Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell squirts liquid onto Joe Ingles, seated, following the team’s NBA basketball game against the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday, March 27, 2019, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
SALT LAKE CITY — Before the game even started, Joe Ingles was exhausted.
Shooting videos with son Jacob, emotional meetings with other families affected by autism and generally doing all he could to promote Autism Awareness Night was almost too much.
“I told the guys before the game, I really didn’t know how I’d be,” said Ingles, who nearly finished with his first triple-double as the Utah Jazz beat the depleted Los Angeles Lakers 115-100 on Wednesday. “It was almost overwhelming, to be honest.”
Rudy Gobert had 22 points and 11 rebounds, Derrick Favors scored 20 and Jae Crowder added 16 points for the balanced Jazz, who had seven players in double figures and won for the eighth time in nine games.
Six weeks ago, Ingles went public with the news that his 2-year-old boy was diagnosed with autism. Since then, he has been a vocal advocate for funding and awareness.
On this night, the Jazz and their sponsors presented a $1.2 million check at halftime and promoted a text donation line to aid the cause. Vignettes of Ingles and his son were featured on the Jumbotron during timeouts.
On the court, Ingles provided plenty of helpers as well. His 14 assists were a career high and he added 11 points and nine rebounds. When he left the game with more than two minutes to play, he received a standing ovation. Then the crowd booed and chanted, “We want Joe!”
It seemed the only person in the entire arena who didn’t want to see Ingles go back in and grab that 10th rebound was Ingles himself.
“There was no chance. It’s not me. It’s not our team. We had a nice lead,” he said.
Crowder lobbied Ingles to stay on the court, to no avail.
“We felt it was a special night for Joe and to top it off with a triple-double would have made it even more special, but Joe don’t care,” Crowder said.
Kyle Kuzma paced the Lakers with 21 points after a four-game slump in which he shot just 32.9 percent from the field and 29.7 percent from 3-point range. JaVale McGee had 16 points and 13 rebounds. Alex Caruso and Mo Wagner each added 13 points.
Los Angeles had won consecutive games for the first time since January but wasn’t competitive from the start without LeBron James in this one. James sat out after he had 23 points, 14 assists and seven rebounds in a 124-106 win Tuesday night against Washington. He had his eighth triple-double of the season (81st of his career) in Sunday’s victory over Sacramento, but has been dealing with a swollen knee and sore groin.
Only 4½ games separate the third and eighth seed in the Western Conference playoff race, and the Jazz are right in the middle of that pileup.
Meanwhile, the Lakers were eliminated from postseason contention last week, and it showed on the court.
Utah’s offense featured an abundance of movement and screens, while the Lakers spread the floor and often went with isolation plays. The result was 33 assists for the Jazz and a 58-38 advantage in the paint.
“They pass the ball. They share it. Hardly ever iso,” Kuzma said.
After leading by seven at halftime, Utah interspersed precision pick-and-rolls with transition opportunities to boost the advantage to 20 in the third quarter.
“Our bad stretches were too long. The Jazz are a good team and they’re going to take advantage,” Caruso said.
The Jazz often turned Lakers missed shots — and there were plenty as Los Angeles shot 38 percent — into quick-score opportunities. Utah tallied 16 fast-break points to two for the Lakers.
But the night belonged to Ingles and those affected by autism, so his teammates and coaches thought it was fitting he had a career night assisting others.
“Joe played great. It was a big night for him in a lot of ways. He feels the same way. I mean, we’re all just trying to think about how we can be better,” Utah coach Quin Snyder said.
BIGGER THAN BASKETBALL
“It means a lot to be able to support Joe, and not only him, but all the families that are dealing with this,” Gobert said.
The Jazz have often said they are exceptionally close for an NBA squad on a personal level and that it helps their chemistry on the court.
“We have each other’s back. It’s bigger than basketball,” Gobert added.
Crowder said the video the team put together without Ingles’ knowledge touched him when he saw it during the game.
“We’re just trying to be his brother and give him a shoulder to lean on,” Crowder added.
TIP-INS
Lakers: Josh Hart, Mike Muscala and Tyson Chandler missed the game, while Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram have both been ruled out for the remainder of the season. … After coach Luke Walton was whistled for a technical foul in the third quarter, Rajon Rondo sat in a courtside seat — not on the Lakers bench — and took off his shoe while Ricky Rubio shot the free throw. … Los Angeles committed a season-low six turnovers.
Jazz: Ingles, Donovan Mitchell, Ekpe Udoh, Ricky Rubio and Gobert all custom ordered autism awareness shoes from Kickstradomis with the name Jacob inscribed on each pair. … Ingles got a technical foul in the second quarter and then promptly made a 3-pointer and driving layup. … Crowder and McGee got tangled under Utah’s basket midway through the third quarter. Crowder got a technical for a push.
UP NEXT
Lakers: Return home to play Charlotte on Friday night.
Jazz: Host the Washington Wizards on Friday night in the third game of a four-game homestand.