Round 2 Game 1:Magic @ Celtics May 4 at 8pm ET on TNT

[mhectorgato]

idont believe in the mental side of sports as much as the ave fan.

i think being mentally in a place to win is usually a bi-product of already having won, placed on players and teams but the rest of us. imo the winning is a result of being better, which i think we are.

and really, when you see 2 good teams playing and one goes up by more than 20, it seems almost unlikey the down team WONT make a run at some point...just from a % factor, theyll hit shots eventually..

chris webber seemed to be a little less sure of his analysis after the first half.

I understand - and I certainly expected them to make runs - for PP/Allen to score more than their 9 combined in the 1st.

But I think there's a mental toughness side that we've (over the years) have lacked. We're not a team to keep up the intensity when we're in positions like this. Like the Philly games, we let off the gas when in these situations, instead of keeping the intensity up.

Hopefully the Philly and Boston cases have awoken us. We need to come out with the same intensity if we're down by 5 or up by 20.

[Bay_Areas_Finest]

False. The only thing that matters is who wins the series. If you maintain the lead and blowout the Celtics in this game you get into their heads and you increase your chances of winning the series. getting up one or even taking HCA doesn't really factor that large. Countless series the HCA swings back and forth.

Like the win but Boston clearly looked flat in the first half. Rivers may not want to admit it but his team was tired. If I am them I look at it like - we had a pretty bad night shooting the ball and they can only barely beat us. No swagger lost. We blow them out and maintain or lead - message sent and received putting the pressure on them.

So good win but easing up in the fourth was a missed opportunity that does matter.

Well, whatever. You can go ahead and have your "glass half-empty" perspective, but its wrong. I'll take 3 more games last night if it means winning the series. Sure, winning by 20+ would have been nice, but regardless; Who's up in the series right now?

And all that run by the Celtics does is show Orlando what they need to do better in the next game. So, along with the win, we get a little bit of a learning class on how to improve so leads like that dont evaporate again if we are fortunate enough to get up big once more.

As for the Celtics "Barely losing while shooting bad", you also have to look at how Orlando played some of their worst ball of the season in the second half, so it works both ways. Boston wasn't tired in the first half and that's just a bull reason to explain Orlando getting on top. Dwight Howard got in their heads, I'm sure about that, but more fault to Boston then. Can't take it back now, and going to game 2, they are down.

A.WIN.IS.A.WIN.

Boston DOESNT have momentum going into game 2; They just lost. All the pressure is on them to win.

[mhectorgato]

They should look at it as Orlando getting bored and allowing Boston to get back in the game by just going through the motions. It seems like they lose interest in playing. Nothing Celtics did that game scares me. The most productive players were Scalabrini and Fat ass Davis...Pfft..thats all you got? I beg them to throw that line up at us again.

What worries me is Orlando getting bored with the weaker comp and giving up big leads by not playing to their strengths, which has happened alot this year. They'll figure it out and win in 6.

I don't know if it's necessarily because of boredom though. The Magic have a history (well, the past two seasons) of getting huge leads against very good teams (and the Pistons), and then, I guess...playing not to lose. Their style of play changes and they start jacking up shots, and I think part of it is because they feel pressured to keep the big lead, while the other team goes into "nothing to lose" mode and mounts a comeback.

Part of it is a lack of enough mental toughness and experience to twist the dagger, part of it is basically a talent issue. But, going back to my last post, each time the Magic play in adversity-packed games such as the one last night, they come out just a little bit stronger mentally. They continue to learn and grow as a team, and it's fun - yet at the same time cringe worthy - to watch.

Agreed. Except it's not "cringe" worthy - it's "heart rate accelerating to near unhealthy levels" worthy.

[Bay_Areas_Finest]

I dont think it has to do with Orlando feeling "pressured"; I think its more of a "Look how great we were, so now any shot we take will go in", so the players get lazy offensively instead of playing with their heads.

Could be as you said though, MagicMad.

[ORL]

I think it switches to 23 after 1 full second, (so 23.00 and then 22.99 etc)...

If it went straight to displaying 23 at 23.99seconds, then it would display 0 at 0.99 and the clock would not expire until it showed zero for 1 second, but it expires as soon as zero appears.

So I don't think it switches to 16 until it is 16.00, which is a full 8 seconds, so you should be able to call an 8 second violation when it hits 16.

That's a possibility, but I'm not sure.

I'll pay attention the next time I see it hit 0. If the horns sounds the moment it hits 0, then they made the right call and I suppose the clock actually starts at 24.99. But if it sounds an approximate second after it hits 0, then they screwed up the call.

[mhectorgato]

I think it switches to 23 after 1 full second, (so 23.00 and then 22.99 etc)...

If it went straight to displaying 23 at 23.99seconds, then it would display 0 at 0.99 and the clock would not expire until it showed zero for 1 second, but it expires as soon as zero appears.

So I don't think it switches to 16 until it is 16.00, which is a full 8 seconds, so you should be able to call an 8 second violation when it hits 16.

That's a possibility, but I'm not sure.

I'll pay attention the next time I see it hit 0. If the horns sounds the moment it hits 0, then they made the right call and I suppose the clock actually starts at 24.99. But if it sounds an approximate second after it hits 0, then they screwed up the call.

Pretty sure that it (and the red lights) go off exactly at zero.

[magicmamma]

I'm confident that the Magic are a better team than the Celtics, but they aren't a 28 point better team. Probably about 6 points better. The Magic played about their best ball in the first part of the game and the Celtics played about their best ball in the second. When one team plays its best ball, the other team is going to be playing badly because they are being outscored and out defended. The score came out where it should have.

You can't argue that the Celtics are mentally tougher and then say they would be crushed by a blowout. Nothing makes a good team more focused than playing a team that just blew them out. As painful as the Celtic's recovery was to watch, I think the game came out well. Our team got the win, and also got a textbook on what to do to win and what to do to lose.

[Last Guardian]

We are a better team, no question. We got complacent and started jacking 3's. Everyone said the Sixers had our offense figured out and then we blew them out in game 6. Celtics have nothing figured out. Magic just have a collectively bad IQ when it comes to protecting leads. We take quick shots that give the opposing team more time to get back in the game. We get lazy on defense as well to make matters worse.

[Optimus_Steel]

Thats what we needed to to, get in there and win game one and we did. We let people back in games because we stop moving the ball. When we move the ball no one in the league can defend us and we are pretty much unstoppable. When we stop moving the ball we are extremely guardable. Move the ball, play D and we will be ok.

[mhectorgato]

Thats what we needed to to, get in there and win game one and we did. We let people back in games because we stop moving the ball. When we move the ball no one in the league can defend us and we are pretty much unstoppable. When we stop moving the ball we are extremely guardable. Move the ball, play D and we will be ok.

Hopefully this sinks into their collective minds.

Without KG and them being tired, we get away with again. But the next round likely not.

[ORL]

I think it switches to 23 after 1 full second, (so 23.00 and then 22.99 etc)...

If it went straight to displaying 23 at 23.99seconds, then it would display 0 at 0.99 and the clock would not expire until it showed zero for 1 second, but it expires as soon as zero appears.

So I don't think it switches to 16 until it is 16.00, which is a full 8 seconds, so you should be able to call an 8 second violation when it hits 16.

That's a possibility, but I'm not sure.

I'll pay attention the next time I see it hit 0. If the horns sounds the moment it hits 0, then they made the right call and I suppose the clock actually starts at 24.99. But if it sounds an approximate second after it hits 0, then they screwed up the call.

Pretty sure that it (and the red lights) go off exactly at zero.

I don't think the lights go off for a shot clock violation.

[Seralin]

I forgot the number of times Magic is up by that many points and let the other team move within a manageable gap, and sometimes win. It is coach's job to take care of the team in these situations, and it is really hard to see that. If they had continued to make plays instead of bringing the ball and shoot, that 28 point lead wouldn't have shrunk that much.

Of course Celtics had a lot of can-be-considered-as-lucky plays, that triple offensive plays (after two consecutive offensive rebounds, ball goes to right and left and each time it is a Celtics player that reaches the ball first), two stupid turnovers at critical times (by Alston, from Rondo's knee to our backcourt play, and Hedo's 8+ seconds violation), and of course the 5-point play allowed by Alston.

I want to think it is one of those nights, but still if pressure gets to you that easily, then you need cold-blooded players who are not affected by that. I guess, that is one of those times when you are in urgent need of a really good ball-handler.

I think at the end the main reason we won the game was Redick. Without his highly accurate free throw shooting, it was very likely that we could have lost the game in the final seconds.

Anyways, at least the defense was sufficiently good. Yeah, the offense sucked in the second half, but despite that, the defense was good for the most part. When the lead was that big, maybe it would have been better to have Battie or Gortat in the game, to at least force Boston to shake its own lineup. I also have to admit Boston's red-headed comical figure was critical in Boston's comeback. That is also something Stan needs to address. To exploit the weaknesses of that guy to further limit his minutes. I would like to see him on the court, only when I can laugh.

[mhectorgato]

That's a possibility, but I'm not sure.

I'll pay attention the next time I see it hit 0. If the horns sounds the moment it hits 0, then they made the right call and I suppose the clock actually starts at 24.99. But if it sounds an approximate second after it hits 0, then they screwed up the call.

Pretty sure that it (and the red lights) go off exactly at zero.

I don't think the lights go off for a shot clock violation.

I thought they do - so that they can review it if need be. Perhaps it's only during the last few minutes of a game ...

[Edrock]

IMO, last night's outcome was the best possible result for game one in this series:

* The Magic won the game.
* They now have homecourt advantage
* They were able to impose their will on the Celtics on their homecourt by building a big lead
* They saw how capable the Celtics are of mounting the comeback and weathered the storm
* The Magic won the game.

The Magic now know what they're fully capable of in this Series (both the good and the bad), and still have the big advantage of getting the game 1 win. It's now up to players & coaches to capitalize on the good, and minimize the bad.

[J-Ville Smoke]

IMO, last night's outcome was the best possible result for game one in this series:

* The Magic won the game.
* They now have homecourt advantage
* They were able to impose their will on the Celtics on their homecourt by building a big lead
* They saw how capable the Celtics are of mounting the comeback and weathered the storm
* The Magic won the game.

The Magic now know what they're fully capable of in this Series (both the good and the bad), and still have the big advantage of getting the game 1 win. It's now up to players & coaches to capitalize on the good, and minimize the bad.

THIS

[surflawyer]

This may have already been talked about but did anyone see RONDO throw a punch at I think it was Rafer. I think it was after a turnover in the second half? I had just stuffed my mouth with Frosted Flakes and looked up to see the tail end of what I thought was a flailing type shot at Rafer. No foul was called but I wanted to check if I saw what I thought I saw.

[mhectorgato]

This may have already been talked about but did anyone see RONDO throw a punch at I think it was Rafer. I think it was after a turnover in the second half? I had just stuffed my mouth with Frosted Flakes and looked up to see the tail end of what I thought was a flailing type shot at Rafer. No foul was called but I wanted to check if I saw what I thought I saw.

Don't recall that ...

[surflawyer]

Thanks mhec. Do you know where I can view a video of the game in its entirety. This is driving me crazy. I want to see it again to see if Im seeing things.

[who_me_123]

I believe Rondo took a swipe at Howard in the 3rd quarter after Orlando rebounded the ball and was heading back up the court.

[surflawyer]

I believe Rondo took a swipe at Howard in the 3rd quarter after Orlando rebounded the ball and was heading back up the court.

Where they going from left to right on the TV screen? Do you remember when in the 3rd that happened. Man, RONDO is really getting full of himself lately.