Magic coach, Stan Van Gundy had to put a massive, rabbit from Orlando’s hat. He was down 2 to 1 in a best of seven Finals matchup. He was a Courtney Lee layup away from a stirling, Game 2 victory. His team shot the lights out in Game 3 and won by four.

But in Game 4, he displayed both brilliance and incompetence in another playoff game. Unfortunately, the incompetence reared last as Orlando lost a 99-91 heartbreaker to Los Angeles, thus gift-wrapping a 10th Larry O’Brien trophy to coach, Phil Jackson.

The “gift-wrapping” came at Dwight Howard’s expense. The Defensive Player of the Year had the defensive game of his life last night. He scored 16 points, grabbed 21 rebounds and blocked nine shots. However, he needed one more points and perhaps, two more rebounds to secure Orlando’s win.

With 11 seconds in the fourth quarter, he was fouled by Kobe Bryant with his Magic team up 87-84. One more free-throw make and the game was over. Howard stepped to the line, ala Nick Anderson in 1995. He stepped to the line and bricked his two foul shots, ala Nick Anderson. Those misses began a crescendo of bad play that followed on the Lakers’s next offensive possession.

Van Gundy (Van Winkle because he fell asleep at the coaching wheel) decided to trap Bryant 90 feet from the basket. This led to two, dangerous cross court passes and Derek Fisher got the ball. He ran to the three-point line while Orlando’s Jameer Nelson guarded him below the line. Fisher swished his game-tying three and sent the game into overtime.

The Magic offense imploded in OT. Pau Gasol and Fisher scored nine points in the period. The Lakers scored 12 in all. On the game’s final play, Mickael Pietrus hit Gasol with a flagrant foul.

The Lakers had four players in double figures. Bryant scored 32 points, grabbed seven rebounds and had eight assists. Gasol had 16 points and 10 rebounds. Trevor Ariza erupted with a second half surge and also scored 16 points and grabbed nine rebounds.

Orlando’s scorers included Hedo Turkogulu who had 25 points and five rebounds. Pietrus scored 15 points. Rafer Alston scored 11 and was benched late in the third quarter.

Game Five at Orlando Sunday night.