Lakers win first second round meeting to the Jazz

 

Is the Jazz a true rival for the Lakers? Is still early on this second round to know it, but as of yesterday, Los Angeles have won the first meeting by 109 to 98, and this is their 5th straight victory in the playoffs as they swept the Nuggets 4-0 in the first round.

Of course the Jazz is playing the Lakers because they have being an outstanding team, with Carlos Boozer taking the lead of the team, and with good offensive and deffensive strategies that has worked greatly to make them a team to be recognized.

Derek Fisher is probably satisfied to be playing at the other side of the fence this year, since he spent last season playing for the Jazz, but coming back to the Lakers, where he had some glorious years back to the Shaq era, is a big plus for him and the feeling of being playing the second round of the 2008 NBA playoffs is making him feel at home.

But what motivated him to come back to LA was his daughter’s recovery, since she’s dealing with a cancerous tumor in her left eye and medical facilities in Los Angeles were the best option for her, so coming back to that city it meant much more than pure straight hoops for Fisher, who walked away from a guaranteed $22 million contract in Utah, and signed with the Lakers for $14 million and 3 years. Fisher had a less-than-average night yesterday against the Jazz, since he finished with only 5 points, 6 assists and 6 steals.

Changing the subject, Kobe Bryant continued to lead the Lakers with 38 points and 7 assists, and the MVP chants from fans at the Staples Center could be heard from outside the arena. While Pau Gasol, the other ace on Los Angeles, finished with 18 points.

This series is just starting, but the Lakers are on fire, and to stop them, the Jazz is gonna have to deal with the fact that they are facing a bigger team, and find ways to stop Kobe, who could be the one that can seal Utah’s destiny for good on this playoffs.