NBA Finals Preview – Keys for the Orlando Magic

The Orlando Magic are riding high after a convincing Game 6 closeout of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Dwight Howard was an absolute beast, scoring 40 points in a dominant performance. The Magic now face an even greater challenge, as the L.A. Lakers are the only team in the league that can equal the Magic in terms of length (they’re two of the tallest teams in the league) and offensive depth (double teaming is a death sentence against either squad, as they’re filled with dangerous shooters at every position).

The Magic are underdogs again this series, as the BetOnline NBA sportsbook has them as six point dogs for Game 1 and +210 for the series. Here are the keys for the Magic to beat the NBA basketball odds and take down the NBA Championship:

Key #1 – Containing Gasol

Limiting Gasol is going to be one of the major keys for the Magic this series. Coach Van Gundy will have Rashard Lewis matched up on him to start games, but I think that’s asking for trouble. On the other hand, I think double-teaming Gasol is an even worse strategy. The Magic sorely lack a strong, aggressive power forward, as Gasol has shown that he can be taken out of his comfort zone with physical play. If I were Van Gundy, I’d play Howard and Gortat together for extended periods, and have Gortat try to knock Gasol around a bit.

Key #2 – Maintain Composure

Not a single major contributor on the Orlando Magic has any NBA Finals experience. The energy, media focus and pressure of the situation could cause major problems for them. The Magic have been prone to excessive emotion, with both Alston and Howard receiving suspensions, and Howard getting 5 technicals in the playoffs already. The Magic will have to focus on the moment and not get lost in the excitement and hoopla, because you can be damn sure that Kobe’s focused and ready to kill.

Key #3 – Dwight’s Free Throw Shooting

One thing from the Cleveland series that hasn’t gotten nearly the press it should have is Dwight’s free throw shooting. Howard shot 70% from the charity stripe, and it was a major factor in his averaging 25.8ppg. In Round 1 he shot 67% and scored 24.0ppg, against Celtics he shot only 54% and averaged only 16.4ppg (the Celtics also took the Magic to 7 games). If Howard can maintain his decent shooting, the Magic will have a real chance.

Key #4 – Pietrus on Bryant

It may seem ridiculous to talk about a guy’s defense when the player he was guarding averaged almost 40ppg, but Pietrus really did a decent job on LeBron. He was certainly better than any other Magic player. He’ll get a lot of minutes guarding Bryant, and the Magic will be in good shape if he can do as good a job. It’s actually a better matchup for Pietrus, as Kobe won’t have as much success in the post against him as LeBron did. Pietrus will also have to keep draining corner threes in order to keep Bryant honest on defense.

Key #5 – Dwight Howard Has to Score Against Bynum

The Celtics had a big, strong, quick post defender in Kendrick Perkins and he made Dwight Howard look all too human. The Cavaliers didn’t have anyone that fit that description and Howard feasted. The Lakers have Andrew Bynum, and the biggest question mark for the Magic is how Howard will be able to score against him. If Howard can continue to get good position and finish at the rim, I think that the Lakers are in serious trouble. Unfortunately for the Magic, Howard has not shown that he can score at ease against strong, quick defenders. This would be a hell of a time to step up.