LA Lakers @ Utah Jazz Friday 4/1 8:30 MST ESPN

[HammerDunk]

If this game had been close to the end, then you could have a legitimate "refs cost us this game" argument. But the Lakers just destroyed us in the second half of the third quarter and all of the fourth. The better team won. We were short handed, but showed real heart tonight. I have some questions about our teams conditioning though. We looked gassed on our own home floor, not having played for a couple days, and the Lakers just took it to us.

You kiddin' me. First quarter was great. Even calls on both sides. Second quarter, the refs literally whistled the Lakers back into the game. By then their confidence was boosted, and ours was crushed. It impacts a game in a huge way.

I don't care if refs call tight games, or loose games-- just call it evenly for both sides of the court. That for sure did not happen tonight.

If you legitimately believed the Jazz would win this game tonight than you were delusional. Sure the refs made some AWFUL calls that helped turn the tides, but it's not as if the Lakers caught up to us and the refs just handed them the game. The Lakers were able to get close than just pummel us tonight. Blaming the refs as one of the reasons we lost is ridiculous. Had it been a close game, sure. I'll buy your argument because a few of those calls is enough to swing the game either way. But the Lakers just ran over us near the end and we had no idea what to do to stop it and backed down to them. And again, I blame a large part of that on conditioning. We looked exhausted and there is no excuse why we should have been.

Yup, just as delusional as if you think they didn't favor the Lakers and do it regularly. You're acting like the Jazz never had a 16 point lead. They did, and the Lakers were gifted an easy road back.

[Xsy]

If you legitimately believed the Jazz would win this game tonight than you were delusional. Sure the refs made some AWFUL calls that helped turn the tides, but it's not as if the Lakers caught up to us and the refs just handed them the game. The Lakers were able to get close than just pummel us tonight. Blaming the refs as one of the reasons we lost is ridiculous. Had it been a close game, sure. I'll buy your argument because a few of those calls is enough to swing the game either way. But the Lakers just ran over us near the end and we had no idea what to do to stop it and backed down to them. And again, I blame a large part of that on conditioning. We looked exhausted and there is no excuse why we should have been.

I legitimately believed the Jazz would lose this game. The only reason I watch games now is to see the rooks develop. Tonight taught them a valuable lesson-- touch a purple and gold uniform, and a whistle will blow.

[CarrKeefe]

Yup, just as delusional as if you think they didn't favor the Lakers and do it regularly. You're acting like the Jazz never had a 16 point lead. They did, and the Lakers were gifted an easy road back.

Seventeen point lead. Any rational thinking person who has watched a Jazz game this season and was watching that game knew the Lakers would come back. The Lakers are 16-1 since the all-star break, and the Jazz had lost six straight heading into the game. Not to mention they were without three starters. To blame the turning point and Laker win on referee calls is absurd and makes you look like a ridiculous homer. Sure the refs let the Lakers back into the game with BS calls including that technical on Fess, ridiculous touch fouls to put us in the penalty and send LA to the line, but once it got close, the Lakers just took off and left us in the dust quickly. Sure you can point at the twelve more FT attempts the lakers got as what gave them the game, but I look at them shooting 48% to our 42%, and making five more 3's than us. Coming in game threads and reading homers blaming refs for losing games gets old. Team blew the lead to a great team and got tired at the end. That's your story.

[babyjax13]

Did you forget the part where Bynum swung his elbow and almost connected but got the FTs?

What about Fesenko flailing around in the paint? He could get called for a foul on every play and I don't think you could argue it.

I'm not going to argue on this subject anymore other than to say that I think the effect referees have on the outcomes of games (unless you're Donaghy) are overrated in most instances, including this one.

Sigh, whats your mission? And their players all have clean plays when they show replays and a Jazz player was hacked with a nocall, or they replay something and there was no foul, but it was a tie-up but because its the Lakers they get a foul called. Geez are you serious? Yes a lot of the time it is back and forth, but the calls ALWAYS lean the way of the stars. Have you ever watched a game where you thought oh, you know what the Timberwolves sure got away with a lot in that game vs the Lakers. No, doesn't happen. Thats our point. Keep arguing though.

NBA isn't fixed. But they coddle their stars. thats our point. Not our fault you are ignorant to this.

OK, I gotta say one more thing because I think I am being misunderstood. I agree that star players get "special treatment", and right now we really don't have a "star" (I think Al is, but that's another story), but what I am trying to argue is that the refs are not the main reason why we loss. And if you are talking about the Watson tie up, there was a lot of body contact, you can't just reach around a player to grab the ball. But now, I am really not going to argue about the refs because it isn't worth our time

And Weaver looked great to me, good hustle, had a few "deer in the headlight" moments that led to some turnovers, but I think it was just a case of being excited to be back in the NBA. And Favors should have gotten more time, I didn't understand starting Fes over him (even though he did play well).

[Litany]

OK, I gotta say one more thing because I think I am being misunderstood. I agree that star players get "special treatment", and right now we really don't have a "star" (I think Al is, but that's another story), but what I am trying to argue is that the refs are not the main reason why we loss. And if you are talking about the Watson tie up, there was a lot of body contact, you can't just reach around a player to grab the ball. But now, I am really not going to argue about the refs because it isn't worth our time

And Weaver looked great to me, good hustle, had a few "deer in the headlight" moments that led to some turnovers, but I think it was just a case of being excited to be back in the NBA. And Favors should have gotten more time, I didn't understand starting Fes over him (even though he did play
well).

You are right, it isn't worth our time.

As far as Weaver goes, I agree with what you said. If we have a choice between him and Price in the offseason, I would rather have him around instead of Price. This offseason will be interesting.

I also agree about Favors. He only got 16 mins .

To me, it should be crystal clear that Millsap and Jefferson at the 4 and 5 will never make us a contender. I wonder if Millsap will embrace the sixth man role and be the scoring punch off the bench and be our bench PF. Jefferson and Favors should be starting IMO.

As far as Fes goes, It's too bad he doesn't have the desire that some have, because he has the body to be good.

[Ugly0598]

So was there any difference in the graphics/presentation of the game with it being on "ROOT Sports" instead of FSN Utah?

[HammerDunk]

So was there any difference in the graphics/presentation of the game with it being on "ROOT Sports" instead of FSN Utah?

Pretty much the exact same thing, though I didn't pay careful attention.