Lakers beat Jazz big
On the regular‑season finale the Lakers routed Utah 131-107 in one of several decisive games that settled seeding. (x.com) That win was listed among final-day results across the league. (x.com)
Los Angeles closed the regular season by beating Utah 131-107 on Sunday and locking up the Western Conference’s No. 4 seed. (nba.com) The Lakers finished 53-29, while the Jazz ended 22-60. Los Angeles led 32-22 after one quarter, pushed the margin to 62-45 at halftime, and never trailed. (espn.com) Deandre Ayton and Rui Hachimura scored 22 points apiece for Los Angeles, and LeBron James had 18 points, six assists and four rebounds in the first half before sitting out the second half. Utah got 29 points and 17 rebounds from Oscar Tshiebwe. (ocregister.com) Sunday was the last day of the National Basketball Association regular season, and the Lakers entered it still able to finish either No. 3 or No. 4 in the West. Denver’s 128-118 win over San Antonio kept the Nuggets in third and slotted Los Angeles into fourth. (nba.com) That result set a first-round series between the Lakers and the No. 5 Houston Rockets. The National Basketball Association’s playoff bracket lists that matchup after games played on April 12, with the playoffs beginning April 18. (nba.com) The same final day also settled the lower half of the West play-in field. Phoenix finished No. 7, Portland No. 8, the Los Angeles Clippers No. 9 and Golden State No. 10, according to the league schedule and bracket update. (nba.com, nba.com) For the Lakers, the finale looked more like a tune-up than a race to the buzzer. They shot 55% from the field and 44% from three-point range, built a lead as large as 30 points, and carried a three-game winning streak into the postseason. (espn.com) Now the standings are set, and the Lakers move on with home court for at least one round. Their next game is Game 1 against Houston on Saturday, April 18. (espn.com, nba.com)
