ValueforRent says:


The missed free throws, while tough to swallow, are somewhat understandable.  I don't think people realize how much pressure is really on the player's with the game on the line like that.  And I know they make millions of dollars and should theoretically make them, but it's not that easy.  It doesn't matter how many times you practice them, you can never fully replicate a situation like that.  Your arms & knees are shaking and the basket looks a million times smaller.  It's not an easy shot.  Even someone as great as Kobe Bryant showed us in Game 3 that even the most clutch players can struggle at the line late in games and let the moment get to them.  It happens.  It's not due to a lack of trying.

What you can't let happen though is what Jameer Nelson did.  That is completely unacceptable and reprehensible.  You have to recognize the situation there and act accordingly.  It almost looked like he was playing Fisher to drive instead of vice versa.  You have got to make him put the ball on the floor there and allow the easy deuce.  You willingly give up a layup every time.  He needed to be physically standing at the line three-point line, which he wasn't, to dissuade Fisher from even attempting a three.  Horrible mistake.  But he shouldn't of even been on the court in the first place.       

MrKnish says:
Say what you want, magic missed way too many free throws, don't blame one guy.

smokin376 says:
This has got to be the stupidest post I have seen. You deserve to be in the hall of shame. "Jameer Nelson Cost His Team A Ring"...Get real dude...even if they did win and tie it up, there is no way in hell Orlando would have won in LA...I dont care what you guys say....They barely squeaked out a win shooting 62.5% (NBA RECORD)...This series was over before it started...

ValueforRent says:


If the Lakers had of lost that game they'd have also lost Game 5 as well because everyone and their mother would be chasing them.  Now they'll be lucky to force a Game 6.  They had a great chance at winning an NBA title if they'd closed that game out like they were supposed to.

I WILL NOT BE BETTING ON GAME 5 UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES

composite says:

 

You're a great capper but it's clear this game really got to you.  As I'm sure an experienced capper like you knows, sh*t happens.  Whether it be Nelson, Turk, Howard or anyone else, there's always some game where a player on your team effs it up for everyone else.  Give it a couple of days and then move on.

Look forward to your write-up for G5 if you happen to change your mind. 

 

ValueforRent says:
If the Orlando Magic are anywhere near as despondent as I was last night, they'll have a lot of trouble summoning the necessary motivation and energy to win Game 5.  Usually I wake up in the morning after a loss like that and everything is fine because I've slept it off.  Today wasn't like that.  And I bet the players feel the exact same way as I do.  That enduring and indelible image of Derek Fisher's high arcing shot swishing through the basket is not something I will soon forget.  The Magic can't help but wonder "what if".  They had the Lakers on the ropes and they let them off the hook.  The series could have been tied 2-2 with Game 5 in Orlando.  The pressure and heat would have been so high for Kobe and the Lakers, while the Magic would have been playing with nothing to lose.  The Lakers are so close right now I don't see them mailing in Game 5.     

ValueforRent says:


And that is the biggest myth ever.  The Lakers are hardly a better team than the Magic.  If you look at all the games they've played this year --other than Game 1 where L.A. was a lock to win by 10 points -- these teams are equally matched.  But instead of watching what's actually happening on the court, people just automatically assume the Lakers are better because they have Phil and Kobe.

Nobody wants to believe in the Magic.  It wouldn't have mattered if they'd won Game 4, everybody would still be all over the Lakers for Game 5.  The Lakers are a flawed team.  For the better part of last game Kobe played right into the Magic's hands by ignoring his teammates in favour of 1-on-1 forays (even though that's clearly not in the best interest of the team).  He barely trusts these guys.  They're not this juggernaut people make them out to be.  They're fragile just like everyone else.  Unfornatuly so is Jameer Nelson's skull.

ValueforRent says:


If you had the Magic you'd have a different opinion.  It doesn't matter who has the ball in that situation, Kobe, Fisher, Ariza, Odom, Phil, the fucking ball boy, you have to guard the three-point line no matter what.  This is just common sense.  The coaches have told him this thousands of times over the course of the season.  Yet there was Jameer practically backpedaling as he gave Fisher a cushion to shoot instead of crowding him and forcing the old man to go in for the layup.  He did the exact opposite of what he was supposed to do.  He went to Saint Hoes for four years, he should know better than that.

ValueforRent says:

ValueforRent says:
I seriously thought when the Magic were up by 3 with ten seconds left, that they would win the NBA Title if Dwight made his free-throws.  It could have easily happened, although nobody would have believed the scenario.  All the pressure in the world would've been on the Lakers in Game 5 with the Magic playing with nothing to lose.  Instead, now we get to watch Kobe lift the Larry O'Brien Trophy as celebrates awkwardly with his teammates.  

Ice4Blood says:
without even getting into about 100 things that are wrong with this thread (and this argument)... there are a couple that make it really bad:

 

1) this game was fixed... you got about 15 points in your favor as a result of the refs shaving it for you, and you still lost... i.e., you were on the right side of a fix, and still lost... this was a very bad bet if you took Orlando, from a handicapping standpoint, UNLESS you knew (somehow) it was going to be a fix...

 

2) even IF the game had been called straight up... and even IF Jameer had blocked Fisher's shot and Orlando had won... the statement that he "cost his team a ring" is still retarded... this series was over after game 2... any real basketball fan knew this... Orlando needed to steal a game in LA to have ANY chance of winning the title...

 

 

to suggest Orlando was on their way to a championship if they win game 4 is still a very naive statement... even if you can somehow manage to ignore the other factors here...

 

 

embarrassing thread, man!

ValueforRent says:


Ice4Blood you are completely delusional.  How much have the Magic cost you this post-season?  And they should have buried you once again last night if it wasn't for Jameer lacking a brain.  You're one of those people out there who still believes the Lakers are the better team in this series.  You are one of the biggest squares on this entire site.  Fuck off, nobody likes you. 

ValueforRent says:


They were on the way to a title.  Squares like you would have chased on the Lakers again in Game 5 because "they'd try harder this time".  The Lakers would have just lost again though.  Kobe Bryant was caving under the pressure right in front of our very eyes.  He was killing his team in the 4th quarter taking bad shots and being selfish with the ball.  But since the Lakers won Game 4 nobody will bother acknowledging any of this.

The Lakers are playing their absolute best game right now and it's barely good enough.  The Lakers have shown up and given it their all for the past three games and they could have easily lost all three.  So how are they that much better than Orlando then?  The fact is they're not. 
 

ValueforRent says:


Ice4Blood, you must spend hours pouring over which team to take.  Seriously it's not possible that you spend more than 20 seconds picking sides.  It's either Lakers, Cavs, Celtics or whatever other square chalk play. 

youessee says:
You act like they were going to win anyways....NOPE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But the dream was definitely there.

Ice4Blood says:

you're a loser, dude... you had the loser bet, and you're getting your ass toasted in these playoffs, because you are on the wrong side...

 

you see... i had LA on the side and the ML in both of these road games, and said with much conviction before game 3 that is how to plaly these games in Orlando... and if you had listened to my SQUARE ass you would be happy and have money right now like me... instead of blaming a guy who actually played his ass off for the loss...

you're reaching... that doesn't sound like something SHARPS do...

did you have the Celts last year to win it all?  cuz i did... and have LA this year... SQUARE or not, those are winners...

so maybe you just need to re-evaluate your definition of a SQUARE play... cuz your SHARP plays aren't working...

DKnight007 says:
This was Stan Van Hobbit Ron Jeremy lookin Gundys fault.....and Howards missed FT's is what cost the Magic the game.

Nelson just did what Ron Jeremy and the coaching staff ordered him to do.....which is nothing.....they should have fouled....

LIKELOCKS says:
Agreed....Jameer Nelson should still be on the bench. Why mess with what has gotten you there.

Airmail26 says:
What's up policeman?