Wow, Howard is just embarrassing Verejao.

Did I say something earlier in the thread about anticipating the call?

Why are they not fouling Howard? Oh yea, Mike Brown can't coach

I think both should have been no-calls.

The Magic I think are just a better overall team then the Cavs. These guys are really really good.

Alston needs to stop shooting - the guy was crazy hot but he's such a streaky shooter and right now he's ice cold. He's a good defender though and definitely made a big play with that steal.

Why wasn't Howard involved in the 4th qtr again?

I think the Magic's style of play is a bad match for Cleveland.

Cleveland strikes me as a team that just finds ways to lose

dola- can they please stop showing that Axe Dry commercial, it's fucking horrible.

Howard has really taken over

looks like the magic are going up 3-1. Cleveland probably wins at home then the magic finish em off in game 6 I'm guessing. I'm indifferent on this series. Just enjoy watching. would love to see James vs Kobe finals. but we might get to see an amazing Nuggets Magic series instead.
This has been one of the most enjoyable playoffs in years, and my interest in the NBA is coming back.

tho I probably speak to soon

That was a weak call

What was worse, Turgolu's play? Or Howard's?

Refs trying to keep this close... Never know with the NBA

Orlando has way too many guys who can shoot the three and Cleveland doesn't really have any.

I say again

David Stern obviously called for that jump ball.

That was the longest 5 seconds ever to inbound that ball

I think it's on him. I think he just disappears at times. It was like that in the Boston series as well.

:D

they never call that foul when you have to lunge that far into the defender, yet every shooter who has ever pump faked his man straight up in the air tries it.

I think the team forgets him when the threes start to fly. At the very least he needs to be a part of the pick and roll in the 4th like he was in the first three quarters

In Cleveland they might have called it :)

:)

Lebron's future in Cleveland is looking bleak.

That ain't what David told me:banghead:

Ummmm that was interesting.

^^^ - now watch Lebron win it from half court

LOL @ Lewis.

LOL @ Lebron.

Yeah, it's going out on a limb to suggest the NBA is partially fixed...

SI

I can not see LeBron staying in Cleveland if he wants to win a championship. As long as he is there they will not be a lottery team and will likely pick in the 20s. Unless they get lucky and draft a kid who is a diamond in the rough they won't win the championship.

It's pretty ridiculous how it gets used as a crutch, however. People will always find what they're looking for, even if most of the evidence goes in the other direction...

The evidence doesn't go in the other direction though.

I don't think it's the team - I really think its the coaching. The announcers talked about how Cleveland played when they moved the ball and allowed Lebron to be a passer in the offense - the Cavs scored well and had a lead. Once they go into the 1 on 5 offense they suck. That's about the time the coach needs to call them on it and get them back to what is working.

They have enough talent - Williams, West, Z - those guys don't suck. I can't stand Varejao because he's a whiner and a flopper but he plays hard and is a good defender. And they have the best player in the league. Really what more do you need to get you over? I would fire Mike Brown, the "coach of the year" and give Lebron one year with a real coach on the bench before he decides if he's bolting.

Will be if the Cavs lose at home.....wait

Well it will be if the Cavs go down 3-1.......wait

I guess the Cavs will be given games 5,6,7 and that will prove it.

Dwight Howard was dominant in the overtime, three buckets on the first threee possessions <3

Lewis was a complete no-show until that huge three, he's hit a few big ones in the postseason so far.

Lebron got around 40 again but Orlando did manage to force him to make a lot of turnovers.

Cleveland looked so much better on offense in the first half, moving the ball around more, they scored 58 points. Lebron was setting up guys for easy buckets and they looked better than they have all series.

Both of these teams are susceptible to the occasional brain fart.

The NBA more so then College basketball is all about talent. How many teams can you name that you can say the coach was responsible for that teams success and not the players? Lakers with Phil Jackson? Chicago with Phil Jackson? Miami with Pat Riley?

In college basketball you can name those teams easily and likely won't generate much debate if you say Michigan State with Tom Izzo or UNC with Dean Smith. In the NBA its more about talent and the coach is more then likely has to be the one who is a motivator I guess.

Oh no doubt - Rick Pitino in college makes 1000x the impact as in the NBA. But if you have someone who doesn't understand basic strategy then you are a negative to the team. The coach may not implement a crazy system in the NBA and yes the NBA is definitely more about talent but if you can't make matchup adjustments, can't execute strategies in a multiple game series and can't seem to basically coach period then you're hurting the team no matter how much talent there is.

I would like to agree with you but Mike Brown just indicted himself and proved Gary right. He basically said that he stopped running the offense and HE made the decision to just put the ball in LeBron's hands in the 4th qtr. That just does not make any sense.

I agree. I think this series is not indicative of Coach Brown's ability because Orlando is flat out a better team then Cleveland. They were in that game because of LeBron and are in the conference finals because of LeBron. You could have a stomp on the bench I think Cleveland would have still made the Conference Finals.

However I do concede that with better coaching this might be a 2-2 series or even 3-1 in favor of Cleveland since with a good coach they wouldn't blow those huge leads.

Orlando is just an unusual team in some ways. A 6'10'' jump shooting specialist, a 6'10'' guy who does the majority of the ball-handling, Howard, guards who are not good at ball handling or passing but can shoot well, I know every team is different but Orlando is really different from most NBA teams.

They also shoot the three ball very well.

Well if playing against a "better team" isn't indicative of the ability of the guy named coach of the year I don't know what is. They rolled a Pistons team who was done months ago. They crushed the Hawks who are still growing but have some talent and they're one giant coaching brain fart by the other coach from lining up tee times right now.

Coaching during the regular season accounts for very little. Basically as long as you aren't a complete ass your coaching abillity is going to directly account for a W or L maybe 5 times max. Other than its all talent. The playoffs are when coaching counts.

Obviously Howard will get tech'd in game 5. Then cleveland wins a close one. Howard is suspended for game 6. The Cavs win that one. Then good ole Joey C takes us to the finals with game 7. That's the only way I see the Cavs winning the series

Agreed completely. I also concur about the dreadful coaching/decision making in this Eastern Conference series. Heck, George Karl and his "can't throw an in-bounds at midcourt" efforts look like Red Auerbach compared to these two jokers.

Still, I've had a blast watching every game and am almost glad I'm not really rooting for (or against) these teams. Although, I am starting to like Orlando a little more and appreciate what a strong team they have. I just hope we don't have a "Stern moment" in these final 2-3 games that end up with a Kobe-Lebron matchup but a bad taste in the mouth of neutral fans.

I've been thinking that the NBA would rather have Orlando in the Finals, so that Lebron leaves Cleveland. Of course, it would have been a lot easier to just fix the ping-pong balls in the first place.

I actually think it makes it easier for him to leave if he wins a title in Cleveland. He would have accomplished the pinnacle achievement in Cleveland and could then move on elsewhere. If he moves to New York without a title in Cleveland, he will always have that hanging over his head.