The Jazz didn’t play any defense last night as the Lakers shot 57.4% from the floor and it doomed them in the end. Deron Williams led the way for the Jazz with 25 points, 3 rebounds and 10 assists. Paul Millsap was outstanding off the bench as he finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds in 29 minutes. Mehmet Okur pitched in with 16 points and 5 rebounds. Andrei Kirilenko finished up with 14 points, 3 rebounds and 5 assists. The Jazz are now down 2-0 in this series.

The Jazz outrebounded the Lakers 58-41 yesterday but even that couldn’t overcome the fact that they shot only 37.9% from the floor. Mehmet Okur was only 7 of 19 shooting from the floor yesterday but he still finished with 21 points, 19 rebounds and 3 assists. Carlos Boozer also had a solid game with 15 points, 14 rebounds and 4 assists. Deron Williams only shot 5 of 18 from the floor but he finished with 14 points, 9 rebounds and 9 assists. The Jazz are now down 1-0 against the Lakers.

This will be a big test for both of these teams as they both have their eyes on the NBA Championship. Here’s a close look at the matchups in this series:

POINT GUARD: Derek Fisher is a decent player but he doesn’t match up too well with Deron Williams of the Jazz. Fisher started all 4 games against the Nuggets and he averaged 32.3 minutes, 8.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game. He did hit 6 of 12 three pointers (50%) as he is a good shooter when left open.

Deron Williams is one of the best point guards in the NBA and he will likely run Derek Fisher right out of the building. Williams started all 6 games against the Rockets in the first round and he averaged 42.0 minutes, 20.8 points, 2.7 rebounds and 8.5 assists per game. Williams shot 53% from the floor and 59.1% from three point range in the first round. The fans of Utah will likely give Fisher a warm welcome when his name is announced in there arena, but Williams is going to make him look bad.

EDGE: HUGE FOR THE JAZZ

SHOOTING GUARD: Kobe Bryant won the MVP Award in the NBA this season and he played even better in the first round of the playoffs against the Nuggets. Bryant started all 4 games against the Nuggets in the first round and he averaged 39.3 minutes, 33.5 points, 5.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.5 blocked shots per game. The Jazz won’t be able to stop Kobe in this series.

2nd year man Ronnie Brewer will battle Kobe for about half of the game. He started all 6 games against the Rockets and he averaged 9.3 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.0 steal per game. Brewer had issues defending Tracy McGrady and Kobe’s a similar player in style to T-Mac while being a lot better.

EDGE: HUGE FOR THE LAKERS

SMALL FORWARD: Vladimir Radmanovic will start for the Lakers and he will split time with the suddenly hot shooting Luke Walton. Radmanovic started all 4 games against the Nuggets and he averaged 24.3 minutes, 8.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. But, he only shot 31.6% from the floor and he needs to do better than that if the Lakers are to beat the Jazz.

Andrei Kirilenko has rebounded this season to play well for the Jazz on defense. He started all 6 games against the Rockets in the first round of the playoffs and he averaged 32.3 minutes, 9.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.2 blocked shots.

EDGE: SMALL FOR JAZZ

POWER FORWARD: This should be a fun matchup to watch as Lamar Odom and Carlos Boozer are both really solid basketball players. Lamar Odom started all 4 games against the Nuggets and he averaged 35.3 minutes, 11.8 points, 9.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game. He will likely keep Boozer busy as he is a solid outside shooter and a good passer.

Carlos Boozer is the typical slug it out power forward. He started all 6 games against the Rockets in the first round and he averaged 36.5 minutes, 16.0 points, 11.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game.

EDGE: SMALL FOR THE JAZZ

CENTER: Pau Gasol was the key piece that was missing for the Lakers the last couple of seasons. He started 4 games against the Nuggets and he averaged 40.0 minutes, 22.3 points, 9.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 2.8 blocked shots per game. Gasol also shot 58.2% from the floor against the Nuggets. Gasol is really a power forward playing center and that causes a lot of matchup problems for the opposition.

Mehmet Okur has really been a solid basketball player since coming over from the Pistons a few seasons ago. He is a solid rebounder and he’s also one of the best outside shooting centers in the NBA which causes matchup problems for teams. Okur started all 6 games against the Rockets and he averaged 38.0 minutes, 13.2 points, 12.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game.

EDGE: LAKERS

BENCH: The Lakers didn’t play a lot of players off the bench in the first round of the playoffs but the ones that played did well. Luke Walton was awesome off the bench against the Nuggets in the first round. He played in all 4 games off the bench and he averaged 25.0 minutes, 14.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game. Walton shot 71% from the floor against the Nuggets and he hit 4 of 5 three point shots. Sasha Vujacic is also a very solid shooter off the bench as he hit 8 of 16 (50%) shots from three point range. In the four games against the Nuggets, Vujacic averaged 18.8 minutes, 7.8 points, 1.3 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game. Jordan Farmar splits time with Derek Fisher at the point guard position and he will be kept busy helping to defend Deron Williams. Farmer played in all 4 games against the Nuggets and he averaged 16.5 minutes, 6.3 points, 1.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. Ronny Turiaf is one of the top reserves among the big men for the Lakers but he only played in 2 games against the Nuggets. He averaged 3.5 minutes, 1.0 point and 2.5 rebounds per game against the Nuggets.

The Jazz have a deep and talented bench. Sharpshooter Kyle Korver was brought in from Philly at mid-season and he provided firepower off the bench. Korver played in all 6 games against the Rockets and he averaged 20.7 minutes, 5.5 points, 1.7 rebounds, 0.5 assists and 1.0 blocked shot per game. Matt Harpring is the guy who dives for balls and always hustles for the Jazz. It often rubs off on his teammates when he is on the floor. He played in all 6 games against the Rockets and he averaged 18.0 minutes, 5.5 points, 2.7 rebounds, 0.8 assists and 1.0 steal per game. Paul Millsap is one of the best young power forwards in the NBA who doesn’t have a starting job. He played in all 6 games against the Rockets and he averaged 17.5 minutes, 5.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 0.3 assists and 1.3 blocked shots per game. Ronnie Price is the backup point guard and he doesn’t get much work. He did play in all 6 games for the Jazz against the Rockets but he only averaged 6.0 minutes, 3.8 points, 0.3 rebounds and 0.7 assists per game.

EDGE: JAZZ

PREDICTION: THE LAKERS WILL WIN THIS SERIES IN 6 GAMES.

The Jazz destroyed the Rockets 27-11 in the third quarter and they held them to 39% shooting from the floor which are the big reasons for the win last night. Deron Williams hit 6 of 9 from behind the three point line and he led the Jazz with 25 points, 6 rebounds and 9 assists. Mehmet Okur also had a solid game as he finished with 19 points and 13 rebounds. Carlos Boozer only shot 6 of 17 from the floor as he finished with 15 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists. Ronnie Brewer only played 22 minutes in this game but he made them count finishing with 13 points, 6 rebounds and 2 steals. The Jazz win this series 4 games to 2.

The Rockets dominated every facet of the basketball game on Tuesday Night. The Jazz only shot 36.5% from the floor and they were outrebounded 46-38 and those were big reasons for the beating they took. Carlos Boozer led the way for the Jazz with 19 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 steals. Mehmet Okur only shot 4 of 11 from the floor but he still finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Deron Williams was not his usual self as he finished with 13 points, 3 rebounds and 6 assists. The Jazz are now 3-2 in this series.

The Jazz won this game last night by playing great defense holding the Rockets to 37.2% shooting from the floor. Deron Williams led the way for the Jazz with 17 points and 9 assists. Carlos Boozer only shot 3 of 13 from the floor as he finished with 14 points, 14 rebounds and 2 assists. Mehmet Okur also had a big game as he finished with 14 points and 18 rebounds. The Jazz are now up 3-1 in this series.

The Jazz lost a tough one last night to the Rockets in their own building. Deron Williams had an outstanding game running the offense as he finished with 28 points, 3 rebounds and 12 assists. Carlos Boozer had another solid game as he finished with 15 points, 13 rebounds and 2 assists. Mehmet Okur only shot 3 of 13 from the floor but he still finished with 12 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocked shots. Ronnie Brewer pitched in with 12 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists. The Jazz are now up 2-1 in this series.

The Utah Jazz won this game partially because of Andrei Kirilenko’s acting skills. He flopped when Houston’s Luis Scola barely touched him late in the 4th quarter with the game tied that negated a three pointer that the Rockets hit. The Jazz then outplayed the Rockets the rest of the way. Deron Williams led the way for the Jazz with 22 points, 5 assists and 2 blocked shots. Mehmet Okur had a solid game in the paint as he finished up with 16 points, 16 rebounds and 3 assists. Carlos Boozer pitched in with 13 points, 7 rebounds and 2 assists. Ronnie Brewer also had a solid game with 10 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists in only 24 minutes. The Jazz are now up 2-0 in this series.

The Jazz shot an amazing 52.1% from the floor on Saturday Night and they also played great defense as they held the Rockets to 36.7% shooting from the floor which explains the victory. Andrei Kirilenko led the way for the Jazz with 21 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals. Carlos Boozer had a monster game with 20 points, 16 rebounds and 3 assists. Deron Williams was outstanding running the offense with 20 points, 2 rebounds and 10 assists. Kyle Korver was tough off the bench with 11 points in 26 minutes. The Jazz are up 1-0 in this series.

The Rockets faced an uphill climb after Yao Ming broke his leg but somehow they kept winning. The Jazz are healthy and ready to go in this series. Here’s a closer look at the matchups:

POINT GUARD: Rafer Alston might miss a couple games in this series but he’s the little guy who makes the offense go. Alston played in 74 games (24 starts) for the Rockets this season and he averaged 13.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.3 steals per game.

Deron Williams is one of the best point guards in the NBA and the Rockets will have a hard time containing him. Williams played in 82 games (all starts) last season for the Jazz and he averaged 18.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, 10.5 assists and 1.1 steals per game. Look for Williams to have an outstanding series.

EDGE: BIG FOR THE JAZZ

SHOOTING GUARD: Tracy McGrady is without a doubt the go-to man on the Rockets with Yao out. McGrady played in 66 games (62 starts) for the Rockets this season and he averaged 21.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.0 steal per game. Look for T-Mac to be a little more selfish than usual in this series as the Rockets will need him to carry the load on offense.

Ronnie Brewer stepped up as a full-time starter this season for the Jazz. He played in 76 games (all starts) this season for the Jazz and he averaged 12.0 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.7 steals per game. Brewer is just scratching the surface of his potential.

EDGE: ROCKETS

SMALL FORWARD: Shane Battier is the ultimate team player for the Rockets. He played in 80 games (78 starts) for the Rockets this season and he averaged 9.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.1 blocked shots per game. He will be at a size disadvantage against Andrei Kirilenko.

Andrei “AK-47″ Kirilenko started to get his groove back this year. He played in 72 games (all starts) this season for the Jazz and he averaged 11.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.5 blocked shots per game. Look for Kirilenko to try to bully Battier down on the blocks.

EDGE: JAZZ

POWER FORWARD: The Rockets stole power forward Luis Scola in a trade with the Spurs in the off-season. Scola played in 82 games (39 starts) for the Rockets this season and he averaged 10.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game. Look for him to improve on those numbers in this series.

Carlos Boozer is one of the best power forwards in all of the NBA. He played in 81 games (all starts) this season for the Jazz and he averaged 21.1 points, 10.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.2 steals per game. Look for Boozer to have an outstanding series against the Rockets.

EDGE: JAZZ

CENTER: The Rockets had to get Dikembe Mutombo out of mothballs after the injury to Yao Ming. Mutombo played in 39 games (25 starts) for the Rockets and he averaged 3.0 points, 5.1 rebounds, 0.1 assists and 1.2 blocked shots per game. All the Rockets need from Mutombo is defense and rebouding in this series.

Mehmet Okur will give Mutombo problems on defense as he will drag him away from the basket. Okur played in 72 games (all starts) last season for the Jazz and he averaged 14.5 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game.

EDGE: JAZZ

BENCH: The Rockets have a lot of talent on the bench but they are young. Bobby Jackson is the graybeard of this bunch. He played in 26 games (5 starts) for the Rockets and he averaged 8.8 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. Carl Landry was quite a find for the Rockets this season. He played in 42 games (0 starts) for the Rockets this season and he averaged 8.1 points, 4.9 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game. Luther Head is the designated assassin from long range on the Rockets. He played in 73 games (17 starts) for the Rockets this year and he averaged 7.6 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. Chuck Hayes is a tough guy around the glass for the Rockets. He played in 79 games (44 starts) for the Rockets this year and he averaged 3.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.1 steals per game. Rookie Aaron Brooks won’t likely get much playing time in this series but he has big-time potential for the future. Brooks played in 51 games (0 starts) for the Rockets this year and he averaged 5.2 points, 1.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. Steve Novak could also get a couple of minutes in this series. He played in 35 games (0 starts) for the Rockets this year and he averaged 3.9 points, 1.0 rebound and 0.2 assists per game.

The Jazz have a very lethal bench. Kyle Korver is a deadeye shooter from long range. He played in 50 games (0 starts) for the Jazz this year and he averaged 9.8 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. Matt Harpring is an outstanding bench player because he always hustles. Harpring played in 76 games (0 starts) this year for the Jazz and he averaged 8.2 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game. Second year man Paul Millsap had another good season for the Jazz. He played in 82 games (2 starts) and he averaged 8.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.0 assist per game. C.J. Miles is the backup shooting guard and he did a decent job with his limited playing time. Miles played in 60 games (13 starts) for the Jazz this season and he averaged 5.0 points, 1.3 rebounds and 0.9 assists per game. Ronnie Price can handle either guard position. He played in 61 games (3 starts) for the Jazz this year and he averaged 3.7 points, 0.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game. Jason Hart is a point guard but he didn’t get to play too much this year. Hart played in 57 games (0 starts) for the Jazz this year and he averaged 3.7 points, 0.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game. Center Jarron Collins is nothing more than a space eater. He played in 70 games (9 starts) for the Jazz this year and he averaged 1.7 points, 1.7 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game.

EDGE: JAZZ

PREDICTION: THE JAZZ IN FIVE.