October 1, 2002
By George Galante

“Yeah, baby!! It’s good to be back at training camp!!”

That was the line guard Darrell Armstrong screamed while standing at the free throw line midway through the Orlando Magic’s three-and-a-half hour opening practice. The long session opened their 2002 training camp schedule at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville.

The focus on this year’s camp will be on the defensive end. Gone were the traditional, grueling conditioning drills that Head Coach Doc Rivers usually puts the team through on the first day. Instead, Rivers and the coaching staff went through several defensive schemes, with an emphasis on team communication. The Magic gave up numerous easy baskets last season, and are doing everything they can to correct that.

All eyes were also on the return of forward Grant Hill. The six-time NBA All-Star practiced at full speed and showed little signs of slowing down throughout the long practice. “He said to me that he feels like he’s getting to the basket better than last year,’” said Rivers. “I told him it was because last year he couldn’t do it at all! He looked great.”

After a short rest in the afternoon, the team will be back on the court for another practice in the evening. Orlando is scheduled to go through “two-a-days” for the entire week, before playing their preseason opener on October 8 @ Atlanta.

With the core of last year’s team returning in Tracy McGrady, Mike Miller, Horace Grant and Armstrong, combined with the additions of Hill, Jacque Vaughn, Ryan Humphrey and Shawn Kemp, there is plenty of reason for optimism heading into the 2002-03 season.

Yes, Darrell…it IS good to be back at training camp.