It’s Laker Magic!
Bleacher Talk
June 14, 2009
It’s Laker Magic!
It must be magic. Correction. Make that Laker Magic.
The Lakers are now up 3-1, when it could or should’ve been the other way around with the Orlando Magic up, 3-1. If only Courtney Lee made that alley-oop lay-up in Game 2. If only Derek Fisher missed that three-point basket that sent the game into OT in Game 4. If, and if and more if’s.
I don’t what it is but there’s no doubt that somehow, the magic is missing, and for now, it’s safe to say it can be found somewhere in the U.S.’s West Coast. But just like the real “magic,” the Laker 3-1 lead isn’t exactly mysterious to say the least. Let’s give credit where it’s due. The Lakers earned all three wins methodically, albeit in three different ways. After a blow-out to kick things off in Game 1, the Lakers struggled for the first time in a hard-earned OT win in Game 2. Then Game 4 was a come-from-behind wonder that left an Orlando homecrowd stunned. Three wins, one to go. From the looks of it, it will take more than a Superman effort of Dwight Howard, coupled with David Copperfield’s magic for Orlando to come back and win the series in seven games.
What is this Laker “magic” all about? It all starts with Phil Jackson. Sorry Kobe fans, but the Lakers wouldn’t be here without Jackson. A cinch to earn a record tenth championship ring, Jackson has done a masterful job of directing the Lakers to their three wins by making the right adjustments and pushing the right buttons whenever he has had to do so.
On the other side of the court, I’m afraid the opposite is true for Stan Van Gundy who hasn’t been in this same situation before and is showing us the slips that rookies make when having to step up in a big game. But don’t take it against him. It isn’t his fault that he hasn’t been there before and that his opposing coach has made the NBA Finals a regular part of his coaching resuméé.
Composure has been a clear edge on the Laker side, thanks to their ballclub’s storied history of playoff and championship experience. A classic example was the play that saw Fisher tying the game in Game 4. Scouting reports indicate that Derek Fisher is a cagey veteran who doesn’t crumble under pressure. Moreover, he’s deadly when left alone in trey land. And so what do the Magic do? Just that. They gave Fisher an open look at basket and the result was in the bag the moment the ball left his hands: a nothing-but-net triple. Not once, but twice.
With 11 seconds left and up by three, all the Magic had to do were to defend against the three-point basket (that would tie the game), apply pressure, and in a last resort scenario, give up a two-point field goal that would slash their lead to one. They also had a foul to give just in case it was necessary.
Another major problem that Van Gundy is facing is deciding on who should lead the attack at crunchtime. Jameer Nelson or Rafer Alston? Do you go with someone who hasn’t played since February or the point guard who brought the team all the way to the NBA Finals? The answer here is a no-brainer. Alston has taken over the point guard spot and has done a fairly good job at it. While he has made some mistakes here and there, these weren’t grave enough to bring out Nelson fresh from an injury. Having Nelson play is fine, but he’d better coming off the bench so he doesn’t disrupt the rhythm that the entire team has established since February. It isn’t easy to bring in a “new” guy after just like that even if he was your top point guard at the start of the season. Just like any other guy, he has to earn his minutes back on the floor.
Free throws anyone? The Magic shot 59% in Game 4, way below their playoff average of 72%. Yes, they shot bricks in Game 4, leading many to ask if they’re finally crumbling to all the pressure on their shoulders, something that they haven’t over come at all. Both OT losses looked like they just gave up in the end and couldn’t execute. They also nearly gave away Game 3 amidst a torrid end–game Laker rally.
How I wish that the magic be re-discovered. Orlando deserves to be in the finals but somehow, they don’t know what to do as if they were an unexpected guest at a big party. They’ll come back tough tomorrow in Game 5, but it could all be over in Game 6 when the series heads back to LA where they have their own brand of magic.
oOo
Time-out: Happy birthday to Bebot Licuanan! >>> You can reach me at bleachertalk@yahoo.com.
June 14, 2009
It’s Laker Magic!
It must be magic. Correction. Make that Laker Magic.
The Lakers are now up 3-1, when it could or should’ve been the other way around with the Orlando Magic up, 3-1. If only Courtney Lee made that alley-oop lay-up in Game 2. If only Derek Fisher missed that three-point basket that sent the game into OT in Game 4. If, and if and more if’s.
I don’t what it is but there’s no doubt that somehow, the magic is missing, and for now, it’s safe to say it can be found somewhere in the U.S.’s West Coast. But just like the real “magic,” the Laker 3-1 lead isn’t exactly mysterious to say the least. Let’s give credit where it’s due. The Lakers earned all three wins methodically, albeit in three different ways. After a blow-out to kick things off in Game 1, the Lakers struggled for the first time in a hard-earned OT win in Game 2. Then Game 4 was a come-from-behind wonder that left an Orlando homecrowd stunned. Three wins, one to go. From the looks of it, it will take more than a Superman effort of Dwight Howard, coupled with David Copperfield’s magic for Orlando to come back and win the series in seven games.
What is this Laker “magic” all about? It all starts with Phil Jackson. Sorry Kobe fans, but the Lakers wouldn’t be here without Jackson. A cinch to earn a record tenth championship ring, Jackson has done a masterful job of directing the Lakers to their three wins by making the right adjustments and pushing the right buttons whenever he has had to do so.
On the other side of the court, I’m afraid the opposite is true for Stan Van Gundy who hasn’t been in this same situation before and is showing us the slips that rookies make when having to step up in a big game. But don’t take it against him. It isn’t his fault that he hasn’t been there before and that his opposing coach has made the NBA Finals a regular part of his coaching resuméé.
Composure has been a clear edge on the Laker side, thanks to their ballclub’s storied history of playoff and championship experience. A classic example was the play that saw Fisher tying the game in Game 4. Scouting reports indicate that Derek Fisher is a cagey veteran who doesn’t crumble under pressure. Moreover, he’s deadly when left alone in trey land. And so what do the Magic do? Just that. They gave Fisher an open look at basket and the result was in the bag the moment the ball left his hands: a nothing-but-net triple. Not once, but twice.
With 11 seconds left and up by three, all the Magic had to do were to defend against the three-point basket (that would tie the game), apply pressure, and in a last resort scenario, give up a two-point field goal that would slash their lead to one. They also had a foul to give just in case it was necessary.
Another major problem that Van Gundy is facing is deciding on who should lead the attack at crunchtime. Jameer Nelson or Rafer Alston? Do you go with someone who hasn’t played since February or the point guard who brought the team all the way to the NBA Finals? The answer here is a no-brainer. Alston has taken over the point guard spot and has done a fairly good job at it. While he has made some mistakes here and there, these weren’t grave enough to bring out Nelson fresh from an injury. Having Nelson play is fine, but he’d better coming off the bench so he doesn’t disrupt the rhythm that the entire team has established since February. It isn’t easy to bring in a “new” guy after just like that even if he was your top point guard at the start of the season. Just like any other guy, he has to earn his minutes back on the floor.
Free throws anyone? The Magic shot 59% in Game 4, way below their playoff average of 72%. Yes, they shot bricks in Game 4, leading many to ask if they’re finally crumbling to all the pressure on their shoulders, something that they haven’t over come at all. Both OT losses looked like they just gave up in the end and couldn’t execute. They also nearly gave away Game 3 amidst a torrid end–game Laker rally.
How I wish that the magic be re-discovered. Orlando deserves to be in the finals but somehow, they don’t know what to do as if they were an unexpected guest at a big party. They’ll come back tough tomorrow in Game 5, but it could all be over in Game 6 when the series heads back to LA where they have their own brand of magic.
oOo
Time-out: Happy birthday to Bebot Licuanan! >>> You can reach me at bleachertalk@yahoo.com.
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