MAGIC, ROCKETS, STAY ALIVE

 

The 2009 NBA playoffs were heating up nicely with the Conference semi final stages coming to a head. Game 1 threw up some interesting results. Game 2 saw 2 teams push ahead. Game 3 saw those two teams push further ahead despite a change of location. Game 4 saw one of those teams, the Cavs, secure a place in the Eastern Conference Finals. Game 5 saw another change of location and the second of those teams, the Nuggets, secured a spot in the Western Conference Finals. Now we had Game 6, involving another change in location and four teams were still competiting for the remaining two spots in the next round. Would the Conference semis be wrapped up?

In the East, the Celtics faced the Magic in Orlando. Well the reigning champions held the Magic scoreless for the first minute and though the Magic tied the game on multiple occasions in the first quarter, , the Celtics remained the stronger team. At the start of the second quarter, the Magic again found themselves stuck in a drought, only to come back to tie the game at 44 with 29.4 seconds left in the half. The Celts still had an answer though, namely two Paul Pierce free throws. Pierce led his team with 11 points, the Celtics led 46-45 at half time. In theory, the Magic were still in the mixer but they'd have to step up a gear if they wanted to keep their season going.

In the third quarter, that looked unlikely, the Magic starting the second half with a five minute drought! Later on in the third the Celtics ran into a drought of their own but the Magic weren't quite able to do enough and the Celts led 62-61 at the end of three. With seemingly just a quarter left in their season, the Magic finally found that extra gear, taking the lead for the first time just over eight and a half minutes left in the game. Of course the Celts came back but then the Magic shut them down completely in the last three and a half minutes for one hell of a comeback! Magic won 83-75 with Dwight Howard leading on 23 points. Doc Rivers must have roasted his team after they blew this one!

Out West, the Lakers faced the Rockets in Houston. Well what can I say? The Lakers had nothing short of a disasterous start and didn't hit a single field goal for the first five minutes of the game! Needless to say, the Rockets took full advantage and the game already looked like an anhiliation in the making with just one quarter gone. The Lakers tried to make up for lost time at the start of the second quarter but in the end, the Rockets were able to extend their lead further. Rockets led 52-36 at halftime with Argie center Luis Scola leading the way with 18 points. The Lakers were still reeling from that one-sided first quarter and now had their work cut out.

At the start of the second half it was the Rockets who found themselves in a drought as the Lakers cut the gap to two with 5:58 left in the third. The Rockets did hold on to their lead though at the end of three a Lakers turnaround didn't seem to be out of the question. The Lakers were shut down again early on in the 4th and though the Rockets didn't have much joy themselves this time around, they didn't need to. There are some things you just can't recover from and Phil Jackson will be scratching his head over that first quarter. The Rockets won 95-80 with young guard Aaron Brooks leading the way on 26 points. A lot of guys proving themselves nicely in Yao and T-Mac's absence.

So, two Game 6s become two Game 7s. All to play for.

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