NBA Playoffs

vs(From the Associated Press)  -  The Celtics were supposed to be too old, too hurt, too inconsistent.

Boston coach Doc Rivers knew better.

The team that muddled through its last 54 regular-season games with a 27-27 record is headed to the NBA finals after winning Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals over the Orlando Magic 96-84 Friday night.

“The first thing we said when we got in the locker room is this is where we thought we would be,” Rivers said. “So don’t be surprised. This is what we talked about before the season started.”

An 86-77 win at Orlando on Christmas Day gave the Celtics a 23-5 record. Then injuries to Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce took their toll and the Celtics were content to give them and others time to heal even if it meant risking losing games late in the season.

The strategy paid off and now Boston will play Los Angeles or Phoenix with a chance for its second championship in three years and 18th overall, an NBA record.

“That stretch the last month, we formed a game plan, and I thought it was the right plan,” Rivers said. “Obviously, it didn’t look right because we were losing games, but guys were resting and conditioning, and I thought that was the only chance we had.”

That mediocrity didn’t fool Magic coach Stan Van Gundy, not after the Celtics eliminated the Cleveland Cavaliers and LeBron James in six games. And certainly not after they won the first three games of the best-of-seven series against the Magic.

“They beat two very good teams, and made us both look like we weren’t very good teams,” Van Gundy said.

Boston’s “Big Three” of Pierce, 32, Garnett, 34, and Ray Allen, 34, all made key contributions Friday.

Pierce led the Celtics with 31 points and 13 rebounds, Allen scored 20 and Garnett added 10 points and 5 rebounds. Throw in Nate Robinson’s 13 points off the bench in the second quarter, and the Magic’s chances of becoming the first NBA team to overcome a 3-0 deficit—there were 93 others—were slim.

“I never really think negative about losing, or being up 3-0 and something tragic happening,” said Pierce, the MVP of the 2008 finals. “Even though one day it’s possibly going to happen. … I’m just glad we were able to prolong it one more year.”

The Boston Bruins opened a 3-0 lead against Philadelphia this month in the NHL’s Eastern Conference semifinals before the Flyers rallied to win in the same building. The Magic, who dressed in the same locker room where the Flyers celebrated their comeback, couldn’t even force the series back to Orlando for a Game 7.

“To win four straight games, you’ve got to be perfect,” Orlando forward Matt Barnes said, “and we weren’t perfect tonight.”

The Magic were far from it.

They led for just 11 seconds, trailed by at least 12 points throughout the second half and were outrebounded 56-44.

“Those guys played like they wanted to win the championship the whole series,” said Dwight Howard, who had 28 points and 12 rebounds for the defending East champions. “That’s why they’re in the position they’re in now.”

Vince Carter scored 17 points, and point guard Jameer Nelson finished with 11 points and four assists but had five turnovers and was outplayed by Rajon Rondo, Boston’s starting point guard, and Robinson, his backup.

Reporters and fans scoffed when Rivers said last month that Robinson, who struggled to get playing time since coming to Boston at the trade deadline on Feb. 18 and had never appeared in the postseason before this season, is “going to win us a playoff game.”

He came off the bench at the start of the second quarter, when Boston led 30-19, and hit 3-pointers 90 seconds apart to help stretch the lead to 15 points.

“Nate Robinson was huge in the first half,” Van Gundy said. “That was a huge, huge lift for them.”

Orlando cut the lead to 55-42 at halftime, but the Celtics scored 11 of the first 13 points in the third quarter—including back-to-back 3-pointers from Allen 38 seconds apart.

“The one thing that Doc said all year was, `I like this team. I like the guys on this team. We can win it with the guys that are on this team,”’ Allen said.

Last year, the Magic eliminated the Celtics in a seven-game Eastern Conference semifinal series that Garnett missed with a knee injury. The previous year, the Celtics won their 17th title in a six-game series with the Lakers.

“This starting five has never lost a series, ever,” Rivers said. “We believed that coming into the season, and we just kept believing.”

The finals will begin Thursday in Los Angeles or Phoenix. The Lakers lead the Western Conference finals 3-2, and a victory over the Suns in Game 6 on Saturday would set up the cross-coast rivals for a rematch of the 2008 finals— and 10 other championship series from 1959-87.

“We never take these moments for granted, especially at this point in my career where it’s winding down,” Pierce said. “I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. To get back here is a great accomplishment, but even greater if we win another one. “

NBA Playoffs

vs(From the Associated Press)  -  ot ready to go home just yet, the only place the Orlando Magic are headed is back to Boston.

Halfway to history.

Taking another step toward overcoming an improbable 3-0 series deficit, Dwight Howard had 21 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Magic to a 113-92 victory over the Celtics on Wednesday night in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals.

“I don’t know if you can say you have momentum when you’re down 3-2 going into their place,” Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. “I still look at it like we’re climbing a huge mountain here. But we are playing better.”

Much better.

A series that looked like a sweep a few days ago now has the Celtics taking a slim lead into a pressure-packed Game 6 in Boston on Friday night. The Celtics are facing the possibility of playing it without Kendrick Perkins after their starting center picked up his seventh technical foul of the playoffs, a mandatory suspension unless it is overturned.

A potential Game 7 would be in Orlando.

No NBA team has won a series after losing the first three games.

The Magic, seemingly lifeless after a blowout defeat in Game 3, suddenly have hope to be the first. They broke out of their series-long shooting slump, making 13-of-25 3-pointers.

“I just feel that if we keep believing in each other and trusting one another and playing as hard as we can, anything’s possible,” Howard said.

Jameer Nelson scored 24 points, and J.J. Redick had 14 to help the Magic to a frenetic pace that the Celtics couldn’t sustain. Howard added five blocks as Orlando built an early 14-point lead that was never seriously challenged.

Rasheed Wallace had 21 points, and Rajon Rondo scored 19 for a Boston team that once seemed on its way to another NBA finals.

Now? The Celtics are stunned and dazed—and Boston fans who just watched their NHL team blow a 3-0 lead are getting uneasy.

Howard’s elbow inadvertently came down on Glen “Big Baby” Davis’ face near the basket in the third quarter, giving the Celtics forward a concussion. Davis tried to get up as play continued on the other end, wobbling his way to midcourt, almost falling flat as referee Joey Crawford kept him from tumbling to the hardwood.

Davis did not return. Reserve Marquis Daniels also was hit with a similar inadvertent elbow from Howard, leaving him dizzy, and Wallace “tweaked” his back.

Celtics coach Doc Rivers said Davis “blacked out” on the court, and the training staff will examine the forward Thursday.

“I don’t know what kind of tests they’re going to do with Baby. He’s a little delirious anyway,” Rivers said, chuckling.

Give the Magic a little more than a puncher’s chance.

Redick provided a big boost off the bench, making a pair of 3-pointers to highlight a 20-8 run that put Orlando ahead 51-37 in the second quarter. His swishes and crisp passing kept the Celtics scrambling, and it filled a major hole with starter Vince Carter continuing to struggle.

Amid an amped-up Amway Arena, Wallace picked up his third foul during the spurt and taunted Orlando fans all the way to bench. Wallace shouted and screamed to the stands, pointing at his ring finger for the championship he already won with Detroit—a title that has long eluded Orlando.

Things got even worse for the Celtics when Perkins was ejected after he picked up his second technical of the game and seventh of the postseason for arguing with officials. Perkins and Marcin Gortat were whistled for double technicals a few minutes prior after they got tangled up.

That means Perkins, one of the best defenders in the league on Howard, will be suspended for Game 6 unless the NBA rescinds the technical. NBA spokesman Tim Frank said a final review of the technicals was expected to be announced by mid-to-late morning Thursday.

“I didn’t think he deserved either one. But he got them,” Rivers said.

The Celtics are two games from infamy, and the pressure is mounting.

Only four times in the history of North American major pro sports leagues has a team won a playoff series after losing the first three games. Such comebacks are something Boston fans know all too well.

It has happened three times in the NHL—most recently by the Philadelphia Flyers over the Boston Bruins earlier this month—and once in baseball, when the Boston Red Sox came back to beat the New York Yankees in the 2004 AL championship series.

In 93 tries, it has just never been done in the NBA.

Here’s the Magic’s chance at history.

“We just all believe,” Nelson said. “We all believe. We know we can do it.”

NBA Playoffs

vs(From the Associated Press) - Put away the brooms. Hold off on those “Beat L.A!” chants. The Boston Celtics still have some work to do before they can play for their second NBA title in three years.

Dwight Howard had 32 points and 16 rebounds, and Jameer Nelson made back-to-back 3-pointers in overtime to lead the Orlando Magic to a 96-92 victory over Boston on Monday night to avoid a four-game sweep in the Eastern Conference finals.

Dressing in the same locker room where the Philadelphia Flyers celebrated their comeback from a 3-0 deficit against the Boston Bruins in the NHL’s East semifinals, the Magic avoided elimination and sent the series back to Orlando for Game 5 on Wednesday night.

The Bruins also lost Game 4 in overtime.

“We know that we were down 3-0, and we didn’t want to go home (for the season),” Howard said. “It starts with me and Jameer. Me and Jameer showed our leadership by playing hard. We’ve got to be the leaders for this team. It’s not about points, but just showing everybody, ‘Hey, follow us and we’ll lead the way.”’

No NBA team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a playoff series.

“At some point, somebody is going to come from 3-0 down and win a series. The only thing I knew for sure was it would start by winning Game 4,” Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. “I figured that one out. You have to win Game 4. … This was a must-win.”

Paul Pierce had 32 points and 11 rebounds, and Kevin Garnett had 14 points and 12 boards for Boston. Ray Allen hit consecutive 3-pointers in overtime, but Pierce missed two tries in the final minute as the Celtics failed to complete the sweep.

“They don’t want to leave. We’re going to have to throw them out,” said Celtics forward Glen “Big Baby” Davis. “It’s just like somebody renting a house.”

Nelson finished with 23 points and nine assists for the defending Eastern Conference champions, who led by 10 in the second quarter and were up 85-78 with 2:24 left in regulation before Boston scored eight of the next nine points to force overtime at 86-all.

Neither team scored for the first 2:18 of the period before Nelson hit a 3-pointer and then added another 43 seconds later. Allen made a 3-pointer and, after Howard dunked and drew a foul—but missed a free throw—Allen hit another 3 to make it 94-92.

Howard followed up Nelson’s miss with 53 seconds left to make it 96-92, then Garnett sailed a pass over Pierce’s head and into the crowd. Pierce missed a pair of 3-point attempts in the closing seconds.

“There were a couple of plays down the stretch offensively that we botched, plain and simple. We’re kicking ourselves. We had a great opportunity,” Allen said. “There’s no need to panic. We like the position we’re in. But it’s a lesson: We have to take care of the small things and we’ll get to where we want to be.”

Orlando’s revival came just in time to avoid a Celtics walkover that had fans in the new Boston Garden chanting “Beat L.A!” early in the second half of Saturday night’s 23-point Boston victory. The Lakers lead the Suns 2-1 in the Western Conference finals, with Game 4 on Tuesday night in Phoenix.

But there was no more chanting about the Lakers on Monday night.

“I know they (the Celtics players) heard it. They had no choice but to hear it,” Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. “I don’t know if they believed it. We didn’t play well, I know that. I hope that wasn’t the reason.”

Only four times in the history of the North American major pro sports leagues has a team come back to win a playoff series after losing the first three games. It’s been done three times in the NHL—most recently this month by the Flyers in this building—and once in baseball, when the Boston Red Sox came back to beat the New York Yankees in the 2004 AL championship series.

“You never know what can happen,” Magic guard J.J. Redick said. “We can be like the Red Sox, coming back from 0-3. You never know.”

The Magic’s biggest lead of the series had been a three-point edge in the first quarter of Game 2, but they opened with their highest-scoring quarter of the series on Monday to take a 31-26 lead. They made it 42-32 in the second before Boston cut the deficit to four points at the half.

Orlando led 85-78 on Howard’s three-point play, but Pierce sliced past Howard for a dunk that cut it to five, then Allen hit a 3-pointer to make it 85-83 with 1:41 left. Nelson made one of two free throws, and then Pierce went to the basket and drew a foul, completing the three-point play to make it 86-all with 1:16 left.

But Pierce missed a jumper with a chance to give Boston the lead, Nelson missed for Orlando and Pierce lost his handle on the ball in the final seconds of regulation to send the game into overtime.

NBA Playoffs

vs(From the Associated Press) - The Boston Celtics moved a win away from their second NBA finals trip in three years, and the defending Eastern Conference champions barely put up a fight.

Backup Glen “Big Baby” Davis scored 17 points and Rajon Rondo(notes) added 11 points and 12 assists on Saturday night to lead the Celtics to a 94-71 victory over the Orlando Magic and a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven East finals.

No NBA team has lost a playoff series after winning the first three games.

The Magic have to win Game 4 on Monday night to avoid a sweep and force the series back to Orlando. They’ll need a better effort than in Game 3, when they fell behind early for the third straight game. This time, they didn’t even mount a late charge to make it close.

One game after scoring 30 points, Dwight Howard(notes) had just seven and seven rebounds. Rashard Lewis(notes) was also disappointing, scoring four points on 2-for-8 shooting, missing all four 3-point attempts. Vince Carter(notes) and Jameer Nelson(notes) had 15 points apiece.

Paul Pierce(notes)—the NBA finals MVP two years ago when the Celtics won their record 17th championship—had 15 points and nine rebounds. Ray Allen(notes) scored 14 points and Kevin Garnett(notes) added 10 in just 24 minutes. But this time it wasn’t the aging new Big Three that did the damage, it was the two youngest players on the roster.

Rondo and Davis gave the Celtics energy and defense that the Magic couldn’t match, diving to the floor for loose balls and getting the crowd going with spectacular plays.

Rondo outhustled Jason Williams(notes) down the court for a loose ball in the second quarter, diving to take it away and then getting up to beat him again for the layup. Davis celebrated one play underneath the basket with an ecstatic but odd session of running in place; the crowd went wild.

But the Celtics only need to look down the hall for a reminder that they’re not done yet: Just eight days ago in the same building, the Philadelphia Flyers completed their comeback after trailing the Boston Bruins 3-0 in the NHL’s Eastern Conference semifinals.

Celtics fans either don’t remember or don’t care: They started chanting “Beat L.A!” at the start of the third quarter, when Boston led 75-47. The archrival Lakers led the Phoenix Suns 2-0 heading into Game 3 of the Western Conference finals on Sunday.

Ten times the Celtics have opened a 3-0 lead in a playoff series. Four times, they’ve swept, and six times they won in five games.

The Celtics scored the first seven points of the game, then scored 14 in a row later in the first quarter to open a 21-6 lead. Howard missed his first four shots, along with a pair of free throws, before he made one of two foul shots in the final seconds of the first quarter to cut the deficit to 27-12.

It was the third straight time the Celtics opened a big lead in the series, but in each of the first two games Orlando eliminated most of the deficit to get within a single basket in the final minutes.

This one only got worse.

In the second quarter, with four substitutes joining Allen on the floor, the Celtics scored seven straight points to extend the lead to 24. It was a 28-point game at the end of three, and Boston led by as many as 32 in the fourth before coach Doc Rivers emptied his bench.

NBA Playoffs

vs(From the Associated Press) - Too slow? Too old?

Try two wins from the NBA finals.

Indeed, the Boston Celtics look like they saved their best this season for when it mattered most.

“I know,” Boston’s Paul Pierce said. “It’s starting to look that way.”

Pierce scored 28 points, Rajon Rondo had 25 and the revived Celtics again avoided a late collapse to take a commanding lead in the Eastern Conference finals with a 95-92 victory over the Orlando Magic in Game 2 on Tuesday night.

Boston bullied and bruised its way to a 2-0 series lead on the road against a Magic team that had won 14 straight until this series.

After being hampered by injuries for much of the season, often showing their age, the Celtics are now just two wins away from their second finals appearance in three seasons.

“I think we are becoming the team that started the season,” Rivers said. “The team that started the season was pretty good.”

Maybe even good enough to take down the defending conference champion Magic.

Dwight Howard had 30 points, and Vince Carter and J.J. Redick scored 16 apiece for the Magic, who overcame an 11-point deficit to take a brief lead in the fourth quarter. But they couldn’t hold it.

Jameer Nelson’s desperation 3-point attempt airballed at the buzzer, sending fans to the exits in silence.

“I won’t stop believing,” Howard said. “And I won’t let my teammates stop believing.”

Game 3 is Saturday night in Boston.

“Our fans won’t let us relax,” Pierce said. “We’re going to try and close it out in four games.”

The Celtics buckled down just enough to hold in this one.

Ahead 11 points early in the fourth quarter, that almost wasn’t enough. The Magic, just as they did in Game 1, found their rhythm late.

They went on a 13-4 run to trim Boston’s lead to 85-83 with about six minutes left. Carter’s jumper gave Orlando a 90-89 lead with 3:35 remaining, and then the Celtics summoned their championship form again.

Kevin Garnett and Rondo made consecutive jumpers, and after Nelson made a layup, Pierce answered with two free throws that put Boston ahead by three.

Carter missed two free throws with 31.9 seconds left that cost Orlando dearly. It must have felt all too familiar to Magic fans who watched Howard’s damaging misses at the stripe in Game 4 of the NBA finals last year and Nick Anderson’s four bricks in Game 1 of the 1995 finals.

“I don’t take losses well,” said Carter, Orlando’s biggest offseason acquisition. “Especially when you’re on a team like this. They bring me in to make plays and deliver in crunch time. For me to step up there and miss two free throws, regardless, this doesn’t sit well with me.”

Only another footnote for Boston’s remarkable history.

Two years removed from their 17th NBA championship, the Celtics, once thought too old to contend for another title, have found their footing again. After ousting LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, the team with the league’s best record, Boston is showing no signs of stopping.

“Just think our mindset was to be ready for the type of intensity they would bring after losing at home,” Pierce said. “We know the Magic are a talented team and we won’t take these two wins for granted.”

Before the final heave, Redick also made a crucial mistake by dribbling to half court before calling timeout. That wasted seconds and forced the Magic to take the ball out from beyond half court.

The result was a shot that didn’t reach the rim.

“It would have made a big difference,” Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. “We said in the thing to call a timeout. We didn’t make the right play there at the end.”

Redick took the blame.

“I made a mistake,” he said. “I didn’t hear the whistle initially. When I didn’t hear it initially, I just kind of went, then I realized we should have called a timeout. So that was my fault.

Boston again started fast.

The Celtics, who took a 20-point lead in Game 1, went ahead by 11 in the first quarter. It wasn’t until backup center Marcin Gortat and Howard—a rare combination this season—teamed together that Orlando showed any fight.

With the Magic feeling intense postseason pressure for the first time this year, Orlando went on a 16-2 run behind the two centers.

All the pushing and pulling would finally spill over.

Pierce was knocked in the head hard by Howard on a layup attempt in the second quarter, a punishing display of anger that the Magic center rarely shows. Pierce got up after a minute, clearly upset, his headband twisted to the side. Howard was called for a flagrant foul.

The Celtics would go ahead by five after Howard picked up his third foul moments later. Before they could deliver another big blow, Matt Barnes hit a 3-pointer as the shot-clock buzzer sounded in the final seconds for Orlando to trim Boston’s lead to 53-51 at the half.

The Celtics are feeling good, but not overconfident.

“The feeling of the team right now is just focus,” Pierce said. “Only thing we did was win two games.”

NBA Playoffs

vs(From the Associated Press) - The hair is a little grayer. The ankles and knees no longer so sturdy. Even with a roster full of aging superstars, the Boston Celtics are still standing tall.

Too old to chase a title? Not these days.

Ray Allen scored 25 points, Paul Pierce had 22 and the Celtics used smothering defense to beat the Orlando Magic 92-88 on Sunday in the Eastern Conference finals opener.

Hampered by injuries, the Celtics literally limped their way through parts of the regular season. All that seems a distant memory now.

“I honestly say we lost ourselves,” Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. “I think we’ve found ourselves again.”

Rasheed Wallace added 13 points as the Celtics built a 20-point lead, then held on late to snap Orlando’s 14-game winning streak. They held the Magic to 41 percent shooting—22 percent from 3-point range—in displaying that rough and tough defense that was once their staple.

“There were stretches in the season, we know each other so well now, where we were becoming less patient with each other,” Allen said. “We were getting on each other a little too much. We can take it, but we respected each other.

“When we started the playoffs, we said teams are going to hit us, they’re going to attack us. But when somebody scores on us, which they will, we go get the ball out and come back.”

Vince Carter had 23 points and Jameer Nelson finished with 20 for Orlando, which cut the lead to two in the final seconds but simply ran out of time, looking rusty after a six-day layoff. Dwight Howard was limited to 13 points and 12 rebounds, nowhere near the dominant force the Magic need to win a title.

Game 2 in the best-of-seven series is Tuesday night in Orlando.

“I don’t think it was rusty. Just anxious,” Howard said. “We dug ourselves a hole, and it was tough to get back from.”

Two years removed from an NBA title, the revived Celtics might be a little slower than their paralyzing defense of old. But, healthy again, maybe not as much as some once thought.

The Celtics built a 15-point lead in the second quarter and watched it fizzle with Howard on the bench. Backup Marcin Gortat had two layups and a dunk to help the Magic end the half with Boston ahead 41-32.

Nelson had two quick 3-pointers and another jumper to start the third, moving the Magic within three points. Then it all unraveled.

The Celtics went on a 22-5 run later in the quarter to go ahead 65-45, and a crowd littered with blue and white T-shirts—deafening at times with noise clickers and claps—was silenced. But the Magic rallied late to cut the lead to three with 26 seconds remaining in the fourth on a dunk by Howard.

After Pierce made two free throws, Carter was fouled driving to the hoop. He made the first, then missed the second intentionally as Nelson swooped in for the tip to make it 90-88. But Allen followed with two free throws with 6.1 seconds left to seal the Celtics’ victory.

The Magic’s run simply ran out of time, even if the Celtics seem to be turning back the clock.

Showing no signs of age, the Celtics outhustled and outmuscled the Magic at every step defensively. They pushed and pulled their way around the paint, slowing Howard for most of the game.

That bruising Boston basketball frustrated the Magic and their Superman, emotions pouring out all over the court. Howard and Wallace got tangled up in the third—one of many times in this one—and were whistled for double technicals after swinging their arms away.

The Magic lost for the first time since April 2 at San Antonio.

“Our guys aren’t going to like fall apart,” Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. “Hell, they got down 20 in this game and they didn’t collapse. That’s not our team. This is all about winning. Our team doesn’t have to prove they can bounce back from adversity and all of that. They’ve done all that.”

The sweat pouring from their faces, Kevin Garnett and Co. stifled the Magic as well as anyone in these playoffs, holding them to 32 points in the opening half. A Celtics team that downed LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the last round seems as rejuvenated as ever, ready to give the Magic—who swept through the first two rounds—their toughest test yet.

“I think it was a wake-up call that we really needed,” Carter said. “Now it’s what are we going to do about it? How do we respond?”

NBA Playoffs

vs(From the Associated Press) - Ever since they lost in the NBA Finals, the Orlando Magic have been determined to get back—and, this time, win it all.

Two series down, two to go.

Vince Carter scored 22 points to lead another dominating performance by the Magic, which finished off its second straight playoff sweep with a 98-84 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night.

Orlando won the four games by an average of 25.3 points—a total blowout that no one could have expected in a matchup between the teams that finished second and third in the Eastern Conference. It was the most lopsided four-game sweep in NBA playoff history, according to STATS LLC.

“Guys are just focused. It’s unbelievable to see,” Carter said. “This is my opportunity for a championship.”

The Magic, who lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in last year’s NBA Finals, are playing better than anyone at the most important time of the season. They have won 14 in a row, the last eight in the playoffs, and 28 of 31.

“We would have to be playing at our absolute, absolute best—like, mistake free—to beat that team,” said Jamal Crawford, who led Atlanta with 18 points. “That team is a great team. They have as good a chance as any to win a championship.”

The Magic are off to the Eastern Conference finals for the second year in a row. They will face either Boston or a rematch with Cleveland, the team they upset for last year’s conference title before losing to the Lakers.

Orlando barely broke a sweat against the Hawks, and Game 4 was more of the same. Atlanta held Dwight Howard to 13 points and eight rebounds, but the Magic had plenty of other options.

“We’re playing for something bigger than ourselves, and we’ve got to do it together,” Howard said.

Jameer Nelson was unstoppable, baffling the Hawks with his now-you-see-him, now-you-don’t quickness. He finished with 16 points and nine assists. Rashard Lewis scored 17 points, knocking down four 3-pointers. Mickael Pietrus scored 12 points—all of them from beyond the arc.

As a team, Orlando was 16 of 37 from 3-point range, taking more long-range shots than two-pointers (28). Overall, the Magic shot 55 percent from the field and never trailed during either game in Atlanta.

“I think our guys pretty well bring it every night,” Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy said. “If we’re better than you, we’re going to win most of the time.”

Hawks star Joe Johnson finished off a miserable series by scoring only 14 points on 5-for-15 shooting. He was booed by the home crowd at the start of the game and got the same treatment when he went to the bench with 3:51 to play. The fans were still miffed that he said didn’t care if they “showed up or not” after they heckled the team in a 30-point loss on Saturday.

“It doesn’t bother me, man,” said Johnson, who’s last shot was a 25-foot airball as the shot clock ran down. “I’ve got thick skin. I’ve been booed louder than that.”

Orlando didn’t stand pat after losing to the Lakers, trading for Carter in hopes that he would be the final piece needed for a title. So far, so good. The Magic blew through Charlotte in the opening round, then thoroughly dominated the team that finished just behind them in the East.

Atlanta ended the third quarter with a bit of momentum, having sliced a 17-point deficit down to 75-66. Orlando quickly put an end to any thought of a comeback.

Zaza Pachulia picked up two quick fouls trying to guard Howard, then Lewis got open for a 3-pointer. Johnson misfired on a funky, one-handed shot in the lane, and Carter buried a 19-foot jumper with Josh Smith right in his face for an 80-66 lead.

The Hawks called a timeout, but it didn’t matter.

They were done.

This might have been the last game in Atlanta for Johnson and coach Mike Woodson.

Johnson turned down a contract extension before the season to join what could be the greatest free-agent class in NBA history. Woodson’s contract is up, and management hardly gave him a rousing vote of confidence by refusing to even talk about a new deal until after the season.

Johnson sure didn’t help his bargaining position with the way he finished the season. Over his last seven playoff games, he averaged 13.4 points a game on 32 percent shooting.

vs(From the Associated Press) - The Los Angeles Lakers played more like they were trying to avoid a sweep rather than complete one.

NBA Playoffs Results

vs(From the Associated Press) - Maybe all the Orlando Magic needed after a slow start was a slap in the face.

Dwight Howard came back from a bloody nose to finish with 29 points and 17 rebounds, and the Magic beat the Atlanta Hawks 112-98 on Thursday night to take a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinal series.

Not even a hard hit could slow the Magic’s Superman.

“I’m human. It’s not like I’m built of metal,” Howard said. “They did to me like they did the Wolverine. I bleed. I break bones.”

Not this time.

Vince Carter had 24 points with some big shots late and Rashard Lewis finished with 20 points, leading Orlando’s 19-2 run in the fourth quarter. The perennially poor free-throw shooting Howard also was 13 for 18 from the line.

“Every time I step up there,” Howard said, “just believing it was going in.”

The Hawks avoided embarrassment but not another road playoff loss.

After a 43-point defeat in the opener, the Hawks led early but head home still searching for a way to stop the Magic’s 12-game winning streak. Al Horford led Atlanta with 24 points, and Joe Johnson had 19 points.

Game 3 is Saturday in Atlanta.

“Go home and win. We’ve been pretty good on our floor,” Hawks coach Mike Woodson said. “They took care of their business on their home floor. We’re going to see what we’re made of.”

The Hawks finally drew first blood, it just wasn’t a hard enough hit.

Howard made a layup as he was slapped in the face inadvertently by Horford to start the third quarter, the blood pouring from the Magic center’s nose. Howard shot the free throw—and missed—with plugs in his nostrils, holding back laughter, and then left for about 2 minutes so trainers could stop the bleeding.

“I think he held his composure well,” Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. “He took some hard hits on the offensive end of the floor, that’s led to some frustration and at times retaliation on his part. He got hit damn hard tonight, blows that would have dropped a lot of people, certainly me.”

The Hawks could only stop things temporarily.

The play started an 11-2 run that erased Atlanta’s early nine-point lead and put the Magic ahead 62-59. The topsy-turvy starts by the two centers—Howard had 18 points in the first, and Horford scored 14 points in the second—were merely offsetting.

“He was shooting over our defense and making shots,” Horford said. “I can live with that. He had to earn everything he got.”

Jameer Nelson finished with 20 points and also made a 3-pointer as time expired in the third quarter, a demoralizing blow after Jamal Crawford’s 3-pointer on the other end. It put the Magic ahead by one.

“That was a huge momentum boost for us,” Van Gundy said.

Then they took off.

A flurry of Magic 3-pointers sent the Hawks packing with another loss to their Southeast Division rival, which has won eight of the last nine games in the series, including the playoffs. Carter, Lewis, Nelson and Mickael Pietrus all made one from beyond the arc during the big fourth-quarter spurt that put Orlando ahead by 19.

“We didn’t play our best basketball in the first half but we were still within arm’s reach,” Carter said. “In the second half, we played like the Orlando Magic.”

They had fun with it, too.

Magic players kept their arms in the air with every swish, teasing and pleasing the crowd in celebration. The run gave way to that all-too-familiar look on Atlanta’s bench, with many players draping towels over their heads in shame.

Not even a near-perfect night on free throws for the Hawks (30 for 31) could prevent another loss in Orlando, which moved just two games away in the best-of-seven series from returning to the conference finals.

“I live for it,” Carter said. “Having the opportunity to play for so much, I welcome it.”

NBA Playoffs Results

vs(From the Associated Press) - Stan Van Gundy turned to his assistant coaches on the Orlando Magic bench, unsure what to do with star Dwight Howard finally avoiding foul trouble and his team on his way to a blowout victory.

“Should I give Dwight a rest?” Van Gundy asked. “They said, ‘No. Just let it ride.”’

What a ride it was.

Howard had 21 points and 12 rebounds in one of the most crushing playoff wins in Magic history, a 114-71 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday night in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinal.

Howard added five blocks and avoided the fouls and frustration that overwhelmed him in the first round, helping the Magic go ahead by as many as 46 points. Vince Carter finished with 20 points as Orlando showed no signs of rust after an eight-day layoff since sweeping Charlotte.

Maybe all Howard needed was some time to cool off.

“I still played about the same amount of minutes,” Howard said, chuckling, because he wasn’t needed much in the fourth. “The first round is over with.”

Josh Smith scored 14 points and Zaza Pachulia had 12 points for a Hawks team that had little playoff poise. Game 2 in the best-of-seven series is Thursday night in Orlando, and Atlanta will have to find some way to rally from such a paralyzing defeat.

“It’s embarrassing,” Hawks point guard Mike Bibby said. “They embarrassed us.”

Only a 47-point win in the first round against Boston in 1995 was a larger margin of victory in a playoff game for Orlando. This was just one big Magic highlight reel.

Nothing riled up fans more than when Howard snatched a layup attempt by Smith in the air, pulling down the ball with one hand. He threw the ball upcourt to Jason Williams, who lobbed a pass from just past midcourt for an alley-oop dunk to Mickael Pietrus that was part of 17 straight Magic points in the second quarter.

The arena was roaring so loud that, even after Hawks coach Mike Woodson called timeout and was on the floor pleading with officials for a goaltend, many players couldn’t hear the whistle and continued.

Finally, somebody had to tell the Magic to stop.

“I think the challenge is not to get carried away with the score,” Van Gundy said. “It was one of those nights where everything just snowballed.”

Timeouts might have been Atlanta’s only reprieve.

The Hawks were held to 10 points in the second quarter, and just 11 points in the third. Howard and most of the Magic starters weren’t even needed in the fourth, and Atlanta players covered their heads with towels on the bench in the final minutes.

Fresh off a Game 7 victory against undermanned Milwaukee, the Hawks were outhustled and outmuscled at every step. The little more than 48-hour turnaround didn’t keep them sharp, and they looked more like the team trying to get back in rhythm.

And they could do nothing to stop Howard.

“I didn’t allow anything to throw me off my game,” Howard said, adding that he made it a point not to engage officials about calls. “And I think that’s what I have to do the rest of the series, just not let things take me off my game, just stay free and clear.”

The Magic came out and hit the Hawks where it hurt—literally.

Howard grabbed a defensive rebound and swung his elbow to shake off Smith, hitting Atlanta’s forward in the face. Howard was whistled for a foul, and Smith iced down his cheek on the bench during a break.

The Hawks didn’t know what hit them.

“They made a run,” Pachulia said, “and they never looked back.”

That inside-outside game with Howard in the paint was the biggest reason Atlanta has struggled against its Southeast Division rival for several seasons. The Magic had taken six straight regular-season games in the series until the Hawks won on a buzzer-beating dunk by Smith in their last meeting.

“It was an ugly game for us,” Woodson said of the latest defeat. “I wish I knew what happened.”

Howard and Co. weren’t taking any chances this time.

If the NBA’s two-time defensive player of the year can avoid foul trouble, it could be another quick second-round stint for Atlanta. The Hawks were swept by Cleveland in the conference semifinals last year, and they’ll need to find a way to slow down Howard to have any chance this time.

Van Gundy was already thinking about how his team could put the win behind them.

“I told them that (Wednesday) I will have for them virtually every time in NBA playoff history that a team had a blowout win, came back and lost the next game,” Van Gundy said. “You’ve got to forget what happened.”

vs(From the Associated Press) - Carlos Boozer drove the lane, and his shot was disdainfully blocked by Lamar Odom. The Utah forward grabbed the ball to try another—and Pau Gasol took a turn swatting it.

NBA Playoffs Results

vs(From the Associated Press) - As the final seconds ticked down, Dwight Howard was back in his familiar spot on the bench and coach Stan Van Gundy was steamed at his superstar for fouling out again.

Then the buzzer sounded and the Orlando Magic became the first team to advance in the NBA playoffs.

Who needs Howard? Not these deep Magic—at least not in the first round.

Vince Carter scored 21 points, Jameer Nelson added 18 and the Magic showcased their depth and pressure shot-making in a 99-90 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats on Monday night to complete a sweep of their first-round series.

Howard was held to six points in his fourth straight game in foul trouble, but the Magic never flinched to accomplish their first four-game sweep in franchise history. Orlando will face the Atlanta-Milwaukee winner in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

“If you would have told me that he would have averaged well under 30 minutes for the series and we would sweep, I would have said you’re crazy,” Van Gundy said. “I think it’s a testament to our other guys.”

Howard did grab 13 rebounds, but was limited to 23 minutes before fouling out for the second straight game. The Magic, though, got key contributions and big shots from others.

Rashard Lewis scored 17 points, Matt Barnes added 14 and Orlando held Stephen Jackson to 2-of-11 shooting to overcome Howard’s 22 fouls in the series.

“He and I got into it a little bit,” Van Gundy said about their sideline exchange in the last minute. “It wasn’t a bad argument. My point was he was in the restricted area and he’s got to jump. He’s so frustrated now that what he was trying to say is it wouldn’t matter. But, well, let’s jump and find out. What he did was give them the call.”

Tyrus Thomas scored a career playoff-high 21 points for the Bobcats, whose focus will now immediately turn to nomadic coach Larry Brown’s future with the team.

Brown, who has had 13 pro and college coaching jobs, continues to be the focus of reports for openings around the NBA, including Philadelphia, where his wife and kids live.

But he repeated that he’ll only coach for Bobcats owner Michael Jordan.

“I’m not coaching anywhere but Charlotte,” Brown said. “Now am I going to go home and talk to my wife and kids? I’ll be 70 years old with two young kids. Am I going to talk to them and find out what I need to do and am I going to talk to Michael? Yeah, absolutely.”

Could that mean he’d retire or consider a front office job with another team?

“That’s hypothetical,” Brown said. “I love coaching more than anything, except my family maybe. … I’m really, personally, not ready to step down in terms of my desire to keep coaching.”

Brown was down after the 6-year-old Bobcats again wilted in a close game in their first playoff appearance.

After Charlotte cut Orlando’s lead to one on Tyson Chandler’s two free throws, Mickael Pietrus hit consecutive 3-pointers directly across the floor from Jordan’s seat to put the Magic ahead 83-76 with 5:47 left.

Nelson’s 3-pointer less than a minute later—after Gerald Wallace missed two free throws—put it away for the Magic, whose only previous playoff sweep was a 3-0 victory over Detroit in 1996.

“They’re better,” Brown said. “They know how to play playoff basketball. We haven’t figured it out yet.”

Charlotte’s offensive woes were magnified by Howard’s long absences.

The four-time All-Star’s endless foul trouble entering the game made him the focus of ribbing in the morning shootaround. Teammates told him instead of Superman, his nickname was now “Foul on You.” Howard played along in raising his arm and clenching his fist as if to call a foul.

The joking stopped when Howard was called for two fouls in 16 seconds in the first quarter, the second for tripping. He picked up his third for challenging D.J. Augustin after he had released a reverse layup that turned into a three-point play.

“It’s very tough out there,” Howard said. “There’s a lot of things I feel don’t go my way or our team’s way.”

With Howard on the bench, the Bobcats built a 38-31 lead on the strength of Thomas, who hit his first eight shots in his best performance since being acquired from Chicago in a trade-deadline deal.

Orlando cut the deficit to 45-43 at halftime and took the lead on a run that included Carter’s first made 3-pointer after an 0-for-15 start to the series.

Howard was called for his fourth foul on Raymond Felton’s drive with 6:58 left in the third quarter—and stayed on the bench for nearly 10 minutes.

The Magic hung on, and it could be a while before they play again. The Hawks-Bucks series is tied 2-2.

“We’re going to be well rested,” Howard said before laughing. “I’m going to be well rested.”

NBA Playoffs Results

vs(From the Associated Press) - In front of a boisterous, hostile crowd and facing a team in desperation mode, the Orlando Magic showcased their depth, grit and poise when it mattered most.

Imagine how good they could be if their superstar center played more than half the game.

No Dwight Howard(notes), no problem for the Magic, who got 32 points from sudden star Jameer Nelson(notes) to overcome another frustrating, foul-filled game by their big man in a 90-86 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats on Saturday.

Spoiling Charlotte’s return to the playoff stage after an eight-year absence, the Magic took a commanding 3-0 lead in their first-round series despite being without Howard for the final 3:32 after he fouled out.

“You’ve got to admire them with Dwight getting foul trouble and fouling out how they still didn’t fold,” Bobcats coach Larry Brown said. “They were disciplined and executed. They got a well-deserved win.”

For the third straight game and two days after Orlando was assessed $70,000 in fines for complaining about the officiating, Howard played about half the game, finishing with 13 points, eight rebounds and seven blocks.

After Howard was sidelined for good, Nelson had a key bucket and backup center Marcin Gortat(notes) hit two free throws with 12 seconds left to put it away.

The defending Eastern Conference champions can clinch a spot in the second round with a win in Game 4 on Monday.

“I think this is a big test for me, learning how to keep my composure in tough situations,” said Howard, who has played in only 83 of 144 minutes in the series because of chronic foul trouble. “Things may not go my way, but we’re playing for something bigger.”

Stephen Jackson(notes) scored 19 points, but was 6 of 18 from the field and missed a key 3-pointer in the final minute for the cold-shooting Bobcats, who face the prospect of a first-round sweep in their first playoff appearance.

Charlotte hadn’t hosted a playoff game since the Hornets’ last year here in 2002, and towel-waving, white T-shirt-clad fans arrived early for the team’s milestone moment.

But even with excited owner Michael Jordan squirming in his seat and relaying pointers to players from the end of Charlotte’s bench, the 6-year-old Bobcats wilted in a tight fourth quarter.

Gerald Wallace(notes) added 13 points on 4-of-12 shooting for Charlotte. Raymond Felton(notes) also scored 13, but shot 5 of 14 and again couldn’t contain Nelson.

“We’re not good enough to win with one or two guys playing at a high level,” Brown said.

Nelson’s floater in the lane with 1:32 left put Orlando ahead 85-82. After an empty possession for each team, Felton’s driving layup with 52 seconds left cut the lead to one.

Nelson then missed a contested layup, giving Charlotte the ball with 31 seconds left. But Jackson was badly short on a straightaway 3-point attempt.

It was a familiar sight: Charlotte was 5 of 23 from 3-point range.

“It was kind of hard to drive when you know Dwight’s there clogging the paint and nobody’s open,” Jackson said of all the 3-point attempts. “It’s hard not to take the shot.”

Vince Carter(notes) and Gortat combined to hit 5-of-6 free throws to put it away.

Nelson, who also scored 32 points in the series opener, hit 12-of-21 shots and 5-of-9 3-point attempts.

“In this series, when I get in the paint something good has happened for us,” Nelson said. “I just want to stay in attack mode.”

He had to after Howard fouled out after picking up his last two fouls in 11 seconds. The first came after he tangled with Tyson Chandler(notes) in the post on the offensive end, the second when he tried to contest Felton’s driving layup.

Felton’s ensuing free throw put Charlotte ahead 80-79.

The Bobcats immediately went small, putting in an extra guard, but Rashard Lewis(notes) responded with two strong drives to the hoop and four free throws to put Orlando ahead for good.

Lewis added 14 points for Orlando, which overcame 9-of-30 3-point shooting to outscore Charlotte 11-6 after Howard left.

The crowd was giddy when Howard had three fouls—and a technical to boot from referee Joe Crawford(notes)—with 10:40 left in the first half after getting called for an offensive foul tangling with Chandler in the post.

It didn’t matter early with Nelson dominating. As in Game 1, Nelson constantly beat Felton off the dribble for easy layups when he wasn’t hitting 3-pointers. His four-point play that included the sight of Felton flailing away in attempt to grab him, ended a 19-point, 7-for-7 first quarter.

With Howard on the bench, the Bobcats built a 41-33 second-quarter lead before Nelson got hot again in the third quarter in Orlando’s 11-0 spurt.

Then Howard was called for his fourth foul with 3:40 left in the third quarter.

“It’s tough not to get frustrated,” Howard said. “I don’t think you guys understand how it feels to get beat up every night. I just try to keep my composure.”

vs(From the Associated Press) - Brandon Roy(notes) was so antsy to return to the Trail Blazers that he campaigned via text message to coach Nate McMillan.

“Coach, I think I should play,” he texted on the eve of Saturday’s playoff game against the Phoenix Suns.

Luckily for the Blazers, McMillan agreed.

Roy was activated Saturday, then helped Portland to a 96-87 victory that evened the first-round series at two games apiece.

Eight days removed from arthroscopic surgery on his right knee, Roy made his surprising return to the court to the strains of the theme from “Rocky” blaring from the Rose Garden sound system, then went on hit a key 3-pointer late in the game that shifted the momentum squarely in the Trail Blazers’ favor.

“I just didn’t feel right sitting in the training room knowing that I could contribute—so I just had to keep begging coach,” Roy said afterward.

The first-round series now moves back to Phoenix on Monday night. It wasn’t supposed to include Roy, but things changed Friday.

McMillan said it was a “long, sleepless night” in deciding to play Roy, the team’s unquestioned leader. He even brought owner Paul Allen, the billionaire co-founder of Microsoft, in on the discussion.

“All kinds of things went through my head, thinking about the risk of him reinjuring himself,” McMillan said. “But our doctors didn’t feel like Brandon could hurt himself.”

LaMarcus Aldridge(notes), who had been double-teamed all series long without Roy, benefited the most from his return, with 31 points and 11 rebounds.

“As soon as he checked into the game, I got my first open shot with nobody guarding me, so I was thinking thank God he’s back,” Aldridge said.

Roy, who had the surgery to repair a torn meniscus, came into the game to a deafening ovation with 4:06 left in the first quarter and made a layup about a minute later to put Portland ahead 20-19.

Roy played a relatively quiet 26 minutes, but hit a 3-pointer with 4:55 left that gave Portland a 85-79 lead.

“I’d certainly say it gave them a lift,” Suns guard Steve Nash(notes) said. “More than anything it just gave everyone a boost in their spirit and attitude. That was good for the crowd and good for his teammates to have him out there.”

Amare Stoudemire led the Suns with 26 points.

After dropping the series opener 105-100 in Phoenix, the Suns cruised to a 119-90 home victory before beating the Blazers 108-89 in Portland to take the series lead going into Saturday’s game.

“We didn’t bring it, we just didn’t bring it,” Stoudemire said. “We realized how important the game was. We didn’t bring the effort, we didn’t bring the energy, we didn’t rebound, we didn’t attack. We had a chance to go up 3-1, which would have been great. Now we’ve got to go back to a must-win situation.”

The Suns in the previous two games had stymied Portland with an up-tempo pick-and-roll, kicking the ball out to Jason Richardson(notes), who had a career playoff-high 42 points in Game 3.

The Blazers caught on in Game 4, limiting Richardson to 15 points. Nash also had 15 points and eight assists.

“For us, the difference in the game was that we didn’t play with the energy that we needed to in order to beat this team,” Suns coach Alvin Gentry said. “And if you don’t, you struggle. I thought we had the pace of the game where we needed to have it at the start, but we ended up with 37 in the second half. You won’t be able to beat this team doing that.”

The Blazers were much more competitive at the start than they had been the past two games. Rudy Fernandez(notes) hit a 3-pointer that put Portland up 35-33 in the second quarter and the Blazers extended the lead to 51-45 with 2:09 left on Aldridge’s dunk.

The Suns kept it close, narrowing it to 52-50 on Grant Hill’s(notes) pull-up jumper before Marcus Camby’s(notes) tip-in put Portland up 54-50 at the half.

Richardson hit two consecutive 3-pointers to open the second half and gave Phoenix a 56-54 lead.

Portland responded, going up 70-64 on Jerryd Bayless’(notes) fast-break jumper, but the slight cushion was short-lived and Stoudemire’s hook tied it 74 early in the fourth quarter.

The Suns were unable to pull ahead, despite poor shooting by the Blazers from the field. Portland missed 12 straight shots but was able to stay in the game on the free throw line.

Then came Roy’s 3-pointer with 4:55 left to make it 85-79. He also made a pull-up jumper with 2:10 left that gave the Blazers a 91-83 lead, their biggest of the game.

Roy’s injury was the latest to strike the unlucky Blazers this season. Nicolas Batum(notes) missed 45 games to start the season after shoulder surgery, centers Greg Oden(notes) and Joel Przybilla(notes) both had season-ending knee surgery, Fernandez had back problems, and former Blazer Travis Outlaw(notes), later traded to the Clippers, was out for an extended period because of a foot injury.

Roy himself was out for 15 games because of a sore hamstring.

In all, 13 Blazers missed a combined 311 regular-season games, second only to Golden State this season. Only guard Andre Miller(notes) and forward Martell Webster(notes) played in all 82 games.

Roy, who for a long time had a note with the words “Stay Humble” in his locker, gave himself an average grade.

“For the first game in a couple of weeks I thought I did OK,” he said. “Once I get my rhythm back, I’m capable of making shots.”

NBA Playoffs Results

vs(From the Associated Press) - The Vince Carter(notes)-Dwight Howard duo again wasn’t so dynamic — just good enough to win.

For now, that’s all the Orlando Magic need.

Carter finished with 19 points, Howard scored 15 and the Magic took a 2-0 series lead with a 92-77 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats on Wednesday night.

“Fortunate thing for us,” Carter said, “is we have a lot of weapons.”

The Magic’s star combo was less than stellar, but took over when it counted most. They combined for 21 second-half points to help Orlando build a 20-point lead and hold on late.

Still, they know they’ll have to be better to compete for a title.

“I can’t allow it to frustrate me,” Howard said. “Really just trying to keep my head. It’s bigger than myself. We’re playing for something bigger.”

Charlotte is simply playing for a win.

Stephen Jackson(notes) showed no effects from his hyperextended left knee to score 27 points, and Gerald Wallace(notes) had 15 points for the Bobcats. But their 21 turnovers are a big reason why they’re heading home still searching for the franchise’s first playoff win.

Game 3 in the best-of-seven series is Saturday in Charlotte.

“They’re being more aggressive,” Jackson said. “They’re being the more physical team. They’re making the first hit. They’re just out there playing like they want to win more than we do. We’re waiting until they hit to respond, and then it’s too late.”

This one wasn’t the prettiest playoff basketball.

The Bobcats went more than eight minutes to start the game with only three points, and had just one field goal with six turnovers during the stretch. The goods news for them: The Magic were almost as bad early.

The first half was a turnoverfest for both teams, and nobody could consistently hit a shot. Things were so out of sorts that the normally sharpshooting J.J. Redick(notes) even badly missed the free throw from Charlotte coach Larry Brown’s technical foul in the second quarter.

The Magic were 24 for 35 on free throws, while the Bobcats were 13 for 18. That wasn’t enough for Brown.

“We had three players that played tonight that got to the foul line, and one of them took one shot, one free throw,” he said. “Can’t play that way. Maybe we’ve got to get more respect, I don’t know.”

The Magic put together the closest thing to a run, and they slowly went ahead 41-30 at the half on Ryan Anderson’s(notes) 3-pointer. With Charlotte’s 14 first-half turnovers, though, they could’ve been up more.

Eventually, they would. The Magic’s star pairing finally showed up.

Howard used a drop step, spun right and hammered home a rim-rocking dunk over Tyson Chandler(notes) that started a big Magic push. He had nine points in the first five-plus minutes of the third before picking up his fourth foul, again relegating him to the bench.

Then, Carter took the reins.

Orlando’s biggest offseason acquisition, Carter sliced his way through the lane for several layups late in the third quarter. He anchored a run that put the Magic ahead 75-55 after three quarters with their entire bench standing, waving towels, shouting and smiling as they pulled ahead big.

After Charlotte trimmed the lead to eight with 3:16, Carter followed with a jumper. Then Jackson missed a layup, and Jameer Nelson(notes) raced down court to convert a three-point play that sealed Orlando’s win.

Jackson stood with his head band knocked sideways, pleading with official Bennett Salvatore for a whistle. It wouldn’t come.

“I knew my headband didn’t get knocked off by itself,” Jackson said.

The Magic now find themselves in a position that was unfamiliar in last year’s NBA finals run: a little series cushion.

They were down 2-1 to Philadelphia, trailed Boston 3-2 and went down 2-0 to the Los Angeles Lakers in the finals. Beating Cleveland in the conference finals in six games was the only series Orlando didn’t trail in last season.

vs(From the Associated Press) - Tony Parker(notes) saw the crowd gathered around Richard Jefferson(notes) and couldn’t resist teasing him.

“Man, one big game,” Parker said, smiling. “Look at all this.”
Jefferson took it in stride. After all, he was probably glad Parker didn’t woof or bark.

Knowing he was among the guys Spurs coach Gregg Popovich thought “played like dogs” in the opener, Jefferson bounced back by scoring 17 of his 19 points in the first half to help San Antonio beat the Dallas Mavericks 102-88 in Game 2 on Wednesday night. The win ties their first-round series at a game apiece, with the next two games in the Alamo City.

“You could see it in his eyes that he was motivated,” Parker said. “Nobody likes to play bad and he knew he didn’t have a good first game. Knowing his mentality, we knew he was going to come back.”

Jefferson matched the measly four points he had in Game 1 points before some fans were even settled into their seats. He was 7 of 9 by halftime, and was at his best during a 12-1 run late in the second quarter that broke the game open for good. He got it started with a fadeaway jumper and a finger roll, then added a reverse layup after the Mavericks somehow lost track of him.

“My teammates were looking for me, coming off the pick-and-roll and throwing it back to me,” Jefferson said. “That’s pretty much my game. After I struggled the last game, I think there was a concerted effort to get me involved.”

Tim Duncan(notes) was San Antonio’s second-half star, scoring 17 of his 25 points then, often just in time to douse Dallas rallies. He also had 17 rebounds.

“We went to Tim just about every other time down the stretch,” Popovich said. “He came through by scoring and rebounding at the other end.”

Mavs star Dirk Nowitzki(notes) went from hardly missing in Game 1 to hardly making. The Spurs didn’t even smother him; merely knowing they were creeping his way threw Nowitzki out of whack. He missed six of his first seven shots, and even missed a free throw after having made 88 in a row.

“If they give me those same looks on Friday, I’ll take them,” said Nowitzki, who finished with 24 points, down from 36 in the opener.

The Mavericks played their best only after they seemed to have buried themselves—down 16-5 early, they got within one by the end of the quarter; down 80-60 late in the third quarter they scored 12 straight points; back down 13 early in the fourth, they clawed within five. However, they never led and have now given away home-court advantage.

Game 3 is in San Antonio on Friday night, and the folks down there are probably especially looking forward to seeing Mavs owner Mark Cuban, who fanned the flames of the rivalry in recent days by repeatedly saying, “I hate the Spurs.”

“We’ve lost at home to them many times, so we’ve just got to stay humble, keep working hard, knowing full well that it’s going to be a long series,” Manu Ginobili(notes) said.

San Antonio built its leads by playing smart.

The Spurs held onto the ball (only nine turnovers, down from 17 in Game 1), forced their way to the rim, then took advantage of the space that opened up for longer-range jumpers. In the game-breaking second quarter, their inside-out attack produced 34 points on 68 percent shooting.

“They were a hot-shooting team and we were unable to keep them from being a hot-shooting team,” Dallas coach Rick Carlisle said. “When the ball’s in the air, it’s anybody’s ball. They came up with all those plays. They got the loose balls and they were more opportunistic.”

Ginobili had 23 points, including a 3-pointer with 1:48 left that he punctuated with a celebratory punch as fans began rushing toward the exits.

Parker, still coming off the bench, had 16 points and eight assists.

None of the other “dogs” made a big dent in the stat sheet, but they didn’t have to. Jefferson filled the scoring void and everyone else filled their roles.

“We just played sharper than we did the other night, by that I mean not fouling and taking care of the ball,” Popovich said. “We were focused.”

Jason Terry(notes) was a non-factor most of Game 1 for Dallas, but he hit his first two shots and kept looking for his shot all night. He finished with 27 points. Caron Butler(notes) scored 17.

The Mavs got only five points from their center tandem of Erick Dampier(notes) and Brendan Haywood(notes), all from Haywood. Jason Kidd(notes) was 1 of 7 for five points and Shawn Marion(notes) had just six.

“When we’re cold on the offensive end we’ve got to dig in defensively a little bit better,” Haywood said. “We’ve got to lock up a little better and we didn’t do that tonight. They had way too many offensive rebound opportunities and they scored almost every time they got an offensive rebound.”

Sure enough, San Antonio scored 23 second-chance points, Dallas just nine. That 14-point difference matched the final margin.

NBA Playoffs Results

vs(From the Associated Press) - Andrew Bynum(notes) leaned over, his hands on his knees, his chest heaving from his first minutes of game action in nearly a month.

Other than being out of breath, Bynum displayed little rust in teaming with Pau Gasol(notes) to dominate the middle in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 87-79 victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder in their playoff series opener Sunday.

Bynum ignited the Staples Center crowd with a monster one-handed dunk over a defenseless Nenad Krstic(notes) in the second quarter that pushed the Lakers’ lead to 17.

“It kind of got me going,” Bynum said. “It hyped the team up. That’s the kind of player I can be—exciting.”

Gasol scored 19 points, Bynum added 13 and Kobe Bryant(notes) had 21 points on 6-of-19 shooting after missing four of the final five regular season games to rest his swollen right knee and broken right index finger.

“I just have less margin for error with the finger,” he said. “You just got to make adjustments, change your stroke up a little bit.”

Kevin Durant(notes) led the Thunder with 24 points on 7-of-24 shooting in his playoff debut—under the 30.1 average of the NBA’s youngest-ever scoring champion. Former UCLA star Russell Westbrook(notes) added 23.

“I was frustrated,” said Durant, who tossed up some airballs and went 9 of 11 from the line. “I was missing shots I normally make. They felt good leaving my hand. If I made 4-5 more shots, maybe it’s a different game.”

Bynum made a difference for the Lakers.

He returned from a 13-game absence because of a strained right Achilles’ tendon, teaming with fellow 7-footer Gasol to pull down a combined 25 rebounds and deny the Thunder key second-chance baskets. Bynum tied his career playoff high with four blocks.

“I had a couple little twinges, but nothing serious,” he said. “Conditioning in the first quarter was tough. The more I keep playing with this aggressive nature, I’ll get better.”

Game 2 in the best-of-7 series is Tuesday at Staples Center.

“We could’ve definitely played a lot better, but at this stage you just got to win games,” Bryant said. “It doesn’t really matter how.”

History is on the Lakers’ side against the NBA’s youngest team, with an average age of 25 years and 42 days. When coach Phil Jackson wins Game 1 of any series, his teams are 45-0.

“We eked the game out,” Jackson said. “In the second half, we played not up to what we want to play. The energy wasn’t what it could be.”

That wasn’t a problem in the beginning.

The Lakers came out blazing against the overwhelmed Thunder, pounding the ball inside to Bynum and Gasol while shooting 54 percent and taking a 27-13 lead in the first quarter.

“They really play off each other, take their time and shoot a high field-goal percentage,” Lamar Odom(notes) said. “They make the game easy for us as a team.”

In the playoffs for the first time since moving from Seattle two years ago, the Thunder shot 26 percent, leading to their fewest points in an opening period all season.

“Our effort was really good,” coach Scott Brooks said. “We just didn’t have anything going (offensively). We were holding the ball and standing around too much.”

Oklahoma City settled down the rest of the way, but never got closer than six points against the defending champions, who are seeking a third straight trip to the NBA finals.

“When you have Bynum, Gasol and Lamar Odom all in at the same time, I mean it’s a lot of reaching, a lot of hands and that’s a lot of length,” Westbrook said. “It’s tough for us, but I think we’re going to continue to play, continue to compete and we’ll have a chance.”

With Bryant, Gasol, Derek Fisher(notes) and Ron Artest(notes) on the bench to start the fourth, Jordan Farmar(notes) scored the Lakers’ first five points despite a strained left hamstring to stretch a six-point lead to 11.

Bryant and Odom hit consecutive 3-pointers, extending the lead the Lakers held the entire game to 77-66.

A pair of free throws by Durant got the Thunder to 79-73 with 3 1/2 minutes remaining. They never got any closer. Fisher hit a 3-pointer that pushed the Lakers’ lead to 84-74 before Bryant picked up his fifth foul.

“We could’ve came here and got a `W,”’ Durant said. “We just couldn’t get over the hump.”

Westbrook carried the Thunder early in the third, and Durant scored their final five points to leave them trailing 64-56 going into the final 12 minutes. Fisher, Artest and Odom were in foul trouble and Bryant scored a single point on a free throw as they played to a draw in the third.

The Thunder outscored the Lakers 26-20 in the second quarter, when Los Angeles got away from the inside game of Bynum and Gasol and settled for jump shots instead. Their 17-point lead dwindled to 47-39 at the break.

Westbrook scored the Thunder’s final eight points of the half and their first two of the third, drawing them within six.

vs(From the Associated Press) - Dwight Howard(notes) was slapped, scraped, pushed and punished. His frustration built, simmering so much that he was sidelined in foul trouble.

Superman was grounded.

Luckily for the Orlando Magic, they had Mighty Mouse back.

Jameer Nelson(notes) scored 24 of his 32 points in the first half, and the Magic nearly blew a 22-point lead with Howard out before beating the Charlotte Bobcats 98-89 in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series Sunday.

After missing the first three rounds of the playoffs last year recovering from right shoulder surgery, Nelson is healthy again and ready to redeem his NBA finals flop.

“In the finals, I wasn’t myself,” Nelson said. “Not making any excuses, I was out there, so I should have helped my team out a little better. But it feels great being able to help these guys, and not be out there in a suit cheering them on as much as I did last year.”

Nelson was sorely needed in this one.

Vince Carter(notes) was 4 for 19, finished with 12 points and fouled out late. Howard had nine blocks but was limited offensively. He said he was so overanxious and hyped up that he couldn’t sleep the night before, text messaging teammate Carter.

“He was like, ‘I’m trying to sleep.’ I was like ‘I’m sorry. I’m just hyped,”’ Howard said. “I get hyper. My teammates, they do a good job of calming me down. I just have to not get so frustrated.”

Gerald Wallace(notes) had 25 points, and Stephen Jackson(notes) played through a hyperextended left knee to finish with 18 points in the Bobcats’ first playoff game in franchise history.

And they looked like it early.

“We were a little nervous starting off the game, and they knew it,” Wallace said. “They took advantage of it. They came out and punched us in the mouth, they made shots and we didn’t. They built themselves a lead at home, and left us trying to find our way back.”

They almost did.

Charlotte swarmed and slapped Howard on every opportunity near the rim. The Hack-a-Howard approach left the All-Star with five points and seven rebounds, and he was 1 for 6 on free throws.

The Magic sputtered in his absence.

“Their big guys are going to hit him every chance they get. And if he gets one foul retaliating, they’ve done their job,” Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. “He can’t get any of those. He’s just going to have to understand no matter how many times they hit him, he can’t hit back. We need him on the floor.”

Wallace’s free throws trimmed Orlando’s lead to 85-80 late in the fourth, and they had the Bobcats on the brink of a stunning upset.

Howard then returned with a put-back dunk, Mickael Pietrus(notes) had a 3-pointer and the Magic eventually went ahead 92-84 to put the game out of reach.

Even with a dreadful game offensively, Bobcats coach Larry Brown said Howard’s presence on the other end was too much to overcome.

“If I read the stats correctly, he got five points and he was the most valuable player,” Brown said.

Charlotte’s gritty comeback attempt at least provided them with some hope that this best-of-seven series might not be so lopsided when it resumes Wednesday in Orlando. That also gives Jackson, who will have an MRI on Monday, an extra day’s rest. But will he miss Game 2?

“No way,” he said.

Charlotte just needs to find a way to contain Nelson, too.

The speedy point guard left Raymond Felton(notes) and D.J. Augustin(notes) in the dust, much to the dismay of new Bobcats majority owner Michael Jordan sitting on the baseline. But Orlando imploded with Howard sidelined as Charlotte twice battled back from big deficits and overcame what could have been a catastrophic blow.

Wallace dived for a loose ball and collided with Jackson late in the second quarter, injuring his teammate’s knee. Jackson laid on the floor in pain, and Nelson pushed the ball down court to hit a 3-pointer at the first-half buzzer.

Jackson returned to score 10 points in the second half, but he sat out the final minutes of the fourth because of the injury, pleading with Brown to get back in the game.

“He’s mad at me,” Brown said. “I just didn’t feel comfortable putting him back on the floor.”

The Bobcats went down 65-43 on a 3-pointer by Lewis early in the third quarter. Howard would pick up his fourth foul, and the frustration began to set in for the Magic.

They just never slipped up enough to lose.

Nelson wouldn’t let them.

“I was just happy to have my little crib midget back,” Howard said, laughing. “He means a lot to our team. It just feels good seeing him out there.”