2nd Round: LA Lakers vs. Utah - Series Tied (2-2)

[pillwenney]

2ND ROUND SERIES of the

( 1 ) Los Angeles Lakers (57-25) vs. ( 4 ) Utah Jazz (54-28 )

Link to game thread 1
Link to game thread 2
Link to game thread 3

Gm. 1: Sun., May 4: JAZZ 98 @ LAKERS 109 FINAL
Gm. 2: Wed., May 7: JAZZ 110 @ LAKERS 120 FINAL
Gm. 3: Fri., May 9: LAKERS 99 @ JAZZ 104 FINAL
Gm. 4: Sun., May 11: LAKERS 115 @ JAZZ 123 FINAL
Gm. 5: Wed., May 14: at L.A., TBD (TNT)
Gm. 6: Fri., May 16: at Utah, TBD (ESPN)
Gm. 7*: Mon. May 19: at L.A., TBD (TNT)
* if necessary

REGULAR SEASON SERIES
Lakers lead 3-1
Nov. 4: Jazz 109 at Lakers 119
Nov. 30: Lakers 96 at Jazz 120
Dec. 28: Jazz 109 at Lakers 123
Mar. 20: Lakers 106 at Jazz 95

Projected Starting Lineup



PG - Derek Fisher
SG - Kobe Bryant
SF - Vladimir Radmanovic
PF - Lamar Odom
C - Pau Gasol

Projected Starting Lineup



PG - Deron Williams
SG - Ronnie Brewer
SF - Andrei Kirilenko
PF - Carlos Boozer
C- Mehmet Okur

*******************************************************

The Lakers have taken a commanding 2-0 lead going into game 3 in Utah. Kobe Bryant received his MVP trophy in game 2 and went off for 34 points while Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom both combined had 39 pts/21 rbs/7 ast/1 stl/7 blks. Utah's Deron Williams had 25 to lead the Jazz in another defeat at Staples Center. As this series shifts to Salt Lake City, it will be interesting to see if the Lakers can play well on the road in this hostile arena. The Jazz held the best record in the regular season for home court at 37-4. Can the Jazz win game 3 or will the Lakers remain undefeated in the playoffs this year. Quick side note: Phil Jackson is 39-0 when he wins game 1 of a playoff series.

[xstockholmsyndromex]

FIRST!!

[DelaneyRudd]

This is a virtual game 7 in my eyes. Who ever wins will win the series.

[shobe_81]

Kobe obviously had a horrible shooting game ESPECIALLY taking 10 3's, he doesn't do that!

It shows cause he wasn't really able to attack the basket so he settled for jumpers!

But still got 8 Reb and 10 Assists
+++++++++++++++++++++

Anyways, if Kobe's 95%+ for next game with no back problems, I don't think Jazz have much of a hope unless Boozer and Okur come and show-up

D-Wills is the only thing keeping the Jazz in this series

[SnakeEyez]

This is a virtual game 7 in my eyes. Who ever wins will win the series.

I agree for both teams it is. Winner takes all.

[CITYOFANGELSX3]

This is a virtual game 7 in my eyes. Who ever wins will win the series.

Yeah. But we atleast have 2 more games in this series.

damn...

[dockingsched]

mentioned it last game bout korver's little scoring spree in the 4th forced kobe back in the game earlier than jackson probably wanted to. it eventually came back to bite them.

mehmet okur also stepped up bigtime. i don't know what his halftime stats considering his few minutes/poor play but i know i didn't think he'd be able to finish with 18 and 11.

[Seralin]

At least this may be one of the best series of this year.

[RocketPower23]

Lakers in 6

[The Social Misfit]

Assuming Kobe is Healthy or as a previous poster said 95%+ I don't see the lakers dropping. However, if Boozer can stay out of foul trouble in LA, which seems impossible, and have a solid game, Who know? I think all the games have been close in the 4th. Obviously closer in SLC, but this series could just as easily been 3-1 either way. The Lakers are scary though, especially if Fish is clutch city like he was today. Odom is definitely my favorite Laker. Clutch, hard nosed, heady player.

On a side note, I think it is interesting that Okur got T'd up for getting Pissed about the call, when players were doing it all game long on both sides, to no avail. Pretty poor, but with that said, the Turiaf fould wasn't ejectable to me, although def a flagrant. I think that was the X factor. With Turiaf, I think LA wins this one going away.

[CITYOFANGELSX3]

It is second time I hear Gasol mentioning that crowd is bothering him

Damn, he's soft mentally too.

[raphleek]

It is second time I hear Gasol mentioning that crowd is bothering him

[LALakers4ever]

Lakers win by 25+ in game 5.

[incontrol__]

Interesting, Jackson says that it was the other players, who were putting the ball in Kobe's hands.

I thought it was half and half. On some he was forcing it, and on the others they were mainly looking for him to score for them...

[dockingsched]

gasol was 11-16 for 23 points and 10 rebounds. i think he's just going through the motions as far as post game comments. road game, crowd was into it, tough loss, blah blah.

[The Social Misfit]

Lakers win by 25+ in game 5.

Gutsy call. Wish you and I were close in proximity, I would make a Wager with you on that one. I th ink you are basing that on your emotion only with little regard for Momentum of the Jazz. Gutsy though, so I like it. Just misguided!

[CITYOFANGELSX3]

Lakers should play Twisted Sister's "we're not gonna take it" on the way home.

[xstockholmsyndromex]

This series just got interesting. If the Jazz steal game 5....Wow!! That would be crazy!

[Big Bird]

Well, Phil said that Kobe's teammates bailed on him and kept passing to him, instead of running the offense.

Take that for what it's worth.

[JDawg]

To ALL the haters AND BSCOTT,

Yes, Fisher was hitting shots. Guess who was getting him those shots? Kobe

Yes, odom nailed a 3. Lucky him. Guess who created it??? Kobe on the pass.

What people fail to realize in all of this is that in OT, the lakers could NOT create a shot outside of Kobe.

Sasha turned it over.

Gasol HASNT been able to get ANYTHING going against Okur ALL SERIES in a one on one situation.

Odom as great as he has been isn't much of a jump shooter in the clutch. yes, he hit a 3. he also missed one later and he's been that way all year.

The problem was that the Kobe/Pau pick and roll was INEFFECTIVE today because the Jazz defended it well and stayed on the shooters.

Kobe not being able to explode off the pick is what helped the Jazz. Had he been able to explode and take BOTH defenders with him, the things would have been different today.

But his burst, his first step, was slow due to both the back and hammy.

Trust me on this guys. Trust me.