Lakers forward LeBron James, center, gestures after making a 3-point shot during the first half of their game against the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. James became the first NBA player to surpass 39,000 career points in the 131-99 win. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Lakers star LeBron James drives to the basket as Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen defends during the first half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Utah Jazz guard Talen Horton-Tucker shoots as Lakers forward Christian Wood defends during the first half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Lakers forward LeBron James gestures after making a 3-point shot during the first half of their game against the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Lakers star LeBron James acknowledges cheers from the crowd after scoring his 39,000th career point during the first half of their game against the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Lakers forward Rui Hachimura drives to the basket as the Utah Jazz’s Simone Fontecchio defends during the first half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson, right, drives against Lakers forward Taurean Prince during the first half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Lakers coach Darvin Ham reacts on the sideline during the first half of their game against the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell shoots a jump shot in the lane as the Utah Jazz’s Lauri Markkanen, right, defends during the first half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen shoots as Lakers center Jaxson Hayes defends during the first half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Lakers guard Austin Reaves goes for a jump shot as the Utah Jazz’s Kelly Olynyk defends during the first half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson, left, is double-teamed by the Lakers’ Taurean Prince, front, and Anthony Davis during the first half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Lakers star LeBron James scores on a layup in front of Utah Jazz forward John Collins during the first half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
The Utah Jazz’s Lauri Markkanen, left, scores in front of Lakers star Anthony Davis during the first half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Lakers coach Darvin Ham, left, speaks with guard D’Angelo Russell during the first half of their game against the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson shoots as Lakers forward Taurean Prince defends during the first half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Lakers star LeBron James is double-teamed by the Utah Jazz’s Talen Horton-Tucker, right, and Lauri Markkanen during the first half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
The Utah Jazz’s Kelly Olynyk, left, and Lakers star Anthony Davis dive for the ball as it heads out of bounds during the first half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson, left, reacts after a foul by teammate Keyonte George during the first half of their game against the Lakers on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Lakers star Anthony Davis dunks in front of the Utah Jazz’s Jordan Clarkson (00) and John Collins (20) as teammate Rui Hachimura (28) looks on during the first half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Utah Jazz forward Simone Fontecchio, top, and Lakers guard Max Christie reach for a rebound during the first half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Lakers forward Anthony Davis attempts to block a shot by the Utah Jazz’s Ochai Agbaji during the first half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Utah Jazz guard Talen Horton-Tucker, right, drives against Lakers guard Max Christie during the first half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Lakers forward Anthony Davis, right, looks to pass the ball as Utah Jazz guard Ochai Agbaji defends during the second half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. Davis had 26 points, 16 rebounds, four assists and two steals in a 131-99 win. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
The Utah Jazz’s Ochai Agbaji (30) goes up for a layup against Lakers star Anthony Davis during the first half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Lakers star Anthony Davis, right, tries to knock the ball away from the Utah Jazz’s Lauri Markkanen during the first half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Lakers guard Austin Reaves brings the ball up the court during the second half of their game against the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Lakers center Jaxson Hayes passes the ball as Utah Jazz center Omer Yurtseven defends during the second half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Lakers forward Anthony Davis shoots over Utah Jazz forward John Collins during the second half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Lakers guard Austin Reaves gets to the basket for a layup past the Utah Jazz’s Lauri Markkanen during the second half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Lakers guard Austin Reaves lays the ball up past Utah Jazz center Omer Yurtseven during the second half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Utah Jazz coach Will Hardy watches from the sideline during the second half of their game against the Lakers on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Utah Jazz guard Ochai Agbaji, right, shoots as Lakers forward LeBron James defends during the second half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Lakers forward Anthony Davis speaks with Coach Darvin Ham during the second half of their game against the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Lakers forward Christian Wood shoots as Utah Jazz forward Luka Samanic defends during the second half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
The Utah Jazz’s Omer Yurtseven goes up for a shot as Lakers forward Rui Hachimura, right, and Christian Wood, left, defend during the second half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell clenches his fist during the second half of their game against the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Lakers guard Austin Reaves dunks during the second half of their game against the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Lakers forward LeBron James, left, reacts with Jarred Vanderbilt on the bench during the second half of their game against the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Lakers forward Rui Hachimura (28) looks down after dunking in front of Utah Jazz guard Talen Horton-Tucker (5) during the second half on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Utah Jazz coach Will Hardy, right, hugs Lakers coach Darvin Ham after their game on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Singer Becky G poses with the Laker Girls during the first half of a game between the Lakers and the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES — When the NBA instituted its inaugural in-season tournament, the hope was that it would create an early-season buzz that would help make the first phase of the season feel more meaningful. So far, the plan has worked.
Lakers coach Darvin Ham said his team was “well aware” of what was on the line in Tuesday night’s home game against the Utah Jazz.
And they played like it.
The Lakers (9-6) led wire-to-wire in a 131-99 victory over the Jazz at Crypto.com Arena to go undefeated (4-0) in group play and secure their spot in the tournament quarterfinals. The Lakers, who beat Phoenix, Memphis, Portland and Utah by a combined 74 points, have clinched at least a top-two seed (likely No. 1) and will host a Western Conference opponent to be determined on Dec. 4 or 5
With dominating interior play from Anthony Davis (26 points, 16 rebounds, four assists and two steals), well-rounded performances from LeBron James (17 points, nine assists and seven rebounds), D’Angelo Russell (20 points on 7-of-9 shooting with eight assists) and Austin Reaves (19 points, five assists and five rebounds) in addition to strong supporting play, the Lakers clinched West Group A with the victory.
“Being home and able to sleep in our beds, not having to travel, that’s always good when you play well at home,” Davis said. “Kind of a rocky start early on on the road so this kind of helps us out having our fans behind us. But it feels good. We’re one step closer to winning the, uh, Cup? Is it the tournament Cup? NBA Cup? Something like that? So, one step closer.”
The signs of a dominant performance by the Lakers showed early, with Russell assisting James on an alley-oop for the game’s first points early in the first and two of the Lakers’ first baskets being dunks to take a 6-4 lead.
The Lakers, who have won three in a row, six of their past seven and improved to 7-1 at home, led by 15 at the end of the first quarter, by 21 at halftime and by 30 late in the third quarter before seeing the margin balloon to 39 during the fourth quarter.
The Lakers held Utah to 33% shooting in the first half while setting the tone for the night.
“They did a good job of just closing the floor on us and taking all the space that we had and forcing us to take tough shots,” said former Lakers guard Jordan Clarkson, who scored seven points on 3-of-9 shooting.
With the Lakers on the first night of a back-to-back and the game well out of hand, Ham sat James (24 minutes) and Davis (29 minutes) for the entire fourth quarter.
Christian Wood (season-high 16 points, eight rebounds), Rui Hachimura (12 points, six rebounds) and Jaxson Hayes (10 points) also scored in double figures.
Cam Reddish was ruled out of the game in the second quarter because of groin soreness. Ham said team doctors were going to monitor Reddish Tuesday night and they should know more about his injury Wednesday morning.
The Lakers have been at their best so far during tournament games. They outscored their opponents by 18.5 points per game in their four group play games, compared to going 5-6 and being outscored by six points per game in their non-tournament games.
The Lakers will return to Crypto.com Arena on Wednesday night to play the Dallas Mavericks.
MILESTONE
With a 3-pointer that put the Lakers ahead 11-7 with 7:11 in the first quarter, James scored his 39,002nd regular-season career point – becoming the first player in league history to score at least 39,000 points.
“I haven’t had an opportunity to really wrap my head around what that means,” James said. “There’s been so many great players that came across this league since the beginning of time and so many great scorers and to be able to accomplish something that’s a first of anything, that’s always pretty cool. And it’s a wild moment, that’s for sure.”
The four-time league MVP, who turns 39 next month, is averaging 25.7 points, 8.1 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 1.6 steals in 33.6 minutes. No player in league history has averaged more than eight points in their 21st NBA season.
“We’re witnessing something that’s unprecedented, for him to be at that age and at this point in time in his NBA tenure,” Ham said. “And what he’s able to do still, it’s unprecedented in my opinion, especially being a predominantly perimeter player. Obviously, he can go in the post and get things done. But the majority part of his career, he’s been on the perimeter and it’s hard.
“What he’s still able to do at this point in time is nothing short of amazing. And you see why he pours all the resources that he puts into his body and making sure that, again, that he’s not only available but available at a super duper high level. We all should appreciate what we’re witnessing and not take it for granted.”
Anthony Davis speaks on the importance of being aggressive and the luxury of rest in a blowout. pic.twitter.com/8xo9P8MHsV
“At the end of the day, if we still wanna win ball games, we still gotta defend.” LeBron James breaks down the keys to the #Lakers success. pic.twitter.com/7wdbsor9vg
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