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Lakers vs. Jazz Summer League final score: D'Angelo Russell gets hot but Lakers lose 84-78

D'Angelo Russell had his best scoring game of the summer, but the Lakers couldn't end their time in Las Vegas with a win.

Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Lakers closed Summer League play with a 84-78 loss to the Utah Jazz. D'Angelo Russell caught fire in the second half, but it wasn't enough to end exhibition with a win.

Russell scored a game-high 21 points, also a Summer League high for the rookie. He started feeling it in the fourth quarter, drilling jumpers off of screens and on the move. It was the best stretch of shooting we've seen from him, and his perfectly-placed lob to Jordan Clarkson would've put the dominant sequence from D'Angelo over the top. Russell continued to make phenomenal reads, but as has been the case through these games, his teammates couldn't finish his assist opportunities.

The highlight jam of Lakers Summer League might belong to Jordan Clarkson, who drove right past Jack Cooley and threw down a one-handed dunk. He's looked a step above his competition in Las Vegas, often showing the kind of flashes that make him look like a steal of a draft pick for the Lakers. Another summer of development should only make him a better player.

Tarik Black notched a double-double, finishing with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Jabari Brown drained a three-point shot off of a broken play in the final two minutes to cut the lead down to two, but the Lakers couldn't close the gap through their last possessions.

Ultimately the final game was a solid outro for the team. The biggest takeaway was Russell showing his touch out of the pick-and-roll, giving him a nice note to end the first stretch of professional play on. So long, Vegas. It's back to waiting.

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