“I’m fine. I’m fine.” L.A. Laker guard/forward, Kobe Bryant said tersely to reporters after his team lost 108-104 to the Orlando Magic Tuesday night.

Game Three was an all-time, defensive letdown of the Purple and Gold from California. They allowed the Magic to shoot an NBA playoff record 75% in the first half and 62.5% in the entire game. Bryant, Trevor Ariza, Derek Fisher and Lamar Odom, the defensive “stoppers” in Game One got befuddled, bedazzled and bamboozled by Orlando guards, Rafer “Skip to my Lou” Alston and Mikael Pietrus and forwards, Hedo Turkogulu and Rashard Lewis. Center, Dwight Howard dominated the paint with scoring, rebounding and interior defense. Five Magic players racked up at least 18 points each.

On the other side, Bryant carried his team offensively in the first half scoring 21 points on 8-15 shooting. However, he faded and crumpled in the second half going 3-10 from the field. He combined to score 31 points. Pau Gasol scored 24 points. Odom and Ariza both had 13.

Bryant committed five, costly turnovers and missed five free-throws. He didn’t get the rest as the other starters got. Also, for the first time in these playoffs, he never guarded his man. Pietrus accumulated 18 points and played terrific defense on Bryant in the last two minutes of the fourth quarter.