SALT LAKE CITY (Ticker) -- With their playoff hopes fading,
the Los Angeles Lakers look to snap a season-high five-game
losing streak Tuesday when they visit the Utah Jazz, who have
dropped nine in a row.
The defending Western Conference champions, the Lakers fell 3
1/2 games behind Denver for the eighth and final playoff spot
after a 102-100 loss to the Seattle SuperSonics on Sunday.
Kobe Bryant scored 16 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter,
but missed a potential game-tying 3-pointer with 14.6 seconds
left as Los Angeles lost its fifth straight for the first time
since dropping 10 straight at the end of the 1993-94 campaign.
Caron Butler added 29 for Los Angeles, which was without Lamar
Odom, who injured his left shoulder in a loss to Indiana last
Friday.
Odom was diagnosed with a small labrum tear and is considered
day-to-day, although he did not accompany the team on its trip
to Utah.
The Jazz return home after a winless five-game road trip, capped
by a 96-95 loss to the Washington Wizards on Saturday. Andrei
Kirilenko scored 28 points and Raja Bell hit two clutch jumpers
in the final minute before fouling Gilbert Arenas, who hit the
game-winning free throws with 2.3 seconds left.
Utah's nine-game slide matches its longest of the season. Jazz
coach Jerry Sloan remains one win shy of tying Red Auerbach for
sixth-place on the all-time list.




