WTH Orlando?

[Gordon Bombay]

where were these choke artists when we played them? dwight could have shot free throws under-handed, blindfolded and backwards against us and swished every one of them

[Rise Against]

I was wondering the same thing.. Fact is the Lakers are simply better matched up against them than we are.

[L&H_05]

Actually, what's happening to the Magic is exactly what happened to us...

Magic should have put away game #2, just like we should have put away game #1.

Magic had game #4 won just like we had game #4 won.

[Icness]

They are doing exactly what we did against them...bad possessions at critical times, making poor switches defensively, not closing out. It's painful but hopefully the Cavs (read: Mike Brown and Lebron) are watching and learning.

[Benedict_Boozer]

I've noticed this as well. ESPECIALLY Dwight Howard's FT shooting. He was Reggie Miller against us and is choking it up against LA.

That said LA I have to admit has the best TEAM this year. Consider that Kobe shot 11-32 on the road at ORL and LA still won! Imagine how bad we would get waxed if Lebron shot 11-32 in a road game against ORL. We would lose by 50 pts.

[TheOUTLAW]

Yeah, it's weird. But I think, much like the Cavs a few years ago, Orlando is just happy to be there. The clutch shooting decent free throw shooting and just flat out smart play is gone.

[realfung]

face the facts

[Marc3287]

I expect Orlando is basically happy to be there too. Obviously you want to win, but a couple months from now you're not going to be hugely disappointed in your season as a whole if you're Orlando. This year was a great step.

LA has definitely stepped up, Gasol, Odom, Ariza all playing well and Derek Fisher with the huge shots.

Still, even taking into account LA matching up with Orlando, Orlando has still missed FTs and open shots that were going in against the Cavs. The Cavs didn't matchup well, but Orlando was still on fire on a level that may have exceeded the matchup adv. As close as the ECF was, a shot here or there away from Orlando and the Cavs definitely may have won so that is frustrating to see. It is what it is though.

[DubaLakers]

where were these choke artists when we played them? dwight could have shot free throws under-handed, blindfolded and backwards against us and swished every one of them

Choke artists? It's called the LAL. CLE didn't have the bigs to play D or crash boards, they didn't have anyone to create beyond LBJ. No penetration beyond LBJ. Mo Williams played like a coward. The coach of the year that doesn't diagram his own plays, didn't make near the adjustments he should have from what I saw. Dwight was comfortable vs. CLE he faced them 4 times, they didn't have a competent frontline to defend him. He was the focal point on the Lakers D, they threw everything at him, that's part of it, rattled.

I think some of you guys are in denial. ORL drove on CLE over and over, Turk was 1 on 5 in tight situations vs CLE and had great success, he couldn't do that vs. the LAL. The only one that busted the LA up was Shardy. The Lakers were deeper, taller, longer, faster, younger, experienced, smarter than CLE. CLE success this year was 89.9% LBJ, the MVP. Look at what the Lakers did to ORL on defense alone, the LAL D was fantastic throughout the series and they didn't get enough credit for it.

Many posters think only ORL would have busted up CLE, matchups, I totally disagree, CLE would have been swept by the LAL IMO.

Personally I think the CLE players, the media, and the management, were victims of their own hype.

I'm happy the LAL won the title, but not nearly as satisfying if it would have been the hated Boston C's.

It will be interesting to see who comes out of the East next year.

[Marc3287]

where were these choke artists when we played them? dwight could have shot free throws under-handed, blindfolded and backwards against us and swished every one of them

Choke artists? It's called the LAL. CLE didn't have the bigs to play D or crash boards, they didn't have anyone to create beyond LBJ. Mo Williams played like a coward. The coach of the year that doesn't diagram his own plays, didn't make near the adjustments he should have. Dwight was comfortable vs. CLE he faced them 4 times. He was the focal point on the Lakers D, they threw everything at him, that's part of it, rattled.

I don't think anyone is arguing LA didn't match up best with Orlando or that LA didn't deserve to win or anything. But Orlando still missed shots that LA wasn't responsible for like the free throws that would have guaranteed a Game 6 or Lee's lay up as well as any other number of open jumpers. The Lakers played great and deserved the championship w/o a doubt, but Orlando still massively choked in 2 of the games.

[TheOUTLAW]

Fact is, Orlando missed the same shots that they made with regularity against the Cavs. Not because of LA's defense (which was good) but because they choked or were playing over their heads against Cleveland.

[L&H_05]

This was about as boring as can be.

[NetsForce]

This was about as boring as can be.

I thought the whole playoffs were pretty boring outside of the Bulls-Celtics and Magic-Celtics series... There wasn't a single team in these playoffs that had any chance of beating Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers not even the most adamant homer would tell you otherwise.

With that being said, coming from an unbiased fan such as myself this finals was EASILY better than the 2007 NBA finals.

[L&H_05]

And vastly superior to '02 and '03. Those years just ran outta force..

Apparently those Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan guys always get their men...

[TheOUTLAW]

This was about as boring as can be.

I thought the whole playoffs were pretty boring outside of the Bulls-Celtics and Magic-Celtics series... There wasn't a single team in these playoffs that had any chance of beating Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers not even the most adamant homer would tell you otherwise.

With that being said, coming from an unbiased fan such as myself this finals was EASILY better than the 2007 NBA finals.

But not any more competitive.

[wizardg]

"They are who I thought they were!" lol

Orlando had great matchups against the Cavs and that gave them courage and heart.

I've watched Turkeyglue, Lewis, Alston, Howard, Air France, and while there are things to like about each, none of them really impressed me with their heart. Turkey has had his moments after peeing on himself in previous playoffs so maybe I am impressed with his reversal of preformance.

In boxing terms each Magic matchup outside of LeBron was like a heavyweight against a middleweight. That's when Orlando got courage. Against the Lakers they played someone their own size and the truth is they don't have the hearts of championships.

The Lakers are stacked. Bynum, Gasol, and Odom each would be Cleve's best big. Kobe is great, but LJ, Wade, Paul P, Joe Johnson, and Brandon Roy could have ridden the laker horse to the finish line.
This championship was ordained when Gasol was gifted for Kwame and confirmed when Ginobili and Garnett were injured. The Lakers played no champions to get this ring, just wannabee and new jacks.

The Lakers probably beat the Cavs, in the finals but LeBron would have made it clear who is the best.

This might be the best for Cleve. I've been watcvhing bball since the Celtics last championship, oopsw I meant Bill Russells last Celtic ring. LeBron's series against the Magic and these playoffs were top five in my opinion. Jordan, Jabbar, Shaq, Hakeem, LJ.

LeBron will get his "Gasol" this year. If its Amare the dynasty is on. Will it be Shaq? David West? T Chandler? Zach R? Kaman? Someone from Milwaukee like Redd, or no eyebrows? Vince C?


Orlando had their shot. Who knows maybe they can upgrade somewhere or maybe they will fire Ewing and get Howard some real coaching. When he can't blow past someone like Z or push AV out of his way he looks very mortal