|
|
The Los Angeles Lakers left no doubt they are the best basketball team in the NBA in 2009.
The Lakers won their NBA Finals series against the Orlando Magic last night, opening up a 10 point advantage by halftime and leading comfortably the rest of the game.
 Lakers NBA Championship Flag 
The final score was 99-86, giving the Lakers a 4-1 series victory and the 2009 NBA title.
Kobe Bryant corrected the free throw shooting problems that caused critical misses earlier in the series, sinking 8-8 free shots on the way to scoring 30 points for LA. He was also named the Finals MVP.
The Lakers also got 17 points from big sixth man Lamar Odom, 15 from Trevor Ariza, 14 from Pau Gasol and 13 from Derek Fisher. The only Laker starter not in double figures was Andrew Bynum, whose foul problems limited him to six points and five rebounds.
The Magic were ahead early in the final game. They led 19-10 with 5:36 left in the first quarter and held a 40-36 lead with 7:12 left in the second quarter.
But then the Lakers went on a 16-0 run. It took only four minutes and when the run was over, LA led 52-40 with 3:07 until half.
The Magic had four turnovers and missed three shots in this four minute scoreless stretch. The Lakers took advantage with 6-6 field goal shooting.
Continue reading Lakers Win NBA Title
Derek Fisher’s smooth left hand shooting stroke nailed two daggers in the heart of the Orlando Magic Thursday night.
First, with his Lakers trailing 87-84 with 4.6 left in regulation, Fisher made a 3-pointer to save LA and send game four of the NBA Finals into overtime.
Then with 31.3 seconds left in overtime and the game tied 91-91, Fisher swished another from 3-point range that sent the Lakers on an 8-0 run that sealed a 99-91 win.
Laker Tapestry Blanket
The win gave the Lakers a commanding 3-1 lead in the series. Game five is scheduled for Sunday night. Game five will be in Orlando but the Magic must feel the Lakers have the Magic down and are pressing their foot on their throats.
Orlando came so close to making it a 2-2 series but the Lakers executed better when it counted.
The most obvious example of better execution was Fisher’s game-tying shot to send the game into overtime. Not only did Fisher make the shot, he saw the opportunity.
“I saw (Jameer) Nelson was giving me a lot of room,” Fisher said afterwards. “I like to step into those threes.”
That is Orlando not executing on defense and Fisher nailing it.
Another example came just before that.
Continue reading Lakers Take Control, 3-1
The Orlando Magic shot the lights out in game three of the NBA Finals Tuesday night. The Magic set an NBA Finals record with a sizzling 62.5 per cent aim on their field goal attempts.
The record shooting helped the Magic defeat the Los Angeles Lakers, 108-104, and get back in the series. The Lakers still lead, 2-1, but the momentum is now on Orlando’s side.
Game four is Thursday night in Orlando and game five is Sunday night also in Orlando.
You don’t shoot 62 per cent as a team with just one or two hot hands. All five Magic starters and sub Mickael Pietrus shot better than 50 per cent.
Dwight Howard led the way, making 5-6 field goal attempts. He also was 11-16 on free throws for 21 points. Rashard Lewis also had 21 on 8-14 shooting.
Rafer Alston broke out of the slump he was in the first two games and hit 20 points on 8-12 shooting. Hedo Turkoglu and Pietrus both finished with 18 and nearly identical field goal accuracy. Turkoglu was 7-12 and Pietrus 7-11.
The Lakers shot 51 per cent and Kobe Bryant hit 31 points. But Bryant actually had one of his poorer nights from the free throw line.
Continue reading Orlando’s Record Shooting
The Orlando Magic offense came to life in game two of the NBA Finals Sunday night. But a chance to even their series with the Los Angeles Lakers slipped away.
Rashard Lewis dropped 34 points and Hedo Turkoglu hit 22 in game two, much better than there paltry totals of eight and 13, respectively, in game one.
 
Pau Gasol Poster from AllPosters.com
But the Magic lost in overtime at Los Angeles, 101-96, to allow the Lakers to take a 2-0 series lead. Game three is tonight in Orlando.
Twenty turnovers and seven missed free throws hurt the Magic. But what is being talked about more after the loss is a missed allie-oop shot at the end of regulation.
With the game tied 88-88, the Magic had a chance to win it. Turkoglu had a fantastic clean block on Kobe Bryant driving the lane. At first it looked like the fourth quarter would end on that play. The horn sounded with the score tied just after Turkoglu stuffed Kobe’s attempt from behind.
But the officials reviewed the play and ruled that Turkoglu had grabbed the ball and called timeout after the block. The officials put 0.6 back on the clock and the Magic had one final attempt in regulation.
Continue reading Magic Misses Chance
You would think the Orlando Magic would be a bit embarrassed and angry after losing to the Lakers by 25 points in game one of the NBA finals Thursday.
LA won 100-75, taking control in the second quarter and never looking back. Orlando was only down by 10 at half, 53-43, but the Lakers pulled away from there. Orlando never got close in the second half. The lead was already up to 24 (82-58) after three quarters.
 
Orlando center Dwight Howard did not sound embarrassed afterwards, though.
“Nobody is upset or angry that we lost,” Howard said afterwards. “We understand what we have to do as a team. Nobody was hanging their heads afterwards.”
It sounds strange that Howard and the Magic wouldn’t be angry that they are now
Continue reading Lakers Go Up 1-0
The Orlando Magic finished the third act of what is turning out to be their four part show in the NBA playoffs. The Magic made the Cleveland Cavaliers disappear over the weekend.
Orlando beat Cleveland, 103-90, Saturday to win the Eastern Conference title and advance to the NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Orlando Magic Poster
Orlando’s 4-2 series victory over LeBron James and the Cavs was a nifty trick. The Cavs came in as favorites, holding home court advantage earned by posting the league’s best regular season record (66-16).
The Cavs breezed through the first two rounds of the playoffs, sweeping both series 4-0, first against Detroit, then against Atlanta.
Orlando on the other hand, needed six games to eliminate Philadelphia in the first round and went the distance against Boston before winning the series, 4-3.
Continue reading Cavs Disappear Magically
The Lakers made it look easy last night. They stomped Denver, 119-92, to advance to the 2009 NBA Finals.
“We saved the best for last,” said LA Coach Phil Jackson afterwards.
That was most obvious on offense. The Lakers shot an amazing 57 per cent from the field. Kobe Bryant led the way, of course. He shot 60 per cent, making 6-10 field goals in both the first and second half.
Kobe Bryant Pics from AllPosters.com
Bryant was a perfect 9-9 from the charity stripe. He also had 10 assists. Pau Gasol was strong, too, dropping 20 points, pulling in 12 rebounds and dishing six assists.
Lamar Odam also had 20 points and eight rebounds for Los Angeles. Trevor Ariza added 17, most in the first half to help the Lakers take control early and finish ahead, 53-40, at intermission.
“Maybe we caught our opponent a little bit off stride tonight,” Jackson said. “We were able to keep Denver from running. We played at the highest level. Shots fell from all
Continue reading Lakers Advance to Finals
Maybe this isn’t the year that LeBron James gets his first NBA championship ring. Until LeBron and his Cleveland Cavaliers met the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference Playoff Series, it sure looked like it might be LeBron’s year.
The Cavs produced the best record in this regular season at 66-16. That secured the top seed in the playoffs. Cleveland then swept through the first two rounds of the playoffs without a loss.
Dwight Howard Framed Art
But all that success has come to a grinding halt against the Magic. Game four was last night. Cleveland had a chance to even the series 2-2. But the Magic won in overtime, 116-114.
That puts Orlando ahead 3-1. Only 5% of the teams that have fallen behind by that margin have come back to win the series.
The odds are now heavily against LeBron and the Cavs. But LeBron’s whole career has been one that defies the odds. Game five Thursday in Cleveland will be great. The Magic will not just let the Cavs win, though.
Game four was a great one to watch for NBA fans. But for Cleveland fans, it was a heartbreaker. The Cavs led at half 58-50. Orlando’s Rafer Alston came out of the locker room hot, making the first seven points of the second half and bringing the Magic within one, 58-57.
Continue reading Can the Cavs Come Back?
With one second left on the clock, you can hope to make a game winning shot. But is it realistic to expect that is enough time? Isn’t that the type of situation which gave berth to the phrase “there is only time to put up a prayer.”
If LeBron James is on your team, maybe it is not a prayer. Or maybe it is a prayer that gets answered.
LeBron James Photo from AllPosters.com
Friday night in Cleveland in game two of the Eastern Conference Finals, one second was enough for James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Orlando Magic was ahead 95-93 with that one second left. They had just taken the lead on a jumper by Hedo Turkoglu. The Magic thought Turkoglu’s jumper from the free throw line was the game winner. After all, there was only :01.0 left on the clock.
Continue reading One Second Maybe Changed History
When the clock struck 2:30, Boston Coach Doc Rivers pulled his stars Ray Allen and Paul Pierce. There was still 2:30 left in game 7 of the Eastern Conference semi-finals Sunday but the Celtic coach felt a 20-point deficit was too much to overcome.
It was strange to see the Celtics not battling to the final tic on the clock. It was also strange that it did not appear on the national TV broadcast that there was much of an ovation for Allen and Pierce. The crowd in Boston at the TD Banknorth Garden was probably in a bit of shock.
Rachard Lewis Pic from AllPosters.com
The defending champion Boston Celtics were about to be eliminated from the NBA playoffs by the Orlando Magic. The final score was 101-82, giving the Magic a 4-3 series victory.
Orlando dominated the game all of the way. Boston made the first basket and held that lead for 36 seconds. After that, Orlando never trailed.
Orlando went up 22-9 early on 4-4 shooting from beyond the arc. The first quarter ended 27-17 in Orlando’s favor.
Allen kept hope alive for the Celtics. The 33-year old sharp shooter had one of his best games of the series for the Celtics. He scored 23 points on 9-18 shooting. His shooting and free throws helped the Celtics get close twice in the second quarter.
Continue reading Last Tic for Celtics
|
|
