Lakers beat Jazz to win third without Bryant

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, (Reuters) – The Los Angeles  Lakers continued to thrive in the absence of All-Star Kobe  Bryant, beating the Utah Jazz 96-81 on Wednesday.

Lamar Odom had 25 points and 11 rebounds while Pau Gasol  put up 22 points and 19 boards as the Lakers won their third  straight without Bryant since he was sidelined with an ankle  injury.

Also playing their second in a row without starting centre  Andrew Bynum, out with a hip injury, the NBA champions  displayed the depth in their roster by halting a nine-game  winning streak for the red-hot Jazz.

“This just shows the depth of the team no matter who is  hurt,” Gasol told reporters after his second straight  19-rebound effort. “The last three games have been pretty  outstanding. We have guys working hard and we’re having fun.”
Los Angeles (41-13) ended the first quarter on a 12-0 run  to build a 13-point lead and never looked back.

Andrei Kirilenko scored 17 points to lead Utah (32-19)  which pulled within 12 points midway through the fourth before  Lakers guard Jordan Farmar drained a three-pointer to push the  lead back to 15 and put the game away.

The Jazz entered the game as favourites after winning 13 of  their last 14, but appeared weary having played the Los Angeles  Clippers the night before.

Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer both had 11 points and  added 10 assists and 10 boards respectively.

Bryant remains in doubt for Sunday’s All-Star Game.

“I want (Kobe) to do what’s right for him,” said Lakers  coach Phil Jackson. “If he’s 100 percent then play, if not he  shouldn’t. He could’ve (played today) but why? He has a period  of almost a week to rest.”

Gasol, who has also been named for the All-Star Game, added  five blocks and four assists to his totals. Odom carried a sore  foot into the game but appeared unaffected by it and added  three steals.

Farmar also chipped in with 18 off the bench for Los  Angeles.