Utah Jazz: Head-to-head matchups
POINT GUARD
Deron Williams vs. Derek Fisher
Fisher was Williams' backup and the Jazz's starting shooting guard last season; now he's back to running the Lakers' triangle offense. "He's a great defender, hits big shots, especially under pressure," Jazz forward Carlos Boozer said. "Makes his free throws. ... He's a big piece for them." Williams said Saturday he expects Fisher will guard him, even though Kobe Bryant often defends the opponent's best perimeter player.
SHOOTING GUARD
Ronnie Brewer vs. Kobe Bryant
Good luck guarding the NBA's MVP. That's the sentiment from many in Utah, which will throw Brewer, Andrei Kirilenko, Matt Harpring and the kitchen sink at Bryant. "We're gonna have to run guys at him, probably trap him some," Williams said. "Hope he misses." Brewer is battling a bad hamstring, but played 22 minutes and scored 13 points in Friday's Game 6 win vs. Houston.
SMALL FORWARD
Andrei Kirilenko vs. Lamar Odom
POWER FORWARD
Carlos Boozer vs. Pau Gasol
Boozer struggled to score vs. the Rockets and must break out if the Jazz are to have any hope in this series. But whom will he guard? Forward Odom, big man Gasol or forward Radmanovic? The Jazz were playing coy Saturday. "I'm not sure we can put Boozer on (Radmanovic)," Sloan said. "So we're caught, a little bit, trying to be able to match against them."
CENTER
Mehmet Okur vs. Vladimir Radmanovic
The strong-passing Gasol could be a physical handful for Okur, so maybe you let the two European 3-point shooters, Okur and Radmanovic, hang on the long-distance line and have Boozer muscle up on the former Memphis franchise icon. Or maybe not. "They've got some matchups I'm sure they're pleased with," Sloan said, "because of athletic ability and ... the way they play."
BENCH
The Jazz bench of Matt Harpring, Kyle Korver, Paul Millsap and Ronnie Price must show like it did in Game 6 vs. Houston and not disappear like in Game 5 against the Rockets if Utah is to move on. Jordan Farmar is a capable backup to Fisher at the point; Luke Walton and Sasha Vujacic play with grit; big men Ronny Turiaf and D.J. Mbenga should see minutes with injured center Andrew Bynum out.
COACHES
Jerry Sloan vs. Phil Jackson
What a sense of satisfaction it would be for the Jazz's Jerry Sloan to win against Phil Jackson, who rode Michael Jordan and friends to two memorable NBA title-series victories over Sloan, John Stockton and Karl Malone. Then again, the ol' Zenmaster sure would savor dismissing Sloan, Williams and Boozer with a completely different cast of characters.
Recent comments
On the coaches match-up - I don't know about the level of Jerry...
old School in Augusta,GA | May 4, 2008 at 12:10 p.m.
