Lakers-Jazz Playoff Prediction & Preview

Game Notes: Jazz @ Lakers, Game 1

Posted 5/5/2008 on SLAM Online

by Marcel Mutoni Before we get started, a confession: I missed much of the game, and what little of it that I saw, I can hardly recall. Why? Simple: I spent the weekend in Montreal. And when you spend a debaucherous weekend in that wonderful city, debilitating hangovers on Sunday afternoon make it a little difficult to pay attention to Playoff basketball. Still, there’s this ...

My Utah Jazz Playoff Podcast with Ryan from Hoops Addict. With a few random thoughts...

Posted 5/5/2008 on My Utah Jazz

I was asked to participate in a playoff podcast by Ryan at Hoops Addict . You can hear the podcast, which was picked up by USA Today , here . Kurt from Forum Blue and Gold also participated for all you Lakers fans. Ryan did a great job. As Booner would say, sorry if I sounded like Debbie Downer, but we held the call right after the Jazz had lost. Random Thoughts : Boozers Hammy was right on ...

The Internets are alive: Jazz at Lakers, Game 1

Posted 5/5/2008 on Ball Don't Lie

Scanning the blogs and beats following the Lakers' 109-98 win over the Jazz in Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals ... Tim Buckley, Deseret News : "NBA MVP-elect Kobe Bryant finished with a game-high 38 points, including 21-of-23 shooting from the foul line — the 21 makes marked a Lakers franchise playoff record — and 8-of-16 shooting from the field. Bryant also ...

Jazz struggle adjusting to playoff calls by officials

Posted 5/5/2008 on NBA - Sports Rumors - Yahoo! Sports

Ronnie Brewer got caught in the air as Kobe Bryant leaned in to draw contact for his first foul. His second foul came on one of Bryant's patented moves, as the Lakers guard swung through on his way up for a shot with Brewer reaching in. The call that drew Brewer's ire, though, came barely two minutes into the third quarter, when Brewer picked up his third personal battling with Bryant in the ...

May 4: Lakers 109, Jazz 98

Posted 5/5/2008 on InsideHoops.com's Basketball Blog

The AP reports: Kobe Bryant, celebrating what’s expected to be his first NBA MVP award, converted six of his franchise playoff-record 21 foul shots in the fourth quarter, and the Los Angeles Lakers held off the Utah Jazz 109-98 Sunday to begin the second round of the playoffs. Bryant finished with 38 points, six rebounds [...]

TLN’s Playoff Report: Lakers vs. Jazz [Game 1]

Posted 5/4/2008 on The Lakers Nation

The Lakers continued their great play with their fifth straight playoff victory. The Lakers beat the Jazz in game 1, 109-98, despite giving up 58 rebounds, including 25 offensive. The difference in the game turned out to be shooting as the Lakers held Utah to only 38% from the field and 4-19 from three. The Lakers answered every Utah run today. The Lakers were led by Kobe with 38, but ...

Lakers-Jazz Game 1: Where Standing Around Happens

Posted 5/4/2008 on Five Tool Tool - The Sports Blog That Loves You Back

Today in Los Angeles, the Lakers took the early lead in a playoff series that, I am afraid, is going to be decided by the men in striped shirts. That's a series, by the way, that the Jazz can not win, and that won't be at all pretty to watch. No one on the Jazz roster can guard Kobe Bryant at all. They are, of course, going to try... so while Bryant didn't really play that well, he still ...

Hawks Exit Stage Left [Curtain Opens On Lakers And Jazz]

Posted 5/4/2008 on Deadspin

The Atlanta Hawks gave their fans plenty to cheer about with three home wins against the Celtics, but they were finally finished off this afternoon. Boston continued their home dominance with 99-65 curb-stomping, although it could have been much worse. The win sends them into the second round against the Roc-A-Fella LeBrons, having won their four home playoff games by an average margin of 25 ...

Free Darko On Los Angeles-Utah [Free Darko Presents]

Posted 5/4/2008 on Deadspin

We're looking at every NBA Playoff series through the eyes of both Free Darko. Here's Free Darko's look at the Los Angeles Lakers-Utah Jazz series. Your author is Bethlehem Shoals. What's been going on with the Jazz and Lakers, respectively? It took Utah six games to knock off Houston, a streaky, rag-tag, injury-ridden team that everyone kind of wanted to play in round one. They even ...

Jazz-Lakers Who Will Cover?

Posted 5/4/2008 on Sports Handicapping

The Utah Jazz and the Los Angeles Lakers will both be gunning for a playoff victory on Sunday when they meet at STAPLES Center. Oddsmakers currently have the Lakers listed as 8-point favorites versus the Jazz, while the game's total has not yet been posted. The Jazz had seven players reach double figures on Friday, as they defeated the Rockets 113-91 and took that Western Conference ...

TLN’s Playoff Preview: Lakers vs. Jazz [Game 1]

Posted 5/4/2008 on The Lakers Nation

This feels a little strange. Is this a dream? Kobe Bryant will be named the league’s Most Valuable Player Sunday afternoon prior to the Lakers beginning their second round playoff series. A year ago, that sentence is almost as improbable as: Tim Duncan killed and then ate a baby. Okay, not quite that insane, but shocking nonetheless. All giddiness aside, Round 2 commences with the Lakers ...

Lakers vs. Jazz Series Preview

Posted 5/3/2008 on Real Sports Bloggers

Thanks to Utah’s 113-91 win over Houston last night, we don’t have to wait until Tuesday to see the Lakers take the floor. This is a good thing. I don’t know how much longer I could take the "rest vs. rust" discussions. Anyway, the Lakers cruised through the first round, but that might be the [...]

Rodgers Report: Lakers/Jazz Series Breakdown

Posted 5/3/2008 on Los Angeles Lakers

By: Travis Rodgers Playoff Matchup: Round Two Without Andrew Bynum and Trevor Ariza, the Lakers still breezed through the Denver Nuggets in four games, frustrating with timely defense and huge shots by a variety of players. The Utah Jazz took six games to eliminate a Houston team that was without Yao Ming. The teams meet on LA’s [...]

Los Angeles Versus Utah Preview

Posted 5/3/2008 on 20 Second Timeout

Western Conference Second Round #1 Los Angeles (57-25) vs. #4 Utah (54-28) Season series: Los Angeles, 3-1 Utah can win if… their physicality and length enable them to control the paint and win their matchups with Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom and the other Lakers bigs. The Jazz will also need to have a big series from Deron Williams. Los Angeles will win because… Kobe Bryant is no longer going ...

Lakers' Kobe Bryant draws the line again and again

Published 5/5/2008 on L.A. Times - Basketball

His franchise-playoff record 21 made free throws are what makes the difference in Sunday's Lakers' victory over the Utah Jazz. Coach Phil Jackson calls it the team's 'biggest scoring threat.' >  ...

Bryant Scores 38 as Lakers Bounce Jazz from Game 1

Published 5/5/2008 on NBA.com: News

Kobe Bryant had 38 points, six rebounds and seven assists Sunday, and the Lakers made it five straight playoff wins by beating the Utah Jazz 109-98 to begin the second round.

Bryant's 38 get Lakers by Jazz in opener (AP)

Published 5/4/2008 on Yahoo! Sports - NBA News

Kobe Bryant, celebrating what is expected to be his first NBA MVP award, did just enough to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to another postseason victory. Bryant had 38 points, six rebounds and seven assists Sunday, and the Lakers made it five ...

Bresnahan s take on Lakers-Jazz series

Published 5/4/2008 on L.A. Times - Basketball

Staff writer Mike Bresnahan ties up some loose ends before Lakers playoff games. > Question: I was just wondering . . . has Andrew Bynum still been working out? If there is a ...

Bryant leads Lakers into Game 1 vs. Jazz (AP)

Published 5/3/2008 on Yahoo! Sports - NBA News

When the Staples Center crowd chants "MVP! MVP" in Kobe Bryant's direction Sunday, it won't simply be based on sentiment. While the Los Angeles Lakers' players were watching the finale of the Houston-Utah first-round playoff series Friday night at a ...