Dwight Howard wasn't the only one missing shots for Orlando.
The Magic's prized collection of three-point gunners cooled off in Game 1, further adding to Orlando's woes.
Dwight Howard wasn't the only one missing shots for Orlando.
The Magic's prized collection of three-point gunners cooled off in Game 1, further adding to Orlando's woes.
Will it turn around in Game 2 of the NBA Finals tonight against the Lakers?
"I don't think we could shoot worse," Magic forward Rashard Lewis said. "Somebody's got to make some shots somewhere."
Orlando got this far by relying on Howard's strength down low and a number of perimeter players who knocked down shots whenever Howard was double-teamed.
Orlando was an impressive 40.8% from three-point range in the Eastern Conference finals against Cleveland but couldn't find the range in Game 1 against the Lakers.
Rafer Alston missed all four of his three-point attempts, Courtney Lee was one for four and reserve guard Jameer Nelson missed both of his attempts.
All told, the Magic shot 34.8% from long distance in Game 1, well below its accuracy against Cleveland. In fact, the Magic shot 29.9% overall in Game 1, second-lowest in a Finals game since 1967.
The Lakers played superb defense in Game 1, possibly their best effort of the playoffs, but the Magic also missed some open looks.
Kobe Bryant said he "absolutely" expected Orlando's perimeter players to bounce back tonight.
"We'll have to face many games in this series where they shoot lights out," he said, mentioning a January game in which the Magic made 23 of 37 three-point attempts against Sacramento. "This is a team that can get blistering hot, and we know that. We've just got to be ready for that."
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Who's the real Kobe?
Lakers Coach Phil Jackson didn't hesitate when asked to name the biggest misconception about Bryant.
"That he's a nice guy," Jackson said. "He's a killer. He's a gunslinger, and he's a guy that's going to take the weak and have no mercy on them. That's one of the things about Kobe. He's a tough character, and he's got a real nice demeanor and he carries himself very well."
Bryant had a slightly different opinion of himself, saying with a smile that Jackson "lied."
"I'm completely different at home and outside of Staples Center and here," he said at the team's training facility in El Segundo. "I think my USA Olympic teammates were up for a pretty big shock too, this [past] summer."
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Bryant's longevity
How much longer will Bryant play in the NBA?
Jackson guessed several more seasons.