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SALT LAKE CITY—Pau
Gasol couldn’t stop watching the highlights, if that’s
the correct word, after the Lakers’ Game Three loss to
Utah.
He
watched turnover after turnover. Saw all the missed
shots. Revisited the overall lack of composure that
ended a string of 10 consecutive victories.
He
finally relaxed enough to drift off to sleep at about 4
a.m., more than six hours after, perhaps, his least
productive game with the Lakers.
“I don’t
take losses lightly, especially when I didn’t do a good
enough job,” said Gasol, who had 12 points, six
rebounds, five turnovers and one assist while
continually playing the “Where’s the call?” card with
referees Friday in Game Three. “It was a long night.”
The
Lakers practiced Saturday in
Utah, knowing Sunday would bring Game Four and a chance to
enlarge a 2-1 lead in the Western Conference semifinals.
Kobe
Bryant reminded players on the bus ride to practice that
Game Three was just one loss, even if it seemed jarring
because there hadn’t been any in more than a month.
At the
same time, he wasn’t thrilled with what happened down
the stretch. When asked by a reporter to give his
insights on the game in Spanish, Bryant balked.
“I
really can’t, without cursing,” he said, smiling.
Indeed,
the Lakers would rather forget about Carlos Boozer
breaking free from a slump by scoring 27 points and
taking 20 rebounds. They’d also like to decrease their
Game Three turnovers (18) and increase their assists
(14).
Furthermore, they also believe that Gasol’s off night
was a one-and-done thing.
Not that
long ago, he had 36 points, 16 rebounds and eight
assists in a playoff game against
Denver.
“It’s
about him understanding what’s happening, picking the
ball up and hitting the open guy,” Lakers coach Phil
Jackson said. “They’re leaving guys wide open. He’s just
got to get the basketball and put it in peoples’ hands.”
Jackson
also said Gasol needed to watch his back, keeping track
of blind-side defenders who kept poking the ball free.
The
series is still young, but there’s already a hint of
coach vs. coach, not nearly in the same vein as
Jackson
vs. Mike D’Antoni earlier this season, but the Lakers’
coach scoffed when told that Jerry Sloan suggested
Bryant had been awarded too many free throws.
“He
can’t even open his mouth to speak about that the way
Boozer pushes and shoves out there,”
Jackson said. “He got away with all his pushes [Friday] night, which
he was getting called on in LA.”
Sloan
told reporters Friday that Bryant has had “pretty much a
free rein because it’s a noncontact sport when you guard
him.”
Bryant
is averaging 17.3 free throws a game in the series.
Free
throws or no free throws, the Lakers will have to
contend with the noise at EnergySolutions Arena, which
was painfully obvious in Game Three.
Some of
the Lakers’ staffers wore earplugs behind the bench, and
the players reported being fully aware of the decibel
level.
“That’s
a lot of noise,” Bryant said. “Your ears are pretty much
ringing after the game.”
Utah is playing a rare Sunday game, though the Jazz is
expecting a full house despite the religious connotation
of the day, as well as the fact that it’s Mother’s Day.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
encourages members to avoid nonreligious activities on
Sundays.
One
notable fan won’t be in his courtside seat. Jazz owner
Larry Miller told the Salt Lake Tribune that he wouldn’t
be at the game because it was on a Sunday.
Sunday
marks Utah’s first Sunday home game since January 2001.
“Hopefully, the arena will be filled and not empty,
though,” Boozer said. |
