In case you missed anything, we're here to help you play catch-up with this question-answer session:

*What did the Magic prove on their five-city trip?

They enhanced their reputation as the best road team in franchise history.

*The best?

They have clearly pulled away from those title-contending Shaq teams. They were three seconds away from being a perfect 5-0, losing in Phoenix on the Suns' last play. When a club has a chance to sweep a trip, that's something special. Then again, they were 4-1 on their first West junket last season.

*So last season wasn't a fluke?

Exactly. After the Magic set a club record for road wins (27-14), the question was whether they just sneaked up on opponents. It's no fluke: They're 10-3 on the road this season and 37-17 overall under Stan Van Gundy.

They're like that deranged psycho in No Country For Old Men; nobody wants to see them stopping in for a visit.

*Sounds as if the Magic affect opposing arenas rather than the other way around.

The groans you hear from fans when they drain 3-pointers are priceless. The Magic's long-range proficiency keeps them in games and clinches victories.

On this trip, they shot a sizzling 47 percent (61-of-130), with Jameer Nelson (14-of-27), Rashard Lewis (18-of-34) and Brian Cook (7-of-9) holding hot hands. The Magic made 22-of-43 3-pointers in the fourth quarters.

*What else?

They showed they could win without two starters -- Mickael Pietrus and Dwight Howard. Pietrus didn't play at all, and Howard missed the last two games. As Nelson said, "That means a lot. We depend on Dwight so much. It shows we're tough. It should give us a lot of confidence."

*So how is Superman's knee?

Dwight plans on playing -- and dunking -- on the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday at Amway. An MRI on Howard's left knee Tuesday showed no damage.

*And without Dwight, what are we? Milwaukee?

Yes, only with better weather. But another thing the trip revealed is that the bench isn't quite as suspect as we thought. Even Van Gundy says, "Our depth has been good."

*Name names .

Marcin Gortat.

*Sounds like a painter or a poet.

Gortat is a second-year center from Poland who started for Howard in the last two victories. Gortat and the return of Tony Battie have given the Magic a deeper front line. Rookie Courtney Lee showed poise and made shots with Pietrus out.

*Do they need another piece to close in on Boston?

Who doesn't? There's interest in bringing back Grant Hill.

*Grant Hill?

Trust us. Neither the Magic nor Hill can say it publicly -- the league frowns on tampering -- but they'd both welcome a reunion. Let bygones be bygones. The Suns are retooling. Hill is 36, and in the last year of his contract. He'd give the Magic another veteran off the bench at playoff time.

*Hmmmm. Whom would the Magic trade to acquire Hill?

It could be an all-Duke deal: J.J. Redick for Hill. Their salaries nearly match, and the Suns could use a shooter.