Lakers hold off Jazz, advance to West finalsKobe Bryant scored 34 points and Los Angeles held off a furious rally by the Utah Jazz for a 108-105 victory Friday night, putting the Lakers in the Western Conference finals for the first time in four years. The Jazz trailed by 19 at halftime and 16 at the end of the third quarter, but hit a flurry of 3-pointers to get within two points in the final minute. The Jazz had a chance to tie it at the end, but Mehmet Okur and Deron Williams missed 3-pointers in the closing seconds and Utah's season was over. Full Story
Kobe Bryant (LAL - Shooting Guard) News: Bryant (back) scored 26 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the field and 13-of-17 from the free-throw line Wednesday night in the Lakers' victory over Utah in Game 5 of their Western Conference semifinal playoff series. (RotoWire - Thu. May 15, 2008)
Kobe Bryant (LAL - Shooting Guard) News: Bryant said Monday that his back is "pretty sore right now," the Associated Press reports. (RotoWire - Mon. May 12, 2008)
Kobe Bryant (LAL - Shooting Guard) News: Bryant battled through back spasms Sunday in the Lakers' loss to Utah in Game 4 of their Western Conference semifinal playoff series, the Associated Press reports. (RotoWire - Mon. May 12, 2008)
Jazz
Andrei Kirilenko (UTAH - Forward) News: Kirilenko missed practice Thursday because of a travel visa, a day before Utah faced the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinals. (STATS - Fri. May 16, 2008)
Andrei Kirilenko (UTAH - Forward) News: Kirilenko missed Thursday's practice so that he could take care of an issue related to a travel visa, the Associated Press reports. (RotoWire - Thu. May 15, 2008)
Carlos Boozer (UTAH - Forward-Center) News: Boozer had playoff highs of 27 points and 20 rebounds and went 12-for-21 from the field as the Jazz beat the Lakers 104-99 on Friday night in Game 3 of their second-round playoff series. (STATS - Fri. May 9, 2008)
