LeBron James: Zoom VI MVP to Debut Tonight
May 5, 2009To-Be-Named: Keeping An Eye On The Tribe’s AAA Squad
May 5, 2009Orlando’s lead was 28 at one point last night. In the second game of the opening round series against the Pistons, the Cavs had a 29 point lead in the 4th quarter. The Magic had a tougher lesson than the Cavaliers. When the Pistons pulled within seven, Lebron re-entered the game with 3:32 left and quickly restored order on the way to a 12 point victory. The Magic, probably because Boston is tougher than Detroit, had to fight tooth and nail for the rest of the game in order to squeak out a victory. JJ Redick nailed a three for Orlando with 8:57 to go in the third quarter. At the end of that quarter the Magic were only up 78-62. With six seconds to go in the game Paul Pierce nailed a three to make it 93-90. But now that it is all over, regardless of how painful or ugly, Orlando came out with the 95-90 victory. All Boston can take from it is a moral victory for whatever that might be worth.
When it happened to the Cavaliers against the Pistons they really never gave Detroit hope again throughout the series. The true story of this Magic team will be told if they ever get a lead like that again and how they react to it. The Magic just learned that you can’t take a Boston team lightly. You can’t take them lightly even if they are injured and tired from a brutal first round series. You can’t take them lightly when your team leads by 28. You can’t take them lightly when Rondo and Ray Allen are a combined 4-24 from the field. You just can’t take them lightly ever.
I am just hoping that lesson the Cavs learned from the first round continues to stick throughout the playoffs if they are lucky enough to build up a giant lead again.
Orlando and Boston will be back in action on Wednesday at 8:00 PM for game 2.
9 Comments
Do you thing JJ and Hedu get their hair messed up at the same stylist?
Last night was fair warning to the Cavs. Do not let up on the gas at all.
and don’t shoot contested threes with 18 seconds on the shot clock for ten consecutive posessions.
Does anyone think the Celtics even have a chance in this series? Come on, they really did not look good at all against Chicago.. The Bulls made so many huge mistakes in that series, and even lost at home by like thirty. The Magic should win this series in six.
I know what the Magic learned…. Rondo is only good at driving the hoop, so let him jack Js and shoot floaters…. and imagine that, it worked!! If only Chicago would’ve figured this out.
I still think Boston will win the series.
If the good Ray Allen and the good Paul Pierce show up for the games, yeah they have a real good shot.
the Magic scare me after those two brutal beatdowns we took in Orlando.
Orlando can catch fire from three so easily with Lewis and Hedo… Not to mention Rafer Alston who seems to play with a fearless meanstreak…
If Orlando wins this series, the Cavs (assuming they take care of business against the ATL) would have a much harder time with the Magic than the Celts, IMHO. That said, I wouldn’t write off Boston yet. If they lose Game 2 on Wednesday it’s over, but if they win it, I expect Boston to win in 7. The Magic just don’t have that killer instinct (see, blowing 18 point lead to Philly in Game 1 of the last series; almost blowing 28 point lead to Boston last night), and Boston is just savvy enough to pull it off.
[…] on to beat the Magic. Game one was an early rout for Orlando as them built up a 28-point lead before holding on to win by five, and this series is starting to look like the exact inverse of the first round series between […]