Lakers beat Jazz 111-104 for 3-2 lead (AP)

Efficient Bryant, Versatile Gasol and Aggressive Odom Lead Lakers to 111-104 Victory Over Utah

David Friedman posted 5/15/2008 from 20secondtimeout.blogspot.com

Kobe Bryant attempted just 10 field goals but scored a team-high 26 points as his Lakers beat the Utah Jazz to move within one win of the franchise's first appearance in the Western Conference Finals since 2004. Bryant shot 6-10 from the field and 13-17 from the free throw line while also dishing off for seven assists and tying for second on the team with six rebounds.

Los Angeles Lakers vs Utah Jazz: NBA Second Round

SEO posted 5/15/2008 from free-picks.belmont.com

There are plenty of NBA playoff games this week, but there’s only one that has me ready to roll. The Jazz and Lakers play in L.A. on Wednesday Night, and I can’t wait to see this one. What people don’t realize is that the Lakers and Jazz played two pretty close games in L.A. and now Kobe is having back troubles.

Postcards From LA, Vol. 9: One Lakers Fan Tracks His Team Through the NBA Playoffs

MrThell posted 5/15/2008 from www.emptythebench.com

Women? They come and go – particularly LA women. On to the next one. But a Lakers’ loss at home in Game 5 to Utah? Now that would have been hard to recover from. It was difficult to watch – in fact, my dental appointment went smoother, but The Purple and Gold found a way to secure a 111-104 victory over the Jazz. And that’s what serious title contenders do: win the ugly ones.

Lakers Have Kobe Bryant's Back

fastbreakblog posted 5/15/2008 from fastbreakblog.com

Kobe hurt, but does enough to help Lakers roll...

Lakers regain their swagger with a close win

Ed Ziti posted 5/15/2008 from mvn.com

Kobe needed some extra help from his teammates to squeeze out a win but at the end of the day his teammates were the difference. Bryant ended with 26 points and 7 assists and on several occasions his back looked pain-free. Bryant scored the first 5 points and took a fade away similar to the one he took in Game 4 that got his back hurt – clearly a good sign for Lakers fans everywhere. Bryant ...