ESPN graphic incorrectly says Cavaliers beat Magic in 2009 Eastern Conference Finals

Prior to the first-round series in 2024, the Cleveland Cavaliers and Orlando Magic met only once in the playoffs. In that series, the 2009 Eastern Conference Finals, the Magic upset the heavily favored Cavs, winning in six games.

Only, ESPN’s graphics department didn’t seem to know that.

As Friday’s playoff game between the two teams was going to commercial at halftime, ESPN showed a graphic about the series. The graphic read, “2009 East Finals. Cavaliers won series 4-2.”

For anyone who doesn’t remember, advertisements for the 2009 playoffs were largely built around a potential NBA Finals matchup between Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. Bryant’s Los Angeles Lakers and James’ Cavaliers had the best records in their respective conferences and with the Boston Celtics weakened by injuries, both were heavily favored to advance through the conference playoffs.

But after sweeping through the first two rounds, Cleveland was upset by Orlando in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. While a LeBron buzzer-beater in Game 2 evened the series, the momentum did not carry to the next game. The Magic won Games 3 and 4 in Orlando, Cleveland extended the series at home in Game 5 but the Magic closed it out in Orlando in Game 6. It was the only time in their respective careers that Kobe and LeBron even made the Conference Finals in the same season.

This graphics error goes beyond just saying the Cavs won the series. While certainly funny, it’s easy to understand how something like “Firstname Lastname1” or “Currentpitcher Lastname” happens. And if this graphic said “Cavaliers won series 4-2” but had images of Orlando highlights or the Magic celebrating, this would just be a funny typo.

But this was more than just a mislabeled graphic.

This not graphic not only said that Cleveland won the series but was accompanied by celebratory pictures of Mo Williams and Daniel Gibson — who both played for the Cavaliers in that series. This suggests that whoever put the graphic together genuinely thought Cleveland won. And more confusing, nobody who saw this graphic before it went to air noted the error.

[Photo Credit: ESPN]