Defense is the difference

No need to beat a dead horse here. Orlando's defense is not as good as it was last year and that is why the team is struggling (although how much you want to say 7-3 is struggling is debatable).

The litany of comments from Magic fans after Wednesday's game against the Cavaliers is pretty simple. Orlando looked uninspired and unprepared to play -- especially on defense.

The defense was markedly improved against the Nets on Friday, but things still are not right -- and Stan Van Gundy said as much after former Magic man Rafer Alston recorded a triple double.

With Rashard Lewis' suspension up, one hopes everything will get back to normal as Lewis has both the ability to stretch teams offensively with the strength to defend most power forwards. That would seem to be able to cure any ail the Magic currently have on either side of the floor.

While that might be what helps Orlando's offense improve (hard to imagine as the team is still putting up pretty gaudy offensive numbers despite struggling and stagnating at times), Lewis is not the cure-all for the defense.

We all know the story, the Magic were the most efficient defensive team last year but have since fallen to the middle of the pack. What exactly has gone wrong?

1) Rotations are late and the team is struggling to get out to shooters. Simple stats help out most here. Last season, Orlando gave up 94.4 points per game and 43.3 FG% to go along with 34.2 percent shooting from beyond the arc. This year, those numbers are 95.2 points per game, 45.6 FG% and 38.6 percent from beyond the arc (a better mark than the Magic are actually shooting).

Without even getting into defensive efficiency, it is pretty clear the defense has taken some sort of step back. But thinking about defensive efficiency, Orlando ranks 12th giving up 101.3 points per 100 possessions. Everyone knows last year they led the league last year. Improvements must clearly be made.

2) It is hurting that the anchor is not playing his best. Dwight Howard was truly the defensive player of the year last season with 13.9 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game last year. Everyone should still expect the same rebounding numbers, but the blocks might go back to the mean. But I do not think anyone could expect the way Howard has played early.

So far this season he is averaging 10.7 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per year. Take out Friday's dominating performance against New Jersey and Howard is at 10.6 rebounds and 1.4 blocks.

One game is not going to change a whole lot obviously, but you could clearly see what difference a focused and energetic Dwight Howard on defense can do from his 26 points, 12 rebound, five block performance against New Jersey on Friday.

It is no secret he has struggled with fouls and that Orlando is simply better with Howard on the court. Howard has had only one game this year (the opener against Philadelphia) with less than three fouls. He has already fouled out of two contests this year and had five fouls in two more. That is nearly half the games where Howard has had to struggle through fouls at some point of the game.

Howard obviously NEEDS to be on the court and have the ability to play aggressively. Orlando is just simply a better team with him out there. He has a +12.7 +/- rating per 100 possessions while on the court. The team is -11.9 points per 100 possessions with him off. That is a huge dropoff.

3) The third area the Magic must improve is, I believe, at the point guard. Jameer Nelson has not been himself defensively for the Magic. Nelson is giving up a 50.2% effective field goal percentage so far this year. That's not great, but it's not stifling defense either.

Time and time again this year, we have seen point guards find a way to attack the middle of the paint and that starts with Nelson. In Orlando's three losses, the team has been giving up big stats to opposing point guards -- 21.7 points and 6.3 assists per game.

Mo Williams had his big 28-point night where he could not miss a shot against Orlando. Rodney Stuckey and Will Bynum had a coming out party for the Pistons. And Russell Westbrook had a field day in a 20-point, 10-assist effort in the Thunder's blowout.

Not all of this is Nelson's fault. He has always been a pesky defender, if not an above-average one. Not having Howard behind him -- and everyone -- has absolutely hurt this team. But the league is so point guard-centric now that getting a good defensive effort from Nelson is an absolute must.

He has to do a better job keeping opposing guards out of the paint. It will help tighten up the perimeter defense and keep Howard from further foul trouble.

Rashard Lewis is clearly not going to fix all these things. But with both Lewis and Ryan Anderson coming back tonight, things should steadily improve for a team that can certainly score enough to hide a defensive lapse or two throughout a game.

What They're Saying: Magic vs. Nets 10/30

-Courtney Lee was floored when he found out he was traded, but as Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel reports, he still has nothing but love for the city of Orlando.

-Vince Carter's reunion tour kicks off tonight in New Jersey and will head on up to Toronto for a game Sunday afternoon. Pretty emotional start of the season for Vince.

-Count owner Rich DeVos among the many Magic front office members with reservations about trading Courtney Lee, George Diaz reports.

-After losing a 16-point lead against Minnesota, New Jersey will need to refocus to handle Vince Carter's return. Devin Harris has definitely noticed so far what having Carter on his team meant for his offensive opportunities, Fred Kerber of the New York Post writes.

-There seems to be no animosity toward Vince Carter's departure. The Nets will welcome him "home" for their home opener tonight, Colin Stephenson of the Newark Star-Ledger reports.

-Nets forward Jarvis Hayes will be out 2-3 weeks after straining his left hamstring in New Jersey's loss to Minnesota on Wednesday.

-Orlando Magic broadcaster David Steele will miss tonight's game to attend the induction of his father into the University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame. It is the first game in 21 years he has voluntarily missed. Picked a pretty good reason.

-The Puns are Starting to Bore Me takes a look at the Vince Carter/Hedo Turkoglu switch-a-roo from a purely financial standpoint.

-In The Zzone, by Al Iannazzone of The Record, reports the loss of Jarvis Hayes could be a big one as Lawrence Frank was expecting him to play two or three different positions. Look from more Terrence Williams and maybe even some Eduardo Najera in his absence the next few weeks.

-New Jersey is thinking about trying the basketball version of the NFL's wildcat offense, using Courtney Lee, Devin Harris and Terrence Williams in the lineup at the same time. After one game, NetsAreScorching does not give a good review.

-Vince Carter might see an extra bit of contact tonight. Or at least that's what Devin Harris joked he will see.

-Devin Harris gave Courtney Lee some advice about playing his old team from his experience playing his first couple games against the Mavericks last year (a team Harris went to the Finals with). But the most important thing is not the individual stats, but whether they win.

-Newark's new downtown arena is still waiting for money from the New Jersey Devils and Seton Hall basketball programs, but would love to see the Nets move into the relatively new building.

-John Schuman of NBA.com writes about how the three players Orlando sent to New Jersey -- Courtney Lee, Rafer Alston and Tony Battie -- helped build the Magic last season and how shocking it really was to have to trade them all away.

What They're Saying: Lakers vs. Magic Game Four

-Henry Abbott of TrueHoop was astonished by Dwight Howard's maturity with his team facing a 2-0 deficit. He certainly does not seem satisfied with just showing up and getting one win.

-The difference for Rafer Alston? Being at home in the Amway Arena or off in some far off land wearing a blue jersey, writes Zach McCann of Orlando Magic Daily.

-Terrence Moord of NBA FanHouse thinks the Lakers need a superhuman Kobe Bryant to win. The one we saw at the end of Game Three, will not make Los Angeles a champion.

-David Whitley of NBA FanHouse believes there were a lot of quirky elements from Game Three, but that certainly does not mean Orlando has played its best game yet and that they need a similar type of game to defeat the Lakers.

-Andrea Adelson of The Orlando Sentinel expresses some of the worry pointed out by the pundits after Orlando's close win despite shooting a Finals record in Game Three.

-"As far as me hitting a wall, so what if I did?" Kobe Bryant said. "I didn't, but so what if I did? ... I'll run straight through it." So Bryant is not getting tired?

-Shaquille O'Neal has criticized Dwight Howard plenty. But finally an all-time great adds some constructive criticism. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar did call Howard's current moves "predictable" but he certainly feels Howard has room for improvement. And Howard agrees with Abdul-Jabbar's assessment.

-Gina Marie Incandela has become part of the Magic's pre-game ritual, writes Andrea Adelson of The Orlando Sentinel. She will be singing the national anthem at tonight's game for the eighth time this season. Orlando is 7-0 when she sings. If you have not listened to her sing, it is really incredible.

-I would think it is safe to say Pau Gasol will get the ball more tonight. As Kelly Dwyer writes, Gasol getting the ball in the post changes how the Lakers' offense operates.

-Mickael Pietrus has made a name for himself as top-notch defender this postseason. Zach McCann of Orlando Magic Daily breaks down the numbers... and they are quite impressive.

-The Los Angeles Times reports the Jameer Nelson experiment may be ending soon.

-Ben Q Rock of Third Quarter Collapse wonders whether Orlando can say hot. Kobe Bryant seems to think the Magic can keep hitting shots for "weeks."

-Jason Whitlock of FOX Sports believes Orlando's Game Three win was more Los Angeles getting lucky. He believes if Dwight Howard focuses on his rebounding and defense, the Magic have too many weapons for the Lakers to handle.

-Mike Bianchi of The Orlando Sentinel is done trying to figure out this Magic team. Welcome to the ride.

-Bobby Ryan Jr. of Bleacher/Report says Rashard Lewis has spent his whole career proving people wrong. A Magic title would be another group of naysayers to disprove.

-Henry Abbott tries to figure out if Dwight Howard is not good at post moves. The answer is not so simple. He is double-teamed a lot and has to think about who is defending him. Adonal Foyle adds more insight on Howard's offensive game.

Game 4 Adjustments: Lakers-Magic

1) Control the glass: in Game Two, Orlando dominated the glass and it allowed the team to stay in the game despite poor shooting. In Game Three, Los Angeles got to the offensive glass and it allowed the team to stay in the game despite poor(er) shooting.

It is clear winning the rebounding battle is a key to winning this series. It has been the great equalizer so far in this series.

Orlando is not a team that commits itself to rebounding. It relies on Dwight Howard to do a lot of dirty work and he is often left alone in the pain on the offensive glass. With the Magic trying to pick up the pace in this series, they are committing less players to the defensive glass.

Granted, much of the Lakers' offensive rebounds came from fortunate bounces. But it is still difficult to justify the shooter getting his own rebound time and time again.

Orlando has to put in a much more concerted effort to get to the glass and secure rebounds. The Magic cannot expect to shoot above 60 percent the rest of this series -- a nice dream, sure. And the best way to ensure the Lakers do not get extra possessions is to eliminate those extra possessions on the glass.

Los Angeles was in this game in the end because the team got some timely boards and converted second chance opportunities. There were not a lot of rebounds to be had for the Lakers, but they converted off the missed shots and made the Magic pay for this mistake.

2) Continue attacking off pick and roll and work inside-out: it is the basis for the Magic's offense, but be sure the Lakers will find a new way to defend the pick and roll and make some adjustments.

Whatever Los Angeles throws at Orlando in Game Four, Orlando must continue to attack off the dribble in pick and roll and look to get into the paint. The great thing the Magic did in Game Three was not to settle for 3-pointers and drive to the basket.

Orlando shot only 14 three point shots, far below the 20 the team seems to take every game. This was not by accident. The Magic had plenty of looks from beyond the arc -- and plenty of open shots that rimmed out -- but instead looked to get to the basket and keep moving the ball.

The Magic must keep this mentality. Three-pointers have to come from drives and dishes while the defense is trying to reset. It cannot be an in-out action. It has to be in-out-back in-back out. And that should really only be when defenders are packing the paint because they have stopped the first and second drive.

This is especially off the pick and rolls. For much of Game One and Game Two, the Magic were passive coming off pick and rolls. In Game Three, Rafer Alston was looking to attack and get to the rim. Hedo Turkoglu was looking to attack and get to the rim. And the team, in general, was looking to get Dwight Howard the ball moving across the lane when he had deep position.

This is the type of game Orlando will need to replicate to win Game Four.

3) Be physical: this was a key to the series, but it bears repeating. Orlando needs to be physical with Los Angeles.

The Magic did a great job forcing Bryant to the perimeter. He was looking to attack through jumpers and not by getting to the basket. That makes things easier for Orlando. Mickael Pietrus and Courtney Lee did a great job in Game Three. Expect Bryant to look to attack more Thursday.

Now the rest of the team must muscle up -- especially Rashard Lewis. It is tough for Lewis to try and outmuscle Pau Gasol. But he has to find a way to push Gasol out of the paint on post ups. Gasol might be too tall an order to do this.

But Lamar Odom certainly is not. Lewis needs to continue to match Odom's physicality for Orlando to have success in this series (it is clear Andrew Bynum will be on the bench at the end of games).

Game 3: Orlando Magic 108, Los Angeles Lakers 104

Knowing Orlando's history, it figured the celebration would be delayed by something. The buzzer rang, the confetti fell to the ground. But the game was not over. Far from it. 0.2 seconds from it.

Rashard Lewis hit two comfortable-looking free throws and the Magic had their first Finals win. Savor it for a few hours. Because after a raucous and wild offensive showing in Game Three, there is plenty of work to do for Thursday's Game Four.

But to revel in tonight's game.

It was an offensive clinic. The Magic shot an NBA Finals high 62.5 percent for the game. The aggression off the dribble was a lot higher and Orlando looked to get to the rim rather than standing around the 3-point line. The Magic did a great job balancing their 3-point shooting and attacking the basket and getting the ball to Dwight Howard.

It was about as perfect an offensive game that could have been played.

It started with Rafer Alston. Alston attacked the basket and looked to score -- a major change from the first two games. He had 20 points and shot eight of 12 from the floor. He was especially damaging in the third quarter as Orlando expanded its lead.

The fourth quarter then became a showing of Hedo Turkoglu and Dwight Howard's playmaking ability. The two exploited Los Angeles' poor pick and roll defense. Turkoglu got where he wanted on the floor and hit some difficult shots.

When he was not, he fed the ball to Howard. Howard once again hit his free throws as Los Angeles did a good job keeping him from scoring field goals. He hit 11 of 16 free throws on his way to 21 points.

As Orlando's pick and roll was more successful and Howard continued to hit his free throws, he started getting more shots.

As good as the offense was, the defense was just as mediocre.

It is hard to call the defensive effort horrible.

The Magic did a good job keeping Kobe Bryant from going to the rim and he took plenty of difficult shots. He also took his fair share of shots that were lightly contested.

Bryant had 31 points on 11 of 25 shooting. His biggest misstep was a poor five for 10 from the line, including two big free throws in the fourth quarter that would have tied the game with about two minutes to play.

Plenty went the right way in Orlando's first game back in the Amway Arena. Bryant's free throw struggles were one. The 62 percent shooting might have been another one. But you take the hand you're dealt.

Los Angeles shot well too, hitting 51.8 percent of its shots. How did the Lakers stay in the game? They attacked the offensive glass. Los Angeles grabbed 11 offensive boards and converted on most of those second-chance opportunities.

It was a night when most shots were falling for both teams. The Magic were not quite as lock down defensively as they had been in Game Two. Orlando held a nine point lead with six minutes left and saw it disappear by the time the two minute mark came around. With Bryant on the court, it is tough to win when that happens.

Orlando, to its credit, closed this one out on the defensive end. Offensive execution was assumed on this night. But Howard knocked away a Bryant drive and Mickael Pietrus grabbed it and was fouled before getting the chance to run the other way.

This was another game that came down to who could execute in the clutch. In this game, Orlando made the stops when it needed to, hit free throws and executed its gameplan to perfection.

It was tough to say the Lakers put in their best effort and, defensively, it was tough to say the Magic did so too.

There is still plenty of things to work on to win this series, so the celebration in the Finals can afford to be delayed another week.

What They're Saying: Lakers vs. Magic Game Three

-Gregg Doyel of CBS Sportsline is not rushing to any conclusions after the Lakers took the first two games. There is still a long way to go and Orlando still has some home games to play.

-Dwight Howard is good. But not as good as he will be one day, writes Matt Steinmetz of NBA FanHouse.

-Pau Gasol and the Lakers are proving that finesse players and soft players are not interchangeable terms.

-Sean Devenney of Baseline blog believes Orlando's point guard switch has failed. Really, Rafer Alston and Jameer Nelson are not making shots. Alston is a streaky shooter who is very cold right now. And Nelson is playing his first games since February. No reason to believe Anthony Johnson would be playing any better.

-The city of Orlando is getting ready for the party that is the NBA Finals. From tonight until Sunday (hopefully), downtown Orlando will be full of people, tourists, NBA officials, celebrities and generally good times. Helps if the Magic win.

-The party atmosphere in Amway Arena tonight is more like desperation for the Magic. Stan Van Gundy is willing to try anything to avoid a 3-0 hold, Brian Schmitz of The Orlando Sentinel reports.

-Henry Abbott of TrueHoop explains Stan Van Gundy is suffering the problem of too much talent. And that it was not crazy for him to insert Nelson into the lineup. The only problem has been the inconsistent playing time for all three point guards. He is experimenting and needs to find the answer soon.

-Mike Bianchi of The Orlando Sentinel argues Courtney Lee's missed alley-oop in Game Two was NOT A CHOKE. I have to agree. I was yelling at him to use his left hand, but with that little time there is no way he could have made that switch especially going out of bounds. If he couldn't do that, I am yelling at him to dunk the ball. Again, little time. He went on instinct and got the best shot he could. Great play call from Stan Van Gundy. Too bad no one will give him and Lee credit for the perfect execution.

-George Diaz of The Orlando Sentinel wonders where Orlando's offense has been?

-Kevin Ding of the Orange County Register says owner Jerry Buss did not make the trip to Orlando. But with a 2-0 lead, the Lakers know how much it would mean for the individuals on the team to continue their road success and take home the trophy at the Amway Arena.

-Andrea Adelson sits down with the Larry O'Brien Trophy for an - ahem - "interview." I thought Bianchi was the one who did the hokey columns for the Sentinel.

-Bruce Arthur of the National Press still thinks Orlando can win the series. But one thing the team must do better is simply make shots. Adjustments do not get easier than that.

-It is Kobe Bryant's supporting cast, Kyle Hightower of The Orlando Sentinel writes, that has the Lakers up 2-0.

-Zach McCann of Orlando Magic Daily looks at the value of Mickael Pietrus. He has done a pretty good job bothering Kobe Bryant and, despite shooting poorly in the first two games of this series, has blossomed into a consistent threat both inside and out.

-Ben Q Rock of 3rd Quarter Collapse analyzes the pairing of Dwight Howard and Marcin Gortat when on the floor together.

-Kelly Dwyer of Ball Don't Lie explains Orlando returned to their roots on defense in Game Two. Can they keep it going in Game Three. Both teams have had their Jekyll and Hyde moments so it is quite uncertain.

The Jameer Nelson question

Last week when Jameer Nelson told NBATV that he might return if the Magic reached the finals, my thoughts were: good to see he is still being competitive and that his rehab is going well. Let's get there first.

Well, we are here. And so apparently is Nelson.

After tearing his labrum in his shoulder in early February, the prognosis was for his return in August. No chance of making the court for the playoffs.

But Nelson has proven once again to be the determined little warrior that steals the Magic Dancers' hearts. The fifth-year point guard went through a full-contact practice Tuesday with the second team before the team left for Game One of the NBA Finals in Los Angeles.

Supposedly, he was put through some difficult drills -- like running shoulder first through screens set by Adonal Foyle (he may love everyone, but that is a big dude to run into). It is unclear whether he will actually be able to play and can be, at best, listed as day-to-day.

The Orlando Sentinel reported Thursday that Nelson will not play in Game One tonight and his return for the Finals is slim. But there still might be a chance the six-foot spark plug could suit up for the Magic (can anyone say misdirection?)

That leaves the question for Otis Smith and Stan Van Gundy: should you play Jameer Nelson in the NBA Finals?

Undoubtedly, you would want one of your best players available for the biggest series in the franchise's history. Nelson, before his injury, was undoubtedly an NBA All Star and having his best season.

But, while you do not want to assume the window to win a title will be open for multiple seasons, Nelson is a key component of the team. It would be difficult for the team to repeat last year's success if Nelson is continually out of the lineup with constant injuries.

It is a difficult question to answer. When Nelson seriously began discussing playing in this series, I wanted to protect him for the future. There was no reason to mess up the good thing Orlando had going with Rafer Alston and Anthony Johnson manning the point.

Having said that, now it appears Nelson is closer to full strength then everyone thought. It might be beneifical for Orlando to have their speedy all-star point guard to run around Derek Fisher and the Lakers for 10-15 minutes per game (don't expect anyone to keep track of his minutes, there is no reason to hold him back if he can produce... injury or not).

In all the previews I have read the caveat mentioned in the Magic's season sweep was the presence of Nelson. Having him back in the lineup could be a key factor to a victory.

It would be tough for the team to have Nelson in and out of the lineup. Whatever decision is made has to be made and stuck to. There can be no waffling.

In this new era of Magic basketball where the fans don't cling to the past and live for the now. I think Nelson should play. I flew home from school in Chicago for Game Six saying "when are we going to get back here?" And that is a real question the Magic should be asking themselves in this evaluation.

Nelson gives Orlando a chance to win this series, even in limited minutes. If he can prove himself up to game speed and contribute even a little, it is worth the risk. If Nelson plays Game One and wakes up the next morning with a tight shoulder, perhaps Orlando shuts him down for the rest of the series. If he comes out in Game One and scored 12 points with three or four assists in 15 minutes, then Nelson has done his job and has made the risk well worth it.

It is much better than asking what might have been.

What They're Saying: Cavaliers vs. Magic Game Six

-Bethlehem Shoals of the Baseline blog on Sporting News admits he has had some playoff fatigue. Which is why he finds the Magic so refreshing.

-Dwight Howard will be ready for the big time. But that time is not now, according to Gregg Doyel of CBS Sportsline. When Howard does not get calls or struggles, he complains and yelps instead of oging about his business harder the next time.

-Orlando's best bet? Win Game Six. Brian Schmitz writes the Magic must look at Game Six at Amway Arena as their Game Seven.

-George Diaz of The Orlando Sentinel says Orlando has to find a way to get the ball out of LeBron's hands. Whether that means double-, triple-, quadruple- or quintuple-teaming. Hell, just throw the kitchen sink at him see if that works.

-LeBron James is not feeling any pressure writes Kyle Hightower of The Orlando Sentinel.

-Obviously Cleveland's offense operates around LeBron James. Tim Povtak of NBA Fanhouse writes James will dare the Magic to stop him again as he goes one-on-one from the top of the key.

-Chris Sheridan chronicles the ghosts of the O-Rena and whether or not it will matter as the Magic try to close a series out on their home floor.

-For the first time all series, confidence should be high on both sides, writes David Thorpe of Scouts, Inc. He thinks it is going to be an interesting game tonight and that Delonte West, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Rafer Alston and Rashard Lewis will be the keys to the outcome. Ultimately, he picks Cleveland but says Orlando is not out on the road in a possible Game Seven.

-Interestingly enough, Orlando is 5-0 when Dwight Howard picks up a technical foul.

-Cavs blog Fear the Sword has some nice links to Cleveland-related stories.

-Brian Windhorst of the Cleveland Plain Dealer talks about how LeBron James is expanding his high post game to be "the nail" in this series.

-Maybe the supporting cast is not so bad. At least that is what +/- numbers from the Cleveland Plain Dealer suggest.

-LeBron James has breathed some life in to a downtrodden Cleveland society and economy and has raised some big bucks for the NBA and the Cavaliers.

Game Five: Cleveland Cavaliers 112, Orlando Magic 102

LeBron James is the best player in the NBA. Kobe Bryant is good. LeBron is better.

With his team facing elimination, needing a win against a team it has simply could not beat the last three seasons, James took over when it mattered most and willed his team to a victory. It was clear from the opening tip, James was going to rule this game like the king his nickname suggests he is.

After blowing a 22-point first quarter lead, James scored 17 points and had four assists in the fourth quarter to hold off the Magic's rally and force a Game Six on Saturday night with a 112-102 win.

James took over in the fourth quarter to help Cleveland distance itself and win the game. But this game was won by the James gang.

From the get-go, Mo Williams made sure he would be the difference in this game. Williams hit six of his nine 3-pointers and scored 24 points. He was aggressive and finally hit his open shots.

It was Williams who helped the Cavaliers rout the Magic in the first quarter and helped them build a 22-point lead. James was relatively quiet in the first quarter.

The Magic were outworked and outhustled. They looked slow and uninterested -- much like the beginning of the first two games.

But Orlando had another run in them. As poorly as the team played in the first quarter, it pushed itself and closed the gap to a manageable amount by halftime. The Magic can clearly play with the correct energy and effort to win this series. For some reason in Cleveland, Orlando cannot do it for 48 minutes.

But they finally showed up in the second quarter. So it was an even game entering the third quarter.

At that point, it became about execution. For the most part, Orlando executed well. Then the team did not. The Magic fell in love with their 3-pointers and it got them in trouble as they could not hit them this time. They shot eight for 25 from beyond the arc, led by Rafer Alston's dreadful one for seven performance. Rashard Lewis struggled shot one for five from beyond the arc too.

In Game Four, those shots went down. In Game Five, they did not.

Orlando was most successful in this game when the team involved Dwight Howard on the pick and roll or attacked the basket off the dribble. Howard scored 24 points and grabbed 10 rebounds before fouling out with 2:20 to play (that was when you could tell the game was over -- the Magic trailed by eight after giving up the shot and foul to James).

This is what Orlando must do. The team cannot settle for jumpers. The Magic must always be looking to attack. That is something this team has always struggled with.

Cleveland came out with a lot of energy tonight. It was something Orlando could not match. Slowly, the Magic climbed back and brought the energy. Orlando could not execute enough at the end to pull out the win.

All these games have been toss ups. The Magic finally hit a rut where they could not execute enough to win. Certainly without their best player and key cog, it became much tougher. James simply did not want to lose tonight.

It will be tougher for Cleveland to do this in Orlando. Stan Van Gundy should let these guys know, their backs are against the wall now.

What They're Saying: Magic vs. Cavaliers Game Five

-Henry Abbott of TrueHoop breaks down Dwight Howard's technical fouls this postseason. Luckily his tech from last night's game was rescinded, so he is two away from a mandatory one-game suspension.

-The return of "Skip 2 my Lou"

-Whit Watson of Sun Sports/FSFlorida fame says the NBA must address its officiating issue after some bad calls or perceived bad calls in the Orlando-Cleveland series.

-The Cleveland Plain Dealer's Brian Windhorst and Mary Schmitt Boyer break down Game Four and make some good points about the series so far.

-Superstars can get away with "taunting" or emotional outbursts after big plays. Even Michael Jordan.

-Bethlehem Shoals of the Baseline blog explains why LeBron James is so difficult to officiate -- he is the perfect mix of speed and power never before seen in the NBA.

-Stan Van Gundy is winning the coaching battle by a mile with Mike Brown according to Mike Freeman of CBS Sportsline.

-Cleveland is searching for answers with its back against the wall entering Game Five, Kyle Hightower of The Orlando Sentinel writes.

-Orlando's wild Playoff ride might be getting bumpier. Getting one more game to get to the finals will not be easy, according to Brian Schmitz of The Orlando Sentinel. The team, though seems up to the challenge.

-Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel says the Magic should feel confident heading into Quicken Loans Arena with a chance to close out the series.

-Bradford Doolittle of Basketball Prospectus explains why statistically Orlando is a bad matchup for Cleveland. The Cavaliers just cannot solve the Magic puzzle.

-Zach McCann of Orlando Magic Daily breaks down the poor performance of Cleveland's bench. Interestingly enough, the Cavaliers are 0-5 when no one besides LeBron James scores more than 18 points. They are 2-0 when someone does.

-David S. Glasier of the The News-Herald in southern Ohio says coach Mike Brown and his Cavaliers are keeping the faith. Each game (except Game Three) has been within Cleveland's grasp and this series could have easily swung the other way. Having said that, he is still having trouble solving Orlando.

-Chris Perkins of the Palm Beach Post writes about Rafer Alston's unlikely journey to becoming a starting point guard for a conference finalist.

-Bill Simmons laments a change in the NBA. And demands better officiating. This should be a golden age for the NBA.

-Jay Mariotti tries to figure out what is in LeBron James' future as it appears Cleveland failed once again to surround their transcendent superstar with enough pieces to win a title.

-How the pick and roll has made Dwight Howard better, according to Kevin Peltonen (Insider only)

-David Thorpe of Scouts Inc. breaks down Game Four and says Stan Van Gundy did a good job adjusting to Mike Brown. Thrope says to expect another close game.

-Rob Peterson of NBA.com breaks down the keys for Game Five.

-Perhaps some mind games at Quicken Loans Arena before Game Five.

-Sometimes it is as simple as making shots.

Game Four: Orlando Magic 116, Cleveland Cavaliers 114

When the game is on the line, superstar step up.

LeBron James knows this. When his team trailed by four points late in the game, he willed his team to a one-point lead with time winding down. When Rashard Lewis hit a fade-away 3-pointer that gave the Magic a two-point lead, James drove the lane and drew a blocking foul on Mickael Pietrus to get to the line for the game-tying free throws that sent the game to overtime.

Unfortunately for Cleveland, Orlando too has a superstar. Even if he did not get the same treatment at the end of Tuesday's fourth quarter, he came through when his team needed him most.

Dwight Howard scored 10 of his 27 points in overtime, helping the Magic take control in the overtime period and hold on for a 116-114 win. With it, he helped them take a commanding 3-1 series lead. But we all know how Orlando does with 3-1 series leads in the past.

This series is far from over even with the Magic on the doorstep of their second NBA Finals. And they certainly weathered a great effort from Cleveland. It was an up-and-down affair with both teams taking big leads, including the Cavaliers taking an eight-point lead to the half.

Throughout the night, Orlando had a difficult time keeping Cleveland out of the paint. James, of course, got where he wanted. But Mo Williams was also more aggressive -- and more effective -- and Delonte West also looked to attack, taking advantage of some over-aggressive (or careful) Magic defense.

But Orlando had some new tricks offensively too. Mainly the dominance of Howard on the inside early and the (over)use of the 3-point shot.

Howard had most of his points in the first half and in overtime. But offensively, this game was all about the shooting. The Magic shot 17 of 38 from beyond the arc. Shooting 40 3-pointers is incredible. Most of them were good looks that came off of good ball movement, some were off of poor shot selection.

I am admittedly not a huge fan of 3-pointers as a strategy, but it saved the Magic tonight. And when you can hit almost 50 percent, it is a good night.

Rafer Alston was also much more aggressive and he was hitting shots. It seems like the streaky shooting of Orlando's starting point guard is finally turning good. Alston has forced a lot of action and again forced LeBron James to focus on defense -- now that he splits time between Alston and Rashard Lewis.

Speaking of Rashard Lewis, he struggled throughout the night. But once again awoke in the fourth quarter. Lewis hit a tough fade-away bank shot and that fade-away 3-pointer that gave Orlando a critical 3-point lead.

The defense overall, was not fantastic. There were certainly moments for the team (and Orlando stepped up when it needed to), but Cleveland had its best offensive game of the series. It was only counteracted by an incredible offensive night from the Magic.

There looked to be some tentativeness at times because of the foul calls, but Cleveland was also more aggressive going to the basket. The Cavaliers settled for jumpers a lot less than they have in previous games in this series. Orlando did a good job adjusting as the game went on, but still never could pull away.

Don't get me wrong, this was a huge win for Orlando. Going up 3-1 is very different than going back to Cleveland tied at two. It does give the Magic some breathing room, but also tests their killer instinct and will ready them for the finals like nothing else can.

This series should be over for all intents and purposes. Orlando has done a great job closing out Cleveland and finding ways to win games.

But they cannot depend on the Amway Arena crowd to carry them in Game Six. Everyone has questioned this team all the time. A win in Game Five would silence any critics.

What They're Saying: Magic vs. Cavaliers Game One

-Bleacher Report's Jared Wright gives five reasons why Cleveland will win the series. And Brandon Ribak gives his reasons why Orlando will win.

-Zach McCann of Orlando Magic Daily lists three reasons why he thinks Orlando can defeat Cleveland.

-Kelly Dwyer of Ball Don't Lie asks five questions entering the Eastern Conference Finals.

-Matt Watson of NBA FanHouse, Cavs in four really? You said it yourself, Orlando seems to bug Cleveland more than any other team. You have to figure the Magic will push the Cavaliers even a little bit. I guess that is why they call it a FANhouse. It is full of goo-goo-eyed LeBron lovers who do not actually know anything about basketball.

-Tim Povtak of NBA FanHouse says this series will determine which team got the better No. 1 pick. LeBron was taken No. 1 the year before Dwight Howard and the two have skyrocketed to the top of the NBA.

-The Cavaliers are learning their lessons from three tough games against the Magic this season, Kyle Hightower of The Orlando Sentinel reports.

-Courtney Lee will make his triumphant return to the starting lineup for Game One, according to The Orlando Sentinel. Once again, great job in the last series JJ Redick.

-A bunch of interesting side plots in this series. Including the matchup between father, Magic assistant coach Brendan Malone, and son, Cavaliers assistant coach Mike Malone. Also, former Orlando head man Chris Jent is an assistant with Cleveland.

-Remember when Dwight Howard said Orlando would win a title at the beginning of the season a few years ago? Well, the Magic are on the doorstep. And don't think they will let this opportunity slip. You never know when you will get back to this point.

-Cleveland fans know suffering, Kyle Hightower writes for The Orlando Sentinel.
Blogger: The Curse of the Big Aristotle - Edit Post "What They're Saying: Magic vs. Cavaliers Game One"
-Playoff basketball has brought the communities of Cleveland and Orlando closer together. Mike Bianchi of The Orlando Sentinel tells a great story of what Magic basketball has done for one area family.

-Zach McCann of Orlando Magic Daily highlights how the Magic might cover LeBron James this series.

-Eight keys to winning the series from erivera7 of 3rd Quarter Collapse. Much more detailed than my three keys, but we highlight many of the same things.

-It may not mean anything, but Ben Q Rock of 3rd Quarter Collapse reveals that Rafer Alston loves playing against the Cavaliers.

Game 5: Bostons Celtics 92, Orlando Magic 88

This script sure sounds familiar.

14-point lead in the fourth quarter. Gut-wrenching loss at the end.

It is no secret Orlando has not been able to hold on to leads this postseason. This team simply does not have the killer instinct to put games away. And with a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter, the Magic gave up 15 straight points, including a 3-pointer from Ray Allen that gave the Celtics a one point lead.

A questionable (I will get to the referees later) call and an offensive rebound later, the Magic found themselves down three and parading to the free throw line as Boston held on for a 92-88 win to take a 3-2 lead in the series.

The Magic have played well with their backs to the wall. Well, their backs are against the wall now.

Once again, for three and a half quarter, Orlando was simply brilliant. Hedo Turkoglu, Rafer Alston and Rashard Lewis all attacked the basket with fierceness and either scored or made good passes out to the perimeter. The defense did a good job rotating and doubling Paul Pierce and kept him from dumping it down to Kendrick Perkins and Glen Davis.

But 36 minutes is not 48 minutes, and Boston showed its resiliency and started to rally behind Stephon Marbury. Marbury had eight points in the final frame and set up the run that ultimately would force Orlando out of the lead.

Doubt must have been creeping into the Magic's mind late in the fourth quarter. I know I thought about the blown leads in the postseason as they held the lead in the fourth quarter, just hoping they would stay aggressive and hold on.

The aggression did not stop, per se. Alston continued to attack the basket as did Turkoglu and Lewis. The shot quality did not go down. But Boston definitely turned up the defense and when push came to shove, the Magic could not find their star -- Dwight Howard.

Howard finished with 12 points and 17 rebounds on five of 10 shooting. He did not really touch the ball -- Turkoglu forced a pass into Howard late in the game, that led to a wide open 3-pointer for Alston, which he promptly rushed and missed -- late in the game. The Magic have to rely on their star in this situation. He has proven he can hit big free throws late in games. Orlando must rely on him, even on his off nights.

The Celtics put on offensive display in the fourth quarter. They scored 33 in the final frame, outscoring the Magic by 12 points, and shot well over 50 percent after struggling for most of the night.

Orlando just does not seem to have the will to put teams away. What that means is unclear. But the heart and desire needed to close out these playoff games is not there.

Yes, there were two egregious calls in this game -- both of which I expect and demand an explanation from the NBA for.

Rajon Rondo's desperation 3-pointer with two minutes left came nowhere near touching the rim, but the 24-second shot clock violation was waved off and Boston got another chance to take the lead.

And a Ray Allen 3-pointer in the second quarter was not reviewed despite TNT replays clearly showing his foot on the line. That changes the complete complexion of the game in the fourth quarter with Orlando down two instead of three.

But neither of them should have mattered.

A 14-point lead midway through the fourth quarter in the Playoffs should be insurmountable. Orlando is really missing its closer and its calming presence in Jameer Nelson. I do not think he allows this team to relax in these situations. And I think the Magic are heading home up 3-2 with Nelson in the lineup.

Now, the Magic are picking up the pieces and trying to figure out how to make things right with their backs to the wall.

What They're Saying: Magic vs. Celtics Game Five

-In the aftermath of a game-winning shot, Glen Davis pushed aside an innocent young boy. Now his father wants an apology. This has the opportunity to be the overblown mini moment of this series. Don't blame Davis for releasing his emotion, but give the kid a nice autographed basketball and a hand shake if he happens to be at Game Six. He has backed off some of those comments now. And Glen Davis apologized for hurting anyone after getting caught up in the moment. There all settled.

-Dwight Howard is keeping the faith that the Magic can close it out in six.

-No secret Glen Davis is not the greatest shooter in the world. Most of his makes are put backs and stuff around the basket. But as Henry Abbott of TrueHoop analyzes, Davis hit his big shot where he likes it most. It still needed a nice kick off the front rim to go in and completely change the complexion of this series.

-Brian Schmitz of The Orlando Sentinel believes it is time for Stan Van Gundy to make a change and start Courtney Lee over JJ Redick and use Anthony Johnson more (although, it was peculiar that neither Johnson nor Rafer Alston were playing a lot in the fourth quarter Sunday). Redick has played superb defense on Ray Allen even though he is struggling to shoot. Might be a risky move although it would boost offensive production most likely.

-No easy task to beat the Celtics in Boston, but the Magic have to do it at least once to win this series.

-Mike Bianchi of The Orlando Sentinel looks to far ahead into the future and wonders if Orlando could still take Cleveland the way the team is playing. One step at a time... but the answer is, we will see.

-Woody Womack of Orlando Magic Daily wonders how much momentum the Celtics got from Glen Davis' shot. The best caricature? Instead of being asked about how the series is potentially over after Game Four, the questions were directed on their resiliency.

-Brian Scalabrine missed shootaround this morning with an undisclosed illness and Kendrick Perkins practiced the full time, according to the Boston Globe. I would expect both to play.

-Rajon Rondo is perhaps the most important player in the series for Boston, Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald writes.

-Confidence is not an issue according to Stan Van Gundy.

-Leon Powe, who is out for the playoffs, received the NBA's Community Assist Award for the month of April. Thought I would recognize it.

-Boston did a rare thing Sunday, according to Zach Lowe of Celtics Hub. The Celtics won the game after hitting just one 3-pointer. It shows the value of the 3-pointer for both these teams as we enter the crucial Game Five.

-Making big shots is nothing new for Glen Davis and other notes from The Orlando Sentinel.

-Courtney Lee should be back in the starting lineup tonight according to the Boston Globe and other notes.

-Defense from the bench was a key to the Celtics win. Even when they are not scoring, their play is key to an undermanned Boston team, Frank Dell'Apa writes for the Boston Globe.

-Game Five is pretty big. Whoever wins, is one step away from going to the Eastern Conference Finals. Chris Sheridan of ESPN.com breaks down five keys to Game Five.

-Mike Moreau of Scouts Inc. says to expect the most physical game of the series as Boston has done a good job pushing Dwight Howard and Rashard Lewis from their favorite spots. The Magic still got what they wanted offensively, don't expect them to shoot so poorly again.

-John Caroll of Scouts Inc. (Insider only) is scratching his head wondering why Orlando has allowed Boston to tie the series at two. As far as he is concerned, the Magic can be the much better team, but continue to shoot themselves in the foot. Sorry it is Insider only folks.

What They're Saying: Celtics vs. Magic Game 4

-David Whitley of NBA Fanhouse says the Celtics are running out of time. The Magic clearly have control of the series at this point with another game at home.

-Zach McCann of Orlando Magic Daily has figured out what is wrong the Magic. They don't do so well with expectations. They are high now, time to perform and break that trend.

-This sounds real familiar. Road team gets upset win and then takes Game Three for a 2-1 series lead. The Magic learned from the last series against the 76ers, Kyle Hightower of The Orlando Sentinel reports, that this series with the Celtics is FAR from over.

-Physical? Stan Van Gundy says this series is not physical.

-Brian Schmitz of The Orlando Sentinel reports: JJ Redick will start. Rafer Alston, maybe not. But he probably will.

-Matt Moore of NBA Fanhouse goes over five things to watch in today's Playoff games.

-Tim Povtake of NBA Fanhouse says the Celtics will go as Ray Allen goes. The sharpshooter needs to start hitting shots for Boston to move on.

-Comments before Game Four from the Magic.

-Bill Russell tells Marc J. Spears of the Boston Herald that the dragged out situation between Stephon Marbury and the New York Knicks may have psychologically damaged the former All Star. Marbury responded by saying that getting those feelings out in words from a legend like Russell has helped him relax and integrate into his role with the Celtics.

-Doc Rivers tells his team the amazing is still possible, Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald reports.

What They're Saying: Celtics vs. Magic Game 3

-Hardwood Paroxysm goes through the weaknesses of the eight remaining teams. Orlando's weakness? Inability to force turnovers and crash the offensive glass. Boston's turning the ball over. Fun.

-John Hollinger (Insider only) has some thoughts on Rafer Alston suspending himself (Stan Van Gundy pretty much ejected him after that slap, benching him for the game) and the resurrection of Boston's bench. Plus, for the first time all season, the Magic actually scored against the Celtics. Now if they could only play that pesky defense.

-Sean Stancill of Bleacher Report believes the return of Courtney Lee brings one of the most intriguing matchups of the series. That between Lee and Eddie House.

-Rafer Alston has been suspended for Game Three. That certainly changes the strategy.

-John Hollinger argues that the Magic's 3-point shooting makes them a title contender rather than a pretender as many people think.

-Mike Moreau of Scouts Inc. breaks down the adjustments for Game Three. He expects Orlando to be more active defensively and play with more of a "hop in their step" to use a cliche. Losing Rafer Alston makes things even more interesting, but Moreau believes losing Alston's somewhat scattershot style of play might settle the Magic down. He predicts and Orlando win in Game Three.

-Courtney Lee is expected to play tonight, according to Brian Schmitz of The Orlando Sentinel.

-Tim Povtak of NBA FanHouse reports Stan Van Gundy accepts Alston's suspension, but is still a little peeved that Alston was suspended after Rajon Rondo was let off for his shove against Kirk Hinrich or his hit across the face of Brad Miller. Just saying.

-Ben Q Rock of 3rd Quarter Collapse breaks down the numbers from the past six quarters of futility from the Magic. The difference is actually astonishing... but not as bad as one would think. This is going to be a close series, that is the one thing for sure.

-Matt Moore of Hardwood Paroxysm reviews a history of elbows and the suspensions that did or did not come with them.

-Celtics coach Doc Rivers admits it, when Eddie House gets going he gets his team going and get under his opponent's skin. He thinks JJ Redick could do the same.

-George Diaz of The Orlando Sentinel writes about Doc Rivers the family man and Orlando resident. Because this city is as important to him as the city where he coaches, if not more.

-erivera7 of 3rd Quarter Collapse compares Anthony Johnson's playoff stats to Rafer Alston's. It is clear that both have played about the same. Johnson is not as good against the quicker point guards -- and that is what he will have to deal with tonight. But thinking back to that dark time immediately after Jameer Nelson got injured... and Johnson did well in spots. Not against Chris Paul though.

Rafer Alston suspended

Well, it's official. No hand-ringing here, everyone knew Rafer Alston was going to be suspended -- still a little upset with the timing... 5:30, it took you guys that long?

Alston did an open hand slap to the back of Eddie House's head touching off some jawing and drawing double technical fouls in last night's Game Two blowout. Stan Van Gundy made the right move and sat Alston down for the rest of the game.

It was an instance of Alston losing his cool and he got what he deserved. This is certainly not the way Orlando wants to display its toughness, but it is how they did last night.

This does mean that Anthony Johnson will get the start and we all know how that might end up. Johnson has really struggled with speedy point guards and Rajon Rondo was running circles around Alston, a much better defender.

That means, expect Courtney Lee to be rushed back into the lineup to gurad Rondo in Game Two. I would almost say, he is going to start for Alston and Johnson will come off the bench. We will see where Stan Van Gundy goes with that.

Again, we saw how that went in the regular season and the results were not encouraging.

The bottom line is: if Orlando plays hard in Game Three, it still has a chance to win. The Magic showed some great fight without Howard and I expect the same kind of things to happen in Game Three. There is fight in this team, even if they have not shown it lately.

Game 2: Boston Celtics 112, Orlando Magic 94

Rafer Alston and JJ Redick both finished the game on the bench, but probably showed the most emotion and intensity of any players on the team in a disheartening 112-94 loss in Game Two.

Both were victims to the fiery play of Eddie House. House finished with 31 points on 11-of-14 shooting and making all four of his 3-pointers, bringing out the worst in Alston and Redick.

Alston slapped House in the back of the head after he hit a 3-pointer that pretty much buried the Magic under the Celtics' third quarter onslaught that led to as much as a 26-point lead. Redick against got frustrated and was ejected after receiving a technical foul on a foul for House.

At least those two had some fight, because no one else on Orlando had the intensity to compete with a much more focused Boston team in a night where nothing could go right.

From the tip, it was clear this game was going to be much different than the Game One performance that saw the Magic build a 28-point lead and hold on for a five-point win.

Rajon Rondo was much more aggressive getting into the paint and Orlando's rotations were too slow or completely ineffective to do anything about it. Rondo recorded his third triple double of this postseason with 15 points, 11 rebounds and 18 assists. He almost had a triple double by halftime as it was clear he was going to dictate the tempo.

Unlike the beginning of Game One, Rondo was not getting trapped or forced into areas where the Magic could trap him and limit his options. He got where he wanted on the court. When that happens, the Celtics are almost impossible to beat.

Impossible enough that Paul Pierce played only 16 minutes thanks to early foul trouble in both the first and second halves. It was effectively a night off for Boston's best player.

Orlando could not take advantage of Pirece's absence -- and actually did better when Pierce was in thanks to the hot shooting of Eddie House and Ray Allen's re-emergence.

The Magic did a poor job keeping the ball moving and could not get any consistency on offense. The Celtics consistently bottled up Howard and forced him into tough shots fading away from the basket. They let Rafer Alston do what he wanted and he failed to convert or make the right pass.

More impressively, the Celtics forced Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu into tough areas to shoot and pass out of. It was a great defensive effort for the Celtics and the Magic simply could not solve it -- or did not want to.

The bottom line, is the series is tied. Orlando has home court advantage for this series now. It would have been foolish to think the Celtics could not get this game.

It is frustrating to see the Magic play so poorly. This lack of effort is becoming a nasty habit and IS a source of concern against a team with so much experience and so much poise under pressure.

This was a game where Boston was clearly the aggressor early. Orlando did not have its shots falling early -- even good looks -- and kind of packed it in.

The Magic have to learn that this feeling of being able to turn the switch on and off is unacceptable and ultimately will not work. Not this late in the postseason. When Orlando does have the effort the team knows it can compete and win this series.

Game 2 Adjustments: Magic-Celtics

1) Attack the basket!: It does not get much simpler than this. Orlando succeeded offensively when the team got to the basket and kicked it out. It failed when it stood around the perimeter, or turned the ball over.

This is not even necessarily a "Get Dwight Howard the ball" statement. This is a get something moving toward the basket. Where were the off-the-ball cuts and picks in the second half of Game One? Where was the ball movement?

The Magic were highly successful getting to the basket and even getting themselves off the 3-point line. Rashard Lewis was fantastic at pump faking and hitting that mid-range jumper in Game One. It was a great weapon that opened up a lot of 3-point opportunities as the Magic built their lead.

But the team seemed more content to jack up 3-pointers in the second half than to try and work for a better shot.

Stan Van Gundy wants his team to run at the tired Celtics this series. It does not help the Magic to stand around and eat up precious shot clock waiting for Hedo Turkoglu to get just the right screen from Dwight Howard.

The pick and roll stuff worked great, but I want to see more action of Howard cutting across the lane for post ups, or Lewis getting the ball in motion toward the hoop.

Orlando just has to constantly be going after the basket. That is how space opens up on the perimeter for shooters and that is how the offense works best.

2) Defensive Fundamentals- It sounds so simple for an NBA player, but the Magic lacked some very fundamental defensive principles in the second half. They were not keeping their man in front of them and using their hands to defend instead of their feet.

Like the last game against Boston in April, Orlando probably played the best defense it could for a little more than 24 minutes. The rotations when guys got beat was good. The help side defense was good off of screens and pick and roll situations. Even JJ Redick did a great job tailing Ray Allen and making sure he had a hand in his face and very little room to operate.

The second half lacked a lot of this defensive energy and Rajon Rondo was able to pick apart Orlando's scheme.

Expect the Magic to find a way to keep Rondo out of the paint as that is where the Celtics did most of their damage in Game One.

Overall, Boston did not do a great job scoring in the paint. Orlando was happy to concede jumpers to players like Glen Davis and Rondo. But I would expect the Celtics to have a more complete effort in Game Two. The Magic will need to focus on the basics of defense to hold on again.

3) Take care of the ball/don't succumb to pressure- Orlando did a great job poking at the ball and getting in the passing lanes throughout Game One -- even when things were not going so great. But the Celtics also did the same.

The turnovers really fed Boston's comeback and enabled the team to get some easy points. Orlando had only 12 turnovers, but there were more than a few that came from Rondo sneaking in and swiping the ball while someone was driving the lane.

Rondo did a great job pressuring the Magic's point guards and making them initiate the offense in bad positions and with less time on the shot clock. Figuring out how to get around the on-ball pressure is going to be critical for Orlando.

Usually with pressure, you try to attack it. That is what Rafer Alston is going to have to do in Game Two. He has to use Rondo's aggressive defense against him and try to get by him or create space to initiate the offense. He cannot dribble into corners or into traps or get stuck with the ball though.

This is going to be a tough problem to solve. And Alston may have to hit a few jumpers to get Rondo off his back.

Turnover-wise, the Magic just have to protect the ball better and value possessions more. It is clear even with a 28-point lead, every possession counts.

Keys to the Series: Orlando Magic vs. Boston Celtics

1) Control Rajon Rondo- this is probably the most important matchup of this series. Andre Miller showed how exposed the Magic's defense can be if it does not stop the point guard.

Rafer Alston -- and later Courtney Lee -- had their moments against Miller, but in the end the 76ers found their way into the series thanks to some fantastic play from their point guard. Rajon Rondo has had a fantastic postseason and was one of the reasons Boston ended up pulling out that series against the Bulls.

Controlling the point guard position is going to be key to this series. Rondo has really taken control of the offense and creates a lot for his team. Much like Philadelphia, Boston runs a much more efficient version of Philadelphia's half-court offense -- and I mean MUCH more efficient.

Keeping Rondo out of the paint will be the most important defensive focus of this series. He is a good enough passer to find open players beneath the basket when Dwight Howard comes out to help as the defense funnels people to him.

2) Howard Howard Howard- until Kevin Garnett comes back this series is going to be eerily familiar matchup-wise to Philadelphia. The Celtics like to go big and do not like to run as much, but there is still lots of room on the inside for Howard to maneuver.

Kendrick Perkins is one of the few guys who can defend Howard one on one very well. It is going to be integral for the Magic to get the Celtics to double team him. Even then do not expect it. So Howard is going to need to establish himself early and get the Celtics to waste their fouls on him and at least sag off the shooters.

Boston does a great job defending Orlando's 3-point shooters. It is going to take another grind it out effort for the Magic to get a win. And that always starts with getting the ball to Howard. Until Garnett gets back, this is one huge advantage Orlando has.

3) Attack- the thing the Magic really struggled with against the 76ers was continuing to attack even when 3-pointers were not falling or the looks were not there. Orlando does not need 3-pointers to win. Chasing them off the line is the right strategy, but Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis are good enough to still get their points by attacking the rim.

This was a strategy neglected until Game Six in the first round.

Orlando is an inside-out team whether Howard touches the ball or not. This is how the team has to continue to operate. The Magic have to continue to look to get Rashard Lewis different looks at the basket that take him away from the 3-point line.

This is a winnable series, but it will take a more focused effort than Orlando had in the first round. The Magic have to stick with what got them to this point and rely on strong rotations on defense.