ORLANDO, Fla. — In the end, it was so quiet in anguished Amway Arena, you could almost hear the sound of Dwight Howard's free throws clanging away.

But first, we need to go back to the pre-game press session with Stan Van Gundy, budding media critic. The part where the Orlando coach said he could pretty much guess how games will be reported before they ever happen.

The question was more obvious than Mickey Mouse's ears. Want to take a whack at Thursday night?

"Basically, the story is," he said, "if they win tonight, you guys are all going to write the series is over."

Well, if you insist.

Really, is there any other way to go with this after the Lakers put down the Magic 99-91 in overtime? This was not a loss. This was a bayonet through the heart and a two-by-four upside the head. This was pulling a carpet from beneath the home team. And it wasn't magic after all.

For those who nodded off at halftime, you might be wondering about that 12-point Orlando lead. Gone in five minutes. Melted faster than ice cream spilled on Florida pavement.

For those who clicked off the game with 11.1 seconds left in regulation, you probably figured a three-point Orlando lead was a lock, with Howard at the free throw line for two. Either would probably clinch it. He missed 'em both.

Then the Lakers tied with a last-gasp three-pointer by that noted dramatist ... no, not HIM. Derek Fisher, came through for them, giving them enough room to save the game. "We played like we were playing to prevent a layup," Van Gundy said. "That'll haunt me forever."

For those who didn't make it through overtime, it was Fisher again. Another three-pointer. Talk about your co-stars stealing the scene. Fisher elbowed aside Kobe, who by the way went 11-for-31, and the Lakers lived to tell about it.

Tell Van Gundy before the game that Bryant misses 20 shots, and see what kind of story he predicts.

Every NBA Finals worth its confetti needs a moment of truth.

Looks like they just had one.

They are eyeball to eyeball, and the Magic just blinked.

Moments of truth come with could've and would've and should've. That's why the losers sound so anguished, and the winners look so relieved.

The Lakers could've easily lost Game 4, with their slovenly first half and their last-minute dire straits. But they won it.

They would've been tied in this series. But they're not.

The Magic should've found a way to win a game at home. All they had to do was avoid a 22-for-37 meltdown at the free-throw line. But they didn't. Next time, try blindfolds.

The sport historians of Orlando no doubt left muttering about the 1995 NBA Finals, when four missed free throws in the final 11 seconds of Game 1 opened the door for a Houston sweep. Deja vu, meet Dwight Howard.

So much done to win, but not enough. The curse of losing the moment of truth. Hedo Turkoglu's 25 points had not been enough. Howard's 21 rebounds and nine blocked shots had not been enough. Leading in the final seconds with a chance to tie a ribbon around the victory had not been enough.

The Magic have shown themselves to be 99 and 44/100ths percent pure pluck. They have grown this past week, in confidence, in cunning, in possibilities.

But the Lakers are the Lakers. Last night was the time to resend the message.

So the Los Angeles lead is 3-1, and to survive, the Magic will not only have to win here Sunday but also twice back in Los Angeles. And since Kobe Bryant is in no danger of deportation, that's a pretty big stretch.

Plus, the Magic will have to acquire a raging case of instant amnesia to get over last night.

Probably won't happen. Probably can't happen. Genuine moments of truth are not reversible. Van Gundy had us figured out all along.