Finals Game 3 - Lakers @ Magic (I smell a blowout)

[WayOutWest]

I think the Magic role players are due for a break out game and I think it will come in game 3.  Rafer, Lee, and Petrius will probably have great games and offset the drop off you will see from Lewis and Hedo.  Durring the playoffs Hedo has been playing better on the road but I don't think it will matter if Hedo or Lewis are on their game becuase everyone else will be shooting like Bird/Reggie from behind the arc at home.  Hopefully it won't last more than a game or two.

I think Bynum AND Gasol will get into a ton of EARLY foul trouble with silly touch fouls.  I think the refs will give Dwight a lot of freedom, he'll be very phsyical and have a 20/10 game.  One commentator put it correctly when he mentioned that Howard gets your WHOLE team into foul trouble.  Bynum is the only guy who can gaurd Howard strait up, he won't stop Howard but he can at least hold his own and not force the Lakers to scramble on help defense.  But Bynum commits such stupid fouls, plus the refs give him no "love", so that combo makes him close to useless.

As much as the Lakers talk about being focused in the "Finals", I saw the same old same old in game 2 from the Lakers.  They were lucky to win it, lucky that the Magic put the ball in the hands of a rookie at critical moments in the game.

This might be a Rockets like beat down of a complacent Lakers squad.   

[Joe Vancil]

Blowout, no, but a convincing win by Orlando showing that they're not simply also-rans.

I think the monster game will come from Howard...one of those 24-20 nights that he puts up on occasion.

[msc]

I tend to agree with WOW.  I'm not sure it will be a blowout, but the bottom line is that this is a must win for Orlando and they will play better at home.  If they lose tonight, it's over and they know it. 

The only thing the Lakers have going for them is that Orlando's chemistry at point guard has clearly been disrupted to the point where he benched them all down the stretch of Game 2.  That was a big mistake by Van Gundy, IMO. 

[WayOutWest]

The only thing the Lakers have going for them is that Orlando's chemistry at point guard has clearly been disrupted to the point where he benched them all down the stretch of Game 2.  That was a big mistake by Van Gundy, IMO. 

That has been a big problem for the Magic but I blame Rafer and Johnson as much as I blame Van Gundy.  IMO the Magic PG's are pouting about Jameer playing in the Finals as taking away their minutes.  While they have a legit gripe they should put that aside for the good of the team and both guys have shown they are not professional enough to do that for the Magic.  Even the commentators noticed that problem and pointed to Shannon Brown as an example of how to be a good team mate.

IMO some home cooking will help alleviate their woes.

[Laker Fan]

I think we saw Orlando give LA their best in game 2, and it wasn't enough. Granted, neither team played well, but Orlando was +9 on the boards and even more importantly, +6 on the offensive glass, the problem was they were not able to convert at a rate that would put them over the top, it wasn't like LA was defending them all that well. But you have 2-3 shooters go cold and I don't care how good Lewis and Hedo shot, it will not be enough, the only reason this team finished at a lackluster 42% was because of them and Howard, only Redick hit more than 2 shots all night. Live by the 3, DIE by the 3.

Kobe and Fisher were both just under 50%, Gasol was at 50% and stepped up big on the stripe (for a change), and Odom was a virtual assassin. Even though he had a bad shooting night, Ariza still had 7 boards and 3 steals. This is a team that can outscore anyone and they were able to disrupt Orlando just enough to keep them out of rhythm, Lewis single-handedly kept them in the game, LA through the last 4 games has been able to rely on not just Kobe, You have 3 post players in LA that can score and rebound, too much for a perimeter team to deal with, Gasol just abused anyone not named Howard, and he even made all of them pay for putting him on the line, one of the most well-rounded games he's played in the post season. He didn't even get into foul trouble having to deal with Howard, I'll take Bynum's boneheaded defense if it keeps Gasol on the floor.

In short, LA has too much inside game and just enough outside defense to lose this series. That said, I think LA may very well lose this game, but if it serves to motivate Kobe like it has in the past, it may be the last game they lose, and I don't think they will lose in a blowout, there's blood in the water and Van Gundy has messed with his starting lineup too much, it will cost them.

[Laker Fan]

I think we saw Orlando give LA their best in game 2, and it wasn't enough. Granted, neither team played well, but Orlando was +9 on the boards and even more importantly, +6 on the offensive glass, the problem was they were not able to convert at a rate that would put them over the top, it wasn't like LA was defending them all that well. But you have 2-3 shooters go cold and I don't care how good Lewis and Hedo shot, it will not be enough, the only reason this team finished at a lackluster 42% was because of them and Howard, only Redick hit more than 2 shots all night. Live by the 3, DIE by the 3.

Kobe and Fisher were both just under 50%, Gasol was at 50% and stepped up big on the stripe (for a change), and Odom was a virtual assassin. Even though he had a bad shooting night, Ariza still had 7 boards and 3 steals. This is a team that can outscore anyone and they were able to disrupt Orlando just enough to keep them out of rhythm, Lewis single-handedly kept them in the game, LA through the last 4 games has been able to rely on not just Kobe, You have 3 post players in LA that can score and rebound, too much for a perimeter team to deal with. Gasol just abused anyone not named Howard, and he even made all of them pay for putting him on the line, one of the most well-rounded games he's played in the post season. He didn't even get into foul trouble having to deal with Howard, I'll take Bynum's boneheaded defense if it keeps Gasol on the floor.

In short, LA has too much inside game and just enough outside defense to lose this series. That said, I think LA may very well lose this game, but if it serves to motivate Kobe like it has in the past, it may be the last game they lose, and I don't think they will lose in a blowout, there's blood in the water and Van Gundy has messed with his starting lineup too much, it will cost them.

[westkoast]

The Orlando Magic are going to shoot the ball better, they are going to be more aggressive, and they are going to get the benefit of the calls (for being aggressive and being at home).  The first half of the game I expect to be brutal.  The second half, once the initial jolt of being home leaves the system, should be much more interesting.

However, I don't think it's a blow out.  I'll go as far to say I think it goes down to the very end and it will be decided by less than 5 points.  I do not expect a Lakers win.  I actually expect a Lakers loss.  They are however playing REAL defense now.  Imagine that it *ONLY* took them 95+ games to do it.  Over the last 4 games they have not relied on just their offense to win games.  They are in a defensive groove now (not Spurs caliber but much improved over what we saw in April) so I expect that to keep them in it.

Screw it, Lakers take this one by 2 with a buzzer beater from DJ Mbenga from the 3 

[msc]

The only thing the Lakers have going for them is that Orlando's chemistry at point guard has clearly been disrupted to the point where he benched them all down the stretch of Game 2.  That was a big mistake by Van Gundy, IMO. 

That has been a big problem for the Magic but I blame Rafer and Johnson as much as I blame Van Gundy.  IMO the Magic PG's are pouting about Jameer playing in the Finals as taking away their minutes.  While they have a legit gripe they should put that aside for the good of the team and both guys have shown they are not professional enough to do that for the Magic.  Even the commentators noticed that problem and pointed to Shannon Brown as an example of how to be a good team mate.

IMO some home cooking will help alleviate their woes.

Don't get me wrong, WOW, I'm not giving the players a free pass, they're certainly responsible to be ready whenever they're called on.  I said before it happened that Rafer is an inconsistent player at best and this is the type of thing that will screw with his head.  So yeah, it's on the player, but the coach has to recognize the personality of the players.  Also, it's not just bringing in Jameer, but how long he let him play and then ultimately in game 2 he benched both of them down the stretch.  IMO, the NBA Finals is not the time to start experimenting with lineups and benching both of your PG's because they're having off shooting nights.  I said it before and I'll say it again, stick with the formula that got you there.  That doesn't mean you can't make adjustments, but IMO, Van Gundy is making massive adjustments when a minor tweak would have done.  Sure, bring Jameer in for a few minutes here and there, but that's not what he did.  Had he pulled Jameer after that initial spark he provided and just given him AJ's minutes, I think it would have been much more beneficial to the Magic.  Or at least, not so detrimental. 

[rickortreat]

Orlando hasn't given the Lakers their best shot yet.  So far, only Hedo and Lewis have woken up.  Outside of them and Howard the rest of the team shot under 30% last game. I think the guards and reserves will do a lot better at home, and we'll get to see a real contest.

I think it will be too much for the Lakers, no matter what they do, if the Magic shooters perform like they have during the playoffs until now. The real test will be for LA to beat this team at their home when they're shooting well.

[westkoast]

Orlando hasn't given the Lakers their best shot yet.  So far, only Hedo and Lewis have woken up.  Outside of them and Howard the rest of the team shot under 30% last game. I think the guards and reserves will do a lot better at home, and we'll get to see a real contest.

I think it will be too much for the Lakers, no matter what they do, if the Magic shooters perform like they have during the playoffs until now. The real test will be for LA to beat this team at their home when they're shooting well.

The Lakers have never lost 3 games in a row with Pau Gasol so it's not far fetched that the Lakers win a game in Orlando.  Saying if Orlando does everything right they will win is Marc Jackson-esque.  Sounds right along the lines of 'If the Lakers show up they win, if they don't they will lose'

I have yet to choose my random, never plays role player, who is going to have one or two plays in the game that I will say won the game for the Lakers thus proving how much I know about basketball... 

Look for Brown to hit 2 jumpers to swing momentum in the Lakers favor.

[WayOutWest]

I guess that no call on Lewis fouling Kobe on the shot that Hedo ended up blocking was a sign of things to come.  Kobe gets fouled on his way to the rim and no-call, too bad for the Magic it ended up being a 4 point play.  Last shot of the 1st quarter Kobe got hit AGAIN, and no call AGAIN!

Uggg....................

[WayOutWest]

Howard could hack someone's head off with a machete and they wouldn't call a foul on that guy!

I guess the TV ratings are good enough for Stern to order the series "stretched". 

[WayOutWest]

INFUGGINGCREDIBLE!!!!

Jameer body checks Gasol hockey style and no call!  Bynum and Gasol get called for 1/3 the contact.

Petrius on a fast break dribbles down court, picks up the ball, switches hands and dribbles again for a layup, IN FRONT OF A REF, and no call!      Greatest play of the series!!!!!! 

[WayOutWest]

I want to know where you can buy a anti-foul shield that Howard is wearing tonight!!!!

Re-Dirk-ulous!!!!

[WayOutWest]

If the refs are going to allow Howard to bulldoze over players in the paint like that I want Shaq BACK!!!!  Shaq for Gasol and Bynum!!! Do it!!!  Nobody can bulldoze like Shaq!!!