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Jazz deal Lakers first loss of postseason

Sat 10th, May 2008

Salt Lake City, UT (Sports Network) - Carlos Boozer had a huge night with 27 points and 20 rebounds, as the Utah Jazz beat the Los Angeles Lakers, 104-99, in Game 3 of their Western Conference semifinal series.

Deron Williams overcame a wrist injury to score 18 points and dish out 12 assists for the Jazz, who also got 22 points from Mehmet Okur. Andrei Kirilenko and Matt Harpring each scored 12 for the Jazz, who trail 2-1 in the best-of-seven series.

Boozer, who went 12-of-21 from the field, scored nine consecutive Utah points during a crucial fourth-quarter stretch.

"I just tried to stop thinking so much out there," Boozer said. "We've all been waiting for such a big game out of me and I've been waiting for it too. I put a little too much pressure on myself, so I tried to go back to the basics."

Kobe Bryant had 34 points and seven assists for the Lakers, who were handed their first loss in the postseason. Bryant, who hit 14-of-17 free throws and is 46-of-52 from the charity stripe in the series, missed all six of his three-point tries on Friday. The Lakers were just 5-of-23 from beyond the arc.

Lamar Odom had 13 points and 12 rebounds for Los Angeles, which had 18 turnovers to just 14 assists. Pau Gasol was limited to 12 points and six boards.

"You can sustain a night like that when shots don't fall, particularly from range, if we don't turn the ball over," Bryant said. "We really got to keep our turnovers down and not allow them to get out in transition and get easy points."

Williams injured his right wrist on a fall in the second quarter, but remained in the game, only to ice it during the time he was on the bench to rest.

Game 4 is Sunday, again at EnergySolutions Arena.

Unlike the first two contests, where the Jazz tried to play catch-up in the second half, Utah spent Game 3 as the front-runner in the final 24 minutes and held on down the stretch.

The Jazz built an 86-74 lead nearly three minutes into the fourth when Williams hit a jumper, but the Lakers bounced back. Three straight Utah turnovers, including consecutive steals from Derek Fisher, allowed LA to get within 95-92 with 3:22 remaining. Bryant drove in for a layup on Kyle Korver, and Fisher then went 1-of-2 from the foul line.

Boozer then took over for Utah. First, he sank a jump hook, and after Bryant slipped and lost the ball, Boozer nailed a jumper from the left baseline as the shot clock expired. Bryant rushed a long three-point try, which was well off the mark, and Boozer drilled another shot from the left side, causing the capacity crowd to erupt, as Utah surged to a 101-92 lead with under two minutes left.

A three-pointer from Luke Walton cut the margin to 103-97 with 1:08 left, and then Okur was whistled for an offensive foul. Bryant's two free throws made it a four-point difference with 41.9 ticks remaining, and when Korver missed a three-pointer and a tip-in from Okur went awry, the Lakers had a golden opportunity.

However, off a scramble at the other end, a jump ball was called. Walton tried to get control of the tap, but Korver came up with the ball and Ronnie Brewer sank one free throw for a 104-99 margin with 9.6 seconds. left. Bryant missed poorly on a three-point try at the other end, effectively sealing LA's fate.

Fisher, who finished with 13 points, played in Utah exactly one year after his cross-country flight and entrance into the arena during Utah's playoff overtime win against Golden State. He was in New York earlier in the day to be with his daughter so she would receive treatment for a cancerous tumor in her eye.

The Lakers scored the game's first six points and Vladimir Radmanovic pushed the advantage to 11-3 with a three-ball. However, Utah scored the next six and it remained tight with Boozer's layup tying the game at 23 after 12 minutes.

The Jazz had just four home losses during the regular season, but one of them was to the Lakers in March. The capacity crowd, mostly donned in light blue on Friday, seemed to energize the Jazz in the second period.

Harpring's short jumper expanded Utah to a 34-27 lead before Bryant connected on his first field goal, nearly four minutes into the second quarter. Okur's running jumper widened the margin to 45-35 with just over four minutes left in the half.

Williams hurt his wrist when he drove into the lane and had his shot blocked by Ronny Turiaf with 2:46 left in the half. Kirilenko then made a layup for a 49-36 lead a few seconds later, and the Jazz were in front 52-43 at the half.

A jam from Boozer moved the Jazz to a 70-59 lead with barely over five minutes left in the third. Fisher's three-pointer had LA within 73-68, but the Lakers were behind 79-72 going into the fourth.

Game Notes

Kirilenko has fouled out in every game this series...The home teams are 11-0 in the conference semifinals...Walton scored 11 points...Jordan Farmar shot 0-6 with two turnovers for the Lakers...The Jazz won their seventh straight home playoff game against the Lakers. The Lakers have not won a post-season game in Utah for almost 20 years, their last win coming May 15, 1988.

Where the players come to play and STAY.