Denton: Magic Ready For Finals Rematch With Lakers
By John Denton
March 7, 2010
Note: The contents of this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the Orlando Magic. All opinions expressed by John Denton are solely his own and do not reflect the opinions of the Orlando Magic or their Basketball Operations staff, partners or sponsors. His sources are not known to the Magic and he has no special access to information beyond the access and privileges that go along with being an NBA accredited member of the media.
ORLANDO – When the Los Angeles Lakers were last inside Amway Arena, champagne soaked the purple and gold uniforms and tears streamed from the eyes of Orlando Magic captains Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson.
The two unquestioned leaders of the Magic stayed out on the court last June 14, the day the Lakers closed out the Magic’s championship dreams in the NBA Finals. Howard and Nelson wanted that dismal visual seared into their memories so that it would drive them to work even harder to get back to this stage. In this case, neither wanted to forget the pain associated with getting so close and not winning a championship.
A picture of the dejected Howard and the stunned Nelson still hangs in the training room at the Magic’s practice facility. It serves as a constant reminder of what the Lakers took from the Magic, and how the franchise is determined to not let it happen again.
``I’m not sure you ever really get over something like that until you win one,’’ Nelson said recently, referring of course to a championship. ``We want to get back there again and hopefully the result will be different the next time around.’’
Today’s nationally televised game between the surging Magic (43-20) and the suddenly slumping Los Angeles Lakers (46-17) isn’t another shot at the title for Orlando, but it is a highly anticipated rematch of last spring’s NBA Finals. Dozens of local and national media are credentialed for the game and ABC will televise the contest from a sold-out Amway Arena.
The Magic seem to be hitting the start of their peak, winning four games in a row and disposing of bad teams with ease. Meanwhile, the Lakers have lost their last two to Miami and Charlotte to fall 2 1/2 games back of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the race for the best record in the NBA. A loss today would give the Lakers their first three-game losing streak since January of 2008, a stretch of almost two years.
The Magic talked all season about having a championship mentality. By that, they mean playing like a champion nightly and casting aside the bouts with inconsistency that a marathon season often brings and raising the level against the truly elite teams.
The Magic certainly announced themselves to the basketball world as true contenders again this season with a gutsy home rally against Cleveland two weeks ago at Amway Arena. In one fell swoop, the Magic downed the Cavs and reminded folks that it was Orlando – and not Cleveland – that won the Eastern Conference last season and is still the team to beat on this side of the bracket.
But then there are the Lakers, a team that is never too far from the minds of the Magic. Orlando whipped L.A. twice last season for the first time in franchise history, but fell in the NBA Finals 4-1 in a series that was much closer than the final spread might indicate.
And the Lakers got the best of the Magic back in January in Los Angeles, delivering a huge game-turning run over the third and fourth periods for a 98-92 win. Strangely enough, the Lakers leading scorer that night was Shannon Brown – and not stars Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Ron Artest or Andrew Bynum – with 22 points.
Several Magic players said that while they might play games against the Cavaliers, Celtics or Hawks, it’s the Lakers that they often see on a nigly basis. They know that Los Angeles is the true measuring stick and to get the championship that they truly crave they will likely have to go through the Lakers once again to get it.
``I’m always thinking back to the Finals and playing the Lakers because we got there, but didn’t win it,’’ Magic forward Rashard Lewis said wistfully. ``Getting to the Finals is something that I’ll remember the rest of my life. But the job isn’t done until we win that championship.’’
Like Howard, Nelson and Lewis, Magic reserve forward Mickael Pietrus admitted that beating the Lakers consume many of his basketball thoughts. Howard has a picture of the Larry O’Brien trophy taped to a mirror in the bathroom at his house so that he’s thinking about a championship every day. The Magic chant ``championship’’ when they break huddles and have pictures of the trophy taped to their lockers at RDV Sportsplex and Amway Arena. And Pietrus said thoughts of the trophy often dance in his head at night.
``Of course I think about (last year’s Finals) and trying to win a championship. I think about it every day,’’ said Pietrus, one of the Magic’s playoff heroes last spring. ``When I sleep, I dream about winning a championship. When I play, I think about winning a championship. It would be the most amazing thing for my career, and it was incredible for all of the Orlando Magic fans.’’
John Denton writes for Orlandomagic.com. His Magic ``Behind the Scenes’’ segment can be heard each week on ESPN 1080 AM.
By John DentonMarch 7, 2010
Note: The contents of this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the Orlando Magic. All opinions expressed by John Denton are solely his own and do not reflect the opinions of the Orlando Magic or their Basketball Operations staff, partners or sponsors. His sources are not known to the Magic and he has no special access to information beyond the access and privileges that go along with being an NBA accredited member of the media.
ORLANDO – When the Los Angeles Lakers were last inside Amway Arena, champagne soaked the purple and gold uniforms and tears streamed from the eyes of Orlando Magic captains Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson.
The two unquestioned leaders of the Magic stayed out on the court last June 14, the day the Lakers closed out the Magic’s championship dreams in the NBA Finals. Howard and Nelson wanted that dismal visual seared into their memories so that it would drive them to work even harder to get back to this stage. In this case, neither wanted to forget the pain associated with getting so close and not winning a championship.
A picture of the dejected Howard and the stunned Nelson still hangs in the training room at the Magic’s practice facility. It serves as a constant reminder of what the Lakers took from the Magic, and how the franchise is determined to not let it happen again.
``I’m not sure you ever really get over something like that until you win one,’’ Nelson said recently, referring of course to a championship. ``We want to get back there again and hopefully the result will be different the next time around.’’
Today’s nationally televised game between the surging Magic (43-20) and the suddenly slumping Los Angeles Lakers (46-17) isn’t another shot at the title for Orlando, but it is a highly anticipated rematch of last spring’s NBA Finals. Dozens of local and national media are credentialed for the game and ABC will televise the contest from a sold-out Amway Arena.
The Magic seem to be hitting the start of their peak, winning four games in a row and disposing of bad teams with ease. Meanwhile, the Lakers have lost their last two to Miami and Charlotte to fall 2 1/2 games back of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the race for the best record in the NBA. A loss today would give the Lakers their first three-game losing streak since January of 2008, a stretch of almost two years.
The Magic talked all season about having a championship mentality. By that, they mean playing like a champion nightly and casting aside the bouts with inconsistency that a marathon season often brings and raising the level against the truly elite teams.
The Magic certainly announced themselves to the basketball world as true contenders again this season with a gutsy home rally against Cleveland two weeks ago at Amway Arena. In one fell swoop, the Magic downed the Cavs and reminded folks that it was Orlando – and not Cleveland – that won the Eastern Conference last season and is still the team to beat on this side of the bracket.
But then there are the Lakers, a team that is never too far from the minds of the Magic. Orlando whipped L.A. twice last season for the first time in franchise history, but fell in the NBA Finals 4-1 in a series that was much closer than the final spread might indicate.
And the Lakers got the best of the Magic back in January in Los Angeles, delivering a huge game-turning run over the third and fourth periods for a 98-92 win. Strangely enough, the Lakers leading scorer that night was Shannon Brown – and not stars Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Ron Artest or Andrew Bynum – with 22 points.
Several Magic players said that while they might play games against the Cavaliers, Celtics or Hawks, it’s the Lakers that they often see on a nigly basis. They know that Los Angeles is the true measuring stick and to get the championship that they truly crave they will likely have to go through the Lakers once again to get it.
``I’m always thinking back to the Finals and playing the Lakers because we got there, but didn’t win it,’’ Magic forward Rashard Lewis said wistfully. ``Getting to the Finals is something that I’ll remember the rest of my life. But the job isn’t done until we win that championship.’’
Like Howard, Nelson and Lewis, Magic reserve forward Mickael Pietrus admitted that beating the Lakers consume many of his basketball thoughts. Howard has a picture of the Larry O’Brien trophy taped to a mirror in the bathroom at his house so that he’s thinking about a championship every day. The Magic chant ``championship’’ when they break huddles and have pictures of the trophy taped to their lockers at RDV Sportsplex and Amway Arena. And Pietrus said thoughts of the trophy often dance in his head at night.
``Of course I think about (last year’s Finals) and trying to win a championship. I think about it every day,’’ said Pietrus, one of the Magic’s playoff heroes last spring. ``When I sleep, I dream about winning a championship. When I play, I think about winning a championship. It would be the most amazing thing for my career, and it was incredible for all of the Orlando Magic fans.’’
John Denton writes for Orlandomagic.com. His Magic ``Behind the Scenes’’ segment can be heard each week on ESPN 1080 AM.
