Game 5: Will Orlando Close it Out?

[kozlodoev]

[dang], someone has to teach Howard how to take a charge, the guy is always moving and/or jumping and he still looks for the charge

Howard refuses to take charges -- he wants to block every single shot.

He apparently stated this himself.

[LB3533]

Magic shot 8-25 from 3 point land and the Cavs shot 9-18, that's the ball game.

Oh and Lebron dominated again.

[CelticG1]

[dang], someone has to teach Howard how to take a charge, the guy is always moving and/or jumping and he still looks for the charge

Howard refuses to take charges -- he wants to block every single shot.

He apparently stated this himself.

There really aren't a lot of big man who take charges though- at all especailly shot blocking big man. How many charges do you see KG or Perkins ever take? I'd say the number is pretty close to zero. I don't really know why this is the case but it is for the most part.

[ManUp]

Didn't see the game, but I'm not surprised Howard fouled out, in a critical game 5.

Sidenote:If the Cavs comeback to win the series it'll be crystal clear that the NBA is rigged.

[Fafnir]

[dang], someone has to teach Howard how to take a charge, the guy is always moving and/or jumping and he still looks for the charge

Howard refuses to take charges -- he wants to block every single shot.

He apparently stated this himself.

There really aren't a lot of big man who take charges though- at all especailly shot blocking big man. How many charges do you see KG or Perkins ever take? I'd say the number is pretty close to zero. I don't really know why this is the case but it is for the most part.

Because they don't get the calls. Yao Ming gets in good position for charges but often doesn't get the call because he doesn't fall down after contact. But with LeBron you aren't going to be able to block his shots so you just have to get outside the restricted circle and force a more difficult shot.

Howard just tries to jump with every drive and either block or hope that the officials don't call it. Pierce flew into him just like LeBron many times and rarely got the call, because he didn't have his usual legs to power through it more.

[crownsy]

[dang], someone has to teach Howard how to take a charge, the guy is always moving and/or jumping and he still looks for the charge

Howard refuses to take charges -- he wants to block every single shot.

He apparently stated this himself.

There really aren't a lot of big man who take charges though- at all especailly shot blocking big man. How many charges do you see KG or Perkins ever take? I'd say the number is pretty close to zero. I don't really know why this is the case but it is for the most part.

Because they don't get the calls. Yao Ming gets in good position for charges but often doesn't get the call because he doesn't fall down after contact. But with LeBron you aren't going to be able to block his shots so you just have to get outside the restricted circle and force a more difficult shot.

Howard just tries to jump with every drive and either block or hope that the officials don't call it. Pierce flew into him just like LeBron many times and rarely got the call, because he didn't have his usual legs to power through it more.

If you jump, its not a charge though.

I understand what your saying, and big guys do get screwed on the call, but if you leave your feet, even jumping straight up as Howard did on his 6th last night, and you don't touch ball, the ref is never going to give you a charge, nor should he.

You have to choose to stay on the ground, you can't jump and then say "oh, but i had position" because you negated that by leaving your feet.

[Fafnir]

[dang], someone has to teach Howard how to take a charge, the guy is always moving and/or jumping and he still looks for the charge

Howard refuses to take charges -- he wants to block every single shot.

He apparently stated this himself.

There really aren't a lot of big man who take charges though- at all especailly shot blocking big man. How many charges do you see KG or Perkins ever take? I'd say the number is pretty close to zero. I don't really know why this is the case but it is for the most part.

Because they don't get the calls. Yao Ming gets in good position for charges but often doesn't get the call because he doesn't fall down after contact. But with LeBron you aren't going to be able to block his shots so you just have to get outside the restricted circle and force a more difficult shot.

Howard just tries to jump with every drive and either block or hope that the officials don't call it. Pierce flew into him just like LeBron many times and rarely got the call, because he didn't have his usual legs to power through it more.

If you jump, its not a charge though.

I understand what your saying, and big guys do get screwed on the call, but if you leave your feet, even jumping straight up as Howard did on his 6th last night, and you don't touch ball, the ref is never going to give you a charge, nor should he.

You have to choose to stay on the ground, you can't jump and then say "oh, but i had position" because you negated that by leaving your feet.

Absolutely. Howard always jumps and never pays much attention to the restricted circle. Far too often officials let him chest bump drivers though and then he blocks the shot.

Or he blocks the shot after his team mate whacks the driver forcing an out of control shot that is easily swatted.

[MMacOH]

Didn't see the game, but I'm not surprised Howard fouled out, in a critical game 5.

Sidenote:If the Cavs comeback to win the series it'll be crystal clear that the NBA is rigged.

yeah, maybe you should watch the game before you make a completely ridiculous comment like that.  You want to know what happened last night?  The Cavs started giving the ball to Lebron right above the free throw line and spread the floor.  You know what that does?  It makes all the defenders clear out of the key.  Now, if Lebron drives on Pietrus (because Piertus can NOT stay in front of Lebron), the Orlando D has about 1 second to try and react and get in front of LBJ.  If the Magic rotate, Lebron hits the open man for a jumper.  The Cavs came up with an excellent offensive game plan and won the game.  It wasn't rigged

[Rondo_is_better]

Didn't see the game, but I'm not surprised Howard fouled out, in a critical game 5.

Sidenote:If the Cavs comeback to win the series it'll be crystal clear that the NBA is rigged.

yeah, maybe you should watch the game before you make a completely ridiculous comment like that.  You want to know what happened last night?  The Cavs started giving the ball to Lebron right above the free throw line and spread the floor.  You know what that does?  It makes all the defenders clear out of the key.  Now, if Lebron drives on Pietrus (because Piertus can NOT stay in front of Lebron), the Orlando D has about 1 second to try and react and get in front of LBJ.  If the Magic rotate, Lebron hits the open man for a jumper.  The Cavs came up with an excellent offensive game plan and won the game.  It wasn't rigged

From what I've seen Pietrus play Lebron better one-on-one better than any other SF in the league. He doesn't stop him all the time, but nobody can, he's Lebron.

And I don't think having LBJ go one on five is "an excellent offensive game plan". In fact, I would go so far as to say that it sucks. It worked last night, but it sure didn't work against San Antonio in 07.

[MMacOH]

Didn't see the game, but I'm not surprised Howard fouled out, in a critical game 5.

Sidenote:If the Cavs comeback to win the series it'll be crystal clear that the NBA is rigged.

yeah, maybe you should watch the game before you make a completely ridiculous comment like that.  You want to know what happened last night?  The Cavs started giving the ball to Lebron right above the free throw line and spread the floor.  You know what that does?  It makes all the defenders clear out of the key.  Now, if Lebron drives on Pietrus (because Piertus can NOT stay in front of Lebron), the Orlando D has about 1 second to try and react and get in front of LBJ.  If the Magic rotate, Lebron hits the open man for a jumper.  The Cavs came up with an excellent offensive game plan and won the game.  It wasn't rigged

From what I've seen Pietrus play Lebron better one-on-one better than any other SF in the league. He doesn't stop him all the time, but nobody can, he's Lebron.

And I don't think having LBJ go one on five is "an excellent offensive game plan". In fact, I would go so far as to say that it sucks. It worked last night, but it sure didn't work against San Antonio in 07.

While what you said is true, you are missing the key point to why the one on five worked last night.  Look where Lebron started with the ball. 

In 07, he starts outside of the 3 point line.  That means he needs about 6-7 steps to get to the rim.  Plenty of time for the defense to adjust on his drives and reposition.  The defense had time to rotate and close out on the shooters slash cutters.

Now, last night, he was getting the ball right outside the free throw line.  That means he needs 2 steps to get to the rim.  There was no time for Orlando to rotate on a drive, and if they did, Lebron hit the open guy with a much shorter pass that left the open player with a wide open look.  Also, giving Lebron the ball at the free throw line makes his pull up jumper much more effective since it is much sloer to the hoop, instead of pulling up from 3 where he isn't as accurate.  It was a smart set and it should give Orlando fits tomorrow as well.

[fairweatherfan]

If you jump, its not a charge though.

I understand what your saying, and big guys do get screwed on the call, but if you leave your feet, even jumping straight up as Howard did on his 6th last night, and you don't touch ball, the ref is never going to give you a charge, nor should he.

You have to choose to stay on the ground, you can't jump and then say "oh, but i had position" because you negated that by leaving your feet.

You're right that it's never called that way, but I think the rules have always stated that you are entitled to your space on the floor all the way to the ceiling: in other words, if you jump straight up with your arms straight up, you're still in position, and it should not be a defensive foul, and could still be a charge.  I'd really like to see it enforced some day.

[LB3533]

Van Gundy and the Magic have done a near perfect job defending the Cavs through the first 5 games.

Just let Lebron do his thing and don't let any other Cavs go off.

It would dumb to change the strat now.

[star18]

I made a list of the 13 worst calls of the CLE-ORL series, although I missed Game 5 and can barely remember Game 1 what does everyone think
1.Mo throws the ball at Howard no T favors CLE-Game 2
2.Howard cleanly blocks James at 3 point line James 3 FT favors CLE-Game 4
3.Howard gets T later rescinded by NBA favors CLE-Game 4
4.AJ gets T later rescinded by NBA favors CLE-Game 3
5.Clear path foul by Alston on James favors CLE-Game 5
6.James goaltends on Lee's layup called a block favors CLE-Game 3
7.Gortat blocking foul on Pavlocic favors CLE-Game 2
8.Gortat blocking foul on West favors CLE-Game 2
9.Lebron falls down on Pietrus last play of game favors CLE-Game 4
10.Howard foul on Lebron 1st play favors CLE-Game 4
11.Howard fouls out on Lebron favors CLE-Game 4
12.Hedo barely grazes Lebron headband favors CLE-Game 4
13.Howard no call on Verrajo last play in regulation favors CLE-Game 4.
If there was a call that should be in the Top 13 that favored ORL let me know thanks

[Rondo_is_better]

Didn't see the game, but I'm not surprised Howard fouled out, in a critical game 5.

Sidenote:If the Cavs comeback to win the series it'll be crystal clear that the NBA is rigged.

yeah, maybe you should watch the game before you make a completely ridiculous comment like that.  You want to know what happened last night?  The Cavs started giving the ball to Lebron right above the free throw line and spread the floor.  You know what that does?  It makes all the defenders clear out of the key.  Now, if Lebron drives on Pietrus (because Piertus can NOT stay in front of Lebron), the Orlando D has about 1 second to try and react and get in front of LBJ.  If the Magic rotate, Lebron hits the open man for a jumper.  The Cavs came up with an excellent offensive game plan and won the game.  It wasn't rigged

From what I've seen Pietrus play Lebron better one-on-one better than any other SF in the league. He doesn't stop him all the time, but nobody can, he's Lebron.

And I don't think having LBJ go one on five is "an excellent offensive game plan". In fact, I would go so far as to say that it sucks. It worked last night, but it sure didn't work against San Antonio in 07.

While what you said is true, you are missing the key point to why the one on five worked last night.  Look where Lebron started with the ball. 

In 07, he starts outside of the 3 point line.  That means he needs about 6-7 steps to get to the rim.  Plenty of time for the defense to adjust on his drives and reposition.  The defense had time to rotate and close out on the shooters slash cutters.

Now, last night, he was getting the ball right outside the free throw line.  That means he needs 2 steps to get to the rim.  There was no time for Orlando to rotate on a drive, and if they did, Lebron hit the open guy with a much shorter pass that left the open player with a wide open look.  Also, giving Lebron the ball at the free throw line makes his pull up jumper much more effective since it is much sloer to the hoop, instead of pulling up from 3 where he isn't as accurate.  It was a smart set and it should give Orlando fits tomorrow as well.

Fair enough. If its all about where Lebron starts from though, why doesn't Mike Brown post him up like 1000x more often?

It would make a lot of sense if starting closer to the basket is so beneficial.