Closing The Door on Hangover Week In Appropriate Fashion
2009-06-05
Well, that Magic team that played the Lakers sure didn’t seem like the one the Cavs saw, now did it? I only watched the first 2.5 quarters of the game (oddly liberating to realize that you don’t want to watch any more of an ugly blowout and realize that you don’t have to, and finish re-watching Evolution), but here are some possible explanations for what went on.
First of all, repeat after me: The difference in the two series was defensive. The Cavs scored 100 points in three of their six games against the Magic, and their lowest total was 89. The Magic just did not bring their game offensively at all.
First off, the Lakers had answers for Dwight Howard. Bynum did a good job, and there were even other guys who were able to get in there and bother them with size. Everything the Magic got against us offensively stemmed with Z and Andy having no possible explanation for Howard inside. If the Lakers can survive Dwight like the Celtics did, this team becomes much easier to guard.
On pick-and-rolls, I thought the Lakers were still getting exposed and giving up good looks, but the Magic decided now would be the time to start missing threes, and Hedo was not getting nearly as many layups thanks to some good help.
Mickael Pietrus: 3-5 from three, 2-8 on twos, 1-3 free throws, 0 assists. He’s replaced JR Smith as the premeir “really athletic wing who is actually much better off just bombing threes like he’s Brent Barry” player in the league. Congratulations.
As for Kobe, 38 attempts to get 40 points doesn’t seem so overwhelmingly awesome. But against a good defensive team like the Magic, the ability to create 38 opportunities for yourself and have all of them have a relatively good chance of going in is an amazing skill-it takes the team out of extended offensive lulls, which is what great defensive teams live on. And with the 8 assists, Kobe accounted for 54 of the Magic’s 100 points. Really impressive. And to use 46 possessions and make one turnover is amazing.
That’ll do it for this week-just to give a heads up, I’ll probably be doing Frazier on Cheers-like analysis of the finals on this site while they’re going on with soem other notes jotted in to justify the post, then get into player evaluations, draft, trade rumors, etc. when the season gets done and it’s time to focus on the off-season again. Partly this is because I don’t try and go against the grain of what the big stories of the day are, and partly it’s because this feels like our finals and it still hasn’t fully sunk in that we’re not going to win them.
By the way, I’ve been coping with not being able to sleep real well at night since Game 1 of the Magic series by watching a bunch of independent movies. I like things that are scripted. Tonight was Rachel Getting Married-Imagine the parts of The Office where you can’t believe Michael is acting this way and feel so bad for him and can’t even watch, but made realistic and not funny at all and for a full 50-minute stretch. That movie was more enjoyable to watch for me than the first game of this finals.
54 of 100??? Since when does 8 assists only net you 14 points. 16 + 40 = 56 of the Lakers 100 points.
Diya, LeBron goes to the line more than Kobe because he drives to the basket more. Same reason Wade goes to the line more than Kobe, and bigs tend to go to the line more than wings. Would people stop with this, “refs favor LeBron” nonsense already? Does he get favorable calls? Sure, but so does every other superstar. The difference is, a larger proportion of LeBron’s game is going to the basket where there is more contact. The more contact drawn, the more fouls will be called. It’s simple basketball. It’s why your coach in high school, even middle… Read more »
You could at least check your stats before you write something. Kobe did not take 38 shots. I wasn’t impressed with your writing.
first off, kobe doesn’t get the lebron treatment where he gets to go to the foul line every time he touches the ball. so don’t say kobe’s numbers aren’t impressive. they are. magic are a good team. sorry cavs fans, lebron is amazing but your team isn’t. they did have the best record but they sucked against elite teams.
7. Sure, the Magic missed a number of open threes, but they still finished 8-23 (though a few of those makes were in garbage time). Essentially, the Lakers closed out hardest on Lewis and Turk, the two guys they didn’t want shooting open threes. Also, some of the threes were less open than they looked, because the defenders closing out on the shooters were 7-0 Gasol, 6-10 1/2 Odom, 6-8 Ariza, 6-8 Walton, and 6-7 Bryant. When a large proportion of your team’s closeout defense consists of guys 6-2 and under (like Cleveland’s defenders), 3-pt shooters like 6-10 Lewis, 6-10… Read more »
Not to mention he went 1-5 against JJ. Redick in the 4th when it was completely blowout.
FG+(FTA/2) isn’t the right formula because Kobe hit several and-1s. You’re going to have look at the play by play to get the correct shooting possessions used.
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Was any other Cavs fan frustrated watching that game? I only watched the third quarter, but seeing the Magic miss open shots they made against the Cavs was really annoying to me. OF course, what really helped the Lakers was the defense they played on Howard, but still. The Magic missed shots they were making against Cleveland.
I am also coping with the inability to get a good night’s sleep since game 1 of the conference finals, so you’re not alone. And great writing throughout the season – I’ve really enjoyed it!
Saying Magic instead of Lakers was a typo, but the 38 attempts wasn’t: When I say “attempts” I mean FG+(FTA/2).
Is there anything more frustrating than a really athletic wing that is actually better off bombing three’s like he is Brent Barry? You feel like most guys that athletic can’t shoot, but because this one guy can, he should be a star because of the combination of shooting and athleticism, but alas it just never materializes.
John Krolik is a saint, most objective Cavs fan on the planet. I am a Cavs fan living in DC and get a lot of s*** from everyone. Definately a different Magic team so far, what happened to their shooting? Off-season moves will determine where this team will go, especially with Big Ben’s possible retirement. It’s okay to stop drinking, especially as seeing how your typo ratio goes way up when you do.
Check again, Kobe had 40 on 34 attempts……
“And with the 8 assists, Kobe accounted for 54 of the Magic’s 100 points.”
I think you meant the Lakers…. just a heads up.