Lakers 119, Jazz 109
The good news for the Jazz is that they'll face a Cleveland team averaging 92 points a game Wednesday at EnergySolutions Arena. That's 16 points fewer than the Jazz are giving up, which bodes well for a team trying to solve its problems on defense.
Maybe it was to be expected in the second game of a back-to-back, but the Jazz faded in the fourth quarter of Sunday's loss to the Lakers. It was interesting, though, to watch some of the game within a game on the part of the coaches at the end of the third quarter.
Jazz coach Jerry Sloan made the first big move to his bench, bringing in Paul Millsap, Jason Hart and Jarron Collins with 2:09 left in the third. Lakers coach Phil Jackson then opted to sit Kobe Bryant for the last 1:23 of the quarter. The question then was if Bryant would go the distance in the fourth.
The Lakers were outscored 9-5 when Bryant went to the bench for 3:31 in the second quarter and Jackson wasn't going to let that happen again in the fourth quarter of a close game. So he brought Bryant back for the start of the fourth.
Aside from Gordan Giricek checking in, Sloan kept his lineup the same. That changed, however, after Giricek missed a jumper, Andrew Bynum got a fast-break dunk at the other end and Hart threw away a pass. Sloan brought back Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams after just 43 seconds.
Boozer, however, arrived late at the scorer's table and had to wait an extra 33 seconds to check in. During that time, the Lakers got a three-point play out of Jordan Farmar and created just enough separation (88-82) for the fourth quarter.
The Jazz's comeback hopes later dimmed when Boozer was called for an offensive foul and Andrei Kirilenko had his dunk on the fast break erased by Bryant. Sloan voiced his displeasure to referee Bob Delaney that Bryant wasn't called for a foul on the play.
Sloan also was upset early in the game when Bryant flew over Ronnie Brewer chasing after a missed shot headed out-of-bounds. Sloan argued with Delaney that it was impossible not to call Bryant for going over Brewer's back on the play.
* * *
The Jazz had Brewer bring up the ball a couple of times in Sunday's game. As soon as Bryant saw what was happening, he immediately went to the other end to apply some full-court pressure. So far, the Jazz have experimented with Brewer and Andrei Kirilenko as secondary ball-handlers.
From what I've seen, the times when Kirilenko brings up the ball are really interesting changeups that Sloan can use. Maybe it's because of the confusion it creates, but the Jazz have gotten baskets most of the time Kirilenko has initiated the offense.
* * *
Maybe it's worth noting that the NBA Development League's Utah Flash didn't draft a player taller than 6-foot-7 last week. It could be a good indication that the Flash expect to have Jazz second-round pick Kyrylo Fesenko with them much of the season.
Sloan said Sunday that he was leaning toward having Fesenko go through a second round of training camp in the D-League. The Jazz are still working through some parts of Fesenko's adjustment to America, including getting a driver's license and work visa.
--Ross Siler
Maybe it was to be expected in the second game of a back-to-back, but the Jazz faded in the fourth quarter of Sunday's loss to the Lakers. It was interesting, though, to watch some of the game within a game on the part of the coaches at the end of the third quarter.
Jazz coach Jerry Sloan made the first big move to his bench, bringing in Paul Millsap, Jason Hart and Jarron Collins with 2:09 left in the third. Lakers coach Phil Jackson then opted to sit Kobe Bryant for the last 1:23 of the quarter. The question then was if Bryant would go the distance in the fourth.
The Lakers were outscored 9-5 when Bryant went to the bench for 3:31 in the second quarter and Jackson wasn't going to let that happen again in the fourth quarter of a close game. So he brought Bryant back for the start of the fourth.
Aside from Gordan Giricek checking in, Sloan kept his lineup the same. That changed, however, after Giricek missed a jumper, Andrew Bynum got a fast-break dunk at the other end and Hart threw away a pass. Sloan brought back Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams after just 43 seconds.
Boozer, however, arrived late at the scorer's table and had to wait an extra 33 seconds to check in. During that time, the Lakers got a three-point play out of Jordan Farmar and created just enough separation (88-82) for the fourth quarter.
The Jazz's comeback hopes later dimmed when Boozer was called for an offensive foul and Andrei Kirilenko had his dunk on the fast break erased by Bryant. Sloan voiced his displeasure to referee Bob Delaney that Bryant wasn't called for a foul on the play.
Sloan also was upset early in the game when Bryant flew over Ronnie Brewer chasing after a missed shot headed out-of-bounds. Sloan argued with Delaney that it was impossible not to call Bryant for going over Brewer's back on the play.
* * *
The Jazz had Brewer bring up the ball a couple of times in Sunday's game. As soon as Bryant saw what was happening, he immediately went to the other end to apply some full-court pressure. So far, the Jazz have experimented with Brewer and Andrei Kirilenko as secondary ball-handlers.
From what I've seen, the times when Kirilenko brings up the ball are really interesting changeups that Sloan can use. Maybe it's because of the confusion it creates, but the Jazz have gotten baskets most of the time Kirilenko has initiated the offense.
* * *
Maybe it's worth noting that the NBA Development League's Utah Flash didn't draft a player taller than 6-foot-7 last week. It could be a good indication that the Flash expect to have Jazz second-round pick Kyrylo Fesenko with them much of the season.
Sloan said Sunday that he was leaning toward having Fesenko go through a second round of training camp in the D-League. The Jazz are still working through some parts of Fesenko's adjustment to America, including getting a driver's license and work visa.
--Ross Siler
1:21 AM
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