Orlando Magic 113, Boston Celtics 92
by Evan Dunlap on May 27, 2010 12:39 AM EDT
in 2009/2010 Recaps
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The Orlando Magic once again rode Jameer Nelson and Dwight Howard to victory, staving off elimination in the Eastern Conference Finals with an impressive 113-92 defeat of the Boston Celtics in a bizarre, physical game with plenty of ancillary storylines. Nelson scored a game-high 24 points on 88.8% True Shooting and dished 5 assists to lead Orlando's offense, while Dwight Howard contributed 8 defensive rebounds, 2 steals, and 5 blocked shots to lead the way for Orlando defensively; he also scored 21 points and grabbed 2 offensive boards. Some bizarre events depleted Boston's bench: starting center Kendrick Perkins, arguably the best "Howard-stopper" in the league, earned an ejection late in the first half for two iffy technical fouls and faces a suspension for Game 6 unless the league rescinds one or both of the technicals; Glen Davis, a key reserve big man, caught an elbow from Howard trying to defend him and became concussed; and backup swingman Marquis Daniels had to leave after bumping his head into Magic center Marcin Gortat's chest and picking up a concussion of his own. And though backup center Rasheed Wallace, who led Boston with 21 points on 97.6% True Shooting, left via a disqualification for 6 personal fouls, he had to retreat to the locker room for treatment of back spasms afterward. These occurrences threaten to overshadow what stands as one of Orlando's best playoff performances in the Stan Van Gundy era, as it scored a monstrous 113 points on just 85 possessions thanks to a 13-of-25 showing from three-point range. Improbably, given where this series stood just 3 days ago, the Magic can knot the whole thing up at 3 games apiece on Friday night at Boston's TD Garden.
| Team | Pace | Efficiency | eFG% | FT Rate | OReb% | TO Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Celtics | 88 | 105.1 | 47.9% | 31.9 | 10.8 | 11.4 |
| Magic | 85 | 133.2 | 61.6% | 40.6 | 31.3 | 16.5 |
| Green denotes a stat better than the team's regular-season average; red denotes a stat worse than the team's regular-season average. | ||||||
The way the Magic played tonight and in Game 4 certainly makes one wonder where the heck they were in the first three games. Nelson's the sparkplug, as he has to be. It's as though a lightbulb flashed on above his noggin, as he's clearly figured out how to attack Boston's defense. Though Nelson is traditionally a halfcourt-oriented, pick-and-roll point guard, he has shifted into a different mode in this series, and is instead pushing the tempo aggressively whenever possible. On two occasions tonight, for example, he grabbed a defensive rebound, dribbled the length of the court, and converted a layup attempt in heavy traffic as the Celtics' defense kept scrambling. He isn't content to walk the ball up and run a halfcourt set. No, he's getting the ball and making things happen with it, usually by dribbling into the paint for either a kickout or a shot attempt. He's not turning the corner on the pick-and-roll and picking up his dribble, looking for the open man. No, his dribble is live, his improvisation skills high, and his swag phenomenal. He has Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo on his heels. If he keeps playing this way, Orlando will be in great shape come Friday night.
So Nelson is part of Orlando's common denominator in its wins this series. Another has been hot starts. Nelson fueled a 31-point Orlando first quarter with 7 points and 4 assists, with 3 of those assists going to three-point shooters. Count Nelson's own trey among that group and Nelson's play directly led to 4 of Orlando's 5 first-period triples, and 18 of its points.
But it's not just Nelson. Howard's energy and effort level, on both ends of the court, appeared to stir his teammates. Though media types often call Howard's leadership and demeanor into question, he does not get enough credit for the way his hard play can inspire his teammates. I don't like to play pop-psychologist, OK, but I do get the distinct feeling that Mickael Pietrus wouldn't have managed to swat a three-point attempt by Paul Pierce at the 5:22 mark of the second quarter, and subsequently save the ball to Howard, had Howard not already blocked 5 shots of his own, many of them in spectacular fashion, including a "chase-down" rejection of a Rondo layup attempt after Rondo assumed Howard was out of the picture.
This game was a bit closer than the score might make it seem, however. For all its three-point bombs, Orlando led by just 8 points at halftime and 9 points at the end of three quarters. And for one stretch in the third quarter, it appeared as though the Magic had lost their legs, and that Boston was taking advantage. For example, Howard dumped in a tough righty hook after Matt Barnes' lost handle found its way into his hands. On the possession before that, the Magic had just 5 seconds to shoot after inbounding the ball under the Celtics' basket. The inbounds pass sailed over Nelson's head and cost him precious time, so he had to heave a deep three-pointer over Rondo in order to beat the shot clock. Which he did, giving Orlando a 74-65 lead. Good plays, and scores, but nothing sustainable. Boston could have made a run here.
But let me get back to the start of the fourth, where an unlikely hero emerged for Orlando. Rashard Lewis, he of the--yes, this figure again--$118 million contract and 7 points per game average in this series, carried the offense to start the fourth quarter and kept the lead from evaporating with the second unit in the game. On the Magic's first possession of the fourth, the ball swung to him on the right wing. He had enough time to square and shoot the three, but instead he put the ball on the floor with his left hand, attacked the basket, and floated the ball in. On the next trip, he drew a foul on Daniels and split the pair of three throws. After a few empty possessions for both teams, he again posted up, turned, faced, and sank a tough shot from the left baseline. The same thing happened on the next possession, giving Orlando a 91-78 lead at he 8:59 mark and prompting Celtics coach Doc Rivers to call timeout immediately. Lewis' 7 quick points gave Orlando some breathing room as its four other starters got some rest.
Really, it's tough to single out a Magic player as having a poor game. Trust me, Vince Carter's 8-point, 3-of-10 shooting line doesn't look good, but he played much better than that, with his aggressive drives to open the second half particularly standing out. And though a series of mistakes on both ends of the floor in the waning moments of the first half harms his overall impression, Brandon Bass' activity and engagement tonight really made an impact. What stands out the most, to me, was the lob he threw to Howard for an emphatic slam in the second period. Bass had elevated from the left baseline to shoot, but saw Howard available underneath and instead flung a line-drive to the front of the rim for Howard to flush cleanly. Bass isn't exactly known as a ball-mover, but he indeed displayed good awareness on that play, to say nothing of the excellent pass he threw. But both he and Gortat have to improve their defense on Wallace. They can't afford to leave him open, as they did on numerous occasions tonight. And Gortat has to cut the silly fouling from his routine. He gifted Wallace 4 points at the charity stripe by hacking him away from the ball with Orlando in the penalty.
So the series moves back to Boston, but despite the fact that the Celtics have dropped two straight, I don't buy the idea that they're feeling the pressure. I'll shamelessly quote myself from after Game 5 of the 2009 Eastern Conference Finals, in which the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Magic to cut Orlando's series lead to 3-2:
The Cavs laid it all on the line tonight, as they had to, and for that you doff your cap. With that said, do not buy the line that the pressure is on the Magic to win Game 6, because they want to avoid a Game 7 in Cleveland. The latter part of the statement is true--they wanted to avoid a Game 7 tonight--but the former is not. The Cavaliers cannot afford to lose again this season. The pressure is still on them to win, and it really is that simple.
That line made SportsCenter, incidentally.
No, the pressure is still on Orlando, which cannot lose a game. The good news is that the Magic have historically delivered when they needed to under Van Gundy, with Game 3 of this series providing a notable exception to that rule. With Nelson and Howard dialed in like this, and role-players like Barnes (9 points) and J.J. Redick (14 points in 22 bench minutes) chipping in, they'll be in good shape. But don't expect Boston to lie down, either.
What we have now is a bit of a series, right?
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Celtics fans blaming the loss all on the referees
With offensive stats like we had plus a huge rebound advantage I would think that there are more obvious glaring issues for their loss.
Me Against The World And I'm Winning
Congrats on the high-five, Ben
And congrats on the big win, Magic. It’s a good feeling tonight, but I’ll be right back in Anxiety Mode come Friday.
They call me Curmudgeon McMiserly.
I'm a guy.
by Sir Lawrence J on May 27, 2010 12:55 AM EDT reply actions
I've been waiting all series for a write-up like his !!!!!!
That was one crazy good game ! I only expect this team to be even better in the next game. Please guys talk about the positive things ! Don’t start killing VC after this WIN and leave Bass in peace, even the fact that RA didn’t play. Let’s show some support to the team and to ourselves as fans and just wait to see what game 6. Sorry to sound corny but WTF we deserve it. High-five !
Time to get that finger bling-bling
Don't mind my spelling. I'm a Typo Master.
I’m not blaming this on the refs. The Magic are finally showing up and you have to credit them for that. I would like to see Howard suspended for game 6 but I know it won’t happen. That man throws so many dirty elbows it’s just unfrigginbelievable. The NBA: Where Nursing Your Superstars Happens.
Oh, well. It’ll all be over on Friday.
by Amager Celtic Fan on May 27, 2010 12:58 AM EDT reply actions
KG, is that you?
Can I get your autograph?
by jackhammerslam on May 27, 2010 1:03 AM EDT up reply actions
What man ? The man you've been playing dirty all series long ?
Time to get that finger bling-bling
Don't mind my spelling. I'm a Typo Master.
Yeah, Dwight gets fouled by Nate Robinson and his elbow comes down on the guy crowding him.
Sorry, there is no suspension for that. Perkins didn’t deserve at the very least the 2nd tech, but no Celtic or Celtic fan has any ground to stand on about “dirty” play when the Celtics are known around the league as the dirtiest team in the NBA currently. How about Pierce just two-handed shoving JJ after a foul into the crowd? That was fun too.
I love LeBron. No really, I love Jameer.
Tell me this is unintentional
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WF583VAogjA
There’s dirty hard and then there’s dirty dangerous. That play belongs in the latter category. As long as Stern doesn’t come hard down on plays like that, Howard will keep doing it. It’s sad, really.
I guess we just have to figure out who we don’t need in game 6 and then let that player deck Howard. I’m talking clothesline, McHale-on-Rambis style.
by Amager Celtic Fan on May 27, 2010 12:06 PM EDT up reply actions
Not unintentional, but it looks like Pierce was hurt more by Pietrus than by what Howard did.
Magic Fan since the 1992-1993 Season.
Caracas, Venezuela.
by North of the South on May 27, 2010 12:10 PM EDT up reply actions
I don't know what your talkin about...
…just a good, hard, playoff foul.
I wouldn’t even call that a flagrant because he went after the ball.
NBA just got softer than college basketball with all the floping and acting.
Ten years ago that is exactly how you were supposed to foul in the playoffs. And nobody said it was dirty, just hard.
Feed the cutter!!!
by Piotr Szczesniak on May 27, 2010 2:31 PM EDT up reply actions
Yeah, good luck with that
Assuming everything holds up, Perkins, Davis, & maybe Daniels won’t be playing, so it seems like the Celtics don’t have anybody to spare to do that. I’m not sure Scalabrine is actually strong enough to do a lot of damage.
With that said, I fully expect Perkins to play (at least one of those techs should be rescinded), and I hope Davis will be fit enough to play. I’m guessing, at least basketball-wise, you don’t care if Daniels is fit to play or not.
Even though the Hippopotamus lacks a stinger for a tail, a truly wise man would rather be sat on by a bee. ~ Banacek
by funny80sguy on May 27, 2010 12:19 PM EDT up reply actions
Go ahead and find allllll of the videos on fouls of Dwight.
People grabbing his arms while he’s jumping up in the air, wrapping him up around the neck, pulling down on him while he’s in the air, etc. etc. etc.
Pierce himself said it was a hard playoff foul, it’s what YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO DO. He made sure Pierce didn’t get a shot off, and I’m sorry if Pierce writhing on the court for 5 minutes like he was shot only to walk up and calmly sink 2 FT’s after that makes it look worse. Really, Pierce is in Vince Carter territory at making any small possibly injury look like a potential season-ending one and he doesn’t get killed nearly as much as Vince does for it. Your boy Bill Simmons hates on Vince so much for it, but doesn’t ever seem to say anything about Pierce. Hmmm.
I love LeBron. No really, I love Jameer.
Yeah, you are right! (it’s actually over NOW)for the Flopping, drama-Queens of boston!!!lol…..as I stated yesterday, here on this site, "the celtics are not getting any younger, there bodies are beginning to let them DOWN!!!(it’s really that SIMPLE).OUR TEAM has adjusted to the rhythm/style of play of the celtics, OUR defense has stepped UP, the 3’s are falling again, and the BENCH is contributing, Dwight and Jameer are LEADING the way, Playing MAGIC basketball!!! “the celtics are in trouble”, you can look into their eyes and see that they know that they have awaken the proverbial"Sleeping GIANT"….“it’s ON now” GO MAGIC!!!!!!!!!!!
Big problem for game 6
I won’t be able to watch it, I have soccer.
SERIOUS DRAMAS
Good game tonight. I still think Bass is a liability on defense – the fact Gortat’s not any better is about the only reason I don’t mind seeing Bass in the game. Howard, Nelson and Redick can all have pats on the back – Lewis would have had a better game but for the foul trouble.
All we need now is a decent effort out of Carter at some point this series.
One. More. Win.
Woah, Wait...
I have to disagree with that.. Bass is decent on “D”. You seem to forget that offensively, he can shoot mid-range. and he can help Howard on boards. He also alters some shots, so…
He's our worst rebounding option at backup PF by a substantial margin.
Much worse than Anderson, much worse than Gortat… better than Lewis, but just barely.
He’s a decent mid-range shooter, but mid-range shots are inherently inefficient — they’re barely more accurate than threes, only worth 2 points, and rarely lead to free throws. Moreover, mid-range shooting at PF tends not to keep the opponent from double-teaming Howard the way three-point shooting does. (See Bass this year — or Tony Battie last year.)
And his defense… well, Gortat is a better defender. He may not be a PRACTICALLY better defender, because he’s out of position at the 4. But while Bass is a solid (if undersized) man-to-man guy, he’s been missing assignments and rotations, getting out of position all season, and tonight was no exception. He’s the most mistake-prone defender we have… not the worst (that would be… Williams?), but the most mistake-prone.
The Magic's total second-round margin of victory: 101 points.
The Hawks' highest second-round game score: 98 points.
He really isn't good on D
He’s lost on rotations, his help defense is awful and he consistently loses his man collapsing unnecessarily on drivers.
His one on one defense is OK considering, but apart from on the rare occassions the Celtics post up Garnett, he doesn’t get to use it. He’s got the worst rebounding rate of any of our forwards apart from Lewis (worse than both Anderson and Gortat) and sure, he’s got a good midrange jump shot but that’s the least efficient shot in the game, and he only hits it around half the time.
He’s got great energy and hustle, but that’s not really enough, frankly.
by eltharion_doa on May 27, 2010 3:47 AM EDT up reply actions
In defense of Bass & Gortat's D on Wallace
Guys, stop this BS.
out of his 7 shots – only 1 was in a post up situation. The rest were 3’s and jumpers. And these are exactly the shots SVG wants him to take. He’s been missing them all year.
Esspecially the 3’s. Two games don’t change all that. He just heated up a little bit and still was a negative factor in the game – apart from his great offense (or maybe because of it) he was terrible defensively.
Fouling out was a consequence of 3 silly fouls banging for possession with Dwight.
I believe Gortat and Bass should keep at it – let Wallace shoot from outside. His % will drop in the coming game probably.
Feed the cutter!!!
by Piotr Szczesniak on May 27, 2010 7:05 AM EDT up reply actions
I guarantee you Van Gundy does not want Wallace taking 3's.
He’s been hot in the playoffs (42% from 3, not just two games), and missing assignments is still bad defense, even if they’re playing him well in an iso situation. Bass is a good man defender, but he’s not a good team defender. Gortat just isn’t used to going all the way out to the 3-point line.
Stan himself said how he hates Rasheed because he always seems to have a great game against his teams.
I love LeBron. No really, I love Jameer.
what's this soccer you speak of?
Never trust a fart
by AB's triple double on May 27, 2010 9:28 AM EDT up reply actions
In Europe you would be SOOOOO laughed at after that comment...
Feed the cutter!!!
by Piotr Szczesniak on May 27, 2010 2:33 PM EDT up reply actions
What is this Europe you speak of?
I love LeBron. No really, I love Jameer.
In soccer (or football, as it were), you would be soooo laughed at after that comment
Even though the Hippopotamus lacks a stinger for a tail, a truly wise man would rather be sat on by a bee. ~ Banacek
"A-HEM!"
“The way I see it, the only benefit to playing Bass would be so people would see he’s a terrible fit for this team, and I wouldn’t have to keep answering questions about why he doesn’t play.”
Still believe that Ben?
And Lewis at the 3 was a problem for Peirce, I might add..
Bass is a very mobile big body that svg should use more. WHY he didn’t use him in the 4th until late was another bad svg move. Gortat (and I do like him) did much of nothing while playing in the 4th. You can tell Bass was upset after putting in (some) work in the 1st half.
-Nelson, after the game had to step to him a drop some encouraging words for the brother.
svg is playing himself. BUT, gg Magic.
I imagine the way Bass closed out the first half had something to do with it.
They call me Curmudgeon McMiserly.
I'm a guy.
by Sir Lawrence J on May 27, 2010 1:02 AM EDT up reply actions
I'm happy for Bass... but there has to be a balance to the amount of time he can play.
Love the energy the guy brings when he leaves the bench, but you can’t keep him on-court indefinitely, and even more so if he makes some mistakes.
SVG now know Bass has earned to play some minutes in each game :)
Magic Fan since the 1992-1993 Season.
Caracas, Venezuela.
by North of the South on May 27, 2010 1:05 AM EDT up reply actions
SVG has been coaching amazing last two games. And sorry that when Bass has comparatively weaker stats and limited PT with Orlando, that some of us assumed playing him could be a big mistake. As fans, I love Bass and his energy and his proving me wrong.
by derekk on May 27, 2010 1:45 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
The first thing I said to my friend after the game...
“I can’t wait for people to somehow tie Bass’ presence into the Magic winning like he’s been some X-factor”. Dude didn’t do anything except a block in game 4 and a single jump shot with the clock winding down, and in this game he hit like two jumpers and had the nice alley to Dwight in this game. Not much else. He hasn’t been much of a negative, but he hasn’t been much of a positive either.
How about the fact the starters are playing much better, not getting behind by double-digits to start the game, Jameer is really pushing the offense, Dwight is playing with more energy and intelligence, and Rashard finally scoring more than 6 points as real keys for our victory?
I love LeBron. No really, I love Jameer.
(please read my post in the beggining of the thread.)
Time to get that finger bling-bling
Don't mind my spelling. I'm a Typo Master.
I said he didn't do anything negative really (except try to post up right next to Dwight once).
Just that this concept of “Wow, what a revelation, Bass is obviously the key to success since we won both games since he started playing!” is bogus. It’s a coincidence, the other factors are much bigger.
I love LeBron. No really, I love Jameer.
What about that stretch right before halftime?
He just about single-handedly caused a five-point swing toward Boston.
I didn’t see the second half tonight, and of course it didn’t matter, but he’s done some pretty bad stuff. Also some pretty good stuff, but still.
The Magic's total second-round margin of victory: 101 points.
The Hawks' highest second-round game score: 98 points.
Except Lewis has been defending KG well and he knows how to play team defense.
He also can keep KG from having an easy double-team on Dwight, which Bass cannot. So no, Lewis (assuming he’s playing like he has in the last 2 games) at the 4 is not a mistake against Boston.
I love LeBron. No really, I love Jameer.
Yes, Lewis hasn't played good offense in the first 3 games
But he has played excellent defense against Garnett all series. I think that is an absolute credit to him for mustering that sort of energy considering his illness.
Even though the Hippopotamus lacks a stinger for a tail, a truly wise man would rather be sat on by a bee. ~ Banacek
by funny80sguy on May 27, 2010 11:39 AM EDT up reply actions
WOAH, Wait...
I AGREE that Bass brings toughness AND speed in a big man, I Don’t agree that Lewis is a good defender, -especially against Garnett.
I totally disagree with that about Rashard's defense
Garnett’s overall stats in the playoffs (all 3 series):
15.2 pts, 8.4 rbds, .488 shooting
Garnett against the Magic in the playoffs:
10.4 pts, 8.6 rbds, .371 shooting
You have to credit Rashard’s defense for a lot of that against Garnett (with a smattering of Dwight) .
Even though the Hippopotamus lacks a stinger for a tail, a truly wise man would rather be sat on by a bee. ~ Banacek
It ceases being a conversation or debate...
When the other person gets presented with facts and decides to irrationally disregard them.
I love LeBron. No really, I love Jameer.
I stand by it. He plays hard and has a good attitude, so you can't fault him for that. But he's still lost on both ends of the court far too often. It's May. He needs to know the plays and the rotations by now.
He nearly submarined all the progress Orlando made in the second quarter with that late sequence: losing track of Rasheed to give him a warmup three-pointer, throwing a terrible entry pass to Howard that Sheed poked away for a steal, and getting caught for three in the key on defense. Oh, and his poor positioning helped the Celtics defend a late three-pointer by somebody, though I forget who.
I think with Bass, and a lot of high-energy players, there’s a tendency to only focus on the hustle plays. Really, those stand out. The lob to Howard, for instance. But the defensive breakdowns, the poor positioning, that’s less obvious.
I’ll put it this way: I’d feel a lot better about Bass’ long-term prospects with this team if I were confident that he had learned the offensive and defensive schemes. I’m not convinced that Stan trusts him entirely, but is going with him solely for his energy at this point. A team source indicated earlier this year that Bass fell out of favor with Van Gundy because he didn’t know the system, and nothing I’ve seen of Bass lately indicates that he’s made any progress on that front. I’ll check back with my source to see what he has to say about that, though.
On the Bass/Anderson thing, Anderson got more minutes not just because he’s a better player and better fit, but also because he has a stronger grasp of what the Magic are trying to do.
And I think some people have painted me here as a bit of a Bass hater, which I regret. I’ve spoken with Brandon a few times, beginning with his introductory news conference last summer. I’ve watched him play in Dallas and, obviously, this season. I traded emails with other basketball bloggers for years about what Bass could bring to the Magic, and a team source has told me that Otis Smith has had his eye on Bass for several seasons. What I’ve learned is that Brandon is a nice, soft-spoken guy and a helluva basketball player. But I’ve also learned that he’s not quite there with regard to understanding the Magic’s philosophy, which is why I believe the Magic should consider Anderson the heir apparent to Rashard Lewis.
It’s nothing personal. I assure you of that. Nothing ever is, with me. I’ve based my opinion on my own impression of Orlando’s goals. It’s all about what’s happening on the court, and my hope is that no one here believes that I’m somehow biased against Brandon. Or biased at all.
Ahh! Thank you for this, Ben!
The haters have been getting on my nerves! And, I completely agree about Bass looking lost. I commented to someone tonight how he looked completely confused on offense. He ended up turning the possession into points, but he just looked completely out of it.
He really does seem like a great guy. So, I really hope that if he does get traded, he goes to a good team where he will be able to get minutes.
I'm a girl too.
Haters gonna hate.
All of the negatives you have against Bass are warranted
and so were the positives you spoke of in Game 4.
In Games 3, 4 & 5 we saw spurts of what Bass is capable of when he’s at his best. He hit a bailout fader he had to rainbow over an extended Garnett in a tight Game 4, grabbed a tough rebound in heavy traffic (Perkins had Dwight sealed on the other side of the basket) over KG & Rondo and blocked what would’ve been a PP dunk.
My question is about the overall offensive scheme of the Magic and if Bass can sustain a high level of play for long spurts?. Deep into the playoffs we will run into big, long defensive teams who will try and guard Dwight 1on1 and will look to shutdown the perimeter. Could being a 4/1 team who uses both a starting & backup stretch 4 and a starting/backup C combo that’s limited in range offensively make us predictable? I ask because the logic is that we’re basically using a backup 4 and 5 who do the same exact things our opponent has focused so much on taking away but don’t do them as well as their counterpart. I worry that against good defensive teams like Boston & LA we’re playing into their hands by not only not forcing them to adjust but making it easier on them because the backups aren’t as good as the starters.
I look at Barnes and that he was shooting under 20% from 3-point as a backup and didn’t have such a big impact until 40 games into the season when he was named a starter.
If Bass can key in on the Magic’s defensive schemes can he be a good contributer off the bench? His energy would obviously be a big positive for the entire team but when he’s not looking lost on defense I see this will about him, like he’s giving it everything he’s got every posession and I really like that about him.
I know the numbers suggest RA is the better fit as backup PF but could those stats possibly be somewhat deceiving? Against Boston or LA is an RA contested 3 or a long 2 a higher percentage shot than Bass mid-range game? Does RA being statistically the better rebounder still apply in the post season where it’s less about sharp awareness of how the ball will bounce off the rim and more about sheer will to out jump the opponent?
RA & Bass both have their lapses and both would certainly be better given exclusive backup minutes but in a playoff setting is it possible Bass could actually be a good fit for this team since the title looks to be going thru LA, us or Boston in the near future or is Bass a lost cause because of the defensive lapses? Basically, what are the chances we keep both RA & Bass and should we?
"It can be done, you can just crush somebody"
I just think Bass is a great fit for this series
Especially with Baby in the game. Baby’s big advantage is his weight and how he can use it to push guys around. Bass is strong enough that he can’t do that.
And Anderson has sucked in the playoffs. If we talk about Bass being lost, then Anderson was in outerspace. I do think Anderson is a better fit for this offense but the pressure of the playoffs has made him think twice and it has affected his play.
Thanks Vince.
None of our backup power forward options have played well
Gortat’s been crap, Bass is very limited and Anderson’s a brick machine.
Which is why the whole “zomg move Rashard to SF” argument just blows my mind.
by eltharion_doa on May 27, 2010 7:47 PM EDT up reply actions
I think Bass is also getting playing time because he’s more physical than RA. Against Charlotte, there was a frontcourt rotation of Diaw, Ratliff, Mohammed, Chandler, and Thomas. Of those, only Thomas and Mohammed are offensive threats, and Mohammed’s a (relatively) pure 5, while Thomas isn’t really a banger. Against Atlanta, the rotation included Collins, Horford, Morris, Pachulia, and the Smiths. Horford and Josh Smith were the offensive threats of that group, but again, neither is a terribly physical player. Boston’s the first team that, in my opinion, has physical offensive threats at the 4, which makes Bass a better option than RA.
Honor is no substitute for victory.
Bass has become the Rorschach test for the OPP community.
It is absurd to think that Bass’s uptick in playing time has been a major cause of the Magic’s recent success or that his absence was a major reason for Magic’s 0-3 deficit. The much more important developments have been the introduction of staggered pick and rolls, Nelson’s willingness to drive deep into the lane, and a (somewhat) more up-tempo offense (these developments reflect a combination of coaching changes and player execution). Those commenters who like Bass should recognize that his performance represents, at most, a very small part of the story.
That said, it’s also unfortunate that some commenters taking a dimmer view towards Bass have been intemperate in their remarks - to the point of expressing near-glee when Bass fails (a strange view for a Magic fan). And Bass fails, I admit, with some frequency (though Gortat failed for the same reasons last night, and the most common source of failure is Carter -- a player who receives scant attention here).
I make this point not to forestall debate on Bass or any other player on the team. I make it instead to emphasize that commentary on Bass has become so driven by repetition — I’ve held this position about the Bass, therefore I’m going to maintain it with greater obstinacy and self-righteousness in the future — that it has lost any hope of becoming illuminating.
So here’s my request: Take an open view. Be willing to admit that you may have been wrong (for good or ill) about a player in the past. And recognize that there are more important things going on — even with respect to the Magic, let alone the world — than your views on Bass.
by gift of the magi on May 27, 2010 10:54 AM EDT up reply actions
Great post.
I love LeBron. No really, I love Jameer.
Y'know, that comes with playing time..
" But he’s still lost on both ends of the court far too often. It’s May. He needs to know the plays and the rotations by now."
What is this “dislike” for Bass?? The dude came from a different system and practice is nothing compared to actual play time. If VG doesn’t play him, how is he gonna learn the system? He needs to be on the floor to really get it. And as for Ryan? we all know svg doesn’t like going deep in the bench. The only reason Bass and Anderson got any playing time during the season was because someone was out.
And yeah, I think Ben is bias against Bass.. I think he’s too caught up in svg’s system and looks at Bass as a piece that doesn’t fit. When you read comments like this:
“Bass is on the bench because he’s not a good fit for this team”
“The way I see it, the only benefit to playing Bass would be so people would see he’s a terrible fit for this team, and I wouldn’t have to keep answering questions about why he doesn’t play.”
-Then you’re caught up in a system instead of the players. Y’know, players have to “Execute”, otherwise the system is Fail.
I'm not biased against Bass. I've been over this time and again. You really think it's Van Gundy's fault that Bass doesn't know the system by now? All the Magic players seemed to grasp it when Van Gundy took over in 2007.
Mo Evans and Brian Cook adjusted pretty quickly in 2008. Pietrus, Anthony Johnson, Courtney Lee, and Rafer Alston (though he had previously played for Van Gundy) in 2009.
Look, Bass isn’t the only new guy the Magic have had since Orlando hired Van Gundy, yet he’s the only one who has failed to understand the system. Whose fault is that?
Also recall, from Eddy’s interview with Mike Fisher, that the consensus around the league is that Orlando overpaid for him.
Why does AJ come in and play effectively almost every time he has to?
He played less than Bass this year. He’s certainly more overmatched athletically than Bass routinely against the opposing player. Playing time in the game isn’t where you learn a system. You do that in practice. Bass has shown throughout the year that he has not grasped what has been taught in practice.
You’re making my ears bleed.
I love LeBron. No really, I love Jameer.
"Then you're caught up in a systme instead of the players. Y'know, players have to "Execute",otherwise the system is Fail.
When EVERY OTHER PLAYER executes in the system, it is far from “Fail”.
Game 6 of the ECF
Is not the time to be playing a guy so he can learn rotations.
Maybe van Gundy screwed up by not giving Bass enough minutes earlier in the season (although frankly, Anderson was far more deserving as he was playing a lot better) but that’s done and right now, Bass is a liability on defense.
by eltharion_doa on May 27, 2010 7:50 PM EDT up reply actions
What did you watch the same game as the Refs...
You think the calls on Perk were legit even the infamous Tech???
Even the analysts disagreed with Rush…
Yes a lot of your team stepped up…but remember the C’s just HAVE TO WIN ONE GAME!
You can't deny that you're a bit worried about the Magic pulling it off.
If you aren’t, then can I rightfully call you arrogant? Pleeaase? :D
by fanoftheunderdogs on May 27, 2010 1:01 AM EDT up reply actions
Well if you believe in your team...why be worried...
Were you?
by Ol' Green Boyz on May 27, 2010 1:10 AM EDT up reply actions
That’s a “Yes” on the “can I call you arrogant” question, right?
by fanoftheunderdogs on May 27, 2010 3:32 AM EDT up reply actions
2nd T came after several warnings from Crawford, but still I think was undeserved.
League will revise both T’s and will rescind the first one, only cause they can’t say a referee over-reacted. Perking will play game 6.
Magic Fan since the 1992-1993 Season.
Caracas, Venezuela.
by North of the South on May 27, 2010 1:02 AM EDT up reply actions
In one of the earlier games of this series
Carter got a tech while out of the game watching video of a replay of a bad call and reacted by throwing his arms in the air.
Me Against The World And I'm Winning
by Andeezy on May 27, 2010 1:06 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
The recap said both techs were "iffy".
The first one was much closer to being deserved than the second, but the 2nd was a really, really bad call. No excuses though.
I love LeBron. No really, I love Jameer.
only tech boston deserved was rondos
that being said, doubt more than one of perks is rescinded
by nickswarriors16 on May 27, 2010 2:17 AM EDT up reply actions
The first was at least understandable
The game was getting a bit chippy, and the refs wanted to cool it down a bit. The double T sends a warning to the players without (usually) giving an advantage to either team. If it hadn’t been for the second technical, I don’t think anyone would question the double T.
Honor is no substitute for victory.
The second wasn't a "really, really" bad call.
A bad call, maybe. But he was definitely making a big theatrical deal out of his objection to the play. I’d say half of the techs I’ve seen were for less than he did.
The Magic's total second-round margin of victory: 101 points.
The Hawks' highest second-round game score: 98 points.
we dont know
How can you call it a bad call, he may have told the ref his mother spells of elderberries!
Hah True.
But from the replay, it looks like all he did was go, “That’s bulls—-!” I would hope the refs, in a playoff game, would allow the players a little frustration and cursing, especially after a bad foul call to begin with, and especially when the player was walking away when he did it.
I love LeBron. No really, I love Jameer.
word around the cooler was this:
refs had just warned both benches about complaining about calls during a previous timeout
if they tell you to stop complaining, you better stop complaining
Yep. One game :)
Just like when it was 0-3 and 1-3.
Same thing when it will be back to Orlando for game 7.
just 1 game … ;)
Feed the cutter!!!
by Piotr Szczesniak on May 27, 2010 7:06 AM EDT up reply actions
and we all know the analysts are always right!
Never trust a fart
by AB's triple double on May 27, 2010 9:33 AM EDT up reply actions
Lewis played great especially in the 4th Quarter
didnt thought he could make Pierce look so bad in a one and one matchup
Me Against The World And I'm Winning
Pierce had already given up by that point.
Still, GREAT to see my favorite player do some damage again (favorite behind D12).
Magic Fan since the 1992-1993 Season.
Caracas, Venezuela.
by North of the South on May 27, 2010 1:03 AM EDT up reply actions
He had like 3 or 4 offensive flop calls in the first half.
He can’t complain.
Magic Fan since the 1992-1993 Season.
Caracas, Venezuela.
by North of the South on May 27, 2010 1:06 AM EDT up reply actions
No, Lewis was legitimately killing PP.
by derekk on May 27, 2010 1:47 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Yeah, people forget how good he is in the post when he's got a smaller defender.
I love LeBron. No really, I love Jameer.
He's good in the post. Period. And I like the offense running through him down there when Dwight is out of the game.
The Magic won Game 6 in Philly last year by giving Lewis the ball on the left block on almost every possession and forcing the Sixers’ defense to react.
Why not try Lewis on PP for Twin Tower stretches in game 6?
Would make sense if he could make PP take contested jump shots and abuse him in post up on the other end.
Feed the cutter!!!
by Piotr Szczesniak on May 27, 2010 7:11 AM EDT up reply actions
I have been preaching this.
Rashard can still guard small forwards and he abuses 90% of them on the low block. If any can rememebr the last couple of seasons, anytime Dwight was out with a suspension or injury (which albeit, has been maybe 3 games), Rashard would have a line of like 26pts and 8 or 9 rebs. He is capable. Not mention, Paul Pierce would have loads of trouble guarding Rashard in the post, and the Celtics would almost HAVE to double team. On the defensive side, Paul peirce has always had a problem with long defenders, so if Rashard could guard Paul without fouling(BIG IF), I don’t see why we shouldn’t try it at least once. Problem is besides Dwight, I don’t trust any one else to guard KG on this team other than Rashard.
by LastActionZero on May 27, 2010 9:05 AM EDT up reply actions
They key thing is "guarding without fouling"
I don’t think he’d be able to do that. I also think because he’s such a “stiff” defender, that he’d put Dwight in a position to pick up additional fouls.
I think Lewis would foul less
because of his length he doesn’t have to stay too close to him and still contest his jump shots, so he’s less prone to getting bumped by Pierce and his bobbling head. As for not being quick enough to guard Pierce, I don’t agree, Pierce doesn’t attack the rim much now, all he does is jerking his head around and looking to creat contact or pull up for that 15fter, and if he beats Lewis off the dribble to the rim? Two words, Howard and Gortat.
That's not how Pierce runs his offense
Lewis isn’t going to be able to get around a screen to Pierce on that spot up jumper at the top of the key, which is where most of his offense works. Even more mobile guys like Carter, Barnes and Pietrus can’t keep Pierce off that spot – there’s no way Lewis will.
The problem with very small sample sizes such as Lewis on Pierce at PF is that they’re so frequently distorted – Nate Robinson was in for a lot of that time, and he cannot run the Celtics offense which is why Doc never plays him. Pierce was having to go iso, or Nate was trying to iso his opponent – their offense competely broke down.
You can’t judge Lewis’ defense on screen and rolls (where he’s freaking awful, which is why he tends to lose guys like ‘Sheed and Allen on switches, leading to open threes) on how he defending Pierce for ten minutes in a broken, iso-oriented offense. That’s not Celtics ball, and that’s not what they’re going to throw at Lewis if he guards Pierce at SF with the Celtics starters largely on the court.
by eltharion_doa on May 27, 2010 7:55 PM EDT up reply actions
my point is...
…if noone can stop PP so far (especially from getting to his favourite spots) lets at least abuse him on the other end.
He rests with Barnes/Carter on the other end because they cannot create their own shot for most of the time. I wonder what happens if he would go against Lewis who would post him up often – maybe his energy would drop just like it did when he was guarding King Crab?
He isn’t the fittest of players so maybe its worth a try?
Feed the cutter!!!
by Piotr Szczesniak on May 28, 2010 6:25 AM EDT up reply actions
I think it merits a try maybe. Great that you remember back then, I do remember Lewis in the last Philly playoff game, he really does well in the post plays. Maybe we can work it in more with switches and twin towers together, but the Boston foul trouble caused some of that. It’ll be critical how Lewis can guard PP in his few trials, if SVG goes for it.
by derekk on May 27, 2010 10:03 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I don't get all this "he can't guard SFs" talk
I mean, it’s not like there’s no help defense behind him. Play him for the shot. The majority of shots he’s made were mid-rage/3pt shots as far as I’m concerned. Take that away (he’s been automatic) with the long arms of Lewis and if he drives, there’s Dwight right there to take care of things on the help D.
It’s all about the effort. Pierce is going to run to try to get open, but he won’t use too many screens to do that like Ray Allen does. Lewis should be able to deal with that, at least for short stretches.
Now I realize that Pierce penetrating can (CAN, and not necessarily WILL) open things up on the floor, but still, it’s a valid option in my opinion of getting Rashard on Pierce.
But then again – we did well with our current matchups in the last two games. If we manage to keep Pierce out of the foul line (more discipline on those primadonna pump fakes) and put a hand in his face on every single shot we should be fine.
Hmmm you guys seem preety confident...hope you do get that championship ring sometime in our lifetimes...
It is a sweet feeling to see your fav team win it all 17times-youtube great invention to watch old series!
See you in Boston !!!! If you have any players who can walk !!
Time to get that finger bling-bling
Don't mind my spelling. I'm a Typo Master.
I'll say what the f I want to trolls. Read my comment in the beggining of the thread and then yours about Bass.
Time to get that finger bling-bling
Don't mind my spelling. I'm a Typo Master.
@447 only no disrespect to true Magic fans
Obviously your not big on Championships because as far as I know the Arena has none…also it is 3-2 Boston…real glad they built that cushoin early…because they need it now…And if anybody watched the post game presser…Doc was all smiles…seems pretty confident to me…yes the series could be over in one or two games.
by Ol' Green Boyz on May 27, 2010 1:16 AM EDT up reply actions
As I said, see you in game 6.
Time to get that finger bling-bling
Don't mind my spelling. I'm a Typo Master.
Yep it's great to see a young inexperinced championship team ride an illusion...
by Ol' Green Boyz on May 27, 2010 1:20 AM EDT up reply actions
Great to see..
an experienced championship team close out this young inexperienced team so efficiently…
is Loading ████████████ 99%
It's not an illusion, it's Magic.
Time to get that finger bling-bling
Don't mind my spelling. I'm a Typo Master.
ok if "you want to believe in magic" or paid off refs-lol
by Ol' Green Boyz on May 27, 2010 1:25 AM EDT up reply actions
Do you have anything of merit to add?
It was nice at “good luck”, but ever since you’ve done nothing but make excuses and accuse a player of purposefully allowing a defender to foul him just so he could bring his elbow down on someone’s face once gravity took effect.
They call me Curmudgeon McMiserly.
I'm a guy.
by Sir Lawrence J on May 27, 2010 1:27 AM EDT up reply actions
I thought...
when you first came on here you were going to be classy and respectful but you’ve turned out to be nothing but a troll…please spare us your tired celtics talking points and propaganda
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All smiles...
for a coach with the second worst record in closeout games. Perhaps he should take them more seriously…see how that works for him
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Maybe he doesn't have to with Vets playing for him...
by Ol' Green Boyz on May 27, 2010 1:21 AM EDT up reply actions
you got so many rings, your guys can't even walk any more
Time to get that finger bling-bling
Don't mind my spelling. I'm a Typo Master.
by 44792212 on May 27, 2010 1:28 AM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
that sir....was hilarious!
"He is fast, but what I like about him is he looks like one of those track guys that actually knows how to run the ball and has good vision and patience. He is not just running at top speed. He knows when to use his speed, and he has some power and toughness, too.'' Barry Sanders about CJ2K
Dwight Howard >The Justice League of America
by Bonafidebrother on May 27, 2010 8:21 AM EDT up reply actions
Well, the series WILL be over in one or two games.
Unless the Celtics manage to stretch it to Game 8.
The Magic's total second-round margin of victory: 101 points.
The Hawks' highest second-round game score: 98 points.
Well, that was supposed to say I heart you numbers. You're soo hilarious!
I'm a girl too.
Haters gonna hate.
If you win I will personally come on here and congrats your team...
If you don’t…then so be it…regroup and try again next year.
by Ol' Green Boyz on May 27, 2010 1:23 AM EDT up reply actions
OK. My comment has nothing to do with you.
Please learn how to reply.
I'm a girl too.
Haters gonna hate.
That's mean, man...
I anticipate a starting 5 of ROBINSON-allen-pp-garnett-WILLIAMS…. :)
LOL
Feed the cutter!!!
by Piotr Szczesniak on May 27, 2010 7:12 AM EDT up reply actions
Brendan @ Celticshub:
“I am so happy I am not a Magic fan right now because I would be too embarrassed to admit it after tonight….”
Really? Go take a nap, buddy.
I made a mistake on commenting about how "Dwight Howard is a dirty player".
I regret it now. I wasn’t trolling at all, but commenting on another’s team blog after they lose is cheap.
Magic Fan since the 1992-1993 Season.
Caracas, Venezuela.
by North of the South on May 27, 2010 1:13 AM EDT up reply actions
But the Celtics aren't exactly the girlcouts, are they?
They like to play tough, but they don’t like it when it doesn’t go their way.
Magic Fan since the 1992-1993 Season.
Caracas, Venezuela.
by North of the South on May 27, 2010 1:16 AM EDT up reply actions
Yeah, it's hilarious.
Boston does that all year long and now the bullies are getting bullied back and everyone’s all huffing and puffing.
I love LeBron. No really, I love Jameer.
people hammer him all game long
all season long, and rarely ever get called for it.
obviously he is the dirtiest player for inadvertent contact to glen davis
last season he injured three players ON HIS OWN TEAM during the course of the season – he knocked Courtney Lee out of an entire playoff series because he broke his face.
Exactly what I said at Celticsblog
…well, not word for word, but same idea.
Magic Fan since the 1992-1993 Season.
Caracas, Venezuela.
by North of the South on May 27, 2010 1:17 AM EDT up reply actions
When it's done by the Magic it's called "cheap shots" and "dirty"..
If you wear green then you have a pass? At least call it both ways.
Look at the video of the elbow that got big baby. It’s on ESPN. How is that dirty? Dwight was coming down after taking a shot, where do expect him to land if big baby was right there below him?
That shove on JJ reminded me of Rondo playing Crack the Whip with Hinrich last year
Just another instance of a Boston thug trying to injure a player after a play, and the league doing jack squat about it.
Honor is no substitute for victory.
So Gortat is dirty too cause Daniels crashed into him and got a concussion?
That’s some flawed logic there. Pierce is no saint.
Magic Fan since the 1992-1993 Season.
Caracas, Venezuela.
by North of the South on May 27, 2010 1:20 AM EDT up reply actions
JJ is tougher than those floppers
Me Against The World And I'm Winning
by Andeezy on May 27, 2010 1:20 AM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
Maybe JJ has a hard head, who cares? It’s still a cheap bush league shove.
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If Barnes gets called for a Flagrant 1 for shoving KG, so should PP.
But I wouldn’t bet on it.
Don't be freaking stupid.
I love LeBron. No really, I love Jameer.
Howard didn't mean to give baby a concussion
Pierce did mean to give JJ one. That’s the difference.
Game 6 is Game 7?
I’m listening to Fox Sports Radio and I’m hearing this theory that game 6 is game 7. Basically if Boston doesn’t win game 6 they lose the series, they won’t win game 7 on the road. Does anyone else subscribe to this line of thought. It feels somewhat like last year after, we were down 3-2 and won the series. Obviously the home court situation is flipped but there is that same feeling.
I believe in MAGIC!!!
Oh also do you think Dwight will receive a Tech for the Big Baby play after the fact?
by The Magic Man on May 27, 2010 1:24 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
+1
If they give him a tech for that they are absolutely nuts.
Yeah, the Flagrant for elbowing KG is passable, but despite the damage done, there was intention behind Big Baby's injury.
If that’s the case they will have to give a flagrant to Gortat too.
Magic Fan since the 1992-1993 Season.
Caracas, Venezuela.
by North of the South on May 27, 2010 1:28 AM EDT up reply actions
I'm curious if Paul's foul against JJ will get upgraded
It won’t have any effect, really, but I’m curious to see if the league acts consistently here.
They call me Curmudgeon McMiserly.
I'm a guy.
by Sir Lawrence J on May 27, 2010 1:31 AM EDT up reply actions
I agree with GMG, it wont happen.
Magic Fan since the 1992-1993 Season.
Caracas, Venezuela.
by North of the South on May 27, 2010 1:32 AM EDT up reply actions
JJ is no KG. Besides he did not "flop" enough to warrant it,
It’s all in the acting. Act like you have been shot by a cannon, unfortunately our players don’t know how to act – Dwight included.
Yeah, I don't understand how anyone can possibly talk about that Davis play as anything.
Dwight did the same thing to Courtney Lee last year in the playoffs. I guess that was a dirty play too.
I love LeBron. No really, I love Jameer.
It's all bullcrap.
Whoever wins four games wins it all. If the Magic win game six, Celtics can still win game 7. Journalists just love to add drama to everything.
Magic Fan since the 1992-1993 Season.
Caracas, Venezuela.
by North of the South on May 27, 2010 1:26 AM EDT up reply actions
Yeah...
…I’d definitely favor the Magic in Game 7 if they win Game 6, but it’s still a game. Stuff happens in games. 60-win teams lose to 25-win teams at least a couple times a season. I wouldn’t rule out a 50-win team beating a 59-win team, even if the latter had won a few in a row… some low-percentage shots fall, some high-percentage shots don’t, there we are.
The Magic's total second-round margin of victory: 101 points.
The Hawks' highest second-round game score: 98 points.
I predict...
whoever wins the points battle in game six will win that game
is Loading ████████████ 99%
Nice, Madden.
I love LeBron. No really, I love Jameer.
Just an awesome, awesome game
First thing I did after I got back from the game was take a couple of Tylenols for my headache, but I never had such a good headache before in my life!
What a great atmosphere inside the Arena… loudest I’ve ever heard it in all the games I’ve attended. It was just as loud as it is in the United Center for a Blackhawks game, which is saying something!
I didn’t even mind that I was sitting next to a couple of green-wearing Celtics fans… a girl and her boyfriend. They were good fans, and I was talking to them throughout the course of the game.
The streak lives on… now 12 games in a row that the Magic have won with me in attendance (MagicMark was siting in the row behind me so that probably helped too), but the Magic played so well tonight they would have won regardless of whether I was there.
I got some pretty good pics with my digital cam; I have to upload them yet, though. If I have time, I’ll post a few later on.
Can’t wait to watch the ESPN replay in a little bit.
Orlando Magic... 2010 Eastern Conference Finalist
Chicago Blackhawks... 2010 NHL Western Conference Champions... Go Hawks... bring the Stanley Cup home!
by Mike from Illinois on May 27, 2010 1:28 AM EDT reply actions
You're the best Mike !!!!!!!!
Time to get that finger bling-bling
Don't mind my spelling. I'm a Typo Master.
Thanks Tokyo and 44792212
Orlando Magic... 2010 Eastern Conference Finalist
Chicago Blackhawks... 2010 NHL Western Conference Champions... Go Hawks... bring the Stanley Cup home!
by Mike from Illinois on May 27, 2010 1:54 AM EDT up reply actions
Thanks for bringing your luck!
Glad you had a great time! Next you need to head up to the Garden and win one for us there too!
I'm a girl too.
Haters gonna hate.
I wish I could GMG
My flight back to IL leaves Friday night around 8 PM, so I won’t even be able to see most of it on TV. I’ll have to listen to the national radio broadcast in my car driving home once I get back to IL.
Orlando Magic... 2010 Eastern Conference Finalist
Chicago Blackhawks... 2010 NHL Western Conference Champions... Go Hawks... bring the Stanley Cup home!
by Mike from Illinois on May 27, 2010 1:53 AM EDT up reply actions
I so want to be able to go to a Magic game, at least once.
I’ve had my chances, but it was always a struggle to convince my parents to go to a game while on vacations (they are not basketball fans)… and last time I went to Orlando was way back in 2002. :-/
Magic Fan since the 1992-1993 Season.
Caracas, Venezuela.
by North of the South on May 27, 2010 1:31 AM EDT up reply actions
It was great meeting you.
Hope you enjoy your stay in O-town. Had a great atmosphere at the game tonight. It’s a good thing we had the refs on our side or there was no way we would have won!.
We need the refs to win vs Boston.
That’s a fact.
Hey don't laugh GMG it's true...
I just need to come up with the stats to prove it.
Let's not forget my evil plan
I have teamed up with Vincent Ludwig to send Dwight’s Elbows into a hypnotic rage at key points of each game.
They call me Curmudgeon McMiserly.
I'm a guy.
by Sir Lawrence J on May 27, 2010 1:37 AM EDT up reply actions
Kudos to anyone who actually gets that reference
They call me Curmudgeon McMiserly.
I'm a guy.
by Sir Lawrence J on May 27, 2010 1:39 AM EDT up reply actions
is it Nieslen related ?
Time to get that finger bling-bling
Don't mind my spelling. I'm a Typo Master.
As in Leslie?
They call me Curmudgeon McMiserly.
I'm a guy.
by Sir Lawrence J on May 27, 2010 1:41 AM EDT up reply actions
something to do with assasinating the queen?
The Naked Gun is a silly movie – does not make any sense at all but I guess that’s the whole point.
ding ding ding
They call me Curmudgeon McMiserly.
I'm a guy.
by Sir Lawrence J on May 27, 2010 1:42 AM EDT up reply actions
it makes perfect sense
Time to get that finger bling-bling
Don't mind my spelling. I'm a Typo Master.
as D12's elbows when they fall
Time to get that finger bling-bling
Don't mind my spelling. I'm a Typo Master.
And on that note, I feel a new avatar is necessary
They call me Curmudgeon McMiserly.
I'm a guy.
by Sir Lawrence J on May 27, 2010 1:45 AM EDT up reply actions
I wonder if Celtics fans realize this fact:
without the stupid hack-a-howard in the 4th quarter, boston actually shot MORE freethrows than orlando did. we even shot some garbage-time fts as well. seeing the replay i see that the technicals were pretty bogus, but that shit happens, refs make mistakes. perkins will play the next game because one of those techs will be rescinded.
I think one tech will be rescinded.
by derekk on May 27, 2010 1:51 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Likewise!
Great that we were able to see the Magic play so well.
Orlando Magic... 2010 Eastern Conference Finalist
Chicago Blackhawks... 2010 NHL Western Conference Champions... Go Hawks... bring the Stanley Cup home!
by Mike from Illinois on May 27, 2010 1:47 AM EDT up reply actions
Reply to MagicMark
Orlando Magic... 2010 Eastern Conference Finalist
Chicago Blackhawks... 2010 NHL Western Conference Champions... Go Hawks... bring the Stanley Cup home!
by Mike from Illinois on May 27, 2010 1:48 AM EDT up reply actions
Interesting fact, Mike-style:
Orlando has now won 4 straight games against Boston when faced with being closed out. No team has ever done that before. Hmmmmmm…
They call me Curmudgeon McMiserly.
I'm a guy.
ESPN had a graphic showing no one had forced a game 6 after 0-3 against them either.
Much less a 7th.
Magic Fan since the 1992-1993 Season.
Caracas, Venezuela.
by North of the South on May 27, 2010 1:34 AM EDT up reply actions
Hopefully we can make it 5 in a row Friday!
Orlando Magic... 2010 Eastern Conference Finalist
Chicago Blackhawks... 2010 NHL Western Conference Champions... Go Hawks... bring the Stanley Cup home!
by Mike from Illinois on May 27, 2010 1:49 AM EDT up reply actions
JJ to start Game 6
Just a thought. He’s had vastly superior production to Carter at the 2 and guards R. Allen better. He’s also played well consistently against Boston, including last year’s series.
Vince will start.
Probably another short leash though. He didnt play particularly badly tonight, just didn’t shoot the ball well. Couldve had a few foul calls. Missed some good open jumpshots.
I have to say I'm dissapointed in VC as a VC fan
I’m dissapointed in his effort particularly. During the game I’m always looking at what he does on the floor during the whole game and especially during hustle plays etc.
He just looks like he doesn’t care AT ALL about anything. Like a walking zombie on the floor. I bet Anthony Johnson would’ve been more helpful playing VC’s minutes. And it’s hard to say all these but it’s the reality in my opinion.
When you play you have to go berserk for the minutes that you’re in. This is an elimination game. But his body language has been “whatever” all along. It has to be something happening to him mentally, whatever that is.
He did have some good passes though, but he really is (was) a superstar in this league and capable of playing 1000 times better than he currently is.
True.
Although I thought, even throughout the first 2 rounds and 2 games of this series, he was playing with that intensity. I honestly believe his confidence was shook hard from those FT’s, and hopefully some points in last night’s game were the signs of him pulling himself out of that and realizing what he can bring to the team.
I love LeBron. No really, I love Jameer.
He should say "fuck those two free throws" and let's kick some ass
It’s unacceptable to have that mindset of “OMG, I missed the free throws… I’m going to die”. How about working even harder to compensate?
And I’m putting myself in the same situation and I really can’t imagine myself going with the kind of attitude he’s going. You really have to be arrogant on the floor and think “I’m going to kill these guys”. You can’t let yourself get down.
And really, even if your confidence fails scoring-wise, you should still be able to give effort and rebound and pass and set screens and DO stuff on the floor, especially defensively.
His intensity was great for the 1st game though, he was the best Magic player by far. This proves once again that it’s all mental.
Pretty much.
I love LeBron. No really, I love Jameer.
Awesome game! Magic looked dominant.
I think we all know that this game 6 is going to be the hardest one yet in the series for us to win. I have a ton of respect for this Celtics team, and I know we’re going to get the absolute best they have on Friday. Two more things on the Boston side; I hope Daniels and Davis are alright, as they are good players and you never want to see anyone hurt like that. That moment with Davis was scary, and I hope that concussion doesn’t hinder him in the future. Also, the techs on Perkins were stupid and should be rescinded. I know we’ve had some stupid ones called on us in the past, but they shouldn’t keep him out of a playoff game because of some BS like that.
On to the Magic! Man am I glad to see the energy continue in this game from the last one. Dwight was running the floor the whole night, Jameer was aggressive, and Lewis finally seems to be crawling out of his funk. Also very important was our bench, who put on its first decent showing in the series. Defensively, we had some issues at times (particularly on Wallace). However, holding Paul Pierce without a field goal for such a long period is amazing. The energy on D was the key, and at times we really did play smarter.
Hopefully we can make history and tie the series up, thereby opening the door to make more history by winning the series in 7. Ben is right though, the pressure is still all on us. It still sounds so ridiculous to think that we could win 4 games in a row against this Celtics team. But I believe in Magic!
The intensity has to go up, up! Not down...UP! -Stan Van Gundy
I believe too! I don’t know if PP is getting tired, or if the Magic are finally starting to guard him well.
by derekk on May 27, 2010 10:16 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
On magicbasketball.net
Some Celtics fan compared this to LA-Sacramento from 2002, saying the NBA is making sure that the team they want to win will win. Hilarious.
I love LeBron. No really, I love Jameer.
Ben, absolutely fantastic recap. Covers everything I was thinking. The ball usage was distributed perfectly.
However, Dwight should not get direct post ups as much as he did, when it’s Perkins.
VC needs to stay in under 10 shots territory, the best Magic wins have him playing really well in a 2-3rd option role. But I did see some hard takes to the rim and a beautiful pass to Dwight that VC can hopefully grow his passing game with this next game.
Jameer, again, was amazing. So glad to see him stay aggressive. He shot great, but he could’ve probed the paint more for more shots and passes. Yes, I’m nitpicking, but it’s so critical that Nelson is the primary option and aggressive always. Nelson is owning this series.
Good to see MP shooting well and JJ playing amazing. Bass played surprisingly very well I thought, and Gortat did fine too, despite the 4 FTs given to Sheed like Ben said. Back to Bass, his offensive game looked terrific with Dwights. He made midrange shots great, and his interior pass to Dwight for a slam was my play of the game. (off tangent- this is kind of stuff that screams keep and play Bass more now and next yr, and how I envision a Bosh pairing)
The whole team stepped up, it was a great offensive performance and all shooters look more confident in their 3’s. A huge factor was all the amazing team-wide defense. The Magic defense as never looked better. The effort seems at it’s highest output last few games and is getting consistent.
The last thing was Rashards good game. Never saw such Lewis post ups coming, it was a brilliant offensive move. Lewis seems as deadly as ever with them, tangling around or driving inside for the layup, or using the length to make good shots and passes. What I’m hoping someone can answer tho, is how did Lewis get post ups on opposing SFs and wings? Was it mainly Boston big men foul troubles, PnR switches, or Lewis at 3 bc of twin towers playing at same time? It seems like a really good thing to give more possessions to besides the Jameer PnRs.
I don’t necessarily think gm6 will be the gm7. Both teams play too well on the road. Magic can’t get too into the momentum swinging their direction. There may be some downright unlucky stretches of play in the next two games, but the Magic do have the confidence and return to shooting form back, and they now have offensive maneuvers that are working. If they stick to pushing pace and playing what works as the bread and butter, with their defensive effort so high in conjunction, I really see a golden light at the end of the tunnel. Magic win gm6 and go onto win in 7 (Not surprising as a Magic fan, but my basketball knowledge is pointing to a series win big time).
by derekk on May 27, 2010 2:17 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
Rotation wise, I’m pretty much fine wig either Bass or Gortat at 4, perhaps even a tiny bit more inclined towards Bass for his offensive input.
The wing rotation was handled great. Perhaps MP deserves a few more minutes of PT? And VC is a mystery, but JJ is not. SVG seems rdy to play the hot hand, as should be, even if it means less minutes to VC for JJ’s increased PT, again as should be if necessary. JJ seems to have a somewhat similar PnR or offensive attack as Jameer at times. Better TS%, eFG% than VC and also seems to be involving the team in offense more at times. And VC’s lack of receiving the ball early and prompty at times is frustrating in an otherwise hard working player.
by derekk on May 27, 2010 2:28 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Good thing our bench shooters are waking up...
MP, even J-Will tarted to produce
Feed the cutter!!!
by Piotr Szczesniak on May 27, 2010 7:19 AM EDT up reply actions
Yea, I think J Will wanted some payback for the messed up hustle play against Rondo. Also, seeing Jameer break them down brings confidence to J Will as the PG.
by derekk on May 27, 2010 10:21 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Definetly got a break with Perk. But extending the series is extending the series
Until we win on Friday, nothing changes and we definetly have to still play with a sense of urgency.
"To my Hustlers, heres some motivation: He who has begun is half done, why you waiting?"-NaS
Certified Kristin Kreuk obsessive.
Yeah, pretty much.
But the same really should be said for every playoff game, no?
I love LeBron. No really, I love Jameer.
Sure, but again as great as this win was we got some lucky breaks that just snowballed for us
Going back home, mad and hearing people saying their chocking, it could be a blowout win for Boston. I hope not, and I hope the Magic dont get a sense of over-confidence from these two wins. This is still their series to lose, all thats happening is that we got a little moment.
"To my Hustlers, heres some motivation: He who has begun is half done, why you waiting?"-NaS
Certified Kristin Kreuk obsessive.
by Wasabi Steak on May 27, 2010 3:01 AM EDT up reply actions
But for comedic purposes
"To my Hustlers, heres some motivation: He who has begun is half done, why you waiting?"-NaS
Certified Kristin Kreuk obsessive.
by Wasabi Steak on May 27, 2010 2:35 AM EDT reply actions 5 recs
Celtics fan here.
And I must say, that is absolutely brilliant :p
Laughed my bum off. Thanks :D
- Dirk van Boxtel, the wandering Celtic fan.
Twitter: @4Hoopz
That's hilarious!!!
Nice one!
I hate Pau Gasol!
Did you do that yourself?
That’s an exercise in awesomeness.
Even though the Hippopotamus lacks a stinger for a tail, a truly wise man would rather be sat on by a bee. ~ Banacek
by funny80sguy on May 27, 2010 11:05 AM EDT up reply actions
ROFL that's focking hilarious
"It can be done, you can just crush somebody"
Fire Stan! Trade Jameer! Bench Rashard!
Rabble rabble rabble.
I’m glad the Magic showed up, even if it might be too late. They didn’t go down with a choke in the O-Rena and a no-show for a sweep as the last memories. They’ve given people some legit hope. I felt before and during this series that the Magic have a higher ceiling than Boston’s, but Boston was definitely playing closer to their ceiling the first 3 games than the Magic were. If that can continue to be a reversed trend, this would be awesome.
I love LeBron. No really, I love Jameer.
This is SO true.
I was so worried that we were going to get swept and there would be some kind of panic move(s) made. If nothing else, I think everyone’s job is safe now. (With the possible exception of Vince.)
The Magic's total second-round margin of victory: 101 points.
The Hawks' highest second-round game score: 98 points.
I've flagged your comment
You’ve just gotten out of control ever since erivera left.
Even though the Hippopotamus lacks a stinger for a tail, a truly wise man would rather be sat on by a bee. ~ Banacek
by funny80sguy on May 27, 2010 11:06 AM EDT up reply actions
FLAGGART!
FLAGGARTING LIKE STERN ON A FRIDAY!
by fanoftheunderdogs on May 27, 2010 4:23 PM EDT up reply actions
I would also like to thank a certain famous sports magazine and its cover.
Time to get that finger bling-bling
Don't mind my spelling. I'm a Typo Master.
You'll be able to see the game when you'll get the time ?
Time to get that finger bling-bling
Don't mind my spelling. I'm a Typo Master.
Friday night. But I meant this game, it was a crazy one.
Time to get that finger bling-bling
Don't mind my spelling. I'm a Typo Master.
internet's too slow here to watch replays
but I will be able to watch the game Friday
I'm a girl.
by TheGiantSquid on May 27, 2010 4:57 AM EDT up reply actions
I just had to do this. By the way, Wojasholwski changed his opinion once again !! No surprise there.
Time to get that finger bling-bling
Don't mind my spelling. I'm a Typo Master.
is he the same ref who challenged duncan to a fight some time ago?
"the man who created a legend; the legend who resurrected a franchise."
I think he's the same one that gave Timmy a tech
when he was sitting on the bench laughing with his teammates
I'm a girl.
by TheGiantSquid on May 27, 2010 9:17 AM EDT up reply actions
Um . . . that picture is definitely not cool
Even though the Hippopotamus lacks a stinger for a tail, a truly wise man would rather be sat on by a bee. ~ Banacek
by funny80sguy on May 27, 2010 11:07 AM EDT up reply actions
I didn't put it up because it was cool. PLZ don't change my comment.
The picture comes from that a-hole Jow article.
Time to get that finger bling-bling
Don't mind my spelling. I'm a Typo Master.
I don't hardly ever flag comments (even though I may joke about it)
I’m just thinking that if it were Bass or Lewis that got wobbly after being accidentally elbowed by Garnett, I would be pissed if somebody posted a picture mocking the incident on a Celtics blog.
Even though the Hippopotamus lacks a stinger for a tail, a truly wise man would rather be sat on by a bee. ~ Banacek
by funny80sguy on May 27, 2010 11:31 AM EDT up reply actions
I dunno, his facial expressions the whole time were hilarious.
Not to mention Doc and Thibodeau yelling at him in the background to get up for a good solid 5-6 seconds. Plus, this is the same guy who shoved a kid, cried on the bench, and did http://i45.tinypic.com/2guabo3.jpg this. It wasn’t a gruesome injury, dude just got clocked. If that happened to a boxer, everyone would be going, “WHOA LOOK AT THAT, HE GOT HIT SO HARD HE HAS NO IDEA WHERE HE IS AWESOME!”
I love LeBron. No really, I love Jameer.
I really don't want to be in the business of defending Glen Davis, so I will just end with this
Despite how obnoxious a person is perceived as being, I’m not going to wish a brain injury (either major or minor) on them nor laugh at its symptoms.
Even though the Hippopotamus lacks a stinger for a tail, a truly wise man would rather be sat on by a bee. ~ Banacek
by funny80sguy on May 27, 2010 11:53 AM EDT up reply actions
Fair enough.
I love LeBron. No really, I love Jameer.
Right, I see some mixed feelings about Celtics fans here.
Let me say this much: we all understand that the game we played was utterly #(*^@#4. And that’s putting it lightly.
That said, yes, we also think the technicals were ridiculous. If Perks gets suspended for this, it’s downright ridiculous. About the rest of the plays: I believe Howard can’t help the elbowing since he has a huge wingspan and a phenomenal strength, so yeh, stuff can happen if you pull down your arms after a block.
You guys played a heck of a game, and Meercat was absolutely brilliant in the second half.
It’s too bad we’re up against you guys; I love cheering for your team. I really like Redickt, Nelson, Pietrus and Lewis. Heck, I even like Howard. It was fun, cheering for you guys in the previous rounds.
I wish you good luck in the next game, and hey, at the very least; we finally have us a series!
Enjoy!
- Dirk van Boxtel, the wandering Celtic fan.
Twitter: @4Hoopz
I think he'll get one tech rescinded
The league won’t particularly care if he misses a game, but they’ll make sure he’s earned it.
by eltharion_doa on May 27, 2010 8:00 AM EDT up reply actions
Thanks for the props
Just FYI though – “Meercat” is old – we all call him #CrazyNuts
Shortest off-season ever!
Hehe, thanks for the headsup.
I’ll try and remember that ;)
- Dirk van Boxtel, the wandering Celtic fan.
Twitter: @4Hoopz
No we don't!!!!!!
Please, please, let’s kill that nickname.
Don’t listen to him Kiorrik.
Even though the Hippopotamus lacks a stinger for a tail, a truly wise man would rather be sat on by a bee. ~ Banacek
by funny80sguy on May 27, 2010 11:09 AM EDT up reply actions
Haha
Yeah, not too fond of that myself. I have my own nickname for Meer.
I love LeBron. No really, I love Jameer.
I've been trying to kickstart the nickname of "Bob" on Jameer
But it doesn’t seem to resonate with anybody here . . . yet.
Even though the Hippopotamus lacks a stinger for a tail, a truly wise man would rather be sat on by a bee. ~ Banacek
by funny80sguy on May 27, 2010 11:57 AM EDT up reply actions
I would just like to remind to Celtics fans that VC got a technical being in the sidelines in Game 2.
And that was after a major BS 3rd foul call. So if Perking was talking trash to the ref, the fact the he was backing off doesn’t mean he won’t take the call. I’d like to add that for my part, I want to see Perkins and Davis on the court friday.
Time to get that finger bling-bling
Don't mind my spelling. I'm a Typo Master.
by 44792212 on May 27, 2010 9:29 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I don't want to see Big Baby
After an injury that serious, he almost certainly shouldn’t be on the court for at least a couple weeks. Concussions are no joke, and even after you’re no longer suffering symptoms, you’re still more vulnerable for a long period of time. Pierre-March Bouchard, a hockey player, had a concussion last March, was said to have recovered, took a minor hit to the jaw in September, and hasn’t been able to play since because of post-concussion syndrome.
Honor is no substitute for victory.
I'm not even sure that Perkins will be there. I would just prefer it to be a full roster.
Time to get that finger bling-bling
Don't mind my spelling. I'm a Typo Master.
Yeah, I think the Celtics doctors really should treat this with care.
If this were the NFL, he’d definitely have to miss the next game, which is of course at least a week away. And defending Dwight is the equivalent of trying to block Albert Haynesworth, so the risk of getting bumped or hit the wrong way is too high, in my opinion.
As far as Perkins, yes, I want to see him on the court.
I love LeBron. No really, I love Jameer.
Agreed. I do want Perkins there
I expect and actually hope that his second technical is rescinded. He didn’t appear to do anything excessive, and I’d hate for a one-game suspension that doesn’t seem to have been legitimately earned to be a factor in this series.
Honor is no substitute for victory.
The Luck of the Irish wasn't enough for the Magic of Orlando...
Cheesy but fitting. Let’s get Game 6 in Boston!
Go Magic/Bucs/Gators/Rays!
Never been forced to a game 6 after a 3-0 lead
I just read that.
gives me some rational hope to think they can push it to 7….
"Just to remind you, Orlando made it to the finals last year without this guy. Crazy."~John Krolik
Another Adrian Wojnarowski Bull$#!z
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=AryoMVtG6y9hroaxlp64TqS8vLYF?slug=aw-celticsmagic052710
This guy is a joker
I hate Pau Gasol!
this bum is trying to slowly back out of all the crap he talked about us....
while still throwing digs at the Magic…..worthless…
"He is fast, but what I like about him is he looks like one of those track guys that actually knows how to run the ball and has good vision and patience. He is not just running at top speed. He knows when to use his speed, and he has some power and toughness, too.'' Barry Sanders about CJ2K
Dwight Howard >The Justice League of America
by Bonafidebrother on May 27, 2010 9:17 AM EDT up reply actions
yeah he does get under people’s skin, for ripping teams or players. recently he’s been ripping lebron. he’s done it to the best of players.
"the man who created a legend; the legend who resurrected a franchise."
I usually like Woj
But his character assassination of Carter after the Magic won (won!) was pretty out of left field. Maybe he had big money on the Magic in game 3, then on the Celtics in game 4, and was pissed off? Who knows.
by eltharion_doa on May 27, 2010 8:00 PM EDT up reply actions
Carter's numbers are down again but...
I liked the fact that he started driving hard to the basket in the second half.
I hate Pau Gasol!
i looked for game 5 tickets the morning after game 4 but they had already been sold...
my impression is that game 7 tickets will be sold before game 6, and if thats true i just dont want to miss out.
I think that it is really showing that Carter is not used to this type of games.
I mean he played very well the first game, and okay the 2nd game, but after missing those free throws it looks like he is just backing out and letting his teammates deal with the winning, since they’ve been there before and he hasn’t. It’s a shame, cause the Magic could use an aggressive Vince Carter, one that draws fouls and gets 15-20 points a game.
Magic Fan since the 1992-1993 Season.
Caracas, Venezuela.
by North of the South on May 27, 2010 11:53 AM EDT reply actions
I agree that the FT's shook his confidence.
But I think after playing particularly poorly the last 2 games, I think he played alright in game 5. He missed some open shots, but he didn’t hang his head and didn’t let it affect his play. He had a couple good drives and played solid D, I thought (except for, once again, falling for a Pierce pump fake).
I love LeBron. No really, I love Jameer.
Yeah, Vince has sort morphed into a Courtney Lee for the Magic (but we are paying about 15 million dollars more for the services)
Just not quite as tenacious on defense as Lee, but the Celtics have to respect and guard Vince more. It is sorta of a tradeoff.
Even though the Hippopotamus lacks a stinger for a tail, a truly wise man would rather be sat on by a bee. ~ Banacek
by funny80sguy on May 27, 2010 11:59 AM EDT up reply actions
Their production has been very similar in this series statistic-wise as well. (I meant to add)
Of course, I’m saying this without actually looking at the stats, so I could be way off.
Even though the Hippopotamus lacks a stinger for a tail, a truly wise man would rather be sat on by a bee. ~ Banacek
by funny80sguy on May 27, 2010 12:01 PM EDT up reply actions
Just checking:
VC against Boston: averaging 13 points on 23-64 shooting, 1.6 steals, 3.2 rebounds, 2 assists, 2.2 turnovers
CLee against Boston last season: averaged 6.2 points on 10-25 shooting, 0.2 steals, 1.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1 turnover
Honor is no substitute for victory.
So I'm not evenly remotely correct
However, I’ll keep using the Lee/Carter comparison in order to eventually make everybody believe that it’s true
Even though the Hippopotamus lacks a stinger for a tail, a truly wise man would rather be sat on by a bee. ~ Banacek
Your future in the media is prominent, 80sguy.
You’re climbing the ladder to success.
by fanoftheunderdogs on May 27, 2010 4:25 PM EDT up reply actions
As in, 16 points on 7/16 FGs (0/3 3FGs) over the final 4 games of the series, in 57 minutes
With Lee blanketing him, House managed to chuck just 3 treys in 57 minutes, or 1 every 19 minutes. For his career, he averages a three-point attempt every 5 minutes.
If we were to play the Cavs this year I would sudgest a new "one posetion" trade rule,
just so that CLee would come back to dunk one more time on LeBron and then go his way again.
Time to get that finger bling-bling
Don't mind my spelling. I'm a Typo Master.
Someone said during the game that VC is JJ's bench relief.
Time to get that finger bling-bling
Don't mind my spelling. I'm a Typo Master.
Maybe, but JJ must come off the bench, cause the Magic need that "2nd unit energy/scoring" he brings.
Magic Fan since the 1992-1993 Season.
Caracas, Venezuela.
by North of the South on May 27, 2010 12:03 PM EDT up reply actions
I never liked the idea to change the starters even when Barnes was in quaestion with his back.
Besides, after the 3-4 first posessions in game 5 they had good energy with VC being on the floor.
Time to get that finger bling-bling
Don't mind my spelling. I'm a Typo Master.
Oh, yes. Don't get me wrong.
I still believe in him. He is too much of a (former) Superstar not to play him. I think that SVG is doing the right thing by starting with him, letting him play, and then bring Redick after VC has made a few mistakes. Eventually Carter will be back to normal.
And yes, his game 5 was better, and as for falling to Pierce’s pump fake… everyone falls on that trap.
Magic Fan since the 1992-1993 Season.
Caracas, Venezuela.
by North of the South on May 27, 2010 12:01 PM EDT up reply actions
I saw during the replay of Games 1&2 on NBAtv that Vince Carter is currently having some serious "family troubles".
Maybe that has something to do with it?
by fanoftheunderdogs on May 27, 2010 4:26 PM EDT up reply actions
Yes, his wife send him sleep on the couch since he lost those Fts.
3 points and 3 TOs = anything is possible.
Time to get that finger bling-bling
Don't mind my spelling. I'm a Typo Master.
One guy didn't
Think it was Barnes? Pierce threw up the fake and Barnes just looked at him. Pierce was so confused he ended up passing it back outside.
I like the way SVG is playing Vince – start him, give him the chance to findhis game, and if it’s not working out, get Redick in. Then keep going back to Vince, against different defenders and playing different positions, and see if he can get something going.
by eltharion_doa on May 27, 2010 8:04 PM EDT up reply actions
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