OH EM GEE !!! The Cavs just booked their ticket to the Finals.

[WayOutWest]

LeBron makes the shot of his career tonight.  The Cavs looked dead, down 2 with 1 second left after leading by 23 points and LeBron pulls out the greatest shot this year.

I'm really starting to like the Magic team but they are not going to win this series.

[Wolverine]

The Magic are too much of an up-and-down team to win it all.  You can't be down by twenty-something and expect to come back every time.  It happens too often with them.  And they blow too many large leads, which is what happens when you spread the floor and shoot a ton of threes.  It's like my Suns.  They're fun to watch, but it's not going to lead you to a title.

[Lurker]

The Magic are too much of an up-and-down team to win it all.  You can't be down by twenty-something and expect to come back every time.  It happens too often with them.  And they blow too many large leads, which is what happens when you spread the floor and shoot a ton of threes.  It's like my Suns.  They're fun to watch, but it's not going to lead you to a title.

But they also seem to have the Cavs number. Look at the regular season as well as these two games.  You can't say it is all 3 pointers.

On the ref note...I ABSOLUTELY HATED that last whistle against the Cavs.  Hedo throws out a chicken wing elbow on a game deciding play and the refs bail him out.  Horrible call.

[rickortreat]

LeBron wins the game by one point at home and you think this series is over.  NutZ.

The Magic are better than the Cavaliers.  More players with more talent.  LeBron is the best of all of them, but if you give me a choice between 1 superstar like that, or two decent, talented 6'10" players like Rashard and Hedo, well, I think two players are better than one.

Frankly, I though it was impossible to catch and shoot a shot with one second left on the clock, in all likelihood, the clock started a little LATE on that play.

If I was Orlando, I think a 2 point lead with 1 sec. left is a win.  The only thing I would have done different would have been to deny LeBron the ball.

The one advantage Cleveland has in this series is the refs who are star-struck by you know who.  Williams throws a ball into Howard's back after being blocked early in the game. No call.  Honestly if the game was called fairly from the beginning the Cavs wouldn't have even opened up such a lead.  It is a simple as not calling fouls when Orlando was on offense, and the inability to distinguish when there really is an offensive foul or if Varajo, one of the current dirtiest players in the NBA is flopping or not.

Not sure if you think that is good basketball or not, but if someone flops to get a foul call, I'm giving him a technical on top of the regular foul.

In any case, they certainly called the game right at the end. Called LeBron for a travel and a charge.  The only call that was eggregious was where a Cavalier got the ball turned took one step and made contact with Rashard Lewis who had sniffed out the play.  The first contact was between the guards elbow and Rashard's face, but the Cavs got the call.

Bottom line the series is tied 1-1 and they're going to Orlando for two games.  What happend last night is that the Cavaliers dogged a bullet, avoiding going down 2-0. As long as the Magic just hold home-court the series is over.

If I'm Orlando I'm feeling pretty good about getting a split. It's just now that I realize that I better have more than a 3 point lead with one second left, because the refs are inclined to give the chosen one the breaks.

[Reality]

The one advantage Cleveland has in this series is the refs who are star-struck by you know who. 

His bunny hops.  Thought the NBA was gonna clear that up. 
Along with travelling.

Concur with everything else rt.
Magic should be more then happy with a split and two comebacks from minus 20 -at Cleveland.

[WayOutWest]

LeBron wins the game by one point at home and you think this series is over.  NutZ.

Thinking Melo is NOT arrogant is nuts/stupid.    That shot was one of those moments when a series turns.  The Magic win that game and the series is over, LeBron hits that miracle shot and avoids a death sentence for the Cavs.  The Cavs will win the series and that one shot will be the reason why.

It is a simple as not calling fouls when Orlando was on offense, and the inability to distinguish when there really is an offensive foul or if Varajo, one of the current dirtiest players in the NBA is flopping or not.

Varajo is becomming one of my least favorite players.  That guy is such a little drama wuss, every time someone touches him he goes down, he even grabs guys and pulls them down by the arms as he falls to try and draw a foul, a real disgusting type of player IMO.  There is a difference between savy and disgusting, Billups is savy, CP3 and Varajo are disgusting IMO.

[Reality]

LeBron wins the game by one point at home and you think this series is over.  NutZ.

The Magic are better than the Cavaliers.  More players with more talent.  LeBron is the best of all of them, but if you give me a choice between 1 superstar like that, or two decent, talented 6'10" players like Rashard and Hedo, well, I think two players are better than one.

If I'm Orlando I'm feeling pretty good about getting a split. It's just now that I realize that I better have more than a 3 point lead with one second left, because the refs are inclined to give the chosen one the breaks.

You are nailing it on the game/series picks.

[rickortreat]

This series was easy, because of past history between the two teams and specifically the match-up problems they create. I also had the opportunity to watch the series between them and Philadelphia, who actually matches-up better with them than the Cavs do.

Orlando had good regular season stats, and even with Phila. holding some of their players well below their season averages, they still won the series. Both on defense and offense they are ranked right up at the top and are as good as any team left in the playoffs.

I expect Orlando to go up 3-1 and put the Cavaliers in a real hole. They'll probably loose another squeaker in Cleveland and finish them off in 6.

[WayOutWest]

I expect Orlando to go up 3-1 and put the Cavaliers in a real hole. They'll probably loose another squeaker in Cleveland and finish them off in 6.

The Cavs are hearing "foot steps".  I can't believe the Cavs are letting Dwight dunk his way to double digit scores instead of putting him on the line.  Big props to Dwight for hitting his FT's.  You're probably right about the Magic in 6 but I expect the 3 pt shot to run dry for at least one game this series and that might be game 6.

[rickortreat]

I expect Orlando to go up 3-1 and put the Cavaliers in a real hole. They'll probably loose another squeaker in Cleveland and finish them off in 6.

The Cavs are hearing "foot steps".  I can't believe the Cavs are letting Dwight dunk his way to double digit scores instead of putting him on the line.  Big props to Dwight for hitting his FT's.  You're probably right about the Magic in 6 but I expect the 3 pt shot to run dry for at least one game this series and that might be game 6.

The Magic don't just live and die by the three. LeBron is doing a great job defensively, keeping Lewis (and Hedo) from driving the lane. Even though this game was in Orlando, it seemed the refs were bending over backwards to help the Cavaliers win.  The techincals on Howard and Ewing on a play where Howard scored while Varajo had him in a bear hug, the non-calls when LeBron charged into Peitrus, and other examples too numerous to mention.  The Magic got jobbed and still won the game, although it took on overtime to get it.

It's the Magic's length and defense that is keeping Cleveland from taking over the series.  They can't stop LeBron, but they can stop everyone else. Remember this, because if the Lakers win their series, Orlando will play Kobe the same way.

I would say Orlando broke Cleveland's back last night, the next loss and they're out. I think their crowd will help the Cavaliers in the next game, but the Magic are now out for blood. They've learned from previous rounds to to take care of business right away.  Last night was Cleveland's best game of the series, and they still couldn't match Orlando.  I wouldn't be overly surprised if the Magic close them out tomorrow.

[WayOutWest]

I would say Orlando broke Cleveland's back last night, the next loss and they're out. I think their crowd will help the Cavaliers in the next game, but the Magic are now out for blood. They've learned from previous rounds to to take care of business right away.  Last night was Cleveland's best game of the series, and they still couldn't match Orlando.  I wouldn't be overly surprised if the Magic close them out tomorrow.

I don't know if the Magic can close out a team like they're supposed to.  Last night the Magic took some ill-advised shots from 3-pt range.  Luckily for the Magic they went in but I was scratching my head at their shot selection and at how early in the shot clock they took the shots.  I don't think LeBron will let them lose the next game in Cleveland and I'm not looking at what the Magic can/will do to Kobe since IMO whoever wins 2nite wins the series in the WC, and it's not a given that the Lakers will win it.  The Lakers are suffering from the same problems as the Cavs, Kobe is the only player showing up on a consistent basis, Gasol is on again off again and Bynum/Odom/Bench are MIA.  The Lakers should have won the last game because Melo was not very effective for most of the game, plus the Lakers were right there in the 4th quarter but nobody for the Lakers helped Kobe and the Denver role/bench players showed up big time.

Lakers in the Finals is not a given if they do not win tonight so I'm not looking at how they match up against the Magic yet.

[Reality]

rick,
Do you think after the series is over he will predict the Magic will win vs the Cavs?   

LeBron makes the shot of his career tonight.  The Cavs looked dead, down 2 with 1 second left after leading by 23 points and LeBron pulls out the greatest shot this year.

I'm really starting to like the Magic team but they are not going to win this series.

Thinking Melo is NOT arrogant is nuts/stupid.    That shot was one of those moments when a series turns.  The Magic win that game and the series is over, LeBron hits that miracle shot and avoids a death sentence for the Cavs.  The Cavs will win the series and that one shot will be the reason why.

The Cavs are hearing "foot steps".  I can't believe the Cavs are letting Dwight dunk his way to double digit scores instead of putting him on the line.  Big props to Dwight for hitting his FT's.  You're probably right about the Magic in 6 but I expect the 3 pt shot to run dry for at least one game this series and that might be game 6.

I don't know if the Magic can close out a team like they're supposed to.

Btw what a shot by the RealBest Closer in the Game to pull the Cavs  to 115-114 with his trey.

[WayOutWest]

Time for LeBron to go MVP on the Magic.  IMO if the Cavs win this game all the pressure is on the Magic to close it out at home.  IMO it's a lot easier to face elimination at home vs on the road, the Cavs should be up to the challange and I expect an uber defensive effort tonight.  I feel a disturbance in the NBA force, I think Darth Stern will have his fingerprints on the game tonight.  I think the Cavs are going to get some major call tonight and Dwight is going to spend a lot of time on the bench.

[Joe Vancil]

You know, it takes a very big man to say that Stern will influence a series for an MVP-type player, and still admit to being a Laker fan.

It's not that I disagree...it's just that it sounds funny coming from someone who may likely be facing that same criticism from another team's fan.

It's not like the Clippers or Kings or Mavericks get lots of help from the league office.

[westkoast]

You know, it takes a very big man to say that Stern will influence a series for an MVP-type player, and still admit to being a Laker fan.

It's not that I disagree...it's just that it sounds funny coming from someone who may likely be facing that same criticism from another team's fan.

It's not like the Clippers or Kings or Mavericks get lots of help from the league office.

I dunno if I would go that far.  If Cleveland goes to the finals it's much more 'suspect' then anything people want to pick out about the Lakers considering the Cavs have a 4.2% change of winning this series based on historical statistics.  Was there a point in time that any of the Lakers 'suspect help' from the league had so much against it saying otherwise...like being out played 4 games in a row and having a 95.8 change of being knocked out yet till winning 3 games in a row?