Celtics Rout Magic, Take Game 3  

The defense of the post by Perkins on Howard was the telling factor of the game because there were no double teams in the post and the outside shooters of Orlando were contested in every attempt. And the hustle plays that the Celtics showed keep the Orlando Magic at bay. The Magic will have a chance to come back in this series but they have to win 4 straight games. I think that this is a difficult tasks but possible if they can outplay the Celtics in the next game.

I honestly can't see the Magic being able to win game 4 unless the Celtics don't even show up.

There is nothing the Magic can do. They are who they are. Their game plan is to let Howard draw doubles so their shooters can get out in space. That's what the entire game is based on, and it's just not available to them.

The only way they can win is to shut down Rondo and keep a hand in Pierce's face at all times and hope he stays off the line.

But that leaves KG available to go off, and Ray Allen still hasn't had a "playoff" game yet.

The Magic are pretty much forced into one-on-one matchups, whereas the Boston Celtics actually choose to play the Magic one-on-one. That's the biggest difference -- the Celtics have options and the Magic do not.

i beg to disagree here with you matersfish.

orlando magic has a lot of options offensively. aside form howard whom they can post in the paint, they have lewis, carter, and nelson that can provide the spark offensively. it just so happened that the shots for the magic shooters are not falling.

anyway, not taking anything away from boston. they deserve to be in this position because they play the game with heart 100% of the time. sadly, the same can't be said about orlando.

Allen, you and I are watching a different series I think.

The biggest reason Orlando's shooters had such a high percentage during the regular season and during the first two series was that Howard's inside play and Carter's ability to dribble-drive created space for the shooters.

Boston has completely shut this strategy down by playing Dwight Howard one-on-one and making Vince in 2010 become Vince in 2003. And it's just not happening.

Great shooters still need space. When they're being harrased, when they have a hand in their face, they're mediocre at best.

This is why they're missing shots. They're not just suddenly cold and shooting themselves in the foot. You could make that case for one game. But the ENTIRE team is in a three-game slump?

It's Boston's defense and that fact that Orlando has no gameplan. Their offensive sparks are being extinguished before they ignite. They're not good enough to create open looks unless Howard or Vince draw doubles.

hahaha!

that may well be the case.

seriously, you've raised valid points matersfish. i just think that orlando has failed to make full use of their shooters and the dribble-drive penetration of carter and even that of jameer nelson. the single coverage on howard has been the focal point of the boston defense. i like how boston comes up with different defensive schemes on howard. each defensive player that boston throws at howard, offers something different. big baby and perkins body up howard while sheed gets into the head of howard. anyway, love discussing these games with you.

by any chance, do you bet these games?

I think fish is right. I noticed the magics are just using howard's aggressiveness so the shooters can shoot 3's and it's a bit limited since garnett can take howard on, they're forced to play one-on-one. They should formulate another gameplan or they'll be eliminated.

Allen, I agree with you that they're cold and the shooters aren't doing their part. Orlando should be competiting much more in this series.

Out of three complete games, the Orlando Magic have held the lead for less than five minutes. That's unacceptable.

In game one and for the first half of game two, I agree with your points more. But Boston buckled down on them in the second half of game two, when the Magic were actually playing decently (Carter's missed FTs lost them that game!). And in the third game, well, Boston just stole their heart.

I used to bet on NBA games, but now they're too hard to predict in terms of spread.

I stick with the NFL for my betting.

Back from the Cavaliers series, Rajon Rondo was as impressive as he can be. He is the best player now that he is playing at his best.

Definitely. I also think that Rajon Rondo is the best player in the remaining 4 teams in the playoffs now. Rondo is simply a lot different player in the playoffs, he's just a lot better. Though I heavily think about the Lakers as the eventual champions for the 2009-2010 season, I'm now giving Boston a serious thought. Rondo as well as Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, Glen Davis, and Kendrick Perkins are all doing a very good and efficient job and plays their roles very well and contributes a lot. I think the Celtics definitely has the solution to the Lakers dominance inside. Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, and Lamar Odom should expect heavy competition inside against the Celtics, and Kobe Bryant should get his hands heavy at both ends of the floor against Pierce. However, when everything is said and done, Rondo will still be the Celtics key and the Lakers biggest headache (should both meet in the finals once again).

rondo is clearly one of the better players this post season. not takign anything away from him but i doubt if he can continue his good play in the finals should boston beat orlando in the ec finals. he will be up against two good point guards in either nash (assuming suns win the series against the lakers) or fisher (not a dominate as nash and most probably a lesser player thatn rondo but can certainly hold up his ow against rondo). rondo can clearly outplay both but phoenix and los angeles can throw additional bodies at rondo to stop him from making plays for boston. something that cannot be said against boston's previous opponents in the east.

just my thoughts.

I'm thinking the other way around. Between Rajon Rondo and Steve Nash, Nash isn't a good defensive player and that would give Rondo the edge. Apart from that, Rondo is a good defensive player that might slow Nash down. I definitely don't think that Rondo could clamp Nash 100% and take him out of his game but for sure Rondo will be giving the Suns a lot of headaches. Maybe tons of points against Nash and Goran Dragic, an assists race against Nash, or simply snatching the ball away from the Suns. Against Fisher, I'm giving this match 100% to Rondo. Rondo is definitely a lot better than Fisher in almost all aspects. Rondo is the glue that holds the Celtics while Fisher isn't for the Lakers, it's Kobe Bryant and Fisher is just among the 6th or 7th best player on the team. Fisher's experience isn't enough against Rondo either.

Nevertheless, whoever the Celtics face in the finals, stopping Rondo would definitely be the key to beat the Celtics but that would be an enormous task.

Depending on the outcome in game 3 of the series between the Lakers and the Suns. If the Lakers will win game 3 , it will be a Lakers-Celtics finals series again. This matchup will again be a history in the making.

I agree you.Before the series began,I never thought the Magic would have such a disappointing performance cause they did such a good job in the first two series.Anyway,a repeat of the lakers-celtics match-up from two years back is OK too.

the repeat fo the lakers-celtics showdown is ok since this year's scenario, if it plays out, will be slightly different. lakers will have home court advantage, the lakers have a healthy bynum and can put artest to pester pierce. for sure it would definitely be a good series but just wanted to see different teams play in june.

no opinion yet on what the outcome will be if these two teams meet but looking at kobe to lead the lakers against bosotn this time around. revenge angle plays a big motivation in my opinion.