SALT LAKE CITY — The Salt Lake City Stars defeated the South Bay Lakers 113-104 tonight, improving to 3-2 (.600) on the season (2-1 at home). Tonight’s win marks the Stars’ first victory over the Lakers in the Salt Lake City era (since 2016-17).
Utah Jazz two-way player Naz Mitrou-Long finished one rebound shy of a triple-double with 20 points, an NBA G League career-high 10 assists and nine rebounds, marking his first double-double of the season. Willie Reed, the No. 1 overall selection in the 2018 NBA G League Draft, was the team’s second 20-point scorer with 20 points and eight rebounds in 28 minutes. Reed connected on a perfect 10-of-10 from the field, the most field goals made without a miss by a Stars player in the Salt Lake City era (since 2016-17) and the most in Stars/Stampede franchise history since Joel Wright hit a perfect 19-of-19 on 11/28/14 vs. Reno, per the Elias Sports Bureau.
Tony Bradley, currently on assignment from the Utah Jazz, tallied his first double-double of the season with 12 points and a game-high 12 rebounds to go with a game-high three blocks in 29 minutes. Utah Jazz two-way player Tyler Cavanaugh tallied 15 points and six rebounds, while Isaiah Cousins finished with 17 points and eight boards.
South Bay was led by Los Angeles Lakers two-way player Johnathan Williams, who recorded his first career NBA G League double-double with a game-high 24 points on 10-of-14 (.714) shooting and 10 rebounds in 30 minutes. Los Angeles Lakers two-way player Alex Caruso finished with eight points, six assists and five rebounds, while Scott Machado scored a season-high 18 points and dished out four assists. Demarcus Holland finished with 11 points off the bench, the most by a Lakers reserve, and four rebounds.
The Stars entered halftime with a nine-point lead (65-56) and extended their advantage to as many as 15 (76-61) in the third quarter, but the Lakers went on a 16-0 run to take a one-point lead (77-76). The game was tied 83-83 with 2:17 remaining in the third, but the Stars scored seven-straight points and never relinquished the lead.
The Stars held the edge in rebounds (57-41), assists (29-21), second chance points (29-9) and field goal percentage (.442-.418). The Lakers held the advantage in points in the paint (50-48), steals (11-5) and turnovers (14-18).