Howard Sees Celtics in Cereal Bowl

Because Dwight Howard is so big and strong and powerful – with the chiseled body of a granite statue – sometimes we forgot there still is a goofy young kid simmering inside.

And that was never more evident than Saturday.

On the eve of the biggest game of his NBA career, his first win-or-go-home playoff Game 7, in the great city of Boston, on the storied parquet floor, amidst the wonderful Celtics mystique, Howard found a different motivational tool that may carry his Orlando Magic to victory.

He found it in his cereal bowl.

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"The word of the day is DOMINATE,'' Howard said Saturday after practice. "True story: I was eating Alpha-Bits for breakfast this morning, and the first scoop I picked up, it was right there: D-O-M-I-N-A-T-E. I said this is crazy, so I put it back down, picked up another scoop, and again it said DOMINATE. So I stirred the whole bowl up, picked up another scoop, and it still said DOMINATE. It was telling me something.''

Although this wasn't exactly a walk-across-the-water tale, Howard said he believes it was a premonition of things to come, that he was being challenged by what he read in his cereal bowl.

"I believe in these things,'' he said.

Goofy story. Funny guy. Serious business tonight.

"Me being dominant will be key to our team. It starts in the back with me, blocking every shot, or contesting every one,'' he said. "That could set the tone for the game. We know how tough the Celtics are going to be, but it's all about energy and effort.''

It was the way Howard dominated Game 6 in Orlando that made this Game 7 possible tonight. He had 23 points and 22 rebounds, chasing down 10 offensive rebounds and killing the Celtics with his second-chance points.

If the Celtics can slow him, through foul trouble, or slowing down the Magic offense, their chances of winning increase considerably. The Magic have thrived all season on their 3-point shooting, but it is Howard's ability to rule around the basket that gives the shooters room to operate.

While the Celtics expect the home court to carry them like it usually does for this legendary franchise, Howard is too young and carefree to worry too much about history and all the championship banners that will be hanging at the Garden.

This is the guy who loves wearing his Superman costume. He uses Black Magic as his wrestling nickname. He doesn't even pretend to be grown up and serious all the time. He still eats sugar coated cereal for breakfast.

He keeps comparing Game 7 in the NBA to the NCAA Tournament, something he never played in but still wishes he did. Tonight's game will be his chance, and that brings a smile to his face.

"I don't know too much about history. I'm so young. I do know records are made to be broken, and sometimes history is rewritten,'' he said. "Things happened in the past, but something different could happen in the future. We can do this. We believe we can. There is no pressure. You go out and play 48 minutes with energy and effort, and you can win Game 7.''