Jazz down 3-0 in second round

Well, there wasn't much time to celebrate the Jazz getting to the second round. They had to go right into L.A., plastic surgery capital of the world, to face the defending champs sans two starters. They played hard, they came up short. Sure they lost by single digits each time, they were right there, but stuff just went the Lakers' way in the last couple minutes of each game.

Game 3 back in Utah. Andrei Kirilenko's back. Awesome. Time to get this series to 2-2. Dick Bavetta's reffing. Noooooooo!

Seriously, NBA. This guy should never ref in SLC again. What are you doing to us?

I didn't have a problem with how the game was called, minus the non-call when Fisher hacked Boozer with seven seconds left in the game. For those who want to complain there may have been a non-call with Fisher hitting the ground at four seconds, maybe they were doing a make-up non-call there, but it wouldn't have been an issue if they'd called the obvious hack-across-the-arm under the basket.

Regardles, regardless, they had a chance. The Jazz were right there. Deron Williams had been shooting with confidence, and he barely missed the 20-footer he launched, and still they had a chance if Wes Matthews, who had a horrible shooting night, had just tipped the ball five degrees to the left.

The Jazz, in their current form, cannot match up to the size, length and payroll of the L.A. Lakers. Even with their starting center Mehmet Okur, they would have been underdogs. But their two seven-footers, Kyrylo Fesenko and Kosta Koufos, are barely in the NBA. They have the almost 6-9 Boozer and the almost 6-8 Millsap and a just-returning Andrei Kirilenko. I think if AK had been healthy all along, it'd be a 2-1 series right now. Maybe even 2-1 Jazz. But too much happened. For the second season in a row, Jazz crumble down the stretch with injuries. For the third year in a row, it's going to be the Lakers who oust them.

There's still a chance. I still think the Jazz will win Game 4, and then go back to L.A. for a Game 5. But realistically, the next thing Jazz fans can hope for is if their #9 pick from New York turns into a Top 3 pick when the lottery happens.