Lakers 113, Jazz 100
There's no shortage of options for the Jazz to consider at wing between C.J. Miles, Ronnie Brewer, Kyle Korver and Andrei Kirilenko, but coach Jerry Sloan was content Friday night to live through some growing pains by the 21-year-old Miles.
The numbers - - seven points, 3 of 12 shooting, four turnovers, 30 minutes - - only tell part of the story for Miles. To open the game, the Jazz fell behind by 17 with Miles in the game, their latest in a recent string of terrible starts.
Miles did hit the three-pointer that brought the Jazz to 65-62 in the third quarter, the closest they would get in the second half of a game they trailed from start to finish. But Miles had three miscues as the Lakers pulled back ahead by 15 going into the fourth.
Miles was called for an offensive foul as he charged into Derek Fisher, he missed a shot in the post against Luke Walton and he threw away an alley-oop pass to Andrei Kirilenko. Just like that, the Lakers were back in front by double digits.
It wasn't all Miles' fault, of course. Pau Gasol snatched a rebound away from Mehmet Okur to score one basket and Kobe Bryant ran for a dunk after Kyle Korver had an inbounds pass tipped and stolen by Sasha Vujacic.
But Sloan stuck with Miles down the stretch and came away after the game talking about a "nonexistent" toughness by his younger players. There was no doubt his words were directed at Miles, even if he wasn't mentioned by name.
Trevor Ariza had a steal, dunk and three-point play at Miles' expense with 2:19 left after the Jazz had closed within four. Before that, Miles had Gasol trapped, but fouled him with the Jazz already in the penalty.
I asked Sloan after the game about living through the growing pains with Miles: "Yeah, or not playing him. That's a decision you have to make. I don't always make the right decision.
"He's a young guy, and if he's going to play in this league, he's got to get tougher. I mean, he can play, but if he's going to be a factor in the league, he's got to learn how to compete.
"There's loose balls out there on the floor, the Lakers guys were diving on the floor for loose balls and we waited for them to get it a couple of times. We ran away from it. That's not a good sign."
Talking about the Ariza steal, Miles said: "Thinking too much when I first caught it. I probably should have shot it because he was so far away. I decided to try to drive. He's just as athletic as anybody. He's got quick hands, got a steal."
I think I would be more concerned about how the Jazz have been starting games as opposed to how they have been finishing. With Miles and Brewer, there has definitely been an intimidated quality to the Jazz's first quarters recently.
Both missed layups in the first quarter Friday, with the Jazz struggling to get the ball inside against the Lakers' Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum. The Jazz went 8 of 22 in the first quarter as the Lakers scored 37 points.
* * *
The visiting team in the NBA gets to choose which end to attack each game. The Jazz take a different approach from most in opting to play offense in front of their bench in the second half. Most teams opt to play defense to help call out screens and such.
Lakers coach Phil Jackson cited it as one factor in the Jazz's slow start and strong second half. Given the Jazz's pattern of slow starts, maybe it's worth considering a change and playing defense in front of the bench for the second half.
"They kept changing things up on us and they found out what worked for them," Jackson said. "They played in front of their bench in the second half and I think that helps them offensively as a ballclub but they did do better in that regard. They had a much better second half than first, obviously."
Talking about the game, Jackson actually brought up the Lakers' promotion in which they give away free Jack In The Box tacos for holding teams under 100 points. Mehmet Okur sent the fans home disappointed with a three-pointer in the final minute.
"The only thing I'm disappointed about is that we didn't get tacos for our fans," Jackson said. "It bothers me. Our defense should've done better. It's not about the tacos, it's about our defense."
* * *
I asked Sloan after the game about whether it was fair to compare the Jazz and the Lakers right now given the Jazz's injuries. He answered by talking more about the matchups than how well each team has played so far.
"I don't know how you could compare us to them," Sloan said. "I mean, they're so big and long. We don't have any length hardly at all. When you look at our team matched up against their team, we're really not a very long team."
* * *
Deron Williams had a strange, strange game. He shot an airball, missed on a drive and came out earlier than expected, with 5:20 left in the first quarter. As he returned to the bench, equipment manager Brian Zettler was holding a new pair of Nikes.
Williams then left for the locker room and didn't return the rest of the quarter. He said afterward that he jammed his ankle, had both ankles retaped and changed shoes. His original pair felt loose, which he said happens when you break them in.
Williams came back to start the second quarter and played the entire rest of the game. He shot only 4 of 18, however, and drew his first technical of the season for arguing with the referees between the third and fourth quarters.
* * *
As bleak as things look for the Jazz right now at 19-15 and out of the Western Conference's top eight, they could put together a winning streak over the next week or so. They open a four-game homestand Monday against Golden State.
Dating to the 2007 Western Conference semifinals, the Jazz have won 7 of 8 against Golden State. After that, it's New Orleans, Detroit and Indiana at home, followed by Oklahoma City and Memphis on the road.
"We've got to go on a streak," Williams said. "We haven't had a streak all season, since the first five games. Now is the time to get on a roll, get some confidence. The best way to do that is to go back home and get things going."
--Ross Siler
The numbers - - seven points, 3 of 12 shooting, four turnovers, 30 minutes - - only tell part of the story for Miles. To open the game, the Jazz fell behind by 17 with Miles in the game, their latest in a recent string of terrible starts.
Miles did hit the three-pointer that brought the Jazz to 65-62 in the third quarter, the closest they would get in the second half of a game they trailed from start to finish. But Miles had three miscues as the Lakers pulled back ahead by 15 going into the fourth.
Miles was called for an offensive foul as he charged into Derek Fisher, he missed a shot in the post against Luke Walton and he threw away an alley-oop pass to Andrei Kirilenko. Just like that, the Lakers were back in front by double digits.
It wasn't all Miles' fault, of course. Pau Gasol snatched a rebound away from Mehmet Okur to score one basket and Kobe Bryant ran for a dunk after Kyle Korver had an inbounds pass tipped and stolen by Sasha Vujacic.
But Sloan stuck with Miles down the stretch and came away after the game talking about a "nonexistent" toughness by his younger players. There was no doubt his words were directed at Miles, even if he wasn't mentioned by name.
Trevor Ariza had a steal, dunk and three-point play at Miles' expense with 2:19 left after the Jazz had closed within four. Before that, Miles had Gasol trapped, but fouled him with the Jazz already in the penalty.
I asked Sloan after the game about living through the growing pains with Miles: "Yeah, or not playing him. That's a decision you have to make. I don't always make the right decision.
"He's a young guy, and if he's going to play in this league, he's got to get tougher. I mean, he can play, but if he's going to be a factor in the league, he's got to learn how to compete.
"There's loose balls out there on the floor, the Lakers guys were diving on the floor for loose balls and we waited for them to get it a couple of times. We ran away from it. That's not a good sign."
Talking about the Ariza steal, Miles said: "Thinking too much when I first caught it. I probably should have shot it because he was so far away. I decided to try to drive. He's just as athletic as anybody. He's got quick hands, got a steal."
I think I would be more concerned about how the Jazz have been starting games as opposed to how they have been finishing. With Miles and Brewer, there has definitely been an intimidated quality to the Jazz's first quarters recently.
Both missed layups in the first quarter Friday, with the Jazz struggling to get the ball inside against the Lakers' Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum. The Jazz went 8 of 22 in the first quarter as the Lakers scored 37 points.
* * *
The visiting team in the NBA gets to choose which end to attack each game. The Jazz take a different approach from most in opting to play offense in front of their bench in the second half. Most teams opt to play defense to help call out screens and such.
Lakers coach Phil Jackson cited it as one factor in the Jazz's slow start and strong second half. Given the Jazz's pattern of slow starts, maybe it's worth considering a change and playing defense in front of the bench for the second half.
"They kept changing things up on us and they found out what worked for them," Jackson said. "They played in front of their bench in the second half and I think that helps them offensively as a ballclub but they did do better in that regard. They had a much better second half than first, obviously."
Talking about the game, Jackson actually brought up the Lakers' promotion in which they give away free Jack In The Box tacos for holding teams under 100 points. Mehmet Okur sent the fans home disappointed with a three-pointer in the final minute.
"The only thing I'm disappointed about is that we didn't get tacos for our fans," Jackson said. "It bothers me. Our defense should've done better. It's not about the tacos, it's about our defense."
* * *
I asked Sloan after the game about whether it was fair to compare the Jazz and the Lakers right now given the Jazz's injuries. He answered by talking more about the matchups than how well each team has played so far.
"I don't know how you could compare us to them," Sloan said. "I mean, they're so big and long. We don't have any length hardly at all. When you look at our team matched up against their team, we're really not a very long team."
* * *
Deron Williams had a strange, strange game. He shot an airball, missed on a drive and came out earlier than expected, with 5:20 left in the first quarter. As he returned to the bench, equipment manager Brian Zettler was holding a new pair of Nikes.
Williams then left for the locker room and didn't return the rest of the quarter. He said afterward that he jammed his ankle, had both ankles retaped and changed shoes. His original pair felt loose, which he said happens when you break them in.
Williams came back to start the second quarter and played the entire rest of the game. He shot only 4 of 18, however, and drew his first technical of the season for arguing with the referees between the third and fourth quarters.
* * *
As bleak as things look for the Jazz right now at 19-15 and out of the Western Conference's top eight, they could put together a winning streak over the next week or so. They open a four-game homestand Monday against Golden State.
Dating to the 2007 Western Conference semifinals, the Jazz have won 7 of 8 against Golden State. After that, it's New Orleans, Detroit and Indiana at home, followed by Oklahoma City and Memphis on the road.
"We've got to go on a streak," Williams said. "We haven't had a streak all season, since the first five games. Now is the time to get on a roll, get some confidence. The best way to do that is to go back home and get things going."
--Ross Siler
2:13 AM
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1 Comments:
Horrid game from the beginning...horrid. Our players must mature and become confident or they'll wallow in the pool of NBA mediocrity for the rest of their careers.
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