ORLANDO, Fla. -- Magic coach Stan Van Gundy can say it until his face turns blue -- like he tried to Thursday night -- but Friday's night's matchup against the Miami Heat is not just one of 82 games on the schedule.It's not for any other team in the league this season. And it's especially not for the Magic, whose in-state proximity, whose personal distaste for the team president, and whose growing resentment continues to build, making the matchup a classic in October.
"We can make a statement (Friday),'' Magic center Dwight Howard said after his team crushed the Washington Wizards in their season opener Thursday. "They (Heat) have to match up against us.''
While the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers are rightfully bothered by being overshadowed by the Heat and their trio of stars, no one in the league has taken the praise/hate/attention in Miami as personal as the Magic, a good team mostly forgotten.
"We better get used to it,'' sighed Magic forward Rashard Lewis. "It's all anyone talks about. If ESPN is not talking about Miami, you think there's something wrong with ESPN. It just adds fuel to the fire for us.''
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Source: http://nba.fanhouse.com/2010/10/29/magic-eager-and-confident-to-face-miami/
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