Lakers equal franchise mark with 48-point loss to Jazz

ByBaxter Holmes ESPN logo
Tuesday, March 29, 2016

SALT LAKE CITY -- The Los Angeles Lakers tied for their worst loss in franchise history Monday, falling 123-75 to the Utah Jazz at Vivint Smart Home Arena.



The Lakers also lost by 48 points to the Los Angeles Clippers in March 2014.



Monday's loss, the fourth-worst margin of defeat in the league this season, dropped the Lakers to 15-59. The team is on pace for the worst record in franchise history, behind last season's team, which finished 21-61. In his final game in Salt Lake City, Lakers star Kobe Bryant scored five points on 1-of-11 shooting from the field in 28 minutes.



Bryant finished with a plus/minus of minus-43 against the Jazz, the worst such mark of his 20-season NBA career; however, he seems to have accepted the fate of this Lakers team.



"We've got 15 wins in the season?" Bryant asked. "I mean, losing by 48 and winning 15 games in the season -- it's not like it's something new for us. We've been getting drug all season."



The loss was the worst Bryant played in in his career. He did not play in the team's 48-point loss to the Clippers in 2014.



Frustrated by the loss and the team's season, Lakers great Magic Johnson reacted on Twitter Monday night.



The Jazz led by as many as 53 points and tied for the largest win in team history.Rodney Hood led the way for Utah, scoring all 30 of his points in the first half. He finished 11-of-13 from the field and 8-of-9 from behind the arc.



The Lakers will face the Jazz again on April 13 at Staples Center in Bryant's final NBA game.



Coincidentally, Monday marked Lakers coach Byron Scott's birthday. He turned 55.



"Any loss makes me pissed off. It doesn't matter if it's one or two points or if it's 48 points. It really doesn't," Scott said. "Any time we lose a game, I'm pretty upset about it, but probably more so tonight because of the fact that, like I said, I didn't think we competed at all."



Scott said he didn't have any special message following Monday's loss.



"I didn't say anything. I hope they do a little soul-searching and just think about what happened tonight and just think about how we didn't come ready to play and how we didn't compete," Scott said. "Sometimes, it just comes down to having some pride and just going out there and trying to do your very best. I don't think we did that."



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