LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Lakers lead the Utah Jazz 46-35 in a low-scoring affair Saturday night at the Staples Center.
Neither team is shooting very well in the third exhibition game for both teams as the Jazz could only manage 35.7 percent, while the Lakers are shooting an even worse 32.5 percent.
Kobe Bryant leads all scorers with 17 points, including 11-of-12 free throws — 10 in the final 3:05 of the half. Metta World Peace and Antawn Jamison each have eight points.
For the Jazz, Marvin Williams is the only player in double figures with 10 points, while Jamaal Tinsley has six off the bench. Aside from Williams, the other four Jazz starters are just a combined 4 of 16 from the field.
The Lakers took a 25-22 lead at the end of the first quarter as both teams struggled with their shooting. The Jazz went 10 for 23 and the Lakers 9 for 25. It got even worse in the second quarter when the Lakers made just 4 of 15 and the Jazz went 5 for 19.
Utah got some good minutes from Tinsley, who had missed the game the night before for personal reasons. Tinsley came in for the last four minutes and made all three of his shots, including a jumper right before the buzzer.
In the second quarter, the Jazz pulled within one point at 31-30 on an Al Jefferson basket, but the Lakers reeled off 13 straight points in a less than two minutes as Bryant made eight free throws.