SALT LAKE CITY — Shooting guard Jordan Clarkson scored a game-high 22 points and the short-handed Los Angeles Lakers rallied to beat the Utah Jazz 100-97 on Wednesday night at EnergySolutions Arena.
The Lakers used a 31-19 fourth quarter to surprise the home team, which was riding high after consecutive impressive wins over Portland and San Antonio. Los Angeles (15-41) won its second straight game after ending a seven-game losing streak.
Center Jordan Hill, guard Wayne Ellington and center Robert Sacre each sank two free throws in the final 19 seconds to help the Lakers hold on.
Small forward Gordon Hayward scored a team-high 20 points for Utah, which dropped to 21-35 after winning four of its previous five games.
Hayward had six of the Jazz’s 21 turnovers that the Lakers converted into 22 points. Power forward Derrick Favors had 18 points and nine rebounds, and center Rudy Gobert totaled 16 points, 14 rebounds and three blocked shots for Utah.
The Lakers, who trailed by as many as 13 points, caught up to the lackadaisical Jazz with 4:37 remaining when Hill tied it at 88 with a dunk. Clarkson then put the Lakers ahead for good with four minutes remaining on another fast break.
Hill finished with 16 points and five rebounds. Clarkson hit 10 of 16 shots from the field and added four rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Power forward Carlos Boozer, who played in Utah from 2004 to 2010, contributed 14 points with six rebounds and three steals for the Lakers.
Los Angeles won despite continuing to be plagued by injuries. Already without Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash and Julius Randle, the Lakers didn’t have the services of Nick Young (knee) or Ronnie Price (season-ending elbow surgery).
Missed free throws and missed shots equaled a missed opportunity for the Jazz, who were looking for their first three-game winning streak of the season.
Hayward hit two free throws with 13.7 remaining and Favors trimmed the lead to one with two foul shots with 2.2 seconds left, but the Lakers responded each time.
Utah made only 22 of 34 free throws while shooting 46.6 percent from the floor. L.A. hit 18 of 21 free throws.
The Jazz got nice contributions from two first-year bench players. Small forward Elijah Millsap had a career-high 17 points and seven rebounds, and rookie Rodney Hood, two games back from an extended foot injury absence, scored 11 points.
NOTES: Lakers coach Byron Scott continues to fight the trend when it comes to analytics. “I don’t knock people who believe in it. That’s their prerogative,” the 53-year-old former player told reporters before Wednesday’s game. “But I’m just more of an old-school type guy.” … Scott was born in Ogden, Utah. … The Jazz welcomed two new players to their team this week after calling up G Bryce Cotton and PF Jack Cooley from the NBA Development League for 10-day contracts. Cooley was with Utah in training camp but was cut before the regular season began. … The Jazz assigned G Ian Clark to Idaho of the D-League. … Jazz PF Trevor Booker and Lakers F/C Jordan Hill are cousins. Both were born in Newberry, S.C.