From Orlando Sentinel

NBA PLAYOFFS

Orlando Magic must revert to road-warrior ways

Brian Schmitz | Sentinel Staff Writer
April 24, 2008

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TORONTO - The Orlando Magic's most-accomplished team -- the Shaq & Penny troupe of the early-to-mid-1990s -- never left home for a playoff series with credentials the current club has taken with them across the border to Canada:

The 2007-08 Magic have brought with them the best road record in franchise history.

After winning both home games in Orlando against the Toronto Raptors, the Magic will see if their regular-season road prowess carries over to the postseason in Game 3 of their NBA Eastern Conference first-round series tonight at Air Canada Centre.

The Magic finished with a 27-14 record out of the city limits, beating the 23 wins posted by the 1995-96 team led by Shaquille O'Neal and Penny Hardaway.

"It gives our guys confidence knowing that they can go on the road and win games," Coach Stan Van Gundy said. "But nothing gives me comfort. . . . It's like I told them: 'If you think it was tough here, it's going to be doubly tough in Toronto.' "

The Magic, who escaped the Raptors 104-103 in Game 2 Tuesday night, have lost seven of their past eight games in Toronto.

They beat the Raptors 105-96 at Air Canada Centre on Nov. 7 to stop a six-game winless streak in the building -- their first victory here since the arrival of Dwight Howard before the 2004-05 season.

The Magic of the Howard era are 1-6 in Toronto -- and 5-9 overall against the Raptors in his four seasons, not including the playoffs.

Orlando was crushed 127-110 in its last trip to Toronto on Feb. 20.

The Magic finished tied for the second-best road record in the NBA this season behind the Boston Celtics (31-10). The Los Angeles Lakers also were 27-14.

The Magic put a heavy emphasis on winning out of town, given their road-heavy early schedule.

They won their first seven road games and 11 of their first 13, several on a West trip that triggered a 16-4 start.

They won at every Eastern Conference arena except Boston's TD Banknorth Garden and were the only team in the league to have won more games on the road than at home.

While all that experience and feel-good memories boost the Magic's mental state, the playoff road trip is a different animal.

"It's hard to compare it to the regular season. This is the playoffs, and it will be a different atmosphere," forward Hedo Turkoglu said.

"We know how to win on the road, but they're going to come at us hard, down two games."

The Raptors figure to come at them with a small-ball lineup they used to finish Game 2 to almost pull out the win. The Magic won't see both big men Rasho Nesterovic and Andrea Bargnani at tip-off.

"But now, [Toronto] knows what their best lineup is, and that's what we're going to see," Van Gundy said.

"We're not going to get the advantage of playing against some of those other lineups, so it will be tougher."

Raptors Coach Sam Mitchell started Bargnani in both games but said he'll change it, using shooters to surround Chris Bosh -- similar to what Orlando does playing off Howard.

Howard made his first postseason appearance last season against the Detroit Pistons. He wasn't quite Superman, averaging 15.3 points and 14.8 rebounds. He also was just 15-of-33 from the free-throw line.

But against the Raptors, he has recorded two 20-20 games in Orlando; he had 25 points and 22 rebounds in Game 1 and 29 points and 20 boards in Game 2.

He has improved at the line, hitting 14-of-20.

"It's the playoffs, and this is where you make your name," Howard said. "LeBron [James] did it last year and got Cleveland to the Finals. I'm just trying to do the best I can every night to help my team win.

"[Magic assistant coach] Pat [Ewing] is always on me about giving my best effort every second. He pushes me to another level every night when I feel like I can't do anything else so that we can keep on winning."

Brian Schmitz can be reached at bschmitz@orlandosentinel.com.

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