June 9, 2009 (Part 3); Lee's miss cost them Game 2

What was a perfectly designed play ultimately cost the Orlando Magic the game.

With 0.6 seconds left in regulation, Hedo Turkoglu was assigned as the inbounder. A screen was provided by Rashard Lewis to the rookie Courtney Lee, with whom Turkoglu lobbed the ball to. Lee received the ball dead-on in the air, boards the ball up, but misses the layup.

The game went into overtime.

The Lakers pretty much owned the overtime period. Lewis made the final hurrah for the Magic as he reduced the Laker lead to just three points, 99-96. But that was all she wrote for the Magic as they succomb to a 0-2 deficit.

The Lakers won the game, 101-96, to grab the commanding lead in the Finals series.

The loss came on the 14th anniversary of Orlando's NBA Finals debut, which was an equally painful one. Poised to beat the defending champions Houston Rockets in Game 1, the Magic watched Nick Anderson brick four consecutive free throws late in the game with a chance to put it away and ended up losing 120-118 in overtime.

Same date, same painful June 8 ending for the Magic.

Kobe Bryant led the charge for the Lakers with 29 points on 10 out of 22 from the field, with 4 rebounds, 8 assists and 2 steals. Pau Gasol finished with a double-double, scoring 24 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals. Lamar Odom had 19 points and 8 rebounds off the bench, while Derek Fisher had 12 points, 3 assists and 3 steals.

Rashard Lewis led the Magic with 34 points on 12 out of 21 from the field, with 11 rebounds and 7 assists. Hedo Turkoglu had 22 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists, while Dwight Howard contributed with 17 points, 16 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals on a losing effort.

Game 3 will be played tomorrow morning at 9:00 AM from the Amway Arena in Orlando, Florida.

Game 2
NBA Finals
Orlando 96
LA Lakers 101
Final/OT
STAPLES Center, Los Angeles, California
ORL: Rashard Lewis- 34 pts, 11 rebs, 7 assts, 1 stl.
LAL: Kobe Bryant- 29 pts, 4 rebs, 8 assts, 2 stls.
Lakers lead series 2-0
Game 3 tomorrow, June 10 at 9:00 AM from the Amway Arena in Orlando, Florida.

There you have it!

RP Team news up ahead!

The Wizard was here... :)