The Los Angeles Lakers are now one game away from the 15th NBA title in franchise history after a thrilling 99-91 OT comeback victory in Game Four of the NBA Finals that put the Orlando Magic on the brink of elimination in a 3-1 series hole.
The Lakers could not play defense without fouling in the first half and the Magic took advantage.
Orlando's perimeter shooting would be strongly affected by the return of the Lakers defense in the second half.
After the Magic set NBA records for all-time finals shooting percentages in Game Three, they appeared tight missing several wide open jump shots enroute to shooting just 41.9 percent in Game Four.
Trailing by 12 points at the halfway mark, the Lakers got a much needed boost from the unproven hand of fourth-year forward Trevor Ariza (16 pts, 9 rebs, 2 asts, 2 stls) to get back in the game.
In the pivotal third period, Ariza caught fire scoring a baker's dozen on a pair of three-pointers, a dunk, a layup, a running jump shot and notched three out of four free-throw attempts. He also had a steal and two rebounds helping the Lakers to impose their will and forge ahead.
The Lakers outscored the Magic 30-14 in the quarter and took a 67-63 lead into the final period of regulation that set the stage for the spectacular finish and eventual overtime session.
Orlando was also handcuffed by 15 missed opportunities at the free-throw line and 19 turnovers which contributed significantly to their woes.
Read more at Bleacher Report.
Showing posts with label Dwight Howard. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dwight Howard. Show all posts
Jun 10, 2009
Magic-Lakers: Orlando Finds Magic Touch
Staring down the barrel of a 0-6 record in finals franchise futility, the Orlando Magic found their stroke offensively, hit their free-throws down the stretch, and stiffened defensively writing a new chapter in franchise history defeating the Los Angeles Lakers 108-104 in Game Three Tuesday night before capacity Amway Center crowd that was raucous and rowdy from the start.
"The one thing that you can't question about our team is our resiliency," said a visibly elated Stan Van Gundy during his post-game news conference after his team narrowly escaped with the four-point must-win at home that turned a 0-2 deficit into a 2-1 sparkling glimmer of hope that extended the championship series.
Orlando's lights-out shooting performance from the field set NBA records for accuracy with an astronomically high 75 percent in the first half and a 62.5 percent average for the game.
It was tale of two halves for Lakers guard Kobe Bryant. His championship dreams turned into a bit of a nightmare, after a stellar 21-point shooting display in the first half, the perennial All-Star was ineffective in the second scoring only 10 points thanks to improved close out Orlando defense and an inexplicably poor performance at the free throw line.
In his post-game press conference a contrite Bryant confessed, "My rhythm was off at the charity stripe." Kobe not only led his team in scoring with 31 points and four three-pointers but he also tallied team dishonors in turnovers (four), fouls (five) and free-throws misses (five). "It was a bad night."
After withstanding a ferocious onslaught from the Magic and with only seconds to go the Lakers stood on the brink of putting the Magic into a 0-3 abyss that 88 others before had been unable to overcome in NBA history.
Read more at Bleacher Report
"The one thing that you can't question about our team is our resiliency," said a visibly elated Stan Van Gundy during his post-game news conference after his team narrowly escaped with the four-point must-win at home that turned a 0-2 deficit into a 2-1 sparkling glimmer of hope that extended the championship series.
Orlando's lights-out shooting performance from the field set NBA records for accuracy with an astronomically high 75 percent in the first half and a 62.5 percent average for the game.
It was tale of two halves for Lakers guard Kobe Bryant. His championship dreams turned into a bit of a nightmare, after a stellar 21-point shooting display in the first half, the perennial All-Star was ineffective in the second scoring only 10 points thanks to improved close out Orlando defense and an inexplicably poor performance at the free throw line.
In his post-game press conference a contrite Bryant confessed, "My rhythm was off at the charity stripe." Kobe not only led his team in scoring with 31 points and four three-pointers but he also tallied team dishonors in turnovers (four), fouls (five) and free-throws misses (five). "It was a bad night."
After withstanding a ferocious onslaught from the Magic and with only seconds to go the Lakers stood on the brink of putting the Magic into a 0-3 abyss that 88 others before had been unable to overcome in NBA history.
Read more at Bleacher Report
Jun 7, 2009
Can Magic Turn the Trick Or Will Kobe's Focus Be Too Much Again?
After the 25 point thrashing in Game One at the hands of the Los Angeles Lakers and Kobe "Bean" Bryant, the Orlando Magic players and coaches are telling anyone that will listen that they will rebound in Sunday's Game Two at the Staples Center.
The comeback kids from O-town have somehow been able to find their stroke all season after games when they have lost, only losing consecutive games twice all season with their longest losing streak stopping at three. Unfortunately, the Magic franchise has an 0-5 losing streak in the Finals.
"Every team has nights, where you know, you just don't have it." said a confident yet repentant Dwight Howard who only managed a puny 12 points and 14 rebounds in Game One. "I'm pretty sure we'll bounce back with great energy and effort."
Odds on, he is speaking the truth. There is no way the Magic will shoot 29.9 percent from the field, eight for 23 from 3-point range and give up 40 points, eight assists, and eight rebounds Kobe again.
Right?
Read more at Bleacher Report.
The comeback kids from O-town have somehow been able to find their stroke all season after games when they have lost, only losing consecutive games twice all season with their longest losing streak stopping at three. Unfortunately, the Magic franchise has an 0-5 losing streak in the Finals.
"Every team has nights, where you know, you just don't have it." said a confident yet repentant Dwight Howard who only managed a puny 12 points and 14 rebounds in Game One. "I'm pretty sure we'll bounce back with great energy and effort."
Odds on, he is speaking the truth. There is no way the Magic will shoot 29.9 percent from the field, eight for 23 from 3-point range and give up 40 points, eight assists, and eight rebounds Kobe again.
Right?
Read more at Bleacher Report.
May 31, 2009
Cavs Stop Believing—Magic DethroneThe King 103-90 Earn Trip to Finals
The Orlando Magic built on a 16-point to start the fourth quarter of Game Six then unleashed a lethal assault dethroning King James and the Cavaliers 103-90, earning the right to play in the NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers.
"Well I just think this team all year long has shown an incredible amount of heart coming back," said an impassioned Stan Van Gundy as he accepted the Eastern Conference trophy. "When people...you, know Jameer went down everybody thought, we were done. And we were behind in the first two series' everybody thought were done. This team just keeps fighting back. They deserve it."
A chorus of the famed "Na, na, naaa, na, na, he,y hey, hey good-bye" chant could be heard ringing throughout the Amway Center as the final seconds of the fourth quarter ticked off the clock.
The final buzzer sounded, confetti filled the court and the Orlando Magic became the 2009 Eastern Conference champions!
Guess Nike will have to stop running the cute MVP (most valuable puppet) ads since No. 23 will be fishing for the Finals.
Superman Lives!!
Read more at Bleacher Report
May 27, 2009
Magic Sparkle From 3, Put Cavs On The Brink 116-114, Lead Series 3-1
"Let the naysayers rail, sing and shout but let your play on the court dispel any doubt."~ Lockdawg
Say, what you will about Stan Van Gundy's teams of the past but, the 2009 Orlando Magic have done the unthinkable put the NBA's No. 1 overall team, MVP and Coach of the Year against the playoff wall.
LeBron James (44 pts, 12 rebs, 7 asts) and the Cleveland Cavaliers go down in humbling overtime defeat to a three-happy Orlando Magic team, 116-114 at the Amway Center in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
The Magic set a franchise playoff record with 17 makes from downtown but it was Sweet Lew's shot late in the waning seconds of the regulation period that all but sealed the win for Orlando.
With the Cavaliers clinging to a 98-97 lead with 4.1 to go, Rashard Lewis stepped and drilled a 3-pointer on a catch and shoot play off an inbounds pass that put the Magic ahead by two, 100-98.
Not to be denied, King James would step up again and put his team on his back. On the next play he took the ball hard to the rack and was fouled with .5 on the clock.
James had his struggles from the line going 11-15 for the game but he calmly swished both to tie the game at 100-100. The Magic can't get the ball into Howard under the bucket because of Anderson Varejao's sticky defense. (see more at Bleacher Report)
May 23, 2009
Do You Believe In Miracles! King James Does, Cavs Win 96-95 Tie Series
CLEVELAND - U. S. Secretary of State Lewis Cass famously said, "People may doubt what you say but they will believe what you do."
After the Cavaliers lost the home-court advantage in Game One, on two missed shot attempts by guys other than the 2009 MVP, in the final seconds of the game, a throng of doubters sprang up questioning LeBron James' decision to pass the ball with the game on the line.
Facing the same scenario in the final moments of Game Two, with the game and the Cavaliers' season hanging in the balance, King James left no room for doubters.
"I told Mo' whatever it was going take for me, I was going get the ball.", proclaimed Cleveland's superstar forward in his post-game news conference.
Read the rest of the story on Bleacher Report.
May 20, 2009
NBA Conf Finals update...Orlando and LA hold 1-0 leads
West Finals
LOS ANGELES - Carmelo Anthony poured in everything and the kitchen sink hurling in a heroic 39 points and making four huge 3-pointers in humbling defeat against the No. 1 seeded Los Angeles Lakers who held home court 107-105 before the usual star-studded packed Staples Center. Always the leader for the Lakers Kobe Bryant dropped in 40 helping take the early lead in a series that promises to live up to the hype. But the play of the night belonged to an oft victim, Trevor Ariza (6pts, 5rebs, 2assists), who proved to be victor when his team needed him most.
Ariza, a four-year veteran out of UCLA, had the dubious task of trying to match up against the fierce onslaught from Melo, who wouldn't be denied. Still with 30.5 to go Trevor wasn't holding his head down. After two clutch free throws from Kobe Bryant gave L. A. a slim lead 101-99 Ariza seized on the horrible inbound pass from Denver's Anthony Carter going over and through the outstretched arms of Mr. Big shot himself Chauncey Billups then wisely dribbling out a few precious seconds off the clock before finding Bryant who was fouled and hit the final two of his 40 from the line sealing the victory and sending L. A. to an early 1-0 lead in the series.
East Finals
CLEVELAND - The Cavaliers played a perfect game for about two and a half quarters then slowly melted away a 14-point lead and the home court advantage in their game 1 loss 107-106 against D. Howard and the upstart Orlando Magic. The fans in Cleveland are still in shock. They watched helplessly as the game slipped right through the fingers of the Cavs. D. Howard( 30 pts,13 rebs) had a front-row seat after he fouled out late in the fourth quarter but his services would not be needed. After Labron gave the Cavs the slim advantage 106-104, Rashard "Young Fella" Lewis provided the 3-point dagger to silence the crowd and complete the jaw dropping display. The Cavaliers fell in love with the high flying thunderous Labron show early on and when their MVP showed signs of mortality late, his teammates were invisible down the stretch.
James (49 pts, 8 assts, 6 rebs) did all he could to will his team to victory driving to the basket in the final moments of the game but the Magic's defense stiffened closing down the paint forcing him to kick the ball back out but the Cavs rotated the ball to Delonte West who missed a wide open and unneccessary three-pointer. Two steps forward, he probably sinks the 20-footer and the home fans go home with smiles. The Cavs would earn a jump ball after a scrum under their basket but with only 1.0 remaining their hopes laid in an off-balanced heave from Williams that clanged the back of the rim sending the Cavs to their first playoff defeat. Orlando now holds the keys to the castle ahead 1-0 in the series having at best already earned a split.
LOS ANGELES - Carmelo Anthony poured in everything and the kitchen sink hurling in a heroic 39 points and making four huge 3-pointers in humbling defeat against the No. 1 seeded Los Angeles Lakers who held home court 107-105 before the usual star-studded packed Staples Center. Always the leader for the Lakers Kobe Bryant dropped in 40 helping take the early lead in a series that promises to live up to the hype. But the play of the night belonged to an oft victim, Trevor Ariza (6pts, 5rebs, 2assists), who proved to be victor when his team needed him most.
Ariza, a four-year veteran out of UCLA, had the dubious task of trying to match up against the fierce onslaught from Melo, who wouldn't be denied. Still with 30.5 to go Trevor wasn't holding his head down. After two clutch free throws from Kobe Bryant gave L. A. a slim lead 101-99 Ariza seized on the horrible inbound pass from Denver's Anthony Carter going over and through the outstretched arms of Mr. Big shot himself Chauncey Billups then wisely dribbling out a few precious seconds off the clock before finding Bryant who was fouled and hit the final two of his 40 from the line sealing the victory and sending L. A. to an early 1-0 lead in the series.
East Finals
CLEVELAND - The Cavaliers played a perfect game for about two and a half quarters then slowly melted away a 14-point lead and the home court advantage in their game 1 loss 107-106 against D. Howard and the upstart Orlando Magic. The fans in Cleveland are still in shock. They watched helplessly as the game slipped right through the fingers of the Cavs. D. Howard( 30 pts,13 rebs) had a front-row seat after he fouled out late in the fourth quarter but his services would not be needed. After Labron gave the Cavs the slim advantage 106-104, Rashard "Young Fella" Lewis provided the 3-point dagger to silence the crowd and complete the jaw dropping display. The Cavaliers fell in love with the high flying thunderous Labron show early on and when their MVP showed signs of mortality late, his teammates were invisible down the stretch.
James (49 pts, 8 assts, 6 rebs) did all he could to will his team to victory driving to the basket in the final moments of the game but the Magic's defense stiffened closing down the paint forcing him to kick the ball back out but the Cavs rotated the ball to Delonte West who missed a wide open and unneccessary three-pointer. Two steps forward, he probably sinks the 20-footer and the home fans go home with smiles. The Cavs would earn a jump ball after a scrum under their basket but with only 1.0 remaining their hopes laid in an off-balanced heave from Williams that clanged the back of the rim sending the Cavs to their first playoff defeat. Orlando now holds the keys to the castle ahead 1-0 in the series having at best already earned a split.
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