NBA Game Summary - LA Lakers at Utah

Salt Lake City, UT (Basketball News) - Gordan Giricek finished with 21 points off the bench to lead Utah to an 88-83 win over the Los Angeles Lakers at the Delta Center.

Raul Lopez contributed 17 points for the Jazz, who won for the fifth time in six games and snapped a five-game losing streak at home to the Lakers. Andrei Kirilenko added 15 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks in the victory.

Gary Payton registered 21 points, seven assists and six rebounds for the Lakers, who had a three-game winning streak snapped. Shaquille O’Neal chipped in with 16 points and 10 rebounds before being ejected late in the fourth quarter.

"Bob Delaney’s known to be very prejudiced against (O’Neal). We know that, so we wouldn’t be surprised if it wasn’t a good call, but I’m not going to make a comment on that right now," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said about the referee’s call. "There was contact, but it wasn’t deliberate."

Los Angeles forward Karl Malone, currently on the injured list, returned to Utah for the first time since leaving the Jazz, but was forced to remain on the bench due to a knee injury. He signed as a free agent with the Lakers this past summer.

Raja Bell posted 13 points for the Jazz, who scored 11 straight points to overcome a four-point deficit down the stretch.

O’Neal’s dunk, with just under four minutes to go, staked Los Angeles to a 72-68 edge. But the center was called for a technical foul and was ejected when his elbow came down on a Utah player.

"O’Neal [going out] of the ballgame sort of turned things around," said Utah head coach Jerry Sloan said.

The Jazz then took advantage of the loss. Giricek’s jumper put the team ahead for good with 2:48 to play. On their next possession, Kirilenko hit a fadeaway jumper with the shot clock winding down.

Two foul shots by Giricek with 58 second to go capped the flurry and put Utah ahead 79-72.

The Lakers got no closer than three points the rest of the way.

Luke Walton’s layup with 2:09 remaining in the first capped an 18-4 flurry for Los Angeles, which led 22-14 at the end of the quarter.

Midway through the second quarter, the Jazz took a 26-25 advantage. Bell capped the 12-3 surge on two foul shots.

Utah ended the second ahead 39-38. Giricek and Lopez each posted 10 points off the bench for the team in the first half. Kareem Rush, meanwhile, led all scorers with 12 points for the Lakers.

Midway through the third quarter, the Jazz built a 51-45 advantage on a three- pointer by Giricek.

A layup by Payton with 3:04 remaining in the third pulled Los Angeles within 53-52. But the Jazz answered with four straight points. A jumper by Bell with 1:39 left put them ahead 57-52.

The Lakers ended the quarter trailing 57-55.

A jumper by Maurice Williams just over three minutes into the fourth quarter staked Utah to a 63-59 advantage.