<div align="center"> @ <font color=""Indigo"">Los Angeles Lakers</font> (5-8) @ <font color=""Navy"">Utah Jazz</font> (6-9)</div> When: Thursday 1st December, 8:30 PM (Local time) Where: Delta Center Local TV: KCAL National TV: TNT Streaks <font color=""Indigo"">Lakers:</font> Lost 2 <font color=""Navy"">Jazz:</font> Lost 2 Last Result <font color=""Indigo"">Lakers:</font> Lakers 84 @ Spurs 90 <font color=""Navy"">Jazz:</font> Pacers 84 @ Jazz 60 Last Ten <font color=""Indigo"">Lakers:</font> 3-7 <font color=""Navy"">Jazz:</font> 3-7 <div align="center">Projected Starters <font color=""Indigo"">Lakers</font> <font size=""1"">Smush Parker, Kobe Bryant, Lamar Odom, Brian Cook, Chris Mihm</font> <font color=""Navy"">Jazz</font> <font size=""1"">Deron Williams, Devin Brown, Andrei Kirilenko, Mehmet Okur, Greg Ostertag</font></div> My Prediction Jazz by 2.
I think this will be a very good game. The Lakers need to take advantage of their mismatch in the backcourt with Brown guarding Kobe. Kobe needs to be aggressive and go at him instead of settling for contest jumpers, and than pray that Kirilenko doesn't block him. The other thing they really need to do is extend the defense tonight. When you're playing agasint one of the best shot blockers in the league, you need to open up the paint and draw him out more towards the perimeter. If they can do that, they may have a good shot at winning. Also, Lamar needs to play like he did against the Spurs once again. If he does that and Kobe plays like Kobe, the Lakers should win this. Also, take advantage of Smush's quickness advantage. I realize Deron is a lot quicker than people give him credit for, but Smush is still much quicker. Force Deron to guard an uptempo game and wear him out early, that way he can't bully Smush around in the paint as easily. Lakers manage to do some of this, they should pull out a win Lakers by 7
The Lakers have to win this game, and hopefully the adjustment to the Triangle for Odom will payoff again. Smush Parker's starting job is on the line, so I expect a big game from him. Deron Williams is a great rookie, but is still prone to rookie mistakes. Smush has to force him into turnovers and help the Lakers get some easy buckets in transition. If he's not playing well, PJax is going to yank the short leash and bring in Sasha Vujacic. (cringes) Having AK47 back makes all the difference for the Jazz. I wouldn't be surprised if he's guarding Kobe tonight, and Sloan will use Giricek or Brown on Cook. Unfortunately, the Lakers role players have been the weak link and teams can cheat on defense. Brian Cook allows the weakest defender to check him, and unless he starts scoring fairly easy, Sloan can get away with a smaller player on him. It should be a very close game, OT is likely, but I hope the Lakers can steal a win tonight. It's rare for Kobe to have two terrible games in a row.
Wow, was Kobe even fouled on that last play (to send the game into overtime)? I could have sworn I witnessed a robbery by the refs.
Wow..... what a horrible call. We bless the refs with technology to review plays, but they still can't get it right. There was absolutely NO CONTACT between Brown and Kobe. Once Kobe released it, he twisted his body to make it look like he got bumped. Brown prolly didn't even touch his clothes till the ball was about to hit the rim. Not to mention Okur got fouled out on a foul that was clearly not him in the replay. Shame. Jazz 101 Refs 105
It seems like a conspiracy doesn't it? They even reviewed it several times and there didn't seem to be a foul to me.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Marbire:</div><div class="quote_post">Wow..... what a horrible call. We bless the refs with technology to review plays, but they still can't fucking get it right. There was absolutely NO CONTACT between Brown and Kobe. Once Kobe released it, he twisted his body to make it look like he got bumped. Brown prolly didn't even touch his clothes till the ball was about to hit the rim. Not to mention Okur got fouled out on a foul that was clearly not him in the replay. Shame. Jazz 101 Refs 105</div> Haha, it went both ways buddy. That was probably the worst reffed quarter I have ever seen. Whether it was Utah getting about every ticky tack foul called for them in the 4th, the Lakers 2nd to last play when Harpring basically grabbed Kobe's legs and tripped him when he was dribbling out the rebound, or when Kobe got the call at the end. Or the fact Utah shot double the free throws in the 4th than the lakers. Anyways, a win is a win. Life will go on. You guy's had chances to win with free throws and oppurtunities, we just had lady luck in our corner tonight.
Terrible call there.. I was rooting for the Jazz in OT but what can you do ;[ I'm fairly certain though that they cannot reverse a foul call even if the play is under review-- all they are allowed to do is look and see if the shot was off before the buzzer.
Can't they call it a inadvertant whistle? Whatever that is haha. As much as I'm not a Jazz fan I wanted them to win. The more the pacific teams lose (except for Warriors) the better. Although I'm sure the Lakers will lose even more as Kobe shoots 30+ shots a night...
Steve Kerr said it, neither team deserved this win tonight. This game was poorly officiated all night, and that phantom foul on Kobe to send it into OT was the icing for this group of zebras. 94 combined FTAs in the game. These two teams struggle with their offense as it is, they need the refs blowing the whistle every other play and killing the rhythm. Make sure to avoid these officials: Jess Kersey, Ron Olesiak, Tom Washington when they come to your home town. Unless you like FT shooting contests. I'm glad the Lakers won, but what a ugly way to win a game.
