Parker takes a step forward

The points finally came for Smush Parker, a momentary release in an otherwise frustrating start to his season.

The Lakers’ point guard scored a season-high 15 points Tuesday against the Clippers, making five of 11 shots, an uptick after averaging 8.5 points and shooting 36.5% through the first 10 games.

“It’s funny that I come out a little slow the first couple games and people write me up like I can’t play,” Parker said. “But I just go out and play hard every night. The first 10 games, I just forgot to have fun. [Tuesday], I just went out and had fun.”

It wasn’t just people writing him up. His coach noticed a drop-off as well.

A little more than a week ago, Coach Phil Jackson seemed bewildered when asked what was wrong with Parker, saying, “I have no idea.... He’s just not in the rhythm of the game right now.”

Jackson again made reference to Parker leading up to the game with the Clippers, saying the Lakers’ perimeter defense would be limited until Kobe Bryant was 100% and until Parker “gets back that edge that he had as a stealer and as a disrupter defensively that he carried last year.”

Parker is in the last year of a contract that pays him $798,000 this season, a comparatively small salary for an NBA starter. The average league salary is about $5 million.

Parker, 25, averaged 11.5 points and shot 44.7% last season.

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Could the Lakers’ opponent tonight be on a bigger roll?

The Utah Jazz rallied from a 21-point third-quarter deficit to stun Sacramento, 110-101, Wednesday night. The Jazz is a league-best 11-1.

“Man, we’re living dangerously these days,” Jazz guard Derek Fisher told the Salt Lake Tribune.

Utah is also living successfully. Very much so.

The Jazz is already off to its best start in franchise history. Forward Carlos Boozer looks reinvigorated after two injury-filled seasons, and second-year point guard Deron Williams is averaging a smooth 18.3 points and 9.3 assists.

Behind Boozer’s 32 points, the Jazz finished with 72 points in the paint against Sacramento, the most in the league this season.

TONIGHT

at Utah, 6, Channel 9

Site -- EnergySolutions Arena.

Radio -- 570, 1330.

Records -- Lakers 8-3, Jazz 11-1.

Record vs. Jazz (2005-06) -- 2-2.

Update -- Utah isn’t just rewriting team history with its best start. The team announced this week it had ended a 15-year partnership with Delta Air Lines and would rename its arena after a low-level nuclear waste company based in Salt Lake City.