Given a perfect opportunity to beat the Lakers on Tuesday night, the Jazz meekly declined.

Kobe Bryant scored 22 points and Shaquille O'Neal also had 22 before being ejected in the third quarter as the Los Angeles cruised to a 112-82 victory at the Staples Center.

The Lakers played the final quarter and a half without O'Neal, who was kicked out after elbowing the Jazz's Jarron Collins in the face and picking up his second technical foul with 5:16 left in the third quarter.