The Lakers are going to win in 5

[Tektonik]

Maybe 4, this is going to be an ugly series for Orlando.

[trumad]

1. They said that about Boston and Cleveland to...

[wilt the stilt]

2. I'm back

I did think that Dwight Howard played very well the last 2 games against Cleveland. I also think he played inferior competition. This is the series where we will find out how good he really is. He has far faster and quicker opponents this time. This also was the case with Boston.

He is going to have to play defense on his opponent as Odom, Casal and Bynum can all score especially Casal who is a very fine offensive player and Odom who is a very fine dribbler with a good jump shot.

If you notice in last night's game the Lakers controlled tempo. There were none of the fast break 3 pointers for the Magic which is there bread and butter.

The match up difficulties that the Magic posed for Cleveland does not appear to pose the same problem for the Lakers. The Laker's have the size and speed to cover Tergolou and Rashad Lewis.


If you noticed they single covered Howard last night and did a very credible job on him. The Cleveland big men where too slow too cover Howard one on one and in the last game Howard got the ball higher up in the post so he could put he ball on the floor and use his speed.

When you can single cover Howard and make him pass quickly out of the post( which happened last night) then the 3 point shot is contested.

Many years ago when Bill Russell(not a bad player) was doing the color for ABC and Chris Shenkel was play by play, Russell made the comment that when a team is out of their tempo(Magic's is fast paced 3 pointers) that what looks like good shots are really bad shots and that is why they miss what looks like good shots. I think that happened last night.

Last but not least many years ago when we were playing in the Olympics and most of the iron curtain teams( I think it was either Poland or Czechoslovakia) was our opponent the comment was made "live by the jump shot die by the jump shot.

We shall see.

[cboy4]

5. bwahahahah

Orlando fans

:rofl:

[trumad]

7. bwahahahah

Golden State fans

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

[madinmaryland]

22. Has Golden State ever won anything??

:rofl:

Now that you mention it, neither have the Sacramento Kings!

:rofl:

[Tektonik]

10. Boston and Cleveland didn't have like 4 different 7 footers to throw at Dwight

The Lakers front court is just athletic, versatile, and big enough to overcome the matchup issues the Magic front court present.

Last night was not even that good of an offensive night for the Lake show.

The next game Orlando will score more points for sure, but I expect the Lakers to do the same.

[Tikki]

3. Yes, 5 or maybe even 4...

Tikki

[HughBeaumont]

4. See, Cleveland, this is the result of getting bigs who, you know, AREN'T statues.

Did anybody in Clevo's organization think "OK, I have a hell of a player who would be awesome at the 2,3 or 4. What does he NEED to put our team to that next level?" And the answer is, agile, ATHLETIC bigs and a semi-competent point guard. Every other organization seems smart enough to figure this out; why did it take six seasons for OURS to?

Then again, look what brilliant GM LeBron was saddled with for the first two years: Jim Paxson, who thought "hey, I have LeBron! I can just get any old scrub in here and we'll win a title!"

Meanwhile, Boozer was allowed to walk away for nothing in return (GOD . .. LeBron and Boozer on the same team for years THERE'S your damned nucleus right there), trade after trade bought us stiff after stiff after aging veteran after bad contract, Paxson couldn't draft for beans (Luke Jackson. Trajan Langdon. DeSagna Diop. Way. To. Go.), giving away first round picks for Jiri Welsch, etc.

IMO, Cleveland is STILL paying for the mistakes of that dumbass.

[Tektonik]

11. They have some alluring expiring deals to get a decent big man

Though they may need to settle for a late season trade to get someone like Bosh.

With the luck of Cleveland fans, the Cavs will go pick up Rasheed and Zach Randolph :rofl:

[HughBeaumont]

16. Some morons on the Cavs forum actually WANT those two cancers.

Rasheed will be 36 next year, is playing like he has one foot on the beach and would be par for the course in the Cavs confounding pattern of picking up aging veterans with large contracts.

Zach Randolph is a bloated and underacheiving locker-room cancer that Cleveland does not need right now.

The Cavs forum denizens are huffing some good shit, apparently.

[cboy4]

6. Lakers in two!

I just feel bad one of trumad's teams is getting humiliated yet again in the playoffs.

What a disgrace.

[trumad]

8. Douche

You follow the Niners----the Giants---and the Warriors---- oh and the Sharks who were drummed out in the first round.

you've got nothin douche.... nothing.

[cboy4]

12. Thank goodness there are other sporting events to help make up

for it.

I mean, I don't even give a rat's ass about the Los Angeles Lakes or the Orlando Magic.

Everyone knows I was rooting for Boston against the Fakers and I was rooting for Houston and Denver against the Fakers.

And while I'm not rooting for the Fakers per se against whorelando, I want to see the team you're rooting for go down in flames.

Oh my God, what a disgrace the Magic were last night. :rofl:

It was a beautiful thing.

You lose to LA by 50, or whatever it was at home!! What a bloodbath. lol

[trumad]

14. .

You follow the Niners----the Giants---and the Warriors---- oh and the Sharks who were drummed out in the first round.

you've got nothin douche.... nothing.

[LisaM]

9. I really dislike the Lakers.

I never did like them much, but I just can't bear Kobe. And most of their fans are transplants.

[KamaAina]

13. You actually think the cult members are going to salvage a game??

That's right, cult members.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_DeVos

Richard DeVos, Sr., (born March 4, 1926, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, U.S.) is an American billionaire and co-founder of Amway (restructured as Alticor in 2000).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amway_Arena

Amway Arena (formerly known as the Orlando Arena, TD Waterhouse Centre, and The Arena in Orlando <1>, and colloquially known by the nickname of O-Rena) is an indoor arena in Orlando, Florida. It is part of the Orlando Centroplex, a sports and entertainment complex located in downtown Orlando. The arena is home to the Orlando Magic of the NBA...

Amway founder Richard DeVos owns the Orlando Magic team.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amway#Other_issues

A Dateline NBC report from 2004 picked up the criticism against some Amway distributor groups. Amway subsequently published a website with a response to the Dateline report.

Some Amway distributor groups have been accused of using cult-like tactics to attract new distributors and keep them involved and committed. Allegations include resemblance to a Big Brother organization with paranoid attitude to insiders critical of the organization, seminars and rallies resembling religious revival meetings and enormous involvement of distributors despite minimal incomes....

Sociologist David G. Bromley calls Amway a quasi-religious corporation having sectarian characteristics....

Q.E.D. Go Lakers!!

[trumad]

15. Cult members in one Arena---Silcone in another

[cboy4]

17. You're really mad about this!

this is a dream come true!!

[trumad]

18. No Douche

I've figured you out--- your teams suck---all of them--- so you've become this annoying little troll hopping from thread to thread and dropping your little turds. You're nothing more than a douche troll.

[cboy4]

19. Thread to thread?

Most people choose a team during the finals.

I happened to have picked Los Angeles.

Nothing wrong with that!

[trumad]

20. Another Douche contradiction....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=215x94860

[madinmaryland]

23. Even trumad is handing your ass to you on a platter!

:rofl:

[Upton]

21. I literally hate the Lakers

so I really would prefer that Orlando win, but this has the potential to be straight out embarrassing for Florida so it could turn out be fun!

[trumad]

24. See post 18

[cboy4]

25. I know. That's how I feel.

:thumbsup:

[trumad]

26. Of course that's how you feel....

Douche bags stick together.

[cboy4]

27. You're such a poor sport. I bet you the Magic play the Lakers tough in

game 2 and only lose by a respectable 35 points!

So turn that frown upside down!!11!

[cboy4]

28. .....

[cboy4]

29. That was a another first class choke by Orlando. Wow.

Dwight Howard was shaking in his boots at the foul line.

No match.

LOL

[rep the dems]

30. 5 it shall be.

The Orlando Magic should be ashamed of themselves.

[trumad]

37. Why?

2 overtime games 000games that were a shot away from winning...

Dumb post

[rep the dems]

38. Maybe because they were a free throw away from closing it out

and couldn't do it? Because they missed some 15 free throws during regulation? Because they turned the ball over like there was no tomorrow? Because they blew a double digit halftime lead? Because rather than playing calm, smart basketball when the Lakers started to close the gap, they panicked and started tossing up weak 3 point shots and not grabbing any rebounds?

The Magic were in prime position to tie the series and they blew it.

[trumad]

39. Well you got good points there...

My apologies for calling your post dumb.

[rep the dems]

40. No worries. nt

[Onceuponalife]

31. Derek Fisher, y'all

[cboy4]

32. He is a cool as a cucumber

The Lakers are sure cruel the way the tease those Orlando chokers!

[Tektonik]

33. Man Kobe and the refs have done all they could to make the Lakers lose the last two games,

and we've won one of the two. Good place to be imo.

Hopefully Kobe can shoot above 50% and win game 5 to finish this already.

[Iggo]

34. How dare you blame the refs!!!

Why, I think it's entirely plausible that Orlando didn't commit any fouls in the 4th quarter of Game 4.

:sarcasm:

[cboy4]

35. You have to admit Orlando is so intimidated and pathetic under pressure,

that it's not really even a fair fight, all fouls aside.

It's why they missed that layup in game 2 .. it's why Howard looked like a school girl shooting free-throws.

LA is in their heads.

I've never seen such a mismatch in the finals.

[Iggo]

36. Yeah, you got that right.

I didn't hear a lot about Finals experience leading up to this series, but it sure looks like it's a huuuuge factor.