Lakers are so good the league is making them play 5 on 8!

[WayOutWest]

Jazz getting a ton of BS calls in the 3rd quarter.  If the Clippers got calls like the Jazz they would be undefeated at home.  Laker shooters getting hit on the arms no call, Jazz screeners get bumped and "tweet".  BULLSHIZZLE!

[Skandery]

In one thread, WOW observes:

The Cavs coach and LeBron cry on TV afterwords, they cried so much the created a river, it will be name "Le Hypocrite" in honor of their "French-like" whining about a call they were more than happy to take from the refs.

In this thread, WOW cries:

Jazz getting a ton of BS calls in the 3rd quarter.  If the Clippers got calls like the Jazz they would be undefeated at home.  Laker shooters getting hit on the arms no call, Jazz screeners get bumped and "tweet".  BULLSHIZZLE!

<sigh>

[WayOutWest]

In one thread, WOW observes:

The Cavs coach and LeBron cry on TV afterwords, they cried so much the created a river, it will be name "Le Hypocrite" in honor of their "French-like" whining about a call they were more than happy to take from the refs.

In this thread, WOW cries:

Jazz getting a ton of BS calls in the 3rd quarter.  If the Clippers got calls like the Jazz they would be undefeated at home.  Laker shooters getting hit on the arms no call, Jazz screeners get bumped and "tweet".  BULLSHIZZLE!

<sigh>

In case you didn't know, I neither play for nor do I coach the Lakers.

Impressive play by Brewer, playing good defense while laying on his stomach.

Williams is a beast, I admire they way that guy plays...on the fli...I can't stand the way CP3 gets his numbers.

Utah is one of those teams that doesn't have a player I dislike.

Wow, can't believe the Jazz get to shoot FT's for NOTHING while the Lakers get hacked and no-call.  Oh well, I guess teams have figured out how to beat LA, just put 8 guys on the court. 

No Boozer and no AK and the Jazz still "punked" the Lakers.  I said it last year, even though the Lakers won the series the Jazz man-handled the Lakers.

Good game from the Jazz and great game from Williams, the Jazz where choking the game away and Williams pulled them through.

[Ted]

Jazz getting a ton of BS calls in the 3rd quarter.  If the Clippers got calls like the Jazz they would be undefeated at home.  Laker shooters getting hit on the arms no call, Jazz screeners get bumped and "tweet".  BULLSHIZZLE!

BWAAHAHAHHAAAAHHAHAHAAAA!

Okay, now that I have that out of my system, let's talk seriously.

I saw some encouraging signs tonight. Two specific instances in the 4th quarter:

1. Ronnie Brewer's at the line and misses the first of 2, and Kobe smirks and nods his head up and down several times. Next time down, Ronnie gets the ball in the paint with Kobe between him and the hoop, spins and throws down on Kobe's dome, and of course, nods his head up and down all the way down the court.

2. Mehmet Okur's answer to Kobe's post-trey "Hey Utah, look at my huge balls" dance. Memo drains a HUGE three to put the Jazz up 110-107 and boinks his way off the court in a very funny, very poor rendition of the Kobe dance. I will savor that one for a while.

I think that's the kind of swagger and arrogance the Jazz have always lacked when it comes to playing against the elite one or two players in the league. They never could muster it against Jordan, and they've struggled against Kobe and Duncan. Hopefully they can keep it going.

Only Kobe Bryant can look completely out of sorts and still drop 30 on you. What was with him when he didn't get his call and he just lets the ball hit him while he's out of bounds? Or that weird travel late in the game? I gotta tell you Laker fans, I was loving Kobester's shot selection in the 4th. Holy crap, I don't care who the player is, but if you've got a guy horking up off-balance crap like that in crunch time in a close game, you've got to say something to him. You've got freaking Pau Gasol touching the ball like ONCE in the fourth quarter! If I were a Laker fan (god forbid), I'd be slightly torqued with the best player in the league right now.

But not with Lamar Odom. He was a beast tonight. He can really be a monster when he gets after it.

And yes, WoW, the call on Gasol on Millsap's late dunk-and-1 WAS a foul. Gasol's hand clearly grazed a fold in Millsap's shorts as Paul flew by. 

Closing notes:

• Lakers' interior defense sucks. How many times did you get dunked on by guys 6'8" or under tonight? You have a 7-footer and a 6'10" Odom down there! What the fudge?
  
• Lakers have absolutely no answer for Deron Williams. Jordan Farmar may as well just let Deron keep Jordan's nuts in his locker for safekeeping.
• Derek Fisher is old, and he still got some boos in Utah, which is lame and totally sucks. I'm embarrassed.
• Kobe, when on, can probably do whatever he wants to against the Jazz. Although there was some good D on him tonight.

Williams is a beast, I admire they way that guy plays...on the fli...I can't stand the way CP3 gets his numbers.

WoW, you are a gentleman and a scholar. CP is great no doubt, and his numbers are impressive, but Deron OWNS him head-to-head. DWill is one tough Mofe.

[WayOutWest]

I don't know what I'm mad at the most, Kobe taking too many shots or my DVR for stopping the recording of the game right after the "and one" FT from Millsap?  

[WayOutWest]

BWAAHAHAHHAAAAHHAHAHAAAA!

Jeeze Ted, show some class.  I can't stand when posters celebrate or complain about officials on this board.  Totally classless! 

2. Mehmet Okur's answer to Kobe's post-trey "Hey Utah, look at my huge balls" dance. Memo drains a HUGE three to put the Jazz up 110-107 and boinks his way off the court in a very funny, very poor rendition of the Kobe dance. I will savor that one for a while.

It seems like everytime Kobe does that the Lakers blow it, he needs to stop.  Most evident in the Spurs games.

Only Kobe Bryant can look completely out of sorts and still drop 30 on you. What was with him when he didn't get his call and he just lets the ball hit him while he's out of bounds? Or that weird travel late in the game? I gotta tell you Laker fans, I was loving Kobester's shot selection in the 4th. Holy crap, I don't care who the player is, but if you've got a guy horking up off-balance crap like that in crunch time in a close game, you've got to say something to him. You've got freaking Pau Gasol touching the ball like ONCE in the fourth quarter! If I were a Laker fan (god forbid), I'd be slightly torqued with the best player in the league right now.

It can be frustrating but you have to take the bad with the good that Kobe brings to the court.  It seems like Kobe's first instinct NOW is to trust his team mates but there were so many boneheaded plays that Kobe went back to 2006 mode.

[westkoast]

Didn't watch the game, was in the air, can't comment =/

[rickortreat]

Jazz getting a ton of BS calls in the 3rd quarter.  If the Clippers got calls like the Jazz they would be undefeated at home.  Laker shooters getting hit on the arms no call, Jazz screeners get bumped and "tweet".  BULLSHIZZLE!

BWAAHAHAHHAAAAHHAHAHAAAA!

Okay, now that I have that out of my system, let's talk seriously.

I saw some encouraging signs tonight. Two specific instances in the 4th quarter:

1. Ronnie Brewer's at the line and misses the first of 2, and Kobe smirks and nods his head up and down several times. Next time down, Ronnie gets the ball in the paint with Kobe between him and the hoop, spins and throws down on Kobe's dome, and of course, nods his head up and down all the way down the court.

2. Mehmet Okur's answer to Kobe's post-trey "Hey Utah, look at my huge balls" dance. Memo drains a HUGE three to put the Jazz up 110-107 and boinks his way off the court in a very funny, very poor rendition of the Kobe dance. I will savor that one for a while.

I think that's the kind of swagger and arrogance the Jazz have always lacked when it comes to playing against the elite one or two players in the league. They never could muster it against Jordan, and they've struggled against Kobe and Duncan. Hopefully they can keep it going.

Only Kobe Bryant can look completely out of sorts and still drop 30 on you. What was with him when he didn't get his call and he just lets the ball hit him while he's out of bounds? Or that weird travel late in the game? I gotta tell you Laker fans, I was loving Kobester's shot selection in the 4th. Holy crap, I don't care who the player is, but if you've got a guy horking up off-balance crap like that in crunch time in a close game, you've got to say something to him. You've got freaking Pau Gasol touching the ball like ONCE in the fourth quarter! If I were a Laker fan (god forbid), I'd be slightly torqued with the best player in the league right now.

But not with Lamar Odom. He was a beast tonight. He can really be a monster when he gets after it.

And yes, WoW, the call on Gasol on Millsap's late dunk-and-1 WAS a foul. Gasol's hand clearly grazed a fold in Millsap's shorts as Paul flew by. 

Closing notes:

• Lakers' interior defense sucks. How many times did you get dunked on by guys 6'8" or under tonight? You have a 7-footer and a 6'10" Odom down there! What the fudge?
  
• Lakers have absolutely no answer for Deron Williams. Jordan Farmar may as well just let Deron keep Jordan's nuts in his locker for safekeeping.
• Derek Fisher is old, and he still got some boos in Utah, which is lame and totally sucks. I'm embarrassed.
• Kobe, when on, can probably do whatever he wants to against the Jazz. Although there was some good D on him tonight.

Williams is a beast, I admire they way that guy plays...on the fli...I can't stand the way CP3 gets his numbers.

WoW, you are a gentleman and a scholar. CP is great no doubt, and his numbers are impressive, but Deron OWNS him head-to-head. DWill is one tough Mofe.

Congrats on a great win against what was the hottest team in the league Ted.  The Lakers were able to knock off Cleveland and Boston, but NOT the Jazz.  By the way what are they doing with two Sixers rejects, Harpring and Korver?  I saw they were both in the game late putting out those hustle plays that Sloan (and Larry Brown) love.

[Ted]

Congrats on a great win against what was the hottest team in the league Ted.  The Lakers were able to knock off Cleveland and Boston, but NOT the Jazz.  By the way what are they doing with two Sixers rejects, Harpring and Korver?  I saw they were both in the game late putting out those hustle plays that Sloan (and Larry Brown) love.

Thanks Rick. The Lakers were definitely missing Bynum last night. They could do nothing about the Jazz' back cuts for dunks. But then again, we were without our best scorer and rebounder (Boozer) and best defender and second best passer (AK). So I am definitely happy with what we did.

Korver is now a major fan favorite here. The ladies, of course, love him. He and Ronnie Brewer are our best off-the-ball players in offense. With his quick release, Korver is devastating when he comes off a double screen. And his three-point shooting makes us just silly; just too many options for Deron Williams to choose from. Should I pass to a cutting Ronnie for a dunk or to Kyle for an open trey? Hmm? Aw heck, I'll just play the pick and roll with Paul.

Anyway, Korver is a major asset for us on offense, and against half  the league, he's not a major liability on D. Guys like Kobe, DWade, Roy, etc., make life difficult for him of course, but he holds his own against the rest. And he'll always be in late in the game because he's iceman at the FT line.

DWill is the leader of the team. Harpring is the heart and soul of the team. If any Jazz player has a question about how he should approach the game, Harpring is there as the example. Sloan absolutely loves. Opposing players absolutely hate him. He's like James Posey without the long-distance jumper. He hits you every chance he gets, during the play, after the play, under the basket, on the way to the basket. He's a mean piece of work.

So, yes, the Philly cast-offs are thriving here. And we're glad to have them.

[westkoast]

Congrats on a great win against what was the hottest team in the league Ted.  The Lakers were able to knock off Cleveland and Boston, but NOT the Jazz.  By the way what are they doing with two Sixers rejects, Harpring and Korver?  I saw they were both in the game late putting out those hustle plays that Sloan (and Larry Brown) love.

Thanks Rick. The Lakers were definitely missing Bynum last night. They could do nothing about the Jazz' back cuts for dunks. But then again, we were without our best scorer and rebounder (Boozer) and best defender and second best passer (AK). So I am definitely happy with what we did.

Korver is now a major fan favorite here. The ladies, of course, love him. He and Ronnie Brewer are our best off-the-ball players in offense. With his quick release, Korver is devastating when he comes off a double screen. And his three-point shooting makes us just silly; just too many options for Deron Williams to choose from. Should I pass to a cutting Ronnie for a dunk or to Kyle for an open trey? Hmm? Aw heck, I'll just play the pick and roll with Paul.

Anyway, Korver is a major asset for us on offense, and against half  the league, he's not a major liability on D. Guys like Kobe, DWade, Roy, etc., make life difficult for him of course, but he holds his own against the rest. And he'll always be in late in the game because he's iceman at the FT line.

DWill is the leader of the team. Harpring is the heart and soul of the team. If any Jazz player has a question about how he should approach the game, Harpring is there as the example. Sloan absolutely loves. Opposing players absolutely hate him. He's like James Posey without the long-distance jumper. He hits you every chance he gets, during the play, after the play, under the basket, on the way to the basket. He's a mean piece of work.

So, yes, the Philly cast-offs are thriving here. And we're glad to have them.

I guess this makes another case for Rick saying that Mo Cheeks is a poor coach.  Jerry Sloan is a quality coach and seems to take cast aways and make them better....hmmmm

[Ted]

I guess this makes another case for Rick saying that Mo Cheeks is a poor coach.  Jerry Sloan is a quality coach and seems to take cast aways and make them better....hmmmm

If they have a Jerry Sloan attitude, I think he helps them. Some do not do well here. Gordan Giricek, Carlos Arroyo, and DeShawn Stevenson come to mind. The thing is, the ones who don't do well with Sloan, often don't do much elsewhere. And sometimes, those who succeed here (Shandon Anderson, Howard Eisley, Bryon Russell, Chris Morris) don't seem to do well elsewhere.

Sloan is a great coach, but not to every player, I think.