Getting Started

It's important to get started on the right foot. Think about the first day of school. You get dressed and take pictures before heading out to meet your new teacher and classmates. You want to make a good impression, one that will last throughout the year.

The same is true in sports, especially in the playoffs.

Game 1: The Los Angeles Lakers made a good impression on Thursday night, winning Game 1 of the NBA Finals over the Orlando Magic 100-75. With the win, the Lakers got off on the right foot. Everybody remembers last year's NBA Finals, when the Lakers lost to the Boston Celtics. With their big Game 1 victory, the Lakers proved that they aren't going to go out so easily this year.

It's Not Over: The Lakers have to realize, though, that they still have a lot of games to play before being crowned champions. Just like the kid who has a great first day of school. She may make a lot of new friends and get along well with her new teacher, but she has to remember that there are months and months left in the school year. One day can set a good example for the rest of the year, but there is still work to be done. The Lakers can't simply sit back and congratulate themselves. They still have to win three more games.

Getting Back in the Series: Orlando can't get too upset about its Game 1 loss. It's disappointing, but the series certainly isn't over. What Orlando has to do is learn from its mistakes and move on. When you do poorly on a test, should you give up? Of course not! You should talk to your teacher, find out what you did wrong, study hard and try your best to do well on the next test. That's exactly what the Magic have to do. The players have to work with their coach to find out what went wrong in Game 1, then figure out how to do better the rest of the series.

Game 1 means a lot in a playoff series. The team that wins is at an advantage. The Lakers only have to win three more games to become champs, while the Magic still have to win four. But Game 1 certainly doesn't decide who the winner of the series is. The Lakers are in the driver's seat, but the Magic still have a chance. They just need to study a little bit harder.

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