If the Orlando Magic wanted to have any hope to win the 2009 NBA Finals, they needed to win Game 3. Coming into the contest down 0-2 against the Los Angeles Lakers, it was either win or write the obituary.
Win is what the Magic did. Holding off a hard charging Lakers team, Orlando’s hot shooting was enough for the victory. For the game, the Magic shot 62.5% from the field — an NBA record — and won by a final score of 108-104.
Leading the way for the home team was superstar bigman Dwight Howard. He finished with 21 points, 14 …read more

In Game 1 of the 2009 NBA Finals, the Los Angeles Lakers had a walk in the park as they crushed the Orlando Magic by a final score of 100-75. Game 2 was a totally different story. In a tough, rugged affair, the Lakers needed overtime to escape the contest with a 101-96 win and a 2-0 lead in the Finals.
Kobe Bryant had almost a perfect outing in Game 1 but had to work much harder this time out. That said, he still finished with 29 points, eight assists and four rebounds. The Magic deserve credit for limiting Bryant to …read more

After the Game 1 loss, the talk in Orlando is focusing on many issues. One popular issue is the starting point guard. Although Rafer Alston has played better than expected in the 2009 NBA playoffs, Jameer Nelson was named to the All-Star team this year for the Eastern Conference. Now that Nelson is healthy, should he getting his starting job back or should Alston continue to start?
So far in the playoffs, Alston is averaging 12.3 points, 4.2 assists and 2.5 rebounds in 32.5 minutes per game. He’s shooting 37.7% from the field, 33.7% from beyond the three-point arc and 75% …read more

If you watched Game 1 of the NBA Finals, you probably aren’t too excited about Game 2. The Los Angeles Lakers thoroughly dominated Game 1 and ended up cruising to a 100-75 victory. Kobe Bryant and his henchmen looked unstoppable while the Orlando Magic looked like they had raging case of stage fright.
Even though the Magic disappeared in Game 1, all they need to do to get back into this series is to take home a Game 2 victory. How do they do that? Here are five keys for the Magic to win Game 2:
1. Get Dwight Howard Going
Dwight Howard …read more

In Game 1 of the 2009 NBA Finals, basketball fans around the world were ready for a classic battle. Instead, the Los Angeles Lakers breezed to a 100-75 victory over the Orlando Magic.
Kobe Bryant made an early case for Finals MVP with a fantastic performance. The Lakers shooting guard totaled 40 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, two steals and two blocks in 38 minutes of play. He hit 16-of-34 field goal attempts, all eight of his free throws and only had one turnover.
Pau Gasol helped out Bryant with 16 points and eight rebounds, while Lamar Odom had 11 points and …read more

Tonight, the 2009 NBA Finals tip off with the Orlando Magic visiting the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 1. The game will be shown on ABC and will begin at 9 PM EST. Who is going to win the NBA championship? Here is the tale of the tape:
Point Guards
Derek Fisher is a solid veteran and Shannon Brown and Jordan Farmar are good backups but the Magic have the edge due not only to Rafer Alston and Anthony Johnson, but also because Jameer Nelson may return.
ADVANTAGE: MAGIC
Shooting Guards
When Kobe Bryant is on one side of the equation, you know which team …read more

We now know the two teams that will play in the 2009 NBA Finals. On Saturday night, the Orlando Magic defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers to win the Eastern Conference championship. In the Finals, Dwight Howard and the Magic will go up against Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers.
Who will win the NBA Finals in 2009? On paper, I give the advantage to the Lakers. At this point of the playoffs, experience is a huge factor. The Lakers were here just last year while the Magic are in foreign territory. Despite the Lakers loss against the Boston Celtics last season, …read more

On Friday night, the Los Angeles Lakers looked like a team very capable of winning an NBA championship. And they will soon get their chance. Playing in Denver, the Lakers dominated from start to finish and pounded the Nuggets by a final score of 119-92.
Sticking the dagger into Denver’s hearts was none other than Kobe Bryant. The Lakers superstar finished the game with 35 points, ten assists and six rebounds in 42 minutes of play. He connected on 12-of-20 shots from the field and all nine of his free throws.
Helping out Bryant on the night were bigmen Pau Gasol and …read more