Lakers Close to Surrendering Game
Utah Jazz 108 @ Los Angeles Lakers 110
Mar 12, Los Angeles - The Lakers looked as if they were going to win another easy game. Gordon Giricek didn't give them an easy time doing so. The Croatian Sensation scored 15 oh his game high 30 points in the final quarter and led a Utah Jazz rush home in a failed attempt in catching the Lakers.
Carlos Arroyo finished with 26 and 6 assists, Mehmet Okur had 16 and 12 while Jonathan Bender scored 14 and 8. Head Coahc Jerry Sloan was happy with his team's efforts, "We had the chances but the Lakers were jsut the better team in the end."
Six Lakers scored in double figures and every player played and scored at least one bucket in the match. Kwame Brown who is having a break out season had a triple double, a first in his career. He completed the feat with 13, 14 and 11. Carlos Boozer and bench player Juan Dixon tied as Laker top scorers on 15 apiece.
"Another true team game tongiht," newly named LA General Manager Rudy Tomjanovich said.
The Lakers started out strong and made the Jazz play at its pace. They controlled every aspect of the game from defence, offence, and handling the rock. The Lakers never let anything get out of control. It all worked out and paid off as LA took a double digit lead in the second quarter and kept it that way through to the fourth quarter.
"Up until the end, it was perfect," Rookie Jared Randall stated.
Then the Jazz stepped up with a flurry of three ponit bombs, they were back in the running for the game. "It all happened so fast, I can't even remember what happened!" former Laker Luke Walton exclaimed.
With 1:23 left, the Jazz had already caught up and cut the margin to 2. Giricek sank another three point bomb to put his team ahead by 1. Anthony Palmer then made a surprise long range bomb to put LA back in the lead at 108-106. With 46.7 secodns left, the Lakers forced Bender into a missed shot and the ball was carried downcourt slowly. Fredrik Ratchuck was fouled on his way to the hoop with 18.5 left. The Englishman missed his first and made his second.
The Jazz then quickly converted a jumper from the baseline by Okur. It was then up to Ratchuk to make his two free throws. The Jazz couldn't have asked for more as the PG missed both his free throws however Utah failed to capitalise. Brian Grant then picked the offensive board and dumped it out to Ratchuk who missed another jumper. Grant yet again grabbed the board and sent it back out to Ratchuk for another miss.
The miss was predictably cleaned off the glass by Grant who was finally fouled by the Jazz with 1.4 left on the game clock.
"I told them to foul him," an angry Kirilenko said, "But noone was smart enough." Ron Artest played stellar defence and locked down on the Russian Forward who struggled on both ends of the court.
NOTES:
The Lakers overtook the Sacramento Kings to lead the Pacific Division and are now officially second in the Western Conference... Current Record: 16-8 (9-1, 7-7)
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