Game 3 Cleveland Cavaliers vs Orlando Magic 2009 NBA Playoffs 5/24/2009

ORLANDO, Fla.(AP) From an unforgettable shot to a cheap one.

Three games in, the Eastern Conference finals have grown a little nasty.

Dwight Howard scored 24 points - 14 on free throws - and Rafer Alston added 18 as the Orlando Magic, sick of seeing replays of LeBron James' dramatic buzzer-beater to win Game 2, downed the Cleveland Cavaliers 99-89 on Sunday night to take a 2-1 lead in the series.

A physical game from start to finish, there were 86 free throws attempted, 58 personal fouls called, two technicals, and a flagrant. The officials spent half the night stepping between players on both sides as tempers flared inside an overheated Amway Arena.

In the first half, Mo Williams had his left eye split open by Orlando's Anthony Johnson, who nailed Cleveland's point guard with an elbow.

Williams, who needed four stitches to close two cuts, and James felt the blow was a cheap shot.

"I think it was,'' James said. "You see Mo's face, it's not a pretty sight. That's not called for in this game.''

James scored 41 on just 11-of-28 shooting and missed five free throws in the fourth quarter. And once again, Cleveland's superstar didn't get enough help from his teammates. Williams, Delonte West and Zydrunas Ilgauskas shot a combined 13-of-37.

Game 4 is Tuesday night.

The first two games of the series in Cleveland were each decided by one point. This one was resolved by elbows, shoves and hard fouls.

Howard, Ilgauskas and Cleveland's Anderson Varejao all fouled out. Afterward, Williams said the Cavaliers were giving the underdog Magic too much respect.

"We just need to man up,'' James said. "Orlando is a very, very good team.''

Unlike Games 1 and 2, the Magic got out fast, stayed close despite Howard's early foul trouble and put the Cavs away at the line.

Howard, a notoriously poor foul shooter, went 14-of-19 from the line and the Magic made 39 of 51 attempts. In the fourth quarter alone, Orlando made 19 of 23 to hold off the top-seeded Cavaliers, who began the playoffs with eight straight wins and have now dropped two of their last three.

Each time he stepped to the line, Howard sang a song in his head he heard at halftime.

"We just kept fighting. That's what we got to do, we fight to the end,'' Howard said. "We can't worry about nothing, we can't worry about the calls, can't worry about nobody else. We just got to get out there and play.''

Cleveland better figure out a way to win in steamy Florida fast. The Cavs, who were thumped here by 29 on April 3, have six lost six of their last seven in Orlando.

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[trowabarton321]

and i respectfully disagree with that, lebron fan

[trowabarton321]

i dont even like kobe and i think that lebron is not as good as kobe yet, LeCrybaby is HIGHLY OVERRATED!!! since he came in the league he didnt do anything yet except his image took a hit. everyone other than the fans in Ohio and lebron fans think that he wrong for that but people are too scared of him to tell him sad.

[coolman4lyfe]

lEBRON IS THE GAYEST pERIOD

[ss4vegeta92]

that was gay...maybe if Mo didn't get hurt they coulda won

[bigevil50]

this was on my birthday lol fuck the magic we got em this year.

[bikerboi138]

lebron is the best period!!!!!!!!!!!

[andrewli83]

its not even clear

[yahoo290]

I agree

[trowabarton321]

is that why he was about 1 for 18 on game winning shots, and that was a good shot but was overrated since they didnt win and compared it to jordan all day afterwards. and im not a magic or laker fan i hate the lakers but i think they would beat the cavs. hell even denver is better than them you can have the best player on the court but he's not on the better team, howard apparently is.

[gmccall22]

Lebron will be a knick after next year, guarantee it . If the cavs were smart they'll go ahead and trade lebron now while they can get something for him instead of losing him to free agency.