Recap: LA Lakers Edge Utah Jazz in High-Scoring Thriller

The Los Angeles Lakers walked into Salt Lake City and survived chaos. They erased a hot Jazz start, flipped the script late, and escaped with a 143-135 win over the Utah Jazz on December 18, 2025. It was loud, fast, and felt like a playoff game that forgot how to defend.

Utah lit the place up early. The Jazz hit shots from everywhere, ran freely, and played loose. The Lakers trailed most of the night and looked stuck chasing shadows. Then the fourth quarter arrived.

Watch the highlights below!

The Lakers dropped 41 points in the final frame, slammed the door with poise, and improved to 19-7 with one of their best wins of the season.

Luka and LeBron Take Control on the Big Stage

Lakers / IG / This game belonged to Luka Doncic. Luka finished with 45 points, 14 assists, and 11 rebounds, a triple-double that felt heavier than the box score.

Every big possession found the ball in his hands, and Utah could not slow him down.

LeBron James was right there with him. LeBron dropped 28 points and dished out 10 assists while battling through a tweaked knee and a hard shot to the jaw. He stayed aggressive, picked his spots, and kept the Lakers steady when the Jazz threatened another run. Jaxson Hayes chipped in 16 perfect points off the bench, going 7-for-7 and staying flawless against Utah.

Utah came out firing for the first three quarters. They were shooting at 65% through the first half and had already racked up 78 points by halftime. Ball movement looked effortless, spacing clicked, and the Lakers struggled to contain them. Even without Lauri Markkanen, who missed the game with a groin injury, the Jazz played without hesitation, attacking with fearless energy.

In the fourth, Utah cut the deficit to 134-130, giving the fans hope. Luka slowed the tempo, drew the defense, and threaded a calm pass to Hayes for a dunk. That assist effectively ended the threat. The Lakers stayed composed, converted free throws, and completed the sweep of the season series.

Keyonte George Is Becoming a Real Problem

Keyonte George continued to make headlines. He scored 34 points, added 8 assists, and grabbed 4 rebounds. That’s three straight 30-point games for him. He attacked the rim and facilitated the offense with a confidence that made it look easy—his scoring never felt forced, and his presence on the floor is increasingly difficult to stop.

This season has been a leap. George finishes better at the rim, jumping from 61.4% last year to 68.1% now. His mid-range touch has sharpened, and his spot-up threes sit in the 89th percentile. He cut his three-point rate by 15%, drives more, and ranks tenth in the league in free-throw attempts.

Utah Jazz / IG / Utah’s young core showed life around him. Rookie Ace Bailey scored 19. Isaiah Collier posted his best game yet with 18 points and 13 assists.

Kyle Filipowski muscled his way to a career-high 13 rebounds. The pieces are loud and promising.

Defense remains the hurdle. Teams hunt him, and opponents score at a 52.1% clip when he is the primary defender. Utah’s defense slips by 12.5 points per 100 possessions with him on the floor. That gap explains the net rating swing and marks the next step in his growth. If he shores that up, the Jazz have a star.

The Lakers finished the regular-season sweep at 3-0. They won 140-126 on November 19, then survived a 108-106 nail-biter on November 23 when George’s last-second shot rattled out. This one was louder and messier. It also sent a message. When the game turns wild, the Lakers can still flip the switch and take over.