Lakers 96, Jazz 85
Kobe Bryant scored 21 points and the visiting Los Angeles Lakers continued their extraordinary post-All-Star Game roll by winning their ninth consecutive game, 96-85 over the Utah Jazz on Friday night.
The Lakers (55-20) are 17-1 since the All-Star Break and have pulled to just 1½ games behind the struggling San Antonio Spurs (57-19), losers of six straight, for first place in the West.
Pau Gasol had 16 points and nine rebounds, Lamar Odom scored 16, Derek Fisher had 15 and Andrew Bynum 11.
Los Angeles was playing without forward Matt Barnes, who served a one-game suspension as part of an altercation Thursday night against Dallas.
C.J. Miles led Utah with 24 points, Al Jefferson had 17 points and 10 rebounds and Paul Millsap scored 16.
The Jazz (36-40) were without guards Raja Bell, Devin Harris and Ronnie Price, forward Andrei Kirilenko and center Mehmet Okur.