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8 p.m., Sunday, June 7, 2009: Orlando Magic at Los Angeles Lakers
Dennis Neumann and Richie Adubato will answer the Magic Radio Internet question of the night during every game this season. E-mail your question to MagicRadio@orlandomagic.com. E-mailers could win a chance to sit courtside at a Magic home game with Dennis and Richie!


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1 2 3 4 OT F
MAGIC 15 20 30 23 8 96
LAKERS 15 20 23 25 13 101
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LOS ANGELES -- (AP) Stopped cold by a pick near the free-throw line, Kobe Bryant watched as Orlando's Courtney Lee headed toward the basket and a shot at history.

Bryant was frozen. Suddenly, the Los Angeles Lakers' march to a 15th NBA title - and his dream of a fourth - would be much tougher.

Lee's last-second shot went up, and went out.

Lucky.

The Lakers remain in control of the NBA finals - just barely.

Lee missed a potential game-winning alley-oop as regulation ended, giving Los Angeles another shot it didn't waste. Pau Gasol scored seven points in overtime and Bryant finished with 29 as the Lakers, so dominant in the series opener, survived with a 101-96 win over the Magic in Game 2 on Sunday night.

"I was obviously relieved when he missed that shot,'' Gasol said. "It could have been a heartbreaker and right now we could be in a totally different situation.''

If Orlando doesn't come back and win this series, Lee's miss may go down as one of the biggest gaffes in finals history. He had a chance to give the Magic its first finals win.

"We missed it. I don't know what else to say,'' Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. "We executed well, Hedo (Turkoglu) made a great pass. I'm not trying to be a pain ... Hedo made a great pass and he just missed it.''

Orlando may not get a better shot to beat the Lakers.

Alley-oops.

"We blew a lot of assignments tonight - a lot of assignments - and we still managed to get a win,'' Bryant said.

When it was finally over, Bryant, Derek Fisher and the Lakers jogged to the locker room, smiling and high-fiving fans along the way.

Hedo Turkoglu, who threw the perfect lob pass on Lee's ill-fated shot, trudged through the tunnel dejected, a towel hanging from his head.

Gasol added 24 and 10 rebounds and Lamar Odom 19 points for the Lakers, who won Game 1 by 25 but needed 53 minutes to put away the Magic.

Rashard Lewis scored 34 - 18 in the second quarter alone - and Dwight Howard had 17 points and 16 rebounds for Orlando.

Game 3 is Tuesday night at Orlando's Amway Arena, which will be hosting a finals game for the first time since June 9, 1995.

With the score tied at 88-88 in regulation, Lee missed the first of two late-game shots when he drove the lane and misfired on a contested layup with 10.5 seconds remaining.

The Lakers called time with 9.1 seconds to play, and after Odom caught the inbounds pass, he quickly gave it to Bryant, who drove into a crowd. Bryant attempted an off-balance 12-footer, but his shot was blocked from behind by Turkoglu with 1.8 seconds left.

The horn sounded, the clock expired to zeros and Jack Nicholson and the star-studded Staples Center crowd braced for overtime.

But the officials huddled at the scorer's table and decided to put 0.6 seconds back on the clock because Turkoglu grabbed the ball and called timeout.

Turkoglu couldn't find anyone open on the inbounds and was forced to call another timeout. On the Magic's second attempt, Lee got free on a perfectly executed play and caught Turkoglu's long lob pass as he neared the left side of the basket. But with 7-foot Gasol closing in on him, Lee's shot caromed off the backboard and front of the rim.

Howard dunked in the miss as Lee put his hands behind his head in disbelief and began a long walk back to the bench as his teammates tried to console him.

So close. So far.

"I caught it and just tried to make a play,'' Lee said. "We didn't lose the game just because I missed the layup. We could have won the game.''

Howard, who had seven of Orlando's 20 turnovers, didn't want to put too much emphasis on Lee's miss.

"We had our chances to win,'' he said. "We turned the ball over too much. That got them the win.''

Bryant, who got caught paying more attention to Orlando's outside shooters than Lee, knew how fortunate the Lakers were to hang on.

"It was just a brilliant play,'' Bryant said. "It was just a very, very smart play that he (Van Gundy) drew up. He knew my eye was more on the shooters coming up and just a hell of a play by a hell of a coach.''

Fourteen years to the day, the Magic have more finals misery.

On June 7, 1995, Orlando had a chance to put Houston away in Game 1, but Magic guard Nick Anderson missed four late free throws in a 120-118 loss to the Rockets, who went on to sweep the series.

The Magic will head home thinking about what might have been. They could be tied 1-1, and with the next three games scheduled in front of their frenzied fans, they could have denied Bryant and the Lakers their first title since 2002.

Now, in a season of comebacks, they'll need their biggest one.

Bryant, who scored 40 in the opener, finished with eight assists and seven turnovers.

Lewis transformed into Orlando's version of Bryant in the second quarter, scoring 18 of the Magic's 20 points to keep them close. The 6-foot-10 forward's size and exceptional range make him an impossible cover for the Lakers.

With Howard unable to get open and Orlando's other shooters still searching for their touch, Lewis carried the load. He made four consecutive 3-pointers to end the half and the Magic, despite shooting just 32 percent, were within 38-35 at the break.

If not for Lewis, Orlando would have been in big trouble because Howard looked hopeless.

For a long stretch, Superman was more like The Invisible Man.

At times, it seemed as if there were six or seven Lakers on the floor as they swarmed Howard, who made just 1 of 4 shots and had four turnovers.

"I was frustrated tonight and in the first game,'' Howard said. "But being the leader on my team, my teammates cannot see me frustrated. I've got to play through all the different situations and learn from them.''

Notes: Celebrities in the house included actors Jack Nicholson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Warren Beatty, and Denzel Washington, who visited with former NBA stars Gary Payton, Chris Webber and Steve Smith. "We could compete with his team,'' Washington cracked to the aging trio. "For about a quarter.'' ... The Lakers are 12-12 in Game 2s since moving from Minneapolis to Los Angeles. ... With his Game 1 performance, Bryant became just the fourth player to have at least 40 points, eight rebounds and eight assists in a finals game. Jerry West (1969), Michael Jordan (1993) and Shaquille O'Neal (2002) are the others.

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Preview:
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Behind Kobe Bryant's stone-faced mask and the icy grimace he's wearing in these finals, his eyes are laser locked on one target: His fourth NBA title.

His vision is so narrow, so sharp that he can't think about anything but a shiny championship trophy now close enough to touch.

To him, these two weeks are all that matters.

After that, it's anyone's guess.

As he and the Los Angeles Lakers practiced in advance of playing the Orlando Magic in Sunday's Game 2, Bryant, as few as three games from wrapping up his 13th season as a pro, said he has not given any thought about giving up what has been the driving force in his life.

"I don't know,'' he said when asked how much longer he'll play. "I just love the game so much still. "I just feel like there's still so much out there for me to improve on and work on. My body feels great. God willing, I stay healthy, I'll just keep going.''

Bryant, who will turn 31 in August, has an upcoming decision to make on his future. While he's under contact to make $23 million next season, he has an early termination option, which he can exercise if he so chooses this summer. The idea of a Bryant-less Lakers may be farfetched, but nothing can be assumed.

Michael Jordan was just 30 the first time he quit, stepping away to chase his dream of playing baseball.

Could Bryant, who scored 40 points in Game 1 and has been the closest thing to M.J. the league has seen, follow him and do something else?

His coach doesn't think so.

"Kobe is going to play it out for as long as he can,'' Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "He's just a player that is going to find a way regardless. When his skill level deteriorates, he's going to find a level to play at that his athleticism is going to allow. I can see him playing to 36, 37.''

There are no apparent signs that Bryant's wondrous skills are receding. In fact, and this is a scary thought for every other team in the league, Bryant may be just hitting his prime. He has become a smarter, more efficient player. He takes care of his body. His work ethic is unsurpassed. He is driven like never before.

Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy laughed when he was asked if he has seen any flaws or erosion in Bryant's magnificence.

"Yeah, I thought he dropped off quite a bit the other night,'' he quipped.

Van Gundy, who has spent the past two days devising a better scheme to slow L.A.'s No. 24, expects Bryant's game to evolve in the years ahead. Bryant won't be able to slash to the basket as often, but he'll figure out new ways of destroying defenses - just like Mike.

"That's what happened to Jordan,'' Van Gundy said. "So now even though at the end of his career he might have lost a half step or a quarter step, they get to the basket when they want to because you've got to take away that jump shot, and they just get smarter and smarter.

"Those guys get better and better.''

Jackson has seen it firsthand. He won six titles with Jordan in Chicago, and the gray-haired Zen Master is seeking his fourth with Bryant. As long as Bryant stays healthy, Jackson expects him to follow the same path toward retirement as Jordan did.

"All players that remain physically competent, as they get old, they just get better,'' Jackson said. "Their reactive ability is probably most noted on the defensive end. That's usually where they get hurt the most. But you saw guys like (Jerry) Stackhouse and Jordan playing past 35 with great ability.

"There's no reason why Kobe won't.''

With the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks opening their season at Staples Center, both teams had to work out at the Lakers' training facility on Saturday.

As the Magic shot around on L.A.'s practice floor, they could look up and see eight of the 14 Larry O'Brien Trophies won by the Lakers lined up side by side behind a second-floor window overlooking the court. It's an imposing sight for a franchise which has been to the finals just twice, has yet to win a game in either visit and got blown out in Game 1.

Van Gundy has reminded his players that they can get back in the series. Orlando shot just 30 percent from the field and center Dwight Howard made only one field goal.

The Magic have spent the entire season in comeback mode. It's time to rally again.

"We've been through it,'' said Van Gundy, who plans to keep his rotations intact for Game 2. "As the playoffs have gone on, I'm given them history lessons of just about anything that can happen in the playoffs, people being blown out at times. All of us were upset with our performances the other night; I wasn't happy with mine, I don't think they were happy with theirs. We're anxious to get back at it.''

So is Bryant.

He is consumed with winning it all, and although his body language says otherwise, Bryant insists he's having fun in his sixth finals.

"Just because you're focused on something doesn't mean you don't enjoy something,'' he said. "That's part of the fun is just figuring out how to focus and how to get ready. You can still do your job and have a good time.''

At various times, Bryant has been called aloof, selfish, moody, arrogant. Those he allows to get close to him, say he's different.

Jackson was asked the biggest misconception about Bryant.

"That he's a nice guy,'' Jackson said. "He's a killer. He's a gun slinger, and he's a guy that's going to take the weak and have no mercy on them.''

Bryant, whose obligatory news conferences have been painful because of his uptight demeanor and one-word responses, was told of his coach's portrait of him.

"He lied,'' Bryant said, smiling.

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Game Notes:
NBA Finals 2009, Game 1 – June 4 @ L.A. Lakers – Lakers 100, Magic 75: Kobe Bryant poured in a game-high 40 points, as the L.A. Lakers routed Orlando, 100-75, in Game 1 of the NBA Finals at the STAPLES Center. Pau Gasol scored 16 points for the Lakers, while Lamar Odom added 11 points and 14 rebounds. Mickael Pietrus led the Magic with 14 points, while Dwight Howard added 12 points and 15 boards. The Magic shot a playoff-low 29.9 percent from the floor and were outrebounded, 55-41. Orlando held a 33-28 lead early in the second quarter, but Los Angeles finished the first half with a 25-8 run and led 53-43 at halftime. The Lakers then outscored the Magic in the third quarter, 29-15, and never looked back. Los Angeles led by as many as 28 points during the second half.

L.A. Lakers (NBA Finals 2009): Orlando is 11-30 all-time vs. the L.A. Lakers (7-14 at home, 4-16 on the road) during the regular season, including 2-0 this season… Orlando went 0-2 last season against the Lakers...The Magic have lost 16 of the last 21 games in this series…Orlando has lost eight of the last 11 meetings at home, and snapped a 10- game losing skid at Los Angeles on Dec. 2, 2007 (104-97)… Dec. 20 vs. L.A. Lakers – Magic 106, Lakers 103: Jameer Nelson continued his red-hot play, leading the Magic with 27 points, as Orlando overcame a 10-point deficit and defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, 106-103, at a sold-out Amway Arena. It was the fourth consecutive win for the Magic and their sixth straight at home. Rashard Lewis scored 22 points, while Dwight Howard tallied 18 points and 12 rebounds. Kobe Bryant led all scorers with a season-high 41 points. The Lakers led 58-49 at halftime, as Bryant scored 25 first half points. Orlando opened the third quarter with a 9-2 run and took an 85-84 edge heading into the fourth quarter, after Nelson scored 15 points during the frame. Trailing 104-103, the Lakers got the ball back, but Sasha Vujacic missed a three-pointer from the corner with 3.9 seconds left. After Howard converted a pair of free throws, Los Angeles had one final shot. However, Bryant’s long three-point shot was off the mark and the Magic escaped with the win. Orlando held the Lakers to just 41.4 percent shooting from the field and overcame missing 15 free throws… Jan. 16 @ L.A. Lakers – Magic 109, Lakers 103: Jameer Nelson scored 28 and Dwight Howard poured in his fourth 20-point, 20- rebound performance of the season as the Orlando Magic swept the season series with the L.A. Lakers for the first time in franchise history with a 109-103 win in Los Angeles. Nelson took control of the game late in the fourth quarter, scoring 10 of the Magic’s final 12 points, including two three-pointers and four free throws over the final 1:26 to extend Orlando’s winning streak to six games. The Magic, who outrebounded L.A. 54-40, held the Lakers to below 40 percent shooting in the game despite Kobe Bryant’s triple-double performance of 28 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists.
BEST ALL-TIME SCORING PERFORMANCE VS. LAKERS: 46 pts., Shaquille O’Neal (@ Orlando, 3-8-95)
BEST ALL-TIME SCORING PERFORMANCE VS. MAGIC: 41 pts., Kobe Bryant (@ Orlando, 11-12-04, @ Orlando, 12-20-08)

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