Williams will match up against the likes of Derek Fisher , Shannon Brown and Jordan Farmar , though the Lakers also could turn to Kobe Bryant to guard his former Olympic teammate for stretches and also trap to force him to give up the ball.

"They're going to drive the ball down into your throat with Williams," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said, "and then get to the foul line."

There's only one problem with relying on Williams to carry the team: The Jazz went 3-6 this season in games in which he scored 30 points or more.

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"Couple of gifts"

Jazz coach Jerry Sloan has made periodic comments suggesting that the Lakers were more than a little fortunate in how they acquired Pau Gasol and Derek Fisher , and did so again after Tuesday's loss.

Talking about how well the Lakers play in their triangle offense, Sloan said, "They get their kind of players that fit into it and get a couple of gifts and then they're in pretty good shape."

Gasol came to the Lakers in a February 2008 trade from Memphis, with the Grizzlies receiving a package largely built around Kwame Brown 's expiring contract in exchange for their franchise cornerstone.

Fisher was part of the Jazz team that reached the Western Conference finals in 2007, but asked to be released from his contract with his infant daughter suffering from a rare form of eye cancer. He returned to the Lakers, where he played on three championship teams.

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Briefly

The Jazz had no update Wednesday on Mehmet Okur (mild strained right hamstring) and C.J. Miles (dislocated left index finger). ... Okur went into Wednesday tied for fifth in the NBA in three-point shooting at 44.6 percent. ... Ronnie Brewer was seventh in the NBA in steals per game at 1.70 and led the Jazz in games played with 81.

rsiler@sltrib.com