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!
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F | |
| LAKERS | 26 | 30 | 20 | 23 | 99 |
| MAGIC | 28 | 18 | 15 | 25 | 86 |
Video:
|
Now Playing: Finals Practice: Rashard Lewis | More Videos |
|
Finals Practice: Rafer Alston
Finals Practice: Mickael Pietrus
Finals Practice: Courtney Lee
Game 4 RecapRecap:
ORLANDO, Fla.(AP) Kobe Bryant pulled Phil Jackson close, embracing his coach and looking him straight in the eyes. After all they'd been through, this was their moment, their championship, their time. This was the one to top all the others.
The one without Shaq.
The one to pass Red.
Bryant's seven-year chase of a coveted championship is finally over. He's got his fourth title, and Jackson his record 10th. One year after failing in the finals, Bryant and the Lakers have redemption, and all the rewards that go with it.
The Lakers earned their 15th title on Sunday night as Bryant scored 30 points and Pau Gasol added 14 and 15 rebounds in a 99-86 Game 5 win over the Orlando Magic, who ran out of comebacks.
It took longer than Bryant expected, but he has stepped out of former teammate Shaquille O'Neal's enormous shadow - at last. His fourth championship secured a strong case can be made for Bryant being the league's best player since Michael Jordan hung up his sneakers.
Bryant, who averaged 32.4 points and was named finals MVP, said the can-he-win-without-Shaq talk annoyed him.
"It was like Chinese water torture,'' he said. "I would cringe every time. I was just like, it's a challenge I'm just going to have to accept because there's no way I'm going to argue it. You can say it until you're blue in the face and rationalize it until you're blue in the face, but it's not going anywhere until you do something about it.
"I think we as a team answered the call because they understood the challenge that I had, and we all embraced it.''
O'Neal, now with the Phoenix Suns, was glad to see Bryant win another title.
"Congratulations kobe, u deserve it,'' O'Neal said on his Twitter page. "You played great. Enjoy it my man enjoy it.''
Bryant's coach now stands alone.
Jackson, the chilled-out, bow-legged Zen Master who won six league titles in the 1990s with Jordan in Chicago, now has won four with Los Angeles and broke a tie with legendary Boston coach Red Auerbach as the winningest coach in finals history.
"I'll smoke the cigar tonight in memory of Red,'' Jackson said. "He was a great guy.''
Bryant and Jackson, whose relationship strained and briefly snapped under the weight of success, are again at the top of their games.
Together.
Jackson, who once called Bryant "a selfish player'' now sees the 30-year-old in a far different light.
"He's learned how to become a leader in a way in which people want to follow him,'' Jackson said. "That's really important for him to have learned that because he knew that he had to give to get back in return, and so he's become a giver rather than just a guy that a demanding leader. That's been great for him and great to watch.''
Nothing was going to stop Bryant, who spent the postseason scowling, snarling, baring his teeth and all but breathing fire at anything in his path. For weeks, the All-Star has worn his game face. His daughters called him Grumpy. Only when the victory was his in the final seconds did he allow himself to smile.
"I was just completely locked in,'' he said. "I was grumpy for a while and now I'm just ecstatic, like a kid in a candy store.''
After the final horn, Bryant leaped into the air and was quickly engulfed by his teammates, who bounced around the floor of Amway Arena. Bryant then gave his long, heartfelt hug and shared a few words with Jackson before sweeping up his little girls, both wearing gold Lakers dresses, into his arms.
It was just as he dreamed.
"It finally felt like a big old monkey was off my back,'' he said. "It felt so good to be able to have this moment. For this moment to be here and to reflect back on the season and everything that you've been through, it's top of the list, man.''
Bryant had come up short twice in the finals before, in 2004 with O'Neal against Detroit, and again last season against the Celtics in the renewal of the league's best rivalry. The Lakers were beaten in six games, losing the finale in Boston by 39 points, a humiliating beatdown that Bryant and his teammates had trouble shaking.
They went to training camp with one goal in mind. This was going to be their season, and except for a few minor missteps, it was.
In the locker room afterward, Bryant made sure Jackson got a champagne shower.
"He took his glasses off, threw his head back and soaked it all in because this is a special time,'' Bryant said. "For us to be the team that got him that historic 10th championship is special for us.''
After beating Utah in the first round, Los Angeles was forced to go seven games against Houston, which lost center Yao Ming to an injury. The Lakers then took care of Denver in six games, setting up a matchup with the shoot-from-their-hips Magic, who made their first visit to the finals since O'Neal took them there in 1995.
Orlando will be haunted by moments in a series that swung on a few plays and had two overtime games.
After losing Game 1 by 25 points, the Magic had their chance in Game 2 but rookie Courtney Lee missed an alley-oop layup in the final second of regulation. In Game 4, Dwight Howard clanged two free throws with 11.1 seconds, and the Magic allowed Derek Fisher to nail a game-tying 3-pointer to force OT.
Howard, the Magic's superhero center, was hardly a factor in Game 5. He scored 11 points, took just nine shots and never got a chance to get going. Rashard Lewis scored 18 points, but was only 3 of 12 on 3s for Orlando, which after living on the 3, finally died by it.
The Magic went just 8 of 27 from long range.
"I thought our guys fought hard,'' coach Stan Van Gundy said. "But they just had an answer for everything.''
Orlando was trying to become the first team to overcome a 3-1 deficit in the finals. They had rallied to knock off Philadelphia and Boston, and then upset LeBron James and Cleveland in the conference finals. The Magic always felt they had a shot at history.
Bryant, though, wouldn't be denied his place.
Orlando's magical mystery tour came to a quick end.
"It hurts,'' Howard said. "It hurts a lot. But you can learn a lot from losing. Sometimes you've got to lose to win.''
As teammates, Bryant and O'Neal were nearly unbeatable on the court. Off it, there were problems.
The pair won three straight titles together from 2000-02, but the Bryant-O'Neal dynasty became dysfunctional as both fought for control with Jackson publicly siding with his All-Star center. It all eventually crumbled in 2004 when O'Neal was traded to the Miami Heat.
Bryant was blamed for the breakup, and as the years passed, his many critics said he couldn't win one by himself. He couldn't, but the addition of Gasol, who came over in a stunning trade from Memphis last season, filled O'Neal's massive void at center and gave Bryant help.
Fisher, who has four rings himself, came back to L.A. after stints in Golden State and Utah and became a steadying force. If not for his two key 3-pointers in Game 4, this series would still be going.
The Lakers were anything but The Kobe Show.
They got help from their entire roster as Odom, Trevor Ariza and Andrew Bynum, who missed most of last season and the playoffs with a knee injury, came through.
It all came together.
"To have the attitude of we're going to become a better defensive team, a better rebounding team and then to actually do it and to see it all happen, it feels like I'm dreaming.
"I can't believe this moment is here.''
Notes: Jackson received a congratulatory phone call from Calif. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. ... Bryant had five assists and led the Lakers in each game.
Back to top
Live Baseline Blog:
Back to top
Preview:
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Dwight Howard has his bags packed.
Showing off an it's-not-over-yet smile and a confident attitude, the Orlando Magic center said Saturday that the NBA finals will be headed back to Los Angeles. The Magic are down 3-1 to the Lakers but want to "make history," starting with Game 5 on Sunday in their final home game of the best season in franchise history.
"You want me to get up here and say the season is going to be over tomorrow? That's not what anybody should do or anybody should think," Howard said. "I believe that we're going to be going back to L.A."
Magic coach Stan Van Gundy wanted to make sure his team didn't lose hope.
So he called players in for a rare day-after-game meeting Friday to make sure his team had moved on from its Game 4 meltdown. Van Gundy, who hardly ever gives speeches or motivational pep talks, delivered one at the meeting about Greg LeMond's come back in the 1989 Tour de France he hopes will light a spark.
"He had come from behind and then taken the lead and then lost it on one of the late stages, and people started to write him off," Van Gundy said. "And at the end of the stage he looked beaten, and he and his wife were talking when they left, and they asked his wife what he had said.
"And he said, 'It'll just make the story all that much better when I come back and win it all.'"
The Magic's challenge might be just as difficult.
But Van Gundy doesn't want his team to believe they can win Game 5 unless they first believe they can still win the championship. That would take a record rally -- no team in 29 previous tries has won the title after being down 3-1 in the finals.
"I think when you're in this situation, the key thing is do you still believe you can win the championship?" Van Gundy said. "If you don't think you can go to L.A. and win the championship, then even though you're saying one game at a time, it's pretty easy to let go if things aren't going well."
Orlando has had a season filled with rallies.
All-Star point guard Jameer Nelson went out with a shoulder tear in February. The Magic lost on two buzzer-beaters in the playoffs, twice rallied from a series deficit, won a Game 7 in Boston and knocked out MVP LeBron James and the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers.
Winning three straight against the best-in-the-west Lakers is another story. Even so, the Magic believe they can be the first team to mount such a comeback.
"Why not?" Magic forward Hedo Turkoglu asked.
It would take a big turnaround.
The Magic had 17 turnovers, missed 15 free throws and fell apart on defense in their Game 4 loss. The Lakers exposed their point guard struggles and clamped down on All-Star Rashard Lewis, who had just six points on 2-of-10 shooting from the field.
Howard's missed free throws followed by Derek Fisher's 3-pointer to force overtime left Orlando devastated. The Magic scored only four points in OT, struggling to find their rhythm.
But the past has meant little before with Orlando.
The Magic, a streaky team that can dazzle one minute and disappear the next, have been able to rally from tough losses simply by making baskets if their potent shooters can get hot. Orlando shot a finals-record 62.5 percent -- and 75 percent in the first half -- in its Game 3 win after missing a chance to take Game 2.
But this is the Magic's last chance to show their resiliency. There will be no more bounce-back games if they lose, only elimination.
It's a challenge they welcome.
"We want to try to make history," Howard said. "We've done a lot of things this year as far as a team and individuals and reaching a lot of different goals and breaking records and stuff like that, so why not try and do something else?"
Back to top
Game Notes:
NBA Finals 2009, Game 4 – June 11 vs. L.A. Lakers – Lakers 99, Magic 91 (OT): Derek Fisher connected on two key three-pointers – the first with 4.6 seconds left in regulation to tie the game, then another with 31.3 seconds left in overtime to give Los Angeles the lead – as the Lakers defeated Orlando, 99-91 in overtime, in Game 4 of the NBA Finals at a sold-out Amway Arena. The Lakers lead the series, 3-1. Kobe Bryant scored a game-high 32 points for Los Angeles, while Trevor Ariza and Pau Gasol each added 16 points. Hedo Turkoglu led the Magic with 25 points, while Dwight Howard tallied 16 points, 21 rebounds and an NBA Finals-record nine blocked shots. The Magic led 49-37 at halftime, but could not hold off a furious third quarter rally by the Lakers. Los Angeles outscored Orlando, 30-14 and took a 67-63 heading into the fourth. A jumper by Turkoglu with 1:34 left gave the Magic an 87-82 edge, but they could not close the game out. With 11.1 seconds left and holdinga three-point lead, Howard missed a pair of free throws to give the ball back to the Lakers. Fisher’s three-pointer from the right wing tied the game at 87 and forced overtime. Orlando committed 19 turnovers during the game and was 22-of-37 from the charity stripe.
NBA Finals 2009, Game 3 – June 9 vs. L.A. Lakers – Magic 108, Lakers 104: Dwight Howard and Rashard Lewis led a balanced Magic attack with 21 points each, as Orlando defeated Los Angeles, 108-104, in Game 3 of the NBA Finals at a sold-out Amway Arena. The Lakers still lead the series, 2-1. Orlando shot an NBA Finals-record 62.5 percent from the floor (40-64), including a Finals record 75 percent (24-32) during the first half. Rafer Alston poured in 20 points for the Magic, while Mickael Pietrus added 18 points off the bench. Kobe Bryant scored 31 points to lead the Lakers, while Pau Gasol added 23 points on 9-of-11 shooting from the field. Bryant had 17 points during the first quarter alone, helping Los Angeles grab an early 31-27 edge. However, the Magic responded in the second quarter, outscoring the Lakers 32-23 and led 59-54 at halftime. During the fourth quarter, the Lakers went on a 17-8 run and tied the game at 99 with 2:41 left following a pair of free throws by Gasol. However, the Magic never relinquished the lead and got back into the series.
NBA Finals 2009, Game 2 – June 7 @ L.A. Lakers – Lakers 101, Magic 96 (OT): Kobe Bryant scored 29 points, while Pau Gasol added 24 points and 10 rebounds, as the L.A. Lakers edged Orlando, 101-96 in overtime, in Game 2 of the NBA Finals at the STAPLES Center. The Lakers lead the series, 2-0. Lamar Odom scored 19 points on 8-of-9 shooting from the field for Los Angeles. Rashard Lewis led the Magic with 34 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists. Hedo Turkoglu scored 22 points and Dwight Howard tallied 17 points, 16 rebounds, four steals and four blocked shots. After trailing at halftime, 40-35, Orlando outscored Los Angeles during the third quarter, 30-23, and took a 65-63 edge heading into the fourth. With 47.7 seconds left in regulation, Turkoglu hit a long jumper to give the Magic an 88-86 lead. The Lakers tied the score on a Gasol layup with 33.5 remaining. After consecutive misses by both teams, Orlando had a chance to win it at the buzzer, but a layup on an alley-oop by Courtney Lee would not drop, forcing overtime. In the extra session, the Lakers went on a 9-2 run, keyed by seven points from Gasol, and escaped with the win.
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)
Back to top
