Savage: Magic Set For Christmas Day Date With Celtics
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By Dan Savage
December 24, 2010
ORLANDO -- It’s a game that’s been circled on the Orlando Magic’s calendar since the NBA schedule was released: A Christmas Day date with the Boston Celtics.
Orlando is still searching for revenge after Boston shocked its system by jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the 2010 Eastern Conference Finals and eventually taking the series 4-2.
The Magic were flawless in the playoffs up until that point, sweeping both Charlotte and Atlanta, and they still feel they never gave the Celtics their best effort last postseason.
“It was shocking because we didn’t play hard and that’s kind of who were were; it’s shocking because we played hard all season and we talked about that, as a group, from January on,’’ J.J. Redick said after that devastating loss. “I mean that’s the reason we were good, because we prepared and we played hard.”
Orlando is looking forward to righting that wrong this Saturday at 2:30 p.m. ET.
With all the new faces on their roster, the Magic are well aware that they’ll have to bring a high energy level during this period of adjustment in order to defeat a red-hot Celtics squad, whose nucleus has been together for over three years now.
“We have to play the way we played against the Spurs,” Magic All-Star center Dwight Howard explained. “We have to run, we have to move the ball and we have to attack. When we do that, we win games, so we’re going to come out on Christmas with a lot of energy.”
Orlando will need every ounce of effort it can muster together to defeat Boston, which has notched 14 straight victories and sits atop the East with a 23-4 record.
“The Celtics have been playing great basketball,” Howard said. “I would say they’re probably the best team in the NBA right now. They’re hot and we understand that.”
In addition to searching for a little vengeance, the Magic will be looking at this meeting as an opportunity to see if their new pieces can help put them over the hump against the league’s elite squads.
However, don’t get that concept twisted with the misguided notion that Orlando made its deals just matchup better with Boston.
“It’s not just about matching up with the Celtics,” said Orlando’s Superman. “We want to win a championship. They have to matchup with us. It’s not about the Celtics, Lakers or whoever, it’s about us.”
A worldwide spotlight will definitely be casted upon Orlando as the Christmas Day contest at the state-of-the-art Amway Center will be aired in 215 countries and territories in 43 languages.
It’s a privilege the Magic are excited about, unlike Phil Jackson and LeBron James, who recently expressed their displeasure with having to play on the holiday.
“It feels good to play on Christmas in a big-time game and we are happy to be a part of it,” Howard said. “Families around the world will be sitting at home opening up gifts and watching us play. That’s great.”
Hopefully, they’ll find a Magic victory under the tree.
Follow Dan Savage on Twitter here
December 24, 2010
ORLANDO -- It’s a game that’s been circled on the Orlando Magic’s calendar since the NBA schedule was released: A Christmas Day date with the Boston Celtics.
Orlando is still searching for revenge after Boston shocked its system by jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the 2010 Eastern Conference Finals and eventually taking the series 4-2.
The Magic were flawless in the playoffs up until that point, sweeping both Charlotte and Atlanta, and they still feel they never gave the Celtics their best effort last postseason.
“It was shocking because we didn’t play hard and that’s kind of who were were; it’s shocking because we played hard all season and we talked about that, as a group, from January on,’’ J.J. Redick said after that devastating loss. “I mean that’s the reason we were good, because we prepared and we played hard.”
Orlando is looking forward to righting that wrong this Saturday at 2:30 p.m. ET.
With all the new faces on their roster, the Magic are well aware that they’ll have to bring a high energy level during this period of adjustment in order to defeat a red-hot Celtics squad, whose nucleus has been together for over three years now.
“We have to play the way we played against the Spurs,” Magic All-Star center Dwight Howard explained. “We have to run, we have to move the ball and we have to attack. When we do that, we win games, so we’re going to come out on Christmas with a lot of energy.”
 Dan Savage |
“The Celtics have been playing great basketball,” Howard said. “I would say they’re probably the best team in the NBA right now. They’re hot and we understand that.”
In addition to searching for a little vengeance, the Magic will be looking at this meeting as an opportunity to see if their new pieces can help put them over the hump against the league’s elite squads.
However, don’t get that concept twisted with the misguided notion that Orlando made its deals just matchup better with Boston.
“It’s not just about matching up with the Celtics,” said Orlando’s Superman. “We want to win a championship. They have to matchup with us. It’s not about the Celtics, Lakers or whoever, it’s about us.”
A worldwide spotlight will definitely be casted upon Orlando as the Christmas Day contest at the state-of-the-art Amway Center will be aired in 215 countries and territories in 43 languages.
It’s a privilege the Magic are excited about, unlike Phil Jackson and LeBron James, who recently expressed their displeasure with having to play on the holiday.
“It feels good to play on Christmas in a big-time game and we are happy to be a part of it,” Howard said. “Families around the world will be sitting at home opening up gifts and watching us play. That’s great.”
Hopefully, they’ll find a Magic victory under the tree.
Follow Dan Savage on Twitter here
