Undefeated Magic loses game 1 to the Celtics. Lost homecourt advantage  

maybe that is the bad effect of a long layoff. sure its great to rest your players, but the magic are a little rusty, and the celts just came off their series with cleveland, so they still have their playoff groove. rondo didnt even have to score because allen and pierce combined for 47 points, showing that anyone in a celtics uniform can contribute. i am expecting a bounce-back game from the magic, and the series tied 1-1, but i would not be surprised either if the celts win this series, as they really stepped up in the playoffs using their vaunted celtics defense.

Who is that guy called Superman? Shouldn't he be called Weakman? Why is he called the best center in the NBA? The so called best center in the NBA doesn't have good footworks in the low post, and he keeps whinning on every foul call just to bail himself out of a weak performance. Sorry Orlando you're going down unless your Superman acts like a real Superman.

this response is really just the response needed by the celtics to deliver to the magic. why? because. the magic's mind is set that they can defeat this team. but that was last year. when garnett is out. now the celtics is a new finals contender team. yet finishing 4th in the conference. it is an unlikely run for the celtics to run towards the east finals. it is really a big surprise. but i hope they win it. i would like to see 2008 finals rematch between the RON ARTEST improved LAKERS and the RASHEED WALLACE improved CELTICS. but for me, LAKER will emerge VICTORIOUS. :)

It was all about the Celtics frontcourt. They were able to neutralize Dwight Howard. Even though he got his double double but his shooting was 3-10 and committed 7 turnovers. Compared to the Hawks series where he shot 84%. Rasheed Wallace is always phenomenal in the playoffs. That is why he was sign there for a reason not for the regular season but for the playoffs. He was able to neutralize D12 and get him out of his rhythm and was able to score 13 big points from the bench. Big games as well for Ray Allen and Paul Pierce. Rashard was not a factor in this game with his 2-10 shooting and only 6 points. He should be able to step up and make those big shots.

It might be that the long rest the Magic have been to has affected their momentum. They are a bit rusty. It can also be truly attributed to the suffocating defense that the celtics have applied to the magic's players. I thought that it will be a very close game but when the celtics lead by as many as 20, I think that it will be done and the game is in the bag for the Celtics. I believe that the Magic will come back strong in the next game. However, the Celtics are prepared to counter whatever the Magic can offer. That's how I feel. Howard was forced to stay outside and take difficult shots.

Now that the Celtics is once again a healthy team, with Kevin Garnett in full strength, I think they are a team to beat. In the first game against the Magic there defense was superb, it looks like Superman has found his kryptonite. I hope Celtics will have their revenge this time since they lost to the Magic last year. If the Lakers will win in the west then again it is a rematch of the two biggest team in Nba history. It will be again a historic battle between the Lakers and the Celtics.

The Celtics showed what they got. Defense showed them the way. This is the challenge that the Magic are looking for and they face a formidable opponent, Boston Celtics. Rasheed Wallace contributed what he is expected to him, scoring 13 points. Celtics should not celebrate with this game one win as the Magic will bounce back in game 2.

I don't think it would be too much of a surprise or upset if Boston Celtics beat Orlando Magic but the way they have been playing you would expect The Magic to be able to come back and level the series in Game 2. They had a bad game but only lost by four and could possibly have won the game in the 4th Quarter.