FanHouse

In another of our continuing series, five things to keep an eye out for tonight in the Jazz-Lakers Western Conference Semifinals Game 2 this evening.

1. Unless That Zone Includes A Force Field...: After the defensive sieve-like attempt that the Jazz gave in Game 1, Carlos Boozer mentioned that the Jazz might just go and get themselves some zone. Which is kind of like someone that can't get laid going to church more. Sure, you'll feel better about yourself, but you're still going home alone at night. I'm not exactly sure when I came to the conclusion that there was no way the Jazz were even going to be able to make this a series, but ... wait. Yes I am. It was right when they had a problem putting away a team that had Chuck Hayes as a primary bench player and who's starting point guard at times was shorter than my freshman year girlfriend. Okay, that's not fair, she was a baller. But still. The Jazz have always been centered by good honest defense. Unfortunately, when you play a Lakers team this good, in Staples center? That good honest defense turns into ...

2. Good Cheap Free Throws: Jazz fans felt pretty good about themselves since they only lost by a handful and the Lakers shot so many free throws. Certainly that won't happen again! Yeah, go ask the Kings how that works out. Look, I'm as ready as the next guy to make snarky comments about the league's preference for LA in the finals due to their market value. But it's got no relevance here. They're just better than this team, this year. Utah's interior defense with Mehmet Okur on the floor is efficient but not imposing, and with Paul Millsap on the floor it's imposing but not efficient. Boozer does his thing but he's not a shutdown the cutter kind of guy. And with the triangle offense in the hands of a suddenly semi-Nova-all-the-friggin'-time Lamar Odom, it's pretty much the scariest thing outside of biological warfare. And that's all before you get to you know who.

3. Encore: He won it. He finally won it. Now, maybe, perhaps, just maybe, we can stop talking about how it's such a crime against nature that Kobe Bryant hasn't won an MVP. Until next year, when everyone starts freaking out about him not having won two of them, or something. I have to admit, I loved his acceptance speech. It was possibly the one moment where he was intensely, inexplicably likeable. I was really, genuinely happy for the guy, as I'm sure a lot of people are. Here's the other thing. There's no question Kobe's got a killer instinct, but it doesn't operate in the same way as a lot of people's do. Contrary to what the Nuggets series may tell you, he doesn't excel when angered. No, that was just a horrible team being coached horribly defensively in a horrible series that was the result of a horrible series of events that kept a less horrible Warriors team out. Mamba is at his best when he's freewheeling, feeling like he's the best in the world. Validate him, and he goes bezerk. It's why I blame Canada for the 81 game. They love him up there, inexplicably, and I think he fed off that. So tonight, after receiving his first ever MVP, love by teammates, the media, his coach, the fans, what's he going to do? Be afraid, Utes. Be very afraid.

4. The Inside Man: So in a very long, long list of things that have fallen in the right way for the Lakers this season, all of which lead me to believe they have been chosen by higher powers, mortal or otherwise to win the title, a new one has been revealed. They just happen to employ a player who used to play for their conference semifinal opponent and who knows most of their tendencies. Jeez. Don't get me wrong, Derek Fisher had listed beyond wonderful reasons for his departure to LA, it's just another facet of this season for the Lakers that makes it so special. Or as Jazz, Suns, Spurs, Kings, or Blazers fans like to call it, "mind-numbingly soul-crushing." Fisher was able to help "solve" Deron Williams in Game 1, and unless the Jazz pull a little bunny out of a hat and do some magic to get around that issue, the Jazz don't have the firepower to keep up.

5. Perhaps You Were Confused As To Your Role: One thing I will say is there's no way the Jazz shoot as badly in Game 2 as they did in Game 1. I'm not sure if it's physically possible using a professional basketball playoff team not named the Denver Nuggets. For example, the bench is typically supposed to provide a lift when the starters' offense is undergoing problems right? How does 36% combined on 8 of 22 shooting sound? Jeez, Louise. The Jazz have relied on a strong bench performance this season. Part of their strategy hinges on a consistent effort. Without the bench, it's the Lakers' stars versus the Jazz stars. Guess who wins that battle? Here's a hint. It rhymes with La Bamba.