Orlando Try To Make It Two In A Row

With Game 5 tonight the Orlando Magic are looking for a repeat performance of Game 4. Will it happen? The odds are greatly against that happening for the Magic and their fans. Boston is very good on the road and have already won two games in Orlando. The Magic will need to have a few things go right for them to send the series back to Boston.

Jameer Nelson and Dwight Howard will need to have great games again if they have any chance at all. One guy who must step up big is Vince Carter. In Game 4 he had just 3 points in 30 minutes. He cannot play like that if Orlando wants to win Game 5. The bench for Orlando will need to play well also. J.J. Redick has played well and will need to continue that stellar play if Orlando wants a chance. The Celtics will come ready to play as they love closing out series on other teams floor. Look for Boston to try and end it tonight for Orlando.

NBA Playoff Roundup

Boston 96 Final
Orlando 117

Dwight Howard had 17 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks to lift the Orlando Magic to a 117-96 victory over the Celtics on Friday night and a 2-1 series lead in their Eastern Conference semifinal. Rashard Lewis had 28 points, and Hedo Turkoglu scored 24 for Orlando, which played without starting point guard Rafer Alston. He was suspended by the NBA for slapping Eddie House in the back of the head in Game 2. The Celtics have lost three straight on the road and 19 of their last 25 road playoff games


LA Lakers 108 Final
Houston 94

Kobe Bryant scored 33 points in the Lakers' 108-94 victory in Game 3 on Friday night that gave them a 2-1 lead in the series. Lamar Odom had 16 points and 13 rebounds and reserve point guard Jordan Farmar had 12 points and seven assists in place of the suspended Derek Fisher, who was ejected from Game 2 for a hard hit on Luis Scola when he set a pick. Ron Artest, who scored 25 points, was ejected for a flagrant foul on Pau Gasol in the final minute, the only carryover of the rough play that turned testy in Game 2. Artest was ejected from Game 2 for a verbal altercation with Bryant following Bryant's elbow to Artest's upper chest.

Orlando Takes A 2-1 Series Lead

Dwight Howard had 17 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks to lift the Orlando Magic to a 117-96 victory over the Celtics on Friday night and a 2-1 series lead in their Eastern Conference semifinal. Rashard Lewis had 28 points, and Hedo Turkoglu scored 24 for Orlando, which played without starting point guard Rafer Alston. He was suspended by the NBA for slapping Eddie House in the back of the head in Game 2.

Paul Pierce broke out of his series slump to score 27 points, and Rajon Rondo added 15 for the defending champion Celtics, who trimmed a 20-point deficit to seven before the Magic regained control. G Courtney Lee returned for the Magic with a protective mask after missing the first two games of the series recovering from a fractured sinus. He finished with 11 points in 32 minutes. ... The Magic haven't made it to the conference finals since Shaquille O'Neal and Penny Hardaway led them in 1996.