THE X FACTORS

A look at the factors that made the difference in the Jazz’s 99-95 victory over the Lakers:

AT THE LINE

The Lakers were the NBA’s worst free-throw shooting team (making 67 percent of their shots) during the regular season, and the Jazz (71 percent) was the best. A quarter-by-quarter look at Game 1:

FIRST

Lakers: 6 attempts, 4 made

Jazz: 10 attempts, 7 made

SECOND

Lakers: 6 attempts, 2 made

Jazz: 11 attempts, 6 made

THIRD

Lakers: 14 attempts, 11 made

Jazz: 8 attempts, 7 made

FOURTH

Lakers: 8 attempts, 6 made

Jazz: 9 attempts, 7 made

*

GAME 2: Lakers 23 of 34 (67.6%); Utah 27 of 38 (71.1%)

SERIES: Lakers 50 of 80 (62.5%); Utah 50 of 68 (73.5%)

PLAYOFFS: Lakers 281 of 435 (64.6%); Utah: 262 of 365 (71.8%)

THE BIG MEN

SHAQUILLE O’NEAL

Game 2: 31 pts, 7 reb.

Series: 25 pts, 7.5 reb.

Playoffs: 29 pts., 10 reb.

KARL MALONE

Game 2: 33 pts, 7 reb.

Series: 31 pts, 8.5 reb.

Playoffs: 26.5 pts, 10.8 reb.

THE SUPPORTING CAST

EDDIE JONES: Paging Eddie Jones, Eddie Jones. He finally answered, but not until the third quarter. Jones was scoreless in the first half. He did come back to play a strong second half with 19 points.

NICK VAN EXEL: Nick hasn’t quite been the quick so far in the series. He struggled from the floor, making only four of 12 field goals (after going one for nine in Game 1) and had only one assist in 29 minutes.

JOHN STOCKTON: Too old? Yeah, right. The 36-year-old veteran scored 14 second quarter points to bring the Jazz within one at the half, 50-49. He had six in the fourth quarter to finish with 22 points.

JEFF HORNACEK: Another old guy, the 35-year-old Hornacek rebounded from a poor first game with 11 points, eight of them in the second half, including two key free throws with 24.5 seconds left to clinch the win.

PARTING SHOTS

It doesn’t look good for the home team. No team in Western Conference finals history (since 1970-71) has come back from an 0-2 deficit. Only two teams in the Eastern Conference finals have come back from 0-2 in 18 tries.