RealGM

Game 5


Lakers tactics to minimize space around Boozer. See Bryant. Brewer went baseline for layup.


Odom comes from weakside to help on rolling Boozer. Poor Jazz spreading allows Lakers to cover the lane and recover back to open Brewer in midcorner if needed.


Very rare sample of perfect Jazz spreading on picknroll. See Vujacic, Odom and Bryant sagging off Miles, Okur and Kirilenko. Boozer choosed Kirilenko but unfortunately Andrei fumbled the pass.
This setup must be the fundamental for the Jazz.

Typical great Lakers spreading on picknroll. Bryant faked both Kirilenko and Okur and drove the lane. In this situation it's impossible for help defenders not to give up an open shot. Vujacic was 1-11 from perimeter but Radmanovic and Fisher made their jumpshots and Odom converted his drives.
The only solution is somehow to slow down the picknrollers. Make them hesitate to throw out their timing. Okur has no business to show hard on Bryant. His lateral movement are horrible so this defensive option is the worst one I guess.


Another rare sample of great Jazz spreading. It's small-on-big screen. Korver set a screen for Boozer while Kirilenko, Williams and Okur spread the defense. Boozer easily scored on Gasol.
Again, this setup is a must for the Jazz. I prefer Williams as passer, Korver and Okur as the other two spreaders, Kirilenko as screener and Boozer as ... Boozer.


Unfortunately this mess reminds more of Jazz spreading. You see 5 Lakers in the lane. Millsap wanted to score there, ended up with offensive foul. I could not believe my eyes. It's West Semi-Finals and we are able to produce such a mess play.

Nice. Very nice post.

Shows you how small mental lapses like spacing and help defense is enough to hand a game over to the opposing team.

Again, nice analysis.

interesting. I also noticed that the Lakers are illegally in the key on a couple of those and I don't remember hearing any whistle on that last game. If you aren't within arms length of YOUR guy you can't be in the key. Only unless you are douple teaming the ball.

Jazz weren't illegal.

Nice work, cool perspective.