LAKERS 111, UTAH 104

The Lakers were helpless for a few days in Utah, bringing back two losses and a highly publicized case of back spasms before rediscovering themselves at home.Kobe Bryant had 26 points and the Lakers secured a tightly wound 111-104 victory Wednesday over the Utah Jazz at Staples Center.It was tense, it was close, but the Jazz never led. Indeed, a wire-to-wire victory in the most important Lakers game so far this season.The Lakers hold a 3-2 edge in the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal. Game 6 is Friday at Utah.Bryant's lower back was easily the most popular anatomical discussion of the sports world this week.He came through with a solid effort, making six of 10 shots, 13 of 17 free throws, and adding seven assists and six rebounds.He wasn't perfect, his defense sometimes sacrificed because of his lower-back soreness, but he logged 41 minutes three days after being floored twice in Game 4 by back pain.He had plenty of assistance on a night the Lakers needed it.Lamar Odom had 22 points and 11 rebounds. Pau Gasol, scoreless in the first quarter, had 21 points and eight assists. He also had six rebounds, all offensive, most very important. Both players were critical pieces in a fourth quarter that wasn't decided until the final minute.Utah cut the lead to 101-100 on a three-pointer by Deron Williams with 2:17 to play.Sasha Vujacic missed a three-point attempt (he was one for 11 on the night), but Gasol took the rebound, kept alive the possession, and Odom dunked after a pass from Bryant.Mehmut Okur's layup again brought the Jazz within a point with 1:18 to play, but then Gasol backed Okur down in the post and scored on a casual left-handed flip.On the Lakers' next trip down, Gasol took a rebound off Vujacic's miss from the corner and dunked to give the Lakers a 107-102 lead with 20.5 seconds to play. End of game, end of tension, beginning of a slew of deep breaths."We've got guys in Lamar and Pau that are capable of helping us along in this series," Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said.Both coaches have griped about foul calls in the series. Wednesday was Jerry Sloan's turn.He wondered aloud about the free-throw disparity -- 42 attempts from the line for the Lakers, 28 for the Jazz -- and observed that Bryant went to the line 17 times, bad back and all. SOURCE: LATIMES