The Rematch of Last Year’s NBA Finals of the Los Angeles Lakers vs. Orlando Magic

The Lakers vs Magic game was humorous and competitive. The whole game was played with a grudge. Orlando obviously extremely upset with the Lakers for handing them a heartbreaking loss to get a championship played their hearts out tonight. With what was a gut wrenching loss for the Lakers of 96-94, the Magic found a way to get it done. The Magic put their heads down and drove themselves straight to the rim for a huge win.

It was a fight to the finish literally a fight. This by far was the most physical game of the NBA season so far. Led by Orlando’s Matt Barnes, the Magic did not care if they would get technical fouls, they wanted the Lakers heads.

Barnes, who was physical with Kobe Bryant all night, gave Kobe all that he could handle and much more. Bryant had 34pts, but they did not come easy thanks to Barnes. Kobe and Barnes exchanged words, hits of the elbow, pushing, you name it, it was done between those two. There was a inbound play where Barnes was being guarded by Bryant, and Barnes pushed the ball in Bryant’s face and pulled it back. I’m telling you technical fouls were given literally all game.

The game was so ‘rivalrish’ because it seems that there were some words said about the Magic before the game occurred. Sources say that some of the Lakers team called the Orlando Magics some puppies. “Alpha dogs usually have the big bark,” Dwight Howard said after the game. “But since we’re so-called puppies, we won’t bark as loud.”

It proves that you should not take a win lightly or for granted. “We can’t be the hunted any more. We got to be the hunters,” Barnes said. “We got to go at people and take it at people, no matter who it is.” Well Barnes surely did, and he encouraged Howard to do the same as he went up for the lay in and was fouled by Paul Gasol. Gasol and Howard tangled up and shoved each other; the both were hit with technicals.

One of the reasons that this game was so close is because the match-ups from last year changed on both teams. With the addition of Vince Carter in Orlando they are making a great run at the playoffs. The Lakers also added an unusual piece to their broken puzzle and his name is Ron Artest. Artest, who decided to make a statement by dyeing his hair blond and getting the word “DEFENSE” cut in his head in Japanese, has not been a huge factor for the team offensively. This is the Lakers 3rd straight loss and they have not loss three consecutive games since Pau Gasol was acquired from the Memphis Grizzlies. If you missed this game you missed a banger.