Jazz 104 - Lakers 99 * Lakers lose their first post season game

Wow! The Utah Jazz did what they have been doing all season - Defend their home court. Not that it was easy for them, they really had to give their best to do it against the Lakers and if not for some crucial shots going down for them in the closing minutes of the game they may have been in a hell of a hole. The man who saved the season for the Jazz- Carlos Boozer. Williams is a great NBA star but I have always thought that Boozer is the main man on the Utah Jazz and he proved it tonight by hitting three straight shots for Utah when the Lakers had cut the lead to only 3 in the final 5 minutes of the game. Instead of an 95-92 lead, all of a sudden the Jazz were up 101-92 with 1:57 left in the game. Carlos Boozer finished the game with 27 points but also had an astonishing 20 rebounds also - Quite a performance for Mr. Boozer. Deron Williams had 18 points and 12 assist for the Jazz and Okur had 22 points also.

As for the Lakers, Kobe Bryant had a good game with 34 points but the rest of the Lakers had what we will call decent games. Not really terrible but less productive than they usually are. Derick Fisher had 13 points in the game, Odom had 13 points and 12 rebounds but only tried 3 field goal attempts, going 3-3. Pau Gasol went 6-10 and had 12 points. The Lakers bench did well, not so much in this game, they shot 7-20.

What it comes down to in this game was that Carlos Boozer was the difference. By losing and getting their first post season loss the Lakers are right were I called them. I predicted that they would lose game 3 but will win game 4 in Utah and then send the Jazz home in game 5 at Staples. Think about this victory for the Jazz, they gave all they had and played almost as good as they could but they still barely eked out the win. Not a good sign for the Jazz. Game 4 is Sunday!