tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912756.post6382038303271205208..comments2023-06-09T11:52:06.321-04:00Comments on Hoopinion: Orlando Magic 98 Atlanta Hawks 84Bret LaGreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12000566742639583055noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912756.post-89458252129932896032010-05-11T14:29:40.203-04:002010-05-11T14:29:40.203-04:00Jerry, I think it had a lot to do with Orlando'...Jerry, I think it had a lot to do with Orlando's depth at every position and a team-wide commitment to team defense. <br /><br />They are hungry and selling out to get what they want. They have a coach with a brain and the will to get players to follow the concept. It's no surprise that a collection of individuals masquerading as a basketball team were undressed from start to finish. The Larry Brown disciple was out-Larry Browned at every turn by his counterpart.<br /><br />The idea that the Hawks have any connection to a guru of team basketball like Brown is kind of like playing six degrees of separation with microns.rbubphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14995614356146242348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912756.post-74519989062992357422010-05-11T11:05:28.311-04:002010-05-11T11:05:28.311-04:00rbubp, some of that probably has to do with Gortat...rbubp, some of that probably has to do with Gortat, who for my money is the best backup 5 in the league by a mile. <br /><br />What's particularly depressing is that the Magic aren't going anywhere. Howard, Lewis, Nelson, Carter, even the bench guys ... are any of them free agents? Any of them not likely to stay in Orlando? Those guys are capable of ripping off like four straight Finals berths. Depressing.Jerry Hinnenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15097537044668238939noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912756.post-13278774722067459192010-05-11T10:34:24.737-04:002010-05-11T10:34:24.737-04:00Orlando made 44-112 3PTA in this series. That'...Orlando made 44-112 3PTA in this series. That's 39.3%. A high 3PTFG%, to be sure but not much higher than their season average: 37.5%. Had they shot their season average against the Hawks, they'd have made 2 fewer three-pointers. <br /><br />What the Hawks did particularly wrong, in this instance, is let them shoot so many. 38.9% of Orlando's field goal attempts in the series weer three-pointers compared with 35% in the regular season. The Magic shooters got open and stayed open on the perimeter all series long.Bret LaGreehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12000566742639583055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912756.post-39438911359593651062010-05-11T10:19:22.373-04:002010-05-11T10:19:22.373-04:00man the magic haven't lost in a month and they...man the magic haven't lost in a month and they STROKE the three.. we would have had a much better chance beating the cavs or lakers in a 7 game series than these guys.. as much as everyone is harping on how bad the hawks, woody, and joe suck, the magic played flawless basketball and shot an alarmingly high field goal percentage from 3 point landMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16668852637197337768noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912756.post-66279535056750174762010-05-11T08:37:09.033-04:002010-05-11T08:37:09.033-04:00The Hawks spent the entire series on the perimeter...The Hawks spent the entire series on the perimeter, wanting nothing to do with actually trying to solve the Magic's defense.<br />Though in the Hawks' defense, the Magic are playing some of the best basketball I think anybody's seen in quite a while.<br /><br />Looks like the times they are a'changin' in Hawksville.jrauchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03064708627368143691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8912756.post-64221530065290964232010-05-11T08:16:36.449-04:002010-05-11T08:16:36.449-04:00The irony is that throughout the year we heard how...The irony is that throughout the year we heard how Atlanta was one of the league leaders in points in the paint--even with all the jump shots. They kept saying they were shooting the same shots and they didn't go in (which was absurd, of course); not only did they not get the usual number of fast-break points and points on short shots in the paint, there were few offensive rebounds that led to putbacks.<br /><br />It's tempting to say that Dwight Howard came so close to one man dominating an entire team...but it isn't likke the Hawks did much better when he was not on the floor.rbubphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14995614356146242348noreply@blogger.com