Lakers Hit the Right Notes Against Jazz : They Win, 121-113, and Layden Says: ‘They Seem to Be in Great Sync’

Utah Coach Frank Layden, who has lost about a half-dozen notches on his belt but not his sense of humor, cast an appreciative look at one Big John Studd, a professional wrestler who was a post-game visitor to the Jazz dressing room Sunday night in the Forum.

“I remember when I used to look like that,” said Layden, “before I lost 70 pounds.”

After a summer stay in a weight-loss institute in Santa Monica, Layden now looks like he could dance with the Laker girls. His Jazz, however, still can’t match steps with the Lakers, who won, 121-113, for their 26th win in their last 28 games against Utah here.

At the moment, of course, the Lakers are dancing on the ceiling: Seven straight wins, nine in a row at home, and an overall record of 25-6, the best in the league and just a game off their record at this time last season, when it was in vogue to compare the Lakers favorably to the best teams of all time.

Sunday night, Layden couldn’t resist a comparison of his own.

“I think this is the best team I’ve seen them have since I’ve been at Utah,” said Layden, who has called Salt Lake City home for seven seasons.

“They seem to be in great sync.”

Layden could have used an oversized Studd to counteract Magic Johnson, who recorded his second triple-double of the season with 26 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists.

That’s what comes from forcing Magic to play more than three quarters, something he hadn’t done in the previous three Laker blowouts.

Michael Cooper, who missed his first seven shots, scored 15 points, all in the second half, and combined with Johnson to outscore the Jazz, 13-4, after Utah had pulled to within nine, 98-89, with 8:07 to play.

Karl Malone had 35 for the Jazz, who have lost three straight after winning 12 of their previous 14.

Even with 7-4 Mark Eaton in the middle, Utah’s lack of size was apparent on the offensive boards. They had six offensive rebounds, one more than Magic Johnson had in the game. The Lakers had 16 offensive rebounds, 10 of which they converted into 21 points.

“They (the Lakers) come at you in so many ways,” Layden said. “Fast-breaking, their outside shooting and Jerry Sloan feels they’re better defensively than they’ve been.”

Sloan, a Jazz assistant coach, was one of the finest defensive guards of his time when he played with the Chicago Bulls for 10 seasons.

“I think they’ve got a total commitment to defense now,” Sloan said. “They’ve always had one or two good defensive players, but now it’s everybody on the floor. Their coach (Pat Riley) has done a very good job with that team.”

The Lakers’ ranking defender, Cooper, couldn’t get any of his shots to drop in the first half Sunday after ending Friday night’s game with a 45-foot bomb. In the past, an 0 for 7 half would have spelled the end of Coop going for the hoop.

Not Sunday.

“We don’t have the luxury of a McAdoo, McGee or Wilkes anymore,” said Cooper, citing three noted Laker gunners of the past. “For now, I’m about the only veteran coming off the bench (to score). Billy (Thompson) is coming along, but me, Byron (Scott) and Magic have to keep other teams from ganging up on Kareem (Abdul-Jabbar).

“I always felt I was a pretty decent shooter, but you can’t do it when you’re only taking two or three shots a game.”

Cooper, who re-entered the game with 3:41 left in the third quarter with the Lakers holding an 80-69 lead, sank a 15-footer off a Magic Johnson assist for his first basket.

He then nailed a three-pointer, followed by another three-point play, when he was the trailer on a Laker break, scored on a behind-the-back feed from Wes Matthews, and was fouled.

Johnson wasn’t hitting his outside shots early, either, but burned the Jazz with postup baskets and his patented drives. Rookie Billy Thompson came off the bench and scored 12 points in 16 minutes before fouling out.

“I think we would have beaten a lot of teams tonight,” Layden said.

They’ll get another shot at the Lakers Thursday in Utah.