ORLANDO --The whole idea behind suddenly activating point guard Jameer Nelson after a four-month absence was that maybe he could spark the Orlando Magic to victory at the NBA Finals – rust and all.The whole idea has failed.
Magic coach Stan Van Gundy stayed with Nelson through the entire fourth quarter and overtime Thursday in Game 4, leaving both starter Rafer Alston and regular-season backup Anthony Johnson on the bench.
The Magic lost, 99-91, handing the Lakers the insurmountable 3-1 series advantage. No team in Finals history has won after losing three of the first four.
"I know coach just goes with his feeling, and that's what he wanted to do," said Nelson. "He makes the decision, so I was out there and played as hard as I could.''
Nelson starred against the Lakers during the regular season when he averaged 27 points in a pair of victories. It just hasn't happened in the Finals.
He played 26 minutes Thursday and finished with 2 points and three assists. In the first three games of the Finals, he averaged 17 minutes, four points and 2.3 assists.
Nelson is returning from shoulder surgery that prevented him from playing since Feb. 2.
"I'm not trying to be the savior or anything,'' he said. "I'm just out there playing, and taking what the defense gives me. I'm trying to run the team.''
Alston played well in the first quarter when he hit four of his six shots for nine points, but when he struggled in the second and third quarter, he was replaced and never returned.
"I was ready to go,'' he said after the loss. "I ran through nine hot packs (to keep him warm) but just didn't get the call. That's not my decision. We were right there ready to win, whether I was in the game or not.''
After his fast start, Alston made only one of his last seven shots. Van Gundy, who made the decision to activate Nelson and replace Johnson in the rotation, stuck with his decision.
"I thought we had a very, very bad third quarter, and then it wasn't so much one guy over the other, it was just we had a unit in the fourth that I thought was playing well. Then you get to the point where Rafer hasn't played in 10-12 minutes, I thought it would be hard to bring him back,'' Van Gundy said. "Jameer wasn't doing a whole lot, but he also wasn't hurting us at all.''
Nelson was guarding Lakers guard Derek Fisher down the stretch when he hit the two biggest 3-point shots of the game. Fisher tied the game in regulation with :04.6 remaining and sent the game into overtime. He went off Fisher to double team Kobe Bryant, then got knocked to the floor by Bryant's elbow when Bryant passed to Fisher, who hit the big one in overtime.
"I'm comfortable out there. I wouldn't be out there if I wasn't comfortable,'' Nelson said. "He just shot and made them. We pretty much beat ourselves tonight. I don't have an second thoughts (about coming back). My focus is just on playing as hard as I can."
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Nelson didn't lose the game for the Magic.
They missed 15 free throws.
If they had just shot around 75% from the line, the game would have been a blow out.
I agree, and if Dwight makes one of those last 2 he missed in regulation, Derek Fisher's three pointer would not have made a difference. So close. Foul shots did em in. I'm enjoying this series and the back and forth battle. That's what the finals should be. To all of those experts who thought the Lakers were going to just breeze through Orlando, nice try!!!
Gosh, but the Lakers missing ten free throws the game before while losing by four points, even with Orlando shooting the lights out for a once in a lifetime Finals record doesn't count, eh?
Golly, it doesn't matter that Orlando shot 18 free throws in the 4th and OT to L.A's zero last night? Despite Kobe driving repeatedly and Howard shoving Lakers around at will with no fouls called, unlike when he did that against Cleveland and fouled out three times?
Naw, and the starting Laker bigs spending much of the first half on the bench due to foul trouble from ticky tack BS calls doesn't matter either, eh? Riiiight.
The better team, and the clearly better team, is about to win another title. The only thing keeping Orlando in this as much as they have been are the refs, as was obvious last night.
Pemfred is correct.... it doesn't matter who is playing point guard if the team does not make free throws. The Magic had a chance to win and could not take advantage of it. Its called experience....experience in the FINALS...experience in the playoffs...basketball experience...PERIOD. The Magic have no reason to be embarassed...they will be better next time they get to the FINALS...if they ever do.
it's one thing to be good and it's one thing to be lucky...and it's also one thing to be good and lucky...that's what the lakers were last night...they were lucky in regulation and they were good in ot...
The Magic aren't kaput yet, maybe they can pull a miracle out of the kazoo. They are capable of beating the Lakers, they did so twice during the year.
That being said, I hope the Magic keep their team nucleus intact and build it into a contender for years to come.
Skip To My Loo helps get this team to the finals and them gets benched in favor of a guard who hadn't played since Feb. Can anyone explain that to me? Van Gundy should be fired for his mismanagement of this team.
he might be coaching his last few games with the magic...and he has to swallow his pride...you have to foul in that situation...and why are you double teaming kobe who is in the backcourt...and not defending the 3? and why is nelson on the court when it was alston and johnson who brought the team to the finals...he's gone...
Shaq was right van gundy panic to much. He adjusts at the wrong time and benchs a player that helped get the team to the finals. Free throws the whole team need to shoots free throws during the off season.
the lakers are a better team in the playoffs they know how to win the maigic (what a stupid name)have no champion game experiance the lakers do plus the lakers are a top team in the nba
I think from listening to Van gundy that he seems confused. he brings nelson back after being out of the line up since feb. but Alston sits the bench because He has been sitting for 12 minutes. always stick with what got you there. alston and johnson should have played. but when it comes to the lost. make a foul shot or two. the better team won, Magic fan
Alston should have been allowed back into the game. Even though Jameer looks ok, but he still is a bit rusty and somewhat out of control at times. Alston clearly should have been in, because he was getting to the bucket with no problem. When you have change ups like that it does affect the chemistry of the team, because everyone on the bench is going to be thinking what's going on and then their heads will not be in the game completely.
Many times the difference between a winner and loser is a few close plays. The Magic just make enough mistakes to lose, the Lakers don't.
Van Gundy is blowing it by bringing back J. Nelson. It broke the Magic's continuity, and they are struggling at the point.
The Lakers should wrap it up in game five, but it would be nice to see them win it all back home in L.A.
It's a great Laker team, but nowhere near the dynasty teams of the past.