All-Star point guard Jameer Nelson going out with a shoulder cartilage tear in February. Dwight Howard calling out coach Stan Van Gundy for not getting him the ball enough. Losing on four last-second shots in the playoffs. The Magic has survived it all to reach the NBA Finals.

"We've been through everything you could possibly go through in the playoffs in one season," Van Gundy said.

The Magic knocked off the defending champion Celtics after falling behind in the series 3-2. It eliminated LeBron James and the top-seeded Cavaliers 103-90 Saturday in the Eastern Conference final, and now Orlando is back in the Finals for the first time since 1995.

"You can look at everybody in the locker room's eyes, as well as Coach, and tell that we are happy about getting to the Finals, but we are not tremendously happy enough yet," forward Rashard Lewis said. "We like winning that silver Basketball, but I think the gold Basketball will be a little better than that silver one."

Howard had 40 points and 14 rebounds Saturday, but things won't get easier.

"Our reward is, especially mine and my coaching staff's, is you get to go from preparing for LeBron to preparing for Kobe (Bryant)," Van Gundy said sarcastically. "That will be a lot of fun."

The Magic is 2-0 this season against Los Angeles, and it poses similar matchup problems as it did against Cleveland, with four shooters around Howard who can be potent from outside. The wins against the Lakers were helped by Nelson, who was the leading scorer in both.

Nelson's cartilage tear was thought to be season-ending. But if he passes "a litany of tests" in the coming days and it is determined his future is not at risk, Nelson will play against the Lakers, general manager Otis Smith told the Orlando Sentinel. Smith said Nelson had an MRI exam last week and has been in contact drills.

All things LeBron: Talk in the Cavs camp centered around James, mainly his actions after Cleveland was eliminated and his future with the Cavs.

He stormed out of Orlando's arena without shaking hands with any Magic players and skipped talking to the media.

"It's hard for me to congratulate someone after you lose to them," James said Sunday at the team practice facility. "I'm a winner. It's not being a poor sport or anything like that. But somebody beats you up, you're not going to congratulate them on beating you up."

James said he sent an e-mail to Beijing Olympics teammate Howard to congratulate him. He then said it wasn't a slap at his teammates and that he's happy in Cleveland.

"I just didn't have much to say," he said. "I've always expressed the fact that I love playing here. Losing this series doesn't affect the way I will continue to approach the game here in Cleveland."

James, 24, has one more season left on an extension he signed in 2006. In July, the team is expected to offer him another extension.

Center Ben Wallace, who has been ravaged by injuries, said he will meet with his family and is considering retirement.