duncan228
05-25-2009, 12:32 AM
Orlando's Game 3 rebound means one thing: They've arrived (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=orlandosgamereboundmeans&prov=tsn&type=lgns)
By Matt Hayes - SportingNews
ORLANDO, Fla.—He strolled into the locker room 90 minutes before tip, the billionaire owner who made this all happen. And that meant exactly squat to his highly annoyed, half-pint grandkids in tow.
"Can we leave, grandpa?" the blond grandson whined.
"I want you to meet my young friends here," Orlando owner Rich DeVos said while the Magic milled around prior to Game 3 of the NBA Eastern Conference finals. "They're on the edge of stardom."
The Magic are already there. They're not LeBron, or Kobe or 'Melo or any other single name or single identity.
They're merely the biggest matchup nightmare in the NBA. In other words, the most dangerous team in the NBA playoffs.
Orlando's 99-89 victory Sunday night over top-seeded Cleveland simply underscored what we've seen play out the past three weeks. The team that should've beaten the defending champion Celtics in five games in the East semifinals, that should be up 3-0 on the Cavs and on their way to a sweep, has arrived.
"We understand," said Magic point guard Rafer Alston, "that it could easily be 3-0 Magic."
If only Orlando could figure out how to close out games, they'd be the talk of the playoffs. Instead, they're a speed bump on the way to LeBron vs. Kobe.
At least that's what all those fatcat television execs hope. LeBron vs. Kobe is sexy; it sells and is the first major marketing boon for the league since Michael Jordan vs. Magic Johnson nearly two decades ago.
When James hit the game-winner in Game 2 to save Cleveland's season from sinking into Lake Erie, all those issues for the team with the best record and best defense in the league seemingly vanished. LeBron had surpassed Michael Jordan (quick update, everyone: Jordan has six championships, LeBron has zilch), and the Cavs had vanquished the rich tradition of losing in Cleveland.
One problem: the Cavs still can't cover Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu, still have no answer inside for Dwight Howard, still have the best player on the planet and a lot of guys who wait for the best player on the planet to take or make a shot (not that there's anything wrong with that).
"Coming down the court, we're already at a disadvantage," said Cavs point guard Mo Williams. "They create matchup problems; it's evident. We know it, everyone knows it. But when you're in position where you have to double guys, it's going to put you at a disadvantage. We're trying things we haven't tried all year. It's amazing how we're still in games sometimes."
It's amazing the rest of the basketball world hasn't embraced it yet. When Lewis and Turkoglu are hitting shots and when Howard is controlling the paint, the Magic are impossible to defend. When Howard is making free throws (he made 14 of 19 Sunday), no one will beat them.
Two of the three best defenses in the league (Cleveland and Boston) have had no answers for Orlando's inside-outside game. The Magic have tough role players (Rafer Alston, Mickael Pietrus) who can shoot, and a talented rookie guard (Courtney Lee) who can shoot and defend on the perimeter.
Howard still has to learn to give up shots. He can't defend on every play, and he certainly can't defend James every trip down the court. These days, there are three givens in life: death, taxes and LeBron scoring or getting fouled—I mean, getting a call.
A game ago, James hit what Howard called a "movie three" to win Game 2. While his legend continues to grow, the Magic continue to win.
"We don't find it disrespectful that people are counting us out," Howard said. "What we can control is how we're playing on the court."
Right now, no one in the NBA is playing better.
By Matt Hayes - SportingNews
ORLANDO, Fla.—He strolled into the locker room 90 minutes before tip, the billionaire owner who made this all happen. And that meant exactly squat to his highly annoyed, half-pint grandkids in tow.
"Can we leave, grandpa?" the blond grandson whined.
"I want you to meet my young friends here," Orlando owner Rich DeVos said while the Magic milled around prior to Game 3 of the NBA Eastern Conference finals. "They're on the edge of stardom."
The Magic are already there. They're not LeBron, or Kobe or 'Melo or any other single name or single identity.
They're merely the biggest matchup nightmare in the NBA. In other words, the most dangerous team in the NBA playoffs.
Orlando's 99-89 victory Sunday night over top-seeded Cleveland simply underscored what we've seen play out the past three weeks. The team that should've beaten the defending champion Celtics in five games in the East semifinals, that should be up 3-0 on the Cavs and on their way to a sweep, has arrived.
"We understand," said Magic point guard Rafer Alston, "that it could easily be 3-0 Magic."
If only Orlando could figure out how to close out games, they'd be the talk of the playoffs. Instead, they're a speed bump on the way to LeBron vs. Kobe.
At least that's what all those fatcat television execs hope. LeBron vs. Kobe is sexy; it sells and is the first major marketing boon for the league since Michael Jordan vs. Magic Johnson nearly two decades ago.
When James hit the game-winner in Game 2 to save Cleveland's season from sinking into Lake Erie, all those issues for the team with the best record and best defense in the league seemingly vanished. LeBron had surpassed Michael Jordan (quick update, everyone: Jordan has six championships, LeBron has zilch), and the Cavs had vanquished the rich tradition of losing in Cleveland.
One problem: the Cavs still can't cover Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu, still have no answer inside for Dwight Howard, still have the best player on the planet and a lot of guys who wait for the best player on the planet to take or make a shot (not that there's anything wrong with that).
"Coming down the court, we're already at a disadvantage," said Cavs point guard Mo Williams. "They create matchup problems; it's evident. We know it, everyone knows it. But when you're in position where you have to double guys, it's going to put you at a disadvantage. We're trying things we haven't tried all year. It's amazing how we're still in games sometimes."
It's amazing the rest of the basketball world hasn't embraced it yet. When Lewis and Turkoglu are hitting shots and when Howard is controlling the paint, the Magic are impossible to defend. When Howard is making free throws (he made 14 of 19 Sunday), no one will beat them.
Two of the three best defenses in the league (Cleveland and Boston) have had no answers for Orlando's inside-outside game. The Magic have tough role players (Rafer Alston, Mickael Pietrus) who can shoot, and a talented rookie guard (Courtney Lee) who can shoot and defend on the perimeter.
Howard still has to learn to give up shots. He can't defend on every play, and he certainly can't defend James every trip down the court. These days, there are three givens in life: death, taxes and LeBron scoring or getting fouled—I mean, getting a call.
A game ago, James hit what Howard called a "movie three" to win Game 2. While his legend continues to grow, the Magic continue to win.
"We don't find it disrespectful that people are counting us out," Howard said. "What we can control is how we're playing on the court."
Right now, no one in the NBA is playing better.