Off-Day Open Thread: Keys To Game 7

Echoing a lot of what was said above…

Orlando knows it can win in Boston and the team knows it can win this series. The Magic have done everything right this postseason even when their shots are not falling.

The big questions are going to be: can Orlando play hard, strong team defense for 48 minutes and how will the team react with its back against the wall? The Magic showed they can do both of those things in Game Six, but doing it on the road will be different.

This blog has devoted a lot of time and effort to “execution” this series and that is what it will come down. The Magic know they can beat this team. They just have to go out with energy and do it.

I made a fanpost on this just a second ago, but i’ll repeat a little bit here :)

Dwight needs to stay focused on rebounding, particularly on the offensive end. Thats the best way he can make an impact on the game. If he gets too involved with the offense, and starts hoisting up hook shots, its not going to be a good thing.

Defense. The Magic really seemed to figure out the Celtics on the defensive end on Thursday. We held them to 29 second half points, and that was including a brief flurry shots by Pierce late in the fourth.

Redick. 3 for his last 25. SVG has got to give him the red light if he starts missing early. Leave him in for his D on Allen if need be, but as much as I like the guy, he’s been killing possessions with missed shots.

Lee, Pietrus, Hedo, Lew, and Howard as much as possible. The defense with that group has been flat out awesome.

Keep ’em coming.

Keep Rondo outside and make him settle for jumpshots

Continue guarding Ray Allen out of the game

Get Dwight to crash the offensive boards

Have Rashard take his man from the outside in from the dribble

All these have worked to good effect so far. It’s when we’ve been in dereliction of these duties is when Boston have found a way back in the game.

Admittedly, it’s a big ask to do everything to the letter, but we have the initiative and momentum here. One big performance and we’ve got ourselves a great series matchup with the Cavs and our best chance at reaching The Finals. I’m just very confident that should we dispose of Boston in this game 7, we’ll take the Cavs in 5 or 6. They just do not matchup well with us anywhere on the floor.

magic just have to come out,have fun and play their game,aggressively as possible,though,and that’s about it.
attack celtics from all positions,post & perimeter,play rough defense as we can,and enjoy it.
they aren’t expecting us to come light-hearted,so that could be our secret weapon.
surprise them. pressure is on them,anyway,and this is kind of gain only situation for us.
our speciality, in other words.

They won’t choke in game 7, so we are going to have to play much better.

The biggest factor for the Magic will be getting to the foul line, and making them! We need to shoot them much better than we did in game 6, and we need to get their thin front line in foul trouble.

We need to play through Dwight much more than we have been, both on the pick n’ rolls and on the in and outs. When this works our three point shooting is at its best.

If this doesn’t work than we need to go to Shard in the left block. This is effective offense to an extent but no where near as potent as when we are playing through Dwight. Having to rely on Shard in the post means we are in a grind it out game; I’m hoping instead for an old school shootout (old school as in pre-playoffs Magic offense, lol)

you have a great blog and some really good posters…this has been a good series and i hope game 7 follows suit. here is a look from the C’s side that really concern me:

1. the game comes down to whichever point guard hits shots when they double off of them…rondo and alston….whover can get jumpers/lay ups to drop will help huge

2. it will also be interesting to see if orlando is wide eyed by the pressure of a game 7 on the road and if boston has any energy they can SUSTAIN after the early game mojo runs its course

3. ray allen….he makes shots…boston wins…he struggles again…it will be a tough night for the C’s…same for Hedo

4. and as usual…foul trouble…boston can’t afford to get into it like game 6

5. stupid turnovers…boston had 22 thursday night…that CANNOT happen again

6. Orlando has to go to lewis ASAP…boston has zero answer for him…seems they go to him early and then forget him late

7. boston needs bench production…20 points or more…and orlando needs to play lee more…see zero reason why redick is still starting…lee needs to play the entire game if needed.

8. if orlando gets a lead can they finally knock boston out.? and can boston come out from the beginning with energy and keep going? boston cannot afford to get behind early and count on a 33 point 4th quarter

9. finally…if boston plays orlando’s game then they are done…boston has a tendency to fall in love with the jumper…in games 1, 3 and 5 they stopped driving the hoop and starting jacking up long jumpers….which lead to easy run outs for the magic…rondo needs to go the bucket…pierce needs to go to the bucket…if they are early on that is a good sign for the Cs…if they are not…then orlando has won an important battle

good luck again and if you guys win then i hope you knock queen james and the cavs out too

There’s no way I expect anything like that in Game 7, especially with Game 7 being in Boston.

Nevertheless, the Magic still have to be aggressive on offense and draw fouls against the Celtics.

The Magic will need to shoot much better from the free throw line than the 55% they shot in Game 6.

Our Big 3 needs to be focused and productive.
If D12, Shard and Hedo are ‘ON’ we have a chance.

If either of those guys have an off night, its season over.

1) Lewis and Hedo posting up Baby and Pierce the first whistle…..foul trouble will through them both off their game and get our guys comfortable early…taking the pressure off. Both are excellent free thow shooters as well , so this should improve our percentage. Boston will most likely get the majority of the calls in this game but we can’t let up offensively eventually Baby and Peirce we be in foul trouble and will have to sit. Paul Pierce not getting hot early is IMPERATIVE in this Game 7!!

2) Dwight crashing the offensive glass when Hedo and Lewis post just like he did in Game 6. Even if Lewis and Hedo are fouled and it’s not called Dwight can be there to convert like he does best. Him attacking the offensive glass is VITAL because he won’t get any foul call trying to post Perkins one on one. Perkins will have no choice but to foul him if he’s under the basket getting ready for a crowd silencing dunk!!

3) Tell JJ to save his energy from shooting and just use it to STAY ON RAY!! Jesus Shuttleworth is the single biggest X factor in this game…if he breaks out…and i don’t mean 15-20 point….it’s over. Ray nailing bombs in game 7 will ignite Boston into a frenzy..Rondo will start going insane off the dribble, Pierce will be flopping all over the place and jumping into defenders to get to the freebie line, Eddie House will be looking to get bitch slapped by anyone, Scalabrine will be blocking Rashard’s fadaway, Baby will be thinking he’s KG nailing 18 footers all over the place, Perkins will be doing the Patrick Ewing to Dwight….oh and Starbury will probably hit 4 3 pointers in a row!! WE CANNOT LET RAY ALLEN GET OFF IN GAME 7!!

 Three simple things….and we will never hear Boston talk about their impressive record in anything again…let’s do it boys!!:)

Due to the weight of historic accomplishment in Celtic past, it’s tough for a modern era Celtic team to match the respect given the teams from the 9 of 11 title years. But I have found that last year and this year, way way more so than the Bird era, people hold up the recent team’s performance to the legends. Interestingly, this point is not the same ‘apples and oranges’ tip we have often heard to excuse the inapt comparison: “back then there were only 8-12 teams and played 72 reg games and only two rounds to win it! No wonder they won so many! Today they play 82 and go four rounds” but rather a new comparison: “toughness under adversity, finding a way to win, season after season”
Here’s hoping this ‘historic perspective’ proves true…

We fired Lucky the Leprechaun earlier this year. Crossing fingers…