Utah Jazz @ Los Angeles Lakers - Game 5 - Preview/Game Thread

I'm hoping it doesn't end like this. Like I posted a short while ago, I'm not ready for the off-season.

Last year when we went down to the Lakers in the second round, it came as kind of a shock because it was over so suddenly.

In game 6, the Jazz overcame a double-digit lead late in a the fourth only to come up short when no one would pull the trigger on a three until it was too late to get a good look. It took me a couple of minutes after that game had eneded to realize the season was done. I fully expected the Jazz to win that game and to go on to a game 7.

This year though we've had time to stew over things as we headed into this series. We've had too much time to think about the late-season collapse, the unknown off-season that awaits, and what could have been had we been able to win one more game.

What I don't want to see, if it does indeed end tonight, it a dejected team sitting on the bench for most of the fourth quarter contemplating everything that's gone wrong with the season. I want to see Deron, Boozer, Memo, Millsap, whoever it may be, in until the final buzzer because then, whatever the outcome, the game was close.

We don't need everyone thinking contracts while on the bench and seeing Kobe and company laughing it up on sideline while the scrubs are throwing down alley-oops and jacking up threes.

But if we finally get to see some Koof, maybe I'm all for it.

Other blogs

• Silver Screen and Roll