LAKERS-JAZZ BREAKDOWN: GAME 1

That was a close one there. The Lake Show has really got to clean up on the glass. Granted they were playing hard D and contesting every shot - which makes it harder to rebound, but all the guys, especially Pau, have to step up and grab those boards!

The game really came down to defense. Much like the Denver series, at least in the first half, the Lakers were getting a lot of layups off nice feeds and on the fast break. They played great Defense throughout the game.

The difference between the first and second halves though was the Jazz offense. They were turning the ball over at a high rate which allowed the Lakers to get out on the break and get out to a big lead. The game got closer as the Jazz became more focused on keeping the ball. This became a huge advantage for them because it allowed them to get shots up, and it didn't really matter that they missed because Okur and Boozer were there to grab the rebounds. That's why they were able to keep it so close.

But the fact is, the Jazz had real trouble stopping the Lakers efficient offense and every possession seemed to end in a layup or a free throw the Lake Show. The Jazz on the other hand, even though they got too many layups for PhilJax's liking, were mainly forced to take contested jumpers which is why they shot only 39%.

With all the shots they had you would think that they should win the game, but the shots they took were just so much more difficult than the ones the Lakers took, and they didnt get to the line nearly as much. Hopefully the Lakers can continue to attack the basket as they did and Kobe can continue to dominate the game with and without the ball like he has done all season.

If the Lakers work to improve their rebounding, which i knew from the denver series was their biggest weakness- you can check John Hollinger's Team Stats and notice that the Laker Rank last - by a big margin- of all the teams left in the playoffs in Rebound Rate - and they bring the same energy and intensity that they did on the defensive endthen they should have a great chance in winning this series in a timely manner.