<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The stumbling Los Angeles Lakers didn't fare well without Kobe Bryant in the opener of a home-and-home set with the Utah Jazz. The Lakers will be without their star guard again as they travel to Salt Lake City looking to earn a split of the series. Bryant was suspended by the NBA for two games without pay Friday for elbowing Mike Miller in the throat Wednesday night in an overtime loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. "I wouldn't ask him to go on the trip," coach Phil Jackson said. "We want him to stay behind, work out and get an opportunity to condition himself. It makes no sense for him to go along on the trip and stay in the hotel while we play." Without Bryant, the Lakers lost to the Jazz 98-94 on Sunday at Staples Center, their fourth straight defeat after winning nine of their previous 11 games. Los Angeles tied the game twice in the fourth quarter, but could not overcome four points in the final 78 seconds by Utah's Keith McLeod and a costly turnover by Luke Walton, starting in Bryant's place. Brian Cook led Los Angeles with 19 points, tying his season high. He was one of five Lakers to finish in double figures, and after the game refused to pin the defeat on Bryant's absence. "We love Kobe when he's out there, but we all can play," said Cook, who made his first eight shots. "We don't buy into that stuff about how we don't help Kobe out. We're all competitors and we're all professionals. That's why we're here." Lamar Odom added 18 points and 12 rebounds, but the Lakers fell to 6-11 without Bryant since the start of last season. The Jazz won for just the second time in their last 10 road games against the Lakers, but didn't think the victory was solely a result of Bryant not being on the floor. "There are lots of examples of teams playing even better without their leader, because they try to pick it up and lots of other guys are shining," forward Andrei Kirilenko said. "The Lakers did a pretty good job (Sunday), even without Kobe. "When he's on the floor, all the attention is on him and we double- and triple-team him. Without him, everybody can score, so you have to spread your attention. I wouldn't say it's harder to play them without Kobe, but it's not easy, either. It's just different." Kirilenko was 11-for-12 from the free-throw line and finished with 23 points. The Jazz have won four straight since he returned to the lineup after missing three games with back spasms, and the team improved to 11-4 when he starts. The Jazz are looking to post their first five-game winning streak since the 2002-03 season. A victory Tuesday also would move Utah back to .500 and into a tie with Minnesota for first place in the mediocre Northwest Division. Despite all that's on the line for his team, Jazz coach Jerry Sloan still would rather be facing the Lakers at full strength. "I never like for anybody to miss a game," Sloan said. "I think that if you're going to play, you play the best. I've never been one of those people who hopes a guy doesn't play, because I'd rather compete against him. And if you're not good enough, then you don't belong here, anyway." STANDINGS (through Jan. 2): Lakers - 4th place, 4 GB, Pacific Division. Jazz - 2nd place, 1/2 GB, Northwest Division. PROBABLE STARTERS: Lakers - F Cook, F Odom, C Chris Mihm, G Smush Parker, G Walton. Jazz - F Kirilenko, F Mehmet Okur, C Jarron Collins, G McLeod, G Gordan Giricek. TEAM LEADERS: Lakers - Bryant, 32.7 ppg; Odom, 9.5 rpg and 5.4 apg. Jazz - Okur, 17.8 ppg and 9 rpg; Williams, 4.8 apg. SEASON SERIES: 1-1. LAST MEETING: Sunday; Jazz, 98-94. At Los Angeles, Okur contributed 16 points, eight rebounds and four assists, and McLeod finished with 15 points for Utah. ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Lakers - 9-7 on the road; Jazz - 7-8 at home.</div> link:http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/preview;_ylt=A...?gid=2006010326 well, ive been gone for a while but ill be here now with the yahoo previews. lol. anyways, this is a must win for the lakers. after a hot streak, the lakers have now lost 4 straight . the lakers must concentrate and force more turnovers in order to win. they must guard the perimeter will because the jazz have a lot of good shooters. all in all, i am optimistic and i think the lakers will win this, but odom will have to step up.
Disappointing home and home series for the Lakers. I was hoping for at least a split, and a stoppage to this losing streak. The first game free throw shooting did the Lakers in. The second game foul trouble hurt our chances. Chris Mihm 4 fouls in just 15 minutes, he continues to struggle with calls on the road. The rebounding discrepancy was a killer as well. The Jazz outrebounded the Lakers 39 to 28. I just hate seeing Bynum rack up all these DNPs when the Lakers are lacking size and impact in the frontline. He needs to see more court time because he produces in the minutes he's given in terms of rebounding and shot blocking.
