Hawks lead Magic 3 Games to 1

After watching this game, I've got no fingernails left. Barely had any after game three. But, that's ok. The Atlanta Hawks just took a commanding 3 games to 1 lead over the Orlando Magic in their best of seven series.

After going silent throughout the second and third quarters (2 pts during that stretch), Joe Johnson awoke with 10 desperately needed fourth quarter scores. Jamal Crawford and Kirk Hinrich seemed to carry Atlanta's offense, until Johnson made his presence known. With Orlando unwilling to accept defeat, Double J rose to the challenge and delivered it to their front door.

Dwight Howard actually looked like himself in the second half of this contest and was simply un-guardable, with Jason Collins benched because of foul trouble. But, his Magic squad lost another close one.

Could it be written, that the dynamic duo of Nelson and Superman just digested a little bit of cryptonite? I dare to say yes. This series ain't over. But, when Atlanta wins again...it will be.

Game 5 will be played at 7:30 Tuesday night in the Sunshine State.

Hawks vs Magic Game 4

Live from Philips Arena...would be an awesome way to start this post. But, truth be told, I ain't there. Oh well, who cares about that? Here's the breakdown on tonight's first half action...

Dwight Howard has been in foul trouble from the start and it reflects in his stats column. The Magic center has an uncharacteristically low 5 points, so far.
A silly foul with 1.1 seconds left in the 2nd quarter, brought his tally to 3 at halftime.

For Atlanta, Joe Johnson started well, but an early trip to the bench cooled him off, after #2 was whistled for his second foul. Jamal Crawford and Kirk Hinrich have played well for the Hawks. However, Atlanta became turnover prone and squandered several possessions, that could have been used to stake a commanding lead in tonight's game.

The third quarter is about to start, as Atlanta leads 46-37. Hawks need to play a little smarter and lock Orlando down, with some tenacity on defense.

Update: Hawks 50 Magic 37 with 10:01 in 3rd. Stan Van calls timeout.
Look for more updates in comments section of this post.

Braves vs Champs

Looking to sweep last season's World Series Champs, the Atlanta Braves are up to bat in the 8th inning. A leadoff HR by former Fish 2B, Dan Uggla, tied the score at 6. Here's the rest of the skinny...

Rookie Brave, Brandon Beachy, allowed 2 runs on 3 hits through six innings. The young fella also fanned seven Frisco batsmen. With the score 2-2, Jason Heyward connected on 3 run homer, and Atlanta took a short lived 5-2 lead in the 7th.

Then came the bottom of the inning and Jairo Asencio took the mound for Atlanta. And, that was not a good thing for the Braves. It was downright ugly, as the baseball Giants scored 4 times on 4 hits and a walk with the bases loaded.

Update: Cody Ross batting for Frisco in bottom of 9th. Score remains tied at 6.

I'll post more updates in the comments section, unless I'm too busy watching the Hawks vs Dwight Howards. Game 4 tips off without Zaza Pachulia and Jason Richardson, soon. Good guys lead the series 2 games to one.

Hawks 1, Magic None

Dwight Howard posted 46 game 1 points in a best of 7 playoff series versus the Atlanta Hawks. And, Magic guard, Jameer Nelson, unleashed 27 scores of his own. But, all other Orlando basketballers combined to put just 20 more on the board.

For Atlanta, guards Joe Johnson and Jamal Crawford accounted for 48 points. Meanwhile, the trio of Al Horford, Josh Smith, and Kirk Hinrich added 44 more Hawks scores. Leading by as much as 17 points in the third quarter, Atlanta was able to fend off all Magic rallies, and claimed a 103-93 victory.

In the end, a valiant effort by central Florida's dynamic duo just wasn't enough. Atlanta leads the series 1 game to none. Game 2 ain't until Tuesday.

Hawks Swept by Orlando

Orlando just locked the door to Atlanta's "Highlight Factory." As a Hawks fan, that truly sucks. This was a season that witnessed the Hawks winning 53 games, including a 37-4 home record. Atlanta has made huge strides over the past few years. But, they still have no answer for elite teams such as the Magic and Cavaliers. And, once again, this was a season that ended too soon for my liking.

Hawks leading scorer, Joe (no show in the playoffs) Johnson appears to be on his way out of town. After a humiliating loss in game 3, a chorus of boos rained down on #2 and his team as they left the court. Johnson responded, "That doesn't bother me and I hope it doesn't bother anyone in this locker room. It's about us in this locker room. We could care less if fans showed up."

After that last statement, I could care less if Johnson ever shows up in a Hawks uniform again. #2 can kick rocks.

Hawks Vs Magic

The Atlanta Hawks were outscored 28-10 in the second quarter of game 1 vs Orlando. Cheryl Miller is currently drooling over Dwight Howard. "Big fella, what a first half!," she yelled in his ear.

Well, the game has mercifully come to a pause for halftime. The staggering Atlanta Hawks put up a dismal 33 points so far and trail Orlando by 20. Game 1 is pretty much decided and I almost wish Atlanta would have lost game 7 to Milwaukee. At least I'd be spared the shame of watching such a disgraceful effort from the dudes in Atlanta uniforms. The 2nd quarter was absolutely embarrassing. I don't expect the second half to be much different. Hawks fans, go to bed. This one is over.

Hawks at Orlando

In the last few days, the Atlanta Hawks have made me feel like a "doubting Thomas" for not believing in them. After losing game 5, I thought Atlanta's playoff dreams were over. But, I'm happy to say I was wrong.

The Hawks dominated the Milwaukee sucks in games 6 and 7 with a suffocating defense. So, their reward is a trip to Disneyland (stole that line from Ryan Cameron). During the regular season, the Magic won 3 of 4 meetings. Atlanta's lone victory vs Orlando came late in the season, on a last second dunk by Josh Smith off a missed shot by Joe Johnson.

I'm hoping to see the rested Orlando Magic have a rusty performance tonight. Dwight Howard will do what he does. But, I'd like to see Vince Carter, Michael Pietrus, and Jameer Nelson struggle to find their rhythm in game 1. Opening tip is less than an hour away.

Go Hawks!!

Click on the title of this post to see the Dunk by Smith.

Orlando Magic

At 26-15, the Orlando Magic are a half game behind the first place Atlanta Hawks in the Southeast Division. All Star center, Dwight Howard is averaging 17 PPG, 13.1 rebounds per game, with 1.6 assists and 1 steal per contest.

Tonight, Orlando is hosting the 14-27 Indiana Pacers. The Magic lead 33-17 with little time left in the first quarter. Dwight Howard leads all scorers with 10 points in the period.

Back in Atlanta, the Hawks lead Sacramento 27-25 in the early moments of the 2nd quarter. Kings PG Tyreke Evans has 9 points in the contest.

Magic Vs Cavs

Last night, LeBron James saved his Cavaliers from an 0-2 deficit in the eastern conference finals. With 1 little second left and the Cavs down 2, James hit a legendary 3 point shot to give his team the victory. So, the series is tied at one win apiece. Orlando needs to shake off this loss. There's no reason to let this setback deflate their spirit. By winning game 1, the Magic put all of the pressure on Cleveland.

On Sunday, this best of 7 series shifts to central Florida, where the Magic can recapture control of this battle. But, in order for that to happen, Dwight Howard needs to get his hands on the ball. The 6-10 center from Atlanta is unstoppable in the post. Cleveland may have LeBron James, but they don't have an answer for Howard. Give him the ball! In game 2, Dwight scored a scrawny 10 points, but accounted for 18 rebounds. He touched the rock once in the 4th quarter. That is unacceptable. The Magic must put their fate in the hands of their best player. Ilgauskas can't defend him. Neither can Varejao or Ben Wallace. Orlando can win this series, if their offense flows through Dwight Howard.

Magic Vs Cavs

Can Orlando stop LeBron James? Only if they injure him. But that doesn't mean the Magic can't compete with Cleveland. LeBron James is the best player in the league, but Dwight Howard can be one of the most dominant forces in basketball, on any given night. What Orlando must do, is shut down LeBron's sidekicks. Point guard Mo Williams (17.8 PPG) and shooting guard Delonte West (11.7 PPG) are two of the most underrated players in the NBA. Either of these guys can and will score at ease, when defenses collapse around James. That puts a tremendous burden on Orlando's backcourt. If the Magic hope to defeat the Cavs, it must be done with defense, especially from their guards.
In the frontcourt, Dwight Howard is going to be a factor. A 6'10 X factor. Although big Z is 7 feet 3inches tall, he lacks enough athleticism to contain the 23 year old All Star from Atlanta. Ilgauskas will constantly be in foul trouble throughout this best of 7 series. So will Varejao and any other Cav attempting to defend Dwight Howard.
As far as forwards go, that brings us back to LeBron. His uncomparable talent gives Cleveland a huge advantage in this series. James is very Jordan-esque, because of his willingness and ability to make his teammates better. The 6'8 forward averaged 7.2 assists per game during the regular season.
How can Orlando stop the Cavs? They must contain Delonte West, Mo Williams, and Wally Szczerbiak. Every shot these players take must be contested. LeBron is gonna do what LeBron is gonna do. You can't stop that. What you can do, is counter punch with Dwight Howard.

Individual Matchups:

Centers:
Orlando- Dwight Howard 6-11 265 lbs, 20.6 PPG, 13.8 RPG, 2.9 BPG *(Has recorded 33 blocks in 12 playoff games and is averaging 16.6 rebounds per game during 09 post season).
Cleveland- Zydrunas Ilgauskas 7-3 260 lbs, 12.9 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 1.3 BPG

Power Forwards:
Orlando- Rashard Lewis (SF-PF) 6-10 230 lbs, 17.7 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 0.6 BPG
Cleveland- Anderson Varejao 6-11 260 lbs, 8.6 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 0.8 BPG

Small Forwards:
Orlando- Hedo Turkoglu 6-10 220 lbs, 16.8 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 4.9 APG
Cleveland-LeBron James 6-8 250 lbs, 28.4 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 7.2 APG

Shooting Guards:
Orlando- Mickael Pietrus 6-6 215 lbs, 9.4 PPG, 1.2 APG
Cleveland- Delonte West 6-3 180 lbs, 11.7 PPG, 3.5 APG

Point Guards:
Orlando- Rafer "Skip to my Lou" Alston 6-2 175 lbs, 11.7 PPG, 5.3 APG, 1.4 SPG
Cleveland- Mo Williams 6-1 190 lbs, 17.8 PPG, 4.1 APG, 0.9 SPG

Game 1 will be shown on TNT at 8:30 ET on Wednesday.