Lakers 120, Jazz 91
Kobe Bryant scored 21 points and the Los Angeles Lakers opened a five-game homestand Tuesday by cruising to a seventh straight home win, a 120-91 trouncing of the road-weary Utah Jazz.
Pau Gasol added 20 points, Andrew Bynum 19 and 11 rebounds and Lamar Odom 17 for the Lakers, who led by 15 points after the first quarter and 66-38 at the half behind 63.1 percent shooting (24-of-38).
Deron Williams scored 17 points for Utah, which was outscored by 77 points in getting swept during a five-game road swing and returns to Energy Solutions Arena on Wednesday to play league-leading San Antonio.
The five-game losing streak is Utah’s longest since the 2006-07 season.
Los Angeles closed the first quarter on a 23-9 run and scored the first six points of the second for a 43-22 lead. C.J. Miles knocked down a shot from the arc with 6:47 left to cut Utah’s deficit to 44-30, but Los Angeles hit right back with a 16-2 surge, getting points from five different players for a 60-32 lead with 2:21 left in the half.
Los Angeles led by as much as 38 points in the second half – the largest deficit the Jazz have faced this season.