Reality TV not so fun for Jazz

LOS ANGELES — On a recent episode of "Britain's Got Talent," a frumpy, middle-aged Scottish woman named Susan Boyle stepped on stage to face a skeptical panel of judges. You could just see it. Oh, boy, here it comes. This will be embarrassing.

But when she opened her mouth, she sang like an angel. Judges were touched. Audience members gave her a standing ovation. It was an all-around beautiful moment that even impressed professional curmudgeon Simon Cowell.

Unfortunately for the Jazz, that's reality TV. This is reality NBA playoffs, where surprises happen, too, but not often.

This probably isn't going to be one of them.

Game 1 is history and so, almost certainly, are the Jazz. It's hard to figure any other way, when you consider that Mehmet Okur was still walking around in a suit at day's end. Equally important is that for almost half of Sunday's 113-100 loss to the Lakers, Kobe Bryant was really, really quiet.

That's not to say he was nonexistent. With Bryant, the threat is almost as dangerous as the reality.

Still, the Lakers led by 16 before Bryant even got warmed up. He didn't score his first points until two minutes remained in the first quarter, didn't get his second basket until three minutes remained in the half.

Then he reminded everyone that this is still Kobe's planet. He made a turnaround fader, double-clutched in another shot and hit the ensuing free throw.

Bryant ended the game with a ho-hum (for him) 24 points and the Jazz were left with the realization that no matter what they do about him, the Lakers have a lot of other things to throw at them.

"They're definitely not a one-man team," said Jazz guard Ronnie Brewer, whose primary job was to follow Bryant from the time he hit the 405 freeway.

How's this for a reality moment: The Lakers could beat the Jazz in this first-round series even without Bryant.

Trevor Ariza had 21 points, Paul Gasol 20, Lamar Odom 13.

It's tempting to compare this year to the Jazz's decent showing in the playoffs last year against the Lakers. But that would be wrong. Gone is Ronny Turiaf, who moved on to Golden State, but back with the Lakers are Andrew Bynum and Trevor Ariza, both of whom missed last year's series. Meanwhile, the Jazz are playing with a recuperating Carlos Boozer and without Okur.

The Lakers are better and the Jazz are worse.