| Finals Notebook Ahead Of Game 4 Authored by Jarrod Rudolph - June 11, 2009 - 3:18 pm
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Magic should be concerned
Orlando's record-setting performance in Game 3 was great to watch, but winning a game where you shoot a Finals record 62.5 percent – including another record 75 percent in the first-half – by only four points is alarming.
“We talked about it at film session,” Rafer Alston said. “But it’s unbelievable, because they shot above 50 percent. Both teams were really hitting.”
The Magic found their outside touch – that was missing the first two games – on Tuesday night; their record-setting performance is evidence of that. They also had five different guys with at least 18 points, including a 20-point performance from Alston. But despite their balance and incredible shooting I left the arena thinking the Magic didn’t win Game 3, the Lakers lost it.
I was reminded of the struggles that LeBron James faced against the Magic while watching Game 3. James had to play his very best just to have a chance to win a game. The same thing can be said for the Magic, they never seemed to be in control of Game 3. Even when they were leading the Lakers it felt like they were behind.
Truth be told, if Kobe Bryant makes his free-throws the Magic are down 3-0. They are a very good team, but there has to be some concern. The Magic held on to beat the Lakers in a game that should have been a blowout. Like Alston said, the Lakers also shot the ball well. That tells me the Magic still haven’t figured out a way to stop these guys.
Kobe Bryant has to take better shots
Emperor Bryant is by far the best player on the planet, but his shot selection sucks.
His shot selection is the only visible weakness in his game and the biggest reason he struggled in Game 3 after his hot start. I’m not one of the many people that believe Bryant has lost a step. I do, however, think he’s exhausted and isn’t used to the feeling as he has always been able to quickly recover physically. But he’s also, in my opinion, the league’s smartest player which makes his shot selection more frustrating. Bryant is able to read and dissect defenses like no other player in the game. It’s fair to say he can get any shot he wants at any anytime, but settles for the toughest shots. It’s difficult to understand how he doesn’t realize that his team would be close to unbeatable if he takes good shots.
The Magic don’t have an answer for him, but he makes the job of defending him easier when he’s taking fall away jumpers when he has the option to take a two-dribble pull-up.
Dwight Howard still trying to figure out a way to beat the Lakers’ defense
Game 3 was Dwight Howard’s best of the Finals. Still, the 23-year-old superstar doesn’t seem to have found an answer to the Lakers’ defensive scheme. His hit on 5-of-6 attempts, but the bulk of his offense came from the free-throw line.
“I understand the importance of trying to make the free throws,” Howard said. “I think the things I have been trying to tell you guys for the past couple of years is that it’s more mental than anything with me. I understand that, especially in the playoffs, every possession counts. I know that a team is going to foul me instead of letting me dunk the ball.”
Howard is a great young player, but at this point in his career he may not have the offensive skill set to counter the defense moves the Lakers are making. Howard’s offensive game has been the subject of many debates. Most recently one of the game’s greatest players shared his opinion on the three-time All-Star’s offensive skills.
“He's still offensively kind of raw," Kareem Abdul-Jabbar said Wednesday. "He doesn't have a go-to move yet. Right now, he's kind of predictable. Dwight is kind of limited offensively. He does great right under the basket, you force him to do other things, he doesn't have an answer for it yet. But I think that's his challenge."
Howard agreed with Abdul-Jabbar’s criticism.
"Kareem is right, and he understands that in order to be a good player you have to add different things to your game," Howard said. "I've tried to do the skyhook just like him, but he had more range and more touch. He was shooting skyhooks from the 3-point line, and I'm still working on it from the paint, so I've got a long way to go."
Howard has the remainder of what should be a long productive career to add offensive weapons to his game. But the Magic can’t afford to have Howard experimenting with different moves during the Finals.
For him to become a factor on the offensive end of the floor he needs to make sure he puts himself in a position to use the weapons he has as much as possible. If that means dunking every time he can then he should dunk. If that means shooting his running hook then he should shoot it. He needs to use the moves that worked for him as much as he can. |
