Courtney Lee, Kobe Bryant, Roger Federer, and random observations on the wonderful world of sports.

In the words of the great San Francisco Chronicle sports columnist Scott Ostler, here are my deep thoughts, cheap shots, and bon mots:

---Don't use Courtney Lee as a scapegoat for a tough Magic loss in Game 2. Yes, Lee should have converted the layup at the end of regulation, a shot that would have given Orlando a gigantic win as the series shifts scenery. However, there are several reasons why the blame should not fall on Lee's shoulders.

---Was that a shot that should have been made? Of course. It was a brilliant play call by Stan Van Gundy, and a beautiful pass by Hedo Turkoglu. But it was a much tougher shot than most people realize. First of all, Lee's momentum was carrying him away from the basket. Secondly, the shot was heavily contested by the lengthy arm of Pau Gasol. So by no means was that a typical layup. That type of shot has about a fifty percent success rate, so it is understandable that Lee couldn't convert. The bottom line is that the Magic had a myriad of missed opportunities in the fourth quarter, and their loss is not because of the botched layup that will live in infamy.

---Those missed opportunities include multiple ugly turnovers in crunch time. There was J.J. Redick making an ill-advised bounce pass to a double-teamed Dwight Howard, and Howard himself clumsily fumbling the basketball countless times down the stretch. The Magic also took a littany of silly shots with the game hanging in the balance. Even when Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis hit some of these shots, the Magic offense looked disjointed. The spectacular Lakers defense certainly played a huge role in this, but the Magic should have showed more composure in the fourth.

---Also, Rafer Alston and Dwight Howard were huge disappointments in Game 2. Superman looked disoriented in the paint, hesitant to demand the ball down low, and Alston was just flat-out awful. If you are going to publicly complain about playing time, as Alston did after Game 1, you better back up your words with productive play. Alston failed to do so.

---With all of this being said, the Orlando Magic played very well for three-and-a-half quarters, and they put in great effort. This series is far from over, and if the Magic maintain composure in crunch time, they will force a Game 6 back in Los Angeles.

---Now on to the Lakers. As much as I hate them, I cannot deny their extraordinary talent. Lamar Odom was superb yet again, Paul Gasol was dominant, and Derek Fisher showed why he is still one of the most clutch players in the NBA. Phil Jackson's team continued to play lockdown defense in Game 2. I'm rooting like crazy for the Magic, but if L.A. keeps playing at this level, they will be hoisting the trophy.

---Which leads me to Kobe Bryant. Bryant was tremendous in Game 2, and even I, a lifelong Kobe basher, have been impressed with his great play in these Finals. But just when I was about to laud Kobe with heaps of praise, just when I was about to applaud him for his stunning display of athleticism in Game 2, he does things that remind me why I dislike him so strongly. Case in point: Fourth quarter. Suspense is at a fever pitch. The basketball is in Kobe's hands. The Magic play aggressive D, causing Kobe to make a pass to Jack Nicholson. Even the greats make mistakes, and the right thing to do in that situation would be to accept responsibility and move on. At least that's what true leaders would do. Instead, Kobe has a vicious outburst of anger and yells at teammate Shannon Brown, who did nothing wrong. Of course, this is because Kobe Bryant can do no wrong, and it is always somebody else's fault. Stay classy, Kobe.

---Most readers probably think this is much ado about nothing. But here is another example of Kobe's petulance: Final seconds of regulation, game tied, Kobe with the ball. Kobe hoists the jumper and is rejected by Hedo Turkoglu. It's a brilliant defensive play, a completely clean block, yet Kobe huffs and puffs his way to the sideline astonished that a foul was not called. As he sits down, Phil Jackson gives a knowing smirk, entertained by Kobe's childish antics. In the words of the great ESPN.com columnist Bill Simmons, this look was priceless, evidence that even Coach Jackson is aware of Kobe's shenanigans.

---Again, I'm not stupid: Kobe Bryant is a world-class basketball player. He does amazing things on the court, and he has been stellar throughout these first two games. But it is hard to fully embrace a player who plays with so little joy and consistently displays petulance, no matter how great that player may be.

---I can't wait until Game 3. The season is on the line for the Magic, and hopefully they will be able to get back in this series.

---Roger Federer is your 2009 French Open Champion. By finally winning his first French Open title, Federer has solidified his place as the best tennis player ever, surpassing Pete Sampras. Still, Rafael Nadal is currently the better player, and when all is said and done he will surpass Federer.

---Federer's performance on the French Open clay was one of the most dazzling displays of athleticism I have ever seen, with a phenomenal array of shots that make even Andre Agassi blush. If you're Robin Soderling, you just have to tip your cap and move on, because it didn't matter what Soderling did on Sunday, Federer was not going to lose.

---Speaking of greatness, how about Tiger Woods. After his comeback win at the Memorial on Sunday, Tiger is on track to be the heavy favorite at Bethpage Black for the U.S. Open.

---Jockey Calvin Borel deserves our admiration, even in the wake of his defeat at the Belmont Stakes. Borel, riding Mine That Bird this past Saturday, did not complete his personal triple crown, but he successfully made it a season to remember at the track.

---Their will be MUCH more baseball on this blog in the near future, as I will discuss our national past time on an almost daily basis beginning in July (Go Giants!!!!), but I will take some time to congratulate San Francisco's own Randy Johnson on his 300th win. The Big Unit may very well be the greatest left-handed pitcher in baseball history, and he will surely be the last 300-game winner we see for quite some time, as Jamie Moyer is bound to retire before he reaches 300, and potential 300-gamers CC Sabathia and Johan Santana still have a ways to go before they reach this elusive milestone. Last week in the nation's capital, the Big Unit added yet another chapter to his illustrious, Hall of Fame career. As a diehard Giants fan, it is an honor to have him don the orange and black.