2009 NBA Playoffs Orlando Magic vs Cleveland Cavaliers Game 5: If after 4 games played (in a seven-game-series) of the 2009 NBA Playoffs -- which include 2 in your own home court -- the only one you’ve won came on an answered prayer at the last second, perhaps you should refrain from bragging and do as little talking as possible: That’s the attitude and/or approach the Cleveland Cavaliers [-7½ or -400 ML] should have taken in this series against the Orlando Magic [+7½ or +320 ML]… But no!
Instead, you got Mo Williams and LeBron James talking about being the best team in basketball, even when the Magic (3-1 in Series) are beating them upside the head without their starting point guard Jameer Nelson available. That’s when you have to take a step back, and become a little more humble… But no!
Now, down 3 games to 1, it’s really the time to shut up and play ball, right? Wrong! I’m very sorry to say, but in my, humble opinion: the Cavaliers are done!
As I stated before, if the only game you’ve won has come on a prayer shot -- and if you don’t agree it was a prayer, just look at LeBron’s reaction when it went in: not celebration, but shock -- you don’t even know what to do with this team... you don’t even know what to do with Dwight Howard!
Maybe now a lesson has been learned, Mr. 2009 MVP/Mr. Nike commercials: everybody has witnessed your team fall on its face. The regular season means nothing and you have to respect your opponent, even if YOU believe that you’re the best team in basketball, which nothing could be further from the truth, Mo Williams.
Perhaps playing in the Eastern Conference and beating up on all those sorry teams all year long affected their sense of reality. But on the other side of the country, there are much better teams than the Cavaliers (1-3 in Series), and that's a fact. But because of their record, their lack of “star-power”, because they aren’t doing a million commercials and being picked as the favorites to win the next 10 NBA championships, the NBA has neglected them, another fact.
And if you’re reading this right now going ‘yeah, he’s like everybody else, jumping on and off the bandwagon’ check yourself. Because, it is written: I picked the Orlando Magic from the beginning of the series to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers against all odds!
I'll quote myself on this one, this is before game 1: "Not only are the Magic a formidable opponent against the Cavs, but they can actually beat them. It is my opinion that the matchup problems Orlando generates can be exploited, especially the fact that Cleveland has no answer for Dwight Howard.
Furthermore, it’s Howard’s presence in the middle that will allow the Magic to push James further and further away from the basket. Thus, making it more difficult for James to penetrate Orlando's “D” and cause havoc in the middle.