2009 NBA Playoffs

[PittsburghSucks]

Either team could be 2-0 or 0-2.

That being said the way Cleveland beat Orlando tonight was crushing.

I should know being a Cleveland fan I've been on the other end way to many times.

Actually, Orlando suffered a similar defeat at the hands of Glen Davis about 10 days ago, so I think they are more prepared than any fan or team to come back from this.

I mean, Gortat should have probably been guarding the inbounds pass and Pietrus should have probably been on LeBron. Still, Turkoglu took away the lane and got at him when the shot when up, so the execution wasn't horrible on defense, and when you are LeBron James you just make incredible, ridicuous like that.

In the big picture though, Orlando has exceeded my expectations. They have overcome the (even improved) coaching of SVG and really, really played well in the second halves. The slow starts are, in the long run, doing them in. However, they are draining shots, picking and rolling, and breaking down the Cavaliers' defense when they need to. I dunno, I think now that the Magic have played somewhat more consistently and soundly for the last two games than the did in the Celtics series, I really think they can/are exposing the Cavs. Who on them can guard Lewis and Turkoglu? LeBron can take one but the other is surely going to have an advantage, as well as anyone in the back court. I have no doubt that Orlando is the more talented team, but we will have to see how they contain LeBron and if they can keep this going where they really need to, at home. But I don't think that you can look at games 1 and 2 and say the Magic have not completed, if not exceeded, their goal for them.

As game winning shots go it's not the same. I don't remember how much time the Celtics had on the clock but it was way more then 1 second. They had plenty of time to run a play & get free. Magic thought they had tonights game won. Believe me this one hurts them more.

[gingerbreadmann]

Maybe, but I still don't think the way the lost this game is really going to affect them going forward at all, or that either one "hurts" more. You could see it on SVG's face tonight, "What can you do?" Well, he could have played Pietrus on LeBron, but that's beside the point. Incredible players are going to make incredible shots, and at the end of games too. You just have to move on.

[Hoopskid]

I don't think this "hurts" the magic. First off, let me just say that that shot was one of the most amazing ones I've seen. Robert Horry's shot as a laker vs. the kings and Derek fisher's shot a few years back with 0.4 remaining are up there as well.

Now, as a Cavaliers fan I am disappointed with this game, even though they won. The Magic probably came it to Cleveland with the desire to win 1 game, but would be ok if they lost the first 2, considering the Cavs are the best home team in the league. But, the Magic won the first game and came back from a huge deficit to almost go back to Orlando up 2-0. As a Cavs fan, i'm afraid to admit this, but the Magic are able to play us, and they just might win the series. I would not be surprised if Orlando wins both at home and puts the cavs' backs against the wall. I'm still rooting for the Cavs but they need to play their basketball throughout the whole game, not just the first 2.5 quarters.

[Saintsfan]

Ok, first off Cleveland were at home, so going 2 down in the series would have been bad for them. Maybe not terminal, but certainly a serious turn of events. Secondly I think it puts Lebron back in the spotlight, (lets face it Lebron James is a bigger threat than Glen Davis.) I am not entirely sure that its all bad for the Magic though. After all they have shown that over two complete games they can live with the Cavaliers (one shot away from having a two nil series lead heading to Florida). That has to be something Stan Van Gundy can use to inspire his team.

Personally I think that its more of a boost to Cleveland than a gut shot for the Magic. 1-1 going to Orlando is the least the Cavaliers would have expected and perhaps the most the Magic could have hoped for, given the Cavs playoff form. So I think in the cold hard light of day, Orlando don't have to feel too bad about the shot. It is though an adrenaline boost to a team maybe suffering from the results of playing a 4-0 series then resting for a while and then having another 4-0 series and another long rest. And it shows the Magic, and the Lakers or Nuggets that this is a team with some fight.

[FiddySicks]

If I'm the Magic I'm worried at this point. Cleveland has already shown that they can run away from the Magic, we've all seen how they've played in the first half of games this series. Problem is they just haven't been able to finish Orlando off. Lebron has been carrying this team while the rest of the Cavs have been for the most part non existent. After game one I think the thought was that even though the Magic stole game 1, Cleveland was still too dominant for Orlando to control. Last night was a wake up call to every Cav not named Lebron (He doesn't need a wake up call, he's freakin Lebron). This Cavs team has the best player in the game today, a ton of talent around him, and now the rest of that talent has the focus they should've had all along. If Orlando gets boat raced in the first half again like they did the first two games, this Cleveland team won't give them the opportunity to come back.

[HedleyLamarr]

Why should they be worried? All they needed was one win in Cleveland this series, and they got it. Now all they have to do is win all their home games against a team they've beaten twice by at least 20 points in Orlando.

Orlando was playing with house money in Game 2. The pressure's still on Cleveland until they regain home-court advantage.

[TFoA]

#1: LEBRON JAMES IS THE BEST. PERIOD. END OF FREAKING DISCUSSION. Laker fans can stop chanting "MVP" at the Staples Center, because LeBron basically gave those guys and his number of haters the STFU + middle finger. That was a great shot. Unbelievable.

#2. This really shouldn't hurt Orlando. If anything, it's mission accomplished for them for the first 2 games of the series.

-1: They got a split. Considering EVERYBODY had the Magic going down in 5 or 6, the fact that they got one win in Cleveland was huge. Getting 2 from Cleveland would've been bonus.

-2: It took a miracle for Cleveland to not be going to Orlando down 2-0. If I'm Orlando, I'm just saying "Hey, LeBron James is the best player in the NBA, he will do that from time to time." and feel pretty damn good about the fact that the team that you just took a split from lost only 1 legitimate game in the Q, and it took a miracle for Cleveland to not get swept on this homestand.

Basically, if Orlando sits down and thinks about this, they'll realize that they made a 16 point comeback in one game, and a 23 point comeback in the other, and they're going home to Orlando where they've beaten this same team by damn near 30. I'm gonna say it right now, I will be surprised if this series goes back to Cleveland 2-2. I see Orlando getting both games at their house.

[tBBP]

#1: LEBRON JAMES IS THE BEST. PERIOD. END OF FREAKING DISCUSSION. Laker fans can stop chanting "MVP" at the Staples Center, because LeBron basically gave those guys and his number of haters the STFU + middle finger. That was a great shot. Unbelievable.

#2. This really shouldn't hurt Orlando. If anything, it's mission accomplished for them for the first 2 games of the series.

-1: They got a split. Considering EVERYBODY had the Magic going down in 5 or 6, the fact that they got one win in Cleveland was huge. Getting 2 from Cleveland from bonus.

-2: It took a miracle for Cleveland to not be going to Orlando down 2-0. If I'm Orlando, I'm just saying "Hey, LeBron James is the best player in the NBA, he will do that from time to time." and feel pretty damn good about the fact that the team that you just took a split from lost only 1 legitimate game in the Q, and it took a miracle for Cleveland to not get swept on this homestand.

Basically, if Orlando sits down and thinks about this, they'll realize that they made a 16 point comeback in one game, and a 23 point comeback in the other, and they're going home to Orlando where they've beaten this same team by damn near 30. I'm gonna say it right now, I will be surprised if this series goes back to Cleveland 2-2. I see Orlando getting both games at their house.

Agreed on all points.

I don't think Orlando has the SLIGHTEST bit of fear in their minds or hearts about the Cavaliers. Had it not been for that absolutely fantastical last-second shot by the King, the Magic would be up 2-0, and then it'd have been very easy to start calling for predictions of a sweep going the other way (take a second and marinate on that one for a little bit). Like Flame said, down 16 in one game, down 23 in the other game. Came back to win one, it took a King's miracle to keep from winning the second (AFTER a clutch shot by Turkey-loo, no less). If anything, I think it's the CAVS who should be worried. We'll see if Game 2 really was a wake-up call for King James' court (no pun intended). For their sake, it should have been.

One thing's for sure...this is shaping up to be one of the best NBA postseasons in recent memory. Nothing's a given right now. Whoever want it, gon hafta to dig deeper than deep, deeper than a submarine, and when the lungs and muscles get tired, the will & the heart gon hafta do the rest. Who got it? Who gon' get it? We'll see.

[TFoA]

This series, so far, has been a mirror-image of the Pistons-Lakers final from a few years ago. The Lakers came in heavily favored, not really in danger of missing the Finals on their way, while the Pistons had gone through a pretty tough and underrated Eastern Conference. The Pistons shocked everybody and beat the Lakers in Game 1 @ Staples, then they lost Game 2 due to Kobe making an extremely clutch shot to force OT and ultimately lead the Lakers to victory. Pretty much everybody with a televised opinion said that Kobe Bryant basically won the Lakers the championship in Game 2, and they'd run the table from there on out. Turns out, they did run the table; the OTHER way. The Pistons didn't let that crushing loss get to them and they pretty much owned the Lakers from that point on and won the series.

Basically, the ball is now in Orlando's court. Game 3 is going to be the biggest game in the series, IMO. If Cleveland beats Orlando on their home court, then it's gonna be Cleveland more than likely. But if Orlando does what they did after they got Big Baby'd and win the next game, they'll probably shrug off last night and move on. They've got no choice but to, anyways. They've played the consensus best team in the league to their limit, and they've got no choice but to keep on playing them to their limit.

And Bucco is right; except for 11 terrible games that involved the Atlanta Hawks, these playoffs have really been entertaining. Not as much as the NHL's playoffs this year, but just as good. NHL conference semis = NBA conference finals when it comes to excitement.

[JayJaxon]

I think the Lakers have met their match. I'm not just saying that because I want to see them fall. But Denver really does have the potential to knock LA out of it.

As for the Cleveland/Orlando series, What has been said so far is absolutely true. Orlando leaving with one win in Cleveland is a victory for them. This series really could go the distance with the way these two teams have battled, and they could all be close. I still think Cleveland will take it. But Orlando is really showing that they belong.

[See Red]

I think the Lakers have met their match. I'm not just saying that because I want to see them fall. But Denver really does have the potential to knock LA out of it.

As for the Cleveland/Orlando series, What has been said so far is absolutely true. Orlando leaving with one win in Cleveland is a victory for them. This series really could go the distance with the way these two teams have battled, and they could all be close. I still think Cleveland will take it. But Orlando is really showing that they belong.

Denver can beat the lakers... They can't beatvthe lakers and the officials.

[TFoA]

They also can't beat Lamar Odom & Trevor Ariza on the inbounds pass with the game on the line.

[FiddySicks]

I think the Lakers have met their match. I'm not just saying that because I want to see them fall. But Denver really does have the potential to knock LA out of it.

As for the Cleveland/Orlando series, What has been said so far is absolutely true. Orlando leaving with one win in Cleveland is a victory for them. This series really could go the distance with the way these two teams have battled, and they could all be close. I still think Cleveland will take it. But Orlando is really showing that they belong.

Denver can beat the lakers... They can't beat the lakers and the officials.

Denver vs Los Angeles + the Officials + Denver's lack of discipline is killing them. At this point there's no way Denver wins this series unless Kobe gets hit by a semi truck leaving the Pepsi Center.

[Jigga]

This blaming the ref stuff is really getting old. Nobody loses...well no one admits their team loses. However, no one ever admits the refs helped them win. Can't have it both ways.

[See Red]

This blaming the ref stuff is really getting old. Nobody loses...well no one admits their team loses. However, no one ever admits the refs helped them win. Can't have it both ways.

It's the NBA -- you're talking about a league where one of it's most memorable moments is a missed push-off, followed by a missed traveling call on it's all-time superstar. It's the leagues M.O. College manages to avoid these problems -- why can't NBA Officials call a game evenly? As long as breathing on a superstar constitutes a foul this is going to come up every time. The Nuggets benefitted from officiating in game two, but the officials made it impossible for the Nuggets to defend the basket in that fourth quarter last night -- but I'm a Nuggets fan, and I was drunk, so I wasn't in the best position to say. But if they knew how to inbounds a pass, this might be the discussion we're having.

Nuggets couldn't shoot last night -- as bad as they shot, to still have a shot to win that game in the final minutes, they've still got a chance to win this series. Just learn to inbound the damn ball late!

[Jigga]

That's my point. If the officiating always sucks, no team is at an inherent advantage/disadvantage. The refs didn't make the Nuggs jack up ill-advised 3 pointer after ill-advised 3 pointer. The ref didn't screw up the inbounds pass.

[See Red]

That's my point. If the officiating always sucks, no team is at an inherent advantage/disadvantage. The refs didn't make the Nuggs jack up ill-advised 3 pointer after ill-advised 3 pointer. The ref didn't screw up the inbounds pass.

Not necessarily considering the advantage certain superstars get. I'll gladly (well, maybe not gladly) acknowledge the Nuggets lost that game on their own -- but the inconsistency in regards to what constituted a foul on either end of the court didn't help them. But honestly, I'm fine with it now. I can deal -- but when you're watching the game and you have a foul called like the one on Dahntay Jones on Kobe's alley-oop which was pretty ticky tack, and then Melo gets mauled by Andrew Bynum on the other end for a no-call... well, it's frustrating.

[Jigga]

I know what you're saying, but how often do fans notice when their guys are on the good side of one of those horrendous calls? Like .001% of the time.

Officiating will always be considered horrible as long as one team wins and one team loses.

[FiddySicks]

Glad to see that Cleveland got that wake up call I predicted

[Jigga]

Big Z is shooting...THREES?