Wow. Thoughts on Cavs-Magic Tonight?

[star18]

because you have a little Tony K on your side that's why.

[cons]

Jameer Nelson their best point guard has been out half the season, not exactly injury free.

This is a valid point.  Think how good the Magic would be with Nelson.  They are already clearly a very good team.

I think people really slept on the Magic through most of the playoffs and are just getting the news now: the Magic are contenders, and all indications point to them being even better in the future.

 I think the magic were kind of sleeping themselves. They didn't really attack the regular season. They have kind of a more laid back personality then either the cavs or the celtics. but they've been clutch lately and don't seem to get rattled.

[PosImpos]

They lost their all-star point guard for the season.

All he did was jack threes anyway.

He shot over 50% from the field this season (including 45.3% from 3PT) and averaged 16.7 points and 5.4 assists, while making the all-star team.  He certainly did more than "jack threes".

Not to mention he was one of the teams leaders.  Saying he just jacked threes makes him sound like Eddie House or (much worse) J.J. Redick.  The Magic lost a helluva lot more than a J.J. Redick when Nelson got injured.  To be fair, though, they have a starting-caliber point guard playing for them who they wouldn't have traded for had Nelson not been injured.  Their injury situation is much less severe in the sense that you have to measure the step down in Nelson's stats to Alston's stats as opposed to removing Nelson's contributions from the team equation entirely.

[waltzero]

5.4 assists in this NBA is nothing, and he's shoveling the ball to Howard for his garbage dunks. Rondo would have average 20 assists a game this playoffs with Howard.

I think Johnson is a heck of a backup.  He had some nice plays tonight.

Who knew he had anything left? I knew we should have signed 35 year old Walter.

[PosImpos]

Jameer Nelson their best point guard has been out half the season, not exactly injury free.

This is a valid point.  Think how good the Magic would be with Nelson.  They are already clearly a very good team.

I think people really slept on the Magic through most of the playoffs and are just getting the news now: the Magic are contenders, and all indications point to them being even better in the future.

 I think the magic were kind of sleeping themselves. They didn't really attack the regular season. They have kind of a more laid back personality then either the cavs or the celtics. but they've been clutch lately and don't seem to get rattled.

Yeah, you're right, a big part of it is definitely that the Magic have started to play with more intensity.  I think in a way getting past the Celtics made them realize they are legit contenders.  I don't think they collectively believed it before that.  Also, coming back and winning two series after losing heart-wrenching games on buzzer beaters has made them a much more mentally-steeled and confident team.  

The Magic at the beginning of the playoffs were a significantly different team than the Magic team playing now.

[waltzero]

I think the magic were kind of sleeping themselves. They didn't really attack the regular season. They have kind of a more laid back personality then either the cavs or the celtics. but they've been clutch lately and don't seem to get rattled.

Definitely, they woke up when they realized how beat up and broke down the C's were.

[PosImpos]

I think the magic were kind of sleeping themselves. They didn't really attack the regular season. They have kind of a more laid back personality then either the cavs or the celtics. but they've been clutch lately and don't seem to get rattled.

Definitely, they woke up when they realized how beat up and broke down the C's were.

They didn't even really wake up then, though.  They let the C's take them to 7 games when obviously if they were playing like they are now, it wouldn't have gone that long (I love the Celtics, but I think that's a fair assessment).

I think the Magic really stepped it up after they beat the defending champion Celtics.

[SquishPCfriar]

There is no way in hell Lebron should have gotten that call driving to the hoop with 5 seconds left and tripping over himself.  That is NBA officiating right there at its best.

[cons]

yeah, i think they definitely got confidence after beating us. I'm sure to them it didn't matter KG wasn't playing. We had them, up 10 in game 6. now, they're going to be tougher for everyone to beat.

[Smitty77]

Roy,

Jameer is a VERY average defender who is undersized in terms of heighth.  He was a very marginal All-Star to say the least (as is Mo Williams as well!!!).  He was averaging 5.4 assists and was replaced by a guy that started all 48 games for a Western Conf. contender that was also averaging 5.4 assists.  Please, let's stop being quite so dramatic.  I am so tired of almost everyone blowing up Nelson's GREAT loss and comparing it to us losing KG.  (I am NOT saying that you are guilty of that exactly, just of a little exaggeration when it comes to Jameer, that's all.)

Smitty77

[Roy Hobbs]

Roy,

Jameer is a VERY average defender who is undersized in terms of heighth.  He was a very marginal All-Star to say the least (as is Mo Williams as well!!!).  He was averaging 5.4 assists and was replaced by a guy that started all 48 games for a Western Conf. contender that was also averaging 5.4 assists.  Please, let's stop being quite so dramatic.  I am so tired of almost everyone blowing up Nelson's GREAT loss and comparing it to us losing KG.  (I am NOT saying that you are guilty of that exactly, just of a little exaggeration when it comes to Jameer, that's all.)

Smitty77

I'm assuming that you wouldn't agree that:

1) The Magic were "injury free" this year; or

2) Jameer contributes nothing other than "jacking threes"?

Those are the statements I was disagreeing with.  His loss wasn't as big as our loss of KG, but it wasn't irrelevant, either.

As for Jameer, he was the most efficient PG in the entire NBA this year (in terms of shooting), and he was a starter on the #1 defense on the league.  A lot of people are downplaying his contributions, and that seems silly to me.

[threats13]

was it just me or were the refs afraid to call fouls on Lebron and Dwight tonight late in the game.  It seemed like a few times they copped out and picked the player closest to the play.  One specific time Lebron and Dwight were jostlin each over for the rock and Rashard was nearby playing defense and he got the foul.

Just thought these refs were too influenced by players and coaches jabbin constantly at them.

[ACF]

My thoughts:
The refs will have to work hard to
make sure the Cavs make the Finals.

[star18]

Lebron is 56-110 FG this series. That's 50%, what is so great about that.   Let KG shoot 110 times in 4 games, see what his numbers are like.

[tenn_smoothie]

Orlando played championship basketball in game 4 tonite. i was impressed.

i would say they are playing even better than they were against the Celts.  plus, i'd say Boston got in the trenches with them and matched their intensity in a way that Cleveland is not doing.

the Magic are very strong defensively plus have more firepower right now than we had this playoff season.