Turkoglu game-winner ties series

by jsams on Apr 26, 2009 7:01 PM PDT in Recaps Comment 32 comments

Tonight marks the ninth time the Sixers have lost in the final seconds this season. That's right, nine times! You would think after nine times I'd be used to the pain and devastation that comes with game-winners -- I'm not. The Sixers stormed back to tie the game with 14 seconds left. After the Sixers knotted the game at 81 the Magic ran an isolation for Hedo Turkoglu at the top of the key. Turk -- originally guarded by Andre Iguodala -- used a screen to force Thaddeus Young to switch and drilled a three-pointer in Thad's eye with 1.1 to go. It's unfair to criticize Thad's defense on the last play, but it has to be noted that he gave a 6'10'' NBA sharpshooter way too much room to get the shot off.

Besides the Turkoglu three, the Magic tied the series because of four things.

Good defense in the second half.
Awful offensive showings from the Sixers "big 3" (16-48).
Dwight Howard.
First half officiating.

The first two speak for themselves, but I want to touch on D12 and the first half officiating.

Dwight Howard is everything you want in an NBA center. He has unbelievable touch around the rim. If his defender leaves him to contest a shot, Dwight grabs the rebound and throws it down. He's insanely strong and athletic. He anchors the defense. And even though he was 6-12 tonight, every time he steps to the stripe I'm confident he'll make his free throws. When the Sixers began their run, Dwight had a huge put-back on one end, and a big block on the other. Words really can't describe how good this guy has been.

As good as Dwight Howard is, he doesn't deserve to get away with numerous travels and fouls. The first half officiating was the worst 24 minutes of officiating I've seen this season. Dwight could have easily been called for five fouls in the first half -- the most obvious being a karate chop to the neck of Reggie Evans. The game was called much better in the second half, but still, Dwight Howard should be treated like everyone else for 48 minutes. There's no way the Sixers only deserved to go to the line 15 times tonight.

All in all we're left with a three-game series. Will this year's series continue to play out exactly like last year's? Or do the Sixers have two more wins in 'em? Game five is back in Orlando on Tuesday night.

After four games I'm sure of one thing -- we can win this series. The Sixers aren't scared of Dwight Howard and the Magic. They believe more than anyone, and if noting else, I expect them to go down swinging.

Looking at the big picture, I don't feel as bad about this loss as I should. Despite the Sixers worst overall game of the series, the Magic needed a game-winner to pull this one out. We've won in Orlando and we can do it again.

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Looking at the big picture, I don’t feel as bad about this loss as I should. Despite the Sixers worst overall game of the series, the Magic needed a game-winner to pull this one out. We’ve won in Orlando and we can do it again.

That was very much the attitude last year after they split at home and pissed away a chance to win game 4. I won’t give them any credit until they actually go and win at least game 5. As of now they are the exact same story as last year until they prove otherwise.

Might sound harsh, nega-delphia or whatever… but I bet I can find the same type of ‘we have shown we can beat them’ type of post last year at 2-2. I want to see results first.

http://www.phillyarena.com - Philly sports forum/blog

by tk76 on Apr 26, 2009 7:08 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

And it will take a win to get me to forget them giving away the opportunity to go for the win in a game they had trailed all game… so sorry if I’m a bit single tracked and grumpy.

http://www.phillyarena.com - Philly sports forum/blog

by tk76 on Apr 26, 2009 7:10 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

2-2 is the way it’s ‘supposed’ to go – in a series like this – the sixers have really accomplished nothing – they given away chances to win games they’ve lost and barely won the games they did on last second shots…i predicted the magic in 5 – so that was wrong but i’ve seen nothing to indicate they won’t lose this series…

The game was tied at the half – they came out flat and then the run fell short – it’s a tiresome thing.

"Someone created the box score," Morey says, "and he should be shot."

Blocked shots — they look great, but unless you secure the ball afterward, you haven’t helped your team all that much.

by jemagee on Apr 26, 2009 7:11 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Its been a pretty flat series

One team plays well, lets up and then the other makes an attempted comeback. Not the sign of either team showing real focus or knowing how to win.

I guess maybe the young guys can learn from this?

http://www.phillyarena.com - Philly sports forum/blog

by tk76 on Apr 26, 2009 7:22 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

We Magic fans feel the complete opposite about the officiating.

The amount of contact, slaps, hacks and other dubious tactics opposing players use on Dwight that go uncalled MORE than make up for what Dwight gets away with!

by malars on Apr 26, 2009 7:58 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Yeah.

But you cannot honestly tell me that the first half of the game wasn’t officiated poorly. I’ll go back and watch the tape and embed every ridiculous call or non-call involving Dwight Howard if I have to.

Liberty Ballers.com.

by jsams on Apr 26, 2009 8:06 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

And I could probably go and do the same for every foul on Dwight that wasn't called.

Its a moot point. Howard gives just as much punishment as he gets and if everything were called, everyone on the court would be a forward or a guard. You just have to accept that when Dwight is involved, the refs don’t really know how to call it because many times, it could go both ways.

by malars on Apr 26, 2009 8:17 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

And since it was in the first half.

No it didn’t determine the outcome of the game, but still, the calls were absolutely ridiculous.

Liberty Ballers.com.

by jsams on Apr 26, 2009 8:07 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Can we at least agree that the refs are ridiculously inconsistent in how they call plays involving Dwight?

Whether you want to take that as he should get more things called against him or not, that’s not what I’m trying to debate. We’ll see things with Sixers or Magic colored glasses and not agree, so…

by malars on Apr 26, 2009 8:22 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Fair enough.

Yeah, I’m completely aware that we’re both biased. Obviously Sixers fans are going to be a little more irked because their team lost. The officiating has been pretty bad this whole series for both teams, but the first half was worth mentioning in my opinion.

Liberty Ballers.com.

by jsams on Apr 26, 2009 8:25 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Indeed. Like I said, it was bad on both sides. I don't think one team had an advantage over the other...

…in the first half based on the officiating. In our game thread over at Third Quarter Collapse, we were going nuts complaining about some of the bad calls against the Magic. I just thought it was funny that I come over here and you guys were complaining about the same thing, but instead about bad calls against the Sixers. lol

by malars on Apr 26, 2009 8:28 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

it’s the beautiful result of everyone just being a fan

by tsteidel on Apr 26, 2009 8:29 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

We need an objective point of view.

Honestly it don’t matter. I’m not a fan of “what ifs” or making excuses. The Magic won and the Sixers lost, and that’s all that matters.

Liberty Ballers.com.

by jsams on Apr 26, 2009 8:31 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Don't think that I'm coming over here to discredit your post or anything.

Just providing a perspective from the other side! :)

by malars on Apr 26, 2009 8:34 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

No worries man.

I write what’s on my mind and I encourage people to disagree. Plus I respect that you weren’t an a-hole about disagreeing. 98 percent of the Magic fans who’ve commented over here during the series have been class acts.

Liberty Ballers.com.

by jsams on Apr 26, 2009 8:38 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks for the kind words.

I’m glad fellow Magic fans (3QCers, mostly) have represented well over here. That’s great to hear .. you run a tight ship jsams, so cheers to you.

I know the loss must have been tough for ya’ll. We can relate, obviously. I think everyone can all agree, though .. it’s been an entertaining series so far.

GL in Game 5.

I'm the other guy at Third Quarter Collapse, with a Twitter account.

I comment WAY too much.

Die for my family and live for the moment/And that's the main difference between me and my opponent - Phonte of Little Brother

by erivera7 on Apr 26, 2009 11:50 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Thank you sir.

I’m greedy. If you told me on April 2 that the Sixers would be tied 2-2 with the Magic on two separate buzzer-beaters, I’d be thrilled. Naturally, I want more though.

It’s been fun going back and forth on the blogs for the entire series. Hopefully we get three more games.

Liberty Ballers.com.

by jsams on Apr 26, 2009 11:56 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

slaps and hacks are much different

than blatant shoulders to the chest and extension of an arm to knock down a player

by tsteidel on Apr 26, 2009 8:16 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Seriously? You really want to complain about what Dwight gets away with and completely ignore everything defenders get away with?

by malars on Apr 26, 2009 8:18 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

no not at all

sorry i said that wrong…. the officiating was terrible both ways… but what i’m trying to get at is that dwight didn’t once get called for the shoulders to the chest but donny-ice got called on a jersey tug of rashard lewis… all i want is consistency from officials and tonight i did not get that

by tsteidel on Apr 26, 2009 8:21 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I will agree that the refs don't call anything with any amount of consistency.

See my post above!

by malars on Apr 26, 2009 8:23 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's been that way the entire series.

Hell, I’d go as far as saying it’s been that way the entire season, coming from someone that has seen a majority (70 or so games) of the Magic season either on TV or in person.

by malars on Apr 26, 2009 8:24 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Oh, and if you couldn't tell, I loathe NBA officiating!

I feel it’s the worst of any professional sports league!

by malars on Apr 26, 2009 8:29 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

No matter what happens in the last three games, there is no way this series will end up exactly like last years`

Already, it is not like last year`s series. When the sixers lost last year, they were blown out. The pistons owned them on defense. This year, all four games have been battles. Today the sixers lost because of their offense, the magic did not win because of their defense.
Once again, Iguodala had an overall pretty good game. I can`t argue with a double double, but I would like to see him score more. Typically, when he has a high scoring game, the next game he has mediocre or poor scoring. He needs to step it up and attempt more shots.

by jefu on Apr 26, 2009 8:52 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I remember the Sixers being up at halftime in game 4

And lost game 4 by 9 points. Also, the Sixers offense has not been that much better this series (81 and 87 pts in the losses.)

Neither Philly or Orlando has played well. Both have failed to put their opponent away when they have a big lead.

http://www.phillyarena.com - Philly sports forum/blog

by tk76 on Apr 27, 2009 6:11 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Speights

I really think this was a game that Speights could have come into and caused matchup problems, even in a few the 43 minutes Howard did play.

We talk about him not being able to cover Rashard Lewis or Howard, but how about the fact that Lewis can’t check him either? I like Mo’s chances D’ing up on him rather than the other way around. It’s not like Lewis has a great first step, you just gotta stay tight on his jump shot. He’s not a terrific passer either, so against a bigger, slightly slower opponent I don’t think he’d be able to take too much advantage.

I think Mo would’ve provided a good spark from the 4/5 position considering we got 4 total points from Marshall, Evans, and Theo in a total of 25 minutes. Him coming in at the 4 with Sammy at the 5, Thad and Iguodala on the wings, Miller at point is a tough matchup for Orlando. When we needed offense, that’s the lineup we should’ve gone with, and should look into for game 5 in Orlando.

Frustrating.

by TheArtistFormerlyKnownAsMichaelBourn on Apr 26, 2009 10:24 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Thankful...

All I wanted was the split….

NAS designed your BLUEPRINT, who you kidding?
Is he H TO THE IZZO, M TO THE IZZO?
For shizzle you phony, the rapping version of SISQO~Nas

by I blocked Patrick Chewing on Apr 27, 2009 6:12 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Playoffs

I’m beginning to think that unless the games are blow outs – it’s in the best interest of the refs to do their best to extend the series so they as much $$ as they can.imho

by 516guy on Apr 27, 2009 12:08 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

i just noticed something in the picture

look at m16… he knew that was goin in before hedo even released it

by tsteidel on Apr 27, 2009 12:30 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I think it’s just more ‘damn that look is too open’

"Someone created the box score," Morey says, "and he should be shot."

Blocked shots — they look great, but unless you secure the ball afterward, you haven’t helped your team all that much.

by jemagee on Apr 27, 2009 1:23 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I was doing the same thing

Turk is supposed to make those shots. Hes their go to guy.

I had the feeling we were gonna lose like that anyway (probably conditioned from the regular season), but I kinda think we wouldve lose in OT anyway. We were just not shooting well enough yesterday

by jmorcate on Apr 27, 2009 2:57 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs