PA SPORTSTICKER NBA PLAYOFF PREVIEW
          (UTAH-LA LAKERS)



*Fresh off MVP award, Bryant leads Lakers vs. Jazz*
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Utah at LA Lakers                                   10:30 pm EDT
Western Conference semifinals			Lakers lead, 1-0


LOS ANGELES (Ticker) - Kobe Bryant is ready to solidify his
title as the NBA's Most Valuable Player.


Bryant and the top-seeded Los Angeles Lakers try to take a
two-games-to none lead in the Western Conference semifinals when
they host the fourth-seeded Utah Jazz for Game Two on
Wednesday.


The 29-year-old Bryant was awarded his first MVP trophy on
Tuesday after averaging 28.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.4
assists per game while leading the Lakers (57-25) to the best
record in the competitive Western Conference.


The 10-time All-Star continued his offensive assault in the
first round of the playoffs, averaging 33.5 points during a
four-game sweep of the eighth-seeded Denver Nuggets.


The Jazz had no answer for Bryant in Game One as he poured in 38
points - including a franchise-record 21 at the free-throw line
- to lead Los Angeles to a 109-98 victory on Sunday.


Pau Gasol chipped in 18 points and 10 rebounds and Lamar Odom
had 16 and nine for the Lakers, who struggled somewhat to put
Utah away after leading by as many as 17 points.


"We avoided a game in which we easily could of come up on the
losing end of," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said.


Utah closed the margin to 91-87 with just under five minutes
left to play in the fourth quarter before Bryant found Gasol
streaking to the basket on consecutive plays, the latter putting
Los Angeles ahead 101-90 with just under a minute remaining.


"We stayed focused even though they had those runs, we weathered
the storms and I think we did a good job of staying together,"
Lakers center Ronny Turiaf said.