Lakers at Jazz - Game 1 - '97 Conference Semifinals - 5/4/97 (Highlights)

The Utah Jazz defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in convincing fashion, winning 93-77 on a Sunday afternoon at the Delta Center to take a 1-0 series lead in the Western Conference Semifinals. Karl Malone led Utah with 23 points and 13 rebounds, while John Stockton added 10 points, 6 assists and 5 rebounds. They were joined in double-figures by Jeff Hornacek with 10 points. Utah also received a huge lift in the 2nd-qtr from Chris Morris, who came off-the-bench to score 9 points. Overall, Utah's bench would outscore LA's bench 33-9. Defensively the Jazz smothered the Lakers, holding them to 34% FG shooting and 23 points below their season scoring average. Jazz center Greg Ostertag (8 pts, 7 reb, 3 blk) did a reasonably good job against Shaquille O'Neal, holding Shaq to 17 points, 12 rebounds and 6-16 shooting. Laker point guard Nick Van Exel drained 4 threes and led the Lakers with 23 points while Eddie Jones added 17. The Utah Jazz finished the 1996-97 regular season with a franchise-best 64-18 record, claiming the #1 seed in the West. The L.A. Lakers finished 56-26 to earn the #4-seed. Game 2 Highlights:    • Lakers at Jazz - Game 2 - '97 Conference S...