Lakers-Jazz -- Game 1 thread

Lakers win, 109-98. Utah got into its game for a big chunk of the second half and had a 58-41 edge on the boards (including 25 offensive), but they had no answer for Bryant. Lakers were able to turn it up when they needed to.

Bryant at the line: make, miss. Lakers, 99-90.

Bryant to Gasol. Lakers, 98-90.

Brewer at the line: make, miss. Jazz down six, 96-90.

Gasol taps in a miss. Lakers, 96-89.

Vujacic blocked at the rim, Korver misses on a curl.

Williams at the line: make, make. Jazz within five, 94-89, 2:39 left.

Bryant at the line: make, miss. Lakers, 94-87. Boozer fouls out: 15 points, seven turnovers.

Great play out of the timeout. Bryant to Gasol to Odom, and 1. Lakers, 93-87.

Lakers are in hang-on mode, instead of using their strengths: running, passing, finishing open shots. Jazz have 22 offensive rebounds.

Brewer on the break. Jazz within four, 91-87. 4:31 left. Bryant has missed his last three shots.

Korver for 3. Jazz within six, 91-85. 5:03 left.

Another offensive rebound for the Jazz, who keep the deficit at seven.

All of the fouls have taken the flow out of this game. Plus, the Lakers have stopped running.

Okur at the line: make, make. Lakers lead down to 5, 85-80. 7:36 left.

Kobe back in the game, pull-up jumper at the foul line. Lakers, 85-76.

Another foul on the Lakers. The Jazz will get free throws the final 8:46.

Three off-the-ball fouls by the Lakers in the first two minutes of the fourth quarter. They're getting caught trying to chase cutters and screeners.

Utah's 20th offensive rebound leads to a 3 from Williams in the closing seconds of the third. Lakers' lead, which had reached 19, is down to seven after three quarters, 79-72.

Jazz have turned around this game's flow, which is now bump-and-grind. Lakers aren't running anymore.

Gasol with two very soft attempts inside, the biggest weakness in his game. I'll never understand why he doesn't catch and finish with two hands.

Boozer inside. Jazz with seven, 71-64.

Bryant with a strong drive for two. Lakers, 71-60.

Jazz are pounding the offensive glass with 19 offensive rebounds.

Nine in a row for the Jazz. Utah within 10, 68-58.

Gasol from Fisher on the break. Lakers, 66-49.

Kobe gets two more at the line. Lakers lead, 54-41, at halftime. Bryant with 24 at the break (6-for-8 from the field, 11-for-11 from the line).

At predicted, Utah goes through (sometimes extended) scoring droughts. That is a dangerous trend against the Lakers, who threaten to run out the lead every time it happens.

Fisher to Radmanovic on the break. Lakers, 51-34.

Kobe gets a quick five, then lobs to Gasol for a dunk. Lakers on roll, 41-28.

Three 3s for Vujacic, who was left alone in transition. Lakers, 34-26.

Lakers lead, 25-24, after 1. Utah's inability to guard Kobe is more glaring than against other teams.

Kobe a long 3. He now has 15 late in the first quarter.

Radmanovic is worthless and stealing his money from the Lakers.

Gasol picks up two fouls less than six minutes in, heads to the bench.

Kobe steals and dunks. Lakers on a 9-0 run to lead, 9-4.

Gasol opens on Boozer, who drives by for 2.