Utah Jazz: Tough game, fine finish

Although Bryant missed 20 of his 33 shots, he was still good enough to nearly win the game.

Like supermodels and chocolate chip cookies, he looks good even on bad days.

Having Bryant in Salt Lake since Friday naturally opened the door for all sorts of anti-Kobe abuse. Fans mock him, make inflammatory signs and generally treat him like they would any other airborne virus.

Conversely, the crowd periodically chants "M-V-P!" when Williams has the ball.

They chant other, less gentrified phrases when Bryant is in possession.

In their own little corner of the NBA, Williams is the show.

"If we are struggling a little to score, I try to assert myself in the game," said Williams.

Thus, in Sunday's early going, he threw two perfect alley-oop lobs to Ronnie Brewer for dunks. He landed a key 3-pointer after a flagrant foul had interrupted the rhythm. He scored 13 points in the second quarter alone.

Altogether, he made it seem a debatable point — at least for one afternoon — which was the MVP of what.

Not that Williams would argue his case; he has already said Bryant is the league's best player and that comparisons are silly.

"He's (Williams) just growing and growing and growing as a great player every day," said Jazz coach Jerry Sloan.

Valuable is valuable, even without a title.

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