Lakers defeat the Jazz in Game 1 of playoff series

Game 1 (Final) Lakers 104, Jazz 99

Is Kobe Bryant back to form?

You would be hard-pressed to dispute that contention as he took over in the fourth quarter, scoring 13 of the Lakers’ 23 points to give the Lakers a 104-99 victory over the Utah Jazz. The Lakers now hold a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal playoff series. The next game is Tuesday night at the Staples Center.

The Lakers looked dominant for most of the game until the Jazz rallied with a 10-1 run at the start of the fourth quarter. At one point, the Jazz had a three-point lead.

But the Lakers were able to wear them down, mostly behind the leadership and shooting of Bryant, who scored 31 points on 12-of-19 shooting from the field and a perfect seven of seven from the free-throw line.

Pau Gasol also had a good game for the Lakers with 25 points, 12 rebounds and five blocked shot. Derek Fisher had 10 points, four assists and a game-high five steals, while Lamar Odom finished with nine points and 12 rebounds.

Deron Williams led the Jazz with 24 points and eight assists, followed by Carlos Boozer with 18 points and 12 rebounds. Both C.J. Miles and Paul Millsap had 16 points.

Laker Coach Phil Jackson recognized that the game was slipping from his team’s control and that they needed to regain their advantage.

“We found a way to get the momentum back in the last six minutes of the game. . . . I thought our bench really let us down [at the start of the] fourth quarter. The types of shots they gave up and the charge they gave us.”

But Jackson did not think he stuck with the secondary players too long.

“Absolutely not,” he said when asked if he kept the reserves in too long. “You have to give them some confidence. I wanted to give them an opportunity to right themselves.”

Of course, Jackson was quick to give praise to Bryant.

“I thought he put [the game] on his shoulders. He got into some foul trouble and had to spend some time on the bench and we had to get him back in the game.”

Meanwhile, Gasol said the team took some energy and momentum from the Oklahoma City series, which ended on Friday.

He also credited the team’s size advantage.

“It’s important to us,” Gasol said. “We use it to our advantage and I think we’re doing better at it.”

Game 1 (Fourth quarter, 2:26): Lakers 100, Jazz 95

Before a timeout, Derek Fisher was assessed a charging foul and the Jazz had a chance to regain the lead with a little more than two minutes to play. But the Jazz missed, followed by a Laker miss and another Jazz miss, and the Lakers were looking to up their advantage.

Of course, that’s where Kobe Bryant stepped up and made a two -- giving him 27 points -- and the Lakers were up by three. On the next possession, Lamar Odom fouled Deron Williams and he made both free throws to make it a one-point game again.

Down the court, Bryant missed a fade away but Odom got the put-back and the Lakers’ lead was three. After a takeaway, the Lakers drove down the court, with Bryant taking the ball down the lane for a hanging layup, and the Lakers had a five-point lead.

If Ralph Lawler’s adage is correct (first one to 100 wins), then the Lakers are looking good.

Game 1 (Fourth quarter, 2:18) Lakers 94, Jazz 93

Pau Gasol tied the score with a free throw but the Jazz took the lead back when Paul Millsap drove the lane and scored.

Kyle Korver then became the first player on either side to get into foul trouble when he fouled Kobe Bryant for his fifth. Bryant answered with both free throws to tie the score.

After a hard foul by Ron Artest, C.J. Miles made both free throws and it was advantage Jazz. Bryant then missed on a driving layup but Lamar Odom got the follow for a dunk.

Miles then easily made a shot and Wesley Matthews followed with a basket ,and suddenly the Jazz were up by four and it was certainly nervous time.

Bryant was fouled by Miles on the next possession and Bryant sank both free throws for 22 points. The Lakers needed a defensive stop and got it and Bryant responded with a two followed by a foul shot and--as the crowd shouted MVP--the Lakers had the lead again, 94-93.

After a Jazz miss, a wide-open Ron Artest missed yet another three-point shot. Neither team converted on their next possessions and the Lakers had a one-point lead going into a timeout.

Game 1 (Fourth quarter, 5:59) : Jazz 85, Lakers 84

Fans were left wondering if the Lakers, seemingly in command most of the game, were setting up for one of those collapses that became so familiar during the season.

The quick -- and maybe temporary answer -- came when C.J. Miles went to the line and made two and suddenly the Lakers were behind for the first time since the first quarter.

The Lakers looked to regain the lead but Kobe Bryant missed a three-point shot and Carlos Boozer answered with a two and the Jazz’s lead was two. At that point the Lakers had been outscored 10-1 in the quarter.

Paul Gasol then made a basket on a put-back after being fouled in the action and the Lakers were down by one with a chance to tie after the timeout.

Game 1 (Fourth quarter, 7:32): Lakers 82, Jazz 81

Amazingly, the Lakers were able to continue their hot shooting from halftime through the third quarter by still hitting 60% (35 for 58).

Paul Millsap cut the lead to six with a bucket and Luke Walton upped it to seven by making one of two free throws. As is Phil Jackson’s rotations, the Lakers opened the fourth quarter with Andrew Bynum being the only starter on the court.

Millsap scored his 11th and 12th points, followed by two more from Ronnie Price and the lead was cut to three. It was getting to be nervous time at the Staples Center.

And it was well deserved as Millsap was left wide open under the basket and suddenly the Lakers’ lead was down to one heading into a timeout.

Undoubtedly, the Lakers will resume with all the starters on the court.

Game 1 (End of third quarter): Lakers 81, Jazz 73

The Jazz had been able to close the lead to three during the third quarter but never really was able to steal the game or even threaten to take the game back. At least not yet. Lakers fans know strange things can happen with one quarter to play.

Coming out of the timeout the Lakers picked up a little momentum when Kobe Bryant scored to give him 16 points. Carlos Boozer answered with a basket, giving him 12 points.

Pau Gasol was able to get the lead back to seven with a couple of free throws. Kyle Korver and Bryant exchanged buckets and then Deron Williams traded a basket against Shannon Brown, making one of two free throws.

Brown got one more chance to extend the lead with 3.1. seconds to play and he did making one of two free throws ending the period for an eight-point Lakers lead.

Heading into the final period neither side had anyone in extreme foul trouble with Fisher, Bryant and Ron Artest each having three for the Lakers and C.J. Miles, Boozer and Wesley Mathews with three for the Jazz.

Game 1 (Third quarter, 2:28) : Lakers 73, Jazz 66

The third quarter really hadn’t shown any big runs or dominance by either team through the first four minutes. Even the Staples Center crowd seemed to settle back into the acceptable that this series won’t have the excitement or drama of the one against Oklahoma City.

The Lakers came out of the timeout with the one thing that can chill a room, Ron Artest shooting from the outside. He missed and C.J. Miles responded with a basket. Kobe Bryant followed with a two but then Wesley Matthews hit a three and the lead was six. C.J. Miles hit another three and the lead was three.

Time for the Lakers to wake up, urged the crowd.

That’s where Bryant rallied, not with a shot but a perfect pass to Pau Gasol under the basket for two. After a Kyrylo Fesenko miss, Derek Fisher hit for two. The Lakers got the ball back and Fisher took the ball under the basket and made it for two (although he missed the free throw) and the Lakers were back on top by nine.

The Jazz weren’t willing to give up and got back-to-back baskets by Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams. Gasol answered with a two and the Lakers went into a timeout with a seven-point lead.

Game 1 (Third quarter, 8:00): Lakers 61, Jazz 52

The Lakers certainly were balanced scoring-wise in the first half as nine players scored baskets. Of course, some of that balance has to do with the idea of resting starters and letting the back-up role players get some game time. That and shooting an amazing 60% (23 of 38). That kind of pace probably shouldn’t be expected in the second half.

The half started with a passionless exchange of baskets between Andrew Bynum and Carlos Boozer. Bynum followed that with a basket (his sixth point) and the Lakers extended the lead to 10 as they continued to exploit the lack of interior defense by the Jazz.

The Lakers were able to stretch to an 11-point lead off an Artest basket and C.J. Miles only making one of two free throws. Wesley Mathews and Bynum (yes, interior play) exchanged baskets and then Kyrylo Fesenko dunked and the lead was nine heading into a Laker timeout.

-- John Cherwa

Game 1 (Halftime): Lakers 53 Jazz 45

It was a cake walk on offense for the Lakers as they maintained a comfortable lead throughout the half with nine different players able to score.

Kobe Bryant hit his first six shots and leads the Lakers with 12 points. Pau Gasol also hit five of nine shots and has 11 points, plus five rebounds.

For the half the Lakers shot about 62% from the field. On two possessions late in the half Ron Artest scored on layups off nice assists from Gasol against a weak Jazz interior defense.

The Jazz had trouble with the Lakers’ big frontcourt of Gasol and Andrew Bynum and were mostly relying on perimeter shots because of an inability to penetrate the lane.

Deron Willams, the Jazz’s point guard, kept the game from getting even more lopsided. Williams leads the Jazz with 17 points.

The Lakers’ bench was also productive, led by Luke Walton, who hit a three-pointer, on his way to six points.

Game 1 (Second quarter 5:00) Lakers 45, Jazz 34

The Lakers sent their starting lineup back in with about eight minutes to go in the quarter, with the exception of Luke Walton in the place of Ron Artest.

With Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol on the floor at the same time the Lakers are easily able to clog the lane, helping force the Jazz into six turnovers.

Even Walton hit a fall-away jumper over Kyle Korver to extend the lead to 41-28.

All nine Lakers who have entered the game have scored on the thin Jazz defense.

Kobe Bryant scored on a left-handed layup just before the last timeout and has hit his first six shots. He has 12 points.

Korver scored on a spin move and has given the Jazz some spark off the bench with five points.

Game 1 (Second quarter, Lakers 8:17): Lakers 39, Jazz 27

The Lakers’ second unit is trying to preserve the lead. Andrew Bynum returned to start the second quarter. Lamar Odom hit a three-pointer to extend the lead to 14 points. He has five points in the game.

But just before the timeout Kyle Korver hit a jumper to cut the Lakers’ lead to 12.

The Staples Center crowd is very relaxed, already sensing the Jazz is a lighter challenge than the Thunder.

Game 1 (End first quarter) Lakers 30, Jazz 23

The Lakers were scoring on all cylinders in the first quarter against the Jazz, led by Kobe Bryant’s 10 points. He hit his first five shots.

Wes Matthews guarded Bryant for most of the quarter but Deron Williams took a turn at the end.

The Lakers had little difficulty penetrating the lane in the quarter against the Jazz’s smaller frontcourt. Pau Gasol had eight points for the Lakers.

Andrew Bynum started at center, despite the small tear in cartilage in his right knee, and played about seven minutes. He scored two points.

The Jazz players who looked most comfortable on offense were their mainstays; Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer with eight points each.

Already seven different Lakers have scored.

It was a tough quarter, physically, for Williams, the Jazz’s point guard. He hit the floor when he was fouled by Derek Fisher to start the game and hit the floor again trying to defend a Lakers fast break near the end of the quarter and limped off on a tender ankle.

Game 1 (First quarter 3:56) Lakers 24, Jazz 15

The Lakers are trying to use their size advantage along the front line. Andrew Bynum scored on a pick and roll off a nice pass from Derek Fisher.

Pau Gasol is off to a fast start. He scored uncontested on a give and go in the lane. Gasol also scored on a tip-in off his own miss as well as on a left hook. It looks like a tough matchup for the Jazz’s Kyrylo Fesenko, starting in place of injured center Mehmet Okur, when he is on Gasol.

Fisher hit a running bank shot and a three-pointer.

All the Lakers starters have scored and they are getting into the paint easily.

Gasol and Kobe Bryant have six points each.

Deron Williams drew a foul on Derek Fisher on the first play of the game and went down hard with pain in the back of his left shoulder. The Jazz called a timeout after 20 seconds of play to give him a breather. Williams then made both free throws. Then on his next trip he made a pull-up three-pointer. Williams leads the Jazz with six points.

Already the fans are relaxed about this game, one yelled, “Sweep.”

--Barry Stavro

Game 1 Pregame

Lakers center Andrew Bynum started today at center against the Utah Jazz.

“He’s limited in what he can do,” Coach Phil Jackson said. “We’ll have to measure that. We’ll give him an opportunity to start.”

Bynum was slowed Friday against Oklahoma City because of slightly torn cartilage in his right knee. He had been playing with a small tear in the cartilage, but it worsened when he hyperextended his knee in Game 6 of the first round.

--Mike Bresnahan