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From Orlando Sentinel

Hot-shooting Magic hold off Raptors to win playoff opener

Brian Schmitz | Sentinel Staff Writer
2:48 AM EDT, April 21, 2008

The Orlando Magic not only followed the game plan Sunday, but the grand plan.

Scrawled on the greaseboard in their dressing room, under the title "Step By Step, Possession By Possession," the club plotted its growth chart to storybook success. The stairstep-type illustration began with "Winning Season" and ended with, ahem, " NBA Finals."

Circled in red after the Magic's 114-100 Game 1 victory against the Toronto Raptors at Amway Arena was "Playoff Win."

Circle it, underline it and mark it with a big exclamation point.

The Magic delivered their first playoff win after a five-year dry spell, riding a lightning start and the thunder of Dwight Howard (25 points, 22 rebounds, five blocks).

And talk about going full circle:

Swept out of the opening round by the Detroit Pistons last season, the Magic won in the postseason for the first time since beating the Pistons 100-92 in Game 4 on April 27, 2003. It was not only the beginning of the end for that Magic team — the Pistons stormed back from a 3-1 deficit to win — but the start of tremendous heartache for the club.

The Magic punctuated their best season since 1996 convincingly against the Raptors, finally getting over a hump that often tests the most promising teams.

"That first win is huge for a lot of guys in that locker room who haven't won a playoff game," General Manager Otis Smith said. "Lot of them have never been here. This team can start to believe in itself."

Howard and Jameer Nelson won their first playoff games, and Keith Bogans played in his first. The relative playoff neophytes were at the top of their game early, playing off Howard to put on a mesmerizing shooting display.

They hit their first eight shots and 16 of their first 20, tying NBA records of nine 3-pointers in a quarter (first quarter) and 11 in a half. The Magic scored a club playoff record 43 points in the opening period, and seized a 24-point lead before heading into halftime ahead 60-47. "It was incredible, couldn't ask for a better start," guard Keyon Dooling said.

And then came the key question: Could the Magic take that aforementioned step after the Raptors cut the lead to five with a little more than 10 minutes left?

"My only concern with our guys ... we don't have a lot of guys who have been through these battles," Coach Stan Van Gundy said.

The Magic had difficulty keeping leads all season, but they stood up to the Raptors to record a breakthrough.

And fittingly, it was the star whom they are counting on to revive the franchise that steadied them. After Hedo Turkoglu's basket made it 90-83, Howard dunked, scored on a put-back and then on another follow to give Orlando a 13-point lead at 96-83.

"Dwight got some key offensive rebounds, and if we could have come up with those rebounds, it could have been a different story," Raptors Coach Sam Mitchell said.

Howard won the star vs. star duel against Chris Bosh (21 points, but just 4-of-11 shooting). Defending Bosh and getting at least a draw in the point-guard matchup were the other major story lines heading into the series.

Rashard Lewis (13 points) was hired as a scorer, but his chest-to-chest defense on Bosh was critical. "It's not easy. I just tried to make it tough for him," Lewis said.

Point guard Nelson scored 24 points — his most points since Nov. 9 — and had seven assists. His backup, Dooling, added 10 points as Orlando bested the Toronto tandem of T.J. Ford (five points, 1-of-9) and Jose Calderon (nine points, 3-of-11).

Game 2 is Tuesday as the Magic's climb continues.

"It's step by step with this team. It's baby steps. We won a game," Van Gundy said. "Now the next step is winning a series."

Copyright © 2008, Orlando Sentinel

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