SALT LAKE CITY — To new Jazzman Randy Foye, it’s known as “The Solution.”
Oddly enough, Foye was The Solution — or at least a big part of it — as the Jazz on Wednesday broke a three-game losing streak with a 95-86 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers at EnergySolutions Arena.
Yes, it’s officially called EnergySolutions Arena but to Foye it’s simply “The Solution.”
Not a bad nickname, really.
Playing in front of an energized crowd in only their second home game of the season, the Jazz (2-3) jumped out early and held on late against Kobe Bryant’s 16 straight points to end the game.
For the Jazz, playing at home was the solution to their recent skid. They’re now 2-0 at home, despite being 0-3 on the road.
For Foye, the solution was a sweet shooting stroke that allowed him to hit four 3-points shots as a sea of gold Lakers’ jerseys poured out the ESA exits with a few minutes still left on the clock.
“That’s all we were saying (during the recent road trip): We can’t wait to get back to The Solution, back to the EnergySolution because we know how much of a boost our crowd gives us every night,” Foye said.
In his seventh season out of Villanova, Foye has become a key member of Utah’s second unit. The 29-year-old finished with 17 points on 5-for-11 shooting in nearly 30 minutes of action on Wednesday.
All five of those shots were 3s, plus he added a 2-for-2 effort from the free throw line.
Al Jefferson led the Jazz with 18 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and four steals and point guard Mo Williams added 16 points and seven assists.
Marvin Williams added 11 points.
The Jazz broke out to a 25-17 lead at the end of the first quarter and led 51-41 at halftime.
Predictably, the Lakers (1-4) made a second-half run but it was too little, too late.
Bryant tried to take over in the final minutes, scoring 16 straight to end the game. But the Jazz, behind Foye’s shooting, never rattled.
Foye began the fourth with a 3 to put Utah ahead 68-60. After a Derrick Favors score at the 8:49 mark, Foye hit three consecutive 3s.
After Foye hit two in a row, Mo Williams — a teammate of Foye’s with the L.A. Clippers last season — was determined to feed his friend’s hot shooting hand.
At one point Williams grabbed a rebound and raced up the court for a fastbreak opportunity. With Foye trailing the play, he dumped off a behind-the-back pass at the 3-point line. However, the trick pass caught Foye off guard and the ball got loose.
Williams tracked it down, corralled it and drew the defense in a few more steps. That set up another bounce pass back to Foye, who was cutting to his right behind the 3-point arc.
This time he rose up and knocked down the long-range shot.
“I had a lot of games like that last year when I hit a lot of 3s,” he said. “(Williams) just knows, and I know, if he starts driving and my defender turns his head, I know to move and get to another spot (on the floor). That’s what I did.”
Utah shot a blistering 53 percent from the field in the four quarter, while holding the Lakers to 38 percent.
Bryant scored 16 of his team’s 29 points in the fourth quarter but the Jazz, who scored 30, got 12 from Foye and another 10 from Jefferson.
Bryant led the Lakers with 29 points, which included a 15-for-17 effort from the free throw line.
“This is a tough place to play,” he said after the game.
Of course it’s tough, it’s “The Solution.”
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