It may seem extraordinarily daunting. It may impair your sleep for the next two nights. Yes, watching your team lose on a buzzer-beating shot is not an easy thing to overcome. But it is important to realize that sometimes a defeat like this can be the ultimate launcher. When Glen “Big Baby” Davis, easily the most unlikely source on the floor for the Boston Celtics, buried a last-second game-winning 21-foot jumper to tie the Eastern Conference Semifinals series at 2-2, it forced the Orlando Magic to be hungrier, more focused and more determined to beat the defending champions. Use your own experiences as a way to interpret it. If you are a student, for example, and end up one correct answer short of earning a perfect grade on a test, you know for the next exam you will be extra motivated to obtain that mark. Championship-aspiring teams must win critical playoff games on the road and now the Magic will have the opportunity to prove they are ready for the challenge. They will travel to Boston for Game 5 on Tuesday, return home for Game 6 on Thursday and, if necessary, visit the Celtics in an advance or go-home Game 7 over the weekend. “We’ve won on the road all year, we’ve won on the road in the playoffs,” Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy said. “We’ll be ready.” It’s also important to recognize that Orlando was one missed shot away from taking a convincing 3-1 advantage. Sure, it didn’t happen, but knowing this is a fact that the Magic are competing at a high level with the reigning titleholders. The Magic should also be pleased with their resilience. They trailed by as many as nine in the second half and managed to reclaim the lead twice in the final minute. Orlando, additionally, limited Ray Allen and Eddie House, two of the NBA’s most prolific shooters, to dismal performances. Allen shot 0-of-5 from 3-point range and finished with just 12 points, while House misfired on his only shot attempt. “We just stay right with them on the catch and shoot plays they have,” said Magic point guard Rafer Alston, who returned from his one-game suspension. Dwight Howard, meanwhile, who posted 23 points and 17 rebounds, proved once again that he can drain clutch free throws. Similar to the two he hit in the final seconds of Game 3 in the first round against the Philadelphia 76ers, "Superman" connected on a pair from the stripe in the last minute to put Orlando ahead. You just better believe that irrespective of what happens in Game 5, Amway Arena will be electric for Game 6
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