Magic Force Game 7 of Subpar Series

ORLANDO -- When Dwight Howard talks, people listen. When he shuts up and plays, the Magic win.

That was the lesson Thursday night at Amway Arena. Well, that and the revelation that Stan Van Gundy might not be the worst coach since Red Klotz.

He was ripped coast-to-coast after Game 5, when Howard barely touched the ball during a fourth-quarter Orlando gag-fest. Game 6 showed that it doesn't really matter what kind of plays are called or not called for the Magic's center.

When Howard sets his mind to it, he is a one-man playbook.

Magic 83, Celtics 75: Recap | Box Score
Series Tied 3-3 | Next Game: Sunday @ Boston, 8 PM ET

"It's not about getting the shots," Howard said. "It's about attacking the glass. I think that kind of gets me energized."

Kind of? Try 23 points and 22 rebounds. Ten were offensive rebounds, which is how Howard creates his offense, which is what he wasn't doing Tuesday night in Boston.

All of which means we now have a Game 7 Sunday. Whether we like it or not.

"It's like a classic heavyweight bout," Paul Pierce said.

I'm tempted to say it's more like Tex Cobb vs. Gerry Cooney, but isn't there an old saying about if you can't say something nice about an NBA series you don't say anything at all?

If that rule held here, the only sound coming from Amway Arena would have been chirping crickets.

Maybe the entertainment bar was set unrealistically high after the classic Boston and Chicago gave us in the opening round. But Orlando and Boston have brought out the worst in each other.

The games have been decided by which team plays the worse, not the best. On Thursday, the ringside judges gave the decision to Cooney, er, the Celtics. Their fourth-quarter disappearance was almost Orlando-esque.

"I guess we just choked," Rajon Rondo said.

Boston's point guard didn't, with 19 points and a ridiculous 16 rebounds. But nobody made a medium shot, much less a big one when it was needed. Not that the Magic were much better.

They missed 14 free throws and 20 of 26 3-point shots. Hedo Turkoglu was 3-for-13, but he staggered away the hero after making a huge 3-pointer with 1:23 left.

"We didn't make a lot of shots, but we fought hard and so did Boston," Van Gundy said. "It was not the prettiest game in the world to watch, I'm sure."

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HOUSTON - MAY 14: Guard Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after making a shot against the Houston Rockets in Game Six of the Western Conference Semifinals during the 2009 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center on May 14, 2009 in Houston, Texas. 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. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kobe Bryant

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HOUSTON - MAY 14: Guard Jordan Farmar #5 of the Los Angeles Lakers takes a shot against Kyle Lowry #7 of the Houston Rockets in Game Six of the Western Conference Semifinals during the 2009 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center on May 14, 2009 in Houston, Texas. 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. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jordan Farmar;Kyle Lowry

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HOUSTON - MAY 14: Forward Luis Scola #4 of the Houston Rockets drives the hoop against Pau Gasol #16 of the Los Angeles Lakers in Game Six of the Western Conference Semifinals during the 2009 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center on May 14, 2009 in Houston, Texas. 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. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Luis Scola;Pau Gasol

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HOUSTON - MAY 14: Guard Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers takes a shot against the Houston Rockets in Game Six of the Western Conference Semifinals during the 2009 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center on May 14, 2009 in Houston, Texas. 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. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kobe Bryant

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ORLANDO, FL - MAY 14: Rashard Lewis #9 of the Orlando Magic drives against Brian Scalabrine #44 of the Boston Celtics in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2009 NBA Playoffs at Amway Arena on May 14, 2009 in Orlando, Florida. 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. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Rashard Lewis;Brian Scalabrine

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ORLANDO, FL - MAY 14: JJ Redick #7 of the Orlando Magic looks to drive against the Boston Celtics in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2009 NBA Playoffs at Amway Arena on May 14, 2009 in Orlando, Florida. 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. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** JJ Redick

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ORLANDO, FL - MAY 14: Dwight Howard #12 of the Orlando Magic blocks the shot of Glen Davis #11 of the Boston Celtics in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2009 NBA Playoffs at Amway Arena on May 14, 2009 in Orlando, Florida. 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. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Glen Davis;Dwight Howard

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ORLANDO, FL - MAY 14: Glen Davis #11 of the Boston Celtics attempts to drive against Hedo Turkoglu #15 of the Orlando Magic in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2009 NBA Playoffs at Amway Arena on May 14, 2009 in Orlando, Florida. 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. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Glen Davis;Hedo Turkoglu

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ORLANDO, FL - MAY 14: Glen Davis #11 of the Boston Celtics looks to pass against the Orlando Magic in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2009 NBA Playoffs at Amway Arena on May 14, 2009 in Orlando, Florida. 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. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Glen Davis

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Which brings us back to Howard. His offensive game is not the prettiest thing to watch, mainly because he barely has one.

Howard gets his points on dunks, tip-ins and occasional spinning bank shot or jump hook. It's not as if when crunch time arrives the Magic are dumping it into Kareem.

They have never called a lot set plays for him, and won't be able to until he develops a money shot or starts making more than 50 percent of his free throws. The real problem comes when Orlando's pop-a-shot offense stalls and Howard doesn't get his touches.

Frustration builds and he stops attacking on both ends of the floor. A dawdling Dwight only hurts Orlando's offense. It destroys the Magic's defense, which is how Boston got so many second shots in Tuesday night's comeback.

"I've just got to go out there and play and not worry about nothing," Howard said.

He spent the past two days with his TV off, knowing he was going to get criticized for calling out Van Gundy after Tuesday's game. Even if you agreed with his points, going public was not the way to get them across.

If you didn't know better, you'd think it was all a shrewd plan. Orlando has played its best all season when things seem to be falling apart. And the sky felt as if it had collapsed after mild-mannered Howard found a bus to throw Van Gundy under.

What's worse, it made Shaquille O'Neal look brilliant. The Big Prognosticator said Van Gundy is a master of panic, and it would show in the playoffs.

Shaq has criticized every coach from Phil Jackson to Pat Riley, so everything he says should come with a laugh track. Van Gundy isn't Jackson or Riley, but he's not a complete dope.

The biggest call he made in the series came when he asked Howard into his office Wednesday. They aired their grievances and Howard came away ready to play.

"If I have any issues, I need to go into my coach's office," he said. "I can't let my frustration stop me from being who I am as a person. I need to keep my mouth shut and admit when I'm wrong."

He was wrong to publicly rip his coach, but it sure put the Magic in a familiar place of having to win when most thought they wouldn't.

"That's been a trademark of our team all year," Van Gundy said. "We've been very good in difficult situations, which is really hard to understand with a coach who panics like I do."

That shot was intended for Shaq. It hit the mark, unlike most of the one Orlando and Boston have been jacking up.

Some series you hate to see end. Others you hate to see continue. For better or worse, this one will slog on for one more game.

May the least-bad team win.

If Howard keeps his mouth shut and his mind right, it will probably be the Magic.