Sometimes when teams are in a huge playoff hole, the ink on the obituary is nearly dry, when the ball is thrown up in a series, where a 3-1 deficit is faced. You can sort of tell when a season is about to keel over. But I still think the Cavs can come back and win this series, and I sense they do too. There are a variety of reasons, not the least of which is the fact these two teams are INCREDIBLY evenly matched. Yes, I know Orlando leads 3-1, but take a look at the body of work from these four games.
When one team says this could have been a sweep (Orl) and the Cavs say they could have been up 3-1, while trailing Game 3 by 4 points with 2 and a half minutes left, there is a tick's eyelash difference between these two clubs. Three head shaking triples, one by LeBron and two by Rashard Lewis have swung the pendulum in those games. Look at the total series: 4 games decided by a difference of 12 total points (Orl 417-405) The Cavs have held the lead for 111 of the total 192 minutes. I could go back and forth until your computer powers off.
The Cavs are scoring enough points (101.3). It's the Magic long distance dial up which has provided the difference. They are a very good three point shooting team anyway, but consider the fact they are having the 2nd best shooting series from three point land, in franchise history. Rashard Lewis, Mickael Pietrus and Rafer Alston have never hit 3's at this kind of rate in a series in their playoff lives, but to date, they have been money, against the best team in the league in defending the arc. And that is why you have to tip your hat to them. Will it continue? We'll find out.
Think about how tightly Game 4 was fought, and how it came down to the difference of an extra possession with :06 left in regulation, the Cavs up one and a loose ball off the finger tips of Delonte West, in a collision with Dwight Howard, setting up Lewis' cold-blooded 3 for the lead.
If the Cavs take care of business in Game 5, they will go back to central Florida knowing they can win there. They will still be the underdog in this series, because only 8 times in NBA history have teams come from 3-1 down to rescue a season. Magic fans recall six years ago when Tracy McGrady, Drew Gooden and pals coughed up a similar lead against Detroit. It's mere history though because none of these Magic were a part of that meltdown.
So, it's your perspective on the numbers, rather than thinking just 4% of teams in NBA history have battled from 3-1 down. The Cavs are thinking, 8 teams have actually done it. So, let's enjoy another showdown between these two clubs and see if a return trip to the Magic Kingdom is more than just a fantasy.
Mo Williams was sporting sunglasses today to mask the welts he of course has the day after the elbow from Anthony Johnson and the accompanying four stitches...actually his eye doesn't look as bad as I thought it would...his left eye lid is puffy, and the cheekbone is swollen.
Mo is more concerned right now with hitting shots the way he knows he can....32% percent from the floor, and 25% from 3 is obviously well off his norm...he'll continue to find ways get open looks, and not lose his aggressiveness, nor his confidence to knock down those shots. Mo is taking more than his fair share of blame, and teammates are making sure he doesn't get down on himself...but frankly, you want a guy who takes responsibility. In a three game series so far, separated by just 10 total points, it doesn't take a math wiz to figure how different this series could be, if a few jumpers from Mo, Delonte and or Z start to fall. Delonte pointed to the start of 2nd quarters when LeBron is getting a rest, he and Mo expect to score, and so far they have not taken advantage of that stretch they way they have been...they both know it, and plan on rectifying the situation.
Clearly they are playing an excellent team, that is doing its best to make the Cavs take tough shots, and vice versa. The Magic have shot 43% or less, seven times in this postseason, and still managed to win five of those games, so it shows they have been steady defensively.
Charles Barkley has now riled the central Floridians by saying on the TNT broadcast that Amway Arena is not an intimidating place to play...as Z said so well, 20,000 screaming people, is 20,000 screaming people...for players, it doesn't matter being on the road...it's the home team which gets the juice...and I thought it was a good crowd in Game 3, certainly better than what we saw in Atlanta for that series.
I would have loved to walk down any street in NE Ohio at about 11:32pm and heard the roar coming out of family rooms, or experience the moment at any watering hole, and witness the joy and exhilaration...instead, I was under the Orlando basket, watching utter heartache turn into the moment that no follower of Cleveland sports will ever forget...I saw total strangers bear hug each other...heck, yours truly was swallowed up in a husband and wife bear hug.
The explosion of noise is something I haven't experienced in a long time...and while interviewing Sasha on the floor, we could barely hear each other, though just inches a part.
As LeBron explained it, he squared up, and locked in....and buried it...Mo asked the assembled media in the locker room..."Did you all think this game was over???" (when Turkoglu hit the leaner) he then laughed, as if to say, oh ye of little faith...Mo and LeBron referred to "swag" that the guys like to say the team has...but then Mo added, "swag" goes out the window in these kinds of moments...Mo also saying LeBron was option A, B and C on the play, and Big Game James was the option D as well, and that's the one who won it.
Now the Cavs dilemma is find a way to slow down so many Orlando options, especially down the stretch...Think about it...In this series, the Cavs have lead for 84 of the 96 total minutes..(that's 87 percent of the time) and most of that time, they've enjoyed double-digit leads....but the Magic are hitting 4th quarter clutch shots with stunning regularity to the tune of 68 percent in the 24:00 of 4th quarter basketball.
Tune in for Cavaliers Live pregame and postgame from Orlando after Games 3 and 4, as Jeff, Austin and Campy will be live from The Q Watch party!
Sometimes when teams are in a huge playoff hole, the ink on the obituary is nearly dry, when the ball is thrown up in a series, where a 3-1 deficit is faced. You can sort of tell when a season is about to keel over. But I still think the Cavs can come back and win this series, and I sense they do too. There are a variety of reasons, not the least of which is the fact these two teams are INCREDIBLY evenly matched. Yes, I know Orlando leads 3-1, but take a look at the body of work from these four games. 
