Will the Magic get "physical" with the Lakers?

by lazNirv on Jun 2, 2009 7:59 PM EDT Comment 25 comments

I'm a Lakers fan who is trying to figure out the Magic. And I just started posting here so if it is in the wrong place let me know & I'll delete it.

Ever since the Lakers lost to the Celtics last year the conventional wisdom on how to beat them is to "out physical" them. By that I mean an extra grab, push or forearm shiver, etc. (oh yeah plus the KG growl & Kendick Perkins scowl)

Obviously every team has to establish post position, battle for rebounds & loose balls. To me that is just being athletic. But every team the Lakers have met in this playoffs has tried to get extra physical with them.

Some Examples:

Utah - tried with Boozer & Milsap but Memet Okur was hurt
Rockets - Artest tried to get physical with Kobe. Plus Scola cracked Odom on the head/face and grabbed his jersey trying to pull him down as he went to the hole. This is what preceded Fisher giving Scola the forearm that knocked him down and got Fisher suspended.
Denver - Kenyon Martin shoved Gasol to his butt and out of bounds just like Martin did to Dirk when they played Dallas.

Of course Howard is incredibly athletic and can have some sharp elbows at times (as can Kobe). But who on the Magic besides Dwight is most likely to bring the physical play (like Boston, Rockets) on defense? Or will they just try to be smarter, faster and longer and more athletic?

This FanPost was made by a member of the Orlando Pinstriped Post community, and is to be treated as the opinions and views of its author, not that of the blogger or blog community as a whole.

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Magic don't need to be physical against the Lakers.

.. Orlando just needs to continue to execute on both ends of the court. It’s really that simple. Nothing more to it.

I'm the other guy at Third Quarter Collapse, with a Twitter account.

"Never hate your enemies. It affects your judgement." - Michael Corleone

by erivera7 on Jun 2, 2009 8:32 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

They can't worry about trying to get physical, no. They're not a "physical" team, but that doesn't mean they're "soft," either.

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by Ben Q Rock on Jun 2, 2009 8:39 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Funny the Fisher/Scola thing reminds me of something else.........

Deron Williams did the exact same thing to Bynum in the first round. The difference is that Bynum just stood there and absorbed the blow and didn’t go crashing into the ground. Williams just got a regular foul. Moral of the story: Embellish the contact if you can.

Well, sir, you are a cowardly son of a bitch! You just shot an unarmed man!.......Well, he should have armed himself if he's going to decorate his saloon with my friend. – Will Munny

by pslakerfan on Jun 2, 2009 8:48 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

rafer will be slapping on command

by GoMagic on Jun 2, 2009 9:26 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

It's funny

I don’t deny that the Magic are quick, athletic, long, well coached, etc. You don’t get to the finals unless that is true. So we’ll see how that turns out. But like I said, this is the Lakers’ first series this year where the game plan didn’t include getting extra physical with them to disrupt their offense.

My biggest fear is the Lakers letting Howard get 20+ rebounds again. Arrgh!!

by lazNirv on Jun 2, 2009 10:10 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Doubt we'll be more physical than those other teams

Although I agree that getting physical with Kobe is probably a good way to slow him down a bit. Lee and Pietrus will actually need to be physical to stop Kobe from hitting those jumpshots, so I’m sure they’ll get tough. They can’t guard him like they do LeBron, where they basically let him shoot. I don’t see any other players changing their style of play much.

by CityShrimp on Jun 2, 2009 10:39 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Thanks

I will say Kobe does like to bang and is pretty damn tough for a guard / small forward (though not as tough as LeBron obviously). But the best bet is to try and beat him to his preferred spots on the floor.

Should be interesting!

by lazNirv on Jun 2, 2009 10:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yea, I just hope we’ll have as much success as Battier/Artest at guarding Kobe.

by CityShrimp on Jun 3, 2009 1:07 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

well, who doesn't like to bang? ;)

Libertarianism is just Anarchy for rich people

by Murcy on Jun 3, 2009 11:22 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Zing!

I'm the other guy at Third Quarter Collapse, with a Twitter account.

"Never hate your enemies. It affects your judgement." - Michael Corleone

by erivera7 on Jun 3, 2009 3:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

What would be more physical than Howard and Gortat on the floor at the same time.

The Surfdog

by Surfdog on Jun 3, 2009 2:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

.. not sure, but don't expect to see that combination on the floor much, if at all, in the finals.

I'm the other guy at Third Quarter Collapse, with a Twitter account.

"Never hate your enemies. It affects your judgement." - Michael Corleone

by erivera7 on Jun 3, 2009 3:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

One man: Anthony Johnson

lol

'Coach, Dwight is a nice guy. Dwight don't hit anybody. But Superman will knock the crap out of you.' - D12

by Eyriq the Red on Jun 3, 2009 6:25 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

hey,it's basketball. it should and will be physical,for both sides. but with the limit,of course

by Dzogi on Jun 3, 2009 12:00 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

-get physical! if you don't-you won't win.

-Stan Van Gundy

by Dzogi on Jun 3, 2009 1:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The Magic really arent a physical team overall, Dwight Howards pretty physical, Anthony Johnson for a PG…other then that they just play solid d and execute there offense

by ohc on Jun 4, 2009 2:21 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Exactly right.

I'm the other guy at Third Quarter Collapse, with a Twitter account.

"Never hate your enemies. It affects your judgement." - Michael Corleone

by erivera7 on Jun 4, 2009 2:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

yeah, maybe they’re athletic enough, quick enough & long enough to defend against the Lakers without getting “extra” physical. Ever since last year’s loss to Boston the conventional wisdom was the Lakers (especially Pau Gasol) are soft and the best way to beat them is to get in their heads with the extra forearm, etc.

Re-watching the regular season games the Magic seemed to crowd the Lakers on the perimeter more then most teams which I think was because they’re quick and if the Lakers did get by them then Howard was there patrolling the paint.

Should be a good series.

by lazNirv on Jun 4, 2009 3:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Should be a great series.

I can’t wait to watch it unfold.

I'm the other guy at Third Quarter Collapse, with a Twitter account.

"Never hate your enemies. It affects your judgement." - Michael Corleone

by erivera7 on Jun 4, 2009 4:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think they can get physical when they need to as evidenced by the Celtic series.

The Surfdog

by Surfdog on Jun 4, 2009 6:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I dont know how physical they got in the celtics series honestly

by ohc on Jun 5, 2009 12:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

That series was plenty physical.

The Surfdog

by Surfdog on Jun 5, 2009 11:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I thought it was physical, too.

.. that series was a grind for both teams.

I'm the other guy at Third Quarter Collapse, with a Twitter account.

"Never hate your enemies. It affects your judgement." - Michael Corleone

by erivera7 on Jun 6, 2009 12:10 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah the series was physical, I think any series or game boston plays in is physical…I thought they were the more physical team, and orlando fought through it and were the better team

by ohc on Jun 6, 2009 8:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs