The results are in...guess who's #1?

The results of LA Ball Talks team blog contest are in. And once again, Jazz fans have made it clear that True Blue Jazz is their favorite Jazz blog on the Internet. Thanks to all who voted. Stay tuned because we have big big BIG news on the way....Prepare for Jazz heaven.

Monday, May 5, 2008

How good is Kobe

I wanted to write a love to note to Kobe after game one because he is the most awesome player to ever put a basketball jersey on. His game one highlights include badly missing 3 shots in a row in the fourth quarter when the Jazz were finally playing as a real team and not turning the ball over every other possession like they did in the first half. He also was able to get the foul line at will by screaming like a little bitch if any Jazz player even looked at him wrong. I am sure that all of you Laker fans will try and tell me that Kobe deserved to go the line 23 times and if you do, you give up your right to ever call another fan from another team a homer. 50% of the fouls called on Kobe are complete crap as it was with MJ, Magic, Bird, Malone and any other superstar. Lets see here, the Jazz shoot 30 free throws as a team and the Lakers shoot 46, that seems like calls were fair both ways. (I do agree with Phil Jackson however that the officiating was a little wishy-washy at best, but it is not why the Jazz lost the game.) Back to Kobe, he played great defense on our worst offensive player all night holding Ronnie Brewer to 11 points. All in all he was just awesome, in fact I would dare say that he was the best player on the floor yesterday, something I am sure that none of us irrational fans were expecting.
On to the real issues of the game.

1 - Carlos Boozer needs to pull his head out of his butt and play some ball. 7 turnovers is not acceptable Carlos, neither is the 6-14 shooting.
2 - Deron's shot was off and that should get better, but did you realize he was 1 assist and 1 rebound away from a triple-double. Not too bad for an off night.
3 - Matt Harpring needs to stop shooting the basketball. Ugh!
4 - For the love of everything holy lets make a damn shot. 38% shooting for the game? Really? At least we rebounded all of those missed shots. We had 22 more shot attempts than the Lakers due to the work on the offensive glass, if they can keep that up around 15 for game two and get the shooting percentage up to 45% the Jazz win the game. (Note to Lakers players, feel free to box out on the glass, from what I saw in game one you are really bad rebounders. I would like to point out that I did mention Okur would own the glass against softy Pau.)

Game 2 is all about adjustments so lets see if the Jazz can adjust their shooting stroke and make a series out of this. They need a full 4 quarters of execution, not the 3 that we got yesterday.

47 comments:

Unknown said...

Guys, seriously, I am not a Laker fan....... Kobe could have had 40 FT attempts if the refs called every foul.

What part of "you can't put your hands on him when he's facing the basket" do the Jazz not understand?

M. D. said...

Kobe probably deserves most the calls he gets. But c'mon Dave. You are looking at this game with "our season is over" glasses, and we still have our Jazz blue tinted lenses on, what do you expect?

I don't care if he goes to the line 50 times. The truth is, that game was poorly officiated. It was a touch foul 20' from the rim, followed by someone getting beheaded and a no call. The game was inconsistent. These are supposed to be the best officiating crews the NBA has. That game was poorly officiated for both team.

The Odom no call foul with 1.0 second left could have gone either way. I think all Hammy is saying, is that it was bad on both sides of the ball.

Lakers fans would have to agree.

Brock Kassing said...

If that's that case "grungedave" than you could call a foul every single time down the court. But they don't. They just make sure Kobe is happy...and if Kobe is happy, Stern is happy. We lost because of the second quarter, not because of the difference in free throws, however, that is just crap the way they babysit him.

Anonymous said...

Horrific rebounding by the Lakers...if they had allowed another 25 offensive rebounds by the Jazz, Utah might have won the game. Look out for Pau on Wednesday.

Unknown said...

Using your logic Deron Williams should have gotten 30 free throws then. I am in no way saying the Jazz lost game 1 because of the officiating, but the star treatment in the NBA is sickening to me. In my opinion Kobe did not earn 23 free throws. Dont get me wrong though, the Jazz lost this game because they sucked ass in the 2nd quarter, not because the of the Refs.

moneyman memo said...

I will be in LA for a business trip Wednesday and Thursday (totally awesome timing after they changed Game 2 to Wednesday instead of Tuesday). I am going to try to get get a scalped ticket into Game 2 and raise hell like William Wallace.

Estimated number of Jazz fans in the Staples Center in Game 1: 0

I am going to do my best (well, the best that my wallet can do) to change that. It'll be nice to pack my Deron Williams jersey in my suitcase.

M. D. said...

Big Props Moneyman if you pull it off. We want a full report to be posted on the site by Thursday morning. Take pictures and please...don't die because you are one of our most loyal readers.

Brock Kassing said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Brock Kassing said...

whoa, whoa, whoa! They changed the game to Wednesday? Good night. That means game three is June 8th at the ESA. Dear NBA: You suck. Love, Booner.

P.S. Can I get some free tickets to game three?

Anonymous said...

So Boozers Hammy you want a response from a Laker fan huh?

By the way isn't Boozers Hammy just below Boozers *$$. Just curious. I must say you are a much better writer than "whistle". That guy writes like a 5 year old. Having said that, bringing up "rapist" is really classy. Almost "booing D-Fish classy" but not quite. I am sure you feel pretty cool about that one, but trust me 90% of the people reading this (including Jazz fans) lost a little respect for you on that one. They will deny it, but trust me. Like I said real classy.

As for the other crap you wrote, where do I start.....You toot your own horn about Okur over Pau, so how about tooting mine about Vujacic. Yeah I called it, check back a bit.

I find it funny how you say the Jazz will shoot better next time (which they will), but don't think the Lakers will rebound better. Hmmmmmmmm homer a bit???

It is amazingly lucky that the Lakers have played 5 consecutive games now where the opponent "just had a bad game". Wow, what great luck!!!!!

Someone was supposed to be sending me a D-Will jersey. Might want to hold off for just a few days.....

Kobe shot 50% from the field, who shot 50% for Utah??????waiting.........still waiting.......yeah that is what I thought

Stay classy hammy, stay classy....

moneyman memo said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
JC said...

pslakerfan,
you had such potential! We were hoping you would be the new Dave and Lee from the Rockets blog. But alas, you have destroyed your image and any chance of being a respected commentor.

First, (re: Vujacic) no one on this blog is obligated to give credit to any commentor for their predictions. ESPECIALLY fans of the opposing team.

Second, of COURSE we're homers! This is a Utah Jazz blog, what did you expect!? Will the Lakers rebound better in game 2? Most likely. Will the Jazz shoot better? They couldn't shoot much worse!

Did the Jazz play poorly? Absolutely. But no one will doubt that the Lakers played well. We just don't care about how well they played. The Jazz can't control that, they can only control how well they play themselves. So don't get your panties in a twist over whom we give (or don't give) credit to.

Feel free to come and ride us for not shooting well or for fouling Kobe too much. But seriously, when you come in acting like it's a high school rivalry, it really doesn't speak well for your maturity level.

The contributors on the blog can talk how they want, it's their blog. If you don't like it, there are several other blogs out there to read.

Anonymous said...

High school rivalry???? "Rapist" oh yeah I am the high schooler here, sure. "Cheater, adulterer" fine, but rapist, come on. Like I said "classy, real classy"

For the record you are par for the course as most non-Laker fans use that one too. I guess if that is the best you have then he must be one hell of a player....

MM Memo, no response for you. Sorry I don't converse well with brick walls......

Scrum, I thought you had potential as well, however if "rapist" is your idea of high class commentary then I guess I was wrong about you.

Anonymous said...

Oh and by the way I am not going anywhere, I love digging holes for others to fall into almost as much as I enjoy watching some of you (jury still out on scrum) dig your own.....

Stay classy salt lake, stay classy.

M. D. said...

I think we can all agree that Kobe isn't a "stand up" individual.

Both Hammy and I have removed our comments on the whole sexual assault thing. It was in poor taste on our end and we recognize that.

That being said, pswhatever, don't get your giggles ripping our writers. What is your blog address? We'd be interested in visiting it and leaving some constructive criticism.

Welcome to Jazz world. You're welcome to comment on our views etc., but leave your pithy, knit picking comments about our authors writing skills at home.

Unknown said...

pslakersfan - My bad on the Kobe sexual offender comment, it was in poor taste for anyone who has actually had to live through something that terrible. It's true, but I am going to keep this on a basketball level from now on. Props to MoneyMan for getting my back on that though. Having said that, I just don't have any respect for Kobe's comments on any moral issue such as the D-Fish booing situation which is about 100 times less offensive than what Kobe did.

On to the game, consider this your "Props" for saying Vujacic would have a good game. Keep in mind that I did not say anything at all about matching up the bench players individually, just as a group where I said that they were even. So the Jazz bench got a total of 26 points and the Lakers bench got a total of 22. Pretty even, like I said.

Danielle said...

Harpring shouldn't be on the team. Period.

And, I think there is a mistake in this post. You said Kobe held our "worst offensive player" to 11 points. I thought Brewer was one of our better offensive players. Either way it doesn't make sense.

It's going to be interesting so see what adjustments the boys make for Game 2.

Also, I still don't get the whole booing Derek thing. Without his leadership I don't think the Jazz would have gone as far in the playoffs last year. He contributed a lot while he was here, and when he left Ronnie B. was able to develop into the great 2 guard he is now. If people boo him in Game 3, it will be really unfortunate.

Anonymous said...

Hey, check out another Kobe flop. Or stellar defense, whatever you want to call it.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime?page=dime-080505

Anonymous said...

Hammy,

I think that was a retraction, I will assume so. Keep it civil and classy that is all I ask.

As for the Derek Fisher booing thing I just think it is in bad taste. I agree there is a good chance that he used his daughters illness to get back to LA. However I think it is one of those things in life that you just let go. When you are dealing with something like that I think people just get a free pass that is all. However if I was a Jazz fan (yuck) I would probably feel differently.

Danielle, I think he was being sarcastic.....

CB Jack, I appreciate your post, but seriously have you read "whistle" lately. I will let it go, but I think someone who contributes to a serious blog should write a little better.

As for my blog address, I don't have a blog of my own, but I am a frequent "commenter" at LATimesLakerBlog. (Plenty of classless comments there as well)

http://lakersblog.latimes.com/

And no I don't agree that Kobe is not a stand up individual. Doesn't AK have a free pass to do exactly what it has been "proven" that Kobe did????? I am not a fan of infidelity, but assuming Kobe did not actually rape that girl (a realistic if not homer assumption)then infidelity is his only proven character flaw. In the NBA that is well above average. I happen to know about a lot of charity work that he does that is never reported on....

Don't make me start talking about the virtues of polygamy.......sorry that was classless, won't happen again.

M. D. said...

I love a true fan. And you my friend, are a Lakers fan. Good on you.

Look, the D.Fish thing was low. However you look at it, it was suspicious. How can you just say "let it go" when the dude weaseled his way out of a contract?

That's almost Boozer vs. Cleveland proportion.

As for Whistle. I like him a lot more than I like you. Sorry. He stays.

Anonymous said...

Man, I've been reading all these comments and it sounds like a bunch of 50 year old women rooting for the Jazz.. pslakerfans got it....

Anonymous said...

Curious if any Jazz fans know what Ochox3 means? Just a test....

Anonymous said...

"As for Whistle. I like him a lot more than I like you. Sorry. He stays".

You wouldn't if you needed a debate partner, trust me.....lol

Brock Kassing said...

MY UTAH JAZZ: "Where being a Homer and saying whatever we want to defend our beloved Jazz Players/Bloggers Happens."

Roll the sentimental music. Cue half of Hammy's face and half of pslakers fans face:

In unison:

"Blogs. What does it even mean? It means being a loyal fan, a, sometimes irate fan. It means calling other fans out. Raising their blood pressure a bit. Throwing low blows....and then retracting them to keep a good network around the league.
It means sticking up for your team. Sticking up for your fan base. It also gives you the ability to feel like a real writer when actually, we are car salesman, electricians, people who work from home and don't really know what we do. We are real. Real people. Real fans. WE ARE BLOGGERS!"

Go Jazz.

Anonymous said...

"I can not stay silent as a jazz fan any longer. I hate everything about laker fan,Kobe,Fisher, and phill.
Why on earth would anyone every root for a team like that. You Laker fans are nothing but a bunch of bandwagoners. Us Jazz fans have had to deal with the kobe Bryant babysitting from officals. Derek Fisher herioc desicion to go to L.A. I hate the lakers and every thing they are. Jazz in 5"

I think this speaks for itself...

Anonymous said...

Ron Boone,

Now that was funny..........

The NBA, where a bad trade leads to going home early happens.......

Have a nice summer Shaq and Kidd...

Brock Kassing said...

If it's bugging you that bad, don't read it. I doubt the Whistle was writing in hopes of winning some award for "Best Blog Rant About an Opposing Team."
The guy was voicing his opinnion and has every right to do so. The fact that he has drawn 45 comments from you is probably going to make his day. Besides, if we are going to comment on the grammatical accuracy of blogs, I hope you have six months because we have a lot of corrections to make.
Beesydes, hoo eevun kares abowt grahmer aniwae?

Anonymous said...

Obviusly u doo or u wud tipe that wa al da tyme.....

Ace said...

Why is everybody bitching and moaning on how many times the Lakers got to the line? It is no secret that the Jazz commit the most fouls in the league so I am suprised that you are surprised.

Anonymous said...

And I was only commenting on the grammar and not the content. The content was simple "homerbabble" which I expect on an opposing team site. By the way I only commented once on the grammar. Each other comment was directed at someone's defense of that grammar. Point is it is long over now.... On to basketball...

As I suspected this series will come down to one thing. All Laker players will basically cancel out all Jazz players. Except for Kobe who will torch whoever guards him. That will be the difference, but you guys already knew that....

Brock Kassing said...

Is it Ko-Bee or Kobe?

Love,

T-Mac

P.S. I will be out of my office on a golfing trip for the next three months. Please call my assistant L. Scola if you need anything.

Anonymous said...

That o.k. to call me for T-Mac questions.

Anonymous said...

T-Mac, I thought I was you assistant?

Anonymous said...

Again, You have reached T-mac, I am out of town for three months.....

M. D. said...

How much would I have to pay to have Mutumbo say: "Freeeeeeze muddaaa bitches!!!!"

Brock Kassing said...

Let me talk to him. I know a guy that has his jersey. I'm sure he has his phone # too.

Unknown said...

Ace - regarding your jazz foul the most comment. We are also second in the league in getting fouled so we tend to think that the number of foul shots should be a bit closer. I still would like to see just one Laker fan prove to me that more than 50% of the free throws that Kobe took in game one were a result of actually being fouled.

Anonymous said...

Re: Free throw disparity. You guys know that the game was on TV and people saw that in the last 90 seconds or so Sloan fouled INTENTIONALLY 5 times resulting in 10 free throws. Right? To ignore this and harp on about about the 46 to 30 FT count, at the very least, exposes your simplistic thinking. No? Without the intentional fouls, the final foul count is 28 for the Jazz and 27 for the Lakers.

Brock Kassing said...

No one was watching the game at that point anonymous. Why were you watching? You should have been thinking of your screen name for the blogging world.

Anonymous said...

What I'm hearing on this site is that basically the Jazz don't need to make any adjustments, they just have to shoot better.

Would that be accurate?

M. D. said...

There are adjustments to be made. But shooting better would have given them an opportunity to win.

Anonymous said...

c'mon...let's stop with the superstar treatment complaints. that's a cop out. Jazz lost this game because they missed their shots. we already know kobe knows how to get foul calls to go for him. a lot of guys in the nba knows how to use that to their advantage (i.e. wade, billups, chris paul, etc.) the Jazz lost this game because they only played in the second half. Hating on Kobe is just an excuse. And you guys know it.

Anonymous said...

I think any team can stand to shoot better.

The Jazz defense didn't seem to take anything away from the Lakers, so hopefully they find a scheme to do just that, and force the Lakers to make tougher decisions when the Lakers are on offense.

I wonder if the "foul less" strategy the players were talking about is really going to come to fruition. And if they did "foul less" would that hamper the way the Jazz play overall?

Also, I had to read this post twice and I still don't get the intro. Is B.H. saying that because Kobe missed three shots badly, he wasn't the best player on the court? Or was he saying that despite those horrific shots he was the still best player?

Anonymous said...

It's funny that you guys get so angry about Laker fans coming here and giving irrational homerlike rants when you devote more of your post to sarcastically disparaging the MVP and commenting on the FT disparity. Not to mention the rapist comment you deleted after admitting it was classless.

Granted, Kobe does complain for calls. I also believe I saw just nearly every player on the Jazz lobbying ("crying"?) for foul calls throughout the game as well. Though I will give D-Will props---there were times that Fish got away with a lot and he maintained his cool and barely looked at the ref.

Anyway, it's always fun to get the perspective of the opposing fan. And couldn't agree with you more about Harpring---what was WITH those consecutive possessions when he went Kobe and became a black hole? Korver was also guilty of it to an extent. Did either of those guys have any success creating shots in the regular season? If not, they need to spot up and wait for Deron to find them. Though by all means I'd like to see them continue with their game 1 performances...

Anonymous said...

All of you are spending too much time thinking about the foul discrepancy. The Utah Jazz out rebounded the Lakers on the offensive glass 25-8 yet they still lost. No matter how well or poorly you shoot, there are no excuses for out rebounding a team on the offensive end by that large a margin and losing. Hubie Brown was incredibly stupid for saying that the Jazz should walk away with this one with a lot of hope and happy. It is something not very encouraging.

I think many adjustments have to be made by the Jazz other then their shooting. Shot selection is another thing. The Jazz are also a team of cutters and they really should get back to that. They settled too much for outside shots and the streaky shooting of Kylve Korver. Another thing I do not understand is why they are trying to recreate the Malone-Stockton era. That tandem never won a championship so it obviously does not work. Do not get me wrong, Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams are good players, but I do not think that they can win you a championship. In a youtube video about the Jazz two of your fans also complained about Phil Jackson. You can complain all you want about his comment about the fouls, but at the end of the day he can hold up nine fingers with rings on them, how many can Jerry Sloan hold up?

M. D. said...

Anonymous dux,

Don't come here and say "in a youtube video about the jazz two of your fans also complained about phil jackson"

If we didn't say it, we don't want to hear about it. Pathetic. Go ahead, call me a name, make fun of our blog...and guess what. You're comment will be deleted either way. Live with it.

Anonymous said...

Seriously, you're such a sore loser. See the game without your Jazzy lens man.