ORLANDO, Fla. -- Magic point guard Jameer Nelson has heard all the talk about the Lakers/Cavaliers NBA Finals that everyone already is anticipating with eight weeks left in the regular season.Who wouldn't like to see Kobe Bryant face off against LeBron James -- the last two NBA Most Valuable Players and clearly the two best players in the game today?
How great would it be to see icon Shaquille O'Neal try to land his fifth NBA title with his third different team, doing it at the expense of his former team and despised rival?
It could be the most intriguing NBA series in many years, the dream matchup on the biggest stage, a television bonanza. But it's the one Nelson thinks his team will derail -- again.
"You look at the commercials now, and you'd think Cleveland and the Lakers already were in the championship [series]. I guess that's what the fans want to see,'' Nelson said Sunday after his Magic beat the Cavs, 101-95. "But I think we're here to spoil it for the fans.''
Nelson and the Magic toppled the Cavaliers Sunday, casting some doubt into the inevitability of that Lakers/Cavs Finals, reminding everyone again that they -- and not the Cavs -- are the defending Eastern Conference champs.
"This [victory] means a lot,'' said Nelson, who had 18 points and eight in the decisive fourth quarter. "We know we can beat them now.''
If the playoffs started today, Cleveland (43-14) and Orlando (38-19) would be seeded No. 1 and 2 in the East. Last season, they were 1 and 3, respectively, when the Magic won.
Sunday's game was as physical as a regular-season game gets. There were 40 personal fouls called, but many more that weren't called as the officials let them play as uninterrupted as possible.
O'Neal was limited by five personal fouls, his final one when he blasted J.J. Redick. Most of the time, O'Neal and Dwight Howard were in a tug of war around the basket.
"They have to come through us, and we have to go through them,'' O'Neal said. "It would be a fun one [series] to watch, and to play in. Two big strong guys [himself and Dwight Howard], an old bull and a young bull going at it. I'm sure Dwight doesn't mind the physicality of a series like that. And I damn sure don't mind it.''
James led everyone with 33 points. He, too, sees the high probability of a Cavs/Magic Eastern final before the Lakers would come into play.
"It [Orlando] is a team we may see in the playoffs. That would be fun, because you always want to play against the best, and they are the defending conference champs,'' he said. "And for me, it's always physical.''
Even though the Cavs lost their third consecutive game -- all since acquiring Antawn Jamison at the All-Star break -- there was no drop in confidence.
"We're fine. We're 43-14, still one of the best teams in the league,'' he said. "There is nothing to be concerned about.''
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