Game 4 Adjustments: Magic-Sixers

1) Be the aggressor- it is pretty simple what Orlando has to do. The Magic are the better team in this series. The only problem is they do not play that way. Instead of getting after Philadelphia and taking advantage of the team's weaknesses, Orlando has sat back and let Philadelphia implement its game plan.

The Magic have given the Sixers a healthy does of Dwight Howard. They have successfully made Philadelphia pay for leaving Courtney Lee and/or Rafer Alston open. Now they only have to get Rashard Lewis involved.

Lewis seemed to get back into rhythm at the end of the game Friday. But it is still clear he is struggling to get open. The answer? Attack the glass.

This goes back to being the aggressor.

Orlando has seemed to sit back and try to impose its will. And it can do that, but it cannot expect to do that. This is the Playoffs and coach Tony DiLeo has done a fantastic job adjusting to the Magic and getting his players to play hard. Orlando simply has to match that.

When the Magic are the aggressive team, they have blown the Sixers out of the water. That is getting to the rim. Getting it inside to Howard and making the extra pass. All things Orlando has done the past 82 games... just not lately.

2) Mix it up- I am not going to lie. I have begun to question Stan Van Gundy a little bit and am beginning to give Shaquille O'Neal some credence. This is not the time to question your leader and he started to push the right buttons in Game 3. But the lack of effort in this entire series has bothered me. And it starts with Van Gundy.

Would having Jameer Nelson help? Absolutely. I think this series is over if the Magic have Jameer Nelson.

So what can Van Gundy now? He needs to mix things up a little bit. Something is not working and the Magic have tried nothing to fix it.

More than one player -- Howard and Marcin Gortat -- has questioned Van Gundy's methods. So he has got to change something. I am not asking him to stop yelling, that is part of who he is. And honestly, he is the best coach in Magic history.

But something has to change. When guys were struggling tonight, I thought he should have gone to JJ Redick. Mickael Pietrus was playing well, why wasn't he getting any looks instead of the struggling Hedo Turkoglu?

These are the kinds of things that Van Gundy might just need to try to mix things up and get this team to play harder.

Orlando looks real tense and tight right now. There is a lot of pressure on them to perform (did Kevin Garnett's injury put even more pressure on them with an easier path to the Conference Finals even?) nad it looks like it is getting to them.

Van Gundy needs to lighten the mood in the locker room and get them playing easier. I do not know how to get that done. But it needs to get done. Maybe Howard needs another one of those players-only meetings.

3) Don't panic- yes the Magic are the better team and have simply played horribly this entire series. But even with a Game 3 loss, it is no time to panic. This is still a five-game series and home court advantage can be retaken.

2-1 is certainly not 3-1.

Orlando needs to play with urgency and play with their backs against the wall. But the series is far from over even with the Game 3 loss. There are still plenty of chances to take care of business and win this series.

If you have read to this point, you see that none of these points are strategic. I really do think that Orlando's problems are all mental. I am not worried with the Magic being able to beat the Sixers when both teams are playing their best. The problem is Orlando has not played its best this series.

Game 4 is certainly not the point to be starting, but the Magic are in a position where they can still win this series despite it.