04/16/24
May 17, 2009
Orlando Magic Win Game 7 Over Boston Celtics: The Orlando Magic ended the repeat hopes of the NBA Champ Boston Celtics, winning a 101-82 rout in Boston for game 7 to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Though the Cavs are undefeated and seemingly unstoppable in the playoffs, the hometown Orlando Sentinel puts this spin on the series: "The Magic will be portrayed as big underdogs ... But on closer inspection, the Magic have matched up well with the Cavs. They have won 8 of the last 11 meetings, including an 116-87 rout this year in Orlando."
posted by rcade to basketball at 10:53 PM - 9 comments
My heart broke yesterday with my Mets losing and now this! The horror!!
Alas, I'll get over it.
posted by BornIcon at 08:29 AM on May 18, 2009
I wasn't very impressed with either team in that series and would expect either to get blown away by the Cavs. Orlando played well enough, but they were also helped by the Celtic's numerous periods of serious offensive ineptitude. Such as the 4th quarter. And Pierce's and Allen's games of being no-shows. Now, they'll be playing a team with better team D and a better offense. Cavs in 5, maybe 6 if they play out of their minds.
posted by jmd82 at 09:28 AM on May 18, 2009
Orlando plays the Cavs really well. I saw them in the regular season in Orlando, and Dwight Howard presents real problems for them. I would have to predict the Cavs to win it, but in a 4-3 or 4-2 series.
posted by rcade at 11:36 AM on May 18, 2009
I was so worried that Orlando would blow it, even though they were the better team. I guess I was still traumatized from Game 6.
As for the Cavs, Orlando has shown already they can beat them. They demolished them about a month ago, and they are 2-1 against the Cavs. The Cavs are great at home though, so I don't know.
posted by bperk at 11:48 AM on May 18, 2009
Considering that the regular season doesn't mean much now that we're in the playoffs and the way the Cavs are playing, I'll take the Cavs in 4.
posted by BornIcon at 01:03 PM on May 18, 2009
Boston has some work to do in the off season. Unless they can get Davis signed at a fairly reasonable price, he's gone. Powe can be signed cheaply, but his history of knee injuries must be considered. The bench contributed very little in the playoffs, so a priority is a backup center and a veteran point guard. Unless Walker, Giddens, and Pruitt show signs of developing into real NBA players, Celtics will need to find a lot of help in free agency; they have nothing coming in the draft.
Say what you might about van Gundy, he managed to put together a game plan, particularly on defense, that Boston was unable to match. Without Garnett and Powe, Boston's "help" defense did not function well against the taller Orlando players. They were able to hold Howard to a level slightly below "Superman", but that came at the expense of letting everyone else on the floor have his own way. I honestly think Orlando has a shot against Cleveland, but the potential TV ratings for the finals will determine the outcome of this series and the western matchup. Tank McNamara says it all.
posted by Howard_T at 02:26 PM on May 18, 2009
God I love when Boston teams get knocked off. As for the Celtics, specifically, now I don't have to be traumatized by shots of Garnett's horrific facial expressions during every time out by the opponent.
posted by dyams at 07:26 PM on May 18, 2009
As for the Celtics, specifically, now I don't have to be traumatized by shots of Garnett's horrific facial expressions during every time out by the opponent.
Wait until next year when KG's facial expressions will be following a dunk or a blocked shot on NAME OF YOUR FAVORITE TEAM HERE
posted by BornIcon at 10:36 AM on May 19, 2009
Good god these playoffs never fucking end!