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Jonesing for some roundball action, especially the kind that could pair the Lakers and the Western Conference Finals?  Well, we at SHLA can’t speed up time, but we can provide a little light reading to keep everyone occupied before the tip off.  Here are  several  factors to think about while biding your time.

1) Kobe’s back: It  appeared fine two days ago, but again, that was also two days, one plane ride, a weird hotel bed and “all the often subtle crap that can mess with a back” ago.  Who knows how Kobe’s gonna feel come tonight’s tip?  There’s no reason to be paranoid that he’ll move like a mummy during the game.  But there’s also no reason to automatically assume he’s continued to heal in steady fashion.  Fingers should remain crossed.2) How the refs call the game:Utah plays the game one way and one way only: Physical as all get out.  The previous pair of SLC contests saw the Jazz operating with a fair amount of impunity when it came to contact and bumping.  The Lakers, however, weren’t always so lucky.  Such is a common occurrence on a home court, but given that their playoff lives are on the line, Utah may be allowed even more levity.  The Lakers need to understand this and play through whatever frustration comes with that leeway.

3) Jordan Farmar:He showed a little spark during Game 5 with an early three ball and a big time, foul-drawing layup in the fourth quarter.  But those were his only makes and the Jazz continued their successful game plan of attacking him on the defensive end.  Any struggles Farmar endures can also affect the overall production of the Bench Mob, one of the biggest assets the Lakers have enjoyed all season.  Nobody says Farmar needs to play like the second coming of Magic Johnson.   He just need to be a little close to “Earvin” than “Smush.”   

4) Rebounding:The Lakers have yet to win the battle of the glass in five tries.  Attempt a close out win tonight in Utah without doing so would be pushing their luck.  In particular, Pau Gasol needs to crank it up a notch.  He’s only reached double figure tallies in two games, and one came with an extra five minutes of OT attached.

5) Closing out on the road is seriously tough: We realize it may not have appeared that way during the first round in Denver, but that’s actually the truth.   This notion is especially accurate when  factoring in how much more disciplined the Jazz are than the Nuggets, and the difference between ending a knucklehead team’s run while they’re down 3-0 and not letting thoughts of a looming game 7 get to you.  The Lakers aren’t the ones with any pressure.  They get a followup game in L.A. if they lose.  But it’s still better to wrap things up while you can and doing so won’t be any purple and gold picnic. 

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