First Round Predications Saying Lakers Too Good for Jazz

The Lakers best-of-seven first-round playoff series starts this Sunday (April 19) at Staples Center and predictions are L.A. in five or six games with Utah not putting up much of a fight. The Lakers had the best record in the Western Conference at 65-17 and are the top-seeded team while the Jazz finished at 48-34 and is seeded eighth, entering the playoffs having lost five of its last seven games. TNT analyst Doug Collins told the L.A. Times, “I just don’t see Utah in a series beating the Lakers. Maybe Utah wins one game.”

The Lakers won the season-series, 2-1, and by an average of 13 points and one Western Conference scout who preferred to remain nameless said the Jazz would be a “tough out” but that L.A. would prevail, saying “I’d take the Lakers in six games. Utah will be tough at home.” The scout added that Lakers’ Coach Phil Jackson’s triangle defense is made for putting players on the move, looking for ways for Kobe Bryant to exploit the defense, thus taking advanatge of Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol. Utah’s one matchup advantage is its point guard, Deron Williams, who has the ability to score (22-point average against the Lakers this season) and can distribute the basketball (12 assists against the Lakers) in addition to his size and strength (6 feet 3, 210 pounds). Even the usually tight-lipped Jackson said, “He’s pretty damn good” in reference to Williams.

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