Jazz @ Lakers, Game 5, 2008 Game Thread & Preview
by Basketball John on May 14, 2008 8:22 PM MDT
64 comments
Utah Jazz at Los Angeles Lakers, May 14, 2008 8:30 PM MDT
We'll see if we have a championship team tonight.
I've said it before, but if you're the Jazz, you have to be salivating at a chance to play NO in the WCF.
Sloan keeps comparing the years of experience between the two back courts. But as NO has shown, if you play your game, you can throw experience out the window. And with last year's run to the WCF, combined with this year's series, I don't know how much more experience is going to help.
And there's no doubt that the Jazz are going to have to have a near perfect game tonight to win. We all know how the calls go, how the crowd will be, and our inconsistency from the PF position. It's going to take an awful lot to overcome that.
If the Lakers win, we'll no doubt hear about Kobe's heroic effort despite his saying that his back is fine now. How come though we didn't hear about his selfishness in game four for staying in the game with a bad back? He scored 30+ again, but is there any doubt that it hurt the Lakers in OT? I don't see how he can take himself out, but certainly he didn't help them. And in fact, without the late hot shooting of Fisher and Odom, there isn't even an OT.
So expect the Jazz to get absolutely no breaks tonight. Especially with the crew that's been assigned to ref the game. I hope that if the Jazz lose, it's not because of the refs. Everyone is going to have to have great games on both ends. As has been mentioned before, Kobe's going to be living at the line tonight. If his back is really bothering him, then he's not going to be shooting jumpers all night. He'll get bailed out a lot. Whether it's fair or not, that's what's going to happen.
Remember, in the NBA, it's games like this where memories and stars are made. And there's no bigger stage than LA.
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I really wish they showed replays of fouls
And not just some questionable ones on us. It’s called analysis.
Halftime thoughts
The game is there for the taking.
by Basketball John on May 14, 2008 10:11 PM MDT reply actions
So
The officials offically suck. It’s hard to watch when you know the gameplan is: give Kobe the ball and he’ll get fouled. Where was the offensive foul on Millsap. I didn’t see it. Then again, I don’t have Laker vision goggles on like the refs. This should be an intense 4th quarter.
by DaniellelovesKK on May 14, 2008 10:48 PM MDT reply actions
AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWww
They can’t call them one way and not the other. It is so annoying!!!!!!!!!!!
by DaniellelovesKK on May 14, 2008 10:56 PM MDT reply actions
Unbelievable.
We can’t get jack called. But yet again, a ref on the other side of the court, calls a foul when a Laker falls down of his own accord.
by Basketball John on May 14, 2008 11:03 PM MDT reply actions
This is totally rediculous.
Maybe the Jazz should just wear purple and gold next game. That might be the only way to get a call.
And, maybe KK should get a headband for his hair. That seems to work magic on the refs.
by DaniellelovesKK on May 14, 2008 11:08 PM MDT reply actions
He was no where near him
I thought he had given him the Boozer forearm in the back, there was nothing.
by Basketball John on May 14, 2008 11:09 PM MDT reply actions
Damnit. I don't want to complain about the refs.
But I can’t stand these phantom calls and no calls for the Jazz.
by Basketball John on May 14, 2008 11:10 PM MDT reply actions
Hi guys, so pissed
I had to come and sign up for SBNation so I can join you guys in this thread. I am so disgusted with the way we are getting hosed by the refs. I also hate complaining about the refs in a game, but it’s been blatantly inconsistent. It’s going to be tough but I think we can pull this out still.
Welcom MMM
Seems like we just need one break and we’re not getting it.
by Basketball John on May 14, 2008 11:15 PM MDT up reply actions
I wish they would just let them play
then we wouldn’t have to complain. haha.
It’s just hard to watch when things are so inconsistant.
by DaniellelovesKK on May 14, 2008 11:15 PM MDT reply actions
If it hasn't been said already...
Deron is playing out of his mind incredible. I mean he is just playing at a whole other level. Too bad Boozer is asleep and Okur is not 100%. If it weren’t for Brewer on the weak side, this would be far uglier than it is.
Yep
I wish Brewer would get a chance to finish the fourth.
by Basketball John on May 14, 2008 11:19 PM MDT up reply actions
Yes! Good time to make one.
And, man, I’m glad Vujacic isn’t hitting tonight – that twit being on just adds insult to injury.
Gasol shoves Okur in the back
And no call. Shocker.
by Basketball John on May 14, 2008 11:23 PM MDT reply actions
I understand the refs
can’t make that call in that instance, but c’mon. SERIOUSLY. Memo should have known better and fought to box out.
I'm sad
They had a chance. I love how the commentators keep saying it was because of Gasol’s offensive rebound. IT WAS SO A 3 SECOND VIOLATION! Does no one see this?
by DaniellelovesKK on May 14, 2008 11:29 PM MDT up reply actions
If, the Jazz are pissed off enough
about the dumb ass officiating in this game.
by DaniellelovesKK on May 14, 2008 11:30 PM MDT up reply actions
Kobe takes just 10 shots
And gets 26 points.
by Basketball John on May 14, 2008 11:31 PM MDT reply actions
He finishes with 17 FTAs
Sounds about right.
by Basketball John on May 14, 2008 11:34 PM MDT up reply actions
Note to the refs:
Be careful while you’re sucking the lakers’ collective dick, you’ve been doing it so long that you don’t want to choke.
There was an excellent moment
Not sure when in the game it was, but it was on a block they called. Whichever one it was missed his hips a little at the end of the hand signal, so it ended up as a huge, slowed down “suck it”. So fitting.
Ah, well - on to Game 6.
Deron was fabulous – with any luck, the rest of the team will be, as well. ‘Night, all – Go Jazz!
I don't know how.
He should have had 30+
by Basketball John on May 14, 2008 11:39 PM MDT up reply actions
Silver Lining
If you can take one good thing out of this game it’s that the Lakers bench sucked bad, and at home. They may be even worse in a game 7 with the added pressure. Radmanovic did have his first decent game, but I find it hard to believe that’ll hold up.
The infuriating part is that nobody other than Williams and Brewer showed up. If they’d had anyone else show they could’ve taken it.
I hate to beat a dead horse...but
This is the first game in LA that I honestly thought the Jazz were going to win (even with 6-7 minutes left), but it’s also the first one in the series that I thought the refs seriously impacted.
I felt that if the Jazz could have even gotten a one-point lead, they would have rolled with it. We had chances, but we just couldn’t convert.
As for the refs, the push off on the Gasol put back, the call on AK when Vujacic (sp?) dribbled off his foot (called by an official on the other side of the court), and the phantom foul on the give-and-go to Odom where he dunked in the open court with no one near him were absolutely dreadful. I got the impression that the refs’ philosophy was to get the Lakers shooting free throws early and often in the fourth, and they did.
On the other hand, we took some bad shots down the stretch, and we couldn’t hit a f*cking lay-up when it counted. So, it’s not totally the refs fault, but I thought that they had a profound influence this game. A guy at forumblueandgold.com said it seemed like Deron Williams against the officials in the fourth quarter…I couldn’t have said it better myself, and he was a Laker fan.
by Lake Powell Fan on May 14, 2008 11:57 PM MDT reply actions
You're right on the money...
I couldn’t agree more. Not all the calls were in favor of the Lakers, but the refs still severely hurt our chances to win by blowing those 3 calls you pointed out. Even Kenny Smith/Avery Johnson/Barkley during the Inside the NBA recap of the game agreed that Gasol committed an offensive foul on that rebound.
sigh
The Lakers had no momentum on offense down the stretch – the game really was there for the taking. I just hope the Jazz aren’t too beat down mentally to rebound in Game 6. After all, we only get 1.5 days time to recover.
by moneyman memo on May 15, 2008 12:04 AM MDT up reply actions
Everyone's amazed
that the home teams are 19-1 in the second round. The home-cooking by the officials wouldn’t be the reason, would it?
Also, just once in this series I want to see Kobe called for hooking the defender with his arm when he drives. Imagine how explosive D-Will would be if he could do that every play. No one could stop him either.
Good point on the mentality for game 6; it’s going to be a tough one.
by Lake Powell Fan on May 15, 2008 12:17 AM MDT up reply actions
David Stern needs a spanking!
Or could it be he is really an attorney/shark?!
You simply can’t win a close game against 8 players, especially when the other three have one way whistles!
Though I know I should not look past game 6, game 7 is going to be one of the wildest old west shootouts since the Eyrps took on the the Cowboys at the OK corral!
You have got to TAKE the refs OUT of the game, the only way to do that is with a 10 point lead! AT LEAST! They can’t really alter a game when that much if dominance is demonstrated!
WE did not do our part, meaning the JAZZMEN, to hit critical shots at critical times to make such happen. Add the inability to actually make a solid stop upon them, we handed this game to Javie, the AH that he is.
One, two bad calls a game, fine, the game moves very fast at times, but their whistles, seemingly, did not work on one side of the court! Oh and were anticipatory at the other.
The broadcasters will NOT show the fouls! As the NBA has extorted them NOT to do so! “Bank on it”! But I am miffed at how it seems only some announcers will even make a comment on a bad call. That creates frustration on so many points. Hey, is it not the TV folks paying the bills? Call them out, tell them how it’s gonna be a totally fair called game or coverage and revenues STOP! People are very tired of Stern’s dictated finals contestants. And if the problem is coming from the TV folks, tell them to go away today, it will not take long for honorable broadcasters to fill the gap!
I suggest for game 6 and 7 we bring in some Russian reffs! They know the game and don’t give a hoot in hades about Stern! (though they may have a preference for the greatest Russian player to have ever taken to the court).
Stolen Game
Watching it live I thought the officiating was bad, but not that bad, in the fourth. Reviewing the tape I’ve discovered I was wrong. The refs stole that game, plain and simple.
The Vujacic dribble off the foot, Odom’s phantom 3-point play (as bad as a call as you can imagine, no one near him), Williams and others getting repeatedly hammered inside, the two Gasol pushes. What a joke. What’s worse, they needed every one of those calls to guarantee the victory. You call just one Gasol push and that’s a 4 point swing and suddenly it comes down to the absolute last second. Call both pushes and the Lakers lose.
I also love how the TV people collaborate with the refs, just like RRR says. I remember watching the second Gasol offensive board at the end and wondering whether or not Okur was just flopping. They keep showing the same angles where you can’t see jack so I think, “hmm, maybe that’s okay, maybe there was nothing.” Then I watch the tape from the standard angle and it’s there clear as day. But no no no, don’t show us the angle where you can see Gasol shoving Okur, just keep it nice and close and vague so most people will go away from the game thinking nothing happened.
On the plus side, maybe these obviously bad, nearly conspiratorial calls will make the refs give ‘em a fair game later. On the other hand, no, that’ll never happen. On yet another hand, the Jazz get hosed in the fourth, don’t play especially well and still almost pull it out. So maybe they can do it, with or with out the refs.
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