Jazz v. Lakers

[Cali Coug]

Originally Posted by TripletDaddy

I just don't see how the Jazz plan on matching up with the Lakers. If they double Kobe, he now has proven that he will pass to the open cutter or spot shooter. Gasol usually benefits and gets his 20+. If they double Gasol, Kobe carves up the defense and draws fouls. And nobody seems to care to pay much attention to Lamar, as he quietly gets 19 and 16!

This series is over. It may take 6 games, but it is over. The Jazz have zero shot at winning this.

The biggest surprise in this series has been Deron. He has basically sucked. His stats and performance and good, but unacceptable for someone who is knocking on stardom's door. Fisher has made him look silly. Deron finished with 25 points tonight, almost 10 of them in complete garbage time. he needs to figure it out in the first quarter, not the last 5 minutes of the 4th.

Millsap, on the other hand....dude, when does that guy become a free agent?

Harpring did a great job on Kobe. He really got in his head. He can't do it for a full 48 minutes because he is too old, but he played Kobe very well tonight. Kirilenko also did a decent job. Kobe is simply the best player in the NBA right now, but that doesn't mean the Lakers will win the series. The Jazz will get their composure back at home.

[Surfah]

Originally Posted by Cali Coug

Harpring did a great job on Kobe. He really got in his head. He can't do it for a full 48 minutes because he is too old, but he played Kobe very well tonight. Kirilenko also did a decent job. Kobe is simply the best player in the NBA right now, but that doesn't mean the Lakers will win the series. The Jazz will get their composure back at home.

I don't think Harpring got in Kobe's head. And Kirilenko did a decent job if you mean he did better than Brewer who Kobe torched.

[TheSizzle36]

Originally Posted by surfah33

I don't think Harpring got in Kobe's head. And Kirilenko did a decent job if you mean he did better than Brewer who Kobe torched.

Kobe hit about every shot he could. Brew's defense wasn't awful, Kobe just lit him up. It seemed like he didn't miss when Brew was guarding him.

[Cali Coug]

Originally Posted by TheSizzle36

Kobe hit about every shot he could. Brew's defense wasn't awful, Kobe just lit him up. It seemed like he didn't miss when Brew was guarding him.

I agree. I thought Brewer played pretty tough defense. Kobe was/is just a better player.

[Cali Coug]

Originally Posted by surfah33

I don't think Harpring got in Kobe's head. And Kirilenko did a decent job if you mean he did better than Brewer who Kobe torched.

Kobe seemed very frustrated in the 4th quarter when Harpring was on him. He seemed more focused on pushing off of Harpring and fighting with him than he was on scoring, which was great for the 5 minutes Harpring was on him.

[creekster]

Originally Posted by Cali Coug

Harpring did a great job on Kobe. He really got in his head. He can't do it for a full 48 minutes because he is too old, but he played Kobe very well tonight. Kirilenko also did a decent job. Kobe is simply the best player in the NBA right now, but that doesn't mean the Lakers will win the series. The Jazz will get their composure back at home.

While I love the Jazz, I am afraid the series is probabyl unwinnable. Let's say you're right and the Jazz hold serve at home, which game in LA do they pick up? Game 5 to make it three in a row? Or game 7? Neither seems very likely to me.

[TheSizzle36]

Originally Posted by creekster

While I love the Jazz, I am afraid the series is probabyl unwinnable. Let's say you're right and the Jazz hold serve at home, which game in LA do they pick up? Game 5 to make it three in a row? Or game 7? Neither seems very likely to me.

I agree, and it would have to be Game 7. And that is a very tall task.

[Cali Coug]

Originally Posted by creekster

While I love the Jazz, I am afraid the series is probabyl unwinnable. Let's say you're right and the Jazz hold serve at home, which game in LA do they pick up? Game 5 to make it three in a row? Or game 7? Neither seems very likely to me.

I think it would have to be Game 5 to seal the deal in Game 6.

[TripletDaddy]

The jazz are now 2-3 on the road in the playoffs. Their regular season bad habits are already appearing in the post-season.

Even if they tie it up in SLC, 2 of the last 3 games are road games for them.

The bigger issue is not whether the crowd will help them.

It is whether they can find an answer to match up better. So far, they do not match up well, at all.

Look at the scoring distribution...Odom, Gasol, Bryant, Vujacic, and Fisher all in double figures. In both games, the Lakers have built a lead of at least 15 points or more and have had at least 4 players in double figures.

The Jazz, on the other hand, have had their 2 main go-to guys disappear. Tonight, the Jazz had 30 team fouls....once again showing why they lead the NBA in fouls called against.

These trends don't just disappear in the playoffs. They become magnified.

I think the Jazz win one in SLC. But not both.

[Cali Coug]

Originally Posted by TripletDaddy

The jazz are now 2-3 on the road in the playoffs. Their regular season bad habits are already appearing in the post-season.

Even if they tie it up in SLC, 2 of the last 3 games are road games for them.

The bigger issue is not whether the crowd will help them.

It is whether they can find an answer to match up better. So far, they do not match up well, at all.

Look at the scoring distribution...Odom, Gasol, Bryant, Vujacic, and Fisher all in double figures. In both games, the Lakers have built a lead of at least 15 points or more and have had at least 4 players in double figures.

The Jazz, on the other hand, have had their 2 main go-to guys disappear. Tonight, the Jazz had 30 team fouls....once again showing why they lead the NBA in fouls called against.

These trends don't just disappear in the playoffs. They become magnified.

I think the Jazz win one in SLC. But not both.

The Jazz's problem is that they keep forgetting to pound the ball inside. When they do that, they do well and get the Lakers into foul trouble. The Jazz can win by getting Odom and/or Gasol in foul trouble early. Boozer, Kirilenko, Okur and Williams on drives should be drawing a lot of contact. The trouble starts when Kirilenko and Okur (the two worst offenders) try to lob up a shot from 20 feet out or more. Once they do it, they seem to keep doing it until Sloan pulls them out. I don't get it. But I think it can and will be corrected and the Jazz will take 2 in SLC, putting the pressure on the Lakers in Game 5.