Lakers-Jazz Preview

By JEFF MEZYDLO
Posted Jan 11 2012 2:32AM

The start of a new calendar year might have been all the Utah Jazz needed to overcome their early struggles.

Hoping to remain undefeated in 2012, the Jazz look for a sixth consecutive victory while trying to keep red-hot Kobe Bryant and Los Angeles Lakers winless on the road Wednesday night.

Utah (6-3) did not get off to a good start to its season by shooting 32.2 percent - including 1 of 13 from 3-point range - during a 96-71 road loss to the Lakers on Dec. 27. The Jazz followed that performance by dropping two of their next three games to finish the 2011 calendar year 18-35.

Since the calendar turned to January, Utah has won all five games it has played. The Jazz posted their highest point total of the season while shooting a sizzling 59.2 percent in a 113-105 home win over Cleveland on Tuesday. Al Jefferson had a season-high 30 points with 12 rebounds as Utah moved into position to start 6-0 at home for the first time since 2008-09.

Jefferson, though, is not about to get caught up in a second straight strong start for the Jazz, who opened last season 15-5 only to wind up missing the playoffs.

"We were here last year and let it go," Jefferson said. "That's why I'm not as excited. We play every game like we're last in the West and that's what we are going to continue to do until all is said and done. Everybody's got to keep that same attitude. We got to stay hungry."

That's especially true against the Lakers (7-4), who are looking for a fourth straight win overall but are also trying to avoid starting 0-4 on the road for the first time since 1995-96 - the season before Bryant entered the league. Utah lost 96-85 at home to Los Angeles on April 1, but has won nine of its last 14 against the Lakers at EngerySolutions Arena.

Extending that successful stretch could be tough as the Jazz try to contain Bryant, who scored a season-high 48 points and shot 18 of 31 in the Lakers' 99-83 win over Phoenix on Tuesday.

"I just felt like I was in a good rhythm," said Bryant, averaging 29.5 points despite playing with an injured wrist.

Bryant, who has scored at least 40 six times versus Utah during his career, is averaging 36.0 points on 51.5 percent shooting in his last five games. Bryant's effort Tuesday and his 39-point performance in a 97-90 win over Golden State on Friday are the two highest scoring games by any player on the young NBA season.

He's averaged 29.8 points in his last four regular season and playoff games at Utah.

"I'm ready for the next one," Bryant told the Lakers' official website. "(Wednesday) is going to be a big challenge, especially coming off a back to back...

"I'm looking forward to it already."

Los Angeles is averaging 96.0 points on 48.0 percent shooting while going 7-1 at Staples Center, but has shot just 42.7 percent while scoring 92.3 per contest in its three road defeats.

"The jury is still out on how good we can be, but we're going to continue to try to do the work," said Bryant, who had 26 points, eight rebounds, and five assists against the Jazz last month.

Jefferson pulled down 10 rebounds in that contest for the Jazz, but scored only four points. The veteran forward has averaged 22.3 points in six games since missing Utah's 102-99 win over Philadelphia on Dec. 30 due to a right ankle injury.

Bryant scores 40 points, Lakers beat Jazz in OT

By LYNN DeBRUIN
Posted Jan 12 2012 1:00AM

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) Andrew Bynum wasn't on the court the first time the Los Angeles Lakers faced the Utah Jazz.

He made his presence felt Wednesday night, with five blocked shots, including a game-saver on Al Jefferson's short jumper with 1.9 seconds remaining in overtime as the Lakers held on for a 90-87 victory.

Kobe Bryant scored 40 points to lead the Lakers, including a pair of free throws with 0.7 seconds remaining for the final margin.

"Andrew kind of made of his own coverage on Al and we tried to keep telling him to get out of it," Lakers coach Mike Brown said. "But he didn't listen to us and whatever he did, worked. So I'm going to add it to my defensive package."

Jefferson, who was coming off a season-high 30-point effort against Cleveland on Tuesday, was held to 11 points on 5-of-17 shooting.

Paul Millsap led the Jazz with a season-high 29 points, hitting 14 of 24 shots.

The loss was the first at home for the Jazz this season and halted their five-game winning streak.

The Lakers embarrassed the Jazz in Utah's season-opener, winning by 25 even without Bynum on Dec. 27.

This one was close throughout, with Millsap's tip-in tying it at 78 with 21 seconds left in regulation.

Bryant, coming of a 48-point game Tuesday night at home against Phoenix, missed a shot at the buzzer that would have won it in regulation for Los Angeles.

Millsap then scored the first four points of overtime, but the Lakers fought back, with 3-pointers by Bryant and Pau Gasol.

"Pau's got a green light to shoot the 3," Brown said. "As you can tell, guys trust him. Kobe made a pass to him late in the game at a crucial point. To see him step and knock it down was huge for us."

Seven-foot Bynum came up even bigger.

He made just 5 of 13 shots, but his tip-in with 51 seconds left in OT put the Lakers ahead 88-87.

Millsap brought the Jazz within one, then after Bryant's miss, the Jazz found themselves with a chance to win.

Gordon Hayward had the ball and started toward the lane, only to pass it to Jefferson underneath.

Bynum was there.

"It was just a reaction," Bynum said about his block. "I'm lucky he went for the quick flip."

Hayward said he thought about shooting it himself.

"The clock's winding down, a final scramble and we didn't know what was going on," Hayward said. "There were 8 seconds left, so I got to make a play. Maybe I could have shot a 1-2 pullup, but I thought it was the right play, the right pass. We got a good look. Bynum just made a good play."

Bryant would block a long 3-point attempt by Devin Harris as the Jazz inbounded with 0.7 seconds remaining in OT.

The win was the first on the road for the Lakers (8-4), while Utah (6-4) is 5-1 at home.

"It felt good to get a road win here," Bryant said. "It's a very tough place to play and it was a huge test for us."

But even he wasn't so sure Gasol could knock down the 22-footer from the corner.

"Pau's been shooting them well in practice and coach has been urging me to trust him at the 3-point line," Bryant said. "I thought about passing it to him, it seemed like an eternity. But I said, `What the hell.'

"You think Tebow prays? When that ball left his hand, I must have said 30 Hail Mary's."

Gasol finished with 14 points. He was just 5 of 14 overall, but hit his only 3-point attempt - his first of the season.

"Tonight was not a very effective game on our part, for the most part," Gasol said. "But we continued to fight through it. We forgot about everything else and we made two big plays down the stretch with the put-back and the block and I was able to make a couple plays. Hopefully we'll get the bodies that we have injured right now and it will give us a deeper rotation."

If the Lakers were celebrating a little more than usual, they say they earned the right.

"It was a tough game. It's hard to get a win here. Back to back, getting in here late last night, going to bed late. It's something to be proud of as a team," Gasol said. "Hopefully, we'll get some sleep and get ready for another back-to-back."

The Jazz also left feeling pretty good despite the loss, saying they are a different team than the one that faced the Lakers in the opener.

"We kept playing hard, didn't give up," Jefferson said. "It's one of those games at the end of the day we wish we could have won, but we could walk out with our head up. We played hard until the end. We just got to get ready for New Jersey."

The Jazz face the Nets on Saturday in a game that marks the return of Deron Williams for the first time since he was traded away last February.

"We're coming, we're getting better," Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin said. "We played against a good team tonight. They were a little bit better but our effort was great."

NOTES: Lakers forward Jason Kapono missed his second game so he could be with his wife, who gave birth Tuesday to twin girls. ... Josh McRoberts (sprained toe/thumb) and Troy Murphy (stomach ailment) also did not suit up for L.A. ... Jazz guard Raja Bell was assessed a first-quarter technical after giving Bryant a quick shove then having a few words with him. ... Both teams were a combined 1-10 from 3-point range in the first half... Lakers guard Steve Blake suffered a rib contusion in the fourth quarter.

Notebook: Lakers 90, Jazz 87

By Andrew Aragon, for NBA.com
Posted Thursday January 12, 2012 12:58AM

THE FACTS: Kobe Bryant scored at least 40 points in his second straight game -- finishing with an even 40 -- to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 90-87 overtime win over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night.

It was the Lakers' first road victory this season, and Utah's first home defeat. Los Angeles was 0-3 away from Staples Center, and the Jazz were 5-0 at EnergySolutions Arena prior to Wednesday.

Pau Gasol hit a go-ahead 3-pointer to give the Lakers an 86-85 lead in overtime, and Los Angeles held on for the victory. Gasol had a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds.

The Jazz were led by an outstanding effort from Paul Millsap, who had 29 points and nine rebounds.

QUOTABLE: "He's got a green light to shoot the 3. As you can tell, guys trusted [Gasol's ability to make a 3-pointer]. Kobe made a pass to him late in the game, in overtime, at a crucial point. To see him step up and hit the 3, it was huge for us."
-- Lakers coach Mike Brown on Gasol's go-ahead 3-pointer in overtime.

THE STAT: 2. The Lakers blocked two Jazz shots in the final seconds to preserve the victory. Andrew Bynum swatted a shot by Utah center Al Jefferson with the Lakers ahead 88-87 with 1.7 seconds remaining. Bryant blocked a 3-point attempt by Devin Harris as time expired.

TURNING POINT: Gasol's 3-pointer -- his first of the season and just the 19th of his career -- turned the tide in the Lakers' favor for good. Bynum tipped in a Bryant miss to make it 88-85 before Millsap hit a jumper to trim Utah's deficit to 88-87. The Jazz had a shot to win following a Bryant miss when Gordon Hayward penetrated and dished to Jefferson near the basket. But Bynum saved the game for the Lakers by blocking the shot. Bryant collected the loose ball from the block, sank two free throws, and then blocked Harris' 3-point attempt.

HOT: Lakers forward Matt Barnes played an efficient game, shooting 5-for-6 to score 11 points. He also had seven rebounds. Millsap didn't scorch the nets the way he had in Utah's previous three home games (22-for-26), but he was one of few players to shoot better than 50 percent. He shot 14-for-24. Raja Bell was 3-for-4, scored seven points and played the team's best defense on Bryant before fouling out.

NOT: All Lakers not named Kobe Bryant -- in the first half -- were not hot. Bryant scored 21 of his 40 points before halftime, shooting 8-for-13. The rest of the team scored 20 points and shot 10-for-27. Metta World Peace continues to have a rough season, as he shot 1-for-6 and scored two points. Jefferson struggled after putting six solid games together, shooting 5-for-17. Jazz starters Harris and Hayward each shot 1-for-7.

QUOTABLE II: "I draw from the crowd a lot. The crowd here -- they're pretty nasty. I don't want to give them the satisfaction of walking away from here saying that they won."
-- Kobe Bryant on the Utah crowd that provided a playoff-like atmosphere on Wednesday night.

GOOD MOVE: Bryant was on the bench late in the first quarter, but hurried and checked in with 11.1 seconds remaining in the period following a missed jumper by Earl Watson. Bryant then beat a double team, and hit a 15-foot jumper to give the Lakers an extra basket and a 26-23 lead at the end of the period. It may not have seemed like a big deal at the time, but every basket counted in the tight contest.

FANTASY WATCH: Utah's Josh Howard may be a worthwhile waiver pickup. He scored 18 points and had four rebounds against the Lakers. He has scored in double digits in three of Utah's last four games.

ROOKIE WATCH: Laker first-year player Darius Morris got his first minutes of the season, and scored the first points of his career. He assisted on World Peace's only basket of the game -- a dunk -- less than 20 seconds after he entered the game. He finished with four points, two assists and a rebound in 13 minutes. The Jazz's Enes Kanter only played nine minutes and had three points and four rebounds. Utah's Alec Burks was active in limited playing time as he had two points and three rebounds in less than three minutes. He attempted four shots.

NOTABLE: Bryant has averaged 26.2 points in 52 career games against the Jazz. Los Angeles held an opponent to less than 90 points for the seventh time in 12 contests.

UP NEXT: For the Lakers, Friday vs. Cleveland, Saturday at L.A. Clippers, Monday vs. Dallas. For the Jazz, Saturday vs. New Jersey, Sunday @ Denver, Tuesday vs. L.A. Clippers.

• Lakers: Caracter, McRoberts
• Jazz: --

• Lakers: Gasol
• Jazz: Bell

• Lead Changes: 17
• Times Tied: 10

• Arena: EnergySolutions Arena, Salt Lake City, UT
• Officials: #38 Michael Smith, #59 Gary Zielinski, #54 Nick Buchert
• Attendance: 19642
• Duration: 2:24