Lots of buzz hubbub surrounding last night's Magic/Hornets game. Let's check out the reaction from around the web...
- First, if you missed Keyon Dooling swatting Jannero Pargo's fast-break layup attempt, click here for the NBA.com highlight. I promise you won't get Rick Roll'd.
- Kelly Dwyer of Ball Don't Lie in today's Behind the Boxscore feature:
I wrote a lot about this game, and I'll get to it in a sec, but the best summation about the back-and-forth comes from an email from Matt at Hardwood Paroxysm:
"These two in a Finals would be fascinating. It may not be as interesting as Kobe vs. KG, but the basketball may not be better."
Just the thought of the Lakers and Celtics (regardless of roster makeup) in the Finals leaves me giddy, and the thought of the Boston and Los Angeles rosters (forgetting, for a second, that the franchises in question are the Celtics and Lakers) in the Finals leaves me swimming. Either one works.
And yet, for the two and a half hours of actual game action, man, it might be hard to top Orlando and New Orleans. I know we've seen some real crackers from the C's and Lakers games this season, this is just a hypothetical, but it's worth understanding that this was a terrific, terrific pairing.
In case you missed it, Pat Garrity played 14 minutes last night. More from Dwyer:
Pat Garrity cannot help an NBDL team.
From another email, this one coming from a prominent scribe from another major sports site who also invented something called PER:
"They have to sign another 4 to a 10-day. HAVE TO. This is ridiculous."
Garrity's PER of 1.3 puts him below the lowest designation on the PER reference scale, which is "On the next play to Yakima." Maybe the Sun Kings could use a power forward...?
- Matt sent me an email as well:
I take it back, you're not going to get swept in the first round. You have way too many offensive weapons and too much pure talent for that to happen. And the best part is, if you can get one on the road, you'll actually be in a pretty great spot, even against the beasts from the East.
Nothing to be embarrassed about from this loss. Learning process, and a good one against a great team.
Nothing to be embarrassed about except being outhustled when it counted, I guess. Still, losing to the Hornets by only a point is a result most teams would be happy with.
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At the Hive:
Nothing like winning a game you have no business being in.
Given our pathetic rebounding effort, we had no business winning either.
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Hornets247:
- The Magic have some impressive pieces. I knew what to expect from Howard, but I didn't realize Lewis could D up like that, or that Hedo was so versatile. That dude has great handles for a guy listed as 6-10, and he has those big lunging steps that help him get by guys and finish in the lane. Very nice player.
Nice to see some recognition for Lewis and Hedo. Something tells me they won't sneak up on people in the postseason, though.
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Basketbawful:
Hedo Turkoglu cordially invites you to visit Peja Stojakovic's man region, and Peja's welcoming expression seems to say: "Go to that fertile land of gentle breezes where the peaceful waters flow."
While Matt and John Hollinger emailed Dwyer with observations on the game itself, I emailed Basketbawful a silly picture of Hedo and Peja before the game. Perhaps I don't have my priorities quite in order.