Lakers have work to do on boards

LOS ANGELES — The rebounding edge in Game 1 of the Jazz-Los Angeles Lakers NBA Western Conference semifinal series went to Utah by a resounding count of 58-41.

But the Lakers, of course, won the game, 109-98.

Aberration, then?

Or should more of the same be expected in tonight's Game 2?

When asked, Lakers coach Phil Jackson didn't sound so sure.

"We didn't rebound that well against Denver (in the first round of the playoffs)," Jackson said, "so this is one of the weaknesses of our team, obviously."

And maybe it's not a bad thing, joked Lakers star and newly crowned NBA MVP Kobe Bryant.

"You know, we're just being very consistent," Bryant said after Sunday's Game 1. "We got our butts kicked on the boards against Denver, too, so we probably don't want to change that too much."

Reality, of course, is that the Lakers do need to improve their work on the boards.

Looking toward tonight, ex-Jazz player and current Lakers point guard Derek Fisher readily admits as much.

"It's not just our rebounding effort, but our understanding of who is taking shots, where shots are being taken from," he said. "We have to do a better job in that sense.

"You know, you're not always going to be able to keep your guy from crashing the offensive boards, but if you understand in terms of your half-court defense and your spacing and what's going on out on the floor, it gives you an opportunity to get to those balls a little bit better.

"They weren't all situations where they just overpowered us. There were some situations where balls just bounced longer to the elbows, which is more of a guard responsibility," Fisher added. "So myself and Kobe and our perimeter players, we have to do a better job of getting to those longer rebounds that came our side of the paint."

But Laker big men share responsibility, center Pau Gasol suggested.

"We didn't do a very good job (in Game 1) of keeping bodies on them, and they really pounded us there, and they were going after it," Gasol said. "We're weren't focused enough on putting bodies on people, and keeping them off the lane — because they are going to push you.

"You have to be able to keep them off the lane," he added, "and minimize those chances."

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E-mail: tbuckley@desnews.com

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