LOS ANGELES — It was an opening statement that, by the end, felt like a closing argument.

Because, by the end, the Lakers had been in control from the final note of the national anthem, had defensive-minded Shannon Brown with as many 3-pointers (three) as all the Jazz combined and had Utah's coach lamenting his team's obvious short comings.

"We can't seem to make our guys any taller," Jerry Sloan said, without displaying even a hint of a humor. "If we could figure out a way to do that, we'd probably be better off."

All this this entire 113-100 victory Sunday and the Lakers received little from purported difference-maker Andrew Bynum, while requiring Kobe Bryant to barely warm up his hamstrings.

Perhaps the trial comparison above is an ill-fitting one. You see, in most court cases, there's a chance either side could win.

In this on-court case, Utah, based on Game 1, appears to have as much chance for sustained success as gangsta rap does in Salt Lake City. Mercifully, Game 2 and its adjustments come Tuesday, meaning the Jazz still possess breath.

Yet, in summarizing this particular afternoon, Sloan further observed, "They kicked our butts off the floor."

The Jazz aren't in the fridge yet, but a Tupperware container already is being prepared. Undersized and underdogged, Utah also arrived here undermanned, Mehmet Okur still struggling to un-strain his hamstring.

Compare this no-mentum to the Lakers' momentum. They finished with the best record in the Western Conference, with eight victories in their final nine games and with the memory of their most recent playoff performance.

Perhaps you recall it, too. Celtics, 131-92.

"I don't know if teams want to slug it out with us," Lamar Odom said. "We're pretty deep. Whatever style they want to do, we can match."

The Lakers' lead was double digits in the first quarter and 22 points at halftime. This is a No. 1-seed versus a No. 8, the NBA version of North Carolina against Radford. Sure enough, the first two quarters looked to be straight out of the Greensboro region.

By intermission, Bryant was scoring over everything Jazz, and then posing for Kanye West, who was sitting courtside. "That's my man," Bryant later would reveal.

Twice in the second quarter, things were rolling along so well Brown couldn't help but smile on the court. And this was a guy seeing his first significant NBA postseason minutes, an assignment that's supposed to expose something other than a player's teeth.

"When you execute and things come together like they're supposed to, it puts a smile on your face," he said. "Kobe's on us about that all the time. Then, 'Boom, boom, boom.' It all happens perfectly. You have to smile."

This Jazz team is said to be built in the image of Sloan. This suggests the players lead with a collective marble-hard jaw that is squarer than a box of Trix.

Based on the reputation he began building as a player roughly 125 years ago, Sloan is considered to be as hard as logarithms.

Though popular, this theory is a bit of an exaggeration, in part because Sloan openly admits the Jazz lack nastiness. This team also isn't particularly adept at defending right now.

During one 55-second, three-possession sequence in the second quarter, here's how the Lakers fared:

Odom dunk.

Bynum dunk.

Odom dunk.

The next logical response?

Sloan barf.

"Our confidence is high right now," Brown said. "You gotta have confidence in this game or you'll get eaten alive. There are a bunch of wolves out there."

In the second half, the Lakers predictably let down, their rebounding, defense and overall effort slipping. The Jazz closed to within nine points three times but doubt never really got off the bench.

So is this series over? Already?

Yes. And no. The Jazz won't eliminate the Lakers, but the Lakers won't eliminate the Jazz without some huffing and puffing.

For one thing, playing against Utah is like getting a haircut; it's a much more comfortable undertaking when at home than on the road.

At least two games in this series will be staged in Salt Lake City, where the locals are dedicated to strafing their vocal cords. There will be times there when the Lakers are swallowed in sound.

For another, personal fouls are a great way for gaps between teams to disappear. Derek Fisher picked up two fouls in the first three minutes Sunday. Pau Gasol fouled out and Bynum finished with five.

"I got a bunch of crazy fouls," said Bynum, who was limited to barely 20 minutes. "Just touching people, you know? I have to be a lot more aggressive in the next game."The Lakers can be better and will be better. The Jazz will continue being the Jazz, working hard and sweating a ton, but too short to write a tale this tall.