Halfway to Heaven

A quest that started in October is halfway over. It's the end of the first half and the Lakers are 24 minutes away (emphasis on the 24) from reedeming themselves after last year's collapse in the NBA Finals. For the first time since game 1, Kobe Bryant is being dominate. His shot selection is great, he's having his way with Pietrus, and he is constantly finding the open man. Furthermore, Trevor Ariza has really sparked the Lakers in the first half especially since the double technical with Ariza and Turkoglu. Since the double technical, Ariza has flat out dominated Turkoglu and the Lakers responded with a 16-0 run. Gasol and Bynum are dominating the boards, and Dwight Howard has been a nonfactor, like the rest of the Orlando Magic. All in all, the Magic seem to be defeated. Despite what they have said in the press, "we're going back to LA", "why should we quit", "it's not over", ect, ect, ect; they seem scared that they can not respond to game 5's heart breaking loss. Over this post season, the Magic have always had an answer, in this first half they have not and if they do not turn it around quickly and cut into this ten point deficit; there will be no more questions for them to respond to.