Lakers vs. Jazz: First look at series
An experienced center … who really needs one, anyway?
The Utah Jazz got there — well, at least to another playoff date against their nemesis, the Lakers — without one, beating the Denver Nuggets.
Utah’s Mehmet Okur ruptured his left Achilles’ tendon in Game 1 against Denver and, thus, gone until next season, was replaced by Kyrylo Fesenko. At least Fesenko had a sense of humor as he talked about his shooting in Game 5 against Denver.
“One for one, yeah,” Fesenko told the Salt Lake Tribune at the Jazz shootaround on Friday morning. “Sometimes I’m even better. Zero for zero.”
Fesenko may be light on experience and he is especially untested against Lakers, having played in two of the four games against them this season with his most extensive appearance coming on April 2. That was all of 3 minutes 3 seconds, in which he scored four points.
Then again, Okur didn’t exactly light it up against the Lakers with his best showing in their season series, a near double-double (14 points and eight rebounds) in the Lakers’ 101-77 victory against Utah on Dec. 9 at Staples Center.
Utah was also without forward Andrei Kirilenko (strained left calf) against the Nuggets, and it appears he’ll be doubtful for the start of the series against the Lakers. He would need to go through a full practice, especially since he hasn’t played a full game since March 10.
It just goes to show how much the brilliance and leadership of Deron Williams can mean to a team. Always superb, Williams’ recognition as an elite point guard has gone up another notch or two as he became the first player in NBA history to get at least 20 points and 10 assists in the first five games of a postseason series.
Utah was 1-3 against the Lakers this season, and its victory on Dec. 12 ended an 11-game losing streak to the Lakers. Williams and rookie guard Wesley Matthews combined for 40 points in the 102-94 win against the Lakers, at Utah.
That, as you’ll recall, featured an injured and, on top of it, sick Kobe Bryant, who needed intravenous fluids before the game and at halftime to get through it.
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