The Lakers got that kyptonite…

by Lang Whitaker

LOS ANGELES — Welcome live to Game 2 of the 2009 NBA Finals. Marcel Mutoni and I are here high above courtside, ready to see if Orlando can avoid getting blown out again. I’ll be liveblogging tonight, and Marcel will be tweeting here.

PREGAME
• While wandering around and watching the players warm up, I bumped into a former NBA player who (while insisting on speaking off the record) insisted the Magic will not be winning this series.

“There’s no way Orlando can win playing this style of basketball,” he said. “This drive and kick stuff might work in the East, but it won’t work against a Western Conference team that’s used to playing against big men. Also, Dwight Howard only has one post move. How can you spend the entire summer playing with the Dream Team and still come back with just one post move?”

• Great exchange to lead off Stan Van Gundy’s pregame press conference:
REPORTER: I don’t know how often you think back to your days in Miami, but after you left there, did you ever question your ability to coach or connect to NBA players?
STAN VAN GUNDY: No.

• Phil Jackson’s presser wasn’t as combative, but there was a minor revelation when someone asked why he’d never coached an Olympic team.

“There was an opportunity maybe six or seven years ago,” PJ said. “But I said no. It’s something I’ve never desired to do. I opted out at that time. I was asked by the Canadians if I’d like to coach their Olympic team. Steve Nash wasn’t a mature enough player yet, so I had to turn that one down.”

• The official pregame begins with a moment of silence for recently passed Clipper great Randy Smith.

• Tonight’s National Anthem is by Kris Allen from “American Idol.” Yay.

• BTW, here’s my report from Blake Griffin’s workout for the Clippers yesterday. Not pretty.

• Kobe just told Pietrus he can be his black Kate Moss tonight. Or maybe I made that up.

FIRST QUARTER
• The tipoff is sponsored by East West Bank. Will Dwight and Bynum both crash?

• No. Dwight wins it. But Orlando’s unable to get him the ball and they miss a shot. Lakers reciprocate.

• Second possession, LA doubles Dwight and the Magic find C-Lee for a layup.

• Bynum picks up a cheap foul 77 seconds in. Immediately afterwards, Rashard Lewis gets called for a moving screen.

• Three pointer by Ariza on a dish from Kobe. 3-2, LA. 10:06 to go.

• Rafer either throws it to Nat Butler, or the pass was tipped. Javie doesn’t want to hear it from SVG.

• Dwight rejects Boom Boom Pau at the rim.

• Lakers clear it out for Pau, who scores easily over Rashard Lewis.

• Hedo wets a three. Game tied at 5 with 8:30 to go.

• Dwight’s coming close to a 10 count at the free throw line. Fans should do the 10 count out loud like they used to do to Mailman.

• Bynum has two, and then Pietrus gets called for an offensive foul, Orlando’s second of the night.

• Neither team looks particularly sharp early on. Lamar scores inside on a dish from Pau to make it 8-6.

• Fisher gets a steal and Pietrus picks up his second foul. Timeout, LA leading 8-6 and 5:22 left in the first. The teams are a combined 5-19 from the floor. Blake Griffin would fit right in.

• Out of the TO, the Lakers iso Kobe on Hedo, and Kobe hits the two.

• Ariza looks like he gets shoved into Rafer by Dwight, but foul on Ariza. Skip to the line, make, make. Lakers up 10-8.

• BTW, the other day Pietrus called Rafer “Skip to my Loof.”

• Rashard with a runner after Ariza just misses a steal and leaves him open. Game tied at 10.

• Lamar takes it up strong inside and gets fouled. Foul called on Lewis. Lamar goes miss, make. 11-10, LA. 4:04 left.

• Orlando is tryign their best to get it inside to Dwight but they can’t make it happen. He gets called for a three second violation on this play, after turning it over on the previous play.

• Stan Van Gundy just put JJ Redick in the game. I don’t get how Redick can get into the game but SVG can’t figure out how to use Anthony Johnson.

• Timeout Orlando. LA leads 11-10 with 2:56 left.

• The Laker Girls just did a dance routine to “Jailhouse Rock.” Because no good songs have come out since the ’60s, you know.

• Jameer checks in. Gortat goes to the line after Gasol picked up a dumb foul. Gortat hits 2 to give Orlando the lead, 12-11.

• Lamar hits a jumper over Gortat.

• Fisher picks up a loose ball foul when he hacks Dwight going for a board. Dwight to the line, miss, make. Game tied at 13.

• Kelly Dwyer pointed out on Twitter that according to 82games.com, the Magic used this Nelson/Redick/Hedo/Dwight/Gortat line-up zero times this season. Always good to try it out DURING THE NBA FINALS.

• Dwight gets a rebound and scores inside. he still has no dunks during the Finals.

• Open jumper from Fisher ties it at 15.

• Dwight tries to drive on Gasol but turns it over again. Dude goes right every single time.

• Now Dwight gets his first foul on a moving screen against Fisher.

• With the clock running out, Kobe bricks a three.

• So, after one, the score is 15-15. No, really, it’s 15-15.

• Both teams seemed to do a better job defensively in that quarter — very few open shots/blown assignments.

SECOND QUARTER
• Celeb watch: Mark Wahlberg, Dylan McDermott, Jack, Lou Adler…sure there’s more that I can’t see from up here.

• Bynum returns and sets a nice screen for Farmar, who nails a two.

• Lewis scores inside, and Bynum misses a hook over Gortat.

• Pregame, someone asked me where Gortat was from and I guessed, “Outer space?”

• Odom with another jumper. Nice night on the perimeter for him.

• Tony Battie works Odom in the post and hits a turnaround. Odom wipes Redick, then Bynum gets called for a three second violation.

• Gortat picks up a foul on a moving screen. That’s three offensive fouls on moving screens for Orlando. Think Phil talked to the refs about that? Timeout on the floor, Lakers lead 21-19, 8:55 to go.

• Zac Efron gets booed by the crowd here. No teenagers here, apparently. These teams are playing like the teams in High School Musical, though.

• Out of the timeout, Bynum scores and is fouled by Gortat but it’s announced as a foul on Redick, who was at the three-point line. Weird. Three point play.

• Lewis scores for ORL to make it 24-21, LA.

• Dwight returns and Bynum tries to score on him but misses. Then Farmar picks up a foul off the ball. Turkoglu in for Battie, and Kobe returns for LA. Guess Phil was saving him for Hedo?

• Lewis drives and hits a pull-back jumper to make it 24-23, LA.

• Bynum takes it at Howard and hits a hook over the top. 26-23, LA.

• Lewis for 3. That’s 9 for Lewis in the second. Game tied at 26, and then Bynum picks up his third foul of the half. Timeout on the floor.

• Laker Girls dancing to “Respect.” Is this throwback night?

• Celebs: Warren Beatty, Andy Garcia

• Fisher, Alston and Pietrus return.

• Hedo misse a three but Lewis tips it to himself. Nice game tonight from Lewis.

• Ariza wets a three. LA leads 29-26.

• Hedo drives and misses a two. Kobe drives and hits Gasol for an open three that he misses. Next play Kobe hits Fish in the corner for a three.

• Lewis responds with a three. LA up 32-29.

• Dwight still has no dunks in the Finals.

• Lewis misses a corner three. Gasol draws a foul inside on Pietrus, his third. Timeout, Orlando. LA leads 32-29.

• Now the Laker Girls are dancing to “I Feel Good.” This must be some sort of Old School Sunday or something. Weird.

• Gasol to the line, miss, make. LA leads 33-29.

• Two nice possessions from ORL where they spread the floor and work it around, but LA hangs with them and holds them scoreless. Kobe hits a three ont eh other end ot put LA up 7 with 1:38 to go.

• Dwight gets doubled and ORL finds Rashard in the corner for a three. That’s 15 in the quarter for Lewis.

• Another 3 from Lewis. That’s 18 in the quarter for Shard.

• ORL forgets to guard Gasol on an inblunds play and Kobe hits him for a dunk. Dwight is upset with Battie on the play.

• Last play of the quarter and Redick misses a three. At the half, LA leads 40-35.

• Halfitme tonight? Quick Change!

HALFTIME
• Looking over some numbers at the half…Rashard Lewis has taken 1/3 of Orlando’s shots…Dwight has as many points as turnovers (4 each)…JJ Redick played 13 minutes…Redick and Kobe each have 5 field goal attempts…Kobe leads everyone with 5 assists…Howard with 11 boards…Orlando has 25 boards to LA’s 17…ORL with 11 turnovers to LA’s 5.

THIRD QUARTER
• Dwight with a running hook to start the half. He went right, surprisingly.

• Kobe returns with a baseline J. Maybe he’s going to look to score.

• Hedo scores on a reverse.

• Fisher turns it over on a bad pass to Bynum.

• Alston scores on the break. Baskets coming fast and furious!

• Lakers turn it over again. They still lead 42-41.

• Gasol picks up his second inside, sending Lewis to the line. Makes first to tie it at 42, makes second to take the lead.

• Kobe drains one right in Courtney Lee’s face.

• Dwight passes to Rafer and he misses a three.Kobe comes back and hits another jumper in Lee’s face.

• Bynum has his back turned to Turkoglu but somehow gets called for a foul, his fourth. Odom jogs to the table. Hedo tot he line, brings Magic within 1, 46-45.

• Dwight goes right (again!) and hits Pietrus for a jumper, putting ORL ahead 47-46. Gasol answers and LA pulls back in front.

• Gasol gets a rebound and throws a behind the back outlet to Kobe, who finds Ariza for a layup. Showtime!

• Odom gets his second block from behind, this time on Rafer. Then he blocks Howard for a jump ball, and Hedo nails a three at the shot clock buzzer.

• Gasol drives and gets fouled by Hedo, his first foul. Pau to the line, good, good. LA leads 52-49, 6:16 to go.

• Rafer misses a wide open three. Fisher saw him, was going to run at him, then decided to leave him open. Good choice.

• Lewis finds Howard inside for his first dunk of the Finals.

• ORL tries to get Dwight and Lewis on a pick and roll, but Ariza breaks up the pass and the Lakers get a dunk for Kobe. Timeout ORL, LA leads 54-51 with 4:37 to go.

• Jameer checks in for ORL. Rashard bricks a three. Kobe drives and shoots over the double team and Lamar picks up a foul going for the board.

• Hedo hits a three. Tied at 54. Crowd starts to get into it a little.

• Kobe misses a jumper and Nelson drives and picks up a foul on Fisher. ORL should be attacking Fisher more often. Jameer to the line…good, good. ORL leads 56-54.

• Gasol drives on Dwight and gets Dwight’s second. Marcin the Martian checks in for Rashard. Pau booms both FTs to tie it at 56.

• Hedo hits a fadeaway three from the corner. Ariza misses a three. Jameer turns it over, and Odom comes back and hits a two over Gortat.

• Next time down, Odom ends up pulling down both Gortat and Jameer Nelson, which was kind of impressive. Timeout LA, ORL leading 59-58, with 1:38 to go.

• Kiss Cam!

• Gortat to the line…miss, miss.

• Kobe comes off pick from Gasol and knocks down 18 footer. Crowd starts “DEFENSE” chant.

• Dwight goes backdoor for the lay-in.

• Kobe misses a three from straight on.

• Nelson with a runner in the paint.

• Kobe drives and this time doesn’t shoot over the double but hits Fisher for a three. Tied at 63.

• Hedo drives around Walton and scores, and Kobe misses a two at the buzzer. After three, Orlando 65, Lakers 63.

FOURTH QUARTER
• “Enter Sandman” played as teams take the court for the fourth. I think he entered a while ago…

• Shannon Brown makes his first appearance of the night as the crowd starts making some noise.

• Jameer drives and gets fouled by Shannon B. Misses the first, and the second. ORL leads 65-63.

• Odom goes right (well, left) to the rim and scores. Tie game.

• Dwight misses inside, and Odom throws a bad alley-oop to Bynum. Then Gortat fires up a jumper from 12 feet that misses by 3 feet.

• Hedo draws a foul on Walton, makes one of two.

• Lamar drives on Lewis, with Howard on the bench, and scores easily.

• Gortat! Gives ORL a 68-67 lead.

• Odom scores inside again. Lewis misses an awkward runner and Kobe draws a foul and goes to the line. Makes, makes. LA up 71-68. Dwight gets off the bench to check back in.

• Gortat misses inside on a ball Dwight woulda dunked. Kobe throws it away in the corner to a spot Shannon was standing on two seconds earlier.

• Timeout. LA leads 71-68 with 8:59 to play. Lamar is 7-8 from the floor. Rafer is 1-8.

• Bynum gets called for a weak 5th foul on the inbounds play, his 5th foul. Lamar checks back in.

• Hedo misses a three but ORL gets the rebound. They’re killing LA on the boards. Lewis hits a two as teh shot clock runs down. LA up 71-70.

• Kobe finds Lamar for a long two. LA leads 73-70.

• Dwight goes left! He shot an airball and they called a non-existent foul on Gasol, but still, he went left. Dwight to the line…makes, makes. (I counted to 11 on his second free throw.) lakers up 73-72, and Kobe scores immediately to make it 75-72.

• Dwight with a tip-in makes it 75-74.

• Kobe steps out of bounds, then Lewis drains a three to make it 77-75, ORL. Timeout LA with 6:13 to go.

• While I’m thinking about it, did anyone see that stat the other day that Dwight Howard is one month younger than Tyler Hansbrough? Scary.

• Out of the TO, Kobe misses a jumper and ball out of bounds to ORL.

• Fisher drives and hits a layup to tie it at 77.

• Lewis pulls a Turkoglu and picks up a cheap shooting foul on Lamar, his fifth. Lewis to the line: Good, good. ORL leads 79-77.

• Lewis finally misses a three and Howard gets called for his third foul inside.

• Gasol drives on Howard and hits a fadeaway to tie it at 79.

• Howard drives on Gasol and Tom Washington calls a foul from the other side of the court as Gasol stands with his hands straight up. ORL can’t complain about the officiating tonight. Howard makes the first, and the second. Magic lead 81-79. 4:09 left.

• Kobe finds Fish for an open three that he bricks. Howard turns it over. Kobe drives and gets bailed out with a foul on Pietrus. Kobe to the line, misses the first, makes the second. ORL leads 81-80.

• Right after Marcel says something about Hedo pushing off, the refs call him for a push off.

• Kobe comes off a screen and gets fouled by Pietrus, his sixth. Courtney Lee might finally re-enter? He does. Kobe to the line with 3:08 to play. Makes the first to tie it at 81…and makes the second to give LA an 82-81 lead.

• Entire Lakers bench is up and cheering. Magic bench looks like they’re down 20.

• Gasol rips Howard on a slow post move and screams to the crowd. Gasol has been great against Howard defensively. Timeout. Lakers lead 82-81 with 2:42 to go.

• Lakers ball out of the TO., and Turkoglu drills Kobe for his third foul. That’s ORL’s fifth team foul so Kobe goes to the line. Makes the first…and the second. Lakers up 3, 84-81, with 2:40 to go.

• LA traps Hedo but ORL breaks the trap. Redick from the corner, yes he can! Tie game, 84 all.

• Kobe drives and misses a two. Lewis catches in the post, splits a double teama nd scores to put ORL up 86-84.

• Kobe drives left on Turkoglu, hangs in the air and scores to tie it with 1:02 to play.

• Turkoglu walks around the perimeter and hits the same step-back three he’s been shooting for six years to give ORL the lead. (Actually, refs say it was a 2, I guess, because score is now 88-86, ORL. Huge change there.) Timeout with 47.7 left and LA down two.

• Out of the TO…Kobe finds Fish, who finds Gasol inside for a two to tie it.

• ORL doesn’t take a timeout, and instead they end up with a Courtney Lee(!!!!) and Dwight Howard pick and roll. Lee drives and misses a runner. Rebound LA, tie game, with 9.1 left.

• Outof the timeout, Kobe goes 1 on 4 and either gets blocked from behind (and fouled on the arm). The refs huddle to talk about putting time back on the clock. Kobe should’ve sold that better — just fallen to the ground.

• The refs put 0.6 back on the clock for ORL. 88 all.

• ORL inbounds near halfcourt…and Hedo can’t get it in. TO.

• Second try. Courtney Lee breaks free! And he blew it! Overtime!

OVERTIME
• Here we go! Dwight wins the tip again.

• Dwight starts left and when he cuts back right the Lakers are waiting. Turnover.

• Kobe shoots over a double team and just misses.

• Hedo drives and dribbles off his leg. Two possessions, two turnovers for ORL.

• Fisher drives and finds Gasol inside, and he gets fouled. Makes both. LA leads 90-88.

• Hedo finds Dwight inside and he scores and gets fouled by Kobe. Tie game with 3:20 left. Dwight to the line…good.

• ORL is in the Finals in overtime with a Redick/Alston backcourt right now.

• Redick blows a wide-open three.

• Kobe drives and hits an off-balance jumper to put LA ahead 92-91.

• Fisher steals a pass from Redick on the vaunted Redick/Howard two-man game and draws a foul on Hedo, his 5th. Fish to the line…good, good. LA leads 94-91. 1:51 to play.

• Turkoglu gets a good look but it won’t go down. Gasol gets the board.

• Kobe finds Gasol diving to the rim. He scores and gets fouled by Alston. With 1:14 to go, Gasol to the line…and he puts LA ahead 97-91. Timeout ORL.

• Out of the TO, ORL tries to run Hedo off a double pick but Ariza gets the foul. Next play, ORL has Redick drive and he scores uncontested. 97-93, 50 seconds left.

• Turnover LA.

• ORL comes back and Lewis shoots a three over a double team that rims in and out. Dwight gets called for pushing off on the rebound. Gasol to the line with 28.2 left. Good. Good. Lakers lead 99-93 with 28.2 left.

• Out of the timeout the Magic run the same play they ran against Cleveland for a three for Lewis in the corner…and he drains it. Lakers now lead 99-96. 26.2 to play.

• LA gets it in to Fisher who finds Lamar, who ORL fouls immediately. Odom to the line…good and good. 101-96.

• Redick dribbles around and wastes time, then misses a three. Lewis gets the rebound and misses and…that’s it!

Lakers win and move ahead 2-0, with a 101-96 overtime win. More thoughts later on The Links. Thanks for stopping by. But mostly stay classy.