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. Cheap Air Force Ones . Didier Drogba gave away the penalty that put Senegal one goal away from a major upset, but the veteran striker will get another chance -- probably his last -- at the World Cup after Salomon Kalous injury-time strike sealed the Ivorians place in Brazil next year. Nike Air Force 1 Cheap Outlet . According the Toronto Star, a knee injury will keep Sundin out of the lineup, which includes former teammates Gary Roberts, Darcy Tucker, Tie Domi and Curtis Joseph. http://www.wholesalenikeairforce1australia.com/ . Calgary scored on the first shift, and Michael Cammalleri scored twice as the Flames cruised to a 5-2 win over the Washington Capitals on Saturday. Nike Air Force 1 Australia . Vettel was 0.168 seconds faster than Red Bull teammate Mark Webber around the Suzuka circuit. Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg was two tenths of a second off Vettel. "The car balance is decent, but I think we can still improve," Vettel said. Nike Air Force 1 Australia Mens . Toronto has dropped games to Indiana and Miami since a five-game winning streak and closed out a three-game road trip at 1-2. (STATS) -- Jerry Rice must be smiling.There are so many outstanding freshman candidates for the season-ending STATS FCS Jerry Rice Award this season, and this past weekends action had rookies excelling in every which way. Enough so that they are sprinkled throughout the weekly STATS FCS awards.Thats because there could only be one National Freshman of the Week, and that was Sam Houston State wide receiver Nathan Stewart following his record-setting performance in the Southland Conference.Stewart, The Citadels Tyler Renew, UT Martins Kahlid Hagens and Woffords David Marvin were named Monday as the STATS FCS National Players of the Week for games played Nov. 3-5.---=NATIONAL OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK=Tyler Renew, The Citadel, FB, Sr., 5-11, 217, Columbia, South CarolinaIn The Citadels triple-option offense, Renew plays the position known as B-Back, but he was strictly A material in a Top 25 win against Samford. Renew carried the ball 45 times for 285 yards and three touchdowns -- all career highs -- as the unbeaten Bulldogs prevailed 37-34 in overtime, clinching at least a share of their second straight Southern Conference title and an FCS playoff bid. While coming within one yard of The Citadels single-game rushing record, he scored on runs of 55, 58 and 4 yards.Honorable Mention: Ronald Butler, QB, Tennessee State; JaVaughn Craig, QB, Austin Peay; Chad Chalich, QB, Montana; Austin Gahafer, QB, Morehead State; Jestin Kelly, RB, Grambling State; Jake Kolbe, QB, Illinois State; Cooper Kupp, WR, Eastern Washington; Tyrell Maxwell, QB, Gardner-Webb; John Santiago, RB, North Dakota; Bryan Schor, QB, James Madison.---=NATIONAL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK=Kahlid Hagens, UT Martin, S, R-Jr., 6-3, 200, Maplewood, MissouriHagens helped keep UT Martin in contention for the Ohio Valley Conference title and a playoff berth. He totaled a game-high nine tackles (three solo), recovered a fumble and scored off an interception to help the Skyhawks beat Eastern Illinois 33-17 on the road. Hagens jumped on a fumble on his teams 2-yard line to perverse a lead going into halftime. Late in the game, he sealed the win by intercepting a pass and returning it 52 yards for a piick-six.ddddddddddddHonorable Mention: Mike Basile, S, Monmouth; Mitch Dalley, S, Southern Utah; P.J. Hall, DE, Sam Houston State; Tymir Hinton, S, Central Connecticut State; Reggie Hunter, LB, North Carolina Central; Jarius Moore, LB, Texas Southern; Troy Reeder, LB, Delaware; Pierce Ripanti, LB, Lehigh; Karter Schult, DE, Northern Iowa.---=NATIONAL SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK=David Marvin, Wofford, PK/P, R-Jr., 6-2, 210, Charlotte, North CarolinaThe Wofford-Furman series dates to 1889 and nobody has ever gotten a kick out of it quite like Marvin did while the Terriers spoiled Furmans Homecoming 34-27. Marvin tied the Southern Conference record for longest field goal with his second 57-yarder of the season, and he kicked a 54-yarder earlier in the game. He also kicked four extra points, had four punts that averaged 43.8 yards with a long of 48 and two going inside Furmans 20 and averaged 59 yards on six kickoffs with two touchbacks.Honorable Mention: Earnest Edwards, WR/KR, Maine; Michael Dereus, WR/KR, Georgetown; Sam Drysdale, PK, Northern Iowa; Ed Groth, PK, Central Connecticut State; Jalen Rima, WR/RS, Northern Iowa; Griffin Roehler, PK, Northern Arizona; Ben Rosenblatt, PK, Brown; Matt Ward, PK, Morehead State.---=NATIONAL FRESHMAN PLAYER OF THE WEEK=Nathan Stewart, Sam Houston State, WR, Fr., 6-1, 169, DallasStewart leads the No. 2 passing offense in the FCS in receiving yards, touchdown receptions and yards per catch after posting a monster game in the top-ranked Bearkats 56-43 triumph over Southland Conference rival McNeese. He caught 12 passes for 268 yards and three touchdowns, which went for 52, 11 and 35 yards. His receiving yards set both school and Southland records.Honorable Mention: T.J. Bell, QB, Savannah State; Brian Cavicante, LB, Delaware State; Jeremy Chinn, S, Southern Illinois; A.J. Hines, RB, Duquesne; Torrey Hunt, CB, North Dakota; Darron Johnson, LB, Alabama State; Davis Neilands, DE, Gardner-Webb; Steven Newbold, WR, Tennessee State; Ryan Lee, QB, Coastal Carolina; Shane Simpson, RB/RS, Towson. ' ' '