Paul Millsap

Both the Lakers and the Utah Jazz have started the season slowly with matching 1-3 records. The Lakers are set to visit Utah on Wednesday night, with hopes of building their first win streak of the season. Utah is looking to end a three-game slide. Utah has four powerful big men in Al Jefferson, Paul Millsap, Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter. Mo Williams is off to a fast start and yet the Jazz has just a single victory. With Steve Nash still recovering from a leg injury, the Lakers will have to play an excellent game of basketball to escape Utah with a win. Key matchup Jefferson's scoring is down a bit, to 12.3 points per game on 44% shooting, but he's a true back-to-the basket center.

The Lakers come out of Week 2 with a 1-3 record despite playing three of four at home.  The prediction was for the Lakers to beat the Dallas Mavericks and Detroit Pistons but lose to the Clippers and Portland Trail Blazers. The difference was the opening-night loss to Dallas. With Steve Nash sidelined, the team will play three games this coming week, two at home but the first in Utah against the Jazz. The following is a breakdown of their second week's schedule (through Sunday)

  SALT LAKE CITY - Good thing for the Clippers there are 48 minutes in an NBA game. They needed, and used, every one of them Monday night against the Utah Jazz. It's also a good thing for the Clippers that they have one of the best benches in the NBA, and that their starters know how to close out games when given a reprieve. So it all ended up good for the Clippers, a 105-104 victory over the Jazz at EnergySolutions Arena leaving L.A. with a good vibe after delivering the Jazz its first home loss of the season.

Reporting from Salt Lake City - Stop that beat. The Clippers have finally won a game here, finally walking away with a smile instead of a frown, escaping with a 107-105 victory over the Utah Jazz at EnergySolutons Arena on Wednesday night. With Chris Paul playing the role of conductor, Blake Griffin providing the power, Mo Williams being the supersub and the team making free throws down the stretch, the Clippers won a game in Salt Lake City for the first time since Jan. 22, 2003.

The evolution of Blake Griffin continues. That was evident during the Utah Jazz game Saturday night. The Clippers' All-Star forward didn't score in the second quarter and had only one rebound in 6 minutes 43 seconds of play. He got frustrated in the second quarter and was issued a technical foul. His man, Paul Millsap , scored 12 of his 17 first-half points in the quarter. But when Griffin came back out for the second half, he was a changed player. He had 12 points on five-for-six shooting in the third quarter.

Lakers 102 - Jazz 84 (end of regulation) The Lakers ended their four-game losing streak Friday night, defeating the Utah Jazz 102-84. Kobe Bryant was one rebound shy of a triple-double and one assist short of his career high (15), with a 14-point, 14-assist, nine-rebound effort. The Lakers held the Jazz to just 37 points in the first half and 21 in the fourth quarter.  Utah's best effort was 26 in the third. The Jazz were led by Derrick Favors with 14 points while shooting 42% as a team.

The Phoenix Mercury has suspended guard Diana Taurasi for two games without pay after she was cited on charges related to drunk driving. In a release Thursday, the team said Taurasi was suspended "for conduct detrimental to the team." Taurasi will miss Saturday's game against Detroit and Wednesday's game against Minnesota. Taurasi faces three charges, including extreme DUI, in a July 2 incident.