<table class="gamePreview"> <tbody> <tr> <td class="center" colspan="2">November 4th, 2007 @ 9:30pm EST Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA Fox Sports West, KJZZ 14</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="center"> Utah Jazz (2-1)</p> </td> <td class="center"> Los Angeles Lakers (1-1)</p> </td> </tr> <tr class="sectHeader"> <td colspan="2"> <h4>Projected Lineup</h4> </td> </tr> <tr class="roster"> <td> Williams #8 - Brewer #9</p> Kirilenko #47 - Okur #13 - Boozer #5</p> </td> <td> Fisher #2 - Bryant #24</p> Walton #4 - Brown #54 - Turiaf #21</p> </td> </tr> <tr class="sectHeader"> <td colspan="2"> <h4>Season Stats</h4> </td> </tr> <tr class="seasonStats"> <td> <table> <tbody> <tr> <td class="strong">Scoring</td> <td>106.0</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="strong">Field Goal %</td> <td>49.7%</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="strong">3-Point %</td> <td>47.6%</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="strong">Rebounds</td> <td>45.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="strong">Assists</td> <td>21.0</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> <td> <table> <tbody> <tr> <td class="strong">Scoring</td> <td>115.0</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="strong">Field Goal %</td> <td>50.8%</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="strong">3-Point %</td> <td>48.8%</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="strong">Rebounds</td> <td>46.0</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="strong">Assists</td> <td>28.0</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> <tr class="sectHeader"> <td colspan="2"> <h4>Team Leaders</h4> </td> </tr> <tr class="seasonStats"> <td> <table> <tbody> <tr> <td class="strong">Bryant</td> <td>Bryant 30.5 PPG</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="strong">Bryant</td> <td>Bryant 9.5 RPG</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="strong">Bryant</td> <td>Bryant 4.0 APG</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> <td> <table> <tbody> <tr> <td class="strong">Boozer</td> <td>Boozer 24.7 PPG</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="strong">Boozer</td> <td>Boozer 13.7 RPG</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="strong">Williams</td> <td>Williams 10.7 APG</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> <tr class="sectHeader"> <td colspan="2"> <h4>Key Matchups</h4> </td> </tr> <tr class="keyMatchups"> <td> - Derek Fisher has been a breathe of fresh air in the backcourt and locker room for the Los Angeles Lakers. Emotions are going to run high for Fisher facing his former team and he has the responsibility to slow down another premiere point guard. How would Smush have handled facing Nash and Deron in back to back games? Fisher did a number on Steve Nash on Friday holding the two-time MVP to just 3 assists and outplaying him on both ends. Fisher will have to duplicate his effort again tonight to slow down a hot shooting Deron Williams. Last night Utah shot a ridiculous 75% from behind the arc, including 4 out of 6 for DWill. He slammed the door shut on the Warriors last minute comeback by taking over the game and scoring from all over the court. Fisher is familiar with Deron's tendencies having practiced against him, but Fisher has to stay out of early foul trouble and force DWill to chase him around like he did with Nash. This is a back to back game for the Jazz and I expect Deron's legs to be fatigued from last night's Warrior game. Fisher has to take advantage and run him into screens and play pitbull defense on him.</td> <td> - Utah's offense lives and dies on the play of their floor leader. When DWill gets his teammates involved early the Jazz are tough to beat. Deron has a great sense of when to take over a game and when to just make plays for Boozer, Memo, or AK47. He's slowly becoming one of the best close out players in the league and has no problem taking those final shots in a close game. One bad habit Deron does have though is getting baited into upstaging his defender. Fisher is great at getting under a player's skin and I'm sure there will be a lot of back and forth trash talking, bumping, grabbing, and the occasional stiff elbow to the lower back. Deron has to keep his composure and not break discipline if Fisher is getting the better of him early on. He also has to stay out of foul trouble because Utah's offense completely falls apart when he's not on the floor.</td> </tr> <tr class="sectHeader"> <td colspan="2"> <h4>Keys to the Game</h4> </td> </tr> <tr class="keyStrategy"> <td> <ul>[*]Early Pressure - The Lakers came out firing against Phoenix on Friday and they need the same approach tonight. Utah is also playing the second game of a back to back and not closing out the Warriors late in the game forced the starters to stay on the court longer than Sloan wanted. It's a short plane ride from Utah to LA, but with little time to rest it's hard to recover and play at full strength. The Lakers have to get out early and break Utah's spirit. If the Lakers can take an early lead, Utah will get disinterested in the game and won't put up much of a fight. Lakers defense has vastly improved from last year so I'm confident they can prevent teams from making those 15 point comebacks in the 4th quarter like they allowed last season. [*]Ball Movement - When the Lakers operate the Triangle and move the ball around they cannot be defeated. I like the fact PJax moved Kobe back to the attacking position and put the ball in Fisher's hands to get the offense started. It's a lot more calming and when Fisher brings the ball up makes the initial pass and the Lakers players start moving around looking for high percentage shots. The rhythm gets going and it breaks down a defense and allows the Lakers to get back and setup their defense. [*]Close Out on the 3-Pointers - I don't expect Utah to be as hot as they were last night, but the Lakers have to scramble on the perimeter like they did in the Phoenix game. Kobe has been unbelievable on defense, but he can't have any letdowns with Ronnie Brewer tonight. Kobe tends to play free safety and cheat off an offensive player if he doesn't respect their game. Brewer is very capable of scoring 20 if you give him wide open shots, so Kobe needs to stay at home with him and have trust in his teammates to shut their man down.[/list] </td> <td> <ul>[*]Rebound Utah's +/- in rebounding differential is off the charts thanks to their two meetings against the Warriors. A vital component to their success is their ability to hold teams to one shot, and work for second chance opportunities on the other end. The Lakers are a good rebounding team, but they will struggle to keep AK47 off the glass if he commits to flying in when shots go up. Luke Walton doesn't have the height or athleticism to hang with AK47, but if AK47 plays lazy tonight Utah loses that advantage. [*]Bench Must Step Up - Both of these teams had inspiring performances from their bench in their last games. Utah's bench dominated the Warriors bench last night led by Harping and Giricek, while the Lakers bench scored over 60 points against Phoenix. In back to back games it's even more important for Utah's second unit to show up tonight and keep the game close to give the starters a chance to win it at the end. [*]Attack Turiaf The Lakers have depth at every position except the powerforward spot with Odom injured. Turiaf is prone to getting into early foul trouble and when he goes to the bench PJax has to grit his teeth and put Brian Cook into the game. Brian Cook has been the weak link in the first two games for the Lakers. He is a pathetic -26 +/- on/off court differential. Utah needs to put pressure on Turiaf to foul by isolating him against Carlos Boozer early and often. If Turiaf goes to the bench the floor will open up for the rest of the Jazz players and they can take advantage of Cook being in the game.[/list] </td> </tr> <tr class="sectHeader"> <td colspan="2"> <h4>Prediction</h4> </td> </tr> <tr class="prediction"> <td colspan="2">Lakers play well in those Sunday whites and I expect us to win this game tonight. Utah will be tired and the Lakers have had enough time to prepare for this team. They know what Utah likes to do and they need to shift their defensive focus to protecting the middle of the floor and create a wall to prevent Boozer and Co. from getting to the basket and drawing fouls. Houston did a nice job of this in their victory over the Jazz. They forced Boozer to take shots behind the free throw line and 12 feet away on the baseline. Boozer isn't as effective when he has to take jumpshots because there's no room in the paint to lower his shoulder and bulldozer his way in. The Lakers might be without Kwame tonight or only have him available for limited minutes because he's suffering from some respiratory issues. Him and Bynum will be key players for us keeping Boozer out of the paint by using their strength and length to force Boozer into difficult shots and then box him out.</td> </tr> <tr class="sectHeader"> <td colspan="2"> </p> <h4>Randoms</h4> "I think it does help knowing how things work in this league," Fisher said. "It's knowing as good as you can feel after a win, you can feel the exact opposite, feel that bad after a loss. And we experienced that from Tuesday night to Friday night. It was a world of difference. Now we need to build on the game we showed last night." LET'S KEEP THE WINNING FEELING GOING! GO LAKERS!</p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jumpman)</div><div class='quotemain'></p> Go Radman and Vujacic! I'm just worried about Boozer and AK47's length over Walton.</p> </div></p> Yeah I'm always worried about Luke on defense, but he surprised in the Suns game and he's great at positiong himself to take a charge. AK47 is an athletic freak, but he does get out of control a lot when he drives in and the Lakers big men have been could at contesting shots when teams get inside the paint.</p> </p>
Yeah, I shouldn't be too worried since we got the shotblocking machine Turiaf in the paint! Damn that last game got me all pumped up LOL.</p>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (pablitocesar)</div><div class='quotemain'></p> why the game has not started?</p> </div></p> It's only 6:00 right now. We had set our clocks back this morning so everything as an hour behind now.</p> </p>
Steal by the Lakers great double team by Boozer.</p> Fisher just drew the foul on DWill.</p> Great start by the Lakers so far.</p> 1st is good</p> 2nd is good</p> 4-0 Lakers</p>
Another steal, Kobe ahead to Ronny, and a foul called on AK47!</p> 1st is no good</p> 2nd is no good</p>
Okur scores</p> PICK & ROLL with Luke and Kwame gets an easy dunk!</p> Okur misses</p> Kobe with the board, up ahead to Fisher, pass to Ronny for the score!</p> Boozer misses</p> Okur offensive board and a bucket</p>
Ronny isolation on Boozer, draws the foul on Boozer</p> Lakers in the Triangle</p> Luke doinks a 3 pointer</p> Jazz rebound</p> DWill hits a jumper</p> </p>
Kobe answers!</p> Lakers lead 10-6</p> Okur beats Ronny in the post and draws a foul</p> 1st is no good</p> 2nd is good</p> 10-7 Lakers</p> Kobe iso on Brewer, draws the foul</p> Fisher shoots an airball 3 pointer</p> Jazz are in the penalty already!</p>
Damn Fisher fouls Okur on a 3 point shot, 3 free throws coming up</p> 1st is good</p> 2nd is good</p> 3rd is good</p> game tied at 10</p> Offensive foul on Kwame</p> Brewer misses</p> WTF palming on Kobe? Bullshit!</p> Kobe almost got the steal, Brewer jumps on the ball and calls timeout</p>
Jazz miss</p> Lakers turn it over!</p> Steal by Kobe up ahead to Turiaf, ahead to Walton, layup AND 1! Woo hoo! Foul on Okur!</p> Free throw is good</p> DWill hits again</p> Lakers up 13-12</p> Charge on Kwame damn it .</p> BYNOMITE checks in the game!</p>
What's up with the play by play? Utah has started slow the last few games, so I expect them to start playing good in the 2nd quarter.</p> 2 fouls on Kwame</p>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (kobe23)</div><div class='quotemain'></p> why isnt kobe wearing his zk2's anymore???</p> </div></p> ask Nike lol</p> </p>
Boozer gets fouled</p> 1st is good</p> 2nd is good</p> Jazz take their first lead of the game 14-13</p> RONNY! for the 1 footer</p> Okur misses</p> Fisher give and go, gets fouled no call, shot rolls out of bounds</p> BYNUM DUNK! WOO!</p>
