NBA-Must of been some game

)85( · 03-29-2007, 12:16 PM

Charley Rosen is FOXSports.com

Quote:

The Magic's 94-89 win over the Knicks, albeit exciting, demonstrated why both teams are struggling to make the playoffs.

The clubs combined for 35 turnovers (20 by Orlando), some forced, most unforced. From tip to buzzer, the game was a comedy of errors that featured oblivious 3-second violations, nonsensical traveling gaffes, passes to nobody in particular, an illegal screen set out of bounds, plus a handful of airballs (including one from the stripe by Eddy Curry).

How did the Knicks lose?
Their defensive rotations were abominable.
Whenever Dwight Howard decided to pass out of a double team, the Magic easily found unguarded perimeter shooters and merry dunksters.
In the third quarter alone, Jameer Nelson dribbled his way to four layups while New York's bigs (especially Curry) stood at ease with their hands in their pockets.
Orlando's shooters curling off weak-side screens were always open. Luckily for the Knicks, the Magic missed more of these shots than they should have.
When the Knicks chose to switch high screen/rolls, there was no help given to smalls then posted up by biggers.
Even when the Knicks played zone, the visitors were repeatedly able to slip a baseline cutter behind the defense for lobs and more dunks.
Because, except for Malik Rose, none of the Knicks' big men bothered to box out. That's why Nelson, at a relatively miniscule 6-0, was able to grab offensive rebounds on a pair missed Magic free throws.
Because Curry came down with only four rebounds in more than 38 minutes, and had zero points and zero rebounds for the initial 15:12 of the game.
Because Channing Frye and Stevie Francis were duds â€” shooting a combined two of 11 and totaling just six points.
Because they were only 23 of 37 from the free throw line.
And because Thomas foolishly selected Nate Robinson to defend Jameer Nelson at the end of the game.
By the way, the Knicks did NOT lose because of the unavailability of the injured Jamal Crawford, David Lee and Quentin Richardson. They had sufficient talent and sufficient opportunities to win the game, regardless.

How did the Knicks make a game of it?
Because Stephon Marbury had a Starbury performance â€” 10 of 21 for 32 points. His dribble penetrations were irresistible, and he even played defense. For example, fronting Hedo Turkoglu so effectively on a switch that the 6-foot-10 forward couldn't even smell an incoming pass.
Because Isiah Thomas went small in the last few moments of the second quarter (Marbury, Frye, Mardy Collins, Nate Robinson and Renaldo Balkman) and, catching the Magic by surprise, produced a stream of steals and runaway dunks. But when Zeke tried the same strategy in the second half, Brian Hill was hip and made the proper substitutions.
Because the referees twice allowed Curry to blatantly shove Howard while the latter was making baseline moves from the left box. In the absence of the proper calls, Howard was forced into a pair of turnovers.
Because the referees allowed the Knicks to shoot 20 free throws in the fourth quarter while limiting Orlando to three (two of which came in the last 20 seconds when the Knicks were forced to foul).
Because Eddy Curry hit a huge jump hook and netted the resulting free throw with the game on the line in the last minute of play.
Because the wily Rose hit a pair of jumpers, virtually shut down Howard, and also used a pull-the-chair move to induce Darko Milicic into a traveling violation.

How did the Magic almost lose?
Because Howard forced too many dribbles in the crowded lane, and failed to hang on to several clutch rebounds.
Because J. J. Redick missed a couple of wide-open, potential game-clinching treys.
Because their passing was a tragedy of errors.
Because they shot 14-21 from the line.
Because they couldn't handle the only two low S/Rs that the Knicks ran, both of which terminated in dunkers.

How did the Magic win?
Because the Knicks ran only two low S/Rs.
Because their defensive rotations were slightly better than the home team's.
Because they didn't miss a single one of their many dunks.
Because, with the score tied in the last minute of play, Marbury drove to the basket and launched a floater that Howard swatted while the ball was clearly falling toward the hoop. But the three blind mice (Tommy Nunez, Jr., Tom Washington and Scott Wall) all agreed that the obvious goaltend was really a legitimate blocked shot.
Zeke understandably went bonkers â€” yet strangely enough never protested while the Knicks were shooting all those free throws in the fourth quarter.
And mostly because Nelson hit a brace of clutch 3-balls against he Knicks' inept S/R defense that wasn't helped at all by Nate Robinson's stumble-footed confusion.
If this was a perfect universe, both teams â€” and all three refs â€” would be barred from postseason play.
Still, the Magic were a mite less abysmal than the Knicks and came up with the big plays (by Nelson) when big plays were needed.
In a do-or-die game with the last playoff slot up for grabs, the Magic did, and the Knicks died.

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Man, this must off been some game to watch. I guess everyone was lazy during this game including the refs. And if your wondering what S/Râ€™s are, I think itâ€™s a Screen and Roll. Iâ€™m not sure.

Dr. Giganto · 03-29-2007, 03:30 PM

yeah, i'm pretty sure S/R refers to screen and rolls.

I also hate the "Injuries aren't an excuse" reasoning here. One of the reasons he lists for the Knicks losing is the inability of Knick big men to box out. Hmm...I wonder if David Lee, one ofthe best rebounders in the league, could have made a difference.

Actually, I always hate that excuse. When an already mediocre team loses its best defender/rebounder (Lee), its most explosive scorer (Crawford), and a semi-dependable outside shooter (QRich), and is forced to play a loud-mouthed midget (Robinson), a washed-up malcontent (Francis), and a soft-as-tissue big man (Frye) in their place, it will OBVIOUSLY make a difference.

NBA-Must of been some game

This is a discussion on NBA-Must of been some game within the North American Sports forums, part of the Sports Forums category; Charley Rosen is FOXSports.com The Magic's 94-89 win over the Knicks, albeit exciting, demonstrated why both teams are struggling to ...