Lakers v Magic Game 4 Play by Play

We are back at Amway Arena in Orlando for Game 4 of the NBA Finals. Despite the 2-1 defecit, all the momentum is with the Magic and they have improved through every game - particularly with their shooting.

But they will be wary of a Laker backlash; LA have won every game following a defeat in this postseason and Kobe is coming off a couple of fairly average performances by his lofty standards. Look for LA to involve Odom, Bynum and Gasol more in the offense and the Magic to get Hedo Turkoglu going.

1st Quarter

12.00 - The crowd start loud and get louder after Orlando recovers the first rebound.

11.21 - Kobe starts this quarter in the same manner that he did on Tuesday. He drills a tough 2 and the Lakers are off the mark first.

10.10 - The Lakers go to Gasol in deep but Howard blocks his shot. LA want to get the ball in his hands more often and Orlando know it. 2-0 LA

Courtney Lee is 1/4 from the field, all three pointers. Quick ball movement is getting him some great looks but he can't quite find his touch yet. Lewis and Turkoglu look sharp.

Kobe does that better than anybody; a superb shote fake throws Lee up three feet in the air and KB just leans into him while shooting to draw the foul. 6-4 Lakers.

Dwight Howard has 6 rebounds in less than 4 minutes of action. Bynum is already sitting with 2 fouls.

6.49 - LA cannot keep up with the speed of Orlando. Hedo drives, releases to Alston to dribbles and shoots up an open three. He had more time on his hands than me right there. 12-8 Magic.

4.43 - Orlando have gone as Rafer Alston has gone recently and he is rolling with the jump shot. 14-11 Magic.

Howard has 3 blocks in less than 8 minutes. This boy has been monstrous on D so far but has just the 1 point.

Gasol and Bynum are now both off the floor with foul trouble. Welcome to the finals DJ Mbenga and let me introduce you to Dwight Howard. Whats that? No, you don't have to stay long.

Howard has 11 blocks in less than 10 minutes. Ok, the Lakers are missing shots but he is dominationg in the paint. 20-15 Orlando.

1.24 - Bryant drains two FT's to pull the Lakers within 3. He now has 11 and has scored all 5 from the line. 20-17 Magic.

Josh Powell is now in the game for LA. I don't suppose Phil Jackson had this planned.

0.20 - Kobe hits again, 13 points for him.

End of first - 24-20 Magic with Howard and Kobe showing up big. The difference is the help that they are receiving; Alston and Turkoglu (although no Lewis) are playing strong and getting to the rim whereas Bynum, Gasol and Odom are off the floor. LA are stuck on the perimeter and look a little unbalanced currently.

2nd Quarter

11.45 - Jameer Nelson is in the game and quickly gets to the basket. He's still searching for consistency but he can still help out off the bench.

Dwight just knocked down Jameer while grabbing a rebound. Is nobody safe?

Patrick Ewing kinda looks like a truck. I'm not sure why Dwight Howard needs a body guard anyway.

8.06 - Lewis feeds a pretty pass to Gortat who stuffs the ball to stretch the Magic lead to 34-26.

7.40 - Rashard now hits from outside and the lead is 10. Largest lead of the finals for Orlando.

The Lakers still refuse to put the ball in Gasol's hands. He is pretty good.

6.32 - And so am I; they feed the Spaniard and he delivers. 37-29 Magic.

5.29 - I like that; Andrew Bynum showing some aggression getting to the basket on the spin. Gortat responds and continues to show that he can be a starter in the NBA. JJ Redick has provided a couple of good assists so far. 39-31 Magic.

A technical foul on the zen master? He can't be thrilled with the show put on by his team.

4.01 - Kobe Bryant now has 16 after scoring a vicious three. He had no right making that shot. 43-35 Magic.

Only Kobe and Pau have shown up for the Lakers so far. Orlando are playing with confidence and speed and the role players are exemplifying that to this point.

1.50 - Howard with successive hook shots to more Orlando ahead by 12. He's having a really good game (6 points, 5 blocks and 14 rebounds already).

End of 2nd - The Lakers are held to 37 points at the half and lead 49-37. Los Angeles need to find a catalyst here offensively having struggled so far (1/10 from three, 33% shooting) but are simply not showing the same desire here as their opponents. On the other side, can the Magic maintain their intensity, particularly on D?

3rd Quarter

This is the house that Dunks built...first of the night for Dwight.

9.48 - Ariza with a now trademark steal and follows it up with a slam, 51-41 Magic.

9.18 - The smallest pick and roll gives Kobe a look and he smokes a three. Magic now only by 7.

Fast start by LA. Direct, quick play and Van Gundy may be served taking a TO here.

8.00 - Psychic. Ariza from downtown and Stan calls for the timeout. Orlando have not been helped by the break. Ariza has been that spark so far in the 3rd.

6.42 - Trevor Ariza is on fire (oh memories of NBA 94). He bangs down a three and now has 11 points, all in the last 5 minutes. 54-53 Orlando as their advantage has dissappeared.

Bynum scores two FT's and LA has its first lead since early in the first.

2.42 - Lamar Odom buries a trey. He is winning the battle of the x-factors in the game as Rashard is anonymous. Well, i did see him foul somebody but thats it.

Kobe and Dwight battle for a rebound and theres some afters. Good to see some fight. Good for Kobe it's not a real one. This game is heating up.

Rebound Watch - Howard has 18.

End of 3rd - Lakers outscore the Magic by 16 in the half on the back of Ariza and Bryant. 67-63 Lakers. Guess the Magic couldn't maintain that intensity...

4th Quarter

Turkoglu back in the game finally. With Lewis not performing they need a playmaker on the floor. Nelson looks lost also.

Fisher gets to the basket and its 71-65 in their favour.

9.09 - Offensive foul on Dwight Howard, his fourth as neither team can find a rhythm. 71-67 Lakers.

The Magic now have as many turnovers as field goals in the half.

7.25 - Mickael Pietrus hits from threeland but Kobe retaliates with a shot over Pietrus for three that silences the crowd. When he makes shots like that it's hard to believe that he ever misses.

6.40 - Dwight with two FT's, he is only 4/8 from the line but Orlando are back within 2.

5.38 - Crowd goes nuts as Pietrus banks home a lay up and gets the foul. This is so tight. The Lakers really can't afford to fall behind with Lamar and Pau in foul trouble.

4.48 - Kobe with a beautiful spin move then shot. 79-76 LA.

3.02 - Howard scores and will get the chance for a three-point-play. Jameer Nelson has come into the game and fed Dwight twice with bullet passes, is he beginning to feel it? 82-79 Magic.

Block Watch - Dwight has 8.

2.44 - Thats a dagger. The shot clock is winding down as Kobe (once again) loses the ball going to the rim. Ariza is forced to launch a three and makes it. 82-82.

2.12 - What you can do...Hedo Turkoglu from distance. 85-82 Magic.

Turkoglu with another big basket leads to a Lakers timeout. 5 point lead now for Orlando as they have stepped up the execution on both ends.

31.9 - Alston had the chance to finish it but his jump shot comes up short. Kobe then cuts and finds Pau with a brilliant pass for the slam to cut the lead to 3.

11.1 - Howard to the line as Bryant is forced to foul. He needs one to make it a two possession game....but he can't and LA takes a TO. could we be heading to OT again?

4.6 - MR. BIG SHOT in the house tonight. LA inbound from the back court and work the ball to Derek Fisher who ties the game with a three. Fish hasn't done much in the game but he makes the shot when it matters. That's his first field goal of the damn game! And why was the 6'0 Jameer Nelson on court to guard him? 87-87

Have Los Angeles left too much time on the clock?

End of 4th - Pietrus had to force the final shot under pressure but couldn't find the net. Take game 1 out of the equation and this is an incredibly tight series. 25 years since the last finals with two overtime games.

Overtime (5 minutes)

4.33 - Thats just non-sensical. Rashard Lewis has been colder than an English summer all game and then in the first play of the extra period drains a 3. Kobe respnds with a poorly contested J and it's 90-89 Magic.

Kobe works over Pietrus again and puts LA back ahead, he has 32.

1.39 - Fisher just fouled Howard. Kinda looked like he was a kid cuddling him. Cute. 91-90 LA

1.27 - Howard to the line after a foul by the cuddly Fisher. His FT shooting has been strong in the Finals but he has suffered tonight. He makes only the single and it's 91-91.

31.3 - Just when it looks like Kobe may never pass again, he draws in two, finds Fisher and he buries another trey. Another clutch shot from the 34-year old. Da Fish is keeping LA above water. 94-91 Lakers.

21.6 - Game set match? Lewis inbounds to Turkoglu who hits the rim on a difficult shot, Lewis saves it but can only tip the ball to Pau Gasol who happily accepts the gift. LA by 5. Bad bad play by Orlando.

3.4 - That will do it. Turkoglu misses and LA find Gasol for another basket. Pietrus with a physical foul on the big man which not only gives Pau a FT but enrages him. Flagrant on Pietrus and Technical on Pau. They may look at that tomorrow as that was a dirty, needless foul, somewhat like a wrestling-style Mongolian chop come petulant smack. Worth a look.

End of OT - 99-91 Lakers. The Magic couldn't find their scoring touch in the big moments, missed too many free throws and commited too many turnovers. The Lakers found some big points from Ariza and Fisher but ultimately got the job done on defence, limiting the Magic to only 42 points in the final 29 minutes of play with key guys close to fouling out (Gasol was key). Kobe and Dwight both had strong games (Kobe 32-7-8, Dwight 16-21 with a Finals record 9 blocks) but it's Bryant's Lakers who are now within one game of the Championship.

Game 5 is Saturday night at the Amway Arena, Orlando.