LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Lakers began the game without four injured regulars, and lost a fifth in the second half. The Utah Jazz were merely without their coach and second-leading scorer.In a game defined by who was missing, Gordon Hayward and the Jazz continued to assert themselves in the Western Conference.Hayward scored 23 points and Utah overcame the absence of ill coach Quin Snyder for its sixth victory in seven games, 107-101 over the depleted Lakers on Monday night.Rodney Hood scored 16 points and hit two difficult shots in the waning minutes to keep the Jazz on track to win their only road game in a nine-game stretch. They made up for the absence of George Hill with scoring balance: seven players managed at least nine points.Veteran assistant Igor Kokoskov ran the Jazz for Snyder, who fell ill earlier in the day and decided he couldnt coach shortly before game time. Utahs bus also got stuck in traffic and arrived late at Staples Center.Its difficult, but to be a pro, you have to be there and be prepared for your team, Kokoskov said of his last-minute NBA head coaching debut. The team needs you, and you have to step up. Thats what we ask from our guys, and thats what you do as a coach.Players on both benches stepped into important roles.Lou Williams had 38 points, six rebounds and seven assists for the Lakers, who rallied in the fourth quarter and nearly stole a victory despite finishing their eighth loss in 11 games without a large chunk of their roster.Tarik Black sprained his right ankle in the third quarter and joined DAngelo Russell, Nick Young, Jose Calderon and Larry Nance Jr. on the sidelines as Los Angeles lost its third straight while playing its ninth game in 14 days. Injuries and a brutal schedule have conspired to slow down the Lakers encouraging start under first-year coach Luke Walton, but Williams led another thrilling rally.Its been tough, because were kind of short-handed right now, said Jordan Clarkson, who scored 17 points. It just shows we aint backing down from anybody, and we aint letting up. This time will pass and well get back to winning games.Williams scored nine points early in the fourth quarter, and Julius Randles layup trimmed Utahs lead to 98-95. But Hood nailed two tough shots during Utahs ensuing 9-2 run to ice it.Quin is our leader, so it definitely was a different situation for us, Hayward said after his eighth consecutive 20-point game. I thought Coach Igor and the rest of the staff did a great job.LOUUUUUTwo nights after scoring 40 points in Memphis, Williams put together the first back-to-back 30-point games of his 12-year NBA career. He also became the first Lakers player to score at least 38 points in successive games since Kobe Bryant in March 2013.When we need him, he has stepped up on the court, Walton said. That gives other people a lot of confidence.KOKOSKOVS TURNKokoskov got his first game in charge of an NBA team after a long career as an assistant with six franchises and as a head coach in Europe. The 44-year-old Serbian first arrived stateside in 1999 as an assistant to Snyder at Missouri.RON-RON RETURNSWith his top two point guards out, Walton came up with an unorthodox starting lineup due to injuries. Seldom-used veteran Metta World Peace joined a group with no players under 6-foot-7 as a counter to the Jazzs big lineup. World Peace became the 11th player to start a game for the Lakers this season. The 37-year-old veteran hadnt started since March 18, and he had appeared in just four of the Lakers previous 14 games.TIP-INSJazz: Kokoskov is the head coach of Slovenias national team in his spare time. He also spent seven years as Georgias head coach. ... Hill missed his third straight game with a sprained left big toe.Lakers: Calderon will be out at least two more weeks with a strained right hamstring. ... Russell will be re-evaluated Tuesday to determine how much longer he will be sidelined by a sore knee. He had a platelet-rich plasma injection in the joint two weeks ago.UP NEXTJazz: Host the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday.Lakers: At the Houston Rockets on Wednesday. Stitched Packers Jerseys . But the quarterback hopes to stay involved in football after officially calling it quits Tuesday. "Id love to look at those opportunities as they arise," Pierce said in an interview from his Winnipeg eatery. Fake Packers Jerseys . -- Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Alrdridge were again the go-to duo for the Trail Blazers against the Kings. https://www.packersjerseysale.com/ . Howard Ganz, an MLB lawyer, said in a letter to U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos that Rodriguezs claims do not come "remotely close" to what is needed to overturn an arbitration decision in federal court. Green Bay Packers Store . -- Three close looks at the bucket, three misses. Packers Jerseys 2021 . -- An ugly goal by Nick Bonino helped the Anaheim Ducks overcome the defensive-minded Phoenix Coyotes on a night when their ragged power play continued to struggle. AUSTIN, Texas -- Baylor starting cornerback Grayland Arnold was injured while making a tackle on a kickoff in the first quarter at Texas on Saturday and was taken off the field on a cart.Medical personnel attended to Arnold for several minutes on the field. As the cart was leaving the field, Arnold gave a thumbs-up signal to fans.Sccans of his neck came back negative, according to a Baylor spokesman.dddddddddddd. An MRI came back clear after Arnold was taken to the hospital.?Information from ESPNs Max Olson was used in this report. ' ' '