LeBron, Lakers Run Away From Utah Jazz In Second Half
Nov 19, 2025, 12:17 AM | Updated: Nov 20, 2025, 10:47 am
LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles the ball against Svi Mykhailiuk #10 of the Utah Jazz (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY –The Los Angeles Lakers downed the Utah Jazz 140-126 in LeBron James’ record-breaking 23rd regular season debut.
With Tuesday’s return, James became the longest tenured player in NBA history, having begun his career in 2003.
Meanwhile, Keyonte George (33 points) and Lauri Markkanen (31 points) joined Adrian Dantley and Darrell Griffith as the only Jazz teammates to score 30 points in back-to-back games.
Related: LeBron James Makes Season Debut Against Jazz
LeBron, Lakers Stymie Jazz With Huge Second-Half Run
The Jazz controlled the game for the first 32 minutes, holding an 88-87 lead with just over four minutes left in the third quarter.
Then, over the next 12 minutes, the Lakers slammed the door on Utah’s hopes of earning their second road win of the season.
During that stretch, LA’s defense limited the Jazz to 8-22 shooting, including 2-13 from three, while the Lakers hit 14-22 from the floor and 4-8 from deep.
Utah’s one-point lead flipped into a 130-107 deficit, and the Lakers cruised to their 11th win in 15 games to open the season.
The Jazz are on the wrong end of a 40-19 run from the Lakers.
Keyonte George and Lauri Markkanen needed someone else to step up in the second half and that’s just not how the Jazz are built at the moment.
— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) November 19, 2025
The Lakers earned 15 trips to the foul line during the run, while the Jazz managed just one, letting the game slip away without much resistance.
James had a modest scoring night in his return from sciatica, finishing with 11 points on 4-7 shooting, but he dished out 12 assists in nearly 30 minutes.
Luka Doncic led all scorers with 37 points, breaking the 30-point mark for the seventh time in 11 appearances this season.
Jazz Fall to 1-6 on the Road
For fans worried that the Jazz might win too many games to keep their 1-8 protected first-round pick next summer, Tuesday’s loss showed the challenges still ahead.
Utah’s 5-9 start to the season is better than most expected, but it doesn’t hold up well under scrutiny.
Four of the Jazz’s five wins came at home against teams with a combined 21-35 record, including a dismal 6-22 mark when playing on the road.
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Key ties his 𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙤𝙣-𝙝𝙞𝙜𝙝 33 ♒️#TakeNote pic.twitter.com/97ZYSbqLQZ
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) November 19, 2025
Their lone road win was a shocker in Boston on the second night of a back-to-back, thanks to Jusuf Nurkic’s last-second game-winner.
Related: The Utah Jazz aren’t the NBA’s worst team, and that’s okay
Though the Jazz are clearly more competitive than last season, Tuesday marked their fourth blowout loss in seven road games and their fifth double-digit defeat.
With Markkanen, George, and head coach Will Hardy, the Jazz have too much talent to finish below 20 wins again. But until they win consistently outside Salt Lake City, fans hoping for another high draft pick can breathe easy.
Next Utah Jazz Broadcast
The Jazz will return home to host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday at 8:00 p.m. MST. The game will be televised on KJZZ, streamed on Jazz+, and heard on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone.
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Ben Anderson is the Utah Jazz insider for KSL Sports and the co-host of Jake and Ben from 10-12p with Jake Scott on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone. Find Ben on Twitter at @BensHoops, on Instagram @BensHoops, or on BlueSky.
