If you are going to lose game one, this is the absolute worst way to do it. But leaving out the fourth quarter (hard to do and/or think about at this point), Orlando played some pretty solid basketball. It has been a long time since the Magic have played meaningful games and they have had a tendency to go on and off.

Hopefully, like Detroit against a certain team from Philadelphia last year, this is the wake up call and the Magic go out and dominate game two. I think we ALL underestimated the 76ers, but it was clear even today that the Magic are a superior team. No reason to panic yet.

It’s ok folks. We had a rough end to the season, and we missed some key players for a few games. Tack this game on to that rough end, but we’re not looking at a long string of awfulness.

Bottom line: Magic in game 2 will look like an entirely different team than the one you saw tonight. There were some flashes of competency during the third, but we just didn’t come out to play. Philly will get put in their place in game 2. If not, my parents will be throwing beer bottles on the court with 30 seconds left in the game! (Absolutely kidding, but did anyone else see the end of the Nuggets/Hornets game? That was over the line.)

…at a bar and grill by the Mandalay Beach area where I was swimming here in Las Vegas Sunday. I saw the 76ers making shot after shot after shot, and I’m thinking… Geez, don’t these guys ever miss? When Iguodala made that final shot, I just about died!

I’m appalled at the Magic blowing a 14 point fourth quarter lead, but I give the 76ers a lot of credit… they played out of their minds in the final quarter. They made 13 of their final 16 shots of the game, and they were 5 of 7 from three point range in the final quarter. Compare that to the Magic, who shot 7 of 19 (36.8%) and 2 of 6 (33.3%) from long range in that final quarter.

The 76ers’ reserves absolutely dominated the Magic reserves, outscoring them 42-13, including making an unbelievable 7 of 9 three pointers.

The Magic did not do my wallet any favors. I wagered Orlando and Denver in a two-team straight-up moneyline parlay. Denver did their job, but it didn’t matter, thanks to the Magic’s collapse.

Oh well, I had a great afternoon soaking up the sun and swimming here in Vegas. If the Magic can win Game 2, they will be alright.

..that we will NEVER duplicate a 7/12 performance from downtown, including 5 treys in the fourth (!)

At the same time, I hope and think Lee will slow down a little bit, and Howard won’t go 9/12 from the line often.

Our edge on the bench could make this series more balanced than we (all) thought.

Just FYI Sixers won Game 1 and were up 2-1 last year vs Detroit and then lost three in a row.

The way you lost is more disheartening, though, now we’ll see Magic’s mental toughness, they have to bounce back immediately after such a game

So this is what you mean by 4th quarter collapse.

WE GOTTA BOUNCE BACK
April 20th, 2009

I’m as upset as anyone that we let an 18-point lead get away from us on Sunday and lost Game 1 to Philly. We normally don’t do that sort of thing and have been really good this season at closing teams out, but we let the Sixers get the momentum in the fourth quarter and we just couldn’t stop them.

I felt going into the game that everyone was ready to play. I think we kind of got worried about the offensive side too much. We knew we could score, but we have to stop the other team if we want to win. Philly can put up good numbers. They shot the ball well and Donyell Marshall p layed 25 games all season and he hit some big threes. We can’t let a team keep their confidence going.

When we come out in the next game on Wednesday, we have to let those guys know that we’re going to dominate from the tip.

Our effort has to be better, especially on the defensive end. Our defensive effort, as a whole, wasn’t there. There were a lot of the plays that gave Philly momentum and those six or seven points throughout could win a game or a series. For Game 2, we have to have a better effort on the defensive end and everyone has to know what certain players do.

There’s no need to panic. It’s just the first game. But we do need to come out with a better effort on the defensive end. We have to get back on defense and cut our turnovers down because Phi lly loves to run. And we have to keep both Andres out of the paint.
We’ll be much better in Game 2, trust me. And we won’t be letting another 18-point lead slip away.

CHILL. — DWIGHT

However, the team that wins game 1 wins 75% of the time, let’s be that rare 25% !!

1. Dwight’s Injury
2. Stan waiting to call a timeout during their late run.
3. Hedo and Shard absolutely disappearing down the stretch.
4. Turk giving up the cakes on defense. I swear whoever Turk was guarding was getting off.
5. Not enough Dwight down the stretch.

I would like to see what a lineup with a bigger presence in the middle can do the down the strech,especially with Shard and Hedo nursing injuries.
1. Raf
2. C. Lee/Shard
3. Hedo/Shard
4. Gortat/Battie
5. D Howard

That fat man is in the game for one reason and one reason only, to launch three pointers. I’m actually disappointed in SVG for not having his players aware of that. You face guard fatty if you have to, you don’t let him stand unattended around the perimeter. He made three uncontested threes last night in the closing minutes, totally unacceptable.

But those offensive rebounds were killer. I couldn’t believe we could not gobble those up. I actually like the fact that for most of the game, we were able to lead w/o taking a ton of 3s. Rashard was posting up and that is such an under-rated part of his game I’m glad they went to it. Reddick was out there too long tho.

But I think to start the 4th, Philly had Iguodala, Ivey, Marshall, Williams, and Ratliff in the game. That is not a lineup that should beat us but they did.

Just a huge disappointment.

Per the AP:
ORLANDO, Fla. — Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard says he’s going to get his eyes examined after he was inadvertently scratched by Philadelphia 76ers center Samuel Dalembert.

Howard said Monday he would see an eye doctor but that the injury won’t keep him sidelined for Game 2 against the 76ers on Wednesday night.

Dalembert swiped Howard’s eyes reaching for the ball late in the third quarter of Philadelphia’s 100-98 win over the Magic on Monday night and was called for a foul.

Howard said he was “seeing just a whole bunch of crazy stuff” when he closed his eyes and felt a “pulsating” sensation when they were open.

I cheered like a madman when the Magic were up by 18. I felt worried when Philly whittled away from the Magic lead. I punched my couch’s pillow and yelled obscenities when Igoudala made that great shot while scaring my girlfriend in the process.

Still, I got over it one second after the game because I still like the Magic’s chances to plow through. And like it was said earlier, a longer series might ultimately benefit Orlando if they can make it to the 2nd round (no longer a sure bet). With that said, I will become really worry if the 76ers can take the second game.