2009 NBA Playoffs: First Round, Los Angeles Lakers vs. Utah Jazz, Game 1

Information about game 1 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 1 - 0 Utah Jazz

GAME 1: L.A. Lakers 113 - 110 Utah Jazz

The Lakers built their lead early.

Leaders Points Rebounds Assists
Lakers Bryant: 24 Gasol: 9 Bryant: 8
Jazz Boozer: 27 Boozer: 9 Williams: 17
1st 2nd 3rd 4th Tot
LAL 30 32 24 27 113
Utah 19 21 33 27 100
click for Lakers 2009 Playoff pictures (LA Times), First Round vs. Utah Jazz Game 1
Picture Gallery (LAT)

April 19 - STAPLES CENTER - LOS ANGELES.Kobe Bryant scored 24 points and had 8 assists, Trevor Ariza added 21 points and Pau Gasol 20 as L.A. defeated the Utah Jazz 113-100.

Everything was easy for the Lakers at the beginning and they took a 22-point lead to the halftime. Utah returned to play the third quarter with a better energy. In the second half they closed the gap to 9 points at various times.

But the Lakers always had the appropriate answer and Kobe as usual put the finishing touches to the victory. The Jazz got to 89-98 with 5:43 left but Kobe scored the next 4 points. When the Jazz got close again 98-107 Kobe had a three-point play when he dunked on Paul Milsap and made a free throw. Then he got a rebound and assisted Ariza for a three-pointer that gave the Lakers a 113-98 lead

The Lakers had foul issues all game with Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum both picking their 4th fouls in the third quarter. Bynum picked his fifth 55 seconds into the fourth and finished with just 7 points and 3 rebounds in 20 minutes.

Carlos Boozer had 27 points and nine rebounds for Utah and Deron Williams added 16 points and dished 17 assists for the Jazz.

Phil Jackson is 47-1 in playoff series when his teams hold a series lead of any kind. But everybody remembers the "1" which was when the Lakers lost a 3-1 advantage against Phoenix three years ago.

The Quotes

Phil Jackson (LAL Coach): "I don't even know if we can say we prevailed on that second-half effort, but we got the win. It wasn't a coach's delight, that's for sure, but we were able to outscore them"

Andrew Bynum (Lakers): "I don't know what the heck I was doing out there, I had a whole bunch of crazy fouls, just touching people. I've got to look at it on tape."

Jerry Sloan (Jazz Coach): "We kind of looked like deer in the headlights to start off with... I was really shocked that we would play that way, but some of our guys are young guys and hopefully they will learn."

Highlights

Los Angeles Lakers Utah Jazz
Leaders: Pts Reb Ast St Bl
Kobe Bryant 24 4 8 2 1
Trevor Ariza 21 4 2 - -
Pau Gasol 20 9 1 2 4
Lamar Odom 13 8 1 - 2
Shannon Brown 9 2 3 1 -
Leaders: Pts Reb Ast St Bl
Carlos Boozer 27 9 2 2 -
Deron Williams 16 3 17 2 -
Paul Milsap 15 8 1 - -
Andrei Kirilenko 8 8 4 1 -
Matt Harpring 8 - 1 - -

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