Game 4 Brings Greater Pressure for the Orlando Magic
Game 4 is hours away and if you think the Los Angeles Lakers are pressured guess again. Remember that they hold a 2-1 lead and based on the outcome of Game 3, the Lakers were just unlucky. Not to be made an excuse, you can see it for yourself. Even during a bad game, the Magic could not pull away from the Lakers.
Kudos to Orlando’s Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu for their hot shooting but just like since the start of the series, there is no sign of dominance on their part. Dwight Howard is simply absent and not even the return of Jameer Nelson could even up the odds. So if there is a team that is pressured to win, it has to be the Magic. The Lakers need only one win from their road schedule and regardless of what happens, the series will still go back to LA.
Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum are the consistent players on the LA side. Kobe will be there but once he starts hogging the ball, this negates the efforts of the team. Kobe is so swell-headed that he feels if he doesn’t deliver, LA will fall. Sad to say that is not the case. They are in the finals because of the team and not just because of him.
For the Magic, it is obvious they lack the experience and manpower. They have sufficient players on the team but apparently one more superstar is needed. They lack a defensive player to go to, someone in the mold of a Dennis Rodman or a Bruce Bowen. Alas it is too late to address that as they are in the final stages of the year.
Looking forward, coach Stan Van Gundy may want to address this need. Firepower is there but without defense, they will have a hard time putting together a winning season. Ignore the free agents of 2010. You don’t need them. Just address the areas where the team is lacking and that is a role player who will dive for loose balls and make the game a living hell for the superstar of the other team. You win games with defense!
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