NBA Finals Game Two: Orlando Supporting Cast Must Recapture the Magic

The Magic made a number of adjustments in their 101-96 overtime loss to the Lakers in Game Two of the NBA Finals—some of them worked, some of them didn’t.

• Unlike the initial game when Orlando played Bryant straight up, the Magic mixed up their coverage on Kobe Bryant much more frequently in Game Two. Whenever Courtney Lee was isolated on Bryant the Magic would send an automatic double team to coax the ball out of Bryant’s hands. Most of the time, Kobe would spin away from the double into Lee and simply rise and fire over him.
• Mickael Pietrus couldn’t defend Bryant without fouling, or in the case of a particular fourth-quarter whistle, without appearing to foul.
• Surprisingly, J.J. Redick was effective in his denial defense of Bryant ...
  
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