Denton: Carter Finally With a Championship Contender
By John Denton
November 21, 2009
Note: The contents of this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the Orlando Magic. All opinions expressed by John Denton are solely his own and do not reflect the opinions of the Orlando Magic or their Basketball Operations staff, partners or sponsors. His sources are not known to the Magic and he has no special access to information beyond the access and privileges that go along with being an NBA accredited member of the media.
BOSTON – Hours before the Orlando Magic’s nationally televised showdown against the rival Boston Celtics, Vince Carter was quizzed about the last time he played in a game that meant this much.
Carter scrunched up his face as he delved deep in thought while rummaging through the 5 1/2 mostly forgettable seasons in New Jersey prior to joining the Magic in a June blockbuster trade.
``Playing the Knicks was a big game. I’m serious,’’ Carter said while trying to keep a straight face before breaking into a laugh. ``I think that was the only game we sold out all year.’’
Carter’s trade from New Jersey to Orlando was not only a homecoming for the Daytona Beach native, but it also was a reinvigorating get-out-of-jail-free card for the 32-year-old shooting guard. For years, he’s longed to be in games that matter again, longed to be taken seriously as a key cog on a championship contender. Those moments rarely ever materialized in nine seasons in Toronto and New Jersey, but Carter finds himself now smack-dab ``in the middle of the fire,’’ and he says it’s a heat that has ignited his competitive spark anew.
That was never more apparent than in Orlando’s gritty 83-78 defeat of the Celtics when Carter carried the Magic for long stretches. With the Celtics smothering Dwight Howard inside and determined to take away Rashard Lewis’ 3-ball, Orlando turned to Carter for production.
That he needed 29 shots (his most attempts in three seasons) to score a game-high 26 points wasn’t overly important. That he was locked and loaded in attack mode and clearly not shying away from the moment was particularly striking.
``I’ve never been afraid of taking big shots no matter how big the game is,’’ said Carter, whose Magic (10-3) play in Toronto (6-7) on Sunday afternoon. ``I just try to stay conscious of making the right play and not force anything. I can’t say I didn’t force shots (against Boston), but I wanted the ball.’’
The fact that Carter wants the ball in crunch time was one of the primary reasons Orlando pursued him in the summer. Already in possession of the game’s best center (Howard), the game’s most prolific 3-point shooter (Lewis) and an all-star point guard (Jameer Nelson), the Magic sought a wing player who could create and get his own shot. Getting beaten by Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals last spring drove home the thought that the Magic would be an even better team with a prolific wing scorer like Carter.
``Against great defenses down the stretch it is sometimes hard to free people up,’’ Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. ``You gotta have a guy – a Paul Pierce, a Vince Carter, a Dwyane Wade, a LeBron James – someone who can get a good shot against a good defense. Vince can get a good, quality shot all the time. At least with Vince you will have a chance, even if the defense is good.’’
It might have been a few years since Carter played in a game as meaningful as Friday’s, but he was plenty good against the Celtics when the Magic needed him most.
When Boston got within three points of the lead with 10:07 to play, Carter converted a tough, back-down shot over ace defender Marquis Daniels. With the TD Garden crowd pulsating and the Celtics down just one, Carter came out of a timeout and beat Ray Allen for a tough bank shot that turned into a 3-point play.
And finally, with the score tied at 78-all and 2:53 remaining, Van Gundy put the ball in Carter’s hands and let him go to work. He overwhelmed the smaller Allen with his size and athleticism and scored in the lane for what proved to be the game’s winning points.
Carter’s clutch work down the stretch left teammates and foes talking about him once again as one of the game’s elite players. It’s a distinction that had faded through the years as Carter played mostly meaningless games for losing teams in New Jersey.
Gushed Paul Pierce: ``Vince Carter is an established scorer. He’s one of the best scorers in the history of the game.’’
And then there was this from Howard, who was never happier that Carter is on his side now: ``He’s a guy we can turn to when our offense gets stagnant and he can go to work. He’s a guy who can create his own shot and he was on fire (on Friday).’’
``The fire,’’ as Carter puts it, refers to playing in pressure-packed games that have a bearing on the standings. He’s never played on a team that’s won 50 games in the regular season or gotten out of the second round of the playoffs, but Carter is confident that could change this season. He knows this chance with the championship-contending Magic makes him matter again, makes him feel alive again, if you will. And he’s ready for the many big games that are dead ahead for Orlando.
``Games like these against Boston, that’s what it’s all about for me,’’ Carter said. ``This is the bar and we have to try and jump over it. These are the types of games that we have to win to have a truly special team, and we think we have that.’’
John Denton writes for Orlandomagic.com. His Orlando Magic ``Behind the Scenes’’ segment can be heard on ESPN 1080 AM on Thursday at 5:05 p.m. Submit questions to John for his ``Ask J.D.’’ mailbag feature that will appear every Friday at AskJD@orlandomagic.com.
By John DentonNovember 21, 2009
Note: The contents of this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the Orlando Magic. All opinions expressed by John Denton are solely his own and do not reflect the opinions of the Orlando Magic or their Basketball Operations staff, partners or sponsors. His sources are not known to the Magic and he has no special access to information beyond the access and privileges that go along with being an NBA accredited member of the media.
BOSTON – Hours before the Orlando Magic’s nationally televised showdown against the rival Boston Celtics, Vince Carter was quizzed about the last time he played in a game that meant this much.
Carter scrunched up his face as he delved deep in thought while rummaging through the 5 1/2 mostly forgettable seasons in New Jersey prior to joining the Magic in a June blockbuster trade.
``Playing the Knicks was a big game. I’m serious,’’ Carter said while trying to keep a straight face before breaking into a laugh. ``I think that was the only game we sold out all year.’’
Carter’s trade from New Jersey to Orlando was not only a homecoming for the Daytona Beach native, but it also was a reinvigorating get-out-of-jail-free card for the 32-year-old shooting guard. For years, he’s longed to be in games that matter again, longed to be taken seriously as a key cog on a championship contender. Those moments rarely ever materialized in nine seasons in Toronto and New Jersey, but Carter finds himself now smack-dab ``in the middle of the fire,’’ and he says it’s a heat that has ignited his competitive spark anew.
That was never more apparent than in Orlando’s gritty 83-78 defeat of the Celtics when Carter carried the Magic for long stretches. With the Celtics smothering Dwight Howard inside and determined to take away Rashard Lewis’ 3-ball, Orlando turned to Carter for production.
That he needed 29 shots (his most attempts in three seasons) to score a game-high 26 points wasn’t overly important. That he was locked and loaded in attack mode and clearly not shying away from the moment was particularly striking.
``I’ve never been afraid of taking big shots no matter how big the game is,’’ said Carter, whose Magic (10-3) play in Toronto (6-7) on Sunday afternoon. ``I just try to stay conscious of making the right play and not force anything. I can’t say I didn’t force shots (against Boston), but I wanted the ball.’’
The fact that Carter wants the ball in crunch time was one of the primary reasons Orlando pursued him in the summer. Already in possession of the game’s best center (Howard), the game’s most prolific 3-point shooter (Lewis) and an all-star point guard (Jameer Nelson), the Magic sought a wing player who could create and get his own shot. Getting beaten by Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals last spring drove home the thought that the Magic would be an even better team with a prolific wing scorer like Carter.
``Against great defenses down the stretch it is sometimes hard to free people up,’’ Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. ``You gotta have a guy – a Paul Pierce, a Vince Carter, a Dwyane Wade, a LeBron James – someone who can get a good shot against a good defense. Vince can get a good, quality shot all the time. At least with Vince you will have a chance, even if the defense is good.’’
It might have been a few years since Carter played in a game as meaningful as Friday’s, but he was plenty good against the Celtics when the Magic needed him most.
When Boston got within three points of the lead with 10:07 to play, Carter converted a tough, back-down shot over ace defender Marquis Daniels. With the TD Garden crowd pulsating and the Celtics down just one, Carter came out of a timeout and beat Ray Allen for a tough bank shot that turned into a 3-point play.
And finally, with the score tied at 78-all and 2:53 remaining, Van Gundy put the ball in Carter’s hands and let him go to work. He overwhelmed the smaller Allen with his size and athleticism and scored in the lane for what proved to be the game’s winning points.
Carter’s clutch work down the stretch left teammates and foes talking about him once again as one of the game’s elite players. It’s a distinction that had faded through the years as Carter played mostly meaningless games for losing teams in New Jersey.
Gushed Paul Pierce: ``Vince Carter is an established scorer. He’s one of the best scorers in the history of the game.’’
And then there was this from Howard, who was never happier that Carter is on his side now: ``He’s a guy we can turn to when our offense gets stagnant and he can go to work. He’s a guy who can create his own shot and he was on fire (on Friday).’’
``The fire,’’ as Carter puts it, refers to playing in pressure-packed games that have a bearing on the standings. He’s never played on a team that’s won 50 games in the regular season or gotten out of the second round of the playoffs, but Carter is confident that could change this season. He knows this chance with the championship-contending Magic makes him matter again, makes him feel alive again, if you will. And he’s ready for the many big games that are dead ahead for Orlando.
``Games like these against Boston, that’s what it’s all about for me,’’ Carter said. ``This is the bar and we have to try and jump over it. These are the types of games that we have to win to have a truly special team, and we think we have that.’’
John Denton writes for Orlandomagic.com. His Orlando Magic ``Behind the Scenes’’ segment can be heard on ESPN 1080 AM on Thursday at 5:05 p.m. Submit questions to John for his ``Ask J.D.’’ mailbag feature that will appear every Friday at AskJD@orlandomagic.com.
