Then Williams hit a three-pointer and Okur another three-pointer. After Bryant made a couple of free-throws, Okur hit still another three-pointer followed by yet another Lakers turnover. And, then, would you believe it? Kirilenko hit a three-pointer.
After Lamar Odom made two free throws, Kirilenko hit, yes, another wide open three-pointer.
Just in case you’re counting, that was five three-pointers in 90 seconds.
At this point, the Jazz were trading two-point foul shots for three-point field goals. After a Paul Milsap dunk and a Derek Fisher free throw, the Jazz needed just one more three-pointer to send the game into overtime.
They didn’t get it.
Mehmet Okur missed a 24-footer. Then Deron Williams missed a 26-footer. And the Lakers prevailed, 108-105, taking the Western Conference semifinal series, four games to two.
Bryant was the high scorer for the Lakers with 34 points, eight rebounds and six assists. Gasol had a double-double, 17 points and 13 rebounds. Odom was 13 and nine, and Derek Fisher had 16 points.
Williams was high scorer for the Jazz with 21 points and 14 assists. Okur had 16 points and 10 rebounds, Milsap 15 and eight, Boozer 12 and 14, and Ronnie Brewer finished with 13 points.
Even though the Lakers won, it was the Jazz who put the final exclamation point on this game and the series. Again, they proved that they were the tougher team, outrebounding the Lakers 52-38 and 20-5 on the offensive boards.
They also forced the Lakers into committing 13 second-half turnovers, and their flurry of three-pointers showed how deadly they can be from behind the arc. Only their lack of experience betrayed them.
Overall, the Lakers are happy they won in Utah and are advancing to the Western Conference Finals. But they have to be disappointed with the way they broke down in the final stanza, hanging onto the ropes while their opponent punched them silly.
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