(Sports Network) - Kobe Bryant scored 24 points and dished out eight assists, and the Los Angeles Lakers led by double digits for a majority of their 113-100 victory over the Utah Jazz in Game 1 of their Western Conference quarterfinal series.

Bryant moved into third all-time on the Lakers' all-time postseason scoring list and ninth overall with 3,710 points, passing Magic Johnson. Trevor Ariza added a playoff career-high 21 points, while Pau Gasol contributed 20 points, nine rebounds and four blocks for Los Angeles.

"We have to keep (Utah) off the free throw line," Bryant said. "In the second half, they were aggressive. Every game is a big game. We're happy to be healthy at this juncture."

This marks the second straight season these two teams have met in the playoffs. The Lakers defeated the Jazz in six games in the Western semis and have now beaten Utah six straight times at STAPLES Center, playoffs and regular season.

"I don't know if we can say we can prevailed after our second half play, but we got the win," Lakers head coach Phil Jackson said. "The three-point shooting was the key to our game. Our guys were keyed up for game one, and that was pleasing to me."

Carlos Boozer paced the Jazz attack with 27 points and nine rebounds, while Deron Williams added 16 points and 17 assists. Paul Millsap was the only other player in double figures, totaling 15 points to go with eight rebounds.

"We have to execute our offense," Boozer said. "I couldn't finish around the basket. We all have to do a better job of that. I have to do a better job of being aggressive and attacking."

Game 2 of the series is set for Tuesday night.

The Lakers dominated the opening half. Down early, 6-2, LA embarked on a 17-4 run, led by 10 points from Ariza, to take a 19-10 lead. The hosts scored the final five points of the first to go ahead, 30-19.

In the second, a 9-4 run to start the quarter -- seven points from Lamar Odom -- put the Lakers ahead by 16, 39-23. Los Angeles then closed the half on a 20-8 run to take a seemingly comfortable 62-40 lead into the locker room after Luke Walton drilled a three on the Lakers' final possession.

"We can't have this happen against (the Lakers)," Williams said. "We're not going to come back from 20 down. We've got to do a better job of getting through the first half."

The Jazz scored the first nine points of the third quarter, as two free throws from Jarron Collins cut Utah's deficit to 13, 62-49, three minutes into the period.

Utah couldn't get any closer, though, as an Ariza three-point play pushed the Lakers' lead back up to 16 with 6 1/2 minutes to go in the third. LA carried an 86-73 lead heading to the fourth.

The Jazz tried desperately to put together an extended run in the fourth, and they got to within nine after Andrei Kirilenko drained a three with just under six minutes to play. But that was as close as they got for the remainder of the game, as Bryant answered with two baskets. The Lakers cruised to the finish.

Game Notes

Only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (4,070) and Jerry West (4,457) are ahead of Bryant on the Lakers' all-time playoff scoring list...LA won the season series with Utah, 2-1...The Jazz beat only one winning team this season on the road (New Orleans)...The teams have split four playoff series all-time...The Lakers have won 53 of 60 series all-time when they win game one...Utah was without Mehmet Okur (hamstring).







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