Article can be seen at NBA Dimensions
The Magic are saved after a missed three by LeBron James to give them a 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals. John Rauox/AP
It was 116-114. The Cavs were going to go to LeBron and they did. It was going to be deja vu like Game Two, but guess what happened? He missed. He missed! He actually missed. King James, King, MVP, LeBron, Number 23, etc. no more!
Orlando had a "magical" night on Game Four.
Dwight Howard took an important part in the game, especially when he scored ten points in overtime. He had 27 total. Rafer Alston scored 26 points, and was solid all game long.
"You can almost taste it," Alston told ESPN. "We've got to win one more game and it's not going to be easy." Yeah I know, not.
The Magic could have swept the Cavs if they tried. They just gave away Game Two to make the Cavs look special, kind of like what the Colts are in the pre-season of the NFL season. After facing a tough time against the un-Garnett Celtics, they looked like they were facing a tougher team like the Cavaliers.
They didn't. The Magic now have a chance at closing out the series on Thursday as they look to win the series, 4-1, by the Cleveland only winning one game by a "lucky" shot. Here is what Poe said from OTRBasketball.com said if the Magic took a 3-1 lead in the playoffs from Monday:
"The Cavs will need to come out with a sense of urgency this game. I'm thinking it could be the deciding one for who goes to the next round. If the Cavs win, they reclaim home-court advantage. If the Magic win, then the Cavs will be down a convincing 3-1 with the one being a 'lucky' game winner."
—Poe from OTRBasketball.com
It's okay Mo. John Rauox/APYeah, sure LeBron had 44 points, but who cares. LeBron James is the Cavaliers if you think about it! He leads the team in every category, I swear! Mo Williams and LeBron just make up Cleveland.
So the King can't be Superman's kryptonite.
"We just have to keep fighting," Howard said. "We have an excellent opportunity in front of us. We can't think that anything's going to be easy. As a team, we believe that anytime we step on the floor and play our brand of basketball we can win."
Of course you can, and that is why you take a 3-1 lead in the playoffs.
The Magic brought it on the defense of Cleveland, pulling out 17 shots from downtown. 17 three-pointers, there were also 17 points from Rashard Lewis and Mikael Pietrus, who has been outstanding.
Now what will happen next. Will Cleveland bounce back and avoid losing the Eastern Conference Finals? Will Mo Williams not guarantee a win so he doesn't have to get people pissed off at him and doesn't have to be the Joe Namath of basketball (remember Super Bowl Three?)?
But don't worry about that until Thursday.
Coming up next on NBA Talk: The Nugs and Lakers. Will the Nuggets prove they can actually beat the Lakers and prove they are the best of the West (or maybe the best of the rest)? We'll find out tonight.
Stay tuned, for another episode of....NBA Talk!
Cavs-Magic Recap (Courtesy of NBA.com)
