Editor's Note: Game 1 is Perfectly Fine

A lot of people, including coach Phil Jackson, are disappointed in the Lakers' performance in Game 1 against Utah. Their specific gripe is with the second-half defense. But unlike with those people, the game worked for me. The Lakers had that killer-instinct they lacked for most of the season. Realistically, no one will be able to maintain a 22-point lead over Utah for a full 24 minutes. The Jazz are too quick, too sharp, and too good to fall into a deep hole similar to Detroit's loss to Cleveland. The Jazz are capable of strong runs in any given situation. But to defeat Utah, the Lakers need to properly contain them. And that's exactly what they did. Each time the Jazz cut the lead to single-digits, LA responded with stifling defense and clutch shots to keep the lead respectable. But everyone will look back at a poor effort after the incredible first half. But the Lakers did more than cruise past Utah in the first half. The Lakers set the tone for the entire series with, letting Utah know that this is a team that can destroy them at any time, even if they don't.

An Editor's Note piece will follow each Laker playoff game.