Lakers Getting a Less "Nasty" Version of the Jazz

By BRETT POLLAKOFF

Updated 12:00 AM PST, Mon, Apr 20, 2009

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During the Lakers' Game 1 win over the Jazz on Sunday, they put up some numbers that we're not necessarily used to seeing against a Utah team, especially in the playoffs. L.A. had 50 points in the paint, and had outscored Utah 13-4 on fast break points in the first half, while getting more than their share of layups and dunks along the way. The Lakers also shot over 55 percent from the field for the game, something that will undoubtedly keep the historically physical Jazz up at night -- especially their hardened head coach, Jerry Sloan.

Sloan took some of the responsibility for his team's lack of defensive "nastiness" after the game, and reminded us that, with the younger players he has on this year's squad, this is not your father's Jazz team.

"We're not a nasty team," Sloan said. "Most of the teams that we've had here have been pretty nasty in that they will get after you from daylight to dark. We're just learning how to get after it a little bit more as we go along with the younger guys. Part of that's my fault, I take full responsibility for that. Because I probably haven't been nasty enough with 'em."

With players like Ronnie Brewer, Paul Millsap, and C.J. Miles all being asked to make prominent contributions (even more so while Mehmet Okur is out), Sloan has a point. But now that his team finds itself in the middle of a playoff series with the top-seeded Lakers, is it too late to instill that nastier mindset?

"Deron Williams has played a major role for us in the playoffs, [but] a couple of the other guys have not been in those situations enough to be able to know how to," Sloan said. "You know how late we were so many times in trying to get over and give help and trying to stand guys up, and play the game where you don't let 'em run with a tuxedo on all the time -- that's something we have to learn to do."

Kobe Bryant wasn't wearing a tuxedo, but he was dressed in a nice white suit when he addressed the media, and responded to Sloan's statements about his Utah team's lack of "nastiness." Bottom line? He wasn't buying it.

"Well you know, I'm a game connoisseur, so I know how nasty Sloan was when he was playing," Bryant said. "And pardon my French, but your ass would be kicked out of the league if you played that physical nowadays," he continued. "But it's always been a staple of his teams to be physical and play hard, and Utah, the team now, is no different. I'm sure he'll use it as a motivational tool to get those guys to play even harder."

Depending on the officiating crew, it's unclear how much nastier the Jazz can become. They were whistled for 28 fouls in Game 1, so any further nastiness will have to come in the form of defending better on the perimeter, and getting back in transition to stop the Lakers from getting easy baskets. It appears to be a tall order, even for a team coached by a guy with an old school mentality -- and Hall of Fame credentials -- like Jerry Sloan.