Denton: Magic-Sixers Postgame Notes

By John Denton
October 28, 2009

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 – It was somewhat torturous to watch, but Tuesday night’s championship ring ceremony for the Los Angeles Lakers was must-see TV for Orlando Magic superstar center Dwight Howard.

It served as both a painful reminder of the Magic’s loss to the Lakers in the Finals last spring and motivation for this season’s championship chase.

Howard used the Lakers loss to motivate him throughout his summer workouts, telling himself that he never wanted to feel that kind of hurt again following a season. Howard said that his first thought each day that he wakes up is about the Finals loss and he’s the one who chants `championship’ following each team huddle.

So even though it hurt him deeply, Howard made sure to tune in as the Lakers received their championship rings.

``I was a little upset watching it, but I was happy for some of those guys,’’ Howard said. ``It took a lot just to watch the ring ceremony, seeing those guys getting their rings, seeing the trophy and it brought back a lot of (bad) memories.’’

As for the Eastern Conference banner that was unveiled at Amway Arena at Wednesday’s season-opener against the Philadelphia 76ers, Howard said the sight of it will also serve as motivation for him. ``It’s just a banner. I want the ring, want a trophy,’’ he said. ``Banners and all are good, but I want that trophy.’’

PRAISING JAMEER: New Philadelphia coach Eddie Jordan said that while Howard, Rashard Lewis and Vince Carter are the Magic’s unquestioned leaders, he feels that point guard Jameer Nelson is the glue that keeps the team together.

Not long after getting the Sixers’ job over the summer, Jordan said he attended the offseason workouts arranged by Nelson for the Magic in Philadelphia. Other NBA players, including several Sixers players were at that workout, but Jordan said it was Nelson’s natural leadership skills that he most prominently noticed.

``He’s such a big key to their team because he controls all of their pick- and-rolls,’’ Jordan said. ``I went over to their workouts in Philly to spy on them. I really think that Jameer’s intangibles are worth more to the Magic than his actual stats. He’s just a true leader who gets that team in the right frame of mind all the time.’’

ETC: Lewis, one of Orlando’s cornerstone star players, wasn’t allowed in the arena Wednesday night because of a NBA-mandated 10-game suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy late last season. Lewis made no secret that the banishment would be especially tough for him, and he particularly regretted not being there for the unveiling for the Eastern Conference championship banner. ``But if you do the crime, you gotta do the time,’’ Lewis said, managing to crack a smile. … Van Gundy said he thinks that Nelson is fully recovered from the torn labrum in his left shoulder that kept him out for four months of last season. Van Gundy said Nelson opened training camp playing somewhat tentatively and trying to keep his teammates happy, but that has changed of late. Said Van Gundy: ``He got the rust off and he’s attacking the same way he did before (the injury).’’ … Jordan said he wasn’t exactly surprised by the Magic’s dominant, 8-0 preseason. ``They didn’t exactly have to convince me that they were a good team,’’ Jordan said. ``They’re a Finals team and they got better over the summer with their new personnel.’’

John Denton writes for Orlandomagic.com. His Orlando Magic ``Behind the Scenes’’ segment can be heard on ESPN 1080 AM on Thursday at 5:05 p.m. Submit questions to John for his ``Ask J.D.’’ mailbag feature that will appear every Friday at AskJD@orlandomagic.com.