The Official Site of JJ Redick

Fri, Jun 5th 2009, 08:27

MAGIC STRUGGLE MIGHTILY IN 100-75 GAME 1 LOSS TO LAKERS

Kobe Bryant was never better, scoring a career playoff-high 40 points. And the Orlando Magic were never worse offensively than they were Thursday night, making just 23 field goals and a dismal 29.9 percent of their shots.

That stunning combination led to an ugly night for a Magic team that was celebrating the franchise’s first return to the NBA Finals in 14 seasons.

Kobe’s brilliance and the Magic’s struggles produced a shocking 100-75 loss for Orlando in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, one that will likely test the Magic’s playoff resolve now.

``We had been playing great, but (Thursday) we just didn’t have it. Unfortunately, it had to come for us in the first game of the NBA Finals,’’ said Magic forward Rashard Lewis.

Game 2 isn’t until Sunday night, giving the Magic two days to digest what was a rather unsightly, lopsided loss. Orlando had beaten the Lakers twice this season and in three of the past four meetings the past two seasons, but the Lakers ended this one early with a dominant performance in the second and third quarters.

``Clearly after the first quarter we were totally dominated at both ends of the floor and on the boards, and so I think the biggest thing for us going forward in this series is we need to find a starting point, something we can hang our hat on,’’ Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. ``We’ve obviously got to do a better job of protecting the paint. Fifty-six points in the paint (allowed), and we’ve got to do a better job of rebounding the ball. I think that’s where we need to start.’’

The Magic actually led 24-22 after one period and by as many as five points early in the second quarter, but that’s when Bryant unleashed an offensive onslaught that few will soon forget.

A dazzling second quarter gave him 18 points by halftime and he was even more breathtaking in the third period when he abused the Magic for 18 more points. For the game, he made 16 of 34 shots, all eight of his free throws and added eight rebounds and eight assists to go with his 40 points.

Orlando’s J.J. Redick, who scored three points in almost eight minutes of action, had the best luck of anyone on Bryant, forcing four misses on five shot attempts. The problem was, of course, that the Lakers were already comfortably ahead by that time.

``I just want it so bad, that’s all,’’ Kobe said of possibly winning his fourth championship. ``I just want it really bad. You just put everything you have into the game and your emotions kind of flow out of you.’’

Orlando’s Dwight Howard, fresh off a 40-point effort in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals, had just one field goal and scored 12 points.

And Howard was hardly alone in his struggles offensively. Hedo Turkoglu missed eight of 11 shots and Lewis missed eight of 10 shots. And guards Rafer Alston (seven misses in nine tries) and Courtney Lee (seven misses in 10 attempts) weren’t any better. In all, Orlando’s starting five made just 11 of 46 shots, leading to reserve guard Mickael Pietrus being the leading scorer with 14 points.

Cracked Howard following the game: ``Hmmm, 29 percent. But look, J.J. was 1-for-2,’’ referring to the long 3-pointer that J.J. made with less than 3 minutes to play.

It was one of the few bright spots on a night when the Magic’s struggles spread team-wide. This time, Orlando didn’t have the great equalizer – the 3-point shot – to even things out. The starters made just four of 15 from 3-point range and all together Orlando hit just eight of 23 tries from beyond the arc.

An Orlando team that once made a NBA-record 23 3-pointers earlier this season had just 23 field goals combined in Game 1. That’s the second-worst offensive output in Finals history.

Now, a Magic team that has been so resilient all playoffs, bouncing back from series deficits against Philadelphia and Boston, and a buzzer-beating game-winner from LeBron James in the Eastern Conference Finals, must try and recover from this lopsided loss in Game 1.

``We’ve got a long way to go to get back into this thing,’’ Van Gundy said. ``We’ve got to play a lot better. But we’ve been a team that’s bounced back all year. I think our guys will bounce back with a much better effort on Sunday.’’