That could happen only if the Los Angeles Lakers start cooperating.

Unless the other guys start missing shots, the Jazz may be swept in a playoff series for the first time in 20 years.

It would not be their fault, entirely. The Lakers are just too good. Say what you want about the Jazz's defensive troubles, but I'd blame the Lakers' offensive efficiency far more for what's happening in this series.

There was absolutely nothing wrong with the Jazz's effort, poise or resilience in Game 2, but all that was worth nothing more than enabling them to hang around in an eventual 119-109 defeat.

The Lakers were tough enough last spring, when they finished off the Jazz in six games, and they're even better now. The real issue is not so much whether the Lakers can keep playing at this level in Salt Lake City, but if the Jazz can repeat their own offensive performance that was still inadequate in L.A.

The Jazz were really good for long stretches Tuesday, but just not consistently good enough in this venue. Fueled by Deron Williams' 35 points, they would have beaten anybody in the Western Conference, other than their assigned opponent.

The Lakers will lament not being able to put the Jazz away soon enough -- it was a three-point game in the last three minutes -- much less providing their fans with free tacos by holding the visitors under 100 points. It might be disconcerting to them that they needed 60 percent shooting to win, but it was also nice to have that ability.

So the two-game summary is not terribly different from last year's series at this stage, after which the Jazz delivered two home victories and gave themselves a decent chance to win Game 5. But these Lakers simply have too much going for them to allow a similar competition to suddenly break out.

Before the game, Jazz coach Jerry Sloan was saying how he wanted his team to respect the Lakers, but "don't be intimidated by them."

That's not the problem, as much as the Lakers' not even noticing their opponents. The Jazz are pretty much Hollywood extras in this production, which is apparently scripted as an exhibition of shooting and scoring, featuring Phil Jackson's triangle offense.

The Jazz hardly could have played a better offensive half themselves, even with Mehmet Okur still sidelined by a hamstring injury. They shot 60 percent as Ronnie Brewer even hit his first three jumpers, yet it was all they could do to avoid being down by 20-plus points again at the break. After surrendering 41 first-quarter points, the Jazz were within 49-43 and you were thinking they might have absorbed the Lakers' best shot.

Uh, maybe not.

The Lakers responded with a 17-3 run to lead by 20, and only by scoring the half's last nine points did the Jazz get within 66-55.

And they kept battling. They repeatedly cut the lead to six points during the third quarter, once including once with possession. The key sequence: Paul Millsap missed a jumper, then Bryant made a desperate, turnaround shot over Brewer with the 24-second clock expiring.

Amazingly, the Jazz were still not done until the very end, when they could not finish off their rally.

They gave it their best shot Tuesday, but the Lakers always responded. They have a way of doing that, you know.

kkragthorpe@sltrib.com