The Magic’s season hasn’t been without its share of turmoil. Jameer Nelson sustained a season-ending shoulder injury in early February, a setback that at the time seemed as if it would prevent Orlando from doing anything this year.

But general manager Otis Smith acquired guard Rafer Alston from Houston. Alston, a former playground legend, fit in perfectly. In the opening round against Philadelphia, the Magic lost the opener before rebounding and winning a close-out Game 6 on the road.

Then, following Game 5 of the Boston series, Howard called out Van Gundy for not getting him the ball enough and challenged his substitution patterns. The Magic shook off that spat, too, winning two straight, including Game 7 on Boston’s parquet.

In the conference finals, they beat Cleveland with a devastating mix of inside power and outside firepower.

“This team has fought really, really hard,” Van Gundy said. “Our reward is you get to go from preparing for LeBron to preparing for Kobe. I’m not doing that tonight.”

This was supposed to be the Cavs’ season. But there will be no title, and once again Cleveland fans will feel nothing but heartache as they wait for one of their city’s teams to end a 45-year championship drought.

In the first half, the Cavaliers couldn’t stop Howard and the shoot-first-ask-questions-later Magic took turns launching 3s while building an 18-point halftime lead.

“When they get it going, they are really tough,” Ben Wallace said.

On Cleveland’s last possession before the half, James missed a short runner while being knocked to the floor. He sat there in disbelief, looking for a call, looking for help, looking lost.

Cleveland’s coaching staff barked at the officials and Brown was assessed a technical.

When the Cavs came back out after halftime, Howard was practicing free throws. As he walked toward Cleveland’s bench, injured forward Lorenzen Wright, dressed in a suit, jumped up and grabbed the net and tried to knock out one of Howard’s shots.

It dropped in anyway, another symbolic moment.

A little more Magic.

Notes: Woods, who shares a Dec. 30 birthday with James, was back after missing Game 4. Florida quarterback Tim Tebow was also in the house. ... James expects he and Howard — Olympic teammates — meeting in the postseason could become an annual event. “It’s not the first time we’ll see each other on this platform,” he said.

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