Picture Gallery (LADN)

May 16, 2008 - EnergySolutions Arena, Salt Lake City. The Lakers watched as their margin was slowly reduced in the final quarter, then were spectators as the Jazz missed two 3-pointers trying desperately to send their season to overtime. But the buzzer sounded and the Lakers arrived to the Western Conference with a 108-105 victory at Utah.

Kobe Bryant looked very healthy, scored 34 points, grabbed 8 rebounds and dished 6 assists, helping his team to build an early lead that was as high as 19 points at halftime and had the Jazz down by 16 at the end of the third. The formula of the Lakers early success was closing all the paths to the lane and stopping Utah’s pick-and-roll, forcing the Jazz to take shots from outside, which they did pretty bad in the first 3 quarters.

The Lakers offense was betten than ever in the those quarters. Pau Gasol ended the game with 17 points, Derek Fisher with 16, Lamar Odom with 13, Vladimir Radmanovic with 12 and Sasha "the machine" Vujacic scored 12 coming from the bench. Gasol also added 13 rebounds and 4 blocks a Odom contributed with 9 rebounds.

Led by Deron Williams 21 points and 14 assists, Utah wasn't ready to give up and in the fourth quarter they make their last push. They won the period 35-22 but that was not enough basically thanks to Kobe's 12 points in the final 5 minutes and 12 dramatic final seconds.

When a timeout was asked with 2:55 to go, the Lakers were up 99-88 and the Jazz had missed by then 13 of 17 three-point attempts but they connected five 3-pointers after that, one by Williams, and two each by Mehmet Okur (16 points) and Andrei Kirilenko (12 points). The scenery was set for an historic comeback when Fisher missed his second free throw with his team ahead 108-105 and 12 second to go, giving the Jazz the opportunity to tie it, they ran the floor and Okur had an open look for a three with 4.8 seconds left but missed, then Williams took a desperate shot, also from behind the line with one second left, Okur took another offensive rebound and the ball went to the hands of long distance specialist Kyle Korver but he didn't have time to take the shot and Utah’s season came to an end.

At the end It was a great victory for the Lakers and the Jazz 6th loss at Utah in their whole season. They lost just 4 games in the regular season and one in their series against Houston.

The Lakers will play against the winner of the series between the San Antonio Spurs and New Orleans Hornets that will be decided with a game 7 on Monday in New Orleans.