Magic Dealing With 'Bus Controversy'

LOS ANGELES -- In the wake of their 100-75 loss to the Lakers in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, Orlando Magic players, coaches and members of their front office have been talking about their team's resiliency.

The media has been reminded several times that the Magic came back after Glen Davis hit a buzzer-beater in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semis and after LeBron James hit a buzzer-beater in Game 2 of the conference finals.

But how will they handle the bus controversy?

Saturday afternoon, more than 24 hours after the incident, there was still finger-pointing and accusations going on among Magic players. Not to mention some good-natured ribbing. The details:

There were two buses waiting to transport the Magic from the Staples Center to their hotel in Marina Del Rey after practice on Friday. The first bus was scheduled to leave at 2 p.m. There were five players on that bus at 1:50 p.m.

Apparently, a couple of guys were getting itchy, so Adonal Foyle was prodded by Rafer Alston and Tyronn Lue to go back inside the arena and hustle up anyone who wanted in on bus No. 1. That's where things get murky.

According to Foyle, he made a "somewhat" conscientious effort to make it known the first bus was getting ready to leave. According to guard Anthony Johnson and team operations manager Rodney "Sid" Powell, it was more somewhat than conscientious.

"We had two buses," Johnson said. "If you wanted to stay and shoot, you go on the second bus. If you wanted to go back to the hotel and get some rest, then be on the first bus. Adonal gave the OK, and the first bus took off early. That's how things operate around here ... the backup to the backup center gives the OK for us to leave."

Apparently, that bus left without most players knowing about it. At 2 p.m., a group of players assembled to get on the bus, thinking it was the first bus. They boarded and headed back to the hotel.

Meanwhile, the Magic rookies and players who didn't see much action in Game 1 were still practicing and some of the staff was still doing its thing. Come 2:30 ... 2:45, when it was time to wrap it up, there was no bus to be found.

So Powell had to send for the first bus to come back after it had arrived at the hotel. By the time that bus returned to Staples and got back to the hotel, it was after 4 p.m.

"We sat down there in that walkway, waiting and waiting," Powell said, with a laugh. "I think Adonal was the culprit, but I'm sure Ray (Alston) had a little to do with it, too."

Said Alston: "Adonal is the one who got the first bus to leave early. I just sat on it ... and agreed."

According to Johnson and Powell, the driver of the first bus dropped the dime on Foyle, telling them it was No. 31 who told him to leave.

Said Johnson to Foyle: "Next time you do that, you've got to take your practice jersey off."

As for Foyle, he said he was getting an unfair rap.

"Tyronn Lue and Skip-to-my-Lou (Alston) said it was time to go," Foyle said. "So the five of us on the bus, we just left. Now, they're blaming me even though they decided they were going to go ... and I just followed."