Lakers, Jazz Tied 2-2: Are You Worried, L.A. Fans?

Jason O

Columnist Written on May 11, 2008

In all honesty, I was very confident in my prediction that the Los Angeles Lakers would beat the Utah Jazz in five games. I was adamant the Jazz would win one game at home, but never did it go through my mind that they might win both games.

People will now be saying, "The Jazz could easily win both, they have the best home record," or "The Jazz are capable of not only winning these two games but the whole series." But being the one-eyed Lakers fan I am, these thoughts never crossed my mind.

This Laker team is the best in years and next year they will be better. Despite not having Andrew Bynum to help Pau Gasol down low, the Lakers could still win the NBA title this season and be the favorites to win it next season as well.

With the good news coming out regarding Trevor Ariza's injury, the Laker faithful know if they can win this series, Ariza could be the spark to help them win the Western Conference finals. If Ariza is back for game six or seven, if there is one, I feel he will certainly have an impact, especially on defense.

There have been very few problems with the Laker's staring five. Kobe is scoring, Odom is rebounding and Gasol is doing a bit of both.

It's the bench that has me worried.

During the regular season this Laker bench, made up of Luke Walton, Jordan Farmar, Sasha Vujcic, Ronny Turiaf, and Ariza was feared around the league. Without these five, I don't think the Lakers would have finished the season as the Western Conference's top seed.

But since the playoffs began, they have barely had an impact at all.

Vujacic and Walton have had a few games in double figures, Turiaf has occasionally inserted that bit of energy we were used to seeing, but there just isn't the consistency we saw in the regular season.

Farmar has been the most disappointing. He was shooting 46% and averaging 9.1 points in the regular season; in this series against the Jazz, he has shot 6% and scored just three points. If he can get back to normal, the Lakers will take the series in six.

I still don't think the Jazz will win the series, but they are capable. I am a bit worried it might go to seven games. If it does, I would still pick the Lakers to win game seven, but fatigue will be a factor.

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written on May 11, 2008 Preview/Prediction

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