Lakers vs. Jazz: Kobe Bryant and Raja Bell Do Battle

An old rivalry was rekindled during the Los Angeles Lakers' 90-87 overtime victory over the Utah Jazz at EnergySolutions Arena.

Raja Bell, an All-NBA defender in 2007 and 2008, was given the unenviable task of guarding the All-Everything Kobe Bryant one night after he dropped 48 points on the Phoenix Suns.  But Bell and Bryant are no strangers.

The two famously tangled during the 2006 NBA Playoffs when Bell (then a member of the Phoenix Suns) took Bryant down to the hardwood with a clothesline during Game 5 of their first round series.  

Bell later opined that the blow was "an overreaction," but maintained that it was retaliation for an elbow to the jaw he had received from the Lakers guard.  Bryant dismissed these claims, stating "I'm not trying to elbow somebody. That's not what I do. That's not how I play."

There were no clotheslines during the game Wednesday night and the two have since made peace, but the action between the pair was hot and heavy from the opening tip. Midway through the first quarter, Bell was whistled for a technical foul after a physical and verbal exchange between the two on an inbounds play.

Despite continued effort and hard-nosed defense from Bell, Bryant finished the game with his second game scoring 40 or more points in as many nights, but Jazz play-by-play man David Locke was quick to point out via Twitter that Bryant was 7-of-17 from the field when defended by Bell.

Even Bryant conceded that Bell had played good defense against him during stretches of the game. "He was good on me tonight in spurts. He's smart, quick and aggressive. A good defender."

Bell, meanwhile, was pleased with his effort despite Kobe's scoring output. "If someone shoots 31 shots to get 40, I feel like, you know, I've done my job," he said, adding "Guys are going to get their points. You've got to make them shoot a field goal percentage that's acceptable for you.  Make him shoot more shots than he wants to to get those points."

For the Jazz, it was their first defeat of the new year, as well as their first home loss of the season.  L.A. improved to 8-4 with the road victory, their first of the year.