Magic 106, Lakers 103: Playoffs come early

Kobe Bryant had his best scoring game of the season and it did not matter. Bryant drove in for a layup with the Lakers trailing by one and found Sasha Vujacic wide open in the corner for a go-ahead 3-pointer and it hopped in and out of the basket.

Dwight Howard struggled the entire game with foul trouble and the entire team struggled from the free throw line, but it was Howard himself making four key free throws down the stretch in a row to seal a 106-103 win against Los Angeles.

I said Thursday that the win over San Antonio was as big as a win in December could be. I stand corrected. Saturday night's victory over the Lakers was as big as a win in December could be.

It was written well before the game (read the previous post) that Orlando has been hungering to be mentioned as one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference (this may not even do it). But the Magic may have officially said, "We demand to be taken seriously!"

It started with a struggle for the Magic. Bryant scored 25 first half points and was getting every ridiculous shot he could think to take to go in. Howard was relegated to the bench with foul trouble as both teams had to play around referees who called the game ridiculously tight.

The second quarter was a slow-moving fight for survival as Los Angeles opened up a double digit lead. It seemed that the Lakers might be able to blow the game open. But somehow (even with Brian Cook making mistake after mistake in five second quarter minutes) Orlando kept the game close. It was within striking distance when the teams came out of the locker rooms.

That is when Jameer Nelson took over for the third straight game. Nelson scored 27 points -- 15 in the third quarter -- leading Orlando back into the game. He got into the paint when he wanted and flipped shots over the defense or pulled up when he needed to. He was in complete control of the game and dominated it in every way in the second half.

Then the fourth quarter came in and Howard dominated once again. With four fouls throughout the quarter -- and five with about four minutes left -- he dominated the paint and changed every shot that came through the paint. He demanded the ball and made teams pay from the line even (especially at the end).

Losing Howard in the first half to foul trouble was really the only reason Orlando struggled in the second quarter. Howard's absence was very noticeable. It allowed Derek Fisher to get in the paint at will and find shooters on the perimeter. It allowed Bryant to attack the basket or throw up shots without fear of the rebound being eaten by Howard.

Orlando won the game, simple as that.

The Magic actually defended Bryant well. Keith Bogans played him physically (spending more than a few fouls) and kept him out of the paint for the most part. Bryant had to take a lot of fall-away jumpers. It was clear by the fourth quarter that the defense Bogans and Mickael Pietrus put on him had tired him out.

It is tough to say you played well against him when he scored 41. But they actually did. Orlando lived up to its defensive moniker and gutted out another win.