The look on their faces was priceless, a combination of amusement and are-you-kidding-me amazement.Magic Coach Stan Van Gundy and his All-Star center, Dwight Howard, both were asked if they might be intimidated by the mystique of the Boston Celtics, about all the championship banners and retired numbers that will be hanging over their second-round series.
"For opposing players now, I don't think the Celtic mystique carries much sway," Van Gundy said after Sunday's practice. "That's something guys our age (49) are aware of, but when these players grew up, the Celtics weren't the Celtics. They weren't Red Auerbach's Celtics, or even Larry Bird's Celtics. Our guys didn't grow up thinking the Celtics were anything above the rest of the league."
The Magic will open their best-of-seven, second-round series Monday expecting to win in Boston, giving little credence to anything the Celtics did in the past, including the 17th NBA title they won last season.
Van Gundy chuckled at the notion that the Magic would take greater joy in beating the most storied franchise in league history on their way to the conference final against Cleveland.
"It's just about moving on to the next round. If we could do it by playing the Little Sisters of the Poor, I'd be just as happy," he said. "It doesn't matter who it's against."
While the Magic practiced at home and traveled Sunday to Boston, the Celtics rested, trying to recover from their draining, seven-game thriller against the tougher-than-expected Chicago Bulls.
The home-court advantage is going to help the Celtics, but their history won't mean much when it comes to winning. Howard doesn't believe in shamrocks, leprechauns or little men dressed in green.
He has met Bill Russell, and it was an honor, but he also has beaten the Celtics twice this season. He beat them two out of three last season, and he expects to beat them four more times this month.
He shook his head at the mention of the Celtics mystique.
"I never thought about it. I believe in the Magic mystique. This is our time," Howard said. "They put on their pants just like we do. Their arena has two baskets, a floor and seats like ours does. You can't look at it any differently."
A week ago, the Magic were not so confident. They struggled through the end of the regular season, and they sloshed through the early part of their first-round series against Philadelphia.
It wasn't until Howard served his one-game suspension, and the Magic won without him, that they really regained their confidence. They played better than they have in weeks, and broke the 100-point mark for the first time in 12 games. Their ball movement, balance and team-wide aggression all improved with Howard watching from his hotel suite.
They went to Boston feeling great about their chances. Most of the team gathered at Howard's home Saturday night to watch Game 7 of Celtics-Bulls, which came on shortly after the finish of the Kentucky Derby.
"I should have been in the Derby," Howard said. "I'm too big to be a jockey, but I'm a horse out there sometimes."
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DENVER - MAY 3: Jason Terry #31 of the Dallas Mavericks takes a shot against the Denver Nuggets during Game One of the Western Conference Semifinals during the 2009 NBA Playoffs at the Pepsi Center on May 3, 2009 in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2009 NBAE (Photo by Garrett W. Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jason Terry
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Dallas Mavericks Josh Howard (5) grimaces after getting injured in Game 1 of the NBA Western Conference playoffs against the Denver Nuggets at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado, on Sunday, May 3, 2009. The Nuggets defeated the Mavericks, 109-95. (Vernon Bryant/Dallas Morning News/MCT)
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Comments (Page 1 of 1)
GO CELTS!!
Other than Howard, I think that the Magic are going to have match up problems all over the floor. The key is for Perkins to stay out of foul trouble. He's not even close to being the player that Howard is, but he is a big strong body and he does have the ability to keep Howard off the boards to some extent.
I don't know about that.. Do the Celts really have anyone who can match up favorably against Rashard Lewis & Hedo Turkoglu?
Both are capable enough at either forward position and Paul Pierce can only guard one guy at a time.
just glad to see povtak back doing what he does best....
I like my man Perkins, but Howard has the ability to make him look really foolish, which is not a good thing at that level..