Associated Press
The NBA notebook …
ORLANDO, Fla. ó As if once wasn’t enough, the Orlando Magic were forced to watch LeBron James’ amazing buzzer-beater all day Saturday.
The Magic were witnesses all right. Again. And again. And again.
James’ stunning fadeaway 3-pointer in Game 2 that tied the Eastern Conference finals was replayed countless times on TV sets from Cleveland to Orlando. It was also a fixture in the minds of Cavaliers fans basking in the win, and in the thoughts of Magic players wondering what could have been.
“It’s tough when you got to go home and watch it on TV over and over again,” Magic center Dwight Howard said.
The shot saved the Cavaliers from a daunting 0-2 hole, and already was being talked about as one of the greatest moments in Cleveland sports history. There’s just one downside for the Cavs.
“It is over and done with,” James said.
VAN GUNDY
CLEVELAND ó Stan Van Gundy and the Orlando Magic have already come back from crushing defeats this postseason. They will have to do it one more time.
Orlando was one second away from taking a commanding 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference finals against the Cavaliers.
LeBron James turned that one second into one of the toughest losses in Orlando history. He hit a straightaway 3-pointer at the buzzer for a 96-95 victory Friday night.Van Gundy blamed himself for allowing James to get off the shot that set off a wild celebration in Quicken Loans Arena.
“I’d like to have that last one back from a coaching standpoint,” Van Gundy said. “I should have defended it differently. It’s crushing enough to lose as a coach, but when you feel like you’re the guy who could’ve made the difference, it hurts a lot more.”
KOBE SUES
SANTA ANA, Calif. ó Kobe Bryant and his wife are suing their former housekeeper, accusing her of violating her contract by talking to the media about the family’s private affairs.
The housekeeper initially sued the Los Angeles Lakers star and his wife, contending they harassed and humiliated her. The countersuit was filed Friday in Orange County Superior Court and says Maria Jimenez broke a confidentiality agreement she signed.
Jimenez said she was denied health insurance and forced to quit because of intolerable working conditions. The countersuit calls those allegations specious and frivolous.
LAKERSDENVER ó Andrew Bynum wants to play more minutes, and Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson has just the solution: Play better defense.
“If he plays well, he’ll have more time,” Jackson said Saturday, several hours before Game 3 of the Western Conference finals against the Denver Nuggets.
Bynum criticized the Lakers’ defensive scheme after getting yanked from Game 2 early in the second half for his lackadaisical play that led to an easy bucket for Denver.
Jackson was displeased that Bynum didn’t hustle downcourt after failing to get a pass in the post, which allowed Nuggets center Nene to make a layup and draw a foul from Kobe Bryant. So, Bynum took a seat with 7:14 left in the third quarter and never returned.