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Jazz vs Lakers | Friday November 26th @ 7:00pm

Wow the Lakers have had a cupcake schedule so far. Even after this game they don't start playing anyone with a winning record until the Heat on the 25th.
 
SOURCE

The Utah Jazz have lost all three home games against teams that made the playoffs last season. They’d really like to get their first such win against the team that has knocked them out of the postseason three straight years.

The Jazz face the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night for the first time since being swept in last season’s playoffs.

Los Angeles (13-2) has dominated Utah, winning 10 of 14 regular-season games over the past four seasons and going 12-3 in the postseason over the last three. The Jazz (11-5) were swept last season for the first time in 21 years as the Lakers cruised in the conference semifinals.

Utah is 5-3 at home, falling to Phoenix, Oklahoma City and San Antonio. The Jazz replaced last season’s leading scorer, Carlos Boozer(notes), with Al Jefferson(notes) at power forward, and are eager to see how they match up against the two-time defending champions.

“It will be an exciting game for our team and the fans,” Jefferson said after a 105-87 win over New Orleans on Wednesday. “We’re a lot bigger this year and we got a great confidence boost tonight.”

The Jazz had no answers for Kobe Bryant(notes) and Pau Gasol(notes) during the Lakers’ sweep. Bryant averaged 32.0 points and 5.8 assists, and Gasol 23.5 points on 60.7 percent shooting and 14.5 rebounds.

Los Angeles also did a good job against Deron Williams(notes) in last season’s playoffs, limiting him to 38.7 percent shooting although he averaged a team-high 22.0 points. Williams had 26 points, 11 assists and a season-high five steals Wednesday.

The Lakers may have gotten a head start on their preparation for this game in their fifth straight win Tuesday, 98-91 over Chicago. The Bulls’ Derrick Rose(notes) had 30 points and eight assists but missed all four shots in the fourth quarter as Los Angeles did a better job of focusing on him.

“Sometimes we play that way with Deron Williams as well,” forward Lamar Odom(notes) said. “And he’s their first option and he has to go first.”

Utah has one of the NBA’s least productive benches, averaging 23.9 points. The reserves, though, helped key a 13-4 run to start the second quarter Wednesday for a 44-34 lead.

“They played big,” said Jefferson, who had 23 points and 10 rebounds. “They came in and boosted us up big-time. It’s amazing how well they’re playing.”

Los Angeles continues to get solid play from reserve Shannon Brown(notes), who scored 21 points Tuesday and is averaging 15.0 over his last seven games.

“He’s got so much confidence right now,” coach Phil Jackson said. “We’re encouraging him to (shoot) when it feels right. Otherwise, he’s got such a great drive, teams have to play back off him because of his speed.”

The Lakers are averaging a league-best 111.5 points despite putting up their lowest total while shooting a season-low 39.5 percent against the Bulls. They are more encouraged by holding their last four opponents below 40 percent from the field.

“The more games we have like this, the more we understand how to play off each other defensively,” Bryant said.
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MUST get off to a good start - which will be tough because the Lakers embrace the atmosphere and energy of our crowd as much as the Jazz do. This game comes down to turnovers. If the Jazz take care of the ball and get as many FGA and FTA's as possible, they'll have a chance in the 4th quarter.
 
Jean-Luc said:
I'd really like to see a game officiated correctly when the Lakers are involved....
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Let's not blame it on the refs quite yet. Let's do control the paint (and put a lineup out there who can do so).

So far, the Lakers have 10 points in the point vs. 8 points overall for Utah. AJ and PM have scored a few, but I don't buy their interior D. Yet.

Millsap 1 for 3. CJ subs in for PM with two fouls.

L.A. 17 to 8.

I think that there is sufficient justification to put some height in there. It doesn't need to be Fes, but I think that he would put some aggressiveness in. Sure enough, Sloan does bring in Elson for Bell, who has 2 fouls. I like this lineup better (DW-CJ-AK-AJ-FE).

Update: AJ leaves Gasol alone to help, and Gasol tips it in.
Then Kirilenko scores his first two from an assist from Elson.
Then AJ does a reverse slam dunk.

Coincidence that the bleeding stops with more height in? I think not.

Kudos for Sloan making adjustments within 6 to 8 minutes.
No kudos for not making adjustments before fouls force him to.
 
craig2112 said:
Well, so far, every call is against Utah
5 fouls on the jazz, ZERO on the lakers.

Yeah, it's all clean
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Maybe, just maybe, the Lakers haven't committed those fouls.

Utah is not playing like they should be winning.

L.A. still has more points in the paint than the Utah has points.

Elson has been contributing, but I question whether he's aggressive enough.

I want me some Fesenko beatdown out there.
 
InGameStrategy said:
Maybe, just maybe, the Lakers haven't committed those fouls.

Utah is not playing like they should be winning.
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They called the jazz for a foul when Artest ducked under and forced it. The jazz did the same thing on the other end and no call. Jerry Sloan was livid.
Lakers are being allowed to play very physical, but when the jazz did the same thing, nothing is called. Now the jazz have to back off, the lakers don't.
 
and why is it that EVERY time we have something to say about the lousy officiating, that some dork has to come back with "It's not the only reason that the jazz are losing'

DUH! Nobody has said that it's the reason. We just hate seeing the reffing so one-sided.
 
Fesenko and Hayward checking in. Very interesting. But let's see if he lets them play long enough to see what combo works.

Great. Fes comes in immediately and gets called for an offensive foul on setting a [illegal] pick, and Gasol scores over him.

Booner says that it would be nice that Okur were here. But MO's lack of speed isn't much of a plus defensively IMHO--or even in interior O.
 
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