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The Magic “reshuffle” the deck

Posted by CapnChrisHill on June 26, 2009

otis-vince-stan Only Michael Jackson’s Death overshadowed what the Orlando Magic this day. Not even Shaq’s trade to Cleveland (and he was notified via Twitter!) was as much of a blockbuster, as the Eastern Conference Champions to make a trade with the NJ Nets.

The Nets got guard Rafer Alston, forward-center Tony Battie and guard Courtney Lee, and the Magic picked up 8 time all star guard Vince Carter (He’s from Daytona Beach) and forward Ryan Anderson.

Now lets see what the Magic can do next season!

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These are now KOBE’s Lakers - LA wins the series 4-1

Posted by CapnChrisHill on June 15, 2009
I couldn’t bear to watch. The t.v. was in the other room as my fingers did the walking and L.A.’s game the talking on Sunday night. I could hear Magic Coach Stan Van Gundy speaking of his team playing “frustrated.” As in shooting five-of-18 from the floor in the third period. As in all-star center Dwight Howard going scoreless while drawing three fouls in that 12-minute span.
This was the finale of the NBA Finals. 99-86 L.A. Winners in five games. Too much Kobe Bryant, occasionally defying gravity on makes and consistently distributing the ball. Too much Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol, a pair of bigs as big as it gets in this league. A team that’s in a league of its own. Three close games, and in “two they beat the hell out of us,” Van Gundy said, citing L.A. Coach Phil Jackson’s accomplishments as a coach ”incomprehensible.”
Word has it that L.A. felt insulted when Orlando was applauded for having the NBA’s deepest team during the Eastern Conference finals. The Lakers played with a chip on their shoulders, remembering the bitter taste of going down to Boston in six games amid a sea of Celtics’ green confetti in the 2008 NBA Finals.
In the other room and some seven miles from my condo, Kobe Bryant just hit a three from downtown at Amway Arena and the lead was up to 16 midway through the final quarter. ”A dagger three,” said ABC’s Mark Jackson, who rarely uses the word “great” but finally relented in respect to Kobe at one point in the second period when the Lakers used a 16-0 burst to pop the Magic’s confidence. “Look at his (Kobe’s) body of work,” Mark Jackson said. Bryant averaged more than 32 points per game and better than seven assists per game in the Finals.
“I knew if I made that shot it’d knock them down a little bit,” Bryant said. “They were starting to surge.”
Let’s face it, despite the Magic’s not losing consecutive home games this season before Sunday, the Lakers believed there would be a time when Orlando would be vulnerable and the second quarter was it. The Magic, hitting better than 50 percent of their field goals midway through that period, were two-of-12 in the seven minutes before halftime.
And when Orlando cut it to six points in the third period, Odom hit consecutive three-pointers and the Lakers were beating the Magic at their own game – the long ball.
Phil Jackson, coaching in his 300th playoff game Sunday, more post-season games than 25 NBA teams have participated in, registered his record 10th NBA title and passed legendary Boston Coach Red Auerbach. Six with the Chicago Bulls and four with L.A. Can’t you hear Jim Morrison of The Doors belting out L.A. Woman: “Mojo rising, Mr. Mojo Rising. Got to keep on rising. Rising. Rising.” Jackson, more of a Grateful Dead fan, said he’d “smoke a cigar for Red…It’s all about the players. I really feel strongly about that. It’s about the journey…However, winning 10 championships is quite an accomplishment. “
The Lakers have their 15th NBA title in 30 trips to the NBA Finals. Perhaps it’s amazing that the man who had his hand in five of those titles, Magic Johnson, said in ABC’s pre-game picks that Orlando would win game five. (More assuredly, Magic joined another Laker great, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, in the post-game festivities).
But after the second and third periods, one of the NBA’s most resilient teams this season fell prey to the more seasoned Lakers. Experience, contrary to what Van Gundy said after game four, counts in championship series. It never counted more than Sunday night.
“This really feels like a dream. It doesn’t even feel real right now,” said Bryant, receiving his first Finals’ MVP trophy to go along with his four rings.
And now I’m off to Texas to see lifelong friends. Congrats L.A. You’re simply the best. Better than all the rest.
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Derek Fisher, affectionately called the old man, seized the moment with a pair of three-pointers that propelled the Los Angeles Lakers to a 99-91 overtime triumph over Orlando and a 3-1 NBA Finals advantage that moved Coach Phil Jackson oh so close to a record 10th NBA title.
“He’s persistent, a dogged player,” said Jackson, in respect to the 34-year-old Fisher, who played a pivotal part in the Lakers’ three straight titles at the turn of the century.. ”He’s not blessed with great speed. He’s a good athlete, and has a certain sense about him. He knows what’s going on the floor and can organize a team. He’s not afraid to go away from Kobe (Bryant) when Kobe’s calling for the ball. I need a player on the floor like that.”
Magic Coach Stan Van Gundy, who said he regreted not fouling the Lakers in the last 11 seconds of regulation, simply stated that Fisher was given too much space to shoot. It proved room enough to give L.A. not only a showtime hoop but the same momentum the Lakers had taken advantage of to seize game two’s OT triumph.
Fisher’s first three of the game tied the score at 87-87 with 4.6 seconds showing in regulation, and his second left him smiling and the Lakers leading 94-91 with 31.3 seconds remaining in overtime. Fisher trails only Robert Horry and Michael Jordan for most three-pointers in NBA Finals’ history.
“I was kind of teasing Derek cause he was 0 for 5 before he hit that shot (in regulation),” said Bryant, who wound up with 32 points, seven rebounds and eight assists. “But that’s Derek. He has supreme confidence.”
“What can I say, we missed key free throws down the stretch and executed poorly,” said Van Gundy, who witnessed his team miss 15 free throws overall and commit 17 turnovers (compared to L.A.’s seven). “This is the toughest loss because it puts us two games down and on the brink of elimination. The mood was very somber in the lockerroom.”
While Magic All-Star Dwight Howard set a Finals’ record with nine blocks to go along with his 21 rebounds and 16 points, he missed two free throws with 11 seconds left and eight for the game. It was a definite departure from what he’d done for the first three games of this series when he was a collective 28-of-41 from the line. Normally reliable Hedo Turkoglu misfired on five free throws, hitting both eight-of-13 free throws and eight-of-13 field goals for 25 points. ”We’ve got to be more smart on Sunday (in game five),” said Turk, whose basket gave Orlando a 87-82 lead with a 1:34 remaining.
Van Gundy dismissed the experience factor, which certainly favors the Lakers, who are on the brink of their 15th NBA title. Fact is they seem almost assured of it no matter what happens next game, given that they’re 7-0 in the 2009 playoffs after losing a game.
“There’s no need to ever doubt yourself or your game,” Howard said. “There’s no need to hang our heads. Yes, I had a tough time at the line, but we missed a lot of free throws as a team. Everybody sees we’re a good team. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be here in the Finals. I won’t stop believing. Neither will my teammates…
“But I think the turning point of the game was Derek’s three.”
The Magic set the table for Fisher’s fantastic finish by allowing L.A. to outscore them, 30-14, in the third period, erasing their 49-37 halftime lead. Former Magic player, Trevor Ariza, traded to the Lakers last season in exchange for Maurice Evans and Brian Cook, accounted for 13 third-quarter points and displayed the same intensity that left some Orlando supporters wondering why they let him go.
Nevertheless, it was Fisher’s three-pointer that ultimately paved the way for the Magic’s toughest playoff loss since Nick Anderson’s four consecutive free throws failed to fall and foiled Orlando’s bid to win game one of the 1995 NBA Finals against Houston.
What about the most resounding Finals’ rally in NBA history? I’m still sticking with my contention that L.A.’s leading fan (actor) Jack Nicholson will see the Magic live and die in L.A. in game six or seven. Simply because the Magic have an extra playoff day to rebound and give their fans at least one more victory Sunday in a championship series that’s the first since the Magic-Bird, Lakers-Celtics’ final in 1984 to feature two overtimes.
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The Magic won ! Now let the confetti fly!

Posted by CapnChrisHill on June 10, 2009
kobe-3It took an instant ESPN Classic for the Orlando Magic to finally secure their first NBA Finals win on the 14th anniversary of a Finals’ loss at home to Houston. Shooting a Finals’ record 62.5 percent from the floor for game three Tuesday night, the Magic responded from game two’s disheartening overtime loss on the road with a must win over the Los Angeles Lakers. A Finals’ 108-104 homecourt triumph where even the confetti couldn’t wait ’til time expired.
Rafer Alston and Mickael Pietrus, a tandem that was all but invisible offensively in the first two games for Orlando, set the tone at the start and finish, respectively. Not even Kobe Bryant could rescue the Lakers, who may well be in for a series after all. Alston, zipping about with the freedom that made him a playground legend in New York City growing up, connected on his first five field goals and collected 20 points. Alston’s eight-of-12 field goals was a far cry from the three-of-17 field combined goals he registered in the first two games.
Meanwhile Mickael, a part of the biggest playoff steal since Orlando’s Nick Anderson stole the ball from Chicago’s Michael Jordon in 1995, contributed nine of his 18 points in the fourth period, including a put-back slam when the Magic were waning offensively. “That shot may have been the biggest shot of the game,” said Orlando Coach Stan Van Gundy.
“We lost this game on the defensive end,” said Bryant, who credited Magic defensive stalwart Dwight Howard for having great hands in knocking the ball away from him on a play that led to Pietrus getting to the ball and hitting two free throws that left L.A. trailing, 106-102. Kobe’s contention that the series wasn’t over after L.A.’s game one blowout suddenly seems feasible.
Bryant (31 points) pointed out what the Magic had already accomplished in closing out Boston in game seven in Boston, and nearly beating Cleveland in the first two games in Ohio. Kobe proved to be human after all, hitting eight of first 11 shots before misfiring on 11 of his last 14.
“The one thing you can’t question about this team is our resilience,” said Van Gundy. “Whether it’s game to game or minute to minute, our team will keep playing.. We’ve had bad games like game one, but it’s never a matter of us quitting..”
“Believe it or not, the locker room’s been the same after every game,” said Alston, who reminded himself to have fun before Tuesday’s tip. “That’s the beauty of this team. We don’t hang our heads. We encourage each other. We get on each other. We’re able to take constructive criticism from one another. That’s the best thing about this team.”
Despite connecting on 35-of-50 two-pointers, Orlando still needed all of those highlight plays down the stretch to survive against L.A., which opened the fourth period by hitting its first seven shots.
“I think we were taking better shots and got to the rim,” Howard said. ”Once a couple of guys make shots, our confidence rises. We did a great job of getting open shots…We’re happy we won, but not satisfied.”
What the Magic felt best about was balance. Howard’s final line was fine as in 21 points, 14 rebounds and just one turnover, six fewer than game two. He also hit 11-of-16 free throws, missing the same number as Bryant.. Magic teammate Rashard Lewis, coming off a 34-point night in game two, racked up 21 points. In the first half when Orlando set a Finals’ record by hitting 75 percent of its field goals, Lewis’s four-of-seven field goals was the lowest percentage-wise of all Magic shooters. Hedo Turkoglu accounted for 18 points.
Dennis Neumann, the play-by-play man for the Magic’s flagship radio station, still thinks Orlando can play better than it did Tuesday. Dennis cited Orlando’s five-of-14 three-point shooting as well as L.A.’s 11 offensive rebounds as areas to shore up.
“Confidence has never been an issue with this Magic team, even when they were down 0-2 (after Sunday),” noted Scott Anez, host of Magic Rewind.
“Stan’s first comment on the (postgame) podium addressed the resilience that has been a key to this team all season long,” Neumann said.
One thing for sure. The Magic won game three. L.A. didn’t lose it. And certainly there’s been little to indicate that the Lakers will lapse into the lack of concentration they exhibited during the Western Conference semifinals against Houston.
So Orlando will have to tie this series at 2-2 come Thursday night the old-fashioned way. The Magic will have to earn it.
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L.A.’s leading fan and Hollywood main man Jack Nicholson was captured on camera as he congratulated Orlando’s versatile Hedo Turkoglu and Dwight Howard moments after the Lakers’ 101-96 overtime triumph in game two of the NBA Finals. Borrowing a movie title from one of Jack’s many renowned films, what the Magic needed Sunday night was “a few good men” to offensively assist Orlando’s marque guys.
The Magic’s most talented trio reversed the utter futility of game one’s shooting nightmare. But, as Orlando Coach Stan Van Gundy noted after L.A. notched its fourth consecutive playoff triumph and kept the Magic winless in their Finals history, it was “a wonder game two went into overtime.” Especially given his team’s 20 turnovers and 42 percent field-goal shooting.
While Dwight helped Orlando turn around game one’s rebounding deficit with 16 boards, all-star teammates’ Rashard Lewis and Turk were effective offensively in different periods. Doing the math adds up to this fact. Rashard, Hedo and Dwight totaled 73 points altogether. Normally effective guys like reserve Mickael Pietrus and starting point guard Rafer Alston were virtually invisible offensively.. Pietrus fouled out trying to guard all-world guard Kobe Bryant and Alston suffered through a second straight horrendous shooting game.
“When you lose a game, stats don’t mean anything,” Lewis said, after his 34-point, 11-rebound and seven-assist performance. “Turnovers cost us the game tonight. This is most definitely heartbreaking.”
Let’s not forget that while the Lakers connected on 24-of-28 free throws, the Magic missed six consecutive free throws in the second half and it proved costly. As were Dwight and Hedo’s combined 12 turnovers and the continuing contributions of L.A.’s big men. L.A. reserve Lamar Odom connected on eight-of-nine field goals, and starting forward Pau Gasol accounted for seven of his 24 points in overtime. That duo had 27 points between them in game one.
Odom, who grabbed eight rebounds and blocked three shots Sunday, finished with 19 points — two more than the entire Orlando bench (which hit six-of-20 field goals) — and substantiated what his former coach at Miami (Stan Van Gundy) said when Stan recently called him one of the top 30 active players in the NBA.
Orlando matched its game one turnover total (eight) before the first period ended, 15-15, in the lowest offensive output in Finals’ history. Then Lewis scored 18 of Orlando’s 20 second-period points on seven-of-10 field goals, leaving the Magic trailing, 40-35, at intermission. Turk took over the offensive load in the second half and finished with 22 points.
One of Hedo’s biggest contributions went unrewarded
After blocking a Kobe floater from behind in the final seconds of regulation, corraling the ball and calling timeout, Turk got the ball on the ensuing inbounds play to a streaking Courtney Lee. Lee’s buzzer-beating layup attempt under the basket was just hard enough to bounce off the front of the rim and ended Orlando’s best shot at victory.
“Is the job finished?” said Bryant, who led L.A. with 29 points. “I don’t think so.”
Let’s get serious in respect to this series. No amount of talking about the Magic being the better team can erase the fact that this has been a terrific Orlando season. And no lines from inspirational films such as Hoosiers or Rudy affords any realistic reason to believe that Jack won’t eventually watch the Magic live and die in L.A.
Hopefully, the Magic will die hard with a vengeance.

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The 25 Point Golden Egg we laid in L.A

Posted by CapnChrisHill on June 5, 2009
Kobe Bryant, he of a personal playoff best 40 points in L.A.’s hurricane-force win over Orlando, refused to bask in glory after game one of the NBA Finals. “The best thing,” he said, “is to forget about it.”
What’s unforgettable is this recent new look Kobe sports after knocking down a long-range shot. He turns and bares his teeth. Reminds me of Bubba in the film, Forrest Gump.. A rabid Bubba, who’s never letting go ’til he seizes his first NBA ring since 2002 when he and Shaq finished off a Laker three-peat. After collecting six first-period points on Thursday night, Bryant doubled his pleasure with a dirty dozen in the second period as L.A. transformed a five-point deficit into a 10-point halftime lead.
Given the Magic’s penchant for playoff comebacks, what problem would it be to bounce back?
Plenty. As in Kobe breaking out for 18 third-period points on an array of normal and supernatural, gravity-defying hoops that amplified Denver Coach George Karl’s assertion about Jesus not being able to guard Kobe. Consider, too, that Kobe outscored Orlando in the quarter.
Perhaps KOBE stands for Killing Orlando By Enthusiam. If every picture tells a story, seeing Dwight Howard’s normally-effervescent mug frowning online speaks volumes for how this Hollywood night went. Bryant’s showtime after halftime brought back Dandy Don Meredith’s lyrics from the early days of ABC’s Monday Night Football: “Turn out the lights. The party’s over.”
Kobe would have none of this toast of Tinsel town stuff following the 100-75 victory. He was a party to a game six Boston blowout of L.A. as the Celtics made the Lakers disappear in the finale of last year’s NBA Finals. He acknowledged on several occasions Thursday night the resilience of the Orlando Magic.
And while Thursday night’s L.A. triumph seemed easy as ABC with Bryant’s teammates showing up Orlando’s big three – Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu – game one could be viewed in this light by the Magic. ‘L.A. played nearly as well as they can play, and we played as poorly as we can play. We got it out of our systems. They’re writing us off again so let’s go prove ‘em wrong. And besides, we found a way to beat L.A. when Kobe scored 41 against us in the regular season.’
I’m just thankful I endured the big three’s combined 6-of-27 shooting night and the team’s 29.9 percent field-goal shooting in the comfort of my condo. Having watched the Lakers for decades, and that incredible run they had with Magic Johnson and company in the 80’s, Kobe simply continues the walk of stars in L.A.’s story. But Bryant, a far cry from the skinny teen that leaped from high school to the Lakers 13 years ago, had a strong supporting cast. Bigs’ Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom combined for 27 points as L.A’s frontline frustrated Howard into a 1-of-6 shooting night.
What surprised me as I fought late night fatigue to finish off a game that had been over since the third period was that I experienced zero panic in respect to Orlando’s chances. I viewed this as one game.. The Magic have passed this way before in their learning curve during the first three rounds of the playoffs.
Then again, I could be in denial cause there’s no denying that the man who speaks three languages fluently enhanced his world wide image on the NBA’s biggest stage in a way that caused ABC’s analyst, Jeff Van Gundy (brother of Magic Coach Stan), to state: “They say one man can’t win a series. I beg to differ.”
Kobe may well have none of that, insisting that even he and Shaq needed the Robert Horry’s and Derek Fisher’s en route to their trio of titles at the turn of the century.
During Magic Johnson’s interview of Kobe that aired at halftime, I recall Bryant just being happy to be in the conversation concerning the game’s greatest players ever. Trouble is Kobe, like Bird and Magic and MJ, will never, ever rest on laurels. KB ices his knees after games, but he’s up and in the gym at 5 a.m. He even admits his family’s suffering relationally as he obsesses about the prized goal.
Undoubtedly, Kobe and the Lakers are trying to set these (playoff) nights on fire.
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Posted by CapnChrisHill on June 4, 2009
Mr. President....I beg to differ but your prediction is wrong

Mr. President....I beg to differ but your prediction is wrong

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Basketball Jesus delivered! Magic vs L.A. Lakers

Posted by CapnChrisHill on May 31, 2009
Hot Toddy was a cookin’ once again at Winter Park’s Uncle Henry’s Country Kitchen. While in the midst of makin’ another two hefty hotcakes for my enjoyment, Toddy belted out lyrics from hit songs of yesteryear. Without missing a beat on her appointed orders on this special Saturday, she suddenly launched into these words: “Ladies and gentlemen. Please stand up and cheer for your ORLANDOOOO MAAGGIICC.”
Paul Porter, the Magic’s PA announcer since the team came to town in the late 1980’s, would’ve complimented the chef’s passion on the morning of May 30th. Oh yes, Toddy and Paul and a multitude of Magic fans undoubtedly danced the night away as Orlando rocked Cleveland, 103-90, at Amway Arena and rolled into its first NBA Finals since 1995.
What a packed house and national t.v. audience witnessed was more than a cathartic crushing of the Cavs that exorcised the Magic demons of seasons past. It seemed like old times, a flashback to Orlando’s 105-81 triumph over Indiana in game seven of the 1995 Eastern Conference finals. On this Saturday night, Magic Chairman Rich DeVos and CEO Bob Vander Weide joined Magic Coach Stan Van Gundy and his stalwart players on stage to not only hold high the character of this franchise, but accept both the shining silver basketball that belongs to the Eastern Conference champs and the challenge of beating the storied Los Angeles Lakers in the finals. Only GM Otis Smith was missing on stage, but everyone associated with the Magic organization knows Otis’s momentous contributions.
When the leader of the Magic band, Dwight Howard, stepped on the podium at center court after delivering a playoff-career high 40 points, there was no denying he’d been the super man this game. Cleveland’s chosen one, the one and only LeBron James, not only suffered through his worst game of this series, but exited without talking to the press.
Not surprisingly, Dwight’s first words on stage were, “I’d like to thank God because without Him none of this would be possible.” What’s intriguing is that Dwight also played out his night before fellow Christian and current Florida Gator great, Tim Tebow. (Tiger Woods was likewise in the house, too). Someone recently remarked that Dwight and Tim are the two humblest superstars in the Sunshine State.
And both have long since put to death the false premise that being someone who believes that “every good and perfect gift comes from above” cannot have the brave heart of a warrior. Not to mention being encouragers par excellence.
Certainly, there’s a lot to cherish from Saturday night. The Magic, 5-0 against Cleveland at home this season, once again celebrated another stellar game six series showing. Although he wasn’t a part of his teammates’ dismantling of Philly in that first-round closeout game due to a one-game league suspension, Dwight bounced back with a 23-point, 22-rebound performance in a must-win game six against the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics. Which led to a game seven Beantown beatdown of Boston.
Electing to twitter in the finale in Philly, Dwight texted teammates Friday morning about the time Toddy was comtemplating her Magic vocals, and urged them to be dominate. Of course, he led by example from the get go. Never once did he score less than eight in a quarter. Although LeBron matched Dwight’s 13 first-period points, James connected on only 3-of-13 field goals in the closing three periods and went scoreless in the second period as the Magic built a 58-40 halftime lead.
As to grading his evening, Dwight gave himself a B. “And my teammates, an A plus.” Reckon that shooting 10 percent better from the free-throw line against Cleveland, including Saturday night’s special 12-of-16, doesn’t count as much in his eyes as renowned reserve Mickael Pietrus personally outscoring Cleveland bench, 83-58, over six games. Or all-star forward Rashard Lewis (18 points Saturday) accounting for 15-of-31 three-pointers (.484) in the series, slightly higher than Pietrus’s 17-of-36 (.472).
In respect to three’s, the Magic are 7-1 in the playoffs and 45-11 for the season when they hit nine or more three-pointers. Cleveland, second in the NBA in three-point percentage this season, was soundly beaten from long distance by Orlando. The Magic connected on .408 of their attempts compared to the Cavs’ .323.
Howard saved his final post-game plaudits for Stan Van Gundy, who “pushes us to the limits. Me and Stan have had our ups and downs, but for the most he’s always done a great job of motivating me and my teammates. I told him when he first got here, he was going to have a soldier in me and I was always going to go to battle for him.”
What seems somewhat ironic was the day Orlando beat L.A. in the midst of a 4-0 West Coast swing to sweep the Lakers for the first time in its 20-year history, an L.A. Times headline screamed, “Magic have become a real threat in the East.” The story’s final line read: “If tonight’s game doesn’t turn out to be a Finals preview this season, there are more seasons coming.”
As for those players and pundits who laughed at Dwight’s lofty predictions of taking home an NBA title over the last two years, the smiling Howard may be the one who’s going to Disney World shortly after Father’s Day.
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Thursday nights had been so kind to Orlando in the NBA playoffs. Close out Philadelphia in game six on the road without all-star center Dwight Howard. Beat Boston at home in game six, setting up that Magical Sunday closeout game in Beantown.
And then came Thursday, May 28th at Cleveland’s Quicken Loans Arena. Quick as you can say Q, LeBron James was dominating down the stretch. Plus his posse shot the way they did on their way to the NBA’s foremost regular-season record. Mo Williams connected on six three’s and wound up with 24 points. Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Delonte West combined for 29 points. Meanwhile, Daniel Gibson, a hero in the Cavs’ playoff push two seasons ago, hit a pair of key fourth-period three-pointers off James’ assists. “It was a great team effort,” said Howard, concerning Cleveland’s balanced attack.
Not that Howard and the Magic have that much to worry about when they take the court at home for game six Saturday night, right? Statistically speaking, Orlando’s owned Cleveland at home for quite some time.
Pardon me if I don’t revel in that domination at this juncture. I still have the 3-1 series lead that the Magic lost to Detroit several years ago in my memory banks. And LeBron is dead set on willing his team to a rare rally. Specifically, becoming the ninth team in NBA history to come back from a 3-1 series deficit.
Back to game five in Cleveland. What undid the Magic was 11 missed free throws in the first half, a lack of defense not counting what James accomplished — and too much one-on-one basketball. And yes, King James, who said he attacks “no matter what’s going on.” No matter who gets in his way. Howard fouled out (with 2:22 left in the game and 24 points) for the third time this series, thanks to KJ initiating contact. LeBron figured in virtually every score personally or assist-wise in the fourth period. James accounted for 17 of his game-high 37 points in the final quarter, winding up with 14 rebounds and 12 assists for the night. Last time that specific triple double was posted was by Oscar Robertson in 1963.
For the third time in this series, the Magic were in a serious double-digit hole in the first half. Magic Coach Stan Van Gundy acknowledged that it takes a lot of energy to climb out, but early in the third period the Magic had turned a 22-point first-half deficit into an eight-point lead. Cleveland was turning the ball over, but Orlando simply couldn’t finish off the Cavs when they were vulnerable and crowd was silenced.
Although Magic forward Hedo Turkoglu racked up 29 points on 10-of-18 from the floor, Magic radio color analyst and former Orlando coach Richie Adubato said that Turk’s fourth personal foul early in the fourth period changed the course of Orlando’s offense.
When Magic point guard Rafer Alston referred to Orlando’s closing out the previous two playoff series on the road after Tuesday night’s Magic win, he also said what turned out to be prophetic Thursday night at the Q. (After amassing 26 points Tuesday, Rafer came back to earth Thursday, hitting his first shot (a three) and then missing his next nine shots. Fact is Cleveland’s starting guards outscored Orlando’s starting guards, 37-12).
“This (game five) is a little different,” Alston said Tuesday. “We are playing against one of the best players that ever laced up a pair of shoes, and you are playing against one of the best teams in the history of the game in the regular season. You expect them to come with it, to be energetic.”
What Orlando doesn’t want is to have to come back to the Q on Monday for game seven. As the Mamas and Papas once sung, “Monday, Monday. Can’t trust that day.”
Especially with King James in the house.
“Any time you’re as dangerous as I am, or the best guys in this league, when you have a live dribble it makes you that much more dangerous cause they (the Magic) don’t know what you’re going to do,” James said. “I always feel like I can get going during any part of the game. I don’t want to add any pressure to my teammates. They know we’re a very strong team when they knock down shots.”
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Long after Big Man Shaquille O’Neal left Orlando to live and thrive in L.A. and many baskets before the Magic turned into a bonafide contender for the NBA crown this season came a quiet moment in the bowels of Amway Arena. No lights. No cameras. Just a compliment to a player who has these great expectations thrust upon him simply because he’s paid such a staggering sum.

“Terrific fourth quarter Rashard,” was all that was said. Rashard Lewis, who spent the fourth period of Tuesday night’s Magic overtime triumph over Cleveland mirroring that regular-season showing, sincerely appreciated the praise. As I watched him drive off into the night in his fine ride, it dawned on me that these guys are thoroughly human. Which was likewise driven home during this Eastern Conference championship when Rashard was being interviewed by ESPN’s John Thompson.
The former Georgetown coaching legend was inquiring about Rashard’s sudden offensive dropoff after February’s all-star break. John discovered that Lewis’s mom had had health concerns, and that Magic Coach Stan Van Gundy cared more about that than a dip in Rashard’s stats. Stan even prefaced Tuesday’s post-game remarks with a wish for his uncle’s recovery from triple bypass surgery, something some feel he’s destined for given that Van Gundy lives and dies with each and every possession.
Oh sure, Stan soon launched into a lengthy lament about his team’s lackluster first-half. Cleveland runs of 11-0 in the first period and 23-7 before intermission added up to 58-50 Cavalier halftime cushion, which Van Gundy argued troubled him more than the double-digit deficits Orlando found themselves facing during the first two games of this series.
“Stan’s from the Pat Riley school,” noted a Miami Heat beat writer, who stated Van Gundy was a great coach during his time with that club. “Everything matters.”
Ever the straight shooter, Stan addressed Thursday’s potential series close out and a trip to the NBA Finals. “Everything’s big, you know?” Stan said. “Don’t you have to win a lot of big ones to be in the playoffs and advance?…I mean, I thought Game 7 against Boston was pretty big. I thought Game 6 against Philly was pretty big…”
And Magic fans had plenty of living large performances after intermission Tuesday. Undoubtedly, it would have been both the longest day and one of those crazy, old lonely nights had not the quartet of Rafer Alston, Dwight Howard, Mickael Pietrus and Lewis played string music in the second half and overtime and prevented Orlando from having to win two of three games in Cleveland’s rockin’ Q.
Alston got things rolling, connecting on 6-of-9 field goals and 15 third-period points en route to a playoff career-high 26 points. Alston, naturally, downplayed that to a degree, though statistically speaking he’s second (10-of-23 three’s, .435) on the team in three’s following Lewis’s stunning 11-of-19 (.579). After a troubling third period shooting, Lewis was perfect in the fourth quarter. He hit all four field goals, including a pair of three’s, none bigger than his shot from beyond the arc with 4.1 second remaining that enabled Orlando to hold off LeBron James and reach overtime.
Then Howard, who had one fourth-period point, hit all four field goals and both free throws in overtime, teaming with Lewis to offset James’ 10 points in both the fourth quarter and overtime. Consider that Howard’s hit 21-of-28 free throws (75 percent) in his past two games and is shooting .711 for the series.
Pietrus, on the other hand, continued buoying up a Magic bench that’s playing its most consistent basketball of the season. He’s outscored the entire Cavs’ bench, 33-22, in the last two games. Lewis, Alston and Pietrus are furthur proof of just how solid a Magic GM Otis Smith has been, especially since Orlando is the only one of the remaining four playoff teams that has an all-star (Jameer Nelson) sidelined by injury.
As for guard Mo Williams’ unguarded prediction of a Cleveland triumph Tuesday, it was gone with a Magic win in what was most assuredly the biggest victory of the Dwight Howard-Stan Van Gundy era.
“I don’t know if it’s the big one,” Van Gundy admitted. “You go one more series and then you would say that’s the big one.”

we-won

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