LOS ANGELES
There was a Lakers player on the floor, having been knocked to the ground as he drove to the basket. It wasn’t you-know-who.
Lamar Odom took a hard fall and had to have treatment on his chin midway through the third quarter. He came back in moments later and with Kobe Bryant helped the Lakers stay even at 81-81 after three quarters. Odom and Bryant combined for 16 points in the third quarter.
The game turned close as the Jazz tied it several times, but they never could overtake the lead.
The Lakers took an 81-77 lead on Bryant’s 3-point play with 1:34 left, but Matt Harpring made a pair of free throws to cut it to two with 1:19 remaining.
Ronnie Price scored a layup to tie the game at 81.
Bryant, Luke Walton, and Jordan Farmar all missed 3-pointers that could have given the Lakers a slight edge.
