Cavs At Magic Previews Game Three

[duncan228]

Cleveland at Orlando Preview
Game info: 8:30 pm EDT Sun May 24, 2009
TV: TNT
By Antonio Gonzalez

As if once wasn’t enough, the Orlando Magic were forced to watch LeBron James’ amazing buzzer-beater all day Saturday.

The Magic were witnesses all right. Again. And again. And again.

James’ stunning fadeaway 3-pointer in Game 2 that tied the Eastern Conference finals was replayed countless times on TV sets from Cleveland to Orlando. It was also a fixture in the minds of Cavaliers fans basking in the win, and in the thoughts of Magic players wondering what could have been.

“It’s tough when you got to go home and watch it on TV over and over again,” Magic center Dwight Howard said.

The shot saved the Cavaliers from a daunting 0-2 hole, and already was being talked about as one of the greatest moments in Cleveland sports history. There’s just one downside for the Cavs.

“It is over and done with,” James said.

For all the drama and emotion surrounding the riveting shot, the Cavaliers have plenty to fix if they want to reclaim home-court advantage when the series shifts to Orlando for Game 3 on Sunday night.

The Magic ripped their defense apart, exposed their lack of depth and roared back from a double-digit deficit for the second straight game. Now the NBA’s top-seeded team heads to Orlando, where it lost both games this season, including a 29-point blowout in April in which it trailed by as many as 41.

But one shot made all of that seem like a distant memory.

“To go on the road, 1 second from being down 0-2, going to Orlando and from zero seconds the shot goes in to being 1-1 going on the road, it is a good feeling for us,” James said. “We can carry this momentum.”

It’s an all too familiar feeling for Orlando.

The Magic have been last-second losers four times this postseason. Boston’s Glen Davis hit a jumper as time expired in Game 4 of their second-round series. Philadelphia’s Andre Iguodala and Thaddeus Young each hit a shot in the final seconds for wins in the opening round, forcing the Magic to again watch another team celebrate as they walked slowly to the locker room in defeat.

Any carry-over seems unlikely.

Orlando responded well after each of the previous heartbreakers, winning the following games against Philadelphia and nearly taking Game 5 against the Celtics before blowing a big fourth-quarter lead.

“How many times have I been asked that in the postseason so far?” coach Stan Van Gundy said. “Game 1 in Philly we lose at the buzzer. Is there going to be carry-over? OK. Game 3 in Philly, they beat us at the buzzer. Is there going to be carry-over? Game 4 against Boston, is there going to be carry-over? I mean, you know, I’ve heard that the entire postseason.”

The Magic, a streaky shooting team that can dazzle at times and disappear during some games, overcame a 23-point deficit in Game 2 as skittish Cleveland fans covered their mouths in disbelief, with Hedo Turkoglu hitting a 12-footer in the lane to put Orlando ahead by two with 1 second left.

Cleveland called timeout and drew up a play for James. The league’s MVP darted toward the basket, cut back near the top of the circle, caught the ball and let loose a shot over Turkoglu that sent those same fans hugging and cheering in an all-too-good state of shock.

An encore won’t be easy.

The Magic have been a matchup nightmare at times for the Cavs, who have lost nine of the last 13 games to Orlando. The Magic, with their bevy of 3-point shooters and Howard inside, have picked apart Cleveland’s defense for long stretches.

Orlando has started slow in the first two games, and Cleveland likely won’t be able to count on such a cushion Sunday at Amway Arena, where the Magic usually start fast.

But the Cavs did show some positive signs in the win.

Unlike Game 1, when Orlando emerged on a late 3-pointer by Rashard Lewis, it wasn’t just the LeBron show. Mo Williams had 19 points and made some big shots late. Cleveland also got 12 points apiece from Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Delonte West.

Sasha Pavlovic scored nine points in 21 minutes but most of Cleveland’s reserves again provided little support.

The Cavs know they’ll have to win at least one in Orlando to earn a spot in the NBA finals, and they’re hoping to take advantage if they get another break.

“You can’t go through the playoffs without having some lucky bounces here and there,” Cleveland coach Mike Brown said. “They got one, quote-unquote, lucky bounce in Game 1, if you want to say that with Rashard’s shot. We got one in Game 2. Let’s get ready for Game 3 now.”

Series Breakdown

[NewJerSpur]

The Magic have been last-second losers four times this postseason. Boston’s Glen Davis hit a jumper as time expired in Game 4 of their second-round series. Philadelphia’s Andre Iguodala and Thaddeus Young each hit a shot in the final seconds for wins in the opening round, forcing the Magic to again watch another team celebrate as they walked slowly to the locker room in defeat.

Any carry-over seems unlikely.

Amazing what this team has battled through to be where they are. They have proven themselves to have a championship level of resiliency, even against the [former] champs.

It will be interesting to see what Howard does with the double teams; whether he fights through them to either score or get a foul or kicks the ball back out, he's got to make his move a little quicker. I look forward to him having a monster game at home like he did in game 6 of the last series when his team's season was on the line.

[shelshor]

Referee Assignments
Sun. May 24
Cleveland @ Orlando: J. Crawford, G. Willard, M. Wunderlich

[Thunder Dan]

I have a bad feeling about this game and the rest of this series

[Texas_Ranger]

Go Orlando!

[jmanu20]

Referee Assignments
Sun. May 24
Cleveland @ Orlando: J. Crawford, G. Willard, M. Wunderlich

Orlando's in for a nightmare call wise.

[pauls931]

Hopefully Orlando has the toughness to not cave like the nuggets did last game. I'm impressed with the beating they've taken to keep coming back for more. Definitely championship material. They're one lebron miracle shot from being up 2-0. That loss was not nearly as devasting as the big baby dagger...

[BandWagon Cavs Fan]

This should be easy

[Thunder Dan]

Hopefully Orlando has the toughness to not cave like the nuggets did last game. I'm impressed with the beating they've taken to keep coming back for more. Definitely championship material. They're one lebron miracle shot from being up 2-0. That loss was not nearly as devasting as the big baby dagger...

the same could be said for the Cavs though, they are a West shot away from being up 2-0

[JoeTait75]

Cavaliers have to win this game, not just to go up 2-1, but to plant some doubts in the minds of the Magic. Right now the biggest thing Orlando has going for it, other than the matchup advantages, is confidence. Win tonight on the heels of Friday's miracle, and maybe the Cavaliers can shake that confidence a little bit.

[BandWagon Cavs Fan]

Cavs by 8 tonight.....Book it please sons

[YellowFever]

No preference as to who wins between the CLE and ORL.

I'm just glad there were five games played in the conference finals and there were five close games.

I'm loving the playoffs this year.

[pauls931]

it all comes down to orlando executing. It's a shame they don't have nelson because at times their offense is in shambles. The next two games are for Orlando to lose, not cleveland to win.

[GatorKid117]

Rafer Alston needs to pick his game up. 1-7 last game, 2 assists and 4 points. He was not much better in Game 1 either. I heard before the series started how Alston was such a big Cavs killer and hes done jack. Ugh, if only we had Jameer....

2nd highest 2pt jumpshot % and shot 60% from 3 in crunch time. Beast!