Magic Take Decisive Game One

The Magic came out today and answered every question facing them in the playoffs except one; Can they hold onto a lead?

The 3 ball was there, the defense was there, the inside game was there. Even though they won the game 114-100, the Magic had an unbelievable first half with an NBA record 11 three pointers which can be credited as a major factor in the win. Orlando letting a 24 point lead creep down to 5 in the 4th quarter may be a little worrisome. Even though they won the game 114-100, the Magic had an unbelievable first half with an NBA record 11 three pointers which can be credited as a major factor in the win. To the Magic's credit, they closed out the 4th quarter scare with a 10-0 run to put the game in the books which goes to show how much this team has matured this year. Early in the season I would have put my money on the Magic losing today's game by three points once the lead got down to 5, but along with a team maturation it seems Dwight Howard has stepped into the spotlight and accepted his responsibility. At one point he was 8-8 from the free-throw line which is an amazing accomplishment for Dwight. If he can continue his solid three-throw shooting, the Magic might have a "magical" run in them. How can the Superman Nay-Sayers argue with 25 points, 22 rebounds, 5 blocks, and 81% at the line compared to his regular season 59%.

An unsung hero of the game was Jameer Nelson whom in pre-game interviews told the media he was ready to step up and prove he can shut down the excellent point-guard duo of T.J Ford and Jose Calderon. Jameer backed his words up today as Ford and Calderon shot an uncharacteristic combined 4-20 from the field. Jameers defense or bad day by the two? I'll take Jameer stepping up and getting the job done.

The series is by no means dictated by this first game but you have to love the way the Magic got up early and responded to a charge by the Raptors. In the NBA, teams are going to make runs and today the Magic showed they can handle it as well as the best teams in the league.

Notable Performances:

Dwight Howard - 25 Points; 22 Rebounds; 5 Blocks
Jameer Nelson - 24 Points; 7 Assists
Hedo Turkoglu - 21 Points; 6 Rebounds; 6 Assists
Maurice Evans - 14 Points; 66% from 3 Point Line