While We’re Waiting… What Others Are Saying About Game 4
May 27, 2009Tribe Wins – Pavano Auditions
May 27, 2009Heartbreak. Despair. Disillusion. It’s all there. That game hurt. A lot. The Cleveland Cavaliers fell to the Orlando Magic 116-114 in an Overtime thriller in Game 4, and now trail the Magic 3-1 in the series. The situation is dire, for sure, but no matter how slim hope may be, the Cavaliers still have a chance to win this series. It’s up to Mo Williams to do it.
– I’m going to be more brief than usual today. There’s not much you can say about a game like this. I know it would be easy to be down on the Cavaliers, and I haven’t even read the Open Thread from the game last night yet out of fear of what I might read there. But know this. The Magic made 17 three pointers in a game twice this year, and they won those games by 32 points and 23 points. They shot over 40% from three 30 times in the regular season. They went 27-3 in those games, with an average margin of 13.93 points. They’ve shot over 40% from three in this series 3 times. In those 3 games, the Cavaliers have lost by one point, won a game, and took them to overtime before losing by 2 in the third. The Cavaliers are not playing awful. The Magic are just a great team, built for just this. They knew with this team that they could get on fire like this, and when they’re on, look out. 27-3 speaks for itself. So for the Cavaliers to have had a chance to beat them every time they’ve shot like this in this series speaks volumes for the way LeBron James has carried this team.
– Not only have the Cavaliers had a chance to win those 3 games, but if Mo Williams plays like himself, the Cavaliers *do* win those 3 games. The Magic are not defending Mo all that well, to be honest. Mo is getting good looks on his pull up jumper and he’s had plenty of wide open looks from 3. The guy is just off, and his confidence is fried right now. Seeing the dejection on his face in the post game interview was hard to see. He knows he’s killing this team right now, and it’s killing him. The chemistry we’ve talked about all season with this team is gone right now. I’m not going to be too hard on Mo, because it’s clear from his face that he cares and that he desperately wants to help the team. He just can’t find his shot. In basketball, it happens. The timing of this is just brutal, though, and in the course of 7 days Mo Williams has sadly gone from one of Cleveland’s favorite athletes to a guy who is going to take a lot of heat all offseason. Unless he steps up and wins a couple games for the Cavaliers.
– Delonte West played a tough game last night. He was pretty aggressive all game, driving to the basket, drawing contact, hitting little pull up jumpers, and even posting up at times. He knew he wasn’t hitting from outside, so he was finding other ways to create, and I applaud him for his effort in this game. But still, he was involved in what I thought was the most telling sequence of this series. With 4:30 left in regulation, and the Cavaliers trailing 93-90, Delonte has set up for a wide, and I mean WIDE, open three point look. He took his time, set his feet…..and missed the shot. The Magic came down, and Rashard Lewis knocked down a contested three with a defender right in his face to open the game back up to a 6 point deficit. That tells you the entire story of this series.
– I sometimes feel like basketball coaching is one of the least desirable jobs you could have. In perhaps no other sport is a coach judged with such a narrow scope and based pretty much solely on whether the team wins or loses. Is Mike Brown being outcoached in this series? I’d guess 90% of the people (maybe more) who read this site would say ‘absolutely’. But I’m not so sure. What great coaching moves has Stan Van Gundy made in this series? It’s not his coaching that is causing Orlando to shoot 42.86% from distance. It’s not Mike Brown’s coaching that is causing Mo and Delonte to shoot a combined 26.19% from three in this series. Mike Brown has literally tried everything in this series. Everything. Last night he was mixing and matching new lineups to try to find anything that would work. He’s looking for any spark from anywhere he can find it, but nobody on the Cavaliers seems willing to step up. I’ll stand behind everything I wrote when Coach Brown won the COY award this season. He’s done a great job all season, and he’s done about as much as anyone could do in this series to give the Cavs a chance to win these games. At some point, you have to put it on the players themselves.
– Finally, I have to mention LeBron James of course. He has become everything we’ve dreamed he could be and so much more. This series is a testament to his greatness, in the way he is carrying this team no matter how much they refuse to help him. But he’s also not without fault. Once again, he was extremely careless with the ball late in the game. He demands to run the offense late in games, and he wants the ball in his hands, but he continues to give it away with foolish risky passes and sloppy, forced drives to the rim. When he posted up in this game, he was incredibly efficient. If he would let the offense run through the guards and let the ball be fed to him in position to either create or score, the offense late in games would be better for it. We put down Mike Brown and the rest of the Cavaliers for the “stand and watch” offense, but I think some of the blame for that falls on LeBron. If he would let the offense run the way it does early in games, the rest of the guys on the team would be forced to be more active. But instead, they know he’s just going to try to drive into double and triple teams and put pressure on the refs to give him a call, so they resort to standing around and watching. It’s unfortunate. I’ll go no further in my “criticism” of LeBron’s game, because he has been the savior of this team all series long, and where would we be without him? But we also have to be fair, and if we’re going to give him all the praise and adulation he deserves, then we also have a duty to hold him to those standards and point out when he’s doing things that aren’t so great.
– Game 5 is back at the Q. I know things are dark right now, and it seems like there’s no way the Cavaliers can come back. But I wonder how Red Sox fans felt when they were down 0-3 to the Yankees? Nothing worth fighting for comes easy in life, and the Cavaliers are being severely tested. Does anyone here believe the Cavaliers are incapable of winning 2 games at home? I sure don’t. That leaves the Cavaliers with just having to find a way to win in Orlando in Game 6. I’m not giving up on this team. Not yet. After the game I was beside myself in grief and anger over the heartbreaking loss, but now that I’ve collected myself a little bit, I don’t want to let this team go. I have loved this team with all of my heart all season long. I have never loved a professional sports team like I have loved this team. This team was bred for greatness, and they played with a jovial swagger that was beyond infectious. This was a fun loving bunch who played the game with a passion and togetherness that is rarely seen in the arena of paid sports. And above all else, this team won. They faced every challenge thrown at them, from injuries to cold streaks to trade rumors. No matter what came their way, though, they overcame it. They continued to be great. Game 5 is a chance for the Cavaliers to establish a foundation for a miraculous comeback. I don’t know whether or not they’ll get it done. They probably won’t. But I refuse to let my spirit be 100% broken until the Magic have officially won 4 games in this series.
39 Comments
Colin Cowherd: “The future in the East is Orlando.”
Maybe it’s just me being stupid – but how how HOW can the Magic call a timeout, advance the ball, not get a good look, and then CALL ANOTHER TIME OUT?
It’s illegal in the NFL. Should be illegal in the NBA.
@ Scott – they scare the bejesus out of me, considering the fact that Courtney Lee is already balling, and Jameer Nelson is on the sidelines. They could be very good for a long time.
6-22 from 3 for the Cavs. Z went to the line 1 time.
Howard pushed Delonte on the scramble for the ball at the end of regulation that forced the ball to go out of bounds.
The ensuing 3 pointer was set up by a Howard hip check screen on Ben Wallace.
“They could be very good for a long time.”
Oh, and they’re a better attraction for free agents due to the weather.
I bet Turkoglu opts out… That won’t help matters much.
Rashard, Howard, and Nelson all signed through 2013. Scary indeed.
“I have never loved a professional sports team like I have loved this team.”
So true. That is why the prospect of them not winning the title hurts all of us so much. We need them to win because they are so near to our hearts.
Nelson coming back is scary … but could he honestly play better than Alston is right now?
When Alston banked that 3 in, I knew it wasn’t our night.
Eventually, they are going to miss some of these shots, right?
I wrote it this morning on SoN:
How abysmal a move does it look like now for Ferry to NOT have pulled the trigger to get Shaq?
I was waiting for Keith Bogans to run out of the locker room like WWE and nail a few half-courters for good measure…
If Turk leaves ORL, they’re going to miss him A LOT.
I’m beyond consoling at this point because I do love this team so much. I’m just hoping against hope that they Cavs finally put it together back home in Game 5, build up some momentum (maybe get a T on Howard to suspend him for Game 6) and somehow get the Magic to come back down to earth a little. This Magic team seems to thrive on adversity, which is why they are such a dangerous road team. Hopefully, just once, the Magic can go out an lay an egg. It’s simply been incredible how well they’ve played (read: shot the ball) in this series.
Oh, and Howard is a cheater – pushing West and using a moving screen. I’m so sick of his act.
@ Seaward – pretty bad I’d say, considering he was there to be had. The big argument was that it would disrupt “chemistry.” Well all that great chemistry isn’t counting for anything right now when the Cavs are playing tight. Shaq’s inside presence and championship experience (and the fact that he loathes SVG and doesn’t like Howard) could have been what the Cavs needed.
It wouldn’t surprise me if the Cavs lose this series to see Shaq in a Cavs uniform next year. Hopefully, Gilbert’s move to bring in the Chinese investors means the Cavs will be one of the teams willing to take on salary in the offseason and there will be a lot of teams out there looking to shed salary.
“What great coaching moves has Stan Van Gundy made in this series?”
Well, switching the inbounds play to get Lewis the ball against Wallace seems like a pretty good one…
Excellently written, Rock. You hit the big points and did it with equanimity and balance.
I also thought the sequence where Delonte missed an open 3 and Lewis immediately made it sting was ominously telling. How many times has that sequence replayed with one set of characters or another these past four games?
I’m looking forward to the rest of this series. I really like the fight the team showed in the dying moments of both regulation and overtime.
I would rather have gotten Camby than Shaq. Said so at the time. But I was fine with the team staying put at the time. Everyone else was too. Remember that we were afraid of ruining the chemistry?
If Lewis misses that shot, is that still a great coaching move?
I agree with Rick about Camby. To this day I still would rather have Camby than Shaq.
Well, how about overall tactics? Leaving Alston alone to shoot anytime he wants isn’t really paying big dividends.
Well, I just agree with what Windhorst said about it. When the Magic are shooting like this, you have to play the percentages. I’d rather let Alston shoot open 3s than Hedo or Lewis.
My point is just that if the Magic aren’t hitting shots like this, the popular opinion about the coaching performances in this series would be a lot different.
Camby would have been great but I really was hoping they would get somebody, anybody to help out. Joe Smith helped against Detroit, but has dissappeared. Trading Wally + Sasha or Wallace would have been fine, and at the time I was upset that no moves were made, especially for “chemistry”.
Yeah, Joe Smith was -7 in 4 minutes last night. Unbearable.
First, the Magic are shooting unbelievable in the series. I’ve never seen so many contested 3 pointers go in before. I think they’re making about 75% of their wide open looks too. It sucks that two of our losses have been decided because of two shots (Lewis 3 in game 1 and the 3 in game 4). Delonte needs to grab that ball though, I don’t care if there was contact from Howard, they’re not going to call that going after the ball unless he blatantly pushed him.
On the other hand I would like to know why nothing was said about the Turkoglu travel in overtime when Howard tipped the ball in when it was on the cylinder. I thought both calls were obvious as I repeated that play about 10 times with the DVR. Any thoughts?
Rock- I don’t think you can look at it like that. If Lewis missed the shot, it would still be a good coaching move. You have to look at what information was available at the time, and how it was used.
It’s like using a PH in baseball (in the AL) – is it only a good move if the PH gets a hit? We’re talking about a sport where failing only 70% of the time is considered “excellent” – you can’t grade a decision like that based only on results.
I am not saying that last nights game favored either team but the officiating seems so inconsistent. I almost feel that the refs were trying to keep the game close. Calling some fouls at times and letting the teams play at other times.
Yea the tip was pretty obvious to me. The travel was pretty bad but not as obvious as the tip IMO – but hey, he’s SUPERMAN!!!!
That’s the point I’m trying to make, deep. I’m not disagreeing it was a great coaching move. I’m saying that nobody would be talking about it as a great coaching move if he misses that shot. Just as some of Mike Brown’s moves would look a lot better if guys made their shots.
Criticism of coaching in basketball is so reactionary.
Gotcha – I misunderstood. I’m in total agreement.
I can think of one thing Mike Brown could’ve done differently in this series. Not guard Alston with LeBron. This move makes absolutely no sense and he refuses to acknowledge it. Just by watching the Cavs for the past couple years, I knew off the top of my head that Rafer Alston routinely kills the Cavs for whatever reason. So lets look at the numbers for the past 2 years. This year in 3 games against the Cavs, he averaged 18 pts and 6 assists per game, while shooting 58.3%, inlcuding 42% on 3s. In 07-08 in 2 games it was 19.5 pts and 7.5 assists on 48% shooting, including 53% from 3. So I ask, what has Rafer Alston ever done against the Cavs to prove that he should be left alone? Why is our 6’9″ Superstar guarding their point guard, while our 6′ 3″ SG is covering their 6’9″ playmaker. Can someone please explain this to me? I understand Brown wants LeBron to be able to roam but it is not working. And if the argument is that he can help out on Howard, that is also stupid because it depends on where on the floor Alston is.
If… If… If… If…
Stop it everybody, you’re making me sick.
Could someone make sure this article finds its way into the hands of all the players today.
That last point really got to me. I couldn’t bear to watch the end last night, and I kept telling myself to turn it off once and for all and go to bed. But I couldn’t.
I love this team. They have been fun to watch, and they have gotten into our hearts like Bernie and his teams used to, I think.
They will be fun to watch on Thursday, and as much as I thought about giving up after the game last night they are still our team.
Win or lose they are still our team.
Why don’t they move without the ball? I learned in 5th grade to move without the ball? Why can’t professional athletes paid millions of dollars to play a child’s game MOVE WITHOUT THE BALL?
I don’t know how much longer I can do this…
With game five in Cleveland, the home crowd better show its love and support to this team, a team that Rock said, has given us so much pleasure throughout the winter.
Sure, the Cavs are down 3-1, but game five is at home. Win that and the pressure falls back to Orlando. As well as they are playing, no team wants to play a game seven on the road.
– Complaining about referee bias is unfounded, given how many gifts we received (e.g., the “foul” on LeBron at the end of regulation which let us tie it up, when he virtually tripped over his own exhausted legs).
– Orlando is clearly a better team right now, because multiple guys – even bench guys- are seizing the moment. They have 5 guys aching to take big shots, it shows in their body language and on their faces. We have the MVP, but too many other guys look tentative, or in shock, under playoff pressure.
– Our team was better designed to beat Boston, not Orlando. Ferry said as much when he took on Wallace’s $14M salary. Wallace neutalizes Garnett pretty well, he can go cover a big who likes to shoot from outside. He is not built to help with superman in the post.
– Give Orlando credit – their mental toughness is amazing, nothing depresses them. They make opponents with a lead look over their shoulders, waiting for the shoe to drop. Mike Brown’s fear caused him to not rest LeBron even as he took on the toughest responsibilities on both ends of the floor. With 3 minutes left in regulation, LeBron was bent down and holding his shorts at every stoppage. That’s why he was turning the ball over.
– If Delonte could just have tipped that long rebound down toward the other end of the floor, all are talk this a.m. would have been otherwise.
– Tempting to open up a post-mortem as to how organization will react, but to keep hope alive I’ll refrain.
Great write-up, Rock.
I just don’t see how Shaq would be saving us in this series. One of the consistent issues we’ve had is missing a shot, Orlando rebounds and pushes it up for a quick score, something Shaq would be as useful for stopping as the corpse of Z has been. Maybe in the half court he puts some more pressure on Howard, but we’ve had Superman on the verge of fouling out or fouled out consistently already, and to no avail (remember game 3?). Our front line has been absolutely embarrassing in their matchups–even Gortat has looked all-world against them–but I fail to see Shaq being the solution.
It’s unfortunate, but Mo really is going to get lit up by fans this offseason for his disappearing act. I’m actually curious to see the reception for this team Thursday night, and even more curious to see how it’s treated once the season ends. I just get the feeling that fan frustration is going to lead to a great deal of vitriol, and I wonder what that might do to the attitudes of the players.
I know this is over-simplifying but I agree with what Windhorst wrote in his blog. Simply put, the Magic are on an incredible hot streak while the Cavs are in a slump. It is amazing the Cavs have kept these games this close. They are literally two missed shots away from being on the other side of this thing. Call me crazy, but I keep waiting for Orlando to go a little cold and am staying hopeful. I too will not count the Cavs out until they’ve lost 4.
I’m a little surprised there’s been so little mention of Howard trying to take Andy’s arm off as time expired in regulation. Andy had position, never left his feet, and was rewarded with a 250-lb backpack. No call.
I mean, of course, the home fans were screaming for a call — on Andy — but it seemed like a ridiculous uncalled offensive foul to me.
Am I alone here?
Quite honestly, there have been some things here and there the Cavs and Mike Brown could have done different this series as far as matchups and bench rotation… but let’s face it Orlando is probably playing the best basketball in the leauge right now with Denver MAYBE being the exception. And of course it sucks because they’re doing this against our Cavs. They were good against Boston but no where close to how they’re playing now, and remember they were a shot from Hedo away from being down in the Philly series. I get frustrated all game at somethings the Cavs have done but Orlando is playing out of their minds right now (esp Air France and Skip to my Lou) but considering all that, as said before we have only lost a couple games by three points, and the other came down to foul shooting in the 4th. It sucks to be a Cleveland fan right now, but this is the best shot we have had at getting a ring since the Tribe in 97, so I’m gonna give all that I’ve got to this team cause they did it for us all season… hopefully a miracle can finally come down on our side.
Wow I can’t remember the last time I saw someone get so out coached. There are no excuses. Adjustments have to be made and i am sick of people blaming it on Mo Williams not making shots or big Z not being a factor. These guys are playing there hearts out. The fact of the matter is that in this series the flaws of the Cleveland Cavalier coaching staff are finally on display. There is no rythym it isn’t about players just missing shots it is so clear if you pay attention to the body language and atmosphere of the games. Everything Orlando is doing is easy and comfortable and everything the Cavs are trying to do looks forced and desperate. Guys arent playing well not becuase they are having a bad series but because there is no rythym and no faith in their own approach on offense. Mike Brown has no control over Lebron and I am not in any way attacking the character of either Lebron or Coach Brown for this because both work hard as hell. I don’t mean the kind of control to tell Lebron to stop shooting I am referring to a kind of control that begets mutual respect the kind that Jordan had with Phil Jackson. Lebron doesn’t have that with Brown. I am one who believes a head coach should call all the shots and only look to his assistants for assistance. I think last night summed it up for me. here we have a camera shot of Van Gundy (A highly underated coach by the way) drawing up the best play of the night Rashard Lewis three in the corner while on the other side an assistant is drawing up the play for the Cavs. The head coach is supposed to be the guy you look to at the end of the game.