Utah on Sunday
The game isn't technically over yet, but with the Jazz up by 22 with 11 minutes left in the fourth against a Rockets team playing on the road without Rafer Alston (left the game with an ankle injury), I feel comfortable saying that the Jazz will advance to the second round, starting Sunday at Staples.
Obviously, we'll have more thoughts on this tomorrow, but I think this should be a great series. The Jazz is a rock solid, disciplined team with great guard play, a strong frontcourt, and the ability to knock down shots in the halfcourt and run out on the break. When Utah defends, which they've been doing with much more frequency in the second half of the year, they're very tough.
I've got the Lakers winning this one, but anything less than six games to decide it would be a surprise to me. I'm leaning towards seven.
BK
Is Stern going to present the MVP to Kobe during game 2 or game 5? I'm going to game 5 and would love to see that.
GO LAKERS
Posted by: mrbarneydangles | May 03, 2008 at 08:27 AM
I am rooting for you Laker fans out there, I am a Rocket fan and would like nothing more than to see Kobe get a title this year. I just gotta tell you guys to be prepared, this Utah team disgraces the game of basketball in some areas. Kirilenko/Okur = Biggest floppers on Earth. Harpring/Brewer= dirty defenders that are going to beat up Kobe, Boozer/D-Will= I actually respect, it is not their fault they play for a dirty coach. I cannot wait for them to play a fully rested Lakers squad who is going to show them how basketball should be played. Nothing but respect for you guys, wish we could be playing for you but that's for another season. Pretty soon, you will all hate Utah as much as we do....even if you beat them your still gonna hate them. Their fans are the most obnoxious people who think they know everything about basketball because its the only sports team they have to cheer for. You'll see....they should be hitting up your message boards pretty soon.
Posted by: Ryan | May 03, 2008 at 08:38 AM
2nd round predictions:
Lakers in 6 over Utah
San Antonio in 6 over NO
Boston over Cleveland in 5
Detroit over Orlando in 7
Even though I'd love to see the Celtics choke against ATL, it ain't gonna happen in Boston.
The Lakers are due a bad shooting game, Utah's tough at home. If LA wins in 5 I won't be surprised but I'll give Sloan's boys the benefit of the doubt and say LA in 6.
I think SA has enough left to beat an up and coming NO team. I say they steal game 1 or 2 in NO and win their home games.
Boston will wake up and beat a mediocre Cleveland team that can't win with only one star vs. three.
Orlando will prove to be very tough against a playoff tested Detroit team.
The veteran teams don't care if they lose a game or 2 (or 3) in the first round. They usually get tougher as the playoff go on.
Posted by: rdlee | May 03, 2008 at 08:51 AM
Only 5 different coaches have won championships in the last 17 years. None of them are named Sloan. Jackson's teams have beaten Sloan's twice in head-to-head matchups in the playoffs.
Expect to move on and see Popovich and the Spurs in the Western Conference Finals for the matchup that will determine the ultimate champion.
The other 3 coaches are not active: Riley, Tomjanovich and Brown.
Good night now!
Posted by: Brent in OC | May 03, 2008 at 09:17 AM
CrzyFan,
Don't get me started on the injuries. At least we're going to get back Ariza for the Utah series. He has been missed.
GO LAKERS!
Posted by: Jon K. | May 03, 2008 at 09:47 AM
IT'S ON!!
12 MO' GAMES TO GO
SWEEP... FO' FO' FO'
Posted by: Vman | May 03, 2008 at 09:49 AM
"Good Morning Lakers Nation!"
Kobe gets the MVP
Celtics lose their mind and the game to Atlanta
And yes SB Pimp, my broom is ready. (I haven't had time to put it away)
So, its a good day to be a Lakers Fan
Fatty's cheesie prediction - Lakers in 4-5
Posted by: Fairweather Fatty | May 03, 2008 at 09:55 AM
Lakers in 5!
Posted by: NoththeOriginalKen | May 03, 2008 at 10:08 AM
I still feel our most dangerous game is game one.
The layoff will hurt the Lakers and I would not be surprised if Utah controls most of the game with a late 2nd half surge by the Lakers.
But I agree with the SB Pimp man. We can overload the Jazz with our guys.
They may look brilliant at times, but we will shine more consistently.
Our most frustrating match up: D Williams of course. Can you imagine if we were still relying on Smush? But were not, so it won't be a 24/7 beat down.
Posted by: Fairweather Fatty | May 03, 2008 at 10:08 AM
Hi Lakers fans,
Nothing to do but i will ask some Questions.
What if the Lakers traded Odom and Bynum for Garnett last summer. Where will be the Lakers now? Are the Lakers going to be like the Suns and Mavs? They traded their future
Posted by: Botsoy | May 03, 2008 at 10:30 AM
I don't think we will beat them in 6 games, just because game 6 will be played in Utah, and with them fighting for their playoff lives, I don't think it will be easy to win that one. It's hard to close out on the road. Even in Denver, that last game was much harder than the first 3.
If we can take care of our first two games at home, I think we will steal one in Utah, and beat them in 5. If not, I wouldn't be surprised if this thing went 7 games, just because if we miss our opportunity in game 5, we won't really have another opportunity until game 7. But I think either way, the Lakers will come out on top. We can handle this team.
The one thing that I am worried about is their physical play and rebounding. I just looked it up, and we were out rebounded in every game in the Denver series. Utah averages like 13 offensive boards a game and giving up second chance opportunities is something that we've had a problem with, so we need to make sure that if we force a bad shot, we get the rebound, and not let them have another look. Everyone needs to be going after the rebound. Not just Lamar and Pau. If we can overcome that, I feel confident that we will beat them in 5.
Posted by: gokobego | May 03, 2008 at 10:37 AM
Benjamin,
Thanks for the “adapt or die” advice, and also the suggestion that I use the urbandictionary to understand how "Real people" talk. I’ll give it a try.
Wat up homey. Dat shiz nit wit u.
From what I can gather, the key is poor spelling, bad grammar and sentence fragments. Is that about right?
Please understand the commitment that I’m making here, as the downgrade in my employment level to minimum wage is going to cost me nearly $100K a year, but I’m willing to do it in order to be a phat wannabe thug like you.
Thanks again for the advice.
Posted by: Andy | May 03, 2008 at 10:41 AM
Brent - hey if you add Chuck Daly to that list you go back 21 years... just a thought.
Posted by: SBPimp | May 03, 2008 at 11:04 AM
" What if the Lakers traded Odom and Bynum for Garnett last summer. Where will be the Lakers now? Are the Lakers going to be like the Suns and Mavs? They traded their future" - Posted by: Botsoy
Ok, I'll bite.. What if Mars was actually Earth? What if Cars could fly, would that bring down gas prices? What if Al Davis owned the Celtics? I guess my point is Botsoy, "What If's" dont normally make for good conversation. Too many intangibles... Peace....
Posted by: complex brotha | May 03, 2008 at 11:12 AM
Heartfelt THANKS! to Spirit Of Mamba.....also to JohnnyP and justa.....GAME DAY tomorrow!
Posted by: toad | May 03, 2008 at 11:18 AM
Fairweather Fatty,
"I still feel our most dangerous game is game one"
Mr. F. Fatty, you're back to fearful from fairweather to ultra optimism declaring: "resistance is futile" then back to fairweather again. haha!
If ever I don't fear Utah at Staples, their road record shows that they'd collapse in LA even during the time of Malone and Stockton. I fear Utah Jazz in Utah, they have a captive audience aided by the Tabernacle choir ready to yell "Beat LA" for 48 minutes while here at Staples, we just have the stare of Jack Nicholson and audience will follow it with "Luuuuke" drowning those calling for "MVP. MVP, MVP."
Posted by: Edwin Gueco | May 03, 2008 at 11:42 AM
Edwin,
Don't you know, only one can be funny on the blog, Fatty? lol
To answer my apparent wavering of confidence.
First, you took my quote out of context. I still said the Lakers will win, just the first game is the danger one.
Third, I stand by my resistance is futile thought. Assimilation will begin on Sunday with a Lakers win.
Utah has been able to win on the road lately. They beat Houston twice at their place, humiliated NOH at NO, and won at Boston easily and we all know, NO ONE beats the Celtics.
So we need to at least 'act' like the possibility exists of a competitive game one.
I still stand by my cheezy prediction that the Lakers will win the series in 4-5 games but, will win them one game at a time and not all at the same time.
Posted by: Fairweather Fatty | May 03, 2008 at 12:20 PM
SBPimp,
“And, on a related note, whether the Celtics win or lose this game 7, the damage has been done. Everyone knows now that they're not the juggernaut they were portraying themselves as during the regular season. They are a paper tiger, the 2007 Mavericks of this year. They have no heart, only meaningless posturing and stalking about the court, trying to look intense. There is a reason Pierce, Garnett and Allen have never won anything - they all CRUMBLE in crunch time. They have no heart. Sam Cassell has more balls by himself than the three of them put together, but Sam I Am is too old and gimpy to carry the whole team there this year. Mark my words, this round one series was like the iceberg to the Titanic for their season. The seed has been planted - all the other teams know they can be beaten. Even if they cruise on to the second round they are still leaking below the waterline. They are dead men walking, as far as I'm concerned.”
Right on! An absolutely perfect assessment of the Celtics. KG has never shown up in the clutch, Ray Allen can’t get his own shot, and Paul Pierce never was a go-to guy. The Celtics have now blown 3 double-digit second half leads to the Hawks. This is what happens when you put together of fantasy superstars who were never able to win on their own. Neither one of the big 3 really complement the other very well. They don’t have a go-to player like Kobe and they don’t the heart or game of Bird, McHale, and Parrish. What will be most satisfying is watching all the bandwagon Bostonians abandon ship.
I also totally agree with you that we are a LOT better team than Utah. There is no way that they can beat us at Staples and we have already proven we can dominate them in SLC even without Pau or Drew. Pau is going to destroy Okur and Kobe will dominate the series like he did against the Nuggets. Lakers in 4 easily.
Tom
Posted by: LakerTom | May 03, 2008 at 03:17 PM
Wow this is going to be such a gnarly series. I honestly don't know who is going to win this one. It might go 7. I think the Jazz will sneak in a win in L.A. in the first two meetings but I also see L.A. sneaking in a win at the ESA.
Check out www.jazzhype.com. We are just a couple of Jazz Fans with some good insight and goofy opinions, but it's a good read nonetheless. We also like to battle Laker fans, so come on over and let's have some fun during this series.
Posted by: jazzhype.com | May 04, 2008 at 02:07 AM