After Sunday's Results, Orlando Magic Control Homecourt Advantage Destiny
by Evan Dunlap on Apr 12, 2010 1:24 AM EDT
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The Orlando Magic's win against the Cleveland Cavaliers, coupled with the L.A. Lakers' loss to the Portland Trail Blazers, gives the Magic the inside track to homecourt advantage in the NBA Finals, should they make it that far. Orlando controls its own destiny: if it wins the remaining two games on its schedule, it will own homecourt advantage against any potential NBA Finals foe, regardless of what L.A. does to finish its season. That's quite the coup, as the Lakers held a three-game edge just one week ago, but are stumbling toward the finish line.
Orlando leads L.A. by one game in the loss column, which is huge. As we've covered here lately, and as I'm sure Magic coach Stan Van Gundy has mentioned to his team, the Lakers will have homecourt advantage if they finish with the same record as the Magic. The power, however, has shifted out of the Lakers' hands; if Orlando wins out, there's nothing they can do.
For more on the Blazers/Lakers game, which featured a wild final minute, check the coverage at Blazersedge and Silver Screen and Roll.
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Speaking of Silver Screen and Roll
I checked out their write up about the game, and they have a poll about how their fans expect the Lakers to preform in the playoffs. Hilariously more people have voted that they’ll lose in the first round than people who have said they’ll win it all.
I’m not sure they’ll lose, but I expect it’ll be a lot closer than many are suggesting in their opening round match-ups.
by BlueSkyOneCloud on Apr 12, 2010 3:10 AM EDT reply actions
Lol I saw that
What a bunch of “fans” huh. I suspect people other than fans voted. Bc I voted too. I voted the would get knocked out in the WCF. Lol.
I'm a girl too.
by GoMagicGo on Apr 12, 2010 4:57 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Oh wow, look at that article
I can’t imagine Eddy or Ben writing like that. It was like my high school friend telling me a story
Silver Screen and Roll?
I actually dig Dex Fishmore’s style. Irreverent, funny, but also insightful and on-point.
If more people in the blogosphere wrote like him, I believe we’d be better off.
I don’t get the poll though. Either they lose in the first round or they win the title. Must be the discrepancy between non Laker fans and Laker fans voting. Oh the joys of being a polarizing team.
"Where do you go from here, Dion?" "I go to Toronto."
Spreading that Calgary Flames, Montreal Expos, The U, and Orlando Magic love.
I think part of it is the expectations that come with being in LA
The Lakers are really California’s team until Golden State, Sacto, or the Clips decide to compete. A market like they’ve got can turn poisonous on them quickly if expectations are not being met. They’re the defending champs, then they come out hot this year, then they suddenly come back to earth after the all star break, and now they’re losing home court to Cleveland AND Orlando, who they beat fairly convincingly (they think) in the finals last year.
My 3 yr old's Teacher: Is he yelling white power?
My Wife: No, he's yelling Dwight Howard.
Btw they came out hot cause the NBA thought to do them a favor early on by getting a cake home sched. Obviously that was a bad idea for them, I was reading on another blog that of all the contenders…they have played more playoff teams in the last month. That’s just brutal.
"Where do you go from here, Dion?" "I go to Toronto."
Spreading that Calgary Flames, Montreal Expos, The U, and Orlando Magic love.
Huge
Home court will be huge in the Finals but we have to win the games on our home court, we’re just 1 and 4 at the O-Rena during the Finals. That said I think this is the best team to don Magic jerseys.
My name is Sam and I believe in Magic!
by The Magic Man on Apr 12, 2010 3:34 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
Your photo selections are always great.
Except puttin’ LeBron in that OPP birthday thread.
some times I imagine this team with VC & J-Will at their prime...
I wasn't too happy with how Vince played yesterday
I just hope he had the mentality of protecting himself for the postseason. It doesn’t make sense to penetrate only to get injured in the waning moments of the season, but I don’t know if it’s just that.
He plays very bad when not playing at home, so it’s a mental issue, again. Looking very tentative when shooting, he HAS to have that swagger, that positive “arrogance” in himself if he’s to play good, and he sometimes doesn’t have it, and looks like a role player.
He has to think of himself as a superstar to take over games, like he did in the New Orleans game when he scored 48. If you were looking at his face, his body language, you could’ve seen easily the “positive arrogance” that I was talking about. Whenever he doesn’t have that (and he rarely hasn’t while playing for the Raptors and the Nets), he plays bad. This is of paramount importance and can’t be said enough about it when it comes to Vince.
Whenever he takes a shot and he doesn’t have that swagger, you’ll see him almost “shaking” in his shot, basically what happened in January. He needs to have that superiority swagger in order to play well.
Not worried about it in the least. Seeing Vince in the playoffs is a privilege and an honor.
I honestly think it would be better to just rest him and start J.J. Vince is saving everything for the playoffs – his body, his focus, his anger – why not just sit? BTW there’s nothing better than an angry Vince. It’s scary good.
The real "Masters of Panic" are commenting on this blog.
by ben_gleicher on Apr 12, 2010 1:15 PM EDT up reply actions
Vince will be fine, hopefully...
The thing I love most about this team is that we don’t rely on just one guy. If Howard falls in foul trouble, like he did in the first half yesterday, we can still win. If Vince has on off shooting night we still have a chance to pull it out. If the starters don’t play well we’re still liable to have three guys off the bench score 10+; between Peaches, Anderson (who we should have a good nickname for by now), Reddick, Jwill and Gortat we have 5 real options.
Todays game somewhat reminded me of both games one and two from last years Eastern Conference Finals. We fell behind before we started to move the ball side to side and hitting our long distance shooting. Then a comeback before a near, game 1, collapse, game 2.
My name is Sam and I believe in Magic!
by The Magic Man on Apr 12, 2010 4:54 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
I think they call Ryan Anderson rhino.
But I think we should come up with something better than that. I think rhino was another players nickname. We don’t need anymore “superman” incidents.
I'm a girl too.
by GoMagicGo on Apr 12, 2010 5:01 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
borrowed this from another board..
how bout Vanilla Thryce
by INTOTHEMEATGRINDER on Apr 12, 2010 6:05 AM EDT up reply actions
To go with White Chocolate, LOL
My 3 yr old's Teacher: Is he yelling white power?
My Wife: No, he's yelling Dwight Howard.
Craig Smith is Rhino
He’s only been with the Timberwolves and Clippers, though, so nobody’s really heard of him ;)
"When you make your final stand
I'll be right there
I'll never leave
And all I ask of you is
Believe"
How about "White Rhino"
- It’s the best type of rhinoceros.
- Ryan is as white as they come.
- It’s a play on the name Ryan.
The real "Masters of Panic" are commenting on this blog.
by ben_gleicher on Apr 12, 2010 1:17 PM EDT up reply actions
I'm also happy OKC lost yesterday.
I hope they’ll play LA in the first round. People say they’re too young for the playoffs but it would be one of the best upsets if they manage to pull that off. Still, things gonna change, everyone is tied in the West.
some times I imagine this team with VC & J-Will at their prime...
They have the defense, they have the Durantula, they have the energy... I would love that matchup
The real "Masters of Panic" are commenting on this blog.
by ben_gleicher on Apr 12, 2010 1:18 PM EDT up reply actions
Good things come to those who deserve it.
That’s about all I have to say on the matter. And…that we’d better beat IND and PHI.
"Where do you go from here, Dion?" "I go to Toronto."
Spreading that Calgary Flames, Montreal Expos, The U, and Orlando Magic love.
This Indiana back-to-back game is going to be difficult.
They can be really pesky, and they seem determined to get the worst draft pick possible by winning out the season.
The intensity has to go up, up! Not down...UP! -Stan Van Gundy
determined to not get the worst draft pick by winning out?
"Where do you go from here, Dion?" "I go to Toronto."
Spreading that Calgary Flames, Montreal Expos, The U, and Orlando Magic love.
Goodness they are pesky.
Why the heck are they still trying?! I mean I guess they should be commended for their efforts but seriously?! They’re only dooming themselves!
I'm a girl too.
He had it right.
Get the worst pick possible amongst lottery teams by having the best record of the non-playoff teams.
NBA Championship or bust in '09-10!!!! GO MAGIC!!!!
Lol. Got it. Worst pick possible as in the end of the lottery. In other words, guarantee that, of the lottery teams, you have absolutely zero chance to land John Wall.
"Where do you go from here, Dion?" "I go to Toronto."
Spreading that Calgary Flames, Montreal Expos, The U, and Orlando Magic love.
Yep basically.
By winning more and getting the best (as opposed to the worst, a la the nets) record they get less tickets in the lottery so to speak. The team with the worst record gets the most “lottery tickets”.
I'm a girl too.
I was right about the wording, but wrong in my facts. I forgot to take into account that there are 4 non-playoff teams with better records than Indiana.
Whoever loses out in the battle for the 8 seed in the East, as well as Houston, Memphis and New Orleans. So that means there are 10 other teams with worse records (and more ping pong balls) amongst the lottery teams.
NBA Championship or bust in '09-10!!!! GO MAGIC!!!!
Winning out give them a worse chance in the lottery
and/or a worse (higher numbered) pick. The seem determined to get the worse pick by winning end of year games.
"Loose ball foul on whatever the hell his name is." - Joey Crawford calling a foul on Stojko Vrankovic
The only way to stop LeBron is Smith and Wesson, but even that's a double team.
by NC Magic Fan on Apr 12, 2010 11:30 AM EDT reply actions
They're proving that they're bad but not the worst I guess?
Like the dang Nets having to win more than 9 times this year. Couldn’t be the worst ever, just had be averagely bawful.
I'm a girl too.
yeah that’s what i was thinking…doesn’t winning out give them a worse lottery chance? oh well, to each his own…
"Where do you go from here, Dion?" "I go to Toronto."
Spreading that Calgary Flames, Montreal Expos, The U, and Orlando Magic love.
The team with the best chance to have the best pick in the draft is the team with the worst record, and vice versa, the team with the best record among the lottery teams is pretty much a lock to get the last pick in the lottery, hence the worst pick.
NBA Championship or bust in '09-10!!!! GO MAGIC!!!!
I'm glad Indiana is still trying. Most lottery teams make you want to gouge your eyes out in March/April.
Indiana is showing some real fight, and that’s commendable. Good for the league too.
The real "Masters of Panic" are commenting on this blog.
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