HoopsHype.com NBA Blogs - Eddie Johnson

The season is over and if you are a Magic fan, the offseason will provide sleepless nights playing the “what if” game.  If you are a Laker fan, you are ecstatic and saying this is about redemption, experience and us having one of the best players in the history of the game in Kobe Bryant and the best coach ever in Phil Jackson.

The Lakers proved that, despite many opportunities given to the opposition, they are indeed the best team this year.  I disagree with Stan Van Gundy on the experience factor. Van Gundy said experience meant nothing and that it’s just basketball. Experience played a huge factor in this series. Had it been a non-factor, Orlando would be headed back to Los Angeles with a 3-2 lead in the series.

Let’s play the “what if” game…

Game 2

- The Magic do not miss five out of six free throws in the third and fourth quarter when they had the lead.
- The Magic do not turn the ball over three times with a two-point lead late in the game.
- Courtney Lee makes one of his two blown layups in Game 2.

Game 4

- Hedo Turkoglu makes one of his four missed free throws in the 4th Quarter
- Dwight Howard makes one of his two free throws with 11 seconds left, giving the Magic a four-point lead.
- Jameer Nelson is not in the game in favor of Courtney Lee to defend Derek Fisher on his game-tying shot.

I look at those mistakes and say it is all about experience and that is why the Lakers in my estimation beat a more talented team.

Game 5 was the perfect example of lack of experience. A veteran team would not quit fighting because they were down 3-1 in a series like Orlando did last night.

So if I am Van Gundy, I would eat those words and preach this whole offseason about the experience of getting so far and losing against a team that lost in the same fashion the previous year and beat us the next year based on experience.

The Lakers, on the other hand, showed the experience, confidence and leadership needed to finally win their 15th title. Kobe Bryant can finally kick that elephant off his back. The one thing I love about Kobe is that he can never say he did not try hard at anything.  I heard stories about how he never went out on the road as a young player and watched hours of video tape. I heard during the Olympics that he flew to Vegas around 6 am one morning and asked Blazers head coach Nate McMillan to work him out at 9 am. Nate had to stop the workout and inform Kobe they had 30 minutes to get to a meeting. It was 1:30 pm. That’s the beauty of being great and only experience teaches you that. Remember, Kobe was working out this hard after just finishing a grueling series against the Boston Celtics.

I will admit that I am not a Laker fan, but I am a Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson fan. When I look at those two individuals, I marvel about how focused, determined and smart they are. Kobe probably is the most committed and intelligent athlete ever. We sometimes get too caught up in his basketball genius, but is there a more informative and thought-provoking interviewee in sports?

He has just done something in my mind that only Hakeem Olajuwon has done and that is put a team on his back throughout the playoffs and win a championship. I have always been a Kobe fan, but now I definitely believe he will go down as one of the Top 5 players ever.

I have repeatedly said over the last five years that Phil Jackson is the best coach of all time. He handles players better than any coach I have ever seen. I get tired of pundits who say he had Jordan, Shaq and Kobe. Well, you must remember there were coaches who also had those three and did not win. The man is a brilliant coach and in my estimation his 10 NBA titles will stand forever as a record.

I can honestly say that if he were coaching the Orlando Magic, they would be celebrating today and that’s just how good he is.

I will not finish this article without giving props to Pau Gasol and Trevor Ariza. They were tremendous when needed. Gasol was physical defensively and productive on the offensive end. Ariza won the series with his 13-point outburst in the third quarter of Game 4 and his defense on Hedo Turkoglu was impressive.

So although I picked the Magic in six games, I have to admit the Lakers showed toughness, commitment and, most importantly, a desire to win despite of the roadblocks in their way.

This will go down as one of the best playoffs ever. The Bulls-Celtics series was a classic. The Rockets showed how good they could be despite not having Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming.

The Magic win in Boston Garden over the Celtics and the close games in the Cavalier series were must-see TV. I will miss the debates and tension I have experienced the last two months, but I look forward to going through it all over again in 2009-10.

One thing is for certain… The Los Angeles Lakers are NBA champions for the 15th time in franchise history and this one will be remembered as the best because Kobe Bryant proved once and for all that he can put a team on his back and reach the promise land only reserved for the greatest players ever.

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The Orlando Magic finally arrived in Los Angeles Sunday night and although they accounted for themselves much better than in Game 1. They still are headed back to Orlando searching for answers and down 0-2 in the series. They say the playoffs don’t start until someone wins on the others floor. Well, if the Magic do not find a way to recover the shooting magic among their guards, the Lakers will end these Finals rather quickly.

Game 1 was all about defense and Kobe catching fire in the third quarter. The Magic could not stay in the game because they shot a dismal 23 of 77 from the floor. Kobe Bryant had 16 field goals all by himself.

Game 2 was much better, but the Lakers’ ability to close down the stretch with flawless play and active defense is what secured the victory.

KEYS

Interior defense

The Lakers are one the best teams at rotating out of double-teams and in the first two games they have caused Dwight Howard to turn the ball over nine times. Usually, when the center turns it over it leads to fast-break points and the Lakers have capitalized consistently. Although Andrew Bynum has been a non-factor, their defense inside has been great.

Leaving Rafer Alston and Courtney Lee alone

I knew coming into the series that this would happen and it always does. Great teams will roll the dice on a mediocre shooter and take their medicine and double-team a great player like Dwight Howard. That’s what Cleveland did in the Conference finals, but those two burned them all series long and Mike Brown was criticized for doing the obvious. Rafer Alston is a career 39 percent shooter from the field and the Lakers will leave him alone all series even if he hits five in a row. They cannot afford to leave anyone else and after two games Alston and Lee are a combined 7 of 30 from the field and 0 of 9 from behind the arc.

Crunch time

The Lakers just got it done Game 2. They took care of the basketball and made their free throws. That is always a way to find success down the stretch in games. Defensively they forced untimely turnovers when the Magic had the lead and the ball. The experience of losing to Boston last year has the Lakers playing at a frenetic confident pace, which has secured two victories and a controlling lead in the series.

Ariza the unsung hero

Trevor Ariza did not allow Hedo Turkoglu to walk the ball up the floor when Stan Van Gundy was forced to play him at point guard. He pressured him constantly and wore him down and that’s why we saw Courtney Lee and JJ Redick handling the ball too much late in Game 2. That shot taken by Lee with about 9 seconds to go is normally for Turkoglu, but he was tired and Lee was forced to take a shot.

Orlando melts down

The plane ride home could not have been pleasant with Orlando knowing they had Game 2 locked up. They missed five straight free throws during a stretch in the third quarter and early fourth that could have had them ahead by six points. They also threw the ball away three times when they had a two-point lead in the middle of the fourth quarter. Lewis and Redick, probably their two best shooters, missed wide open three-point shots when the Magic where already ahead by one point. Finally, Lee missed two layups at the end of regulation that could have given the Magic the lead and won the game.

MVP Odom

Although Kobe has been his normal self, Lamar Odom has been the most important player on the floor after two games. He made some huge shots in the fourth quarter of Game 2. His length and smarts have stabilized the Lakers’ bench. He has done what Mickael Pietrus did in the Cleveland series and that is virtually dominating the production from the bench. He has scored 27 of the Lakers’ 43 bench points and has grabbed 22 rebounds.

WHO NEEDS TO STEP UP?

Los Angeles LakersAndrew Bynum has got to give the Lakers something on the road. Kobe, Pau Gasol and Odom have scored 139 of the Lakers’ 202 points. If this trend continues with Bynum, L.A. could find this series tied up after four games. It is one thing to win with virtually only three players at home, but doing it on the road offers a different scenario and I expect the Orlando role players to shoot the ball much better in Game 3.

The Lakers’ bench has not offered much, but until now they have not had to. The test will be in Orlando and Phil Jackson will need some production from someone other than Odom.

Orlando Magic

The guards have been just plain bad. Where is the swagger that we saw in the Cleveland series?  Alston, Lee, Pietrus, Reddick and Jameer Nelson have all been bad (20-59) and what’s sad is that they will have to continue to shoot the ball. Pietrus is the obvious choice, but history is starting to catch up with him and his shot seems to have taken a nose dive at the sight of Kobe. I am not in the locker room, but I have been in 17 others during my NBA career and I see fear in the eyes of Lee and Pietrus when they face Kobe. They need to call Bruce Bowen and Raja Bell to get advice on how to guard and not back down to the Black Mamba.

Dwight Howard had a great Game 2, but he must do two things for the Magic to have a chance in this series.

1. Stop thinking he can make a two-dribble move in the post against the scrappy Lakers’ help defense.

2. Stop turning the ball over making passes out to the perimeter. Those are precious possessions and because of the double team most of his passes should find a player with an open shot.

GAME 3 STRATEGY

Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers will continue to double Howard and leave Alston and Lee alone. They lost sight of Rashard Lewis and he almost beat them by himself.

They will also focus extra on getting Bynum involved early offensively, because they need a fourth player to score double-figures against Orlando on their home floor.

I would watch for Kobe to be ultra-aggressive at the slightest thought of his team being satisfied with getting the first two games at home. He knows that the Lakers will need to offset the tremendous emotional frenzy at the beginning of Game 3.

Orlando Magic

If the guards do not make shots early in Game 3, look for Van Gundy to have a quick trigger finger, put in JJ Redick and move Turkoglu to point guard. This lineup forces the Lakers to rotate off of a shooter, which is not what they want. If Orlando starts draining three-point shots, this will allow Howard to maneuver more inside. That would pay huge dividends for the Magic.

Attack the rim. They had numerous lanes to the basket because of the Lakers being stretched defensively, but they looked to pass instead of shoot. Look for a much more aggressive team in Game 3.

Anthony Johnson might get the call at some point in Game 3 if Nelson does not produce with his backup minutes.

PREDICTION FOR GAME 3

The Lakers will say that they will stay focused, but it does not matter. This is the biggest game of the year for the Magic and I expect them to be energized by their home crowd. Although they lost Game 2, I saw some confidence emerge from their locker room. I expect the role players to step up because, quite frankly, they can’t fall any further than they already have. I also expect Howard to have his best scoring game.

Orlando will win Game 3 and keep the series alive.

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I have finally gotten over my disappointment in the Cavaliers lost to Orlando. It took a few days, but it is time for me to eat a little crow. Yes, I picked the Cavaliers to win it all this year. I can’t believe I did not see through the fog. Why did I believe the Cavaliers would finally win a championship? Well, they did win 66 games and they only lost two games at home?. I really got pulled in when they swept Detroit and Atlanta. On second thought, I had every conceivable right to believe in my prediction.

That is until Orlando came along and smacked them upside the head. I was so enamored with the King James locomotive that I ignored what the Magic was doing to get rid of a stubborn Philadelphia team and then go into Boston Garden and defeat the Celtics in a Game 7.

The Magic put on a devastating show with ball movement and stellar shooting. Their ability to make big shots from long range and feed Dwight Howard, the most dominant interior performer during these playoffs, has me wondering if this journey can continue against the deep Los Angeles Lakers.

The Lakers, unlike Cleveland, struggled at times in the early rounds and I surmise that is why they are still around. I for one believe adversity in the early rounds bring focus and desperation, which when you are as talented as the Lakers becomes a good thing.

The Rockets and the Nuggets were definitely capable of beating the Lakers, but injuries to Yao Ming and mental meltdowns by Denver allowed the Lakers to seize the opportunity like a shark.

Now we are here. This is what we have waited for, well halfway at least… But let me tell you something you might already know: This will be a great series and I am sure most of the fans who watched the Magic win the East might tend to agree that the right team will face the Lakers in the 2009 NBA Finals.

The Lakers and the Magic are extremely versatile and can summon some good players off the bench, but five things must happen for either team to win this series.

KEYS FOR THE LAKERS

Keep Dwight Howard in foul trouble

The Lakers understand that Howard will challenge any foray to the basket. They have the master at that in Kobe Bryant. Watch Bryant, Derek Fisher and Trevor Ariza go at the body of Howard early in games to force the officials to make a call.

Defend Howard in single coverage with Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol

If the Lakers pull this off and Howard does not go for 30 and get every player in a Lakers jersey in foul trouble, L.A. will win this series in quick fashion. The Magic either need the Lakers to double to free up shooters or Howard has huge games to offset the lack of consistent three-point opportunities.

Have great offensive efficiency and wear down the Magic’s defense

The Lakers spread the ball around and so the Magic are hoping the Lakers force-feed Kobe so they can load up defensively.  If the Lakers stay away from just relying on Kobe and use their great ball cuts and screens within the triangle offense, it will be difficult for Orlando to defend consistently.

Hope Kobe will seize the opportunity he missed last year

How many more times can Kobe get to the Finals and not get that elusive championship without Shaquille O’Neal? He will be focused and relentless and if the Magic fail to control him, especially in the fourth quarter, just forget about it.

Dominate the sidelines with Phil Jackson

Stan Van Gundy was huge with his coaching decisions during the Cavaliers series. Recognizing Ben Wallace was guarding Rashard Lewis was huge in Game 4 and basically won the series, but he better come with everything in this series against Jackson and that veteran coaching staff. Jackson is just as hungry as Kobe. This could be his 10th championship and it will if Van Gundy falls prey to his mental messages during this series.

KEYS FOR THE MAGIC

Force the Lakers to double-team Howard

This will be the big question all series long. Can Dwight Howard dominate consistently if the Lakers elect to stay at home on the Magic shooters? If the Lakers are forced to double they will be in serious trouble if the Magic shoot the ball like they did in the Cavalier series.

Keep Andrew Bynum on the bench

Rashard Lewis will be the key because Pau Gasol has no choice but to guard him. This will be the focal point early in most games running Gasol off screens and involving him in pick-and-pop plays. If he can’t guard Lewis, then he will be forced to defend Howard and keep Bynum on the bench, thus unleashing a possible double-team and freeing up the Magic three-point shooters.

Mickael Pietrus and Courtney Lee defend Kobe and still are offensively productive

This is what Van Gundy is praying for. He knows they will exert great effort on defense, but he also needs them to score consistently to have a chance to win this series. If both players can stay within 15 total points of Kobe combined, this series will become very interesting.

Jameer Nelson adds to a confident backcourt

This is a long shot, but we can’t ignore it. Nelson had tremendous success against the Lakers this season so although tired and not in game shape, he will be extremely confident and just him dressing and sitting on the bench could be a huge psychological boost for the Magic.

Maintain confidence they have had in the last few rounds

The Magic are soaring and have a swagger that is rightly deserved.  Confidence can carry a team in games where they don’t play particularly well. The Magic are that team. They have beaten the defending champion and the team with the best record.

PREDICTION:

My prediction is Orlando in six. I have gone against them in every round. I will not do it again. I believe they are playing the best basketball of the two teams and if Dwight Howard continues to dominate and stay out of foul trouble, I don’t see the Lakers having enough to withstand his dominance in the paint.

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