We should all feel extremely lucky it's not 2-0 Magic.
yes we should, but by the same token Orlando fans should feel fortunate it is not 2-0 Cleveland. If we hit either of those shots at the end of game two that is the dilly. We all knew this series was going to be a dog fight and right now it is living up to that billing. The Cavs are the better team, but lets give Orlando credit for their spunk. Eventually we smack them down and put them in their place.
KING
You may be in the drivers seat but God is holding the map. #GMSTRONG
Quote: Sorry gang, for as confident as I was going into this series, I firmly now believe that this series won't make it back to Cleveland and Orlando will advance.
Ummmm...... it HAS to come back to Cleveland. The next 2 are in Orlando. If you do the math, with Orlando winning both, that is only 3 wins........
There is NOTHING like witnessing a last second win. The moment it happens, watching 20,000+ simultaneously stand up, throw their hands up and scream, nothing beats that feeling.
We should all feel extremely lucky it's not 2-0 Magic.
yes we should, but by the same token Orlando fans should feel fortunate it is not 2-0 Cleveland. If we hit either of those shots at the end of game two that is the dilly. We all knew this series was going to be a dog fight and right now it is living up to that billing. The Cavs are the better team, but lets give Orlando credit for their spunk. Eventually we smack them down and put them in their place.
KING
I'll willingly grant a "Roger That" on that take,...and dang sure hope you are correct on the smackdown,.....
the problems are there, but we were able to shave some points of the total of this game, make it a little more defensive minded, magic scored 12 less points?
can we take 10 more points off? try and play in the high 80's? if we can do that, we'll win, because this orlando team just does not play defense.
anybody who doubts this team though, realize that lebron is capable of stealing a game by himself, and i don't mean last night, i mean like on the road, in a game where you need it. he did it in the palace, he is capable of doing it in the magic kingdom
if we keep playing these close games, we're gonna come out on top more.
what a finish last night though. hopefully this will spark better play, because the cavs aren't playing their best bball.
There is NOTHING like witnessing a last second win. The moment it happens, watching 20,000+ simultaneously stand up, throw their hands up and scream, nothing beats that feeling.
Got goosebumps watching that again.....
I was watchin' it with few friends...and we were all so pissed off before the shot...we were like it's over...and one of my friends brother was like HERE COMES THE GAME WINNER....and sure nuf...bron made it...good god we all just lost it...it was freakin' awesome......it was funny how in 1 second we all went from MAD as hell to HAPPY as one can be...
That kind of a loss has to be really deflating for the Magic. They busted their tails for 47 minutes and 59 seconds and thought they were going back to Orlando kings of the world, up 2-0. Instead, the series is tied, and Orlando has been brought back down to Earth, because they were flying pretty high there for a while.. You could see it on their faces after Lebron hit that shot. They didn't have the same look the Cavs had after game 1, where despite the loss they knew that they could come out and turn things around.
Orlando is a great team, no doubt but people subscribing to the doom and gloom when the series is tied at 1-1 just sound crabby. Los Angeles has looked just as vulnerable but this is the final 4. All the teams left are legit contenders. It's not going to be easy.
We were what, something like 27-14 on the road this year? One of the best records in the league. People acting like we have no chance in game 3 or 4 are really selling this squad short.
While our defense has been spotty, there's is just as bad. We've really had no problem scoring points, even with Mo being ice cold. If Mo gets back on track (which I would expect him to) think about the numbers we're going to be putting up. 110+ points per? Do we really think Orlando can be hot enough the ENTIRE series to put up those kind of numbers? That's not even factoring in how bad our bench has been.
While games 1-2 were ugly, this team will be fine. No sense in crying over spilled milk. Make adjustments and tighten up the execution. I'm confident we can get one of these next two and steal homecourt back.
In the playoffs, it's really odd sometimes how one miraculous shot can wake up the sleeping giant. Not saying this shot will do it but it can't hurt. We went from being dead in the water to being back in the series in 1 second. It's a 5 game series where we need to win 1 of 3 on the road. Doesn't seem like an impossible task for the best team in the NBA.
We figured out our defensive gameplan also on Howard. Use our fouls wisely, make him go to the line. He's not gonna make alot of his foul shots, so it's a win for us. Get in foul trouble, just toss in Wallace, he was having his way with Howard whenever he was in there.
Don't point a gun at someone unless your ready to pull the trigger.
When you get down to it, when is it a good time to panic??
Now is the time to forget all the warm fuzzies about last night and begin to think about how to avoid that again.
Last night was great, but it was pretty lucky too.
James is probably going to miss that shot more than he makes it, so this very easily could have been 2 games in a row where we blew a pretty substantial lead late in the game to take a loss, and it WAS 2 games in a row we blew a nice lead. That has to be worrisome.
Now we have 2 on their court.
We better be thinking about winning the first of the two so we can regain the upper hand.
We have to get on them on the perimeter and we have to goon up on Howard.
Our bench is critical. Not so much from a scoring standpoint, but from a defensive standpoint and being willing to play tough D to first try to deny them the ball, then take some fouls to keep them at the line.
If guys like Wallace, and Andy both don't have at least 4 fouls, or even foul out, they weren't playing hard enough IMO.
If everybody had like minds, we would never learn.
we just gotta slow the game down. no transition. if they make 3's in the halfcourt, so be it. but we gotta make sure we get back in transition when we are in orlando. that was our problem when we were there last time and it's been a problem in that building for a while.
i'll take 2 close games in orlando. i think we can probably split or even take both. they are going to have to dig deep though.
we aren't outta the water yet, but i think mentally, orlando has gotta be hurting.
Quote: but i think mentally, orlando has gotta be hurting.
I would disagree and here is why... They came back in game 1 on our court after being down 16 pts... They followed that up last night by stealing the lead after overcoming a 23 pt. deficit and it took a miracle buzzer beater with 1 second left to make it a 1-1 series...
They took the best team in the NBA with the best home record to boot and stole the 1st win and came a wet fart away from taking this to a 2-0 series going back to their house...
Orlando HAS to be feeling pretty good about their chances right about now... I know that I am worried but as many of you have pointed out, the bench and Mo/Delonte will not be playing this poorly through out the series going off of past facts...
Let's hope that the momentum from the MVP can be enough of a high for his teamates to pull their heads out and offer him a little bit of help...
And another thing... WTF did Z take 3's from the baseline?? That irks me as much as watching Andy trying to dribble the ball...
the looks on the orlando players' faces said enough. they thought they had that game in hand, so i do think they are hurting today. i think they aren't completely demoralized, but to have a 2-0 lead in your hand and have it ripped out has got to have an effect.
why was z taking 3's late in the game? because they ran some pretty poor plays and it was the last option, a few times.
our ball movement in the 4th was slightly better than the 4th in game 1. hopefully they can improve again.
Fatigue is playing a factor too I believe... When our starters are having to stay on the floor for more minutes due to poor benchplay, they are settling for some poor shots and playing less agressive... It is sometimes easier to throw up the longball and hope to hit on it than to drive the lane and attack the hoop...
It is a moot point but that Turkeyglue and his stiff arm dribble is getting rediculous... Sasha got hosed on that foul call...
they did call him for it though, didn't they? late in the game.
that call on sasha was bad. but who knows, maybe he pulls up and makes it anyways.
sasha did a pretty good job last night, coming off of not really playing any meaningful minutes to having to be a key part to a victory, we haven't seen the last of him.
Quote: the looks on the orlando players' faces said enough. they thought they had that game in hand, so i do think they are hurting today. i think they aren't completely demoralized, but to have a 2-0 lead in your hand and have it ripped out has got to have an effect.
I just don't believe they are demoralized at all, and I think you are telling yourself this to make yourself feel better about what has transpired over the last couple of games. Were they disappointed? I'm sure they were. Demoralized? Not a chance in hell. They know they are the better team RIGHT NOW, and they are going back home. Betcha anything, they are feeling pretty damn good about themselves.
LOL - The Rish will be upset with this news as well. KS just doesn't prioritize winning...
Quote: but i think mentally, orlando has gotta be hurting.
I would disagree and here is why... They came back in game 1 on our court after being down 16 pts... They followed that up last night by stealing the lead after overcoming a 23 pt. deficit and it took a miracle buzzer beater with 1 second left to make it a 1-1 series...
They took the best team in the NBA with the best home record to boot and stole the 1st win and came a wet fart away from taking this to a 2-0 series going back to their house...
Orlando HAS to be feeling pretty good about their chances right about now... I know that I am worried but as many of you have pointed out, the bench and Mo/Delonte will not be playing this poorly through out the series going off of past facts...
Let's hope that the momentum from the MVP can be enough of a high for his teamates to pull their heads out and offer him a little bit of help...
And another thing... WTF did Z take 3's from the baseline?? That irks me as much as watching Andy trying to dribble the ball...
I agree.
It will be real easy for them to brush that off as a lucky shot, James or not.
They will feel pretty solid heading back home even and having had a real good shot at being up 2-0.
I think if we aren't careful, there is a good chance we get run off the court in game 3 and lose by 15 or so points.
If everybody had like minds, we would never learn.
yep, he got the whistle on him once for it but it is his M.O. prior to this series as well...
Not to take anything away from his clutch shooting because he is just that but his ball handling skills are almost as bad as Andy's yet he gets away with that fore arm ball guarding almost each time he touches the ball...
IF only we had a shooter like Pietrus that could come off of the bench and be that shooting assassin we would be seriosuly talking about a possible sweep rather than a 1-1 series...
Let's hope for us to steal one of the next two in Orlando and I like our chances...
The crazy part is that we are doing all of this mostly on LeBron's shoulders, God help the Magic if we can get Mo/Delonte and the bench to come around!
I thought he had a great game. Really looked like he wanted to win back a starting job, and looked like he was playing a lot more comfortabel than Mo and D-West. I thought Joe Smith had a decent game too, despite the foul problems.
Quote: I just don't believe they are demoralized at all, and I think you are telling yourself this to make yourself feel better about what has transpired over the last couple of games. Were they disappointed? I'm sure they were. Demoralized? Not a chance in hell. They know they are the better team RIGHT NOW, and they are going back home. Betcha anything, they are feeling pretty damn good about themselves.
X's2
The one thing I liked to hear was seconds after LbJ's shot and he was interviewed, he mentioned how as great of a feeling it was to get the game, there are a lot of things they need to get fixed right away... Wether or not his teammates will listen is a different story but he seems focused on patching up the holes...
It will be telling for us if we can go into their house carrying the euphoria from last night and take it convincingly!
the 2 biggest issue are our weak interior and our bench blows, really bad. I always thought sasha was probably one of the top 3-4 players on our team when he stayed focused..i'd like to see him on the floor alot more. he brings the ability to get to the rim, only west/lebron can do that, noone off the bench can, that will help with ball movement being able to drive/kick and then rotate the ball as needed. As much as everyone loves mo, myself included, i really think when it comes down to it West > Mo, West does just about everything above average to great. I wish mo would start finishing at the rim, defenses know by now that even when he breaks the D down and gets inside he's looking to pass he's got to put that pressure on. One thing i wouldn't mind seeing is D-block come in and get a few minutes with the bench group, sure he's a rook, but he's got a pretty solid mid-range jumper and he's got muscle on the block. Let's see what he can do.
Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we've learned something from yesterday. -John Wayne
Quote: Ok, thanks. Goes to show how much I follow the NBA.
I think my wife and I scared the living crap out of the two dogs and I think the baby just about kicked through my wife's stomach when we yelled after the shot.
Holy cow, me too. Except i've got three dogs. Baby kicked my wife though. When you due? We're october.
I have watched it over and over and over again!! I ALMOST went to that game but with the drive from NC, I could only stay for Game 1 instead... For those fortunate enough to be there, that moment will stay with you for life! I for one am very Jealous!
Quote: the looks on the orlando players' faces said enough. they thought they had that game in hand, so i do think they are hurting today. i think they aren't completely demoralized, but to have a 2-0 lead in your hand and have it ripped out has got to have an effect.
I just don't believe they are demoralized at all, and I think you are telling yourself this to make yourself feel better about what has transpired over the last couple of games. Were they disappointed? I'm sure they were. Demoralized? Not a chance in hell. They know they are the better team RIGHT NOW, and they are going back home. Betcha anything, they are feeling pretty damn good about themselves.
i said they weren't completely demoralized, but they are hurting.
so no, i am not telling that to myself to make me feel better. i'm not a typical cleveland fan.
Quote: I wonder if the kid that they showed the close up of while he was in disbelief as Orlando went up 2 is the same that was at court side and near Mo when The King hit the winner. He was then a spinnng, fist pumping in the air, 3 foot embodiment of pure bliss. Good for you kid....a memory for a lifetime. It is a privilege to watch LeBron play.
Yes that was the same kid, he was right behind Mo when he inbounded and after the shot he was actually standing on the court,I have a feeling he is the kid of someone who works for the Q or THE CAVS.
KING
You may be in the drivers seat but God is holding the map. #GMSTRONG
Not necessarily a Cleveland thing and not necessarily directed at you, but I am seeing a lot of fandom in this thread ... statements like "no way mo shoots that bad the whole series" ... "no way our bench plays this bad the whole game" ... just a bunch of blanket statements with no merit.
No one wants to acknowledge that Orlando is a bad matchup for the Cavs, and that fact has stood the test of time this entire season starting in the regular season and now into the playoffs.
I still think the Cavs can win and I'd say it's 51/49 they will ... only because they have LBJ. But they are being outcoached and outplayed up until this point. I've said this over and over again, but basketball is all about the matchups, and most matchups favor Orlando.
The Cavs need an above average big and a big scoring guard ... those are the missing elements. Look at the Cavs front line. It's pretty bad. Compare it to the rest of the remaining teams and without a doubt the Cavs front line would be ranked last of the 4.
I'm not saying they can't win it all or won't do it, but I don't think we can rest our laurels on the fact that guys won't continue to have bad games. They are having bad games because Orlando is a touch matchup.
LOL - The Rish will be upset with this news as well. KS just doesn't prioritize winning...
nobody is dodging the fact that orlando creates mismatches, it's been well documented on this board.
but to say that mo won't shoot as bad, or d west won't shoot as bad, that isn't a blanket statement, it's someone's opinion on the series, and i am one of those that think both can shoot better, and chances are at least one of them will.
basketball is about matchups, but not all about matchups. take a look at those bulls teams in the 90's. never a great big man. rodman was good defensively and on the boards, horace grant a little less good defensively but more offensively sound, but really the bulls were outmatched quite a few times.
this orlando team is horrible on defense, and sooner or later, that is going to catch up to them.
but you're also implying that if people say something that could favor the cavs, that it's automatic fandom...
are we supposed to say negative things and negative things only?
for all the mismatches people talk about, these teams are dead even. these games have been dead even (other than the cavs outplaying them vastly in the first half of both games)
orlando is a great road team, they were all year, but now i think the pressure will be on them. it was on the cavs, and now the pressure to keep homecourt is on them. the cavs are back in that underdog mode, and it's been quite some time since they've been there. if you don't think they will milk that for what it's worth...
also, turkoglu, as mentioned last night, it not nearly as good of a player and shooter at home as he is on the road.
i'll say it again, if we get games like this, even games decided in the final minute, seconds of these games, we're winning and there isn't a doubt in my mind about that. and that's not fandom. not even close.
but, Mo not continuing to shoot bad has little to do with the matchup...Alston has been covering him most of the time and he is not a good defender...Mo has missed open shots he normally hits. Unless he is hurt (seems like he is favoring his shoulder sometimes), then there is no reason he shouldn't shake out of his cold spell.
outside of that...
PG: Mo vs. Alston Edge: Cavs SG: Delonte vs. Pietrus (he plays crunchtime minutes) Edge: Even SF: LeBron vs. Turk Edge: Cavs PF: Rashard vs. AV Edge: Magic C: Dwight vs. Z Edge: Magic
Bench: Wally, Sasha, Joe, Ben vs. JJ, Lee, Gortat, AJ Edge: Magic
So, I don't think MOST matchups favor Orlando....I still think it is more of a style of play. Orlando knows they are never out of a game because they will eventually get hot from 3 and get right back in it when down. When they get hot early, they go up huge and it takes a lot of mental strength to keep at it knowing they will get cold for a stretch when you can make your run.
Also, the Cavs like playing inside-out on defense and against the Magic you almost have to play outside in...on defense, they are so tall/long that they can rotate quicker because they don't have to get as close to the shooters to affect their shots (especially against our shorter guards)
I'm originally from Akron but have lived in Orlando since I was 10. I'm 28 now. I love the Browns. I love the Magic (I didn't start liking basketball till I moved to Orlando, a childhood friend of mine got me hooked).
I'm indifferent about the Cavs - I want the city of Cleveland to have a winner but not at the expense of beating the Magic. I love the fact that King James is from Akron - maybe in 10-15 years I can say that the best basketball player ever came from Akron.
Simply put, the Magic are lucky to have taken Game 1 and the Cavs are lucky to have taken Game 2. The Magic can't play defense in the first half, the Cavs can't play defense in the second half. The series is coming to Orlando and I think the teams will split. There is no upper hand in this series right now.
the thing that scares me, is that mo has missed wide open looks. shots he has drained all year.
i know he's possibly hurt, but he's also in his first real emotional playoff series. but for us to beat orlando, he's gotta get goin. if it's just jitters/nervousness, that is one thing, but if there is an injury hindering him, that isn't good at all (and we will probably never know, unless they sit him)
the looks are there. we are just not taking advantage of them.
cavs gotta split these games in orlando, come back to c-town tied 2-2.
but after watching these first 2 games, how can anyone not think this has the makings of a 7 game set.
I was really excited last night, obviously, so I wanted to wait until today to post when I had a more level head lol....
We HAVE to play better defensively, period. This D is unacceptable. Also, LeBron needs to take the game over when Orlando begins to make a run. I hate Kobe, but Kobe would have never let that game come down to that shot last night...
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When you due? We're october.