Turkoglu channels his inner Andrew Toney, forces Game 7

By Brendan Hall
Fan Fanatic Sports Staff

Text message tonight from my good friend Brian Comeau, who works at the Hotel Commonwealth, two hours before tonight's tipoff:

"Have the Celtics and Bruins ever advanced to the next round on the same night?"

Spoke too soon...and to answer the question, not in our lifetime.

The Celtics will be playing what has got to feel like the 17th Game 7 after tonight's 83-75 loss to the Orlando Magic.

Dwight Howard's 23 points and 22 rebounds will be the biggest headline in tomorrow's papers, because of the way he went out and backed up his comments after calling out the coaching, but please heed the sweet stroke of Hedo Turkoglu. The big man lives for these dagger moments against the Celtics, and tonight he got his. Forget that he only had seven points. His wide-open 3-pointer from near the top of the arc made it a six-point game for Orlando with a minute to go. And while that's an eternity, this one had that "aw, crap" feeling. Beat the traffic, and let's hope for a win in Game 7.

As for Dwight, this is how an All-NBA First Teamer is supposed to respond. That's the difference between superstars like Howard and above-average guys like Gilbert Arenas. When you chirp, you've got to back it up. Does it prove anything from a coach's standpoint? I beg to differ. Rafer "Skip to my Lou" Alston and Rashard Lewis were in there at the end to close it out. I think ultimately the legacy of Howard's Game 5 comments will be that he shook up what had become complacent. The Magic were playing loose tonight.

Tonight was a low-scoring, defensive affair; the kind of game you can't play with your best player sitting on the sidelines. As athletic as the Magic starting five is, the Celtics can run the floor better. Running a break, I'll take Rajon Rondo over Alston any day of the week.

Ray Allen's five points on 2 of 11 shooting -- including 0 for 7 -- is startling. I fully expect him to recover in Game 7.

It all ends Sunday night. Let's hope none of us get any jinx-worthy text messages.