After winning the first two games against the Jazz at home and losing the next two in Salt Lake City, the Lakers fully understand the significance of tomorrow night’s pivotal Game 5, but aren’t about to shy away from the big-game pressure.
“We’re looking forward to getting back out there and competing,” said Derek Fisher. “I think at this level, that’s what you love to do most and sometimes things don’t go the way you plan them to, but you’re always ready to get back out there and compete.”
With the series so close, Derek said that the Lakers need to be read to play for every second of the 48 minutes they’re on the court.
“There aren’t any letdowns,” said Fisher. “There aren’t any opportunities to take a breath or take a step back and not compete as hard as you can, every opportunity you have. There’s just no margin for error and when you play against a team that prides itself on executing and they play hard and they play physical, your margin for error is even smaller.”
Continue reading ‘Lakers Ready for Pressure of Game 5′
After today’s practice, Lakers spokesman John Black said that Trevor Ariza has been cleared for full-contact practice. Although the broken bone in his foot has yet to fully heal, Ariza is not at risk for further injuring his foot.
After participating in his first practice today, Coach Jackson said, “He got out there today a little bit and tried to shake off three months of rest, maybe even more…three and a half months…and he’s got time to work at his game and this will give him a little edge about going forward.”
With Ariza potentially available should the Lakers advance in the Western Conference playoffs, Jackson said he isn’t sure yet when he’ll be able to use the athletic forward in live game play.
“We really can’t put a timeframe on it,” said Jackson. “I said a week or two and he said one week so we’ll just see what it’s going to be.”
Continue reading ‘Trevor Ariza Injury Update’
After today’s practice, Kobe said he’s seen improvement in his back since fighting his way through the injury throughout the Lakers’ loss in Game 4 on Sunday.
While the MVP guard did not participate in the team’s shooting drills today, he said that his back feels much better than it did even 24 hours ago, noting that if there were a game today, he would absolutely suit up.
According to Kobe, his injury affects his elevation, change of direction and just about every other aspect of his game.
“I think that the key is to try and know what you can and can’t do,” said Bryant. “I think the last game was kind of an indicator for me. So, if it is that bad—and I don’t think it will be that bad again—but if it is, I can kind of know what I can and can’t do.”
“Sleeping’s tough. You’ve got to sleep with something under your hips at all times,” said Kobe, who also revealed that other simple things such as driving a car have also been difficult for him.
Continue reading ‘Kobe Injury Update’
The Lakers made a furious rally in the final three minutes of the fourth quarter to send the game into overtime, but wound up running out of gas against the Jazz, suffering a 123-115 series-tying loss.
“There was definitely a great chance after coming back,” said Pau Gasol (23 points, 10 rebounds) of the Lakers’ near comeback. “We had them where wanted them, and we weren’t able to execute. We didn’t get the shots that we needed to get in overtime. They got pretty good looks, and offensive boards. That is what gave them the victory.”
“It comes down to a couple defensive stops we have to make,” said Coach Jackson after the game. “I really had to jump our second unit a little bit again tonight, because they let us down in the fourth quarter. We had to come back and play out of a double digit deficit again. It put a lot of pressure on the starters to have to play at a pace in which they were pretty exhausted going into overtime.”
Continue reading ‘Game 4: Lakers vs. Jazz Post-Game’
The Lakers trailed for much of the game, but rallied to within four of the Jazz at before a critical turnover gave Utah their first win of the series 104-99 and the Lakers, their first loss of the 2007-08 post-season. Carlos Boozer led the way for the Jazz with 27 points an a playoff career high-tying 20 rebounds as his team won for the fortieth time in 45 tries this year at Energy Solutions Arena.
“(Kobe) fumbled the ball that’s what’s wrong,” said Coach Jackson about the team’s critical turnover in the waning moments of the fourth quarter. “I don’t know if he was trying to get it out of his hands too soon or what happened but it looked like he had it, and he just didn’t wrap it up.”
“We turned the ball over quite a bit,” said Bryant after the game, drawing parallels to his final mishap and the team’s sloppy play throughout the night. “Down the stretch in a critical situation we put them on the line four or five straight possessions and gave them easy opportunities. We clawed back, but with that said we can’t turn the ball over 18 times. We had a lot of open looks that just didn’t go for us. You can sustain a night like that, when shots don’t fall. We’ve really got to keep our turnovers down and not allow them to get out in transition and get some easy points.”
Continue reading ‘Game 3: Lakers vs. Jazz Post-Game’
Lakers Forward Trevor Ariza used this trip to Utah to get a second opinion on the injured right foot that has kept him off the floor since January 20th.
The prognosis: conflicting.
“There’s a fault line there, I’ll use that term, there’s a small line in that break. There’s been some suggestion that perhaps this is as good as it’s going to heal,” said Phil Jackson. “Perhaps he doesn’t have to be as cautious as was suggested before.”
Jackson went on to stress Ariza’s long term importance to the team.
“This is a territory of the anatomy that you don’t just go in and put a screw in and it heals itself. He’s had a break there once and we’re trying to be real cautious because he’s a young guy.”
Because of the differing opinions the team will likely seek a third opinion before deciding on a course of action.
Ariza originally injured the foot after coming down awkwardly on Derek Fisher’s foot in practice.
I attended a game at the Delta Center about 12 or 13 years ago in the middle of the Stockton/Malone heyday, but at that tender age (and without the aide of a press pass) I didn’t realize how close the fans actually are to the floor.
You always hear about the fans being right on top of you, but it couldn’t be more true.
There aren’t any courtside seats along the baseline because the grandstand extends all the way to the camera positions. There are some courtside seats along the sidelines, but they’re really just an extension of the grandstand as well.
The noise is already at a decent level and it’s still more than seven minutes until tip.
Phil Jackson realizes the noise is always an issue when you visit the Energy Solutions Arena, but this also isn’t the first time the Lakers have been here. Plus, it’s not like it was in the old days.
“Well (you used to) get beer thrown at you at the Boston Garden when you’re walking out at halftime and that kind of stuff,” Jackson reminisced.
Jackson went on to mention the basketball fever that the Salt Lake Area catches this time of year.
“This is a rabid crowd. I’m sure they’ll protest every foul that’s called. They really love basketball in this state.”
“It’s always fun to come play here and play.”
With the series shifting here to Utah, the Lakers can expect an already physical series to become even more physical as the Jazz play in front of their home crowd.
The popular opinion is that the calls have been mostly in the Lakers favor through the first two games of the series, but most believe that will change along with the change of venue.
The Lakers will have to play through whatever is thrown at them and remained focused on the task at hand.
“We talked about it, out that part of it, about playing through contact. I had a couple of young players that got distracted by contact in the last game and lost their focus on the team defense. So we talked about that,” said Jackson before Friday’s game.
On a night when Kobe Bryant received the top individual award in the sport–the Most Valuable Player Award–his team shined, using a balanced effort to knock off the Jazz 120-110 to go ahead 2-0 in their best of seven series.
The newly crowned MVP scored 34 points in addition to pulling down eight rebounds and dishing out six assists. After the game, Kobe said that his team was “excited” to head into Salt Lake City with a two game lead in the series, crediting the rhythm the Lakers established heading into the postseason.
Coach Jackson praised the Lakers’ fast start, using the energy of a gold-clad STAPLES Center crowd, obviously amped up after Bryant received his MVP award prior to tip-off.
“We got off to a great start,” said Jackson. “The energy of the crowd and Kobe’s night gave us a real quick start. I just didn’t think we played well the second quarter, and they kind of carried the ball from there on out the rest of the game. They kept attacking and we were able to manage point for point, but we were never able to gather momentum in the second half.”
Continue reading ‘Game 2: Lakers vs. Jazz Post-Game’
As a coach who has been on the sidelines while three of his players–Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal and now, Kobe Bryant–have been crowned MVP, Jackson said before tonight’s game that he does not believe his team’s focus will waver despite Bryant’s pre-game MVP ceremony.
“No, I don’t think it’s going to affect us,” said Jackson, revealing that the Lakers know that they need to protect their home court by winning tonight. Jackson described his mood as apprehensive heading into tonight’s Game 2, but not because he has a lack of confidence in his team’s ability to come out ready to battle after Kobe receives his MVP trophy. “Utah may come out and play better than us tonight,” said Jackson.
“We’re more than ready to play,” Jackson said, citing the long break between Sunday’s Game 1 and today’s Game 2.
“It’s a recognition that he didn’t think was ever going to happen for him,” Jackson said, noting that Kobe’s award can be attributed to both his individual success and that of the team during the regular season.
“Familiarity brings some kind of contempt,” said Jackson, possibly providing one reason for why #24 has never been voted MVP before this season.
Continue reading ‘Game 2: Lakers vs. Jazz Pre-Game’
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