2009 NBA Playoffs: First Round, Los Angeles Lakers vs. Utah Jazz, Game 5

Information about game 5 of the L.A. Lakers vs. Utah Jazz series in the 2009 NBA Playoffs, with score, recap, pictures, stats, highlights, quotes and Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol performance.

Los Angeles Lakers

2009 NBA Playoffs First Round
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Utah Jazz

Utah Jazz

Series Index:

Game 1: Lakers 113, Jazz 100 at L.A.   Game recap & pictures
Game 2: Lakers 119, Jazz 109 at L.A.   Game recap & pictures
Game 3: Jazz 88, Lakers 86 at Utah   Game recap & pictures
Game 4: Lakers 108, Jazz 94 at Utah   Game recap & pictures
Game 5: Lakers 107, Jazz 96 at L.A. Game recap & pictures

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Los Angeles Lakers 4 - 1 Utah Jazz

GAME 5: L.A. Lakers 107 - Utah Jazz 96

With questions about their defense the Lakers advance to the next round.

Leaders Points Rebounds Assists
Lakers Bryant: 31 Odom: 15 4 players: 4
Jazz Milsap: 16 Boozer: 9 Williams: 6
1st 2nd 3rd 4th Tot
LAL 26 30 26 25 107
Utah 26 17 20 33 96
click for Lakers 2009 Playoff pictures (LA Daily News), First Round vs. Utah Jazz Game 5
Picture Gallery (LAT)

April 27 - STAPLES CENTER - LOS ANGELES. Once again the Lakers built a big lead and once again they had to suffer to get the win, 107-96 over the Jazz.

But with Kobe Bryant scoring 31 points and Lamar Odom adding 26 points and 15 rebounds, the Lakers closed their first-round series 4-1 and got a couple of days of rest waiting for the winner of the series between Rockets and Trail Blazers (Houston leads 3-1)

After a 26-all tie in the first quarter, L.A. opened the second with a 14-3 run that included 3-pointers by Odom, Kobe and Sasha Vujacic. At the end of the period Kobe gave his team a 56-43 halftime lead with a circus fadeaway jumper as time expired. Things looked even worst for Utah in the third where they were completely dominated at the end and were down by 22 points, 80-58 with 2:20 remaining.

But then the Lakers showed a characteristic that they have shown previously in this series and in a big number of games during the regular season. As easy as they score, they relax their defense, specially with the second unit on the floor and allow the rival to score at will to finally get a grip at the end. The Jazz made their final effort of the season and cut L.A.'s lead to 95-89 with 3:43 left in the fourth. Then the Lakers won it basically from the free-throw line.

Gasol had 17 points and 11 rebounds, and Ariza 12 points for the Lakers. Paul Milsap led Utah with 16 points while Deron Williams were unusually erratic with 14 points on 4-for-12 shooting and had 6 assists. Luke Walton didn't play and will be out for at least one week with a partial ligament tear in his left ankle suffered in game 4.

The Quotes

Phil Jackson (LAL Coach): "I think we played well offensively, we had some real good games. I thought we played spotty defense tonight. We didn't close the door. I told them in the locker room we have to improve as we go forward."

Kobe Bryant (Lakers): "During stretches we played really well, and then we had our stretches that we didn't play so well, I think we have to play more consistent. But I'll take a 4-1 win in every series from now on until the end."

Trevor Ariza (Lakers): “We’re happy that we got the win, but I don’t think we’re happy about how we won so we have to pay attention and stay focused on closing games out,”

Deron Williams (Jazz): “Injuries kind of affected us and we really weren't able to ever get into a rhythm, we kind of headed downhill toward the playoffs and we just really didn't get the type of effort we needed to win a series.”

Highlights

Los Angeles Lakers Utah Jazz
Leaders: Pts Reb Ast St Bl
Kobe Bryant 31 2 4 4 1
Pau Gasol 17 11 4 - -
Lamar Odom 26 15 4 - 3
Trevor Ariza 12 7 4 1 2
Derek Fisher 9 1 3 1 -
Leaders: Pts Reb Ast St Bl
Paul Milsap 16 6 2 2 -
Deron Williams 14 2 6 - -
Andrei Kirilenko 14 - 1 4 -
Kyle Korver 11 5 3 1 -
Carlos Boozer 10 9 1 - -

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