Utah Outscores LA By 23 at the Line to Tie Series at Two
May 11, 2008
It is known that sports teams do not change their stripes once the postseason arrives. A hit-and run baseball team doesn’t suddenly depend on the three-run homer as a way to win games. A team that commits the most penalties in the NFL does not suddenly become the least penalized team in the playoffs. And an NBA team that that commits the most fouls in the NBA does not suddenly attempt a whopping 13 more free throws than does its opponent. Just as a team that gets outrebounded by its opponent by seven in the regular season does not out board its opponent in the playoffs.
At least Los Angeles played its part. And in overtime of their 123-115 overtime loss to the Utah Jazz the Lakers failed to secure critical rebound opportunities that ultimately cost them the game. Additionally, because they converted only 14-25 free throw attempts the Lakers nullified Derek Fisher’s late-regulation heriocs (four 3-pointers late in the 4th quarter) and ruined top-seeded LA’s chances of travelling home with a 3-1 lead.
However, a contributor to Los Angeles’ woes was Kobe Bryant’s third quarter back injury. With Bryant hobbled and unable to bail his team out of difficulties late in the 24-second clock, Utah was able to concentrate their efforts on corralling the rest of the team.
But ultimately, what aided Utah beyond Bryant’s injury or out-rebounding Los Angeles or the missed free throws. was the fact that the Jazz, playing an even more physical brand of basketball than they did in Game 2, attempted an astounding 47 free throws while LA attempted only 25. In regulation Utah won the battle of the line 36-23.
What makes this free throw disparity so odd is that Utah is dead last in opponents FT attempts per game, allowing 31.4 attempts per game. Yet in Game 3 LA shot only 23 free throws in regulation and only two more in the overtime.
And though ESPN’s play-by-play announcer, Mike Tirico, told the viewing audience that “Utah is one of the top teams in the league in free throws attempted,” the fact of the matter is that Utah was only 10th in the NBA in free throws attempted (25.1).
Utah and the Lakers both pulled down 41 boards. Normally that statistic would spell disaster for a team like the Jazz that relies on having a distinct advantage on the glass to make up for their tendency to foul and lose points at the line.
But somehow Utah did the impossible and was able to change its stripes for one game and reverse a season-long trend, and escape Salt Lake City with a crucial playoff win.
No wonder teams have, for two decades, complained about playing in Utah. And no wonder players begin to whisper when official Eddie F. Rush is on the floor.
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10 Responses to “Utah Outscores LA By 23 at the Line to Tie Series at Two”
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D-Wil already knows how I feel about Eddie T. Rush. He’s just been a bad referee for years, easily swayed by a home crowd. But LA MUST do better than 14-25 at the line.
Total assists by Fisher and Farmar: 0 (ZEEEEE ROOOOOOWW!!!??!!)
I thought Farmar was just awful. I honestly can’t remember watching the Lakers miss more free throws than they did in the first half. That just pissed me off to no end. And when Fisher finally caught fire they stopped getting him the ball.
I agree with this article, but we should have still won this game. The fact we came so close even with all the mistakes and poor play is encouraging moving on.
I mentioned this in another thread, but this was home-cookin’ bug-time
– Kobe get no call in OT which I can live with if Kirilenko didn’t get a call on a love tap on previous possession?
– Turiaf gets thrown out? — Falagrant 1 should have been the call
– Yet Ronnie Price clearly bangs Luke Walton with the body and no call whatsoever as the announcers all praise his block without mentioning the clear body contact
– Bunch of other terrible that I forgot to write down…
If the Lakers wanted to win they might have started by not letting Kobe take 33 shots and miss 20 of them. 1-10 from 3pt? That was simply a ridiculous display.
MODI - If Walton had just displayed some minimal sense of urgency and shot that ball faster, he would have gotten the lay-up or dunk and possible and one. Instead he slowed up waiting for the contact and then went up soft. I agree that there was contact, but the way the refs were calling that game, Luke shouldn’t have been counting on getting a whistle. He should have just focused on scoring the damn ball. Instead, contact or no, he got clowned by a backup point guard I had never even heard of. I think the site of the smaller Price jumping up swatting Luke’s shot just took everyone off guard (I know it got me until they showed the replay over and over again) and the refs swallowed their whistles.
Again, I thought we got hosed on some calls, but we still should have won the game. That play by Luke made me want to just turn off the TV and walk outside for a few minutes.
Dwil, Utah got a couple bogus calls against them. The one that stand out is the T on Okur, late in the game, when he was called for reaching, and had a demonstrative response. Eddie did not need to “T” him up at that point in the game. I don’t believe that call would have been made against any MVP caliber player.
So Utah got a lot of free throws, they obviously benefited from home cooking, just like Kobe getting 23 FT’s in game one. Let’s not overlook DWilliams role in getting his team into the penalty early in each quarter. It seems like he had 3 fouls on DFisher before the first TV time out. Lakers should still with the series.
Sho, your criticisms are fair. But there were numerous times where these bullshit calls were happening. I’m not one who automatically believes that a free-throw disparity automatically means favortism. Some teams style of ball lends itself to getting to the line (LA more than Utah). However, when that disparity is coupled with multiple head scratchers then that is a difference story.
Now before dwil ever wrote this piece I was watching my TV set wondering where all the fouls were coming from. Dwil only confirmed my original thoughts…
If I had taped the game, I can easily point to close to 8 super mysterious calls
MODI - Don’t get me wrong, I agree with you guys.
But for the love of everything, just dunk the damn ball Luke!