Game #82 Lakers (64-17) v.s. Jazz (48-33) 4/14 @ 7:30pm

[miggs]

The final game of the regular season has arrived. While the stars will rest, this is another opportunity for the bench mob to find their groove and gear up for the playoffs. Shannon Brown has been solid since seeing an increase in his minutes and Lamar's return to the bench has shown what the bench has so desperately lacked with Bynum out for 32 games. Steady consistent play from Luke has also bolstered the spark off the bench. It's pretty much set in stone that we'll be playing Utah in the first round and so we'll have 3 straight home games, it's crucial that we make a statement tonight and take the first two home games because as we all know, Utah is a very good home team and we gotta pound the ball inside to Bynum and Pau since Utah lacks a dominant interior presence.

And now to take us into battle and pump us up for the playoffs...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fyHmYAF8GI



Los Angeles LAKERS v.s. Utah JAZZ
Date: April 14, 2009
Time: 7:30 pm
Location: Staples Center
TV/Radio: TNT, FSN HD, AM570





v.s.




Starting for the Utah Jazz...


Deron Williams
19.4 ppg
10.6 apg
1.1 spg


Ronnie Brewer
13.7 ppg
3.7 rpg
1.7 spg


Matt Harpring
4.4 ppg
2.0 rpg
0.5 spg


Carlos Boozer
16.2 ppg
10.4 rpg
1.1 spg


Mehmet Okur
17.0 ppg
7.7 rpg
1.7 apg

BENCH:


Paul Millsap
13.2 ppg
8.4 rpg
1.8 apg


Andrei Kirilenko
11.5 ppg
4.8 rpg
2.6 apg


Kyle Korver
9.0 ppg
38.8 3FG%
3.3 rpg


And now for your Los Angeles Lakers...


Derek Fisher
10.0 ppg
39.7 3FG%
3.2 apg


Kobe Bryant
27.0 ppg
5.3 rpg
4.9 apg


Trevor Ariza
8.9 ppg
4.3 rpg
1.7 spg


Pau Gasol
18.9 ppg
9.6 rpg
3.5 apg


Andrew Bynum
14.1 ppg
8.0 rpg
1.8 bpg

BENCH MOB!!!


Lamar Odom
11.3 ppg
8.2 rpg
2.6 apg


Shannon Brown
4.8 ppg
1.0 apg
0.6 spg


Sasha Vujacic
5.6 ppg
1.4 apg
1.0 spg


Luke Walton
5.0 ppg
2.8 rpg
2.7 apg


Josh Powell
4.2 ppg
2.9 rpg
0.3 bpg


2008-2009 STATS & FACTS

Last Meeting:
Jazz 113, Lakers 109.

Despite efficient performances from Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol the Lakers fell to the Jazz in close fought game at Energy Solutions Arena. Lamar got a double-double with 19 points and 19 rebounds on 8-13 shooting, Pau scored 16 points on 7-13 while Kobe Bryant led with a game-high 37 points but shot a dissmal 14-33 including 1-7 from 3-PT range resulting in a frustrating performance which also landed him a technical foul. Utah had all 5 starters in double figures led by stud point guard Deron Williams who got 31 points on 12-17 shooting while dishing out 11 assists. Mehmet Okur also had a great game with 22 points on 8-14 shooting including 3-6 3PT shooting. The Lakers outrebounded the Jazz 39-34 and won the turnover battle 19-16 but allowed Utah to shoot a hot 58.6 FG% performance.

Keys to the game:

The Lakers will need to take advantage of the Jazz' lack of a physical center in order to win these key battles:

1) Rebounds
2) Points in the Paint
3) Turnovers





Key Matchup:

Mehmet Okur v.s Andrew Bynum





With Bynum coming back to full form and Pau still playing at a highly efficient level it'll be interesting to see how they do against Okur/Millsap/Boozer.

Let's wrap up our dominant season with a strong finish and send a message across the league that we're here to win the trophy NOT just repeat as the Western Conference Champions.

We are the best team in the NBA, there's no doubt in my mind, and this game marks the end of the team playing to be the best in the West and the beginning of the team that will show the next step in the dynasty to come with another great postseason run, hopefully adding another trophy to the P&G Legacy!













[size=150]The new dynasty begins...



Credits to Deep, took cues from his Portland GT. Thanks

[ShaY]

Are Kobe and everybody expected to play or are you resting some guys?

Please beat him and then kick their ass in the 1st round ' if you lose there is a good chance we will see them.

[Sloanfeld]

^lol @ Rockets fans. Doubt you beat anyone but the Hornets or Blazers.


Okur is questionable tonight with a strained hamstring.\


PS. This forum reeks of overconfidence. Congrats on the dominating season, see you guys in the WCF.

[butter17]

ANOTHER REVENGE GAME. GO LAKERS!

[lakersfanatic]

most likely phil will rest them since it's not an important game other than if we prefer to play utah or mavericks. But i see phil choosing resting his players more than goin for the win.

Hopefully it'll give our bench the chance to get them riled up for the playoffs. Plus give them the opportunity to play more minutes... One last game before the crazy starts!! hehe

GO LAKERS!

[dingojazz]

That's a pretty impressive game thread, I'll give you credit on that. This game is so interesting to me...will the Lakers want to thump the Jazz, send us a message and play us in the first round? Or is rest more important at this point in the season.

If LA wins, its Jazz vs Lakers. If the Jazz win, you could get Dallas, New Orleans, or still Utah if Dallas and NO both win tough games on Wednesday.

Ultimately I think the Lakers will play to win, but starters minutes will be minimized. I expect it to be a close game in the 4th quarter with starters playing the last 6-8 minutes of the game.

I know the Jazz are slumping right now but a month ago I'd bet almost all of you would have wanted to avoid Utah, I think Dallas is a much better match up for the Lakers to get a sweep or win in 5.

[BallAboveAll]

Hopefully we take care of business. As far as rest we will be off until Sunday. Only thing is practice not sure how hard Phil will have guys going in practice.

[DEEP3CL]

Best GT of the year............nice job miggs. This game is to serve notice of how it's going to be for the next couple of weeks should the Jazz are the 8th seed. I've been seeing all these "should we lose" threads..........screw that the Lakers DON'T tank games ever.

[DEEP3CL]

PS. This forum reeks of overconfidence. Congrats on the dominating season, see you guys in the WCF.

No it's called knowing what this team is capable of, we've been at the bottom of the trash can. We've scrapped and clawed our way back to the top of elite status. If you don't like what you see here don't comment on it. Not trying to sound sarcastic here, but it what do expect us to feel like here ?

[TylersLakers]

Tight GT.

Hopefully the Lakers can get me an early birthday present. My 19th birthday is on Thursday.

I'd like to see some Adam Morrison playing with the first unit if possible and more garbage time for Farmar.

[TruSkool]

now that bynum is back...put him on boozer since boozer isnt a great shooter...and put gasol on okur since hes lankier, and can defend the arch better than bynum...let lamar take advantage of harpring

[miggs]

Best GT of the year............nice job miggs. This game is to serve notice of how it's going to be for the next couple of weeks should the Jazz are the 8th seed. I've been seeing all these "should we lose" threads..........screw that the Lakers DON'T tank games ever.

Thanx Deep. I've been looking forward to doing it, i would've put it up earlier yesterday but i just wasn't feeling it, it seemed all lame at first. Then like at midnight i got all pumped up for the game after playing the same game on live 2009 and i just started doin it! I got all picture crazy lol

Tight GT.

Hopefully the Lakers can get me an early birthday present. My 19th birthday is on Thursday.

I'd like to see some Adam Morrison playing with the first unit if possible and more garbage time for Farmar.

Thanx Tyler. Hopefully they do get you a win! I hope to see some more of Morrison as well. It'd be great to see him out there with the 1st unit, getting the looks Sasha gets when he's playing next to Kobe.

^lol @ Rockets fans. Doubt you beat anyone but the Hornets or Blazers.


Okur is questionable tonight with a strained hamstring.\


PS. This forum reeks of overconfidence. Congrats on the dominating season, see you guys in the WCF.

Not overconfidence at all. I actually see Utah as a formidable opponent, i just don't think you have enough to beat us in the playoffs. I think our biggest problem is when Millsap is in, he a total bully lol i love it! But back to the point, you just aren't at our level. Like Deep said, we've been at rock bottom and really did scrape our way back to the top. It's just not your time guys but with Deron & Millsap there, i see a bright future.

GO LAKERS!!!!

[SALMIEN]

Go lakers an other statement

[qotsa]

They should throw the game and try to get Dallas.

[ikedog34]

I think every rockets fan is checking out this thread to get a feel for what the lakers are planning on doing. I just have to say...WOW! What a game thread. I'm not even close to being a lakers fan and this thread is getting me hype. I'll nominate this one for best of the season for any forum. Great job.

[TommyTheCat]

go lakers!!

[carrottop12]

This game has a lot of interesting dynamics.

No way do the Jazz want to play the Lakers in the first round, but do the Lakers want to face the Jazz in the first round or the Mavericks who they have pummeled in the last several meetings?

Does LA want to face Utah 3 games in a row at home, odds are always decreased when playing that repetitively, and the Lakers can't afford to lose a game to Utah at home.

Does Phil Jackson play the starters more then 20 or so minutes? A risk of injury in the last game of the season could be devastating, the Lakers appear to have far more to lose in this game then they do to gain.

Do the Jazz play worth a damn on a back to back against one of the 2 best teams in the league? They have struggle on the road all season, can they change their luck on the last game of the season?

This is a very unpredictable game.

[miggs]

I think every rockets fan is checking out this thread to get a feel for what the lakers are planning on doing. I just have to say...WOW! What a game thread. I'm not even close to being a lakers fan and this thread is getting me hype. I'll nominate this one for best of the season for any forum. Great job.

Wow thanx dude!!! i really appreciate that, i got so pumped at like midnight so i started goin pic crazy I didn't even know game threads could be nominated for beat of the season or is that sarcasm? lol

[blueberrysticky]

even if the lakers prefer to play the mavs (though the jazz are playing worse as a team right now) dropping the game won't guarantee they get the mavs.

the mavs still have to lose at home versus the rockets and I don't see that happening

[DEEP3CL]

Man I hate this whole "drop game" on purpose crap, last time that was done it's only been one case where it worked and one where it didn't. The Clippers got lucky when they tanked just to get Denver, the Nuggets wasn't ready to play playoff ball yet. And we all know how the Mavs was misused by the Warriors.

I say it and say it for the last time.............the Lakers have NEVER EVER dropped games on purpose and they never will. So you new age generation of ball watchers need to comprehend that in your think skulls.

The Lakers don't care if they play the Jazz or Mavs or Hornets, the mission is to win a title by any means necessary. What up with new age suck ass way of gravy trainning to a title. That would be a PUNK way to get it.