Game 2 Adjustments: Magic-Sixers

Still trying to wrap my head around what happened Sunday night in Orlando. The Magic had a perfect opportunity to knock the 76ers right out of this series and make it a rout. Instead they probably gave a young team loads of confidence and will have to fight it out over six or seven games.

Which leads me to my first point:

1) Dominate the first six minutes- it is no secret Orlando has been a second half team, really all season. The team likes to let teams hang around and then turn on that switch. It is clear that was what was happening in the second and third quarters of game one. But when the Magic went to turn that switch back on in the fourth, it did not work and the 76ers became the aggressors.

Now Philadelphia should have a lot of confidence on the road and should feel like it can impose some of its will on Orlando. That is not so and I think the Magic know that.

How do they prove it? Take a 10-point lead in the first six minutes. Use the first quarter as a statement that the fourth quarter of game one was a complete fluke. Show that you will not be pushed around in your house.

Perhaps we were all a little jaded with the Sixers. Except for the first meeting in Orlando, Philadelphia played Orlando very close in both games. It should not have been a surprise to see a tight battle. But it was also clear that the Magic can blow the 76ers out.

That is what they need to do in Game 2. Blow them out from start to finish.

How do they do that? Well...

2) Believe in Dwight Howard- I said this in my preview, but I think Howard is in for a big series. He did not disappoint with a monstrous 31-point, 16-rebound effort in game one. But where was he in the fourth quarter? Even as Philadelphia completed their run, Orlando regained some control of the game by getting the ball to Howard.

When Howard does not touch the ball. Bad things happen. Bad things like blowing an 18-point lead on your home floor. Bad things like Howard grabbing only six rebounds (only) in the second half.

Howard needs to be involved in the offense. When things go wrong, you get the ball to Dwight Howard. It should not have to be said any more times. He frees up the 3-point shooters even if he does not get up a shot. He does not have to score 31 points every game in this series, but he can if he has to.

The third quarter lead was built up because of Howard's presence in the paint and the unselfish passing around the perimeter. I wonder how many hockey assists Howard had Sunday night. He officially finished with two, but it seemed like he was creating a lot more scoring opportunities.

Yet in the fourth quarter, it seemed like he disappeared. I had to yell at my TV at the Magic not to "stop (insert explitive)'ing around and get the ball to Howard" as the lead slowly crumbled. This team needs to work inside-out. Orlando will not shoot this poorly from the 3-point line again -- unless Hedo Turkoglu's injury is worse than he is letting on which might be so thanks to his struggling six points on two-of-eight shooting.

3) Control the glass- the one thing that has to concern Stan Van Gundy was the work on the defensive glass by Orlando. It literally cost them the game. Donyell Marshall's game-tying 3-pointer came off an offensive rebound.

Philadelphia grabbed seven in outrebounding Orlando. With a guy like Howard in the paint, the Magic have to focus on rebounding and might even have to be more willing to send more than Howard to secure rebounds.

Philadelphia is a team that takes advantage of your mistakes and simply tries to outwork you by running the fast break and scavenging on the glass. Orlando has to try and limit those opportunities. One way is to secure every defensive rebound and limit this poor jump-shooting team to just one shot on every trip.

Prediction: It is clear that Orlando now has to play with some Playoff urgency. The Magic have been sitting around and waiting for Sunday for about a month now and have not played any meaningful games in a while. When push came to shove, it was clear Orlando was a step behind Philadelphia, a team that was fighting for its playoff lives for the last month.

That playoff urgency should be back in Game 2. I do not expect the Magic to come out and steamroll the Sixers like I think they should. But I expect a much more focused effort. And as Cleveland learned, a focused Orlando team is very difficult to handle. The Magic will win Game 2 and send the series back to Philadelphia tied.