--The Jazz will be facing long odds in their first-round series. Since the NBA playoffs expanded to 16 teams in 1984, No. 8 seeds have gone 3-47 in the first round, with only Golden State in 2007, New York in 1999 and Denver in 1994 pulling upsets. The Jazz have been the No. 8 seed only once previously, losing 3-1 to Sacramento in 2002.
--There will be many games for the Jazz to regret if they finish a win away from escaping the Lakers in the first round. But the Jazz can look first and foremost at their 3-18 record in the second game of back-to-back sets. Only Washington has fewer wins (two) in such games. The Jazz's previous franchise-worst mark was 5-20 in 1974-75. QUOTE TO NOTE: "We didn't give them much of a battle, and knowing that we're going to have to play them again, it looks pretty bleak." -- Jazz coach Jerry Sloan on a first-round series against the Lakers.
