The way it stands is as good as it gets for Lakers

Waiting to exhale in Lakerdom . . . .

For the Lakers, who will be at full strength again but not this spring, this is as good as it has been lately:

A 2-0 series lead over the Utah Jazz, giving them a chance to break through and make this a short series.

Three days off before Saturday’s Game 3 in Salt Lake City.

No new injuries, and no further damage to any of the old ones.

With the injured Kobe Bryant playing 42 minutes, his postseason high, and scoring 30 points, and injured Andrew Bynum going 29 minutes, in which he had 17 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks, the Lakers beat the Jazz.

Once more the Lakers blew most of a double-digit lead, with the Jazz cutting a 15-point third-quarter deficit to four in the fourth quarter.

On the bright side for the Lakers, one more sloppy win such as this over the weekend in Salt Lake City and they’ll have the Jazz set up for a five-game KO, which could means a few more days’ rest if the Suns and Spurs go longer.

With Pau Gasol scoring 22 points with 15 rebounds, he and Bynum combined for 39 points, 29 rebounds and six blocks.

“Well,” said Utah Coach Jerry Sloan, asked about the Lakers’ height advantage, “that’s life.”

And Bryant’s legs? Had Sloan seen him earlier in the postseason?

“I’ve seen him a lifetime,” said Sloan, smiling.

“That’s who Kobe Bryant is. He’s a terrific player, he’s a terrific competitor and that shot he made at the end [a long jumper with the shot clock running out and Deron Williams all over him] doesn’t surprise anyone. . . .

“That’s why you admire him. He’s a no-nonsense guy every time he steps on the court.”

It started out like any other night for the Lakers, with the usual questions about the usual knees.

After Game 1, Jackson noted that Bryant had played well, but added: “I don’t know from one game to the next if you just rule out any question about getting it back.”

Does he now what to expect nightly from Bryant?

“Yes,” said Jackson.

Health-wise?

“No,” said Jackson. “But that’s not a big issue for us now. I thought it was the last series more than now.”

It’s not a big issue because Bryant’s right knee has been pushed down the list of worries below the partially torn meniscus in Bynum’s right knee, which will need surgery that he has deferred.

Not that the Jazz is the team you want to play when health is an issue, and Sloan is gently suggesting that his young players knock some of the famous Lakers on their backsides.

“We had our guys hitting their heads against the wall,” said Sloan before the game, laughing. “That’s a great workout. I enjoyed every minute of it. Next time, we’ll have them wear helmets.”

Next time, the Lakers may need the helmets but in the good news, that’s three days off.

mark.heisler@latimes.com