Tue, Apr 27th 2010, 10:45
The Orlando Magic again showed their depth and versatility.
Vince Carter scored 21 points while Jameer Nelson added 18 including a key basket late in the game to pick up a 99-90 win Monday. With the win, Orlando becomes the only team in the 2010 playoffs to earn a first-round sweep while the Bobcats failed to pick up a victory in the franchise’s first-ever playoff appearance.
“That was a very difficult series,” Stan Van Gundy said. “We struggled to score points and get shots. They had a great game plan in the series and both teams played extremely hard. I was proud of our intensity and resolve.”
Nelson highlighted a 10-0 Orlando run with a three from the top of the key with 4:53 remaining, giving the Magic an 86-76 lead and effectively sapping all the remaining energy from both Time Warner Cable Arena and the Charlotte Bobcats season. The Orlando point guard finished with a series-best 23.8 ppg picking up some offensive slack from his Magic teammates.
Charlotte had cut the lead to a single point at 77-76, but the Magic again proved to be deadly from behind the arc. Mickael Pietrus drained threes on back-to-back possessions to squash the Bobcats momentum. Orlando sank a series-best 13 from behind the arc and made 45 over the four games in the series.
The Bobcats tried to make another run early in the fourth quarter but were stymied by an unusual set of fouls. Carter was fouled by Tyson Chandler. The Charlotte center was actually whistled for both a personal foul and a flagrant foul on the play. Carter made the two free throws, but the Magic was unable to capitalize allowing Charlotte to stay in the game.