OC Register: Magic should have won game 4

Mamba · Jun 11, 2009

The Orlando Magic should have won Game 4. Probably would have won Game 4, if games were 24 minutes instead of 48.

Add another five minutes and forget it altogether. The Magic, which dominated the first half, couldn’t corral Kobe Bryant’s will, Pau Gasol’s emotions or Derek Fisher’s steady hand in overtime and the Lakers walked off with a 99-91 overtime victory and a 3-1 advantage in the Finals.

“This is the toughest one because it puts us down two games and on the brink of elimination,” Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. “The mood (in the locker room) was very somber.

“But we’ve got a couple of days here and we’ll get it back together and come out and do everything we can to win Game 5.”

The Magic had an extra few minutes to pull themselves back together Thursday and couldn’t do it. Another few days will give them even more time to either figure out what went wrong or forget the whole thing and focus on next season.

“We had it but just kind of slipped away because of our stupidness,” Hedo Turkoglu said.

The game ended in regulation with the Magic’s Mickael Pietrus’ missing from 20 feet out that left the score tied at 87. It was reminiscent of Game 2’s ill-fated alley-oop shot by Courtney Love that forced Game 2 into overtime. The Lakers won that won, too.

Orlando, looking to even the series at Amway Arena, was not going to go out quietly.

Rashard Lewis opened the extra period with a 3-pointer from the right side. Kobe Bryant followed with a jumper to pull the Lakers back to within one.

Dwight Howard then missed on a 6-foot hook shot, something he had been working on, and Gasol grabbed the rebound and Bryant followed with a 20-foot jump shot to put the Lakers ahead, 91-90.

A series of missed shots, huge rebounds and turnovers by both teams turned the overtime period into a two-minute stalemate. Howard finally broke the standoff by making one of two free throws that tied the game again, 91-91, with 1:27 left to play.

After two additional misses, Derek Fisher gave the Lakers a 94-91 lead and an emotional shot in the arm with his 3-pointer over Jameer Nelson with 31 seconds left. The veteran guard buried a 3-pointer in the fourth quarter that tied the game.

Phil Jackson called his first long-range shot a momentum-builder that enabled the Lakers to win the game.

But securing the victory required more time and uncharacteristic misses by the Magic.

Following Fisher’s bucket, Turkoglu, who had had a hot hand in regulation, came up empty on a 26-footer with 26 seconds left. Gasol took the rebound and slammed the ball in the basket to push the Lakers ahead, 96-91.

The Magic forward missed his third attempt in overtime following a 20-second time out by Orlando as the shot clock wound down.

“It was totally my fault,” Turkoglu said. “… I kind of panicked. I should have called timeout. I talked to MP (Pietrus). He had a good shot, but it’s all my fault. I should have called a time out and let Coach draw up some other play that could help us win.”

All those missed opportunities seemingly began to wear on the Magic and tempers flared in the waning seconds after Pietrus intentionally slammed his fists into Gasol’s back as he scored on a dunk with three seconds left.

Both players were assessed technical fouls and Gasol made one of two free throws to seal the 99-91 victory.

Howard, who came up big for Orlando in regulation with 16 points, 21 rebounds and nine blocked shots, scored made just two free throws in overtime, missing two shot attempts.
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http://www.ocregister.com/articles/game-shot-magic-2461158-lakers-overtime

Mamba · Jun 11, 2009

Should have does not equal doing. Sorry, Magic.

Lost One · Jun 11, 2009

They should've won Game 2 as well, but didn't. Blown opportunities, just like the Lakers should've won Game 4 against Boston last year. Shit comes back to haunt you, unfortunately. But in the end nobody will remember. All that'll be remembered is the champ.

Mamba · Jun 11, 2009

We learned last year, there is no such thing as "should have won". You either win or lose.

We should have won game 1 last year, and game 4. But the better team won.

Same this year.

huevonkiller · Jun 11, 2009

"No more excuses."

Mamba · Jun 12, 2009

I believe I came up with that term :]

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