from BasketBloggin 11 June 2009
Good Question as the Orlando Magic simply shot the lights out in their 108-104 win over the LA Lakers on Tuesday night (Wed Aussie time). Even with the great shooting performance, the Lakers will have to look at missed freethrows and defensive lapses as contributing factors in letting aan opportunity to go up 3-0 in the series slip away. Kobe Bryant who shot only 50% from the line missed a crucial attempt in the last minute that would have cut the Magic lead to one. The Lakers poor foul line performance came after a Game two performance where they made 14 in a row late in the game.
The Lakers shooting aside, the Magic set an NBA Finals record in shooting 62.5% from the field. It was the first Finals win for the Orlando franchise and got them back into the series with Game 4 scheduled for Thursday (Friday Aussie time). Will this be Miami-Dallas redeux?? If the Magic can eek out another home win, it will be game on!!
22 July 2009
Guards from Orlando lose Magic!!!
from BasketBloggin 9 June 2009
So far in the NBA Finals series the Orlando Magic backcourt has been lacluster at best. Only Mikeal Pietrus in Game 1 has scored in double figures for the beleagured title contenders. Did anyone else notice that at times on Sunday the Magic went with a no point guard lineup? Rafer Alston did not play in the fourth quarter and Jameer Nelson only made a cameo appearance. No guard is shooting better than 38% and the group of backcourt players are shooting a combined 29%! Not championship contending stuff! Does anyone else think the early return of Nelson may have thrown a spanner into the chemistry of the guard group? Will the return to familiar turf for game 3 result in better performances?? Is there really a finals jinx for the Magic? Until Tuesday, we are left to ponder.
So far in the NBA Finals series the Orlando Magic backcourt has been lacluster at best. Only Mikeal Pietrus in Game 1 has scored in double figures for the beleagured title contenders. Did anyone else notice that at times on Sunday the Magic went with a no point guard lineup? Rafer Alston did not play in the fourth quarter and Jameer Nelson only made a cameo appearance. No guard is shooting better than 38% and the group of backcourt players are shooting a combined 29%! Not championship contending stuff! Does anyone else think the early return of Nelson may have thrown a spanner into the chemistry of the guard group? Will the return to familiar turf for game 3 result in better performances?? Is there really a finals jinx for the Magic? Until Tuesday, we are left to ponder.
Prediction in trouble!!!!
from BasketBloggin 8 June 2009
My forcast of a Macic win in the NBA finals looks to be in trouble!!! After losing again to the Lakers in LA today, Orlando finds themselves in a 2-0 hole. The Magic put forth a much better effort but fell short in overtime as Pau Gasol came up huge in the extra period.
Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu showed vast improvement in their shooting efforts over game one. dwight Howard had a better all around game but committed a costly seven turnovers.
Maybe the hoodoo of having never won a Finals game is keeping the Magic from getting over the hump, we will find out on tuesday as the Finals shift to Orlando. There is still a slight chance of my 4-2 prediction surviving!!!!
My forcast of a Macic win in the NBA finals looks to be in trouble!!! After losing again to the Lakers in LA today, Orlando finds themselves in a 2-0 hole. The Magic put forth a much better effort but fell short in overtime as Pau Gasol came up huge in the extra period.
Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu showed vast improvement in their shooting efforts over game one. dwight Howard had a better all around game but committed a costly seven turnovers.
Maybe the hoodoo of having never won a Finals game is keeping the Magic from getting over the hump, we will find out on tuesday as the Finals shift to Orlando. There is still a slight chance of my 4-2 prediction surviving!!!!
Under 19 World Championships
from BasketBloggin 7 June 2009
The FIBA Under 19 World Championships will be held from 2-12 July in Auckland, New Zealand.
The groups are set as follows:
Group A: Angola, Greece, Lithuania and Puerto Rico
Group B: Egypt, France, Iran and USA
Group C: Australia, Canada, Spain and Syria
Group D: Argentina, Croatia, Kazakhstan and New Zealand
Some of the worlds finest young basketballers will be competing in the tournament so if you are in the area get out and have a look before they become famous!!
There will be team previews forthcoming in the next few weeks so stay tuned.
Also have a visit to : fiba.com where you can find more on the international game.
The FIBA Under 19 World Championships will be held from 2-12 July in Auckland, New Zealand.
The groups are set as follows:
Group A: Angola, Greece, Lithuania and Puerto Rico
Group B: Egypt, France, Iran and USA
Group C: Australia, Canada, Spain and Syria
Group D: Argentina, Croatia, Kazakhstan and New Zealand
Some of the worlds finest young basketballers will be competing in the tournament so if you are in the area get out and have a look before they become famous!!
There will be team previews forthcoming in the next few weeks so stay tuned.
Also have a visit to : fiba.com where you can find more on the international game.
Local Scene
from BasketBloggin 7 June 2009
The Australian National Basketball League (NBL), is set to tip off its revamped competition on 24 September 2009. The season opener will see the New Zealand Breakers hosting the Cairns Taipans at the North Shore Events Centre. The eight team league will have its season conclude on Valentines Day 2010 with post season play to follow. The eight teams for this season's competition are:
Gold Coast Breakers
Cairns Taipans
New Zealand Breakers
Melbourne Tigers
Adelaide 36ers
Perth Wildcats
Wolloongong Hawks
Townsville Crocodiles
By all means get out to matches as often as possible to keep the game alive in Australia. Also visit nbl.com.au, the offical website of the NBL.
The Australian National Basketball League (NBL), is set to tip off its revamped competition on 24 September 2009. The season opener will see the New Zealand Breakers hosting the Cairns Taipans at the North Shore Events Centre. The eight team league will have its season conclude on Valentines Day 2010 with post season play to follow. The eight teams for this season's competition are:
Gold Coast Breakers
Cairns Taipans
New Zealand Breakers
Melbourne Tigers
Adelaide 36ers
Perth Wildcats
Wolloongong Hawks
Townsville Crocodiles
By all means get out to matches as often as possible to keep the game alive in Australia. Also visit nbl.com.au, the offical website of the NBL.
Game 1 NBA Finals
from BasketBloggin 5 June 2009
Ouch!! Maybe Kobe can do it all!!! but will he be able to do it for the entire series?? Perhaps this will be a wake up call for Mr. Howard and the rest of the Magic?
Clever as ever, Zen Master Jackson used a smothering at times triple teaming strategy to keep Howard to 12 points with 10 of those coming on free throws. Bryant to his credit showed no signs of the "Me Kobe" selfishness that has been known to surface in the past and was nothing but a pure team player getting 8 assists and 8 rebounds to go with his 40 points for the night. The Magic's outside shooters were non-existent.
The excellent game by Bryant overshadowed the return on Magic point guard Jameer Nelson. Will his prescence matter in the rest of the series?? Stay tuned, game two is on Sunday.
Ouch!! Maybe Kobe can do it all!!! but will he be able to do it for the entire series?? Perhaps this will be a wake up call for Mr. Howard and the rest of the Magic?
Clever as ever, Zen Master Jackson used a smothering at times triple teaming strategy to keep Howard to 12 points with 10 of those coming on free throws. Bryant to his credit showed no signs of the "Me Kobe" selfishness that has been known to surface in the past and was nothing but a pure team player getting 8 assists and 8 rebounds to go with his 40 points for the night. The Magic's outside shooters were non-existent.
The excellent game by Bryant overshadowed the return on Magic point guard Jameer Nelson. Will his prescence matter in the rest of the series?? Stay tuned, game two is on Sunday.
NBA Finals are here!!
from BasketBloggin 1 June 2009
The finals of the NBA season are upon us with the Orlando set to face Los angeles in the best of seven series starting Thursday June 4. This promises to be an interesting championship series featuring the brute inside force of Orlando's Dwight Howard seemingly pitted against the will to win it all of Kobe Bryant from LA.
After the surface is scratched look for the undertones of the battle to boil down to Orlando's outside shooters and play of point guard Rafer Alston against the role players of LA getting their job done. Throw in a sidebar of the possibility of a big game or series from Derek Fisher of LA and the wisdom of "Zen Master" turned coach Phil Jackson in LA's corner.
Will the Magic be able to frustrate Kobe or will he get his way?? Can the Lakers stop Howard inside?? Hmm...stay tuned.
For opening predictions I'll say look for the Magic to win it all in six games. In finals basketball, I think ultimately the big men decide outcomes and I see Howard as the biggest man stepping up to the challenge.
The finals of the NBA season are upon us with the Orlando set to face Los angeles in the best of seven series starting Thursday June 4. This promises to be an interesting championship series featuring the brute inside force of Orlando's Dwight Howard seemingly pitted against the will to win it all of Kobe Bryant from LA.
After the surface is scratched look for the undertones of the battle to boil down to Orlando's outside shooters and play of point guard Rafer Alston against the role players of LA getting their job done. Throw in a sidebar of the possibility of a big game or series from Derek Fisher of LA and the wisdom of "Zen Master" turned coach Phil Jackson in LA's corner.
Will the Magic be able to frustrate Kobe or will he get his way?? Can the Lakers stop Howard inside?? Hmm...stay tuned.
For opening predictions I'll say look for the Magic to win it all in six games. In finals basketball, I think ultimately the big men decide outcomes and I see Howard as the biggest man stepping up to the challenge.
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