Rashard Lewis Is Ready To Show For Magic

The Orlando Magic play host to the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night in their exhibition opener, a rather ho-hum event for most veterans.

Funny, but even after nine seasons in the NBA, forward Rashard Lewis is a little antsy for his cameo.

"I don't know how long Coach is going to play the starters. But I feel like it's the first time Orlando Magic fans get a chance to see me, so for my little five, 10 minutes I'm out there, I want to let them know that I'm here and here to play," he said.

"This is going to be the first impression, and I want to show them. I want to show them that I'm here and ready to help the Magic make the playoffs."

Lewis, the club's $118 million free-agent catch this offseason, already has made an impression on his new playmates and Coach Stan Van Gundy.

The Magic broke training camp Thursday, ending two-a-day sessions, with everyone raving about him.

He was hired away from the Seattle SuperSonics because the Magic desperately needed his scoring punch. They envision Lewis and all-star center Dwight Howard providing an inside-outside tour de force.

Lewis wasted no time in demonstrating how he averaged more than 20 points per game the past three seasons, leaving teammates to offer breathless testimonials.

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source : orlandosentinel.com