DEEP THOUGHTS FROM GAME ONE

...For weeks, we watched an Orlando Magic team that was stuck in neutral. With virtually no chances of moving up or down, this team played out the string of the regular season with ambivalence. All that pent-up energy poured out in the first quarter of game one vs. Toronto: a team record 43 points....they tied an NBA playoff record with nine three-pointers. Safe to say, our team was ready to erupt!

...25 points, 22 rebounds 5 blocked shots...Shaq-like numbers for Dwight Howard. We all know how talented Dwight is. But, the unbridled determination this kid showed in game one reminded us ole timers of a young Shaq. Dwight's lust for winning is catching up to the phenom's extreme talent.

...This was the best overall performance I have seen from Jameer Nelson in a Magic uniform! You have to love this kid's competitive fire. No doubt, Jameer heard "experts", like Anez Sez, opining that TJ Ford and Jose Calderon would get the best of him in this series. It was the other way around. Jameer set the tone very early with his aggressive play on both ends of the floor. I can't recall one time when the cat-quick Ford (1-9 FG, 5 points) broke Jameer down. This was Jameer Nelson at his best. This is what Jameer Nelson can become.

...Orlando's point guard spot in game one (Jameer and Keyon Dooling) combined to tally 34 points and 8 assists. Toronto's tandem wracked up 14 points and 14 assists. We know what we're gonna get out of our Big Three. But if we can get similar production out of our point guard spot, this team can beat anybody in the league.

...How about Coach Van Gundy putting Rashard Lewis on Chris Bosh in game one? Wow...Didn't see that comin'! I suspected Coach Stan would go with Hedo, who has a little more girth to his frame. But he sides with Rashard who played his most inspired defensive game of the year. Rashard got up into Bosh's grill all game. He took away his dominant left hand dribble and made things difficult on the "Magic Killer". Bosh says he will be ready for game two. I wonder if Stan has something else up his sleeve?

...It was obvious that Dwight used the off days leading up to game one to work on his free throws. He nailed his first eight free throws Sunday and finished 9-11 from the line. You can bet your bottom dollar that the Raptors are thinking that the Rick Barry-like performance was a fluke.

...Let's not get cocky! Momentum is overrated in the playoffs. Each game is an entity unto itself. Heck, we ole timers remember the 1995 first round when the Magic would blow out the Celtics in game one by some 47 points. Game two saw the Celtics rally for a stunning 99-92 victory. We would close out the series in Boston, but the point is that the Magic have to keep the pedal to the metal. This Toronto team is very explosive and capable of stealing home court advantage in game two.