The LA Lakers face the Orlando Magic tonight at the Amway Arena (ESPN/ABC (TSN for Canadian Viewers at 9 PM EST/6 PM PDT) - and its not looking so great for Dwight Howard and the rest of the Magic squad as they try to reproduce that Disney magic and get something going tonight.

Not only did they fail to win it on Sunday (Courtney Lee missed two potential game-winning shots in the last 40 seconds), but now they are in the hole 0-2 and so far, only 3 teams have made it past that deficit to win it in the Finals. They may be able to bounce back, but with 20 turnovers, Dwight Howard kept under his season and playoff average in the last two games, and even with Reshard Lewis being on fire and scoring 38 points did nothing to stop the Overtime win that the Lakers managed to keep in Game 2, losing the game 96-101. Kobe Bryant finished with 29 points, 4 rebounds and 8 assists and Pau Gasol, the anchor that Kobe needed to keep the team grounded, 24 points and 10 rebounds.

If they can't find an effective way to shut Bryant and Gasol down, while keeping Odom, Ariza, Fisher, Walton, Brown, Bynum (heck the entire Lakers bench) without getting into early foul trouble (three of their players had two by the end of the first quarter), and keep fighting for the boards while keeping the ball under control - see a potential sweep coming up.


Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images

Dwight Howard isn't helping - with a weak-outside the paint- skillset, inability to do anything but dunk, and shotty free throwing, Dwight may just not be ready to carry the team...at least this year. Reports are already coming in that Dwight and Andrew Bynum will be working out/practicing together this upcoming offseason, since they consider themselves one of the few true-centers left in the league. This may help both - improving Bynum's weak post game while improving Howard's weak outside game.

But even if Dwight Howard had Bynum's shooting ability - you still got Kobe Bryant. Even if you put three people on him, he'll find a way to make you pay either by exploding through them or finding an open teammate. Plus he's hungry as ever to final shut reporters, fans, anti-fans, and everyone in between up to get his long overdue fourth ring. How would you like to hear constantly from the media and people about how he feels about this year's finals? I mean, the guy has won three already, was voted as league MVP and multiple all-stars MVP. "Oh he couldn't have won it without Shaq." REALLY? BUT THINK ABOUT IT THE OTHER WAY - SHAQ wouldn't have won it without KOBE. Game 7, 2001 Finals. Against the Portland Trail Blazers. Against one of the most stacked teams ever - scored 25 points, 11 rebounds, and 7 assists - compared to Shaq's 18 points and 9 rebounds. Kobe out-scored AND out-rebounded Shaq. And they won their first of three there and then. Why do you think they (The Lakers) kept Kobe after the 2004 season? Because Shaq was getting old, and Kobe could keep them going. I don't understand why Kobe Bryant is given this stigma that he isn't one of THE greatest - one of the most prolific shooters, passers, play makers, dunkers (he won a slam dunk contest!), and overall great player with THREE championship rings.


Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images

So, before you think about Kobe's place in the list of greatest of all time, read this article, and sit back as Kobe will put the naysayers forever 6 feet deep and finish the Magic in either 4, or 5.


Click here to watch Kobe's greatest moments.
(*NOTE: I do not provide/host these files, click on your own discretion!

PS - just to snub any Magic/Dwight fans out there:

EH

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