Orlando in six prediction dead!!!

My prediction of the Orlando Magic winning the NBA title in six games fell by the wayside with todays 99-91 overtime loss to the LA Lakers. Kobe Bryamt returned to form for the Lakers who survived early foul trouble and more hot shooting by Orlando to go ahead in the third quarter and eventually pull out the win after trailing by double digits at half time. The game marked the first occaison since 1984 that two finals games have gone into overtime. Bryant finished with 32 points while Hedo Turkoglu led the Magic with 25 but missed several key free throws late in the game.

Game 5 of the series will be Sunday night (Monday Aussie time). The Magic need a win to extend the series while the Lakers can claim championship number 15 with a victory.

Has the power been restored??

Good Question as the Orlando Magic simply shot the lights out in their 108-104 win over the LA Lakers on Tuesday night (Wed Aussie time). Even with the great shooting performance, the Lakers will have to look at missed freethrows and defensive lapses as contributing factors in letting aan opportunity to go up 3-0 in the series slip away. Kobe Bryant who shot only 50% from the line missed a crucial attempt in the last minute that would have cut the Magic lead to one. The Lakers poor foul line performance came after a Game two performance where they made 14 in a row late in the game.

The Lakers shooting aside, the Magic set an NBA Finals record in shooting 62.5% from the field. It was the first Finals win for the Orlando franchise and got them back into the series with Game 4 scheduled for Thursday (Friday Aussie time). Will this be Miami-Dallas redeux?? If the Magic can eek out another home win, it will be game on!!

Prediction in trouble!!!!

My forcast of a Macic win in the NBA finals looks to be in trouble!!! After losing again to the Lakers in LA today, Orlando finds themselves in a 2-0 hole. The Magic put forth a much better effort but fell short in overtime as Pau Gasol came up huge in the extra period.
Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu showed vast improvement in their shooting efforts over game one. dwight Howard had a better all around game but committed a costly seven turnovers.
Maybe the hoodoo of having never won a Finals game is keeping the Magic from getting over the hump, we will find out on tuesday as the Finals shift to Orlando. There is still a slight chance of my 4-2 prediction surviving!!!!

NBA Finals are here!!

The finals of the NBA season are upon us with the Orlando set to face Los angeles in the best of seven series starting Thursday June 4. This promises to be an interesting championship series featuring the brute inside force of Orlando's Dwight Howard seemingly pitted against the will to win it all of Kobe Bryant from LA.

After the surface is scratched look for the undertones of the battle to boil down to Orlando's outside shooters and play of point guard Rafer Alston against the role players of LA getting their job done. Throw in a sidebar of the possibility of a big game or series from Derek Fisher of LA and the wisdom of "Zen Master" turned coach Phil Jackson in LA's corner.

Will the Magic be able to frustrate Kobe or will he get his way?? Can the Lakers stop Howard inside?? Hmm...stay tuned.

For opening predictions I'll say look for the Magic to win it all in six games. In finals basketball, I think ultimately the big men decide outcomes and I see Howard as the biggest man stepping up to the challenge.