Arena Stats
The game took place at the Energy Solutions Arena, Salt Lake City, Utah. None of the teams committed any technical fouls. The lead changed 11 times and the game was tied 10 times. It was played before an audience of 19,911.
Box Score
Team Rebounds
The Utah Jazz (12-5) made six team rebounds whereas the Lakers (13-3) grabbed seven.
Player Stats
Deron Williams contributed 29 points, Andrei Kirilenko was successful in grabbing two key rebounds as the Utah Jazz skidded past from a 19 point first half deficit to a 102-96 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers that got them out
of the playoffs last season.
The score was tied at 96 points at 1:16 left when Williams scored a 3-pointer and then stole the ball and gave a pass to Raja Bell. This pass to Raja Bell proved to be a game winner for the Utah Jazz and changed the course of the
game for them.
Ron Artest and Paul Gasol missed shots for the Lakers who stood there in the box as they saw their five game winning streak come to an end at the hands of the Jazz. On the other hand the Jazzs improved to 12-5 as they won their
fourth straight win.
Kobe Bryant scored 14 points for the Lakers in a span of 2:25 late in the fourth quarter as the Lakers flew past an 83-82 deficit and took the lead 96-91 with 2:21 remaining.
Williams took over before the game and clinched a victory for the Jazzs. Later Bryant said, referring to Williams, that he is the best point guard in the league.
Strong links
Williams played really well and was one of the hottest players Friday night as he scored his game-high 31 points on a 10 of 21 shooting. No one could believe this before as at one point of the game he was just 5 off 15.
Al Jefferson scored 20 points and grabbed eight rebounds while holding his game against the Lakers’ Pau Gasol who had 21 points and 11 rebounds.
It was the effort of the Utah Jazz’s guards who took hold of the game when they felt like their side was down.
Size doesn’t matter
The two shortest players of the team took over in the second quarter. Ronnie Price, the player who was once considered undersized because he was 6’2” and Earl Watson 6’1” together pulled an 11-0 run that led Jazz to 39-22.
Watson gave a pass to Price who gained a run with a one-handed slam. Both Watson and Price then hit back to back 3-pointers that followed a three point play underneath a neat pass from Watson. Watson moved ahead and pulled the
Jazz to 39-32 with 6:08 remaining.
Then came Williams turn to move the game ahead. He made his move by hitting a 3 pointer and a fast-break layup right over Lamar Odom that pulled the Jazzs to a 44-42 lead with 3:09 left in the first half.
Williams who had an assist by Millsap was the one to give Utah their first lead 46-45 by acquiring a short jumper when there was 1:48 remaining in the first half.
The Lakers snatched away the lead by 50-46 into halftime as Gasol and Bryant paired up and made the next five points for the team. After shooting for 68.4 % in the first quarter they made their 4 of 21 in the second quarter at
19 % as Utah bridged the gap.
Coming Up: For the Lakers, Sunday, vs. Pacers, Tuesday @ Grizzlies, Wednesday @ Rockets. For the Jazz, Sunday @ Clippers, Monday vs. Bucks, Wednesday vs. Pacers
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