Re: Round 2, Lakers vs Jazz, Game 1, Sunday 3:30 ET
Quote:
Originally Posted by billybadass
i forsee deron williams destroying kobe. hes always felt underated and kobes mvp just gives him more motivation
I don't think he cares about kobe much. The mvp thing, he doesn't care either. WE as the fans started saying he was the mvp but he only feels he got cheated out of the all star game, but that's it.
Plus it's 2 different positions. D-will, will get his just as kobe will. But anyone saying d-will is too young and inexperienced is just stupid, because we all know what d-will does in the big games. Ask the spurs in the WCF last year d-will averaged almost 30 points per game.
Last edited by eltonrosas : 05-03-2008 at 11:55 AM.
Re: Round 2, Lakers vs Jazz, Game 1, Sunday 3:30 ET
My thoughts:
PG: Deron Williams vs. Derek Fisher. An interesting matchup, for sure. Fisher is a savvy veteran that plays well in the triangle and certainly knows what it takes to win big games. But Williams is an All NBA point guard who is building quite the playoff resume, full of big shots and crucial plays, some of which he ironically learned from Fisher. Look for Williams to isolate on Fisher frequently, run his opponent into screens relentlessly, and use his crossover whenever he can to beat his man and get to the rim. EDGE: JAZZ
SG: Ronnie Brewer vs. Kobe Bryant. Brewer has made big strides this season; he plays tight defense, gets lots of steals and deflections, and shoots a high percentage because his endless cutting gets him lots of putbacks, dunks, and layups. He should be tuned up after having to guard McGrady for 6 games (something he did very well), but the fact of the matter is that Kobe Bryant is an entirely different animal. Kobe will likely average 30 points plus during the series, and the onus will be on him to decide when to take over games and when to defer to his teammates. Since the arrival of Gasol, he seems to have done this almost impeccably. We'll see what happens if we find ourselves in a tight fourth quarter of game seven. EDGE: LAKERS
SF: Andrei Kirilenko vs. Vladimir Radmadovic. AK-47 is a jack-of-all-trades who, when he is at the top of his game, changes the potency of his team from very good to damn-near unbelievable. The problem is, nobody knows when Andrei is going to have an amazing game and when he is going to be invisible. Vlad Rad is a good shooter and can rebound the ball some, but like Kirilenko, seems to have a couple of insignificant games for every great game he plays. EDGE: JAZZ
PF: Carlos Boozer vs. Lamar Odom. Boozer is Utah's workhorse, averaging a double-double all season long and forming a potent pick-and-roll duo with Deron Williams. He can shoot out to about 18 feet, can finish at the rim with either hand, and plays well with his back to the basket. He has shown some inconsistency over the last month or so, and it seems he is still adjusting to being the focal point of opposing defenses. Odom is the Lakers' Kirilenko, a do-everything player who has never played better than he is now, and, not coincidently, has never meant more to the Lakers' success. EDGE: EVEN
C: Mehmet Okur vs. Pau Gasol. Okur is critical to Utah's success, as his long-range shooting opens the paint up for everyone else on the floor. For a Utah offense that emphasizes cuts, back-screens, and switches in order to get layups and mismatches down low, having a player that can draw opposing big men away from the basket is absolutely crucial. He also forms a perfect complement to the Boozer/Williams pick and roll, as his pick and pop can be utilized if Boozer is struggling. Okur simply has to play well and shoot well for Utah to win this series. Gasol, the oft-described "missing piece" is an enormously versatile offensive weapon, a terrific shooter who can play with his back to the basket as well as anyone in the league. His passing seems to have become as crucial to LA's offense as Okur's longe range shooting is to Utah's. He passes out of the double team very well, which means Okur will have to play him straight up, something he has shown he can do (Yao Ming), but doesn't consistently. EDGE: LAKERS
Bench: Price/Korver/Harpring/Millsap vs. Farmar/Walton/Turiaf/Vujacic. What can I say? Two very similarly built teams. Both have bangers/physical guys and shooters/finesse players coming off the bench. Both have reserve units that can carry the team some nights, and lose leads the next, a factor due in large part to the youth of the respective groups. EDGE: EVEN
Coaching: Jerry Sloan vs. Phil Jackson. Can't really say either team has an advantage here. Both coaches have won millions of games, both run their systems to a T, neither will get rattled by the moment, and they know each other so well they could probably fill out each other's tax forms. EDGE: EVEN.
Should be a fun series. Outside of a Laker's home court advantage, I see these two teams being pretty evenly matched.
Last edited by CakeorDeath : 05-03-2008 at 01:00 PM.
Re: Round 2, Lakers vs Jazz, Game 1, Sunday 3:30 ET
Nice read cakeordeath, and I agree on most terms. Here's to hoping AK is on top of his game and can provide plenty of help D on Kobe, otherwise Bryant will go ape**** on us.
And for the record, I'm not scared of Gasol at all.
I'm really looking forward to the coaching matchup, something most people tend to completely overlook when judging this series. After all, it's triangle againt p'n'r revisited. Those coaches know each other inside out, let's see how they'll adapt.
Re: Official Thread: Round 2, Game 1 LAKERS vs JAZZ Sunday May4th
Quote:
Originally Posted by eltonrosas
From reading this thread I can see not all laker fans are delirious. But if the Jazz win it wouldn't be an upset, maybe except to delirious laker fans, but that's it.
Re: Official Thread: Round 2, Game 1 LAKERS vs JAZZ Sunday May4th
Quote:
Originally Posted by joshwake
how is a 4 seed beating a 1 seed not an upset?
Before the playoffs started, people would say if any team lost to any team in the west, including the Lakers to the Nuggets it wouldn't be considered an upset because only 7 games separated 1 - 8, so if an 8 beating a 1 wasn't an upset then a 4 beating a 1 surely isn't.
Re: Official Thread: Round 2, Game 1 LAKERS vs JAZZ Sunday May4th
Quote:
Originally Posted by RiPPn
Before the playoffs started, people would say if any team lost to any team in the west, including the Lakers to the Nuggets it wouldn't be considered an upset because only 7 games separated 1 - 8, so if an 8 beating a 1 wasn't an upset then a 4 beating a 1 surely isn't.
Re: Round 2, Lakers vs Jazz, Game 1, Sunday 3:30 ET
Quote:
Originally Posted by kidachi
Kobe would piss on Deron.
Deron is a great player, but he's too young and unexperienced compared to Kobe, who's on a hot streak. And Utah is where Kobe always chose to put on a show with a BRASH and BADNESS.
Even though I probably agree, TMac couldn't save Houston with 40 point games and triple doubles.
But, Kobe does have a supporting cast. This series can't come down to single players. It will be entire team efforts on both sides, utilizing their deep benches, and the one that strikes the best chemistry the fastest wins.
Re: Official Thread: Round 2, Game 1 LAKERS vs JAZZ Sunday May4th
Quote:
Originally Posted by RiPPn
Before the playoffs started, people would say if any team lost to any team in the west, including the Lakers to the Nuggets it wouldn't be considered an upset because only 7 games separated 1 - 8, so if an 8 beating a 1 wasn't an upset then a 4 beating a 1 surely isn't.
Can't wait for tomorrow, Go Jazz!!
yea.. very few games seperating them. but the way the lakers have been playing this would be an upset if the Jazz win. Kobe plays well against the Jazz, and the best shot Utah has is if they can pull out the close games. Having Kobe on the opposing team makes that very difficult.
Each team will have one 15+ win at home and the other home games will be close. that will determine the winner and I think the jazz need to take 2 of those close games to win this. Here is how i see it playing out.
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G1 in LA (key): This will be a close one, both teams in the high 90s. Kobe wont be huge but both teams will have a solid effort from most thier starters.
G2 in LA: Blowout for LA, Kobe in the high 30s or 40s. Pau in the 20s. The only one that shows up for utah is williams and someone off the bench.
G3 in Utah: Blowout for Utah, Kobe still goes for 30s but only 2 other lakers in low double digits. Boozer finally has a big game in the playoffs with 30+ points and 14+ rbs.
G4 in Utah (key): Buzzerbeater. either Kobe or williams.
---at this point, I would expect that if either team wins both of the Key games it will be LA. I think the best Utah can hope for is one Key win and probably will be the case.
G5 in LA (key): Either LA blowout or Utah close win.
G6 in Utah: if it gets this far, Utah will win by 5-10
G7 in LA: again, IF. LA by 5
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If i go with my gut, I would say LA in 6, maybe 7. But If I go with my heart, Jazz in 6.
Re: Round 2, Lakers vs Jazz, Game 1, Sunday 3:30 ET
