Cleveland at Orlando

Cloudy Currently: Orlando, FL
Temp: 59° F
  • Game info: 8:30 pm EDT Sat May 30, 2009
  • TV: TNT

By ANTONIO GONZALEZ, Associated Press Writer May 29, 7:22 pm EDT

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ORLANDO, Fla. (AP)—The Cleveland Cavaliers walked around their plush hotel room Friday, cracking jokes and making dinner plans. They mulled around in flip-flops and T-shirts, their casual attire matched only by their swagger.

There were no signs of a looming playoff elimination game.

The Cavs were so confident they would be back in Orlando to continue the Eastern Conference finals, they packed their bags before Game 5 and had a plane waiting on the tarmac. Cleveland coach Mike Brown even said Friday he had already booked his wife and kids tickets to Orlando before his team’s win made it official.

“We just thought there would be a Game 6,” Brown said.

LeBron James(notes) made sure there was, now a bigger question remains: Will there be a Game 7?

“If there’s no Game 7, our season’s over,” Brown said. “So we’re here to win Game 6.”

Doing so won’t be easy.

The Cavaliers, with an NBA-best 66-win regular season, certainly are 0-4 this season in amped-up Amway Arena—a place the Magic start fast and finish. The Cavs have been able to build big leads in Cleveland and hold on late, a luxury they likely won’t get for Game 6 on Saturday night.

It is not only the biggest game in the Magic’s most memorable season since the Shaquille O’Neal(notes)-Penny Hardway days, it’s their best chance left to return to the NBA finals for the first time in 14 years.

The Magic don’t want to go back to Cleveland for a Game 7, although coach Stan Van Gundy brushed off any notion that Orlando’s last home game in the series feels like their facing elimination.

“No,” Van Gundy said. “I can count. I’m good at math. It’s Game 6.”

The odds don’t favor the Cavs.

Cleveland is trying to become just the ninth team since 1947 to rally and win a series after being down 3-1. But the Cavs have reason to feel they have a chance.

They have James.

The league MVP scored 21 points in the second half—17 in the fourth quarter—in Game 5 and had a hand in 31 straight Cleveland points. James finished with 37 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists to become the first player since Oscar Robertson in 1963 to have such numbers in a playoff game.

The performance already is being compared to James’ scintillating Game 5 effort in the conference finals against Detroit in 2007, when he scored 48 points, including his team’s last 25.

Cavaliers guard Delonte West(notes), who says his hip pointer injury in Game 5 left nothing more than a big bruise on his right side and he’ll be fine to play Friday, pointed out the Cavs have a game plan no one match.

“We give LeBron the ball and get out of the way,” West said.

Added Cavs reserve Daniel Gibson(notes), “we’ve got 23,” referring to James’ jersey number.

Whether Cleveland can beat the Magic in a seven-game series with that strategy remains to be seen.

The often one-versus-five approach has been enough to keep the Cavs in this series. If not for James’ buzzer-beating 3-pointer in Game 2, the Cavs might already be on summer vacation.

James’ struggling teammates have given him little support. Even with Mo Williams(notes) and Zydrunas Ilgauskas(notes) having one of their best games of the series Thursday, it was James who rescued the Cavs from a fourth-quarter deficit.

They just spread the floor and let James go to work.

“For anybody, that could be a load,” Brown said. “But that’s what makes him great. He has the capability of coming through with that. And the more we can stay from that, the better. If we only have to go to that a couple of possessions, then great.”

The Magic are still plenty confident themselves.

They have given Cleveland all sorts of matchup problems—height, depth, speed, size and shooting range. In almost every facet, Orlando has the advantage.

The Magic have also twice ended series on the road this postseason, winning a Game 6 in Philadelphia and a Game 7 in Boston. Now safe at home, they have a chance to do something the franchise hasn’t done since 1995.

“We believe we can win a championship,” center Dwight Howard(notes) said. “People used to laugh at me when I’d say that. But it’s right there for us. We have a chance to take the next step Saturday night.”

Updated May 29, 7:22 pm EDT
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Team Comparison

Team Record Standings PF PA Road/Home Streak L10
Cleveland 66-16 1st Central / 1st East 100.3 91.4 Road 27-14 Lost 1 7-3
Orlando 59-23 1st Southeast / 3rd East 101.0 94.4 Home 32-9 Won 1 5-5

Notes

F LeBron James banked in a 41-foot shot to beat the halftime buzzer, capping a 20-9 run that gave the Cavaliers a 12-point lead. ... C-F Ben Wallace, who missed Cleveland's final two regular-season games with a strained knee, played 11 minutes Saturday. He collected just one rebound while failing to take a shot. ... The Cavs are only one of five teams to win 39 regular-season home games.

Apr 18, 6:45 pm EDT

April 22 C Dwight Howard's previous playoff high was 29 points against the Raptors in the first round last year. He had 31 points and 16 rebounds in his 15th career playoff game. ... Central Florida resident and the Magic's most famous fan, Tiger Woods, was sitting at his courtside seat across from Philadelphia's bench. ... F Rashard Lewis had missed the last three games with right knee tendinitis. F Hedo Turkoglu had been sidelined for the last two games with a sprained left ankle.

Apr 19, 10:33 pm EDT
NBA

1263 Comments

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  1. Kawasiie
    1263. Posted by Kawasiie Sun Jun 7 3:45pm EDT

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    dat one posted by nancy bout how the LAKERS turned off the JAZZ, Blew up The ROCKETS,ate sum NUgets, and now its time to make the MAgic dissapear!!!!!!!!!!!! GOOOOOOOOOOOOOO LAKERS baby!!!!!!!!!!!
  2. andie
    1262. Posted by andie Thu Jun 4 12:53am EDT

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    Guys, stop debating that cleveland team is better than Magic. Just review the playoffs series Cleveland against Magic, if there's no miracle shot that happen that time during game two, absolutely they are zero against Magic. Am i correct or correct?
  3. andie
    1261. Posted by andie Thu Jun 4 12:36am EDT

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    Go Magic! talunin nyo Lakers para malalaman at maintindihan nla ang totoong definition ng Magic.
  4. NancyR
    1260. Posted by NancyR Wed Jun 3 4:59am EDT

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    LAKERS turned off the JAZZ, Blew up The ROCKETS,ate sum NUgets, and now its time to make the MAgic dissapear!!!!!!!!!!!!


    GOOOOOOOOOOOOOO LAKERS baby!!!!!!!!!!!
  5. John H
    1259. Posted by John H Tue Jun 2 2:19pm EDT

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    magic beat la beat la beat la
  6. Don
    1258. Posted by Don Tue Jun 2 12:03pm EDT

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    The Magic will need a lot of Magic as they meet the Lakers... They will obviously go down in the NBA world as Eastern Conference Winners, except overall NBA losers... How...they still will not have home court advantage which makes a difference...and Dwight Howard is ultimately in technical foul difficulty with 5 to his credit which may cause him to sit out one game in the finals… Naturally, the Lakers are dynamic force in the Western Conference, and Kobe Bryant, Lamar Odom, and the Lakers team will be able to contain the Magic Three… After all, the Magic should not even be playing this game with the personal they have... They are obvious over achievers...and dreamers who believe in the fantasy of Magic... This is the last year Odom will be a Laker since he is going to free agency next year and Kobe Bryant desires his last ring before giving way to Labron James and the Cavs... So obviously the Lakers will clamp down the Magic…just to show that Magic is truly in the hearts of the NBA fans... Lakers in Seven… Go Lakers!
  7. <i>mikmehapi</i>
    1257. Posted by mikmehapi Mon Jun 1 8:22pm EDT

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    hoy alhizaen bakit ka ganyan,dahil ba natalo c LBJ mo...hahahaha talagang magaling lng c Howard...d gaya ni LBJ is MALAKING BUWAYA kaya hindi nya naipasok sa finals ang CLEVELAND...hahahahaha
  8. karenr
    1256. Posted by karenr Mon Jun 1 6:00pm EDT

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    Lebron had every right to walk off after the game with no hand shaking be cause all of that crap was done before the game. People are so dump when this man have lead us to the best home record and road record in years. I SAY LEBRON U DID THE RIGHT THING IF YOU HAVE NOTHING NICE TO SAY THEN DON'T SAY NOTHING!!!!!!! I love u an d u can start the game and leave the game as you dam well feel like doing!! See U next season baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  9. karenr
    1255. Posted by karenr Mon Jun 1 5:42pm EDT

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    I think Lebron had every right to walk off the floor without shaking hands with his component that was done before the game!! King JAMES PLEASE STAY WITH CLEVELAND CAVALIERS UNTIL U GET US TO THE THRONE!! I know u can please be patient with the old mates and the new ones that will join us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOVE KAREN
  10. <i>dq_ricasata</i>
    1254. Posted by dq_ricasata Mon Jun 1 8:06am EDT

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    idol my name is owel
  11. <i>A Yahoo! User</i>
    1253. Posted by A Yahoo! User Mon Jun 1 5:08am EDT

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    Texas Longhorn dude is such a dick. I don't know why he still crying that his Rockets didn't advanced.
  12. alhizaen
    1252. Posted by alhizaen Mon Jun 1 3:34am EDT

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    To everybody , who hates lbj , you all gay !!! and a big looser!!! and jealous !!!
  13. alhizaen
    1251. Posted by alhizaen Mon Jun 1 3:23am EDT

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    hoy ! lenthmarvelous!!!! tangina mo rin !!! as in tang-ina mo !!! isagad mo na , wala kang rights na pag sabihan ng ganyan si Lebron , gago ... kung ikaw tinatawag mo si lebron na kingkong ... ikaw tawag ng buong mundo sayo ay isang .... Baklang KingKong !!!! hahahaha.... BAKLA ! BAKLA ! BAKLA ! CRY BABY! CRY BABY ! bobo ka pa di MVP lang di mo pa maintindihan .... Bakla ! magpakamatay ka na lang ....
  14. alhizaen
    1250. Posted by alhizaen Mon Jun 1 3:12am EDT

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    howard is just a lucky !!! player because he got a lot of help , try to put him on LBJ team , (w/o LBJ) and lets see whats gonna happen , i bet he's gonna be a Superprincess!!!! hahahahahaha
  15. ian
    1249. Posted by ian Mon Jun 1 3:09am EDT

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    Its not about the the cavs players to blame, its about the coaching to blame, fired mike brown @#$%
  16. <i>jhun_espeso</i>
    1248. Posted by jhun_espeso Mon Jun 1 1:09am EDT

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    i been a laker fan since the time of the great 1st five - Jabbar, Magic, Worthy, Scott & Cooper. but i knda like the Magic's attitude toward the finals. they have more character as a team than the Laker team of today. just being honest. and not dillusional. kobe & pau cant do it alone, just like last year. and unfortunately for them, Magic is on the roll. showing more maturity every after each game. c";)
  17. <i>kentdulay</i>
    1247. Posted by kentdulay Mon Jun 1 12:08am EDT

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    Too bad... Lebron's team matched up with orlando... a big hurdle they can't overcome.... LBJ is just a great player 1-on-1.... That's it... Take him to the NY Playground and He'll be a legend there... Most balanced starting 5 and the best in the NBA belongs to the Magic... Role players who plays their roles well... Lakers watch out, you'll get dazzled by the under-rated magic hehehe... As long as dwight stays out of foul trouble and the magic continue their marvelous "Slide-Roll" play, they're unstopable.. :)) I hope the magic will get a superb SG... McGrady goin back to Orlando will be great, just like the Hardaway-Shaq tandem on '95.. :)
  18. harrypogor
    1246. Posted by harrypogor Sun May 31 11:35pm EDT

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    Magic are a better team than the Cavs. Hope they beat Lakers. Gonna be a great finals to watch
  19. <i>csurf1962</i>
    1245. Posted by csurf1962 Sun May 31 11:16pm EDT

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    Longhorn fan, ...... Howard is going to score at will????? Just like the 2 games this year against LA where he scored 18 and 25 pts. Is this the new meaning to the term at will? Howard is always in foul trouble and will continue to be against LA because Kobe will drive the lane. He won't play enough to be a big factor in this series. ...... Orlando 4-2 - yeah how you doin'. In the last 29 NBA finals the team with the home court is 22-7. Guess who has the home court this series???? Stick to college football.
  20. Roy
    1244. Posted by Roy Sun May 31 10:57pm EDT

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    Go lakers
  21. PnkSparkle8472
    1243. Posted by PnkSparkle8472 Sun May 31 10:27pm EDT

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    Oh yeah!!!!!nba finals!!!!!great games,great moves!!!great nba!!!!!
  22. Bamboozle
    1242. Posted by Bamboozle Sun May 31 10:05pm EDT

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    For a "King", LBJ surely showed no class. Even the great Michael Jordan shook hands, shared hugs, and acknowledged defeat in any of the series he played in. LBJ is a sore loser. All the media attention and god-like devotion he gets from his fans doesn't help his maturity either. I think he needs a good mentor before he achieves true greatness.
  23. Texas Longhorn Fan
    1241. Posted by Texas Longhorn Fan Sun May 31 9:35pm EDT

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    Lakers can't, and won't stop, Howard. He is going to score at will and the laker defense will be exposed further when the 3’s rains down.….. Magic 4-2. If there is anybody that can try and slow down Howard playing for la I’d like to know.
  24. Texas Longhorn Fan
    1240. Posted by Texas Longhorn Fan Sun May 31 9:30pm EDT

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    corinacorrina

    "....who are stuck in disney world,and are about to enter the kobe zone!!!"

    Dude. Really? Must have hurt to think that up ALL by yourself.
  25. <i>troytuka</i>
    1239. Posted by troytuka Sun May 31 8:56pm EDT

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    Howard showed to NBA world, That MAGIC is not a push over team,They are one of the great team in NBA right now...Howard gave Princess LeBron a BIG headached in their match up. POOR.................. PRINCESS LeBron,,,Ha...Ha...Ha...
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