Lakers-Jazz Preview

By ALAN FERGUSON
Posted Feb 04 2012 2:56AM

After struggling on the road for much of the early season, the Los Angeles Lakers have started to find their groove away from home at an opportune time.

The Lakers will try to earn another win on their season-high, six-game trip when they visit the struggling Utah Jazz on Saturday night.

Los Angeles (14-9) has won three straight games overall and two in a row on the road after dropping seven of its first eight away from home. The Lakers topped 100 points for the first time on the road this season by beating Minnesota 106-101 on Sunday. After returning home to rout Charlotte 106-73, they began this trip Friday in Denver with a 93-89 victory - their second-fewest points allowed on the road this season.

Andrew Bynum scored a team-high 22 points and had 10 rebounds Friday while Kobe Bryant finished with 20 points despite missing 16 of 23 shots.

"We made it really hard on ourselves, but it's good to get a win," coach Mike Brown said. "Our defense got us a win in a tough environment. What an ugly game, we found a way to win."

The Lakers have found a way to beat the Jazz (12-9) twice this season, winning 90-87 in overtime at Utah on Jan. 11 behind 40 points from Bryant, and blowing them out 96-71 at home Dec. 27, when the Jazz shot 32.2 percent - their worst performance in nearly six years.

Utah (12-9) has averaged 102.0 points in the 11 games since its last matchup with Los Angeles, but has also given up 105.8 per game over its last six contests, losing four of them.

A 119-101 defeat at Golden State on Thursday marked the most points the Jazz have allowed this season and spoiled Gordon Hayward's season high-tying 21 points. They managed to put up 101 points as a team despite playing without their two point guards Devin Harris (hamstring) and Earl Watson (ankle).

Watson and fellow guard Raja Bell (strained right adductor) remain day to day, while Harris will be a gametime decision for Saturday as Utah tries to avoid a season-high third consecutive overall loss.

"We've got to stay together and fight with the ones we have healthy," coach Tyrone Corbin said. "We didn't really get into our offensive sets, and then on defense they beat us on the boards, beat us to the loose balls and just out-hustled us."

The Jazz have split their last six home games after winning seven of their first eight in Salt Lake City with the lone loss coming to the Lakers. Another visit from Los Angeles might not help them get back on track.

The Lakers, who have won 14 of the last 19 overall meetings in this series, are seeking to win three straight in Utah for the first time since March 13-Dec. 4, 1985.

The Lakers will travel east for the remaining four games on their trip, beginning with a Monday night visit to Atlantic Division-leading Philadelphia.

Jazz send Lakers to another road loss, 96-87

Posted Feb 05 2012 1:05AM

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) Riding adrenaline and some modern treatment on his sprained ankle, Earl Watson took a close game and broke it open for Utah.

He keyed a clinching 14-0 fourth quarter run to help the Jazz beat the Los Angeles Lakers 96-87 Saturday night.

"You don't really notice because you are lost in the game," Watson said. "The emotion takes over."

Al Jefferson scored 18 points and Paul Millsap had 16.

"Man, Earl Watson isn't even supposed to be playing right now, that's the crazy thing about it. He's out there on one leg, having an amazing game for us," Millsap said.

Watson scored eight points and had six assists in the fourth quarter as the Jazz beat the Lakers for the first time in three tries this season.

After he stole the ball from Pau Gasol at the top of the key and fed Derrick Favors for a dunk, Lakers coach Mike Brown went ballistic and charged after official Zach Zarba.

"Pau was just dribbling and I stole the ball. Pau just fell down but I didn't push him. Maybe they thought I did," Watson said.

Brown received two quick technicals and was ejected with 8:34 to play.

"I was trying to give our guys some juice. I got techs. I shouldn't have got two techs," Brown said. "I put our guys in a deeper hole than we were already in and that probably cost the game."

Watson threw an alley-oop to C.J. Miles that brought the crowd to its feet and then capped the 14-0 run with a 3-pointer with 6:18 to play that gave Utah its biggest lead of the game, 83-68.

"I saw it coming early when I started running because my man was behind the play. Earl just threw it up there," Miles said of the big dunk. "I knew it was a big part of the run we were making and that really got the crowd into it."

Kobe Bryant scored 26 points and Gasol had 24 points and 16 rebounds but the Lakers dropped to 3-8 on the road.

Just about every play went through Bryant after Brown's ejection. Bryant made two 3-pointers and added three free throws after getting fouled on another attempt in a span of 1:13.

"We just have to be patient, just be calm. We've been in this situation before," Bryant said.

Sandwiched around a driving shot by Watson, Andrew Bynum and Gasol scored inside to cut the Jazz lead to 87-81.

But Watson who sprained his ankle against the Clippers on Wednesday, assisted on baskets by Jefferson and Millsap and then made a 3-pointer for a 94-83 lead with 1:06 remaining.

Watson had flown to Los Angeles for treatment on Thursday and was working with the training staff much of the day.

"I used a laser from a doctor who invented it and it's the only one in the world. I was lucky. I still feel like I could still play because winning definitely makes it feel better," Watson said.

Los Angeles lost seven of its first eight games on the road. The Lakers' 90-87 overtime win at Utah was their only one until claiming road wins at Milwaukee and Friday night in Denver.

Many of the Lakers' road woes returned against the Jazz. Plays frequently ended with two Lakers yelling and pointing about where the other should have been.

"You have to give them credit, Utah was very physical with us tonight," Brown said.. "They kicked our behind on the glass and they were up on us in the halfcourt."

In addition to the contributions from Bryant and Gasol, Bynum posted 21 points and 12 rebounds but after that was about it. The rest of the Lakers combined for just 16 points. Los Angeles made 5 of 17 field goal attempts in the final quarter.

Neither team led by more than six points until Watson led the big Utah run. The Jazz took advantage of their fifteenth home game, which is tied with Philadelphia for most in the league.

The Jazz also got a boost from Devin Harris, Raja Bell and Watson who were all game-time decisions after the trio missed Utah's 119-101 loss to Golden State on Thursday.

NOTES: Bryant got a technical foul for arguing a no-call on a dunk in the first quarter. He curtailed several discussions with the officials later in order to avoid an ejection. . After assistant John Kuester took over for Brown, he also got a technical foul a couple minutes later in the fourth quarter. . Millsap and Jefferson each had 13 rebounds as the Jazz beat the Lakers on the boards, 50-42.

Notebook: Jazz 96, Lakers 87

By Andrew Aragon, for NBA.com
Posted Sunday February 5, 2012 1:46AM

THE FACTS: The Utah Jazz regained their edge -- and in the process handed the Los Angeles Lakers a stunning defeat.

Playing in a feisty and gritty manner that has helped them be successful for much of the season, the Jazz defeated the Lakers 96-87 on Saturday night. Al Jefferson scored 18 points and had 13 rebounds, and backup point guard Earl Watson engineered a fourth quarter push to put the game away for Utah. Paul Millsap had a double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds.

The Lakers got 71 of their points from three guys. Kobe Bryant had 26 points, Pau Gasol had 24 and Andrew Bynum had 21.

QUOTABLE: "We found it (our edge). We have to have it. If we don't have it, we're a good team that can be beat at any given time. If we have it, we're a good team that can be great and we can beat great teams."
-- Jazz guard Watson on the difference it makes when the Jazz play with an edge.

THE STAT: The Lakers' depth issues, as well as Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin's trust of his bench, were magnified in Utah's victory. Utah's bench outscored Los Angeles' 49-12. Three Jazz reserves scored in double figures as Josh Howard and Derrick Favors each had 12 points, and Enes Kanter had 10. The Lakers' bench shot 4-for-18.

TURNING POINT: Lakers coach Mike Brown flipped out -- and it changed the momentum of the game. With Utah leading 72-68, Watson stole the ball from Gasol, and there was contact on the play. Watson then led the Jazz on a fast break and dished to Favors for a dunk. Brown erupted over the non-foul call, earning two technicals and an ejection. The sequence sent Jazz fans into a tizzy, and Utah went on to complete a 14-0 run. A 3-pointer by Watson capped the spurt, giving the Jazz an 83-68 lead with 6:18 left in the game.

HOT: Jefferson exorcised some Laker demons in the win. He had scored a total of 15 points on 7-for-33 shooting in two previous losses to L.A. this season. He bested both his point total and baskets made (8-for-17) in Saturday's win. Watson was questionable to play because of a severely sprained ankle he suffered against the Clippers three days ago, but managed to go. He played the entire fourth quarter, scored all of his eight points and dished six of his 11 assists in the final period. Favors had a solid game, shooting 6-for-9 while collecting eight rebounds.

NOT: Lakers point guard Derek Fisher shot poorly, going 1-for-6 while scoring two points. He lost out on some minutes to rookie Andrew Goudelock, who didn't fare much better. He shot 1-for-5 and scored four points. Los Angeles left its shooting touch in the locker room at halftime as it shot a miserable 27.8 percent in the second half. The Lakers scored one point in the first six minutes of the fourth quarter. Jazz point guard Devin Harris shot 0-for-6 and scored one point in 21 minutes. Harris' starting backcourt mate, Raja Bell, struggled as well, shooting just 2-for-10 and scoring five points.

QUOTABLE II: "If you would have seen his ankle this morning and how swollen it was. He said, 'I'll be alright' and I looked down at his ankle and it was puffy. That's just who he is. He's a true, true professional. He's a tough guy and he wants to be on the floor and help his team win. I know he's in pain and he fought his way through it. I have tremendous respect for the guy. "
--Jazz coach Corbin on Watson playing through pain.

GOOD MOVE: Corbin has played Watson for the majority of fourth quarters in several past games, but usually subs in Harris to finish them. Not this time. Corbin said he figured if he took Watson out, he wouldn't get him back in the game because of his ankle injury possibly flaring up. Sticking with Watson proved to be one of Corbin's best moves of the night.

BAD MOVE: Brown had a right to be angry over Watson's non-foul call against Gasol, but his reaction didn't help his team. On his way off the court, he told Fisher to "win the (expletive) game."

QUOTABLE III: "I was trying to give our guys some juice. I got techs. I shouldn't have gotten two techs. I put our guys in a deeper hole than we were already in, and that probably cost us the game. I apologized to our guys. I shouldn't have done what I did."
-- Lakers coach Brown on being ejected with 8:35 left in the game.

ROOKIE WATCH: Kanter gave the Jazz some important minutes, a durable defender against the Lakers' big bodies and a few baskets. He shot 5-for-9 and grabbed six rebounds in 17 minutes, and held his own in defending Bynum and Gasol.

NOTABLE: The Jazz are 7-1 when holding opponents to 90 points or fewer. The Lakers are 1-5 when scoring fewer than 90 points.

UP NEXT: For the Lakers, Monday @ Philadelphia, Thursday @ Boston, Friday @ New York. For the Jazz, Monday @ New York, Tuesday @ Indiana, Friday vs. Thunder.

• Lakers: Blake, Caracter
• Jazz: --

• Lakers: Brown, Brown, Bryant, Kuester
• Jazz: Howard

• Lead Changes: 19
• Times Tied: 10

• Arena: EnergySolutions Arena, Salt Lake City, UT
• Officials: #23 Jason Phillips, #33 Zach Zarba, #60 James Williams
• Attendance: 19642
• Duration: 2:11