href=. SG. Los Angeles Lakers. JABARI BROWN

Next: Lakers Finding Diamonds In The Rough, Bargains In Rebuild

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