So, will there even be a Kobe-LeBron epic classic in the Finals? Or will the Orlando Magic’s magical run shock the world? It practically has at the noisy Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, where impetuous fans could become deaf. The crowd was louder than many unique sounds of rock-n-roll. Fans were actively swinging the white towels when MVP LeBron James levitated for a tomahawk dunk, created in transition as the Cavaliers valuable leader ignited a wild frenzy and perpetuated a dominant first quarter.
It seemed as if another untested win was looming ever so closer, when the first half was a resemblance of the previous series. Each of them won decisively by double-digits, including uncontested sweeps in which there’s no doubt James was dying of boredom after defeating Detroit and Atlanta when everyone else still was legitimizing a winner.
Now LeBron and company must step up to the Magic, a franchise presenting talent, determination and belief that they can possibly put overhyped publicity to rest and rename NBA’s slogan Where Magical Things Happen. Many weren’t anticipating a close, tight matchup, and if anything, no one anticipated a collapse by the Lakers in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. Hold on. It seems all the shocking moments are happening where we least expected in Cleveland, where in the friendly, rocking, towel-swinging kingdom, rumbling turned mum as the Cavs gently blew a 16-point lead and in a tested duel surrendered 29 more points than in the previous playoff series.
And in the final minutes, the swinging activity and rumbling sound effects turned silent in a tense moment. It was a predicament the Cavs hadn’t seen, a situation that was inevitable, until it suffered an elusive shock and the first loss in the postseason. No longer were the Cavs untested, unbeaten or even portrayed as NBA’s righteous champs as the Magic instilled a reality check on the mind of LeBron, who now realizes it will be a challenge and no cakewalking with the unstoppable force in the middle Dwight Howard.
All of which was a paradigm when the game stopped for a ten-minute delay early in the first quarter on his omnipotent dunk that broke the 24-second shot clock to cause a malfunction and forced maintenance workers to move swiftly, lugging a few ladders to remove the damaged clock before rolling in a temporarily clock to resume the game. Alone, he scored 30 points and had 13 rebounds with his mighty stamina and tallness to dominate inside perfectly, including a supporting cast that betters Howard’s interior grandiosity.
The Magic relies on proficient three-point shooting, a peculiar feature that has turned them into a legitimate force and even a few times in the playoffs, such as in the series against Boston. As the league’s best outside shooting team, it resulted in a lot of careless three-point attempts in an epic series to end the Celtics probable dynasty.
In Game 6, the Magic abandoned Superman, the seven-foot specimen who has blossomed into stardom, which is why Howard called out coach Stan Van Gundy at a press conference, literally ripping him for limited shot attempts and deciding to stay with the outside brilliancy that wasn’t so outstanding in the Celtics series. But to launch shots from the outside is a special knack for the Magic, which generated a comeback other than losing a lead they took late to salvage a 107-106 win in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals and steal home court advantage.
It was a time for James to really bite his nails after sharpshooter Rashard Lewis buried a clutch shot before James responded with a clutch shot of his own to complete a three-point play with 25.6 seconds remaining. But fate ran away, when Lewis was given an open look and buried the game-winning, shocking, out-of-this-world three pointer with 14.7 left. With more than enough time, it gave the Cavs a chance to maximize the noise factor for a memorable game-winning shot.
But like always, James unselfishly believed and trusted in his teammates first, which allowed him to comfortably dish it outside and believe in Delonte West, who missed a three-point attempt in the corner. On one final note, the Cavs won on a jump ball with one second left, only with enough time to catch and shoot. It was caught and went into the hands of Mo Williams, who missed a classical shot of epic proportions as time expired and the Magic secured a surprising win and chances of beating Cleveland?
This happened on a night James, the league’s most matured, humbled, enthusiastic and forceful player outplayed the Magic single-handedly, scoring an astonishing 49 points, amassed eight assists, and grabbed six rebounds, with three block shots and two steals. He simply warned everyone with a well-rounded performance that he’s set out to accomplish an NBA championship to stack alongside his MVP trophy.
But first, the Cavs must overcome a disappointing loss and recapture superiority against Superman Howard in an epic DC Comic showdown. The league’s most producing sidekick Williams, who impersonates Robin, made the electrifying 75-foot shot to complete the first half. And to win this series, he'll have to produce more than 6-of-19 shooting or the Cavs are in for a long series. If they hope to avoid an NBA upset, James and Williams have to get everyone involved, establish tone and protect leads and dominate.
It’s a series of superheroes with the makings of a Game 7, and in likelihood, will mutate into Superrivals, not Superfriends.
