THE X FACTORS

AT THE LINE

The Lakers were the NBA’s worst free-throw shooting team (making 67 percent of their shots) during the regular season, and the Jazz (71 percent) was the best. A quarter-by-quarter look at Game 1:

FIRST

Lakers: 8 attempts, 4 made

Jazz: 3 attempts, 2 made

SECOND

Lakers: 19 attempts, 11 made

Jazz: 10 attempts, 8 made

THIRD

Lakers: 5 attempts, 4 made

Jazz: 12 attempts, 10 made

FOURTH

Lakers: 14 attempts, 8 made

Jazz: 5 attempts, 3 made

*

GAME 1: Lakers 27 of 46 (.587%); Utah 23 of 30 (.767%)

SERIES: Lakers 27 of 46 (.587%); Utah 23 of 30 (.767%)

PLAYOFFS: Lakers 231 of 355 (.650%); Utah: 212 of 297 (.708%)

THE BIG MEN

How Laker center Shaquille O’Neal and Jazz orward Karl Malone stacked up against each other:

SHAQUILLE O’NEAL Game 1: 19 pts, 8 reb.

Series: 19 pts, 8 reb.

Playoffs: 28.8 pts, 10.3 reb.

KARL MALONE

Game 1: 19 pts, 10 reb.

Series: 29 pts, 10 reb.

Playoffs: 25.9 pts, 11.2 reb.

DOING THEIR PARTS

How some of the key members of the Laker and Jazz supporting casts fared:

Eddie Jones

Probably the leader of “Shaq’s Guys,” Jones could do very little in Game 1. Averaging a career playoff high of 17.9 points before this game, Jones was held to six points on two-of-six shooting in 25 minutes.

Kobe Bryant

While many said the Lakers played better without Bryant against Seattle in the last round, he was one of the few Laker “highlights” in the first half, when he scored 13 of his 16 points.

John Stockton

Stockton has been hurting during these playoffs, but he wasn’t needed much Saturday. Averaging 11.6 points and 7.2 assists in the playoffs, Stockton had nine and nine Saturday.

Greg Foster

The man who riled the Lakers up with his throat-slashing gesture in a game in March, Foster made the first four points for Utah, and after a later basket put his fingers to his lips as if to say “shhh.” His 10 points and five rebounds spoke volumes.

PARTING SHOTS

Many experts have been saying the Lakers are playing the best basketball of any of the teams left in the playoffs. So much for the experts.

Parting Shots

Many experts have been saying the Lakers are playing the best basketball of any of the teams left in the playoffs. So much for the experts.