Cavs favored in must win contest

The Cleveland Cavaliers are in trouble, they just don’t want to acknowledge it. In losing Game Three 99-89 as 1.5-point underdogs, Cleveland failed to take advantage of Orlando, who didn’t play their best game. Consider two of the Magic’s main scoring options, Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis, were 6 for 19, totaling 28 points. Neither found an offensive rhythm, thanks to sticky Cavaliers defense, yet Cleveland still lost.

It appears the rules regarding foul calls either have changed or are being called by the book by refs, as Dwight Howard play only 28 minutes, before fouling out, yet Cleveland still lost.

The Cavaliers out-rebounded Orlando yet again, yet they still lost.

Orlando plays very much like a skilled counter-puncher. They seldom give up, absorb some hellacious shots, (openings of games 1 and 2) yet keep battling away. Though Rafer Alston makes several mistakes almost every game, he makes one more good play than bad and usually at the most opportune time.

The Magic have covered all three games in the series and are 14-6 ATS in next try after doing so. Cleveland looks like they need the guy that beat up Jose Canseco to defend Howard, since Zydrunas Ilgauskas looks slow trying to keep up with his younger counterpart. Even if Howard manages to get into some foul problems, backup Marcin Gortat has played exceptionally well in his place.

Rookie Courtney Lee makes important plays at just the right time and Mickael Pietrus is the best player off the bench for either team, making significant contributions every time he is called upon for a team that is 6-2 ATS off a win.

Cleveland players are defiant, if not all together correct. “We’re the best team in basketball,” guard Mo Williams said. While that might have been true during the regular season and first two rounds of the playoffs, they are one miracle shot away from being down 3-0 to Orlando.

“They (Orlando) deserve respect,” Williams said. “They are a good team. But we are the best team in basketball. I don’t feel that they’ve had to adjust to us one time in the series.” Ah, Mo, whose fault would that be?

Cleveland is 13-1 ATS off a road loss this season, winning by 13.9 points per game, however Orlando wasn’t next opponent. When LeBron James was asked about Williams guaranteeing series win, James was somewhat uncharacteristically boastful, “He should. There’s no other reason why we should be here,” he said.

While LeBron has totaled 90 points in two losses in the East Finals, the team that looked so complete to win title, hasn’t had enough players to throw it in Lake Erie or Lake Eola. Williams is shooting 32.1 percent in the series, Ilgauskas at 38.2 percent and Delonte West 41.9, none shooting up to usual standards.

Even James was sort of calling out his teammates, while distancing himself, at least verbally. When asked if he needs more help, LeBron offered these words, “It’s going to be tough,” he said. “I know they can play a lot better. They know they can play a lot better. I don’t want to put pressure on those guys. They’ve just got to come out and do it. We just got to knock shots down.” Maybe it was unintentional and means nothing, but James used four “they’s and those guys” while referencing “we” just once about inquiry.

Sports bettors have faith in Cleveland, taking them from one-point underdogs to 1.5-point favorites at DiamondSportsbook.com with total at 188. The Cavs are 8-0 ATS as postseason favorites of 4.5 or less points and are 29-13-1 UNDER with one day off. Orlando is now 8-1 against the spread vs. top caliber teams outscoring their opponents by nine or more points a game this season. The Magic are 30-13 UNDER versus offensive teams scoring 99 or more points per game this year.

Cleveland is in virtual must-win conflict and will try and reclaim home court advantage starting at 8:30 Eastern on TNT. The underdog is 10-4 ATS in this series, with Orlando 5-1 SU and ATS at Amway Arena vs Cavs.