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It's not over yet, but it's getting there

06/08/09 | by Zach McCann [mail] | Categories: Recaps

Try to keep your head up, Magic fans. There’s a precedent here.

Stan Van Gundy was an assistant coach in Miami in 2006 — “not doing a damn thing,” as he puts it — when the Heat fell down 2-0 to the Mavericks in the NBA Finals. The Heat were even losing late in the third quarter of Game 3 before storming back to win the next four games and closing out the series in Game 6.

It’s not impossible to come back from 2-0. It’s just really, really difficult. But if the Magic are one thing it’s resilient, and I’m not counting them out yet.

That said, the Magic had some problems in Sunday night’s 101-96 overtime loss to the Lakers.

It’s easy to pin this loss on Courtney Lee’s missed lay-up, and that’s what a lot of Magic fans are doing. But that’s unfair. It would’ve been an incredible shot, and you can’t fault someone for missing an incredible shot. You don’t say “Come on, Tiger, how do you miss that 40-yard chip out of the bunker?”

Orlando had some bigger problems in Game 2.

The team committed 20 turnovers in an absolutely unsightly display of basketball. There wasn’t a pattern with the turnovers, just overall careless play. They were on intercepted passes, offensive fouls, careless throws out of bounds and Dwight Howard holding the ball too low (a habit that is somehow not fixed at this point in his career). A bulk of the turnovers came in the first half, but the three most crucial mishaps were in overtime, helping the Lakers build a six-point, insurmountable lead.

There was more to the loss than turnovers, though.

The Magic continued to get little production from their guards. Backcourt players went 1-for-12 from three-point range, which is particularly disturbing because the Lakers are allowing Orlando’s guards to shoot whenever they want. The focus is squarely on Howard, Turkoglu and Lewis — and not one of Orlando’s guards stepped up.

JJ Redick had his chance tonight, playing 27 minutes because of foul trouble, and he went 2-of-9 from the field with a costly turnover in overtime. Mickael Pietrus was invisible out there before fouling out after 23 minutes. Courtney Lee played very little, and there’s really no explanation other than that SVG believes Lee is too small to guard Kobe or whoever the small forward is.

Rafer Alston (1-of-8, 4 points, 5 assists) and Jameer Nelson (1-of-3, 4 points, 1 assist) are unable or unwilling to take advantage of what was supposed to be a mismatch with Derek Fisher, and neither point guard was on the floor down the stretch of the fourth quarter. Frankly, I don’t blame Van Gundy.

So far, the Lakers are outplaying, outcoaching and out-executing the Magic.

They’re forcing Dwight Howard to the baseline, where it’s difficult to pass out of the double-team and their guards are slapping at the ball. They’ve all but shut down Orlando’s transition game, staying disciplined with three defenders back at all times (which is part of the reason the Lakers grabbed only four offensive rebounds). They know the tendencies of Redick and Alston — mainly, when they get in the lane they want to dish the ball instead of challenging a big man.

The fact is, the Lakers did the bare minimum tonight to win. In the NBA Finals, that’s all that matters. You don’t worry about long-term tendencies, patterns or pace — all that matters are wins and losses. The Magic need four of the former before they get two of the latter. Can they do it against this Lakers team? I don’t know.

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11 comments, 15 trackbacks

Comment from: Jeffs [Visitor]
Pietrus fouled out on some absolutely phantom calls. Courtney Lee and JJ Redick both have that tenative look when they get the ball in middle of the offensive rotation. Lee and Redick have the mindset that they can only shoot 3s or when they drive they have to pass. The Lakers are so concered with Dwight, Hedo, and Rashard they are unable to overly commit to the to other two wing players. Lee and Redick need to be more assertive when trying to score when driving, that will make it alot easier for the others to get open.

By the way, what is the purpose of the rulebook if you aren't going to use it? Dwight Howard's hand clearly went through the middle of the rim with the net on one of his "blocks". Pau Gasol goaltended Courtney Lee's shot at the buzzer. Kobe Bryant traveled after his 3rd pivot foot at the top of the key in OT. Bodies flying around, hitting the floor and no calls, but little hip checks or nothing is a call? The Lakers are good and I am not blaming the Magic losing on them, but from a fan's point of view this series would be better to watch if the refs would let them play or be consistent.
06/08/09 @ 08:25
Comment from: Jon [Visitor]
Jeffs, as a Laker fan I completely agree re: the officiating. The inconsistent officiating has been a problem throughout the playoffs and unfortunately I don't see it improving anytime soon. From my biased LA perspective it's frustrating when our big guys pick up cheap fouls for no moving out of the way when Howard runs into them on the block, much the same feeling it seems you have about Pietrus's fouls. They call a few three-second violations in the first half and then not again for the game, although sometimes Howard doesn't leave the paint for an entire possession. If they're going to call stuff they need to call it both ways the entire game. Overall I'd wish they'd let the more ticky-tack stuff go, and let the game develop a flow: right now it's not that fun to watch.
06/08/09 @ 10:53
Comment from: Caleb Johnson [Member] Email
The officials have been awful both ways. Dwight got away with one of the most obvious goaltends I've ever seen last night, Lee and Pietrus were called for at least 3-4 fouls where they didn't even touch their man, there have been more 3-second calls in two games than I've seen in the entire playoffs. Regardless, I think the Magic will get two wins on the homecourt and this thing finishes out in 6. I hope I'm wrong, but winning 4 out of 5 against a team as talented as the Lakers - when you can't even win when Rashard, Hedo, and Dwight all have great games - is a tough task. This team is resilient though no doubt, so I haven't given up on them. Just taking my usual glass half-empty approach.
06/08/09 @ 15:11
Comment from: Caleb Johnson [Member] Email
Great games outside of their attrocious 14 combined turnovers, I should say.
06/08/09 @ 15:15
Comment from: Andrey [Visitor] Email
Just watched game for the 2 second time... We all can say that this is a missed opportunity... Still we are 0-2.
From my point of view why we loose game 2:
- Too many careless turnovers
- Howard overdribles too much, bad deсisions, careless mistakes
- Jameer's return brokes the rotation that won the series with Boston and Clevlend and producton from Rafer drops mightly, Anthony Johnson could help in limited minutes.

Don't quit Orlando fans. We have to be with the team when it matters most.

Andrey
06/08/09 @ 15:35
Comment from: keith [Visitor]
Laker fan here. Agree re: the officiating-- there seem to be more touch fouls called than I ever remember in a finals, as well as more of the 'let's watch the shot and call the foul if it doesn't go in' kind of officiating that's just bound to infuriate fans as the whistle is blown so late. Still, Orl was the more aggressive team last night, and got to the line more often-- hard to complain about that. And when's the last time Kobe took so few FTs (which is his fault, as I thought he was incredibly passive, esp. against Turkaglu who he should be driving on, not shooting over)?
06/08/09 @ 16:30
Comment from: Gabriel Ayala [Visitor]
theory on the Orlando Magic, Yes i still believe in you . anyways, I think they are playing like its their 1st time kissing a girl and they know its coming, so they get butterflies in their stomach and sweaty palms. you lose control and you have no clue whats happening. So now that its said and Done... Magic You are now at 2nd Base so les get to playing like you know what you are doing. and looking to score..thank U
06/08/09 @ 17:55
Comment from: afallingbomb28 [Member] Email
dang, the base analogy was solid
06/08/09 @ 23:32
Comment from: J Rugg [Visitor]
Caleb, have to agree with you that it goes six games. I think the Magic will get two on their home court as well but will ultimately lose.

The Magic are a good team with class players. It's very nice to play a team with as much talent and class as the Magic have displayed. I love their ball movement and the ability to get the open look. Had they been making their shots, we would have seen a much closer game one.

That said, may the best team win and as always, GO LAKERS!
06/09/09 @ 09:03
Comment from: tell the truth for a change [Visitor]
Well if this game doesnt let everyone know just how much the referees effect the game, it wasnt kobe that won either one of the first 2 games, man those refs can bog down a game and make it a absolute bore to watch and the magic already had to play the refs in the first 3 series if they let people slap Dewights arms constantly when he is shooting and not call fowls and let kobe throw his shoulder into the defenders chest and stomach of course it will be one sided at least this game was not totally one sided and momentom changers where they parade the lakers to the line then take the ball away from the magic the next play, if the refs cant follow the rules that there office created then how is anyone suppose to think anything different than they must have a lot riding on the the lakers to win, i just dont understand if kobe is the so called best why does he need so much help from the refs to win...? I mean the guy makes probably 50 plus million a year and now referees have to manufacture games so he can win if you parade anybody in the nba to the charity stripe like they do him there would be plenty of so called superstars and did anyone notice how he can complain to the all night long and gets no technicals yet Dewight who does not even curse and mostly is humble even when they cheat him like crazy has to watch his every move do they think that no one see's that junk they need to make a commercial theme song is 3 blind mice and the stars are the nba/wwf referees.
06/09/09 @ 23:29
Comment from: tell the truth for a change [Visitor] Email
Well if this game doesnt let everyone know just how much the referees effect the game, it wasnt kobe that won either one of the first 2 games, man those refs can bog down a game and make it a absolute bore to watch and the magic already had to play the refs in the first 3 series if they let people slap Dewights arms constantly when he is shooting and not call fowls and let kobe throw his shoulder into the defenders chest and stomach of course it will be one sided at least this game was not totally one sided and momentom changers where they parade the lakers to the line then take the ball away from the magic the next play, if the refs cant follow the rules that there office created then how is anyone suppose to think anything different than they must have a lot riding on the the lakers to win, i just dont understand if kobe is the so called best why does he need so much help from the refs to win...? I mean the guy makes probably 50 plus million a year and now referees have to manufacture games so he can win if you parade anybody in the nba to the charity stripe like they do him there would be plenty of so called superstars and did anyone notice how he can complain to the all night long and gets no technicals yet Dewight who does not even curse and mostly is humble even when they cheat him like crazy has to watch his every move do they think that no one see's that junk they need to make a commercial theme song is 3 blind mice and the stars are the nba/wwf referees.
06/09/09 @ 23:31
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