James had given the Cavaliers a 106-104 lead with 23 seconds left, driving on Dwight Howard, drawing a foul and completing the three-point play with a free throw.

Howard fouled out with 30 points and 13 rebounds.

The Magic trailed by 15 at the half but outscored the Cavs 30-19 in the third quarter to get back in the game.

Howard knocked down the 24-second shot clock above the basket with a dunk the first time he touched the ball.

After grabbing a rebound, Howard went up and slammed the ball through with both hands and pulled on the rim for Orlando's first basket. The 24-second stanchion, a 5-foot-tall appendage that has cameras mounted to its top, then fell slowly backward.

Play was stopped for eight minutes. The clock was fixed at halftime, and the teams began the second half with both units functioning.

Outplayed Lakers enjoy 1-0 edge

LOS ANGELES - Nobody was feeling luckier than Kobe Bryant a day after rescuing the Lakers against the Nuggets in their best-of-seven Western Conference final opener.

"We just kind of got away with one," he grinned. "It happens sometimes."

Bryant scored 40, including six free throws in the final 30 seconds late Tuesday, to overcome 39 from Carmelo Anthony as the Lakers took a 105-103 win after being outplayed most of the way.

"We had everything working against us - mistakes, loose balls, bobbling balls out of bounds," Bryant said Wednesday. "It just seemed like one of those nights, but we managed to pull through it."

Game 2 is tonight at Staples Center. The Nuggets have lost 11 consecutive playoff games to the Lakers.

"We played 46? solid minutes, just the last minute or so got away from us," Kenyon Martin said. " We just need to eliminate some of the little mistakes and go from there."

More NBA: World Wrestling Entertainment is moving its Monday show to Los Angeles because of a conflict with the Pepsi Center in Denver, which is also scheduled to host the Lakers for Game 4 of the Western Conference final. Brian Grant, 37 - who played for five teams, including the Heat, before retiring three years ago - said he is battling Parkinson's disease. The Clippers, who won the draft lottery for the right to pick No. 1, began placing pictures of Oklahoma's Blake Griffin on their Web site to advertise ticket sales.