Game 4 of the 2009 NBA Finals.  It was the best of play... it was the worst of play.

There are some things I simply cannot tolerate while watching a basketball game.  Rafer Alston is one of them (SVG was kind enough to bench him for a majority of the game.  Thanks, Stan!).  Another is missed free throws.  Kobe missed five of 'em in Game 3 and it made me want to puke.  Orlando one-upped him in Game 4 and ushered in a team wide brick party.

The final tally of Orlando's free throw pity party last night is shameful.

Dwight Howard:  6-14 (yuck!)
Hedo Turkoglu:  8-13 (so much for being an 83% shooter)
Rafer Alston:  0-0 (he would have missed if he got a chance)
Jameer Nelson:  0-0 (ummm, how does neither PG go to the line once?)

totals?  23-37 for 59.5%.  Bob Barker thinks they should all be working in the snack bar.  There is no way that the Orlando Magic could be as bad at anything else as they were at shooting free throws last night.

(and to think that Superman was actually making his freebies against the LeBrons...)

The only happy person in Orlando today that isn't affiliated with the Los Angeles Lakers???

...... that would be Nick Anderson.  I'm sure you Rockets fans remember him.
(fast forward to the 4:44 mark for the funny part)

Meanwhile, I wake up today and all I hear is people complaining about SVG benching Rafer Alston for the entire 4th Q and overtime.  These complaints are being uttered as if Rafer Alston would have been a difference maker for Orlando last night.  As if no one has been watching Rafer during his career.  I guarantee you that if Rafer played the bulk of the 4th Q minutes that the Magic would never have had a big lead to choke away.  Rafer would have been shooting 3s and passing the ball out of bounds the whole time.

Game 4 was not SVG's fault.  I don't wanna hear it Simmons.

If the players could simply hit a damned free throw, the Magic would be tied 2-2 and the press would be salivating over SVG's "bold" and "daring" decision to go with Jameer in crunch time instead of Rafer.  Alas, his player let him down and Rafer is already trying to throw SVG under the bus.  It's shameful.