NBA Finals, Game 4 - June 11, 2009
Amway Arena - Orlando, Florida
Game 4 preview and in-game recap

Tonight the Lakers look to put a choke-hold on the series while Orlando looks to even things up. I’m interested to see how Kobe Bryant will come out with all the talk of him being tired lately in the media. I think he will come out firing and will this team to victory. Game 1 was the only game that hasn’t been close, but there hasn’t been a game yet that the Lakers haven’t been in control or have been close late. The Magic shot 62.5% from the field in game 3 and still only managed to win by four. The Magic have been in two out of the three games, but in my opinion they haven’t shown enough where I can see them taking control at home. If the Lakers win tonight, which I think they will, there’s a good chance this series will be over in five.
First quarter recap and some things that stood out:
-Orlando 24, Los Angeles 20
-Orlando is outshooting L.A. 50% to 35% from the field and only leads by four (8-16 to 7-20)
-Dwight Howard had 3 offensive rebounds and 3 blocks, but only took one shot.
-I’m sorry Magic fans but Amway Arena just sounds like somewhere an NBA developmental team would play at.
-ABC will be airing a talk between Dwight Howard and Bill Russell at halftime. Do we really need to see Mr. Russell talk to every big man from every Finals from here on out? I get the whole thing with KG last year and the Celtics connection and all, but c’mon.
-It was mentioned that Phil Jackson now has 41 Finals victories, passing Red Auerbach for the all-time lead, pretty damn impressive.
-J.J. Redick on Kobe is like putting no one on him.
2nd quarter recap and miscellaneous, noteworthy items:
-Orlando 49, Los Angeles 37 at the half
-I don’t think it was planned for Josh Powell and Andrew Bynum to each have only played five minutes at the half, well at least not both of them.
-Orlando took their first double-digit lead of the series at 37-27.
-Pau Gasol could be the center on my team any day, that is if Dwight Howard wasn’t available, but in all seriousness, I have been impressed with Gasol’s overall play, there hasn’t been anything that would indicate he is still soft.
-Rashard Lewis seemed to stop trying to get open as Kobe continued to check and smother him along the left baseline.
-Orlando once again shot consistent (10-21) in the second quarter and is at 18-37 for the game, a percentage of 48.6. The Lakers were a mere 7-22 in the second quarter, and are 14-42 from the field for the game, coming in at 33.3% at the half.
-The Lakers are only 1-10 from three point range.
3rd quarter summary, and other items that stood out (unlike Amway products):
-I think Doris Burke does a good job for ABC/ESPN, she’s kinda grown on me, she knows her stuff.
-I wonder if Dwight Howard is sometimes content with not getting a lot of touches? Maybe there is some truth to what Kareem said about him…http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2009/news/story?id=4249626
-Trevor Ariza has been the best player on the floor in the 3rd quarter, providing scoring (including two threes), defense, and rebounding (including offensive).
-Kobe said he’s a fan of Hedo Turkoglu. L.A. bound this off season?
-This game is the Lakers for the taking right now tied at 58.
-Kobe is 8 for 8 from the line so far tonight, following only going 5 for
10 in game 3.
-The Lakers shot 10 for 20 (50%) from the field in the 3rd quarter while Orlando was only 6 for 18 (33%)
-Lakers outscore the Magic 30-14 in the 3rd quarter to take a 67-63 lead going into the fourth.
4th quarter recap and who came through in the clutch:
-I’m kinda getting tired of Hedo leaning in on every jump shot looking to get fouled and getting the call most of the time. He’s good but he’s not an elite player who should be getting that call more than half the time.
-Mickael Pietrus’ blown lay up could prove costly, would have only put the Magic down two.
-When Luke Walton is knocking down shots in the paint with heavy traffic, you know it’s a bad O-men for O-Town.
-I think if Superman really did play in an NBA game he would have more than ten points midway through the 4th quarter.
-12 missed free throws so far might come back to haunt Orlando.
-After a huge three by Trevor Ariza to tie the game at 82, Hedo Turkoglu answers with a three of his own and a runner in the lane to give Orlando a 87-82 lead with 1:34 left.
-Dwight Howard has a chance to at least be a shell of Superman by hitting two critical free throws with :10.8 left. The result: misses the first, misses the second. I thought this guy was supposed to be elite?
-I think we've been told this Derek Fisher story before. This guy is one of the all-time playoff performers. Game tied 87-87 on his on the money, money ball from three.
-End of the fourth, free basketball time, 87-87.
-Orlando shot 6 for 12 from the field in the 4th and the Lakers were 9-20. For the game the Magic are 30 for 67 (44.8%) and the Lakers are 33-82 (40.2%).
Overtime overtures:
-Kobe is having a rough night shooting, so that would make me think he's due for a huge one here in OT.
-Rashard Lewis nails a big three to start overtime but then turns the ball over in traffic, not holding onto a pass. I'm not trying to call the guy out, but it seemed again, there wasn't the urgency in going after the ball, much like when he seemed to give up on getting open earlier in the game.
-Dare I say that Gasol is no longer soft, but he's actually playing quite physical.
-Derek Fisher says I'll take a Robert Horry and raise you two Derek Fisher's nailing another huge three, Lakers 94-91 with :31 left.
-Pau Gasol rebounds the Orlando miss and runs it down the court, slamming it home. Game over, series over.
-Lakers 99, Magic 91. Lakers lead the series 3-1.
-The Lakers ended up 38-91 from the field (41.8%), 8-23 (34.8%) from three point range, and 15-20 (75.0%) from the free throw line. Orlando finished 31-74 (41.9%), 7-21 from three (33%), and 22-37 from the line (59.5%).
Well this series is turning into a mirror of the 1995 NBA Finals, which featured a young Magic team just not quite ready for prime time. This Orlando unit won't get sweeped this time around, but it will be over in one or two more games. While Kobe Bryant usually is, tonight Derek Fisher was the cold-blooded killer.

Brad VanFossan is a freelance sportswriter living between Cleveland and Pittsburgh who hates all things Steelers, and is pulling for the Lakers in the Finals. Check out his blog at http://www.clevelandindiansnews.com/bradvf101/weblog/, and feel free to email him at bvee10@gmail.com.