Game 3 of the NBA finals has moved to Orlando with the Los Angeles Lakers holding a two games to none lead.
Game 3 of the NBA finals has moved to Orlando with the Los Angeles Lakers holding a two games to none lead.
A botched layup by Magic rookie Courtney Lee is perhaps the biggest reason why these finals are not tied and why Kobe Bryant isn't smiling even with his team up 2-0. That level of seriousness might be cause for Orlando to grimace.
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The Magic nearly returned from Los Angeles with the best-of-seven series tied. Instead, they're down 2-0, and now Bryant has a promise for Game 3.
For all the bravado, the Lakers can be careless. They let Houston extend a series despite the absence of Yao Ming. Denver outmuscled and outhustled a Lakers team that seemed to lose its enthusiasm until Game 6 of the conference finals.
Los Angeles believes those days are over.
"We're playing tougher," forward Pau Gasol said. "We understand what it takes to go get the championship."
This is a franchise closing in on its 15th title. It is facing Magic team still searching for its first finals victory.
Bryant insists this is no time to get comfortable.
"What's there to be happy about?" he asked. "The job's not finished."
Orlando has been able to come back from seemingly every heartbreak this season injuries, four last-second losses in the playoffs and series deficits in two rounds. But this could be too tough a challenge. Only three teams have won a title after losing the first two games in the finals.
"We've just got to go home and take care of business," Magic centre Dwight Howard said. "The Lakers did a good job of protecting their home, and now it's our turn to do the same thing. We've been in some tough situations. We've just got to fight our way out."
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