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Written by The Big Train
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Tuesday, 21 April 2009 07:40 |
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There were plenty of things that went right for Magic fans... Through the first 3 quarters. Of course, one might argue that the disastrous 4th quarter certainly cancels out everything that went well. The score would certainly agree. It must still leave a horrible taste in the mouths of Magic Nation. But now that another day has passed, and we have realized that the Sixers must still win another 3 games, we can begin to look towards the rest of the series. So, that said, here are the top 9 reasons why Orlando will still win the series.

- Philadelphia will not shoot 58% from beyond the arc again. During the regular season, Philly was dead last in the NBA in 3 point percentage (32%) while at the same time Orlando ranked second in opponents 3 point percentage (34%).
- The Magic will shoot better than 5 of 18 (29%) from 3 point land. Orlando shot 38% for the season, while Rashard Lewis shot a shade under 40%. He will not hit only 1 of 4 again.
- Donyell Marshall will not score 11 points in 11 minutes again. He averaged 3.8 points during the regular season. Enough said.
- Hedo Turkaglu will get his act together. All Magic fans were pretty disappointed in Hedo on Sunday. He didn't make his first field goal until the 4th quarter and ended the game with 6 points. Although his ankle is still giving him trouble, there is no way that Hedo will continue the sluggish pace, especially considering he will more than likely opt out of this contract following this season. He needs a good showing in the playoffs to solidify his value. These playoffs are too important to Hedo.
- JJ Redick will not play meaningful minutes again. During his 6 minutes on the court on Sunday, the Sixers found a way to trim 13 points off the Magic's lead. Not to say that this is all JJ's fault... But the guy will not be playing any more meaningful minutes this series.
- The Magic are the better team. Although they are not the most battle tested playoff team, they still have more experience than Philadelphia does. There is a reason why Orlando won 59 regular season games and this team will not let that go to waste. This team can go on crazy runs and put up some points pretty fast, while at the same time play lock down defense. They will not let big leads be demolished again. Enough said.
- Dwight Howard. He put up 31 points. Grabbed 16 rebounds. 9 of 12 from the free throw line. Only 2 turnovers. 11 of 13 from the field. Pretty impressive if you ask me. It's fair to say that his free throw percentage will not stay that high, but regardless Dwight is still by far and away the best player on the court in this series. He will put this team on his back, and as long as the rest of the Magic understand this and don't try to take control of the game (I'm talking to you Hedo) the Magic should be alright.
- Courtney Lee was impressive. After a shaky first quarter, the rookie turned it on and scored 18 points and lead the team with 41 minutes played. His confidence level will only help the Magic.
- Kareem Rush plays for Philadelphia. Now he didn't play on Sunday, but the fact that he wears a uniform ensures the Magic will advance.
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Image of the day: Via Orlando Sentinel
The Mission. The Statement.
We are Terry and The Pump Fakes, Jareth Cutestory, Vile Feminista, Maxwell Effort, I 3 Freely, Paul Ego, Supply and Demand, El Fantasma de Carlos, The Big Train, The Nickel Steak, Ayo!, and Tyson J. Perfect. Together, we are Magic fans. We remember Nick’s steal against Jordan, Billy Donovan, Scott Skiles, Jerryl Sasser and Reece Gaines, The Mac Attacks, the NBA on NBC, and Grant Hill’s ankle. We also watch TV and read the internet, thus noticing the endless flow of unoriginal Orlando Magic related puns. We have combined to discuss the Magic, the NBA, and from time to time supply side economics and the life of Leonardo da Vinci. Together we are The Puns Are Starting to Bore Me.
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