CAVS STAY ALIVE

 

(Image taken from NBA.com)

In the 2009 Eastern Conference Finals, the Cavs were up against the Magic with the Cavs unbeaten up till that point. That changed in the early stages of the series when the Magic beat the Cavs in Game 1 in Cleveland, taking homecourt advantage. The Cavs then made it a five gamer by winning Game 2. The series then switched to Orlando though and the Magic used their homecourt to see off the Cavs and leave the number 1 seed in trouble. The Cavs then needed to win Game 4, and suceeded in taking the game to overtime. The Magic still had the last word though. Now we had Game 5, back in Cleveland and it was do or die for the Cavs.

The Cavs opened the scoring only for the Magic to reply, taking a 3-2 lead with 11:19 left in the first quarter. The Cavs replied by going on a surge that said they knew all too well what was on the line. The Cavs lead hit double digits midway through the quarter with the Magic could up in a two minute drought. Eventually the Magic hit double figures but then ran into another drought that allowed the Cavs lead to hit 20. This quarter was looking like a writeoff for the Magic. The visitors nibbled their way into the deficit but at the first buzzer the Cavs led 35-17 with LeBron leading the way on 10 points. So far so good for the Cavs but the Magic have lived off late turnarounds this series.

Sure enough, the Magic hit the ground running in the early stages of the second quarter, holding the Cavs scoreless for over two minutes but they needed to do more. Another two minute drought saw the Magic again cut the deficit to single figures. And yet the Cavs were always able to stop the rot. Another shorter Cavs drought meant that the Magic got to take another bite into the deficit. The Cavs quicker recovery suggested that they may have ridden out the storm though. Not quite, the Magic ended the half on a run and a three pointer cut the deficit to one. The Cavs were still leading 56-55 though, Mo Williams leading the scoring with 17 points.

The Magic went on another run early on in the 3rd quarter, holding the Cavs scoreless for over two minutes and that was enough for them to build up a solid lead of their own. The Cavs replied though and eventually retook the lead midway through the quarter. The Cavs led 70-67 with 5:58 left in the quarter only to hit another drought and the Magic retook the lead. A Cavs free throw then tied the game going into the closing minutes of the third. The two sides duelled for a bit but a late Magic surge saw them end the quarter with 79-78 lead. Hedo Turkoglu led the visitors with 22 points. The Magic had pulled off another turnaround. The question now was, did the Cavs have anything left?

The Cavs immediately retook the lead in the 4th quarter and though the Magic tried to reply, it was again clear that the Cavs didn't want to die on that night. The Magic stuck with things though, coming close on multiple occasions before finally taking a 90-89 lead with 6:44 on the clock. That lead didn't last though and the Cavs turned the game back around, going on another run which left the Magic with their work cut out going into the closing stages. From there the Cavs cruised to a 112-102 win with LeBron leading the scoring with 37 points, backed up by Mo Williams with 24 and Zydraunas Illgauskas providing further backup with 16. Mission accomplished, for now.

Out West, the Lakers faced the Nuggets in LA. The Nuggets opened the scoring and went on to lead 10-4 with 9:16 left in the first quarter but the Lakers came back to tie the game at the end of one. The Nuggets again took the lead in the second quarter but the Lakers always had a response and the game was tied at 56 at half time. The third quarter proved to be more of the same with neither side giving an inch and sue enough, the game was still tied with a quarter to go, this time at 76. The Lakers finally stepped up a gear in the fourth quarter though, blowing the Nuggets away to win the game 103-94 with Kobe leading the scoring with 22 points.

Both shows go on.

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