Hope is defined as “the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best.” After the Magic prevailed in game one of their first round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers, they gave a truckload of false hope to Orlando fans.
The Magic were up one game on the team that was predicted to sweep them out of the playoffs and now fans were thinking that the team could actually advance. After all, center Dwight Howard is thousands of miles away from the team nursing his hurt back and isn’t around to cause anymore drama.
Center-forward Glen Davis is stepping up and scoring points, morphing into the team’s emotional leader, and being the strong mouthpiece that Howard could never be. Maybe the Magic can really do it. Maybe this team, minus the stagecraft and theater of the regular season, can pull off a minor miracle.
Well, that hope crashed and burned on Wednesday night in Orlando as the Magic went down 97 to 74. The Pacers outpaced the Magic in the third quarter with 32 points to take a commanding lead into the fourth period. Orlando never recovered, or seemed to try hard enough to get back into the contest.
Their big guns, like Ryan Anderson and Jason Richardson, scored a total of 12 points on the night. Forward Hedo Turkoglu didn’t do much better as he banked just four field goal attempts and five points.
The Pacers shot a healthy 40 percent from beyond the arc and made 75 percent of their free throws. Each Indiana starter, except for David West, made double figures and gave Orlando fits around the rim.
Now comes a pivotal game four on Saturday in Orlando as the Magic look to knot the series at two games a piece. If they cannot, and there is grand doubt that they will, then fans and Magic players can wave goodbye to this season.
While this group of players may not be together come next season, the make-up of this team may remain. The playoff motto for the Magic is “We All We Got” and that is exactly how it may be headed into the 2013.
-JH
