By Steve Ginsburg
ORLANDO, Florida (Reuters) - The Orlando Magic have played the Los Angeles Lakers so close in the NBA Finals to be down 3-1 and facing elimination is heart wrenching, coach Stan Van Gundy said Friday.
Two of the games have gone into overtime, both won by the Lakers, including Thursday's bitterly disappointing 99-91 affair on the Magic's home floor.
"There's always a lot of ifs," Van Gundy told reporters. "You have to deal with reality. We're down 3-1.
"I don't think there's anyone who plays, coaches or watches, commentates, or writes in this league that doesn't understand the fine line between winning and losing."
Orlando was blown out in the series opener 100-75 but lost game two in overtime, 101-96, despite nearly winning at the end of regulation when Courtney Lee's alley-oop lay-in glanced off the rim.
Following a 108-104 triumph in game three, the Magic suffered the most excruciating loss Thursday when 34-year-old Lakers guard Derek Fisher nailed a three-pointer with four seconds to go to send the game into overtime.
"Obviously game one was not a fine line, but every other game, it's been a very fine line between winning and losing and it's what makes the games exciting," said Van Gundy.
"It's also what makes them, when you lose them, so heart wrenching because it's not a huge difference in a game. It's all right there.
"Our guys put everything they could into that game last night, and my number one feeling after the game was I just felt badly for our guys."
Orlando will attempt to become the first team to win the NBA Finals after facing a 3-1 deficit while the Lakers can claim their 15th championship and first since 2002 with a victory Sunday in Orlando.
"It's not like we're in a situation where we feel like we can't play with the Lakers and don't have a chance to win," said Van Gundy. "Our confidence level will be high.
"Our guys have demonstrated incredible resiliency all year."
(Editing by Alison Wildey)
Source: Reuters
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