Magic Demonstrate Excellence in Game 7
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May 17, 2009
BOSTON -- It was like watching an award-winning Broadway play.
It featured brilliant individual performances. There was perfect chemistry from the entire cast of characters.
It was the kind of show that leaves you wanting more. And it definitely deserved an elongated standing ovation.
The Orlando Magic gave their fans exactly what they wished for Sunday in Game 7 of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series against the Boston Celtics.
Not only did they win and advance to the conference finals for the first time since 1996, the Magic demonstrated why they are a serious contender to capture the NBA championship.
“This is a huge win for our team and our organization," Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy said. “When you have a team and an organization that has never been up 3-2 in a series and lost, when they're 32-0 in that circumstance, to come in and get Game 7 by 19 on the road is about as big a win as you could have.”
Dwight Howard, like he was in Game 6, was a monster in the paint with several highlight slams, 16 rebounds and five blocked shots. Hedo Turkoglu, who had struggled for most of this series, was all-around sensational with 25 points and a playoff career-best 12 assists.
"The sky's the limit when Turk plays like that," reserve point guard Anthony Johnson said. “Our success doesn't really hinge on one guy's shoulders. All we need is solid play from everybody and there's enough talent in this room to get it done.”
Rafer Alston elevated his game as the series went along. He combined for 26 points in Games 6 and 7, while stepping up as a dynamic floor leader.
The bench was superb. Mickael Pietrus shot a perfect 3-of-3 from beyond the arc and finished with 17 points, while Marcin Gortat filled in well when Howard had to sit with foul problems.
Orlando’s defense was suffocating. It limited Paul Pierce to just 4-of-13 shooting from the field and the entire Celtics team to 39 percent from the floor.
The Magic also moved the ball as effectively as they have throughout the playoffs. They collected 26 assists, which speaks volumes of how cohesive they were as a unit.
It’s no secret that if the Magic can play with the kind of intensity and focus that they played with in Game 7, they have as good of a chance as any of the four teams remaining in the playoffs to win the title.
“They're (the Magic) going to be tough,” Celtics head coach Doc Rivers said. “They're so good offensively. And they're better than anybody gives them credit for defensively."
