"Here's how odd a day and how strange a playoff series it has been for the team that has seldom resembled the Orlando Magic:

Marcin Gortat, the pride of Poland, stood at the free-throw line with a chance to seal the victory and effectively decide the series against the Charlotte Bobcats. The Magic led by two points with 12 seconds left at the time.

Gortat raised his arms like Rocky after making both free throws in the Magic's 90-86 escape of the Bobcats in Game 3 on Saturday afternoon.

Gortat had not made an attempt in the previous two games. He wasn't supposed to get the ball with the Bobcats fouling to stop the clock. He was the only center the Magic used the last three and a half minutes.

"Yeah, Marcin out there. . . Uh, I wouldn't have imagined that," teammate Matt Barnes said. "Those were the biggest free throws in Polish history."

You wouldn't have imagined that the Magic are on the verge of sweeping the Bobcats, either.

But on Monday night at Time Warner Cable Arena, the Magic can wrap up a postseason series in which they have strayed from their regular-season identity.

Are the Magic conducting some bizarre experiment? It looks as if they're now trying to invent new and different ways to win that don't include four-time all-time star Dwight Howard and barely include eight-time all-star Vince Carter."