Free Throws Kill the Lakers

First all I can say is wow! I knew that the Magic would shoot better at home. I didnt think that they would set a record for the highest field goal percentage in NBA Finals history. Who shoots 62.5% for a game? Obviously the Magic do. Dwight Howard was more affective than in the first two games. Congrats to the Magic on a big win.

Now with that said, how did the Lakers let this game get away? Maybe a better question is how did the Lakers almost this game when the Magic shot such a high percentage? To me this proves that the Lakers are the better team. If I were the Magic I would be nervous. The Magic played the best that they are capable of playing and they only won by 4. If it wasnt for Lakers missing 10 free throws the Lakers go up 3-0 in the series. If it wasnt for Kobe missing an uncharacteristic 5 free throws, the Lakers go up 3-0. Stan Van Gundy said last night, "The Lakers didnt lose. The Magic won this game." I can see how he would say that but I have to disagree. I think the Lakers lost this game because of free throws and because of poor rotation on defense. So Im saying that the Lakers should have won even though the Magic shot 62.5% for the game.

So the Lakers are the better team...so what. The Lakers wouldnt be the first team to lose a championship series or game to a less talented team. The Patriots lost to the Giants in the Superbowl 2 years ago. The Dodgers beat the steroid driven A's in the 1988 World Series. Though these examples arent from the NBA, they are from professional organizations. The Magic showed that they are still in the series with their performance last night. The Lakers need to take a step back and look at what the Magic did in game 3 so that they can try and slow down their shooters. They did not play the same defense from the first 2 games. Im not trying to take anything away from the Magic, because they played amazing, but the Lakers should have still won that game. There is no way if you are the Lakers that when you are tied with 2 minutes left in the game and have the best closer in the NBA that you should lose. For one of the first times this post season, Kobe looked human.

I think that the Lakers fix their defensive issues and slow down the Magic's shooting enough to win game 4. Kobe wont let a 4th quarter performance like that happen again. I wouldnt be surprised if the Lakers win by double digits. The Lakers fix their free throw problems Thursday night. Lakers go up 3-1 in the series and Kobe plays more of a mediator role for at least the first three quarters of the game. Watch him to be ready to take over in the 4th quarter tomorrow. Last but no least, Kobe DOES NOT MISS A FREE THROW IN GAME 4!


...he better not