‘AK’s Way’ (M. Majchrzak - NBAE/Getty Images)

Back to LA we go. The team practiced today and are headed to Los Angeles shortly. We are staying in a different hotel this time since the last one didn’t have any wins in it. (This really isn’t the reason, but it’s fun to believe).

I watched Game 4 again last night and here are a few observations:

AK on Kobe

AK did a fantastic job on Kobe Bryant. Regardless of the back injury, Kobe is forced to attack much differently when guarded by AK due to AK’s extreme body length. When Kobe was guarded by Ronnie Brewer, he lived in the post. He played with his back to the basket and bumped and backed in on Brewer, eventually shooting over him. It was difficult for Brewer because he lacks the height and the strength to combat Kobe in the post.

When Kobe is guarded by AK, he is more likely to take the outside jumper or to pass off on his drives. However, some of this in Game 4 was due to the back injury. AK reacted by altering his approach defensively sinking off Kobe, to be able to react better to the drive, and luring him into more outside jump shots.

Boozer’s play

Some Jazz fans have been very hard on Carlos Boozer in this series. I think there needs to be a re-evaluation of who Boozer is.

Within the group of elite players in the NBA, there are two categories. The first category includes those players who are able to play their offensive games, regardless of the defense. They are so good that they are able to produce no matter what the opponent does. The league has about five of these players. (Deron Williams is inching closer and closer to this category). As an opponent, the best you can do against these players is to make them use a few more possessions to get their points.

The next category of stars includes players who, if the defense doesn’t put a single-minded focus on stopping them and denying them their primary moves, they will beat you. However, if the defense really zeros in chances are their offensive game will evaporate. This is Carlos Boozer. In Game 3, the Lakers decided not put the same focus defensively on Carlos, and he buried them. However, in Game 4 he got very little action. Every time Carlos had the ball in the post and took a dribble, the Lakers brought a double team. This forced him to accelerate his moves to the basket or get out of the post.

The following play from the first half is a good example: Carlos was caught at 15 feet on the left elbow. (The elbow is the corner where the free throw line joins to the lane). Carlos prefers to go to his left with a dribble. A defender from the left wing sagged in to take away the dribble, and Pau Gasol got up on Boozer’s left hand to take away the move. To combat that, Carlos took a hard dribble to his right and shot a free throw line jumper. The ball rimmed out. This is not a natural move for Carlos. With that kind of play, his percentage for success is much lower. However, it was the correct play. If he had made that shot Gasol may have been less willing to overplay his left hand.

Carlos’s most important number is not 5 of 15 in Game 4, but the teams 50+%. While the Lakers defense was putting so much attention on Carlos, the team shot over 50% and had one of their best offensive games of the series. Individually, Carlos didn’t have a great game, but his presence opened up opportunities for his teammates.

Offensive Trends

In the last series I gave you the offensive trends, so I will do the same for this series. Offensive efficiency rating is the amount of points a team will score in 100 possessions. During the regular season, the Jazz averaged 115.9 points per 100 possessions. The Lakers averaged 115.4. Defensively, the Jazz allowed 108.9 points per 100 possessions, and the Lakers allowed 107.7.

Here are the offensive ratings for this series:

Game 4 was the best defensive night of the series for the Jazz. I am not sure the Jazz can replicate that on the road. I would like to believe that if the Jazz can keep the Lakers to a number similar to Game 1, they will have a chance to win the Game 5.

Go Jazz!