Lakers steamrolled by Jazz

http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200~25388~2512495,00.html

If Bryant was looking for a lesson in playing with nine new teammates, sans
Shaquille O'Neal, he got it Wednesday. With the Lakers out of sync all
night, Bryant took 21 shots, made nine, and had but a single assist.

Behind press row, one NBA scout could be overheard sarcastically asking,
"Who's going to take this shot?" and "Just go ahead and get it over with" as
Bryant worked with the ball in his hands.

Bryant spent most of his night leaning into Raja Bell, Gordan Giricek and
Kirk Snyder trying to draw fouls. He went 16 of 20 from the line but none of
his teammates scored more than Lamar Odom's 14 points.


The Lakers team that so deftly took care of Denver's double teams Tuesday
couldn't even get past Kirilenko's right and left hands Wednesday. Kirilenko
finished with eight blocks and 16 points.

Out of the Lakers' 33 shots in the first half, Kirilenko got a piece of five
of them.


Booed every time he touched the ball in the first quarter, Bryant shot just
1 of 7 for the first half. He was stripped of the ball by Bell in the first
quarter and blocked by Kirilenko in the second.

Malone, meanwhile, still has yet to make up his mind about returning this
season after undergoing knee surgery this summer. The Lakers only could hope
he didn't turn on the television Wednesday, or pick up his phone to hear
about it.