What's going on with the Lakers
The Lakers are off to an 0-2 start after losing at home to the Bulls on Christmas Day and then getting beat last night in Sacramento. With Andrew Bynum out for five four games due to a suspension, opposing guards have been able to get penetration and burn the Lakers inside.
Silver Screen and Roll had this to say,
Tonight, the Lakers D looked every bit as old and slow as we thought they might, since the roster is filled with players who are old and slow. The Lakers struggled to create shots, as we thought they might, since the roster has very few people capable of creating shots for themselves or others. They lacked energy, as we thought they might, because the roster is not strong enough or deep enough to provide the main contributors with quality rest.
They're also working on a new system having gone away from the triangle offense. They also let Lamar Odom go for virtually nothing and are struggling to be formidable. I won't ever write off the Lakers, but they aren't looking anything like they have been.
What's going on with the Jazz
If the Jazz are going to beat LA again in LA, the time is now. They're without Bynum. The Lakers are playing their first, and only, final game of a B2B2B of the season. They're a bit discombobulated right now. They've been taken out by a premiere team in the Bulls and an up and coming team in the Kings. Nothing would please Jazz fans and non-Laker fans more than to see LA start 0-3.
However, as of yet, the Jazz haven't even made known their starting lineup for tonight. It's expected that there will be changes. The Jazz though are going through a lot of changes themselves. How will they play tonight against a tired and yet still dangerous Lakers team?
The Jazz should have all the energy and all of the reserves to at least keep this game close in the end. Then it will be up to Tyrone Corbin to put his best players out on the floor in crunch time to try and pull this out.
Lineups, Records
Lakers - (0-2)
Starters: Derek Fisher, Kobe Bryany, Pau Gasol, Devin Ebanks, Josh McRoberts
Out - Andrew Bynum (Suspension)
Jazz - (0-0)
Starters (guessing): Devin Harris, Raja Bell, Gordon Hayward, Derrick Favors, Al Jefferson
What to look for
- The Jazz need to dominate the inside tonight with Bynum out and their surplus of big men available.
- With Derrick Favors potentially starting, he'll be going up against Pau Gasol.
- Can the Jazz repeat their previous performance in LA?
Previous meetings
No previous meetings for these two teams this season. However, the Jazz did pick up their first win in LA in a decade at the end of the 2011 season.
Blogs
Other notes
Game time - 8:30 MST - TNT
Game thread at 8 p.m.