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Lakers end Utah's 19-game home win streak

Fri 21st, March 2008

Salt Lake City, UT (Sports Network) - Kobe Bryant scored 27 points, grabbed eight rebounds and dished out seven assists to lead the Los Angeles Lakers in a 106-95 victory over the Jazz, snapping Utah's 19-game home winning streak.

Lamar Odom poured in 21 points, hauled in 12 boards and doled out six assists for the Lakers, who have won two in a row after losing their previous two, and sit a game ahead of Phoenix for first in the Pacific Division and a half game ahead of New Orleans for the top spot in the Western Conference.

Jordan Farmar, Sasha Vujacic and Derek Fisher each ended with 11 points in the win for LA. Vladimir Radmanovic gave 13 points in the victory.

Forward Pau Gasol missed his third straight game for the Lakers with a sprained ankle. Gasol, who was acquired from Memphis in a trade, is averaging 18.8 points and 7.9 rebounds in 19 games with the Lakers this season. Gasol is expected to return next week.

Deron Williams had 26 points, 12 assists and seven boards for the Jazz, who dropped two of their last three contests. Their 19-game home winning streak tied a single-season franchise record.

"We played hard," Bryant said. "I think that we knew how tough they (Utah) are at home and what kind of energy they would come out with and it was important to for us to have a good start to the ballgame."

Carlos Boozer gave 23 points and 15 boards, while Andrei Kirilenko had 15 points. Ronnie Brewer and Mehmet Okur tallied 12 and 10, respectively, as the Jazz are three games back of the top spot in the Western Conference in fourth place.

The Lakers scored 10 of the first 13 points of the fourth quarter to go up 91-72 with 9:12 still left in regulation.

Kirilenko answered with four points, Williams chipped in a three-pointer and Boozer gave a reverse layup to help the Jazz pull within striking distance, 92-81.

Bryant interjected with a pair of buckets, before a four-point play from Williams had Utah within 96-88 with 3:44 left to play. The Jazz were unable to get any closer, as the Lakers pulled away down the stretch.

After opening the game on a 20-8 run, the Lakers were up 38-18 after 12 minutes of basketball.

"They took it to us from the beginning," Boozer said. "We tried to fight back a little bit. We got down by a lot early. We just came out and started taking jump shots a little bit, (and) ran the wrong offense. Then we started running the right offense and started to come back a little bit."

Los Angeles held a hefty cushion, 60-45, at the break. The Lakers' explosive first half was highlighted by Odom's 15 points, eight boards and five assists.

A Boozer layup cut Utah's deficit to 13 points, 67-54, with a bit over seven minutes left in the third.

The teams traded buckets and an 8-2 Jazz run brought Utah within 75-64 with 4 1/2 minutes left in the frame. Williams had six of the points, while Kirilenko accounted for the other two.

The Lakers hung on to an 81-69 cushion heading into the final 12 minutes of play.

Game Notes

The Jazz are 29-4 at home this season. Utah tied its single-season, franchise- record 19-game home winning streak first set during the 1989-90 season and then equaled from January 19 - March 29, 1996...The Lakers are 3-1 against the Jazz this season...Before Thursday's drubbing, the last time the Jazz lost at home was on December 29 versus Boston.

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