The Lakers beat the Jazz and took a commanding 3-0 lead in the series. The win was way too close for comfort for the Lakers Nation, but a win is a win and we’ll all take it. The lead changed only once in the first-half and then 21 times in a ridiculous second half. They will again go into the cleaning business and complete the sweep of the Utah Jazz tonight.
The Lakers won the first two games by dominating the painted area and game three ironically from behind the arc. The Jazz have pushed the Lakers in every game, but the Lakers had their wake-up call against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Another way to look at this series, would be messages sent and messages received.
Phil Jackson called out Lamar Odom in the first round series and he responded. Jackson recently called out Ron Artest and he also responded, although it appears to be time to call Odom out again. Artest played his best game as a Laker on Saturday night and was big on both the offensive and defensive ends of the court. Jackson stated that it would happen and Artest came through as expected.
Tonight the Lakers will be all business, they need to establish Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum in the painted area and allow them to go to work.
The Lakers cannot allow the Jazz to take away their post game and size advantage with double-teaming and defensive rotations. Although the Jazz did everything right; played their best game of the series and still came up short. Their window of opportunity has closed. The Lakers are excellent in closeout games and tonight game won’t change that fact.
The playoffs are all about adjustments, but the Jazz are all out of options. The Jazz have the unenviable task of picking their poison tonight. They can attempt to stop the Lakers from dominating them on the interior or attempt to stop the them from beating them from the perimeter.
The fact of the matter is Utah can’t stop both tactics. They are a proud and a tough hard-nosed team, just like their head coach Jerry Sloan. The Lakers will not be complacent tonight as a matter of fact with coach Sloan, providing his own form or bulletin board material, the Jazz will be crushed tonight.
Sloan decided to use Kobe Bryant’s name in an analogy of Miss America. This verbal blast caught the eye of Coach Phil Jackson and caused the Black Mamba to raise his eyebrows. You know what that means — Sloan and the Jazz will pay dearly for their transgressions.
The combination of the Lakers defense, strong play from the front line, everyone getting involved, and the Black Mamba on a mission will be too much for the Utah Jazz tonight. It is a must that every member of the Lakers Nation view tonight’s game with a broom handy because its cleaning time and the Jazz will be swept away.
I can’t wait to see the “Gone Fishing” picture of the Utah Jazz that has to include Jerry Sloan this time. In the end, our Lakers win big tonight and prepare themselves for a battle with the Phoenix Suns.
Tip-off: 7:30 PM PST
Television -
- Los Angeles: TNT
- Utah: TNT
Radio -
- Los Angeles: AM570 KLAC (Spero Dedes & Mychal Thompson)
- Utah: 1320 AM KFAN (David Locke, David James & Patrick Kinehan)
Injuries -
Lakers:
- Ron Artest (Left Heel Bruise/Sprained Left Thumb)
- Shannon Brown (Sprained Right Thumb)
- Kobe Bryant (Avulsion Fracture, Right Index Finger)
- Andrew Bynum (Small Tear in the Meniscus of his Right Knee)
- Sasha Vujacic (Severely Sprained Left Ankle) Out
- Luke Walton (Pinched Nerve, Back)
- Jordan Farmar (Strained Hamstring)
- D.J. Mbenga (Eye Surgery)
Jazz:
- Andrei Kirilenko (Strained Left Calf)
- Deron Williams (Bruised Left Elbow)
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