Guts, grit, determination, and even a few demons exorcised. The Cavaliers did a little bit of all of it tonight at The Q, warding off elimination and staying alive 112-102. Starting anywhere else than with the greatest player on the planet would be simply unfair, though what else can we say about LeBron. James scored 17 points in the 4th quarter, while nailing down a triple-double. In fact, at one point, LeBron had scored or assisted on 32 straight points, a true indication of how great he was down the stretch.
A far cry from the way LeBron finished Game 4, when he looked tired. Hell, at the end of the 3rd quarter, with the Magic leading by 1, James looked spent as well. Something happened, however, something we have been waiting for all series long -- James got some help. It started with a Mo Williams three, followed by a Daniel Gibson triple. LeBron seemed energized by the fact his teammates were finally hitting open shots and decided that it was time to take over.
Whether it was attacking the basket, hitting long range jumpers, or creating easy looks for his teammates, LeBron did it all as the Cavs outscored the Magic 34-23 in the 4th, the first time the Cavaliers had won a 2nd half quarter the entire series.
While LeBron was the story, the help he has been looking for, the help he has received all season, finally arrived. Five Cavaliers scored in double-digits, lead by James with 37. Mo Williams added 24, the first time someone other than #23 scored more than 20 points. Zydrunas Ilgauskas scored 16, Delonte West 13 and Daniel Gibson, for one night at least, regained his shooting touch, scoring 11.
Early on, Game 5 took on the look and feel of Games 1 and 2. The Cavs jumped out to a big lead, 22 at it's largest, before allowing the Magic to chip away. Orlando was down one at halftime and you could sense the tension in the air. It got even thicker in the 3rd quarter when the Magic came out and scoring the first 8 points to actually lead by as many as 8.
The Cavs battled back, however, and trailed by one entering the 4th quarter, setting the stage for James.
A note to all the conspiracy theorists out there. Once again, the Orlando Magic shot several more free throws than the Cavaliers(41-34). Total fouls were nearly even(27-25) with a few of those picked up late when Orlando was intentionally fouling. As much as the Magic players and coaches, and fans for that matter, want to play the "the NBA wants LeBron James in the Finals" card, the numbers just don't support it. Sorry.
For the Cavs it is one game. They still need two more. But if the Cavs take advantage of it, the worth of tonight's win could be so much more. The Cavs finally played well in the second half of a game. They finally won a 4th quarter. They finally got contributions from the bench and the other starters. Most importantly, LeBron seems to have found a second wind, one that surely will be there for Game 6.
Orlando has thrived in the 'underdog' role. They have thrived on the lack-of-respect card. Both are null and void now. It is the Magic that are the favorites, the Magic the are expected to finish off the Cavs. Cleveland thwarted them off tonight. Can they do it again?
Game 6, Saturday Night from Orlando. GO CAVS!
1 recs | 97 comments
THis is fast.
laker - May 28, 2009
We live another day
Aditya T (smashville) - May 28, 2009
That means....
another wallpaper!!!
John Bena (aka CavsBlogger) - May 28, 2009
Oh yeah! I’ll try to do another tonight for this game too
Aditya T (smashville) - May 28, 2009
Nice
APV - May 28, 2009
King James.
laker - May 28, 2009
“Great players put their team on the back” – Mike Smith. Applicable to both the Mamba and the King.
laker - May 28, 2009
My God these TNT guys are absurd. Is it possible for a man to do that for three games in a row?
Well, he’s already done it for 5.
We have ZERO reason to be discouraged after this game.
Everyone is questioning if Mo, Boobie, etc. can keep up their hot shooting… where were these morons questioning whether Rafer freakin’ Alston could keep it up?
Shut your mouths, fools.
Turkmenbashi - May 28, 2009
Alston is BFFs with Kenny Smith
they love Alston, no doubt they want to rep his game.
Hardcore Legend - May 28, 2009
I hate Kenny Smith.....
…he killed us in 95….
MagikFanatic - May 29, 2009
tissue?
ohc - May 29, 2009
Nah, I’m good. We won, remember?
Turkmenbashi - May 29, 2009
The only time it is appropriate to scream “BOOOOOBIE” in public.
Brad D - May 28, 2009
define “appropriate”
HireRockyColavito - May 28, 2009
Him..it is..??? Oh oh....:(
MagikFanatic - May 29, 2009
Mickael Pietrus’ grin shouldn’t be there
Aditya T (smashville) - May 28, 2009
Peitrus is just sort of a goof..he smiles about everything.. Is there something wrong with someone who smiles knowing he is playing a game for millions of dollars? I’d be smiling too if I was able to make a couple million bucks and retire at 35.
i2ambler - May 29, 2009
Between him and Howard, I can’t tell what they are laughing/smiling about at all times
Roger Dorn - May 29, 2009
w/ howard you can be pretty sure he’s smiling in mock amusement about the most recent call that he (incorrectly) disagrees with.
DontCallMeJoey - May 29, 2009
Reggie Miller is silly.
He thinks if you put Lebron on the Lakers they would never lose. Um they would not have a shooting guard if they traded kobe for lebron, though lebron has become a better shooter.
laker - May 28, 2009
Reggie is on the money.
Do you have any idea how many points Bynum, Odom and Gasol would score if LeBron was driving to the basket, drawing a crowd, and dishing off to the THREE talented bigs? And how many offensive rebounds he creates when he makes the defense collapse on him?
Kobe is an arrogant jerk. LeBron is the real deal.
bobdevo - May 29, 2009
Uh...
Do you know how many times LeBron would be able to drive the lane with three bigs crowding it. Very few. Why do you think Big Z works so well in the Cavs system. He sits outside and shoots long jumpers drawing the opposing bigs out of the lane to free it up for LeBron. Their teams are both built to emphasize their strengths and minimize their weaknesses so they are not necessarily interchangeable.
lrh86 - May 29, 2009
You clearly do not know anything about basketball.
Lebron would not make it into the paint once with Odom Gasol and Bynum clogging the lane. The Lakers are better off with a shooter, someone who is clutch. Lebron is neither clutch nor a good shooter. Sorry he’s a beast at driving, but when it comes to shooting, he can’t even hit free throws to save his mother’s life. Plus Kobe is already very good at dishing the ball.
Kobe is an arrogant jerk? Your man walked off without congratulating or shaking hands w/ the other team, something that no great player ever does. Well anyways hope you and Lebron enjoys the offseason.
laker - June 3, 2009
Also, excellent write-up, John. Spot on.
Turkmenbashi - May 28, 2009
Turk
2 to go. Book it.
johnnyphoenix - May 28, 2009
Well, I skipped out on the game thread because we were playing well at the beginning when I wasn’t on and I didn’t want to jinx it. Looks like it worked, so I guess I’ll be missing the threads for the next two games also. I’ll take that for a victory, though!
Buckeye Brad - May 28, 2009
I missed the 1st quarter, then turned it o to watch the lead evaporate….Was close several times to not watching, but I battled through it, just like the Cavs did!
John Bena (aka CavsBlogger) - May 28, 2009
Maybe all three of us should take turns not watching quarters…
Turkmenbashi - May 28, 2009
Lol..i showed up late to the sports bar and missed the 1st quarter....
…so in SVGesque style i will completely take all the blame for the loss….lol:P
MagikFanatic - May 29, 2009
This is the first time in a long while that I’ve seen Boobie shoot with confidence like this. If he keeps this up the next two games we’re not going to lose this series.
Buckeye Brad - May 28, 2009
I’d like to see more Boobie and a lot less Wally
Roger Dorn - May 28, 2009
Wouldn’t we all like to see more boobie?
OK, OK, that was too easy…
Turkmenbashi - May 28, 2009
Bump Set Spike
Roger Dorn - May 28, 2009
You just couldn't resist could you Turk..lol
MagikFanatic - May 29, 2009
Has Boobie shot this well all year??
..if so why hasn’t he played more??? He was a star in the 07 playoffs as i recall….
MagikFanatic - May 29, 2009
short answer is: no, he hasn’t shot like this this year. which explains his lower minutes
DontCallMeJoey - May 29, 2009
No fishing tonight. Hopefully there’ll be fishing tomorrow night! Everyone support the Lakers and we’ll watch some fishing on Inside the NBA tomorrow night!
laker - May 28, 2009
What do you guys think of that video on Cleveland?
Aditya T (smashville) - May 28, 2009
?
Turkmenbashi - May 28, 2009
Hastily Made Cleveland Tourism video
Roger Dorn - May 28, 2009
Eh, I don’t appreciate people from the city reinforcing negative stereotypes about the city
Turkmenbashi - May 28, 2009
Not even in jest?
emd2k3 - May 28, 2009
It’s funny because we understand it’s in jest, but people who aren’t from Cleveland take it as another slight against the city. They’re laughing at us, not with us.
Turkmenbashi - May 28, 2009
Impossible odds make achievements that much more enjoyable.
Simmsinns - May 28, 2009
HAHAHAHA
Hastily Made Cleveland Tourism video guy made a TNT video. It was really good
Roger Dorn - May 28, 2009
Biorhythms!
I realize that everyone scoffed at the Biorhythm Charts I ran before the game. Mo Williams chart indicated he would be on a Triple High tonight, and his 24 points tonight were consistent with that.
And Dwight Howard’s chart for Saturday indicates he’ll be plagued by a Triple Critical. Let’s hope he gets another couple of technical fouls, and fouls out again on Saturday.
Definitely great news for Cavaliers fans!
GO CAVS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BrownsCavaliersIndiansForev - May 28, 2009
The Science guy from the Simpsons comes to mind...
I blocked Patrick Chewing - May 28, 2009
Figuring it out
A 7 game series allows the Cavs the ability to do that. They started to figure things out in Game 4 and probably did sans Rafer Alston saying things like mathematics and statistics mean nothing to him and defying the laws of nature. Now they’ve knocked down another domino in winning a 2nd half quarter.
The complete game is still out there for the Cavs. I hope it’s Game 6. I hope they can get this thing back to the Q and let the crowd give them a tidal wave to ride.
Something otherworldly would be great out of Mo or Boobie. A 35 point performance from one of them, or Delonte finally knocking down some corner 3’s.
1 play at a time. Stay alive.
Hardcore Legend - May 29, 2009
Re: Delonte
I wish he would take those post-up 8-12 foot jumpers more . . . seems like he can get that shot any time he wants. I have a feeling LeBron would not be upset if West went off for 30 . . .
bobdevo - May 29, 2009
Re:Re: Delonte
I wish he would take it to the hoop, he is fearless in driving and should do it at least 6 times a game. I don’t think he took one to the hoop last night.
sether1 - May 29, 2009
Something else to note
the Cavs ran the same play the Celtics ran against the Magic with Paul Pierce which the Magic also had trouble stopping. I have to imagine that if the game is close late in Game 6, they’ll go back to the 1-4 set because it forces the forward out on an island against Lebron and puts our bigs down in decent defensive position.
Hardcore Legend - May 29, 2009
Cavaliers Greatly Improved Their Chances!
Science guy from the Simpsons, that’s hilarious!
But seriously, the Cavaliers greatly improved their chances with tonight’s win.
While only 4% of the NBA teams down 3-1 have ever come back to win, over 30% of teams down 3-2, with the opening game at home, have come back to erase the 3-2 deficit and win.
That’s more than a sevenfold increase in their chances.
GO CAVS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BrownsCavaliersIndiansForev - May 29, 2009
Ok...but how many of those teams came from that original %4?? lol
MagikFanatic - May 29, 2009
Deja Vu for the Orlando Magic?
Against Cleveland, the Orlando Magic have won Game 1, lost Game 2, won Games 3-4 and lost Game 5, with Games 1-2 on the road and Games 3-4 at home, and Game 5 on the road. In the 2003 NBA Conference Quarterfinals, Orlando also won Game 1, lost Game 2, and won Games 3-4 with Games 1-2 on the road and Games 3-4 at home, only to lose Games 5-7 and the series to the Detroit Pistons.
BrownsCavaliersIndiansForev - May 29, 2009
No offense to your attempt to parrallel the 2 teams.....
..But those to teams aren’t even CLOSE…or in the same galaxy even…lol…but i do like that your wishifully thinking..:)
MagikFanatic - May 29, 2009
Great game
Despite some stretches of bad play the Cavs showed they’ve got a lot of fight left, and not just Lebron. As a Nuggets fan I can only hope the Nugs show just as much heart facing elimination tomorrow night.
runningdonut - May 29, 2009
Good luck to the Nuggets!
I was disappointed to see how the refs caved in, in Game 5, to the criticism from Phil Jackson. He was fined $25,000 for his unsportsmanlike criticism of the refs, but it was probably the best $25,000 he ever spent. Let’s hope the refs are at least a bit more fair in Game 6 in Denver.
Go Nuggets!
BrownsCavaliersIndiansForev - May 29, 2009
Hmmm.let's see...Phil makes like $12M or something like that,..??
…thats like $200 to someone just making 6 figures…lol…i think he can afford it..:)
MagikFanatic - May 29, 2009
Long live King James....
That’s all I have to say after tonight…
skywaker9 - May 29, 2009
As Reggie Miller pointed out after the game....
If you put LeBron on a team with as much talent as the Lakers . . . . they might NEVER lose . . . . 75 regular season wins at least. LeBron outscores Howard 37-24, OUTREBOUNDS Howard 14-10 . . . oh and don’t forget those 12 assists.
Sweetest of all was LeBron driving right thru Howard when Howard was in the restricted zone for Howard’s sixth foul and knocking Superman into the cheap seats. And could the refs please call Howard when he throws the elbows as he did at least 2x last night? The way I understand the rules, an intentional elbow = ejection.
bobdevo - May 29, 2009
But why the Lakers? When did the become the defacto team with all the great secondary players? Hell, put Lebron on the Celtics, the Magic or even the Rockets. They would win 70+ games.
Toxicadam - May 29, 2009
Because the Lakers have the most talent in the league
without any doubt. They almost beat the Celtics last year when the CEltics had GArnett and the Lakers were missing Bynum. Bynum is young and will get better and better, they picked up Gasol for a song . . . Odom is a monster, add Ariza and the fundamentally sound Luke Walton who has been playing ball with pros since he was 12 years old.
Mitch Kupchak has done a great job finding talent to put around (gag me) Kobe.
bobdevo - May 30, 2009
Reggie Miller is stupid just like Chuck.
Put Lebron on the Lakers will be an improvement th eLakers are already loaded with bigs and they already have a very good facilitator. If you take away Kobe the lakers don’t have a good shooter. Lebron cannot shoot to save his Mo Williams’s life. He can’t even hit free throws in clutch situations like in game 1. lebron is better off staying and being the entire show on his cavs team.
btw. the cavs are pretty arrogant, which is why they lost, starting with lebron and going down to mo williams. good job guaranteeing a trip to the finals, baby just like j.r. smith. and what about begging the league to make you an allstar. what is that BS
laker - June 3, 2009
why is barkley sitting around slurping lebrons performance, saying hes never seen anything like it? this is when you know hes one stupid man
game 5 of the 1993 western conference finals = Barkley : 43 pts/10 asts/15 rebounds
really, chuck? never seen anything like it?
Oh and now all of a sudden james gets help, because you win? it really wasnt a whole lot more then whats been going on the entire series.
You struggled to keep your season alive, should have won by 30, maybe 40 and it came down to the 4th quarter…way to delay the inevitable
ohc - May 29, 2009
Uh, did you watch the game, chief?
Turkmenbashi - May 29, 2009
Obviously, chief
ohc - May 29, 2009
from the inanity of your comments — not to mention their blatant falseness — that’s not so obvious, chef.
DontCallMeJoey - May 29, 2009
game 5 of the 1993 western conference finals = Barkley : 43 pts/10 asts/15 rebounds
ohc - May 29, 2009
You'll have to excuse him turk...he's a Celtics fan...
…apparently the fish aren’t biting and he needs something to do with all his spare time..:)
MagikFanatic - May 29, 2009
We’ve had enough of you trolling already. Please go away.
Buckeye Brad - May 29, 2009
What trolling?
ohc - May 29, 2009
I fear for the future of this republic. You make me question whether this country will still exist in the near future.
tabler84 - May 29, 2009
Im not trolling mr burgundy
ohc - May 29, 2009
When the Cavs win game 7
do any of these bandwagon Magic fans turn on their computers let alone log onto this blog? Its a rhetorical question.
njnick - May 29, 2009
I'll still be here...whether it's the Magic or the Cavs that advance...some great guys to talk to in here about basketball
MagikFanatic - May 29, 2009
Thanks, we’re glad to have you.
Buckeye Brad - May 29, 2009
This is a really stupid comment. Help comes in the form of teammates making shots. Compare shooting percentages of players like Mo Williams to the rest of the series
Roger Dorn - May 29, 2009
couldn’t agree more. this comment was flat out dumb. why does barkley “slurp” LeBron’s performance? b/c it was one of the great single-game efforts in playoff history, in the context of one of the great individual performances in the history of playoff series.
ohc would have had both hands down his pants if this had been a paul pierce line…a little intellectual honesty would do you some good, dude.
DontCallMeJoey - May 29, 2009
LeBron’s final numbers: 37 points, 14 rebounds, 12 assists — not just a triple double, but a triple dozen … here is the list of players in the last 20 years who have managed 35 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists in a playoff game:
1. LeBron James, May 28, 2009.
2. Nobody else.
DontCallMeJoey - May 29, 2009
Way to rip off Joe Posnsnaski with that stat, Joey.
Buckeye Brad - May 29, 2009
yeah, my bad…i meant to attribute and in my haste to post left out the link. i hope it didn’t appear as though i was trying to pawn off the best sports writer in america’s good work.
DontCallMeJoey - May 29, 2009
Ha, that’s okay, I was just kidding of course. I had read that article just before reading your comment so I recognized it right away. I’m going to include that post in my links article tomorrow morning.
Buckeye Brad - May 30, 2009
Really not since the Big O
in 1963. LeBron was the most improved player in the league this year. He will be better next year. But they need to find a young Big and quick.
bobdevo - May 30, 2009
I did not know this..
1st double digit win for Cavs against Orlando since Feb 21 2006?
With that Trend coupled with James Performance was one of the greatest things i have ever Witnessed.
Alas, in less than 48 the world will be witness to the Coup in Orlando.
I blocked Patrick Chewing - May 29, 2009
You still here?
GO AWAY.
johnnyphoenix - May 29, 2009
good contribution
I blocked Patrick Chewing - May 29, 2009
Damn. Perhaps I should have just posted my fanpost here. It was just so long that I figured it should be separate. Mods, if you’d like, bring it in here and shut down the post.
tabler84 - May 29, 2009
That’s okay, I think your post is just fine as FanPost. You have plenty of new material there.
Buckeye Brad - May 29, 2009
James reminded me of Jordan
I had never seen Lebron play until last night, and what a 4th quarter! That reminded me of Bulls’ games during MJ’s peak. Lebron was definitely at that level last night
johnnyqb - May 29, 2009
I guess it just amazes me that you have never seen Lebron play??? lol
…how recently did you land on our fair planet sir..???:)
MagikFanatic - May 29, 2009
You shoulda seen him in high school....................
it was the man playing with the boys. And he’s only 24……………..
bobdevo - May 30, 2009
No conspiracy but bad calls still live
I don’t really get upset when I see bad calls on replay for situations that happen under the rim with lots of guys involved. There’s just too much going on and it is possible that refs make bad calls in that situation. But a clear-path call on Rafer in 3rd quarter?? What was that about?
CityShrimp - May 29, 2009
Eh...he could have done a better job going for the ball...
…it was more a bad play by Rafer…..just being lazy ….made it easy for the refs to make the call…i will admit the 4 points was huge . But don’t blame the refs on that one….Rafer fault for not getting in front of Lebron…which i can’t really say i could blame him for…lol…but at least hack the hands/ball and not try to grab the guy around the waist….just a terrible game all around by Alston
MagikFanatic - May 29, 2009
About time the refs start calling Howard for his elbows..........
he’s been throwin’ them with nary a whistle all thru this playoff series. Not to mention the cheap shot swipe he took at Mo after the whistle just before Mo threw the ball at him.
Howard is a cheap shot artist . . . ask his own teammate with the shattered face.
bobdevo - May 30, 2009
【Without number limited】,【live odds 】,【Free Live HQ stream】at the top right corner!!go go go!!!ole ole ole!!!!
http://www.nowgoal.com/17.shtml
Neo L - May 30, 2009
About the fouls.
You fail to mention that the Cavs strategy is to foul Dwight and use up their fouls. So take away those fouls and your point of being even is wrong. Dwight led the league in free throw attempts for a reason yet Lebron is getting every call and about 1/3 of them would be noncalls on the other side. The inconsistency of touch vs hack fouls is what screams conspiracy. How a guy gets away running through people who have established position with hands straight up and gets a foul is beyond me. You know what I am talking about, D12’s last foul, if anything should’ve been offensive foul or a noncall but that is why everyone outside of Cav nation cries foul!
O-Town MagiCane - May 30, 2009
you’re an idiot
DontCallMeJoey - May 30, 2009
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