OKC Part Deux (and All That's Jazz)

Hey everyone,

Even though I am away from home and my wife it's a great morning in Jazz Fandomland, a solid victory over a pesky team that just wouldn't go away. With this 4-2 series win over the Houston Rockets the Jazz move on to play the Los Angeles Lakers and the MVP of the league Kobe Bryant. This will be an interesting series and there are some keys that I think could doom the Jazz.

1. Kobe guarding Deron

If P Jackson is as great a coach as everyone thinks he is, Bryant will guard Williams. Deron is too strong and quick in the case that D Fisher or J Farmar guard him. It would be just like the Houston series when B Jackson just got his jock removed and then replaced again on every play. The Lakers offense is playing well together right now and Kobe is not going to have to be a force, thus freeing him up to be a stopper on Deron.

2. Don't boo D Fisher or chant MVP for Deron Williams

The last players I want mad and playing extra hard are D Fisher and K Bryant. If the Jazz fans boo Fisher he will play with a chip on his shoulder, and we know that he likes to take big shots (see Golden State series last year). He left for somewhat legitimate reasons, although Primary Childrens Hospital in SLC is consistently rated the best hospital for children in the world, but don't get me started on that debate. Secondly, Kobe loves to shut people up, in fact he has made a career out of trying. Shaq leaves and his whole goal is to shut people up about how he can't win without the Big Cactus. Fans of the Jazz should not chant M-V-P when Deron steps up to the free throw line because it will light a fire under the real MVP and Deron will probably get dunked on and made look silly. (Exception- Game 6 and the Jazz are winning the series 3-2, up by 20 in the fourth quarter and Sloan has just taking Deron out of the game).

3. No team defense

This is the only real point that has anything to do with basketball. If you look at the games that Utah beat Houston, the reason was because they stopped everyone else. Of course the McGrady's and Bryant's are going to score but if we can limit the role players roles, that is the real key. If Gasol and Odom both average double-doubles in this series it could be a sweep. Because that means that assists are being made, second opportunities abound, and L Walton has probably hit a three or three. To win the Kirilenko needs to make Odom a jump shooter until Harpring can come in a body him up. Okur needs to stretch the defense on the offensive end of the floor and be physical with Gasol on the other end. And Boozer needs to have huge series averaging at least a double-double.

With that said, it will be a fun series to watch and if the Jazz can find a way to stop the Lakers in one of the first two games they will win the series. If not it could very easily be a 5 game series and not very pretty at all.

In other news...

I am in OKC again and living in a closet! I'm up here for Radar training and have a small efficency suite that literally is about 100 sq. feet. I can't even do it justice I will just post some pictures.

I guess I'll just call it quiant.