GAME THREAD: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Utah Jazz

[7StraightIsGreat]

Kanter is starting to look like the game is slowing down for him a bit and the potential he is starting to show is downright scary. I thought there were points in the game where he was playing amazing 1-on-1 D against Bynum. There were a couple of times he got beat over the top but he was doing a great job denying Bynum post position down low. The play where he stole the ball from Bynum, ran the floor and finished with the dunk on the other end was a perfect example of what this kid can do.

 

[fgcamel]

This x10000. The last person you want guarding Kobe is a rookie.

hayward did it well last season. not that i would've had burks in there either, but just sayin...

 

[Harcher]

Phil Johnson referred to this game as a playoff game - e.g. not many fast breaks. And so it is a good measuring stick for our team. It was good to see almost all the players (esp Watson) step up this game. The 2 young bigs showed well tonight and not just via the box score. They did well in there with Watson playing a pick n roll point guard, and getting the ball to them in good position. Of course some of the time Kanter and Favors were going up against the 2nd teamers of LAL who are not great, but they did some time with Gasol and Bynum and did well.

Edit - ... mostly against Bynum who was anchoring the 2nd team.

 

[orangello]

Kanter is starting to look like the game is slowing down for him a bit and the potential he is starting to show is downright scary. I thought there were points in the game where he was playing amazing 1-on-1 D against Bynum. There were a couple of times he got beat over the top but he was doing a great job denying Bynum post position down low. The play where he stole the ball from Bynum, ran the floor and finished with the dunk on the other end was a perfect example of what this kid can do.

Anyone who defends Bynum gets beat over the top once or twice a game.

 

[Ferguson_Mellochill]

oh i'm going to celebrate this win by getting ****** up on mountain dew and watch hanna montana.

you go girl !!!!!

 

[prodigy]

our starting backcourt was 2-16 tonight. sure hope raja doesn't fall back into that funk he was in before.

 

[vegas]

after kobe made a few shots and closed the gap, it is nice to see we didnt let them win, if it was the jazz last year or the year before, we would have let them win but this team, even though it is limited comparing to top teams in the league, puts a lot of effort and plays with their heart which is something we didnt see for the last couple of years.

This has been bothering me the past few games. There have been a lot of close games recently and it seems like we are unable to pull away and get over the hump, like when Kobe and Pau sat to start the 4th, the Jazz couldn't capitalize for several possessions. The energy has been missing--due to injuries, due to fatigue, conditioning, whatever it has been, the energy during the 8 wins/9 games stretch has been much different than the 3 wins/8 games stretch. I hope that page was turned tonight.

Lots of guys deserve credit tonight, but Big Al did a great job of overcoming his horrible history vs the fakers. Also I feel like it was somewhat of a breakout game for Kanter.

 

[Shaggy]

Kanter is starting to look like the game is slowing down for him a bit and the potential he is starting to show is downright scary. I thought there were points in the game where he was playing amazing 1-on-1 D against Bynum. There were a couple of times he got beat over the top but he was doing a great job denying Bynum post position down low. The play where he stole the ball from Bynum, ran the floor and finished with the dunk on the other end was a perfect example of what this kid can do.

Defensively speaking I think Kanter hasn't really look like a rookie at all. He's been pretty sold from the start and his rebounding has been better than I thought it would. It still amazes me how often he gets blocked or loses the ball 2 inches away from the rim. I can live with it right now cuz he's 20 hasn't played basketball for a few years and he plays good defense. I feel pretty confident he will develop his offensive game once Jeffersuck is traded. The faster he's traded the faster Kanter will develop.

 

[Weezur]

Kanter D already > Big Al D

 

[TroutBum]

How can you not love this team?

 

[NUMBERICA]

If Kanter ever sniffs the 'Zach Randolph without the crazy' on offense that I've seen in him, we have a franchise player on our hands.

This isn't new, just a good game to mention this thought. Since I saw his D and boarding during the FIBA tournament, I've been a pretty big believer. Wasn't sure how the offense was going to come along... but it is. It's coming.

 

[zbone]

Favors was plain awful. I was pissed when he failed to do something under the rim, Lakers got the ball, Gasol was down on the floor in the corner. Lakers moved the ball to Utah's halfcourt as well as TV camera and in 4 seconds you see Gasol jogging and 6 foot after him Favors. Simply pathetic.