LeBron James ready to take on the Orlando Magic - NBA Special Report
Orlando Magic and the Miami Heat will renew one of the greatest rivalries in the NBA when they come face to face at the Amway centre come Thursday night. While the first two games were split, each club winning at home, the battle
for supremacy in the East and the state of Florida will ensue for the third time this season.
The mind games though have already begun.
And with the verbose LeBron James ever present to lend a piece of his mind, you don’t have to look far.
James had expressed sympathy at the dire straits of his former franchise when they headed to the South Beach on Monday. The two times reigning MVP though, certainly hasn’t forgotten the tantalizing ordeal he went through when he
decided to bring his talents to the South Beach.
The targets of his wrath though, are not the Clevelanders this time. Rather, it is the franchise that tormented him the most upon his arrival.
It was Orlando Magic - the franchise that questioned his competitiveness, his guts and his sense of pride.
So when LeBron James suits up against them on Thursday night, rest assured there will be some fireworks.
"The simple fact that it's a division opponent, that means a lot," James said. "Trying to win your division is very key. And also playing exceptionally well on the road is definitely key. That definitely helps later on in the season.
And being an Orlando team that basically said a lot of things about us in the offseason, that definitely adds a little bit to the fire."
James was referring to the infamous comment, Magic owner Otis Smith made about James when the Big Three trio of James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh united this season at Miami.
Smith had quoted at that time. "I thought he was, I guess, more of a competitor."
His comments created a furor in Miami and the Heat President Pat Riley responded by saying that was an "absolutely stupid" remark.
Magic coach Stan Van Gundy who had served for two plus years at Miami, before being given a boot was the next to join the verbal tussle. Never been shy to speak his mind, Van Gundy jumped in by wondering why Riley thought it was
his place to make moral judgments.
Van Gundy though was not the only member of the Magic outfit to take a shot at LeBron James and the new troika in Miami.
The players got involved as well. Marcin Gortat said “Honestly, I’m sick of listening every hour about Miami – Miami that, how great they are, how big they are, what kind of record they gonna have,”’
Dwight Howard chimed in by simply stating “We’re trying to take their heads off.” Even upper management got involved in the verbal feud.
By the time the teams actually took on each other in October, the intensity had cooled down, though James' comment Monday night reminded everyone that all has not been forgotten.
"We're looking forward to the challenge” James said. "Should be fun”.
Miami will enter the game with all the momentum on their side. Currently third in the Eastern Conference, Heat have a 3 1/2-game lead in the Southeast Division over the Magic into Thursday's matchup.
However, Orlando can take heart from the excellent record they boost against their much fancied opponents. Orlando has won 15 of the last 19 regular season meetings with the Heat including nine of its last 11 games at the Amway
centre.
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