Magic Meltdown

[Reality]

1. Can, will Orlando comeback?

1.  I don't think so, at least not in Boston.  But, Gm 6 is in Orlando and the Magic certainly could take it thus its an "anything can happen in a Gm 7" deal in Boston.  Bostons injuries yet Orlando still cant take advantage?  Not good.


2. Do you agree with DHoward that much of the blame goes to Stan Van Gundy, specifically the last 10 possessions in the Game 5 disaster?  (Magic up 14 in 4th qtr, still up 10 with about 5 minutes to go)

Going back to Gm 4, i thought whoever doubled Pierce(??) stayed on him way too long, thus allowing Big Baby to be wayy to wide open.  With the shot clock at 2 seconds, he needed to back off Pierce (who was guarded tightly), and guard his own man Big Baby.  Van Gundy said that was his call all the way.
Yes I want Fat Baby taking the last shot, but not that uncontested.

jn, Joe, msc.  Are you wearing your new Stephon Marbury Celtics jerseys?  12 4th qtr points.

[rickortreat]

For a team with as many scorers as they have, to watch them disappear down the stretch of a critical game is pathetic.  To blame it on the coach, is absurd. The Magic were hesistant, and apprehensive and Boston grabbed at every ball the could. That is what happens when players CHOKE!

The thing about them is they can still come back.  As both rosters stand they have more talent, but like Barkley said, "They're not better above the neck"!

How do you give odds on a team like that?  How do you know which nights they will play to their potential, and how can you know when they're going to choke?  They were in control of that Game 5 in Boston, but showed no killer instinct, and neither Hedo or Lewis took over the responsibility for scoring.

Boston has no one to stop those players, but neither one of them is a true leader, they hide when the spotlight comes out.

[westkoast]

For a team with as many scorers as they have, to watch them disappear down the stretch of a critical game is pathetic.  To blame it on the coach, is absurd. The Magic were hesistant, and apprehensive and Boston grabbed at every ball the could. That is what happens when players CHOKE!

The thing about them is they can still come back.  As both rosters stand they have more talent, but like Barkley said, "They're not better above the neck"!

How do you give odds on a team like that?  How do you know which nights they will play to their potential, and how can you know when they're going to choke?  They were in control of that Game 5 in Boston, but showed no killer instinct, and neither Hedo or Lewis took over the responsibility for scoring.

Boston has no one to stop those players, but neither one of them is a true leader, they hide when the spotlight comes out.

I didn't understand why Stan Van Gundy had shots taken at him.  Kenny Smith said it best when I was watching TNT.  He said that he would talk to his post player (ie Barkley) and they would kind of agree to somewhat run plays directly through him even though that might not what have been called.  The PG is right there on the floor.  Why are they waiting for Van Gundy to call out every play?

Hedo is not the type of player to step up.  Asking him to be that guy night in and night out will not happen.  He has never been that type of player in his career. 

Hoarce Grant was on AM570 doing an interview yesterday and they asked him if he felt Dwight Howard was too nice.  He didn't say it was a bad thing but did talk about how Michael Jordan took everything very seriously.  Everything was business on the court.   When Grant left Chicago to go to Orlando Jordan was not friendly or nice to him before games.  He walked up and said "Get ready to get your butt kicked" and walked away, no hand shakes, no nothing.  Grant said if you went to give Jordan a hand shake in the playoffs he would smell blood and you'd be dog meat.  Pretty funny interview.

[WayOutWest]

They were in control of that Game 5 in Boston, but showed no killer instinct, and neither Hedo or Lewis took over the responsibility for scoring.

That's their biggest failure right there.  Hedo choked and threw up a half-hearted prayer hoping to get bailed out by the refs.  Lewis got open and either hesitated or shot too quickly, never found the middle ground in crunch time.  On the flip you have P2 that forces major contact on his drives and Allen who shots the same shot wether he's made 10 in a row or missed 10 in a row.  Both those guys give the Celtics a chance to win but their counter parts BOTH hope someone else takes that shot.  The Magic PG was starting to step into that role this year but he went down and Alston can not fill the crunch time void with his "street ball" outside shot.

[msc]

I put the blame on both the players and the coach.  The players looked like they went in to "run the clock down" mode with about 5 minutes left.  At the end of the day, the big boys on the court are responsible for cowering under the pressure, BUT, Stan Van Gundy didn't show any ability to call a time out, get the team on the same page and draw up a play to get the ball inside to Dwight.  This isn't anything new for Orlando as they never go to Dwight down the stretch.  He's a poor free throw shooter, but so what?  Get the ball down low against Boston's depleted front line and either score a post bucket, get fouled, or draw a double team and kick out to the open shooter.  Good things will happen.  Even if Howard makes 50% of his free throws, the Magic are in good shape ala Shaq's M.O. his entire career.  Dwight only getting 10 attempts against Boston's injury depleted front court is inexcusable and if the players aren't getting him the ball it's on the coaching staff to force that adjustment. 

Stan Van Gundy is annoying.  His interviews and post game press conferences are annoying to listen to.  He's anxious, high strung and negative most of the time.  I didn't really give Shaq's comments much credence at the time, but the Big Cactus was obviously on to something.  If it's annoying a jackarse like me sitting at home watching, how do you think his players react to him?  I say Orlando goes down in this series and Van Gundy gets axed in the off-season. 

Orlando is horrible.  They've turned in to this 3-point shooting extravaganza team and that just doesn't fly, especially in the playoffs.  Rashard Lewis had Brian Scalabrine guarding him ... run right around him and drive to the basket for crying out loud!  They're too content to dribble around and jack up bad three's and that's the perfect recipe to let a team back in to a game.  It's not a coincidence they've blown two significant 4th qtr. leads in these playoffs. 

Normally, I'd call a Boston victory tonight, but Boston really hasn't played well at all in the playoffs.  I'd attribute most of their success to date to their opponents inability to manage the game and the clock down the stretch, rather than to the Celtics prowess. 

RE: Marbury, homeboy can score, no doubt.  I'm just so glad Cleveland will destroy Boston in the ECF and thereby eliminate any chance that horrible human being has of winning a Championship.  Go Lebron!

[Reality]

Agree with all msc, esp the characterization of the Boston wins.
Props to Boston for hanging, and Pierce is clutch, but both the middle wins were more like Orlando meltdowns.

Well in last nights 3-3 tieup, Orlando was much better down the stretch.  Alston had a very decisive drive, Turkey had a suck drive that missed badly but got bailed out by a foul call but at least he took it to the rack.  Rashard Lewis continues to be abysmal in the clutch tho.  Did you see that lame delayed turnaround jumper that Scalabrainy made him eat.  To be sure, Lewis was looking for the foul bump on Scala before the shot, but please, this is playoff hoop.

At Boston for game 7.  We shall see.

[rickortreat]

Orlando came up big in Boston last night. It took them seven games to do get by the Garnett - less Celtics, but at least they did it in style, beating them like a drum at home.

Their defense kept Boston from doing anything, and their own pick and roll game was working against Boston's defense. They had no answer for Howard, and once Lewis and Turk got going they opened up a big lead.  A slow down at the end of the third got Boston close and knowing Orlando had given up leads before, I watched the beginning of the fourth intently.  10 straight points to open the quarter ended the game before Boston's crowd got a chance to get into it.

A team that can bomb away from 3-point land can do that do you.

Cleveland should be very concerned, with the series starting on Wednesday, Orlando will be rested enough.  LeBron is a great player, but he and Mo Williams are the only real ballers on that team.  Ilgauskas can't stay with Howard. Varejo can't guard Lewis or Turk outside, and their length makes them tougher defenders than normal on LeBron. Cleveland's back-court has an advantage, but I don't think they can stop Orlando's offense.

If the Magic can play their inside-outside game, they're going to be too much for LeBron to be able to overcome.