NBA Playoffs Rd 2: Utah Jazz vs. Los Angeles Lakers

[King Taharqa]

(4) Utah Jazz vs. (1) Los Angeles Lakers
vs.

(4) Utah Jazz

PG - #8 Deron Williams - 6'3 208
Illinois '05
19.0 PPG, 10.6 APG, 39% 3-PT


SG - #9 Ronnie Brewer - 6'7 223
Arkansas '06
12.1 PPG, 2.9 RPG


SF - #47 Andrei "AK-47" Kirilenko - 6'9 223
None '99
11.0 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 4.0 APG, 39% 3-PT


PF - #5 Carlos Boozer - 6'9 266
Duke '02
21.3 PPG, 10.4 RPG, 2.9 APG


C - #13 Mehmet Okur - 6'11 263
None '01
14.6 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 39% 3-PT

Bench:
PG - #3 Jason Hart
SG - #34 C.J. Miles
SF - #15 Matt Harpring
PF - #24 Paul Millsap
C - #31 Jarron Collins

Head Coach
Jerry Sloan


(1) Los Angeles Lakers

PG - #2 Derek Fisher - 6'1 205
Arkansas-Little Rock '96
11.7 PPG, 40.6% 3-PT


SG - #24 Kobe Bryant - 6'6 220
High School '96
28.3 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 5.4 APG, 36% 3-PT


SF - #7 Lamar Odom - 6'10 230
Rhode Island '99
14.2 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 3.6 APG


PF - #10 Vladimir Radmanovic - 6'10 234
None '01
8.4 PPG, 41% 3-PT


C - #16 Pau Gasol - 7'0 260
None '01
18.8 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 3.5 APG

Bench:
PG - #5 Jordan Farmar
SG - #18 Sasha Vujacic
SF - #4 Luke Walton
PF - #21 Ronny Turiaf
C - #28 DJ Mbenga

Head Coach
Phil Jackson

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This series will be the first test for an untested Lakers team. That Denver series flat out sucked and was not even playoff caliber. Utah is a solid ballclub that defends well, has a plethora of shooters, and has the best home court advantage in the league. Derron Williams & Carlos Boozer clearly have mismatch advantages, while Bean is an obvious mismatch for Ronnie Brewer. I envision the Lakers will aim to keep Boozer in foul trouble and will give Derek Fisher help with Derron, forcing AK-47 and Okur to step up, which they wont do. I hate that I have to, but Im taking the Fakers in 5 games.

[Kevin Greene]

Go Lakers!

[Kurb]

Lakers in 5/6 games

[Lonestar13]

I picked Utah, but LA will probably win in 7m, the matchups for this series are alot better
Williams will own Fisher in every aspect, Kobe is too good for anyone on the Jazz, both front courts will off-set each other, the main factor is gonna be bench play

[Kevin Greene]

Originally Posted by Lonestar13

I picked Utah, but LA will probably win in 7m, the matchups for this series are alot better
Williams will own Fisher in every aspect, Kobe is too good for anyone on the Jazz, both front courts will off-set each other, the main factor is gonna be bench play

That's a good point, in the last game against the Nuggets Lamar Odom and 4 backups held the Nuggets off for 5 minutes in the 4th quarter allowing Kobe to rest, come in for the last 5 minutes of the game and dominate a tired Nugget lineup.

[King Taharqa]

Lakers take Game 1

Utah put up a nice run to make it close in the 4th, but LA led for almost the entire game. Game 2 is Wednesday in LA.

[Hawk]

Lakers in 6...only thing that will help Utah here is their incredible home record.

[Kevin Greene]

2-0
Looking good for a CP3 vs Kobe matchup.
Should be a classic.
*crosses fingers*

[love to hate roy]

[love to hate roy]

So many Kobe haters out there!!! I can only imagine the lovefest that would be taking place if CP3 would have won MVP.

ps-The Lakers might actually sweep the Jazz.

[King Taharqa]

Originally Posted by love to hate roy

ps-The Lakers might actually sweep the Jazz.

REALLY?!?!?!


Jazz take Game 3

This has got to be bittersweet for Love To Hate Roy. His team the Fakers take an L in the Mormon's Paradise, but Dukie Carlos Boozer beasted on the Fakers frontcourt, dropping 27 points and grabbing 20 rebounds to lead the Jazz to the victory tonight. Utah now has a chance to tie the series in Game 4 in Utah.

[Kevin Greene]

[love to hate roy]

I guess one good thing about the Lakers losing is that people will actually post in this thread again, it was starting to get a little stale. I still feel pretty good about this matchup considering Phil Jackson is 39-0 when winning the first game of a series.

[goodlay]

I hope the Jazz take it in 7.

[King Taharqa]

Jazz tie series 2-2

Deron Williams continues to amaze in the playoffs, dropping 29 points and dishing out 14 assists in the Jazz's 123-114 win in Utah. After Derek Fisher & Lamar Odom hit some timely shots to take the game into OT, Bean single handedly lost this game for the Fakers. Bean had 33 points, but it took him 33 shots to do it, and with a badly hurt back he continued hoisting up brick after brick in OT, icing out his teammates in the process. The Jazz will look to take a series lead in LA in Game 5.