Lakers 96, Jazz 85

SALT LAKE CITY -- The Lakers rallied from a 17-point deficit tonight to win their ninth consecutive, their 17th in 18 games and moved to within 1 1/2 games of the conference- and league-leading San Antonio Spurs. Kobe Bryant score 21 points, Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom added 16 apiece, Derek Fisher scored 15 and Andrew Bynum had 11. Odom played 29 minutes, 34 seconds despite coming down with a stomach ailment before the game.

"Just for my own competitive drive, I wanted to at least give it a shot," Odom said of playing after vomiting only 90 minutes before the tipoff. "I don't feel too well. People can appreciate that you gave it a shot. You let your instincts take over."