Lakers defeat the Jazz to take 3-0 series lead

Game 3 (Final) Lakers 111, Jazz 110

The Lakers put themselves in position to easily advance to the Western Conference finals with a 111-110 win over the Utah Jazz tonight in Salt Lake City. The Lakers now lead the best-of-seven series, 3-0. No team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit.

If that holds, the Lakers will play the Phoenix Suns, who hold a 3-0 lead over the San Antonio Spurs.

The Lakers’ next game is Monday night in Salt Lake City.

Once again, Kobe Bryant showed everyone that his injuries were not a problem as he scored 35 points on 13-of-24 shooting. Derek Fisher and Ron Artest each added 20 points.

Pau Gasol had 14 points and an incredible 17 rebounds. The Lakers didn’t exploit their height advantage as much as they did in Game 2, but it was still enough.

Deron Williams led the Jazz with 28 points and reserve Kyle Korver had 23.

The Lakers were down by four with 2:48 left in the game and Lamar Odom going to the line, where he cut the Jazz lead to two. Not bad for a 60% foul shooter.

Carlos Boozer turned the ball over and Odom hit a three to give the Lakers a one-point lead. But Paul Millsap gave the lead back to the Jazz with a shot under the basket after some nifty interior passing.

But Bryant answered with a fall-away jumper to put the Lakers back on top. Korver came back and made his fifth three-pointer in five attempts.

Artest tried to answer with a three but missed and then Williams came back and gave the Jazz a two-point lead. But that is when Derek Fisher hit the shot that ultimately won the game for the Lakers, a three from the wing with 28.6 seconds left that give L.A. a 109-108 advantage that they wouldn’t relinquish.

The Jazz came back but Boozer missed a shot and it was followed by two free throws by Bryant to give the Lakers a three-point lead.

The Jazz got the ball back with 7.8 seconds left and Fisher fouled Williams before he could shoot a potential tying three-pointer. Williams made both free throws to make it a one-point game. The Lakers blew the inbounds play with 4.4 seconds to play, allowing the Jazz one last chance to win the game. But Williams missed a jumper from nearly straight on at the three-point line and two Jazz players tried for a tip that rolled off the rim at the buzzer.

Game 3 (Fourth quarter, 2:48) Jazz 100, Lakers 96

Kyle Korver was definitely the difference for the Jazz up to this point, scoring 20 points in only 15 minutes. The Lakers are going to have to figure out how to shut him down.

So, coming out of the timeout the Lakers looked to Derek Fisher to come up with a two, which is exactly what he did. But, now Deron Williams is starting to wake up as he made his third of six three-point shots and the Jazz were up by two.

Wesley Matthews then stole the ball from Kobe Bryant and it ended up as a three-point play and a five-point Jazz lead. But Bryant atoned for his mistake with a driving layup and the Lakers were down by three.

After Korver turned the ball over on a bad pass, the Lakers came back and Lamar Odom was fouled and he made one of two free throws to close the lead to two.

After a few misses by both teams, a foul by Derek Fisher sent Deron Williams to the line, where he made both shots and the Jazz led by four.

Bryant then took the ball to the hoop but missed and Lamar Odom was fouled on the rebound sending him to the line heading into a timeout.

Game 3 (Fourth quarter, 8:06) Jazz 92, Lakers 91

Phil Jackson opened the fourth quarter with Pau Gasol and Ron Artest as the only starters in the game. Artest paid immediate dividends with a two but Jazz guard Kyle Korver made a three. It was his sixth make on six attempts.

The Jazz were able to extend their lead to four when incredibly Korver hit for another three-pointer. But Artest answered with his fourth three of the night to close the margin to one.

After Paul Millsap missed a six-footer, the Lakers drove down the court and Artest made two free throws to give the Lakers the lead again.

Korver continued his red-hot performance with another make, but again, Artest answered with a layup. Is this starting to sound familiar.

But the Jazz put up the 14th lead change of the quarter when Carlos Boozer made an eight-footer for a one-point advantage.

But Kobe Bryant was back in the game for the Lakers so the final eight minutes should be very interesting.

Game 3 (End of third quarter) Lakers 82, Jazz 80

Deron Williams put the Jazz up by one when he made the second of two free throws after the timeout. After a Lakers miss, Paul Millsap extended the lead to three with a basket.

But Derek Fisher let it be known he wasn’t through as he made his second three-pointer in five tries to tie the score. After Wesley Matthews fouled Kobe Bryant, the Lakers extended the lead to two but it was short lived as Carlos Boozer made a bucket to tie the score.

A couple of misses later, Pau Gasol made a 19-footer and the Lakers were ahead. But hold on, Williams made a 25-foot three-pointer and the Jazz regained the lead.

Ron Artest then surprised when he made his third three-pointer of the quarter to put the Lakers back in front. The Jazz then tied it when little appreciated Kyle Korver made his fifth shot in five attempts.

Gasol gave the Lakers the lead in the last moments of the quarter with a tip-in of his own shot. The period ended with the Lakers having outscored the Jazz, 32-26 for the quarter.

Now, the question on everyone’s mind is: Can the Lakers withstand the start of the fourth quarter?

Game 3 (Third quarter, 4:24) Lakers 70, Jazz 70

Coming out of the timeout the Jazz retook the lead when Paul Millsap made both of his free throws off a Ron Artest foul. Derek Fisher made a shot and Carlos Boozer answered that.

The Jazz went up by three when Millsap scored from the under the basket. Pau Gasol put back a Lakers miss but the Jazz kept their lead at three when Wesley Matthews made two free throws.

Ron Artest, whose three-point shooting has been horrible, made a long-range shot and Boozer got a tip-in. But Artest wasn’t through as he hit another three and the Lakers had the lead again.

A Derek Fisher foul sent Deron Williams to the line, where he made the first of two before Phil Jackson called a timeout with the score tied.

If this is any indication, the game is going to be tight through the rest of the game.

Game 3, (Third quarter, 7:44) Lakers 60, Jazz 59

All things considered, the Lakers had to feel fortunate to go into the third quarter down only four points. They shot 20 of 43 in the first half, including a less than stellar four for 13 from three-point territory.

But things didn’t start out well for the Lakers when C.J. Miles drove the lane, made the two and got a foul for a three-point play. Pau Gasol answered but Kyrylo Fesenko dunked to negate Gasol’s basket. It was certainly an indication that the second half had the makings of being very competitive.

The Lakers got it back to four when Kobe Bryant made one of his two free throws and then after a turnover, Gasol made a 14-footer. A Gasol steal eventually led to Derek Fisher two and after a Utah miss Bryant buried a three and the Lakers had their first lead of the night.

Bryant now has 24 points.

--John Cherwa

Game 3 (Halftime): Jazz 54 Lakers 50

Kobe Bryant hit one of two free throws with four seconds left in the second quarter to cut the Jazz’s lead to four points at the half.

The Jazz have the lead because of an edge in bench play and free throws.

Kyle Korver scored 10 points in eight minutes off the bench for the Jazz. Deron Williams leads the Jazz with 14 points, but he has three personal fouls.

A key difference is the Jazz scored 13 points from the free-throw line, compared to only six for the Lakers.

The Lakers are still in the game thanks to Kobe Bryant, who looked for his shot from the start and has 20 points.

One problem for the Lakers is their frontcourt: Andrew Bynum has not taken a shot and is scoreless, Pau Gasol has only four points, and Lamar Odom has only two.

Other than Bryant, the Lakers’ primary offense came from the bench as Shannon Brown scored nine points and Jordan Farmar contributed five.

Game 3 (Second quarter 5:46): Jazz 42, Lakers 34

The Jazz is benefitting from a very balanced offense tonight, with eight players having scored.

Their bench continues to be productive. Kyle Korver hit his first four shots and has 10 points.

Shannon Brown and Jordan Farmar have been productive this quarter for the Lakers. Brown scored six straight points, then Farmar scored four in a row.

Andrew Bynum has not scored or taken a shot so far.

Game 3 (Second quarter 8:50 ): Jazz 34, Lakers 24

The Jazz’s bench is helping to extend their lead.

Jazz reserve shooting guard Kyle Korver hit a bucket, then hit a three-pointer next time down court to give the Jazz a 10-point lead, their biggest of the game.

Shannon Brown hit layup off an Andrew Bynum pass, but the Lakers’ bench has accounted for only four points.

Meanwhile, the Jazz bench has accounted for 15 of their 34 points.

Game 3 (End first quarter): Jazz 22, Lakers 17

Pau Gasol hit two free throws to cut the Jazz lead to 22-17 as the Lakers made their first free throws of the game near the end of the quarter.

Deron Williams played the entire quarter for Utah and leads the Jazz with eight points on two-for-five shooting.

Jazz power forward Paul Millsap drew a foul on Lamar Odom and hit both free throws to make it 21-15. Odom has two fouls.

Both teams shot poorly in the opening quarter, the Lakers shooting 29% and the Jazz 33%. The Lakers’ three-point shooters were cold, one of six in the quarter from beyond the three-point arc.

Kobe Bryant leads the Lakers with nine points.

One big change is that the Jazz outrebounded the Lakers, 15-13, as Andrei Kirilenko made an impact off the bench, with four boards in seven minutes and four points.

Game 3 (First quarter 1:30): Jazz 19, Lakers 15

Kobe Bryant is very aggressive in looking for his shot. He scored the Lakers’ first nine points and is four for eight from the field.

Andrei Kirilenko scored on a nice feed from Paul Millsap just before the timeout to keep the Jazz’s lead at four.

Pau Gasol scored on a short hook to cut the Jazz’s lead to 15-11.

Both teams are shooting poorly. Carlos Boozer missed a long outside shot, then on the same possession he missed a layup.

Meanwhile, Lamar Odom missed his first two shots, then scored on a turnaround in the paint. Derek Fisher hit a long jumper to cut the deficit to 17-15, as the Lakers’ offense started to open up.

Game 3 (First quarter 5:54): Jazz 15, Lakers 9

The Jazz is off to a good start as Deron Williams has scored seven of their 15 points.

Kobe Bryant has scored the Lakers’ first nine points on four-of-seven shooting.

Jazz forward Andrei Kirlilenko entered game at the 7:00 mark and made a quick impact with two rebounds, a tip-in and a block on Bryant.

Ron Artest missed his first two outside shots, Pau Gasol and Derek Fisher have also missed two shots each.

Game 3: Pregame

Can the Lakers break the Game 3 jinx in Salt Lake City?

Yes, the Lakers have ousted the Jazz in the playoffs the last two seasons, but in each series they lost the third game in Utah.

For this evening’s game some oddsmakers established the Jazz as 4 1/2-point favorites.

One key for the Jazz will be to try to cut the Lakers’ huge rebounding advantage, which is 101 to 78 in the first two games. Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko is expected to play tonight after missing the last 17 games because of a calf injury.

--Barry Stavro