The Orlando Magic mystified LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of their NBA Eastern Conference Finals. Rashard Lewis helped the Magic pull one out of their hat, saving his best for the second half and hitting the winning 3 with 14.7 seconds left.
Dwight Howard scored 30 points, Rashard Lewis added 22 and the Orlando Magic rallied from a 15-point halftime deficit to hand James and the Cavaliers their first loss of the postseason, 107-106 on Wednesday night in the Eastern Conference finals opener.
James finished with a career-high and franchise playoff record 49 points, eight assists and six rebounds, but the league MVP limped off the floor after Cleveland's loss -- just its third in 46 home games. The Cavaliers looked stunned. And for good reason. No longer untested, no longer unbeaten. The Cavaliers finally met their match in the playoffs.
Lewis made a 3-pointer with 14.7 seconds left and the Magic, who dethroned the champion Boston Celtics in seven games in the previous round, survived two shots by Cleveland in the closing seconds. Williams missed a catch-and-shoot jumper off a jump ball as the horn sounded, dropping the Cavs to 8-1 in the postseason. Cavs guard Delonte West missed an open 3-pointer with five seconds remaining.
The Magic handed the Cavaliers their first loss of this postseason (8-1). The Cavs were playing for the first time since May 11, and teams with at least eight days rest between playoff games have now lost five of seven games.
Howard broke one of the shot clocks with a dunk in the opening minutes of the game.
Hedo Turkoglu scored 15 points with 14 assists for Orlando.
Cleveland gave this one away. The Cavaliers lost their grip on the game with a stagnant third quarter that carried into the fourth. Also, the Magic shot 55 percent from the floor -- 59 percent in the second half -- against the league's top defensive team.
Orlando, which went 2-1 vs. Cleveland in the regular season, took its first lead at 85-84 with 10:06 left when Anthony Johnson buried a 3-pointer from the left corner. The bucket seemed to suck the air out of the raucous building and Cavs coach Mike Brown quickly called a timeout to stop the Magic's run and get James back in.
The Magic, though, kept making big shots with Lewis hitting a jumper with 31.6 seconds left to give Orlando a 104-103 lead.
James then drove and scored on a runner while drawing a sixth foul on Howard, who added 13 rebounds. James completed the three-point play for a 106-104 lead but Lewis came down and nailed his 3-pointer over a closing Anderson Varejao.
On Cleveland's last possession, West missed his open 3 but James was able to tie up Turkoglu for a jump ball. James tipped it behind him to Williams, but his last-second prayer hit the back of the rim and the Cavs walked off knowing they had given up home-court advantage for this round.
Game 2 is Friday night at Quicken Loans Arena, which fell eerily silent after the Magic's win.
Dwight Howard scored 30 points, Rashard Lewis added 22 and the Orlando Magic rallied from a 15-point halftime deficit to hand James and the Cavaliers their first loss of the postseason, 107-106 on Wednesday night in the Eastern Conference finals opener.
James finished with a career-high and franchise playoff record 49 points, eight assists and six rebounds, but the league MVP limped off the floor after Cleveland's loss -- just its third in 46 home games. The Cavaliers looked stunned. And for good reason. No longer untested, no longer unbeaten. The Cavaliers finally met their match in the playoffs.
Lewis made a 3-pointer with 14.7 seconds left and the Magic, who dethroned the champion Boston Celtics in seven games in the previous round, survived two shots by Cleveland in the closing seconds. Williams missed a catch-and-shoot jumper off a jump ball as the horn sounded, dropping the Cavs to 8-1 in the postseason. Cavs guard Delonte West missed an open 3-pointer with five seconds remaining.
The Magic handed the Cavaliers their first loss of this postseason (8-1). The Cavs were playing for the first time since May 11, and teams with at least eight days rest between playoff games have now lost five of seven games.
Howard broke one of the shot clocks with a dunk in the opening minutes of the game.
Hedo Turkoglu scored 15 points with 14 assists for Orlando.
Cleveland gave this one away. The Cavaliers lost their grip on the game with a stagnant third quarter that carried into the fourth. Also, the Magic shot 55 percent from the floor -- 59 percent in the second half -- against the league's top defensive team.
Orlando, which went 2-1 vs. Cleveland in the regular season, took its first lead at 85-84 with 10:06 left when Anthony Johnson buried a 3-pointer from the left corner. The bucket seemed to suck the air out of the raucous building and Cavs coach Mike Brown quickly called a timeout to stop the Magic's run and get James back in.
The Magic, though, kept making big shots with Lewis hitting a jumper with 31.6 seconds left to give Orlando a 104-103 lead.
James then drove and scored on a runner while drawing a sixth foul on Howard, who added 13 rebounds. James completed the three-point play for a 106-104 lead but Lewis came down and nailed his 3-pointer over a closing Anderson Varejao.
On Cleveland's last possession, West missed his open 3 but James was able to tie up Turkoglu for a jump ball. James tipped it behind him to Williams, but his last-second prayer hit the back of the rim and the Cavs walked off knowing they had given up home-court advantage for this round.
Game 2 is Friday night at Quicken Loans Arena, which fell eerily silent after the Magic's win.
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1 comments:
May 21, 2009 at 10:09 PM
King James reign in the playoff is over!!!!
Superman Howard was unstoppable even with Cavalier-carrying Kryptonites!!
It will be over in Game 6, Magic will be in the NBA Finals..
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