In the grand scheme of things, the Jazz remain the equivalent of NBA toddlers, the youngest team still alive in these playoffs. That doesn't mean, though, that they aren't capable of growing up quickly, sometimes in the matter of a few dizzying hours.
    They refused to head home Sunday afternoon with a Game 4 loss in the Western Conference semifinals to the Los Angeles Lakers, not even after giving back a 12-point lead in the last 4:21. Instead, the Jazz regrouped in overtime for a 123-115 triumph at EnergySolutions Arena.
    It took all 53 minutes of the first Sunday home game in Utah in more than seven years, with the sellout crowd on its feet the entire fourth quarter and overtime, but the Jazz
Jazz vs. Lakers: Game 4


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will head to Los Angeles for Game 5 on Wednesday having tied this series 2-2.
    "We felt going into the overtime that we still had the energy to compete and to bring it," Deron Williams said. "I think that's what we did. We got stops when we had to, made free throws, made shots, and it was a big win for us."
    The Jazz had played only one overtime game all season before Sunday, but outscored the Lakers 15-7 in the extra period. Mehmet Okur hit two 23-footers and Andrei Kirilenko dunked as part of a three-point play to push the Jazz over the hump.
    With Kobe Bryant battling back spasms, meanwhile, the Lakers flew home not only with a loss but a question mark for Game 5. Bryant twisted his back on a turnaround jumper in the game's first minute and shot 2-for-13 in the fourth quarter and overtime.
    Bryant said he would play Wednesday but conceded the injury made it hard for him to run and cut. He answered questions standing - "Don Cornelius?" he joked with the microphone in hand - in the interview room afterward.
    "No excuses for me," Bryant said. "[Kirilenko] did a great job. Great defensive player. They just did a terrific job. They made big plays when they needed to. We cut it to within one, Deron makes a big shot. We gave ourselves opportunities. It just didn't work out for us."
    It was the defining game of the playoffs for the Jazz, who came home trailing 2-0 in the series but can entertain thoughts of overcoming such a deficit for the second consecutive season. They did so last year in the first round against Houston, winning Game 7 on the road.
    The Jazz were the NBA's second-youngest team to qualify for these playoffs, after only Atlanta, with an average age of 25.8 on the last day of the regular season. Now, two more victories against the Lakers would put the Jazz in the conference finals for the second straight
Video: Utah Jazz Post Game 4 Interviews
year.
    "We showed a lot of character and we showed that we can win down the stretch," Ronnie Price said. "We could've easily just went away from our game in overtime or put our heads down, but we didn't. Big-time guys made big-time plays."
    It was Price who might have symbolized the afternoon. The third-year guard was drilled by Ronny Turiaf on a drive in the second quarter and banged his head on the floor. Turiaf was called for a flagrant foul and ejected; Price needed four stitches to close the gash over his right eye.
    But Price came back in the fourth quarter, when the Jazz's reserves outscored the Lakers 11-5, and made the play of the game, chasing down Luke Walton to block his breakaway layup bid. It was only the ninth block of Price's NBA career.
    "We've got to do things like that all during the course of the game in order to beat this team," Price said.
    After playing just 3:38 in the first half because of foul trouble, Derek Fisher led the Lakers back from 12 points down in the fourth, burying three three-pointers in a matter of 77 seconds against his old team. Okur, meanwhile, was called for a technical after punching the air in frustration after a foul.
    In the final minute of regulation, Lamar Odom nailed a three-pointer off a Bryant pass to tie the score 106-106. Boozer sank two free throws with 33.7 seconds left to the put the Jazz ahead. Odom missed a three-pointer, but redeemed himself by following up Bryant's missed layup with 4.6 seconds to play.
    The game went to overtime tied 108-108 as Williams' 20-footer was blocked by Derek Fisher. The Jazz's only previous overtime game this season was a 118-115 victory Feb. 6 at Denver.
    Okur redeemed himself for the technical by hitting two jumpers. The Lakers didn't score for the first 3:39 of overtime until Bryant drove for a layup. It came only after the MVP guard had missed his first four shots in overtime.
    At the other end, Okur grabbed the offensive rebound after Kyle Korver missed a three-pointer, giving Williams (29 points, 14 assists) the chance to find Kirilenko for a dunk. Kirilenko's three-point play put the Jazz ahead 115-110 with 35.5 seconds left.
    The Jazz were able to close out the victory as Williams and Korver went 8-for-8 from the foul line. Bryant finished with 33 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds, but went 13-for-33 overall and 1-for-10 on three-pointers.
    "It was a tough game, a great battle, and everybody played well for us," Williams said, adding, "We're definitely confident now, but we've still got to prove we can win one on the road."
    rsiler@sltrib.com
   
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    In short: The Jazz regroup in overtime after giving back a 12-point fourth-quarter lead to beat the Lakers in Game 4.
    Key moment: Deron Williams hits Andrei Kirilenko for a dunk as part of a three-point play with 35.5 seconds left in overtime.
    Key stat: The Jazz never trail after the opening two minutes of the first quarter, though the Lakers tie the game at halftime and the end of regulation.