NBA Playoffs ECF: Orlando Magic vs. Boston Celtics

[Kevin Greene]

Wow, Cleveland and Orlando should have a cosolation match.

For the Quitters Cup.

[theyhateme45]

Wow, Cleveland and Orlando should have a cosolation match.

For the Quitters Cup.

I don't know how much Orlando Quit.... The Celtics defense is Superior to the Magics simplistic offense. They are matching up with them great.

I do believe they quit... lost effort, focus, somewhere in the 3rd quarter, but I don't think it mattered. I think they came to the realization they can not score consistently or win.

[Kakarot]

Man, the Magic suck. Both the Magic and Cavs were the best of the best during the regular season, only to choke when facing pressure in the playoffs. I expected the Cavs to choke, but not this Magic team. They should've kept Hedo; instead of Vince. Both the Magic and Cavs are a bunch of weak pretenders.

[Wither]

Man, the Magic suck. Both the Magic and Cavs were the best of the best during the regular season, only to choke when facing pressure in the playoffs. I expected the Cavs to choke, but not this Magic team. They should've kept Hedo; instead of Vince. Both the Magic and Cavs are a bunch of weak pretenders.

If I didn't know better I'd say it was a conspiracy for both to lose. I would not have anticipated both teams failing this miserably in the playoffs.

[King Taharqa]

Cavs actually won games in their series including the biggest lopsided victory in Boston playoff history. Orlando wont win one game this series. The King's version of a "bad game" against Boston is a triple double performance. Tonight, "Superman" Dwight Howard finished with 7 points on 3-10 shooting. For the 2nd game in a row he had less than 10 boards. IMO, the Cavs put up a bigger fight than these bums are right now. But give credit to the Celtics, they are a well coached, experienced team that is playing out of this world right now. We could very well be calling the Lakers & Kobe choke artists in 2 weeks too.

[Wither]

Cavs actually won games in their series including the biggest lopsided victory in Boston playoff history. Orlando wont win one game this series. The King's version of a "bad game" against Boston is a triple double performance. Tonight, "Superman" Dwight Howard finished with 7 points on 3-10 shooting. For the 2nd game in a row he had less than 10 boards. IMO, the Cavs put up a bigger fight than these bums are right now. But give credit to the Celtics, they are a well coached, experienced team that is playing out of this world right now. We could very well be calling the Lakers & Kobe choke artists in 2 weeks too.

I think the fact that Cleveland lost in that manner (Lebron playing well - winning two games) gave the Celtics an edge in the psychological department versus Orlando.

[Bobby]

You could make the argument that Orlando has no right being in the conference final to begin with. As great as our season was, we're still playoff virgins and Atlanta just plain sucks, no chemistry at all from them.

This is how Dwight Howard became "Superman", for anyone that watches soccer the parallels you can draw between Howard and Dimitar Berbatov are striking. Berbatov caught an incredible amount of attention one season -- eventually fetching a 30m GBP transfer fee for it -- for scoring an incredible amount of goals. But if you looked at the statistics he scored one time -- one -- against a top-ten team. He just beat the tar out of the bottom-ten teams. Howard does this, but for some reason, it isn't pointed out. The Hawks were pathetic, and the Cats are still very young. Yet against the Celtics, a top-tier team, he can't come up with an answer. The great players do it on the great stages. Like Gasol is doing on the other side of the bracket.

Maybe he should start throwing elbows again.

[theyhateme45]

I think some of you guys are over criticizing this magic team a little too much. I really believe it is Boston who is just playing excellent basketball, and there is nothing Orlando can do in this matchup when Boston comes to play.

Also the hawks were not pathetic. You were a 50+ win team, 3 seed in the east. They have a lot of talent on that team, and usually play well at home. I hate the hawks! But to say they are pathetic is a little much IMO. I mean if they are pathetic, what do we call all the teams in the NBA with less than 50 wins?? Or the ones who don't even have half of 50 wins??

The vince/Hedo switch has not been worst for this Orlando team. I do believe this Orlando team is better than the team last year. They have better PG play, and I give Carter an edge over Turk.... Also remember that turk went to toronto and stunk it up this year.... and bad.

You also need to look at their playoff matchups last year. The CAVS HAD NO BIGS to contain or stop Howard. This is why they got shaq. Without the bodies to guard and stop howard one-on-one Orlando got to run their perfect offense. Give it to howard down low, let him go one on one and score, or pass out the double team to a wide open 3 point shooter. They played an unhealthy Boston team with no Kevin Garnett. Even still they had to come back from a 3-2 deficit just to win in 7!!!! Keep in mind there was no Rasheed, and no Garnett meaning they lacked big bodies to put on Howard one-on-one... Also they did not have the fouls to use on Dwight to make him work for every shot. Rondo was not the player he is today. So I can make a strong argument that the Magic were EVEN WORST last year, but had favorable match-ups.

As I've said before, give the boston defense all the credit, because they took all of Orlando's offense away by staying on shooters, and being able to guard dwight on-one-one and make him work hard for every single point.... they have the personnel and strategy to pull it off this year. I mean Orlando's defense has not been horrible this series (Can't say that for Phoenix). Their offense has been so anemic, that it leads to most of Boston's easy points. For the most part they have played well in the half court.

Just trying to keep everything in perspective.

[theyhateme45]

Yes Dwight.... Amari just showed you how a big man can take over a game, even with talented big men defending him.... He played with Heart and hunger tonight, you should try sometime.

[King Taharqa]

[Wither]

That is a hilarious video. LMAO. Saved that one.

[theyhateme45]

Only took Nelson 3 games and 3 losses to figure his offense out....

[HeatCheck]

Howard has had a good 1st half.

Magic has just come out with more energy and effort. It has been 3 games late though.

[HeatCheck]

The tech on KG has pumped up the team/crowd.