Lakers vs Magic and the 2008-2009 NBA Playoffs/Finals Thread

[Eaglesfan27]

I hope the Magic play like this in the Finals and beat the Lakers.

[Big Fo]

I hope they keep it up in the second half. The Magic can make a 20 point lead or a 20 point deficit disappear in no time.

[stevew]

This BETTER be the last fucking 24 minutes of the mike Brown era. Unless we win which is highly
Unlikely.

[Big Fo]

NBA Coach of the Year iirc

[stevew]

You'd be the coach of the year with 23 on your squad.

[stevew]

LeBron needs to go for 40 in this half and even then I doubt there's a chance.

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by Big Fo

I hope they keep it up in the second half. The Magic can make a 20 point lead or a 20 point deficit disappear in no time.

Guess you were right. That was an impressive cutting of the lead right there.

[stevew]

Would like to get this thing under 10 going into the 4th. Need to play perfectly it sounds like(I'm radio tonite.)

[miami_fan]

The Cavs look absolutely lost out there.

[Big Fo]

Nice recovery after the first minute blitz. One decent quarter and the finals await.

[stevew]

Not looking good. The magic have played better all series so they do deserve praise. The better best the Fakers.

[DeToxRox]

I haven't watched much NBA this playoffs and I am not watching now, but from everything I have seen it seems like Cleveland should go empty the vaults to hire Larry Brown as coach. Mike Brown is terrible and LB would get them a title next year.

[stevew]

The JailBlazers are the only ones capable of this epic of a collapse.

[larrymcg421]

I don't think you should stick the fork in yet, but probably best to get the fork ready now.

[stevew]

No. It is fairly obvious the roster is fatally flawed. 12 months to the JJ Hickson era starts.

Originally Posted by DeToxRox

I haven't watched much NBA this playoffs and I am not watching now, but from everything I have seen it seems like Cleveland should go empty the vaults to hire Larry Brown as coach. Mike Brown is terrible and LB would get them a title next year.

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by larrymcg421

I don't think you should stick the fork in yet, but probably best to get the fork ready now.

I think the first two prongs can go in at this point.

[Big Fo]

It's not really Mike Brown's fault everyone other than James and West are playing like crap.

Dwight Howard is having another huge game tonight.

[larrymcg421]

Just 6 more of those, Mo.

[stevew]

Well you can't fire the players for not having an answer.

[larrymcg421]

I really like LeBron, but I refuse to root for the Knicks.

[stevew]

I was thinking Nets personally.

[Matthean]

Originally Posted by larrymcg421

I really like LeBron, but I refuse to root for the Knicks.

But will the Knicks be much of anything by the time LeBron would sign there? Is there much point in going to the Knicks when he would just end up going, "Hey wait, it sucks here as well."

[Noop]

I hope LeBron takes a look at Miami if he decides to leave Cleveland. With him, Wade, Beasley the Miami Heat would be unstoppable.

[stevew]

I'm hoping the Basketball Gods will give us a Derick Rose/LeBron tandem in Chicago.

[Big Fo]

He will sign for a Euroleague team in the offseason on a $50m contract.

[miami_fan]

Should be a nice matchup in the Finals. Especially Odom on Hedo, Gasol and Lewis using their size and ability to spread the floor respectively to their own advantage.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by stevew

I'm hoping the Basketball Gods will give us a Derick Rose/LeBron tandem in Chicago.

I'm hoping the basketball gods choose to let him stay in Cleveland where he belongs.

SI

[Lathum]

Am I the only one who thinks LeBron stays in Cleveland?

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by Lathum

Am I the only one who thinks LeBron stays in Cleveland?

Nope. I think the Cavs somehow swing a major trade and get him another star next year and then he stays in Cleveland.

[stevew]

You look back on some of the trades that could have been made, and then the financial decision to keep Wally(who sucked a big fat cock) and it angers me. This team had a top 5 payroll, and is still missing a legit SG, and any type of post scorer. I like Delonte West, but would feel much more comfortable with another lengthy SG option out there.....West getting a ton of minutes off the bench.

[stevew]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

I'm hoping the basketball gods choose to let him stay in Cleveland where he belongs.

SI

If he leaves, I would love to see a Rose/LeBron tandem....is that better?

[stevew]

Originally Posted by Eaglesfan27

Nope. I think the Cavs somehow swing a major trade and get him another star next year and then he stays in Cleveland.

I'm as optimistic as the next guy, and I doubt that happens.

Basically JJ Hickson will have to enter into god-mode for this team to get anywhere.

[k0ruptr]

It's not Lebrons fault at all, and Cleveland had a great season that fell short in the playoffs. I think the Magic will take care of the lakers in 6.

[Young Drachma]

1. Kobe won't be denied. Sorry, haters. It's not gonna happen.

2. Glad LeBron lost. He's still young, he's hungry and yet...there's no way that the management of that Cleveland team ought to be rewarded so easily with a championship when they've done nothing to earn it.

3. Sure, he should stay because it makes for a better story in a world where people hate corporate named stadiums and $200 tickets. But he's got to do what's best for him and his career and it's not staying in Cleveland by any stretch of the imagination.

He won't win dozens of titles there and it'll eventually wear him down and he'd pull a Barry Sanders.

The guy has been carrying subpar teams for ages, but at least the ones in high school would go with him, elevate their games and win.

That travesty on the court that's been stuck with isn't going to cut it...and I don't see the sorts of guys he needs really sucking it up and moving to Cleveland. Not gonna happen.

So he might stay, but...I wouldn't be shocked if he goes. Being at home is completely overrated.

[DaddyTorgo]

lol - any team that he can go to is going to be subpar by virtue of having to clear enough cap room to acquire him though

[RainMaker]

I'm going to take the other side a little bit here since everyone seems to be sucking from Lebron's teet and destroying his teammates.

1) The Magic were a really tough matchup for the Cavs. Essentially the worst one in the league for the Cavs. The Cavs are still probably the best team in the East and will win the most games in an 82 game season, but they just can't matchup with the Magic.

2) The fact that they wouldn't put Lebron on Lewis or Hedo is a joke. Mike Brown should be fired for that alone. Lebron is one of the best defenders in the league and could have essentially shut down one of those guys in each game. Brown went away with what worked for him in the regular season, an aggressive defense led by Lebron.

3) Lebron didn't make his teammates better. When they fell behind, he would just take the ball at the top of the key and drive. No passing, no plays, just him trying to score and draw a foul. It also allowed Orlando to essentially rest guys on defense.

4) Way too many easy hoops for Howard. I think you need to foul him everytime he has decent position on you. He's a horrible free throw shooter and I'd rather have him at the line than dunking over me or kicking out to a good shooter for 3.

5) The Cavs weren't that bad. Sure he doesn't have the support Kobe has, but they weren't a horrible team without him. And that's essentially the difference between Lebron and Jordan right now. Jordan could win with bad teams, Lebron can't yet. The 98 Bulls Championship team was worse than Lebron's Cavs yet still won a title.

[RainMaker]

The problem with the Cavs is that Lebron potentially has one more year and the free agents on the market are not exactly guys you want to plug your team with. This should have been the year and I truly believe that the Cavs should have done anything they could have to grab Stoudamire from the Suns. It reminds me a bit of Kupchik and Los Angeles that probably cost Kobe a title in his prime due to their unwillingness to pull off a big trade years ago.

Outside of just keeping a similar roster, I see a couple routes they could go.

1) Try and trade for Chris Bosh or Amare Stoudamire. I don't think they have the pieces to grab Bosh but Stoudamire will probably be available for relatively cheap. It would require committing long term to Amare which isn't a good thing, but it could mean a title or two for Cleveland. The problem with this move is that if it doesn't work out and Lebron bolts, you have a bad contract on the books.

2) Grab a guy who can create mismatches and won't completely break the bank. Two guys come to mind. Lamar Odom and Shawn Marion. With the current economic situation in the NBA, I think both could be had for the mid-level exception (well Odom should be). The other would be Wallace who would be a perfect fit on the Cavs gameplay wise, but don't know if he'd really mesh well with Lebron. Wallace likes to take games off and Lebron doesn't. Does Lebron have the ability to tame Wallace like Jordan did with Rodman?

3) Take a major risk on an unorthodox guy that could change they dynamic of the team. Lets take Ben Gordon for example. You can now play a drive and kick game with Lebron kicking to Gordon or Williams. Gordon is one of the best pure shooters in the game and could flourish in a fast paced system that would see him getting a ton of open shots. Lebron needs a guy who can put up points for the team when he's on the bench. It'd be a huge risk, but imagine how tough it would be to defend that lineup. Two legitimate 3-point shooters and Lebron going to the hole.

[Danny]

I don't think Mo Williams, West, Verajo etc... are better than Pippen, Kukoc, Rodman, Longley, Harper and Kerr.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by Danny

I don't think Mo Williams, West, Verajo etc... are better than Pippen, Kukoc, Rodman, Longley, Harper and Kerr.

On the 98 team they were. Pippen had a horrible back that he could barely get out of bed in the morning. His playoff stats were atrocious (41% shooting) that year and he wasn't able to defend anyone on the perimeter. Kukoc was a nice role player, but the rest of those guys were basically done. None of them did squat the following year or for the rest of their careers. The 98 Bulls team without Jordan does not beat the 09 Cavs team without Lebron.

Jordan carried that team in the finals by himself.

[Galaril]

Originally Posted by stevew

You'd be the coach of the year with 23 on your squad.

True om both accounts. What a total embarassment for the NBA the way the Cavs were so completely dominated in this series. It was almost obvious after the first two games that this series was just a formality. I will be shocked if they don't can Williams. If they don't show some actions one way or another to improve this team I am certain James takes a walk after next season.

[Eaglesfan27]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

lol - any team that he can go to is going to be subpar by virtue of having to clear enough cap room to acquire him though

Not if they can make 2 or 3 smart high draft picks before he gets there.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by stevew

If he leaves, I would love to see a Rose/LeBron tandem....is that better?

I didn't have anything against the Chicago suggestion any more than any other place. I just used your quote since I liked the basketball gods comments

SI

[sterlingice]

For the Finals, I just think this is going to be ugly and over quick- Lakers in 4 or 5. They have some big bodies underneath and, well, what else do the Magic have when the threes aren't falling and someone is collapsing down on Howard?

SI

[MrBug708]

Lamar Odom wont be had for the mid-level exception. He'll command, at worse, 12 million dollars a year.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

Lamar Odom wont be had for the mid-level exception. He'll command, at worse, 12 million dollars a year.

Not in this economy. Teams are losing 30-50 million. With the mix of that and people waiting till 2010 for the big class, I just don't see Lamar getting that kind of money.

[MrBug708]

The Lakers will give him that money

[Noop]

YouTube - Any Given Sunday - Peace by Inches - Pacino

The Cavs needed to hear this at half time. Greatest speech ever.

[Big Fo]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

For the Finals, I just think this is going to be ugly and over quick- Lakers in 4 or 5. They have some big bodies underneath and, well, what else do the Magic have when the threes aren't falling and someone is collapsing down on Howard?

SI

The Lakers have some big bodies but I don't know how effective they'll be defending Howard. Gasol can at least score on the other end to even it up a bit maybe. And although LA has taller perimeter guys Orlando plays enough shooters at once that I think they'll still get enough good looks.

The Lakers aren't significantly better than the Cavs and I don't think they'll have an easy time of it against Orlando.

[Warhammer]

I would rather see the Lakers spend the money on Ariza rather than Odom. Odom you have no idea which guy is going to show up. While Ariza might not be as good as Odom when he is playing well, he shows up nearly every night and he makes some big defensive plays. The big thing is Ariza is still young and improving, whereas Odom is going to start declining in the next few years.

This series is going to be a dogfight. The key is Alstom. If he can run roughshod over the Lakers PG, it is going to be a tough series. If the Lakers can slow him down, they should be in good shape.

[Groundhog]

Lakers matchup with the Magic far better than the Cavs did. I think the Magic will grab one or two at home, but I don't see this getting further than 6 games.