Monday report
The schedule has done the Jazz no favors in this series against the Lakers, forcing them to play Game 1 only 38 hours after closing out Houston. They had to play a Sunday home game for the first time in seven years and now have a two-day break before Game 5.
That's plenty of time for Kobe Bryant to rest and treat his bad back. Assuming he sits out practice Tuesday, Bryant will have had close to 72 hours rest by the time he takes the court Wednesday night at Staples Center.
``I'm glad we don't play tomorrow," Bryant told reporters Monday in Los Angeles. "I need another day to really recuperate and get ready. I'll be ready to go."
As someone pointed out, the schedule for this series still isn't as ridiculous as it is for the New Orleans/San Antonio series. Those teams would play Game 6 on Thursday and Game 7 - - get this - - Monday, giving the Spurs three days to rest.
The Jazz were able to take confidence from getting back to even in this series. Things are obviously different in the playoffs, but the Lakers hadn't lost consecutive games since falling to Charlotte and Memphis on March 26 and 28.
"I think everyone kind of counted us out," Kyle Korver said. "All the talk we were hearing was the Lakers are going to sweep this. I don't think we've necessarily proved anything to ourselves. I think we were confident enough the whole time, but we kind of showed some other people that we're here to play."
* * *
Jazz coach Jerry Sloan offered high praise for Ronnie Price's play these last two games. Price dove to the floor after two loose balls in Game 3 and made a spectacular block in Game 4, chasing down Luke Walton to block his breakaway layup bid.
Sloan said what Price was doing was "over and above what you expect from players."
"That's always rewarding to see," Sloan said, "because a lot of guys don't get the time they deserve.
"He probably deserves a little more time. He's playing behind Deron Williams and that's a tough place to be for playing time. But he's handled it very professionally, works hard every day he comes to practice, and that'll make him a better player in the long run."
Humorous moment when Williams was told Price called him the best point guard in the NBA. "Well, he's the best backup in the league," Williams said to laughs.
Williams also was asked if Price ever makes plays like the Walton block in practice. "He's athletic, man," Williams said. "He does a lot of things that surprise a lot of people in practice."
* * *
What's it like for Kyle Korver, the Jazz's 90-plus percent free throw shooter, as his teammates try to force-feed him the ball with the opposing team looking to foul late?
"We've got to get a play or something because I'm getting double-teamed," said Korver, who was hit in the nose by Derek Fisher. "To get open, it's kind of hard."
What's it like to be Deron Williams and watch Mehmet Okur hit two jumpers with his foot on the three-point arc in overtime of Sunday's game?
"It used to be Gira," Williams said, referring to the traded Gordan Giricek. "I guess since his buddy left, it's him now."
* * *
Williams was asked about how much Derek Fisher's early foul trouble in Games 3 and 4 benefited the Jazz.
"We're definitely glad he got in foul trouble the last two games," Williams said. "We tried to attack him early and put him in that position because he's a guy that's been making shots for them. He's kept them in ballgames, especially the two here."
--Ross Siler
That's plenty of time for Kobe Bryant to rest and treat his bad back. Assuming he sits out practice Tuesday, Bryant will have had close to 72 hours rest by the time he takes the court Wednesday night at Staples Center.
``I'm glad we don't play tomorrow," Bryant told reporters Monday in Los Angeles. "I need another day to really recuperate and get ready. I'll be ready to go."
As someone pointed out, the schedule for this series still isn't as ridiculous as it is for the New Orleans/San Antonio series. Those teams would play Game 6 on Thursday and Game 7 - - get this - - Monday, giving the Spurs three days to rest.
The Jazz were able to take confidence from getting back to even in this series. Things are obviously different in the playoffs, but the Lakers hadn't lost consecutive games since falling to Charlotte and Memphis on March 26 and 28.
"I think everyone kind of counted us out," Kyle Korver said. "All the talk we were hearing was the Lakers are going to sweep this. I don't think we've necessarily proved anything to ourselves. I think we were confident enough the whole time, but we kind of showed some other people that we're here to play."
* * *
Jazz coach Jerry Sloan offered high praise for Ronnie Price's play these last two games. Price dove to the floor after two loose balls in Game 3 and made a spectacular block in Game 4, chasing down Luke Walton to block his breakaway layup bid.
Sloan said what Price was doing was "over and above what you expect from players."
"That's always rewarding to see," Sloan said, "because a lot of guys don't get the time they deserve.
"He probably deserves a little more time. He's playing behind Deron Williams and that's a tough place to be for playing time. But he's handled it very professionally, works hard every day he comes to practice, and that'll make him a better player in the long run."
Humorous moment when Williams was told Price called him the best point guard in the NBA. "Well, he's the best backup in the league," Williams said to laughs.
Williams also was asked if Price ever makes plays like the Walton block in practice. "He's athletic, man," Williams said. "He does a lot of things that surprise a lot of people in practice."
* * *
What's it like for Kyle Korver, the Jazz's 90-plus percent free throw shooter, as his teammates try to force-feed him the ball with the opposing team looking to foul late?
"We've got to get a play or something because I'm getting double-teamed," said Korver, who was hit in the nose by Derek Fisher. "To get open, it's kind of hard."
What's it like to be Deron Williams and watch Mehmet Okur hit two jumpers with his foot on the three-point arc in overtime of Sunday's game?
"It used to be Gira," Williams said, referring to the traded Gordan Giricek. "I guess since his buddy left, it's him now."
* * *
Williams was asked about how much Derek Fisher's early foul trouble in Games 3 and 4 benefited the Jazz.
"We're definitely glad he got in foul trouble the last two games," Williams said. "We tried to attack him early and put him in that position because he's a guy that's been making shots for them. He's kept them in ballgames, especially the two here."
--Ross Siler
5:48 PM
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