Give and Go
By Erie Times-News Sports Erie Times-New staff bloggers
The Erie Times-News sports staff delivers in-depth coverage of the Erie BayHawks and pro and college basketball   Read more about this blog.
 Phone: 814-870-1700
Posted: May 9th, 2010
Magic, Lakers and Suns looking strong with 3-0 leads…

The Orlando Magic are the only team that hasn't lost a game in this year's NBA playoffs.

Well, let me rephrase that.

The Orlando Magic are looking very strong.

They’re 7-0 in the playoffs and just taking Atlanta to the cleaners. Hard to gauge their wins against Atlanta because the Hawks are so disoriented, but Orlando has something to do with that.

After winning Game 3 by 30 points on Saturday, Orlando will close out its Eastern Conference series against the Hawks on Monday in Game 4.

Dwight Howard seems to have adjusted to the fouls, but what’s great about the Magic is they’ve got five guys who can get 20 points at any time.

Hard to guard a team like that. The Cleveland Cavaliers are going to have their hands full with the Magic in the Eastern Conference finals.

I know. I know.

LeBron James had 21 first-quarter points in Cleveland's Game 3 win in Boston against the Celtics on Thursday night.

The Cavaliers only have a 2-1 series lead and are about an hour away from tip-off in Boston for Game 4, but unless LeBron James’ injured right elbow goes haywire, the Cavs will win the series in no fewer than six games.

Wearing a different sleeve from the one he sported in Game 1 and 2 in Cleveland, James had 38 points in a 124-95 win in Game 3 in Boston on Thursday night.

The Lakers are playing a better team, but did pull out a solid 111-110 Game 3 win in Utah. Boy, Derek Fisher is still clutch isn’t he?

Hitting game-winning 3-pointers.

Kobe Bryant starting to get healthy at right time for the defending NBA world champions.

Now I see the Jazz getting Game 4 on Monday at home and losing the series in Game 5 in Los Angeles.

Kobe Bryant is looking great Saturday, but he did miss a key block out in the final seconds of Game 3. Wesley Matthews went right by him and almost tipped in Deron Williams’ missed jumper at the buzzer.

Now Bryant had 35 points, but it would have all been for naught had Matthews got that tip-in winner at the buzzer.

A good sign for the Lakers was Ron Artest showed up offensively with 20 points, but he still took seven 3-pointers.  Ron Ron made four, but he can’t fall into that trap of thinking he’s a long-range shooter. Got to mix it up.

As for the Suns, they rolled past the injury-riddled Portland Trail Blazers in the first round, but they look even better against the San Antonio Spurs.

The Spurs are healthy, just beat No 2 seed Dallas, and people were saying they could beat the Lakers in the Western Conference finals.

That’s not happening because Phoenix will put the Spurs away in Game 4 later tonight. Alvin Gentry doesn’t have the championship rings Gregg Popovich has a coach, but he’s getting it done for the Suns.

Using his bench well. Resting Steve Nash. Playing better defense to go along with that high-powered offense. The Suns are looking good.

Good enough to beat the Lakers? Wouldn’t go that far, but we’ll find out soon enough when Phoenix and Los Angeles meet in the conference finals.

Is tonight the final time San Antonio's Big 3 of Tim Duncan (above), Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker lead the Spurs?

Posted in: NBA
Comments
One Response to “Magic, Lakers and Suns looking strong with 3-0 leads…”
  1. Tim Pilgram says:

    Nice post Duane!!
    Oh man am I ever pumped up for the Western Conference Finals!! Lakers vs Suns and both teams just swept their round two opponent!! Unheard of! I can’t wait to see this get under way, but I think the size of the Lakers will be the difference just like it was against Utah… here is proof with a preview: http://www.lionsdenu.com/nba-playoffs-western-conference-final-los-angeles-lakers-vs-phoenix-suns/
    It’d be nice to see Nash finally get to the Finals but the Lakers are just too good. They have it all, coaching, star talent, bench, the list goes on…

Leave a Reply

*

Switch to our mobile site