Orlando Magic Blog

Group Blog talking about the NBA 2009 Eastern Conference Champions. Due to the amazing success of the 2009 playoff run comments are now frequently deleted to kill offensive comments, incoherence, or asininity. Comments can no longer be anonymous and require either a Blogger or OpenID account.

Sunday, May 31, 2009

15 Comments:

At 3:47 PM, Mike from Illinois said…

Haha... nice sign!

So much for all the conspiracy theories out there that the NBA would pull out all the stops to try and get a Cavs/Lakers final.

The best two teams are in the finals.
At 2:06 AM, OVERWADED said…

Ah, Mike...

I honestly believe "all the stops" failed. Lebron was shooting 20 free throws a night. Dwight was in constant foul trouble. But the bottom line was, the Magic were a a superior team. The Cavs are still a "one man show", despite what their regular season record said.

Well actually...

The Cavs were 3-6 in the regular season again the Magic, Lakers, and Celtics.

They were a product of the media hype machine, and they couldn't live up to it.

At least the best team won...this time.
At 3:25 AM, Mike from Illinois said…

OVERWADED, I'll concede the fact that LBJ was given lots and lots of free throws every night, while D12 was in almost constant foul trouble, it seemed.

Overall though, when you look at the number of free throws attempted by both teams over the course of the series, the Magic actually attempted more free throws than the Cavs; the total was Magic 179 FTA, Cavs 170 FTA.

For a six game series, that's pretty even in regard to FTA by both teams, with no decided edge going to either team.

Anyway, like you said, the Magic were the superior team, and at least the best team won!

Dead on with your comment that the Cavs couldn't live up to the media hype machine that was created. They deserved respect for what they accomplished with the 66 wins, but all the experts overlooked the Magic, and the Magic have proven lots of those "experts" wrong.
At 12:26 PM, WeRDevos said…

I really don't believe the NBA front office would knowingly risk it's $3 billion business.

But the referees do suck. Follow the front page link to Whit Watsons blog and he covers it pretty well. Even though Whit doesn't believe coaches make that much of a difference. Anyone want Brian Hill back?

Dwight Howard average 5.3 fouls a game and was DQ'd from 3 of the six games. He only stayed in game six by refusing to play defense for the first 3 quarters and still got called for four fouls in the fourth. It ain't right.

My wife kept asking why LeBron was whining to the refs every time he hit the floor. I had to explain to her that it was because he had never experienced hitting the floor without a foul being called in his favor. It was completely out of his realm of personal experience, and therefore very confusing and frustrating to him. That also explains why he confused good sportsmanship with refusing to shake any Magic players hands.

The referee team was the second best player for Cleveland all series. The really great thing for this Magic team is how they grew up. They played 5 against 6 for the whole series and still managed to win 4 games to 2.

Oh - My - Gawd. Superman is all grown up and he's only 23. We are so lucky to have closely watched this season.
At 1:25 PM, Big Figure said…

Great stuff guys! I personally no longer have any respect for lebron. He's a classless spoiled brat and the basketball gods dont like ugly. He'll never win a championship with that attitude! If he was a friend to dwight like he's always acted then he would have put his pride down for a moment and at least wished the team well.
At 2:10 PM, Danny's Ferry said…

Lebron's "attitude" is great, he has the will of a champion...think about the year he had in the regular season-you thought he wouldnt be able to elevate his game more did u?...well he did and had a great postseason 38 8 and 8. All he needs is some guys around him and he will have 6-7 championships by the time he hangs it up.
At 2:15 PM, Danny's Ferry said…

If anything the refs were Orlando's side. Lebron's demise is how big and strong he is...its a shame that the refs have trouble officiating a man of Lebrons stature. It was the same thing with Shaq he was so big and strong they didnt know how to officiate him. Just because lebron gets hit on the head or in the body and it doesnt affect his shot doesnt mean its not a foul. If you couldnt see this from the officials then watch the tape-

Once they figure out that Lebron is fouled more often than not he will probably avg over a reg season about 35-38 pts. But cant blame the refs to much they have never seen a physical specimen that is Lebron James before.
At 4:26 PM, WeRDevos said…

The non-foul on Lebron at the end of Game 4 was one of the most bogus calls ever seen. LBJ had no intention (or chance) of trying to score, only get the foul.

Anyway, I figured it out. LeBron is the modern Dominique Wilkins! Dribble the ball to death at the top of the key then dash at top speed towards the rim, spinning around, drawing fouls. It's a great strategy, except for the fact is excludes your teammates and -- DOESN'T WIN CHAMPIONSHIPS. The Cav's should have brought four stools out for the fourth quarter of Game 5. Would have saved some wear and tear on the rest of the Cavs.

38-8-8 One big shot. And he'll be remembered for 2-4 and no handshake. What a fool.
At 6:05 PM, Mike from Illinois said…

Some thoughts on LeBron James...

It took Michael Jordan 7 years before he won his first championship. It's going to take LBJ at least that long now, and probably even longer as the Magic demonstrated in the series.

He is a very difficult player to officiate, but that doesn't mean that a foul should be called against the opposition every time he gets touched.

As WeRDevos pointed out, LBJ was shocked at the end of the first half of Game 6 when he was on the floor and no call was made against the Magic... a good no-call I thought by the refs.

LeBron does have the will of a champion and tremendous talent, but even he can't do it all himself.

I was disappointed also in James walking off the court immediately after Game 6 without shaking hands with anyone else and blowing off the post-game press conference... it's easy to be a good winner, but hard to be a good loser, and it shows LeBron's immaturity in that area.

It's funny how Cleveland fans think that the Cavs got the short end of the stick regarding the officiating in the series, while Magic fans believe the Magic got shafted.

I'll stand by my original opinion that despite some bad calls and missed calls throughout the series, at least the free throws attempted on both sides were pretty even.

The Magic kept their focus throughout the series, didn't let any bad calls distract them, and did what they had to do to win the series.
At 8:56 PM, OVERWADED said…

Mike; you made mention how the free throw attempts were basically even for the entire series. The only problem I have with that stat, is that it was Cleveland's game plan to foul Dwight Howard. They tried to and wanted to foul Dwight; where as we tried our hardest NOT to foul Lebron.

However you said it right; "it's easy to be a good winner, but hard to be a good loser". Although in my opinion, I haven't thought of the Cavs as "good winners". Throughout the entire season they were nothing short of a "circus act" with how they'd celebrate before, during, and after games.

I always felt they displayed a lack of respect and class; both of which can be shown in winning and losing.

What is comes down to is this: Win or lose, you should do it with class.

Here are Lebron's recent comments:

"One thing about me you gotta understand; it is hard for me to congratulate somebody after just losing to him," James said to reporters in Cleveland on Sunday. "I'm a winner; that's not being a poor sport or anything like that. If somebody beats you up, you are not going to congratulate them beating you up. That doesn't make sense to me, I'm a competitor and that is what I do. It doesn't make sense to me to go over and shake somebody's hand."

For being a guy who is know for doing and saying the right thing, he failed here. He should have came over in shook the Magic's hands. He should have addressed the media. He's their leader, the leagues MVP, it's his job, and more importantly, his responsibility.

Football, hockey, boxing, MMA; no matter what kind of battle you're in, or how you get beat, the right thing to do is show some humility and class, and shake your opponents hand.

Here's a great example I found:

In 15 years with the Knicks, Patrick Ewing always was a gentleman. After ferocious wars with Michael Jordan and the Bulls, Ewing and Jordan always met for a quick hug upon elimination. He then consistently faced the media -- something LeBron opted not to do Saturday on the dais but did in the locker room. Ewing, who carried the weight of the Knicks and the expectations of New York on his own broad shoulders, showed dignity in losing.

WeRDevos; very well said. I've enjoyed reading your comments the entire post season.

Big; I'm with you on losing respect for Lebron.

Danny; you make mention about the officials not understanding how to officiate someone with Lebron's size or strength. I guess they have that same problem with Dwight then huh? Although Dwight faces constant contact, where as Lebron doesn't, and the contact he got, was often because he initiated it(often what many would think of as an offensive foul).

As for Lebron elevating his play...I guess. Although he had similar games throughout the season. The main difference I noticed in the post season with Lebron was that his free throw attempts went up a lot. I wonder why that happens...

Still, I can't deny it, he was great. We we all witnesses. The problem was, so were all of his teammates...who did more spectating and cheer leading than actual contributing.

As for Lebron getting championships, the potential is definitely there for him. It will come down to decisions, and if the right ones are made or not. As it relates to Cleveland, it looks like the window is closing. If they don't do something next season, Bron-Bron might go bye-bye.
At 9:38 PM, Mike from Illinois said…

I don't agree at all with James' reasoning for not shaking hands with the Magic and not congratulating them.

That's what sportsmanship is all about... congratulating the team that just beat you.

There are so many young kids out there who look up to LeBron... what kind of a lesson is that sending them, walking off the court like that.

How does LBJ explain blowing off the post-game press conference? Even Mo Williams, who foolishly ran off his mouth earlier in the series, had the guts to appear and speak at the press conference.
At 3:38 AM, OVERWADED said…

EXACTLY.
At 9:34 AM, Danny's Ferry said…

haha...you guys sound like my son's rec league basketball coach...this is the pro's Lebron doesnt owe nothing to the magic-he got screwed over by the refs and everyone knows it. So we can call Dwight Howard a master of sportsmanship as he took a three pointer at the end of game 6 with his team up by bunch of points- Or how about when they were interviewing him during the nuggets/lakers halftime he was throwing dust in the air poking fun at Lebron... Get a clue guys this is the big boys playing the game not 12 year olds being coddled so no ones feelings are hurt.

Lakers in 5
At 9:47 AM, Big Figure said…

SPORTSMANSHIP is being a good sport when you lose,point blank. Danny you can make as many excuses for lebron as you want,refs,coaching,whatever. You can even take shots at dwight,but the bottom line is this: I havent heard not one person in the media defend lebron's actions,NOT ONE,i think your the one who needs to get a clue. We are here giving our opinion's,but the FACT is that the world was watching when lebron showed how childish he is by walking off the court. He cant change that now and nothing you can say will change the opinion of the whole nation,only people making stupid comments are defending lebron.
At 5:05 PM, Ken said…

Right on Big!.. Maybe if Lebron spent a little more time on his game, and making his teammates better instead of his silly little pre-game rituals, they would have won the series..

LBJ showed no class and is a poor excuse for a MVP.

2009 Eastern Conference Champs