Salt Lake City (USA) – Rudy Gobert contributed a double-double of 22 points and 11 rebounds for the Utah Jazz, who beat the Los Angeles Lakers 115-100, who played without LeBron James.
The Jazz (45-30) won three consecutive victories and ascended to fifth place in the Western Conference, with the same mark as the already-qualified Los Angeles Clippers, but they still do not guarantee a ticket to the finals.
The Jazz, who had seven players with double-digit touchdown, won for the eighth time in the last nine games.
Derrick Favors scored 20 points and Spanish player Ricky Rubio scored 10.
Rubio spent 29 minutes on the court, scored 3 of 9 shots on the field, 4 of 5 from the personnel line, got five rebounds and delivered eight assists.
The Brazilian reserve Raul Neto had four goals in 14 minutes, when he scored 2 of 3 field goals, managed a rebound and delivered two passes for scoring.
Joe Ingles, who scored 11 points, nine rebounds and 14 assists, announced six weeks ago that his two-year-old son was diagnosed with autism.
Since then he has been an advocate of funds and awareness of autism.
Today’s game was called “Autism Awareness Night” and included a $ 1.2 million check from the Jazz and their sponsors to help the cause.
The Lakers (33-42) had Kyle Kuzma as their best scorer, who scored 21 points.
The Los Angeles team played without James, who retired after having 23 points, 14 assists and seven rebounds in Tuesday’s 124-106 victory over the Washington Wizards.
James had his eighth triple-double of the season and 81 of his career in Sunday’s triumph over the Sacramento Kings, but has been dealing with a swollen knee and groin pain.
JaVale McGee had a double-double of 16 points and 13 rebounds and reserves Moritz Wagner and Alex Caruso got 13 points each for the Lakers, who had consecutive wins for the first time since January. (EFE).
