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EXCLUSIVE: Larry Ayuso, Cibona...ORLANDO MAGIC: ends Boston Celtics streak @ EIGHT



LARRY AYUSO INTERVIEW 16-11-2007 - PART 1 (100MB)
LARRY AYUSO INTERVIEW 16-11-2007 - PART 2 (100MB)
LARRY AYUSO INTERVIEW 16-11-2007 - PART 3 (100MB)


MAGIC 104, CELTICS 102
Orlando Magic stand up to Boston Celtics

The Magic give up a 20-point lead but hold off Boston and its Big Three all-stars.


Dwight Howard howled at the moon, Rashard Lewis beat his chest and the sellout crowd roared like it was 1995, the Year of the Shaq. In a season in which they are compiling memorable moments, if not momentum, the Orlando Magic celebrated on their parquet floor at Amway Arena.

And that was fitting, considering the club copied the checkerboard court concept years ago from the storied Boston Celtics, who are stirring the ghosts of their past with a dramatic comeback this season.

The Magic (9-2) halted a grand comeback and avoided a colossal collapse Sunday by handing the Celtics' traveling all-stars their first loss of this season, 104-102.

The Magic led by up to 20 points before holding off Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce, who missed a potential game-winning 3-pointer that caused 17,519 patrons, plus 12 players, to clutch their hearts.

It bounced high off the rim, and Howard seemed to set some kind of Olympic high-jump record to secure the rebound and the victory -- Orlando's biggest of the season at home after losses to the Detroit Pistons and Phoenix Suns.

There has been much talk of the Celtics' Big Three, but the Magic's trio of Howard (24 points), Rashard Lewis (22) and Hedo Turkoglu (16) outscored Garnett, Allen and Pierce, 62-61. Point guard Jameer Nelson added 18, six assists and five rebounds.



TOP 10 PLAYS 19-11-2007


Defense wasn't a factor as Orlando shot 53.3 percent and Boston 50.8, and the Magic survived a beating on the boards 41-28. "They couldn't stop us in the first half and we couldn't stop them in the second," Van Gundy said.

Sure, it was only one of 82 games, and the Magic tried to shrug off its significance. But they can't deny or downplay the fact that this is a team that is crazily unflappable.

The Magic brought the resiliency they have displayed on the road, where they are the league's only undefeated team at 6-0, to their parquet court for their fourth consecutive win.

"The biggest thing for our team was that last season when a team made a run, we would kind of fold," Howard said. "This season, we're trying to stick to our game plan. When teams make their run, we just calm down, don't point fingers and stay focused."


After the Celtics (8-1) took their only lead of the night at 88-87 in the fourth quarter -- completing a rally from a 65-45 third-quarter deficit -- the Magic didn't shrink. Nor did Coach Stan Van Gundy call for a timeout to regroup.

When a mandatory timeout was called by officials with 5 minutes, 48 seconds to go, Van Gundy said to his team, "I didn't call a timeout when they took the lead. We've been here before. There's no reason to panic."

"And I didn't see them panic. I said afterwards, 'It's great, guys, that you answered the run again, but some nights it's OK to not let them have a run and just win the game so I can live to 50.' "


It was Turkoglu's 3-point jumper that gave Orlando a 93-88 lead with 4:51 remaining. He again struck about two minutes later, nailing another 3 to push Orlando's lead to 98-92.

"We don't panic," Turkoglu said. "We take our time and make the right plays."


Allen made a 3-pointer with 7.2 seconds left to trim the lead to 103-102, but Lewis made 1 of 2 free throws. Orlando then survived a surprising 3-point attempt by Pierce, who went for the game-winner.

"I thought I had a good look at a 3," Pierce said. "I saw about one or two seconds left and I could have drove and tied the game, but I went with my instincts."




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The instincts of many critics before the season was not to believe in the Magic, but they now are tied with the New Orleans Hornets -- tonight's road opponent -- with the second-best NBA record.

"As long as we believe in ourselves, it doesn't matter," Nelson said. Of the bandwagoners, he added with a laugh, "If you don't get on the bus now, don't get on the bus later."



Brian Schmitz
Orlando Sentinel



Post je objavljen 19.11.2007. u 07:37 sati.