Good read AK. This is going to be awesome!!!

Go Lakers!

On the aspect of turnovers, I thought most of it was committed by (as much as it pains me to say this) a lot of lazy passing from Trevor Ariza tonight.

So many of his passes were really really bad passes made on really poor decisions. Hopefully he'll bounce back on Saturday!

4-1, 4-1, 4-1,4-2.....makes for 16-5 playoff record....that's my call....and in the final series, it'll go the same no matter who...they'll split the first 2, then win 2/3 in the middle, home or on the road, then win in game 6... oh wait a minute, I didn't run this by David Stern to see if that's the final draft for this year's playoffs, so it's just IMHO till then....

hman

Which Finals matchup will draw higher ratings: LA v. Cleveland, or a rematch of LA v. Boston? :

- AS LONG AS IT IS LA LAKERS AND KOBE, IT WILL DRAW HIGHER RATINGS.

Another question: how will this year's championship compare with the championship in 2000?

- IT IS BETTER THIS YEAR THAN 2000, WHY? SIMPLY, NO SHAQ WITH A BIG HEADACHE AND A BIG LOAD FOR KOBE AND THE LAKERS TO CARRY ESPECIALLY DURING THE ENDGAMES....

I disagree with Sloan BK for as much as it was a blowout in the end the Jazz were still missing Mehmet Okur (their 3rd leading scorer and perimeter oriented guy which will force one big at least out of the perimeter) and CJ Miles (who is a better upgrade over Matt Hapring).

Both could be not 100% for the series but still they are key components of the Jazz. Not to mention the Jazz were playing at the end of a back to back even though they got some rest from playing the Clippers.

That being said this was a good win for the Lakers and it built momentum for the playoffs, got some good playing time for Bynum and Shannon Brown against a quality opponent and got some valuable rest for the starters.

It's this time now:

WIN OR GO HOME

So good to log on and see we won and VERY GOOD TO SEE SASHA HEATING UP!!!!

Luke's 100% on shooting and 5 assists was also very encouraging!!

LETS ROCK THIS HOUSE!!!!

GOOOooOOO LAKERS!!!

A trial was being held one sunny April day to determine who would get temporary custody of a young boy following the divorce of his parents. The judge asked the boy if he wanted to live with his mom.

The reply: "No...she beats me."

"How about your father?" asked the judge.

Again: "No...he beats me too."

After deliberating for a while, the judge decided to send the child to the Utah Jazz.

They can't beat anyone in April.

Playoff victory # 1 of 16 this weekend!

Go LAKERS!

This is the best time of the year.

EJK, I absolutely remember that the first championshhip was very unexpected. No one crowned the Lakers like Boston was crowned last year (endorsement deals before they won anything, only to go 7-7-7-6 in the playoffs).

I think this years will be relieving. He won't acknowledge it, but Phil will be happy to be past Red, without Red criticizing through the media. Kobe will be relieved to be finally past the "win without Shaq" stigma, Fish will be glad to get back, Pau will finally recieve the recognition he deserves, and the rest will be happy to finally get some respect.

Scary that the Lakers can get BETTER throughout the playoffs. Shannon Brown and Bynum are still either learning or getting to midseason form.

By the finals, I hope the guys are on full boil. Imagine Bynum and Gasol attacking in the half court set, having TA and Shannon slashing and Kobe being Kobe. Imagine Shannon, Kobe, and Ariza on a break with Lamar trailing. Better yet, imagine those guys on D. That's a good team.

Time to take care of business in the west.

Lakers may have the better prospect ever after the '04 and '08 debacle but I would not read too much on our last game. A veteran Coach Sloan is just reading the Lakers playbook and challenging his team. By Sunday, we will see another kind of Utah, so please don't downplay the Jazz performance in the last few weeks. Starting Sunday, every game is a new competition focused on one team at a time, a game of adjustments, therefore it needs a continuity on energy and success. Stick with the mission not grandstanding or overestimating but plain domination. Domination comes from sharpening skills, doing all the fundamental preparation, discipline on the body and stick with the play that PJ will unveil. Forget all the season's achievements and rankings, the 82 games were mere preparation for the playoffs. This is a brand new series, NBA Championship series begins. I have seen a lot of teams that were favored seeded #1and got eliminated on the first round because the players and coaching staff were not prepared for the pressure of the playoffs. Less talk, no mercy, and remember the Finals that got away in 04 and 08. Just do it LAKERS

"We didn't give them much of a battle, knowing we have to play them again," said Utah Coach Jerry Sloan. "It looks pretty bleak. . . .

"They have a terrific team. They have guys who can pass the ball, do about anything you ask a team to do. They've got guys who can make big shots, who just know how to play the game, make the game look simple. . . .

"We're just like a little dent in the road, far as they're concerned. They're very comfortable playing against us and obviously should be."

Good try Jerry. You thought you would use the old, butter them up, act like we can't compete with them, make them overly confident trick. But it wont work, becaue we're to smart and not falling for it Jerry.
- Agent 86 Maxwell 'Fatty' Smart

Great breakdown, AK. You guys have done an excellent job this season. Thanks for giving the Laker Faithful a place to congregate.

The Jazz didn't look like an uber-physical team last night. When Deron Williams slammed into Bynum, it looked like it might have hurt him a little bit. Bynum's a big guy.

My favorite moment of the night? Sasha winning the jump ball against Deron Williams. That will probably give D. Will nightmares for a week. At least until Sunday, when he'll have new nightmare material.

Go Lake Show!

Take it easy. I don't like this matchup with jazz. This is not a typical 1 to 8 matchup. The lakers have there work cut out for them.

In looking ahead to the first rounds series, here's a couple things I noticed last night about the match-up.

Except for at the PG position, I'm not seeing this disparity in toughness or being physical that everyone is assuming Utah is going to have. I've heard it and read about it. But I didn't actually see it on the floor. What I saw is that the Lakers are bigger and, in most cases, stronger. If anyone was doing the pushing it was the Lakers, and when Utah tried to push, the Lakers didn't budge. What I noticed last night was the Lakers frontline looks like they've all hit the weight room hard this season. Drew, LO and even Pau are physically stronger than they were in the past. Drew looks bigger than he did before he went down. I suspect he kept on whatever upper body weight training he could that he didn't need his legs for. Bottom line, the front line is a quantum leap more physical than it was last year w/ Pau, LO and Ronny.

We hear Utah and Jerry Sloan and assume it's going to be a pick-n-roll fest. It's not. Utah's offense seems to be predicated on getting key players open by operating behind the defense (trying to catch defenders looking at the ball-handler). Lots of little back-picks and a whole slew of direction changes on cuts in an effort to lose their defenders. Bottom line is that the Lakers need to keep an eye on their man and stay relatively close to them rather than "tracking" them the way they normally do.

I think D-Will must've heard all the Shannon Brown "D-Will stopper" talk b/c he got way more energetic when Hops came into the game. The only real advantage Utah had last year was D-Will getting Fish into foul trouble and then thoroughly abusing Farmar. It's a different story this year. Brown can just be much more physical and, if Deron is going to have to work much harder this year to get the same production. I think PJ will throw a little Sasha, Kobe and Ariza at him at times as well.

When the Lakers are playing any where near their potential, they're the "amazing" the NBA advertises.

One thing is certain: Mitch K. has done his job.

The issue isn't Brown shutting down Williams- nobody does that, because Williams is too good- but that Shannon can help make things a little tougher. Maybe there are handful of trips in a game where Williams can't turn the corner on a drive, or where he's forced a foot or two wider and help can come and alter the shot. Could that be worth three points? Four? Five? Six? That's a massive difference.

But the idea that anyone can come into a game and make Williams disappear consistently isn't fair. Just as it was last night, Williams will get into the lane. It's a matter of how hard the job is made for him.

That, and how well the Lakers limit Utah's chances to get out in transition...

BK

I liked DWill charging into Bynum. That was hilarious and stupid at the same time. Stockton would do the same thing, but man did I respect his subtley and tact at being dirty.

I think the Jazz and the rest of the league will always be trying to answer the question "who's tougher" but the Lakers will always answer the question "who plays better basketball" first.

Sweet victory. However, it signifies nothing. I expect the first round of playoffs to go 6 games. I don't think we'll win in Utah until we close it out there. They are too physical, like PJ said they take it right to the point that they can take it (just like a Sloan-coached team has always done). This will lead to late-game foul shots for LA at home, but not on the road. I expect they won't fold for every thrid quater, either.

Shannon Brown is making a believer out of me. When Starbury was the hype of the league rumor mill and we quietly shot out astronaut into space, we recieved that which we have been searching for, a physical defense-minded guard. He and Farmar match up pretty well with whatever type of guard is thrown at us: bruiser-type (a la Billups and Williams) you go woth Brown, quick and agile (like Parker or CP 3) you call Farmar's number. If one of them is on fire, leave himin, if one is struggling, switch 'em out.

As always, it seems as if the planets align for Mr. Jackson and his playoff rotation. The only thing is how are we going to find DJ some big-time minutes? Kidding.

Well, now we just have to finish out the work week, kick it on Saturday and then Sunday it's on.

GO LAKERS!!!!!

BK

i totally agree. also, it was the first position when shannon defended DW who had that 3pt, changed to 2pt shot. the replay, showed in close up that shannon had his hand in deron's face. and that reminded me how some commentators say about great defensive plays: great or perfect defense but even better offense. many times they refer that to kobe's shots that can be un-defendable.

>before herds of Kobe loyalists slash my tires

We prefer "hordes." More manly, less of an implication of sheep...

"hordes of Kobe loyalists" ... now people are tremblin' ....

Good morning fellow Laker fans.

I say for us to be the best we must beat the best so bring them on!!! Barkley, Webber and many others thought that either the Lakers would tank the game or the Jazz would just flat out beat us so that we wouldn't have to face the Jazz in the first round. If the Lakers clearly feel like they're the best and believe in their system, they should fear no team. It seems like Barkley and others always say this and that about the Jazz while not giving the Lakers their proper due for being the top seed in the West these past two seasons. Bring on the Jazz, Blazers and any other team because I believe the Lakers are ready this time around. Only Kenny Smith has any real say when it comes to championship talk because Barkley and C-Webb never won anything.

So Drew says he is very, very, very excited and has not played in the playoffs but he actually is in his 4th season as a Laker and he got quite a few minutes against the Suns in 07 first round. Was he that forgettable? Did that precede the "ship his arse out" comment? This could be the year that Drew dominates, no one can match up with him, let alone he AND Pau. Watching his progress in just the last 4 games has been remarkable. His competitiveness is great to see. The "bump" on Deron after the made bucket. Sweet. If he can avoid foul trouble, look out below!!

Jon K, here are my observations of our Lakers lately.

LO is on the way up with his new found shooting touch in the mid range but free throw shooting should be 70% i.e. 7 out of 10;

Kobe is a little bit tired, his FT shooting need to improve more b/c that's a Laker weapon, 30% of his points comes from F/T's. His mid range jump shots are clanking due to heavy guarding, need to make those assist pass more productive to an open Luke, open LO by driving them to the hoop when open. Kobe is not only the most valuable player of the team but the best decoy out there.

Fisher has been missing a lot of three point shots, we need the bull dog to sharpen his .04 scope for the playoffs. We have few marksmen in Laker lineup and the fish is our line navy seal.

Bynum relies too much on dunking, got to mix other repertoire like the hook shot, mid jump shot, bank shots. Alley hoop shots are great but dangerous in exposing oneself to injuries after sometime b/c there are always Trevor-typed of defense whether it is Boozer, Prysbilla or Hilario that may hurt Socks if he used it constantly. Alley hoop is regarded as an insult to other team's defense.

Sasha is getting back his confidence on those perimeter shooting but he's always anxious and super excited when he has the ball. This is his 4th season, by this time he knows what referees are calling for fouls. In this playoff, we need a cool-collected assassin Sasha.

Ariza has been producing single digit scoring lately, he has to get back to the habit of double digit per game by breaking down his attacks per quarter. I want to dream of Ariza as the resurrection Jamaal Wilkes.

Gasol is our steady Spaniard, smart with his pivots, now we need his long hands for defense too. What a great sight if he will complement with Drew or LO as a second defender to avoid fouls in those block shots. Constant practice will make those strategies work in actual play.

Shannon Brown is the new star, keep those prospects bright by sticking with the plan.

Luke has been making good strides in distributing the ball, that is his forte' Communication is the key to execute those complicated passes. Constant practice will eliminate surprises and T/O's with those blind or close links. He may have the best IQ player but it will be wasted if others could not perceive what he is thinking.

We need Farmar to excel in these playoffs for Lakers to win it all. We need his last second shooting heroics and controlled speed because the speed that thrills, is the speed that spoils Farmar's decision-making as a PG.

Lastly, the real yeomen, blue collars, plumbers, linemen, diggers - Mbenga, Powell and Morrison we need your valuable contribution even only for short minutes, make the most out of it.

Oh come now "D-Will" stopper for Shannon Brown may just be over the line. It is hard to stop Deron Williams especially with that bull-dog type body and his killer crossover and an underrated jumper.

And don't forget about the presence of Andrew Bynum also altered his shots/changed his penetration.

That being said Shannon Brown was the most effective defender on D-Will. Fish played good D on Williams after the 2nd half. Farmar as usual faltered till the end when he wasn't guarding D-Will as much (Sasha was on Deron while Farmar had Knight which he also struggled defensively).

Shannon for most part made D-Will's job more harder than Fish and especially Farmar. Sure D-Will still scored/passed for an assists while being defended by SB but it was no doubt harder. First possession against SB Deron Williams constantly tried to use his deadly dribble moves to get back Shannon but couldn't and instead settled for a jumper. He made it of course but hey a jumper from him is better off than him in the lane where he can do worst damage.

I'm glad the playoff rotations will be here to make minutes less for not as productive guys like Farmar. More Shannon Brown hopefully (though no doubt more minutes for Fish since this is the playoffs).

Big PROPS to the bench for stepping up. Having two playmakers (3 if Pau is with them) helps a TON and Sasha I still have reservations but he is heating up. Walton may not be a consistent scorer but he does get the ball to the sweet places of the players most times (Hint: most does not mean all the time since he does have bad passes as well) and Odom is also a good passer so the bench is practically it's own team once again. Less reliant on Jordan Farmar's penetration and instead on TEAM passing. Get the ball out of Jordan's hands and well more success for the bench.

39 assists speaks for itself.