Game 1, Lakers vs Jazz: Quarter by Quarter Breakdown

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The game was far from smooth—67 total free throws, three technicals, and a number of bruises—but a 13 point victory in Game 1 vs. the Jazz in the STAPLES Center is a result any Lakers fan would ask for.

The Lakers used a balanced attack to defeat the Jazz on this day. Kobe Bryant finished with 24 points and eight assists on 9-17 from the field; Pau Gasol added 20 points and nine rebounds; and Trevor Ariza had a playoff career high of 21 points on 8-10 shooting and 3-4 threes.

Meanwhile, we all knew Utah would scrap, Deron Williams would break down our D, and things would get testy. What I did not expect was that Utah would lead in a number of categories and still lose by double digits.

The Jazz took 15 more shots thanks to a 20-7 offensive rebounding edge; took and made three more free throws; out rebounded us by eight overall, had six more assists, two more steals, and three fewer turnovers.

However, this was a simple case of one team putting the ball in the basket more than the other. While we shot 56 percent from the field (including 66 percent in the first half), the Jazz only hit 39 percent.

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