Stan Van Gundy and Orlando's Second-Chance Band Earned Their Spot in Finals

Said Hubie Brown, the ESPN analyst: "Why this worked out? Because Stan hasn't let him off the hook for anything. If he would have had a weaker coach, who's to say Dwight Howard is the player he is today."

In the corridor leading to the locker room Saturday night, another center celebrated the Magic's win: Patrick Ewing, the Orlando assistant coach who 10 years ago in New York played for another diminutive assistant who worked his way up from the mailroom -- Stan's brother, Jeff.

Injured in 1999, undone by Hakeem Olajuwon and Houston in 1994 and Michael Jordan nearly every year afterward, Ewing took in the moment, too, on Saturday night.

"First of all, I never thought I'd be coaching," he said. "So when I finished playing, I didn't know what I was going to be doing, whether I'd be in this game. I feel very fortunate to be standing here. Hopefully I'll be able to come away with a ring this time."

Ewing said he was "proud of Stan" and added that Reggie Miller, Charles Barkley and maybe every other Hall of Famer or Hall of Famer-to-be without a ring could live vicariously through him the next two weeks.

"I'm not going to be rubbing it in anyone's face," he said. "I'd just be happy and satisfied that I finally got one."

So many second-chancers in the Magic locker room, finally on the Finals stage.

It begins with the regular-Stan coach, who watched Pat Riley usurp him of his sideline duties months before the Heat's 2006 title.

To Rashard Lewis, Rafer Alston and Hedo Turkoglu, needing real validation for their combined 30 years of NBA experience.

Onto Howard, clearly not a reclamation project, yet still reaching higher for the championship a young, impulsive Shaq was never able to bring to Orlando.

And finally to Ewing, preparing for a team coached by Phil Jackson again.

Under the leadership of another Van Gundy, who found a way to siphon the best out of his players -- irrespective of his own modest athletic career.

Seeing him in his office Saturday night, having figured out a way to get Dwight Howard the ball near the rim, it occurred to us the man just might be a very good coach.