Howard, Nelson Keep Series Alive

Filed under: Celtics, Magic, NBA Playoffs

BOSTON -- While everyone else was in the locker room, Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson stayed on the court and sat together less than a year ago, watching the Los Angeles Lakers celebrate their NBA championship on Orlando's home floor, wanting to remember just how painful a season-ending defeat can be if they weren't giving their best.



They remembered Monday night.



They weren't going down this time without a fight, not with an embarrassing sweep in the Eastern Conference finals, and certainly not with that dreadful performance from a few days before still fresh in their minds.



They weren't ready for this season to end. They remembered the last time.



Even with teammates faltering around them, caving under the pressure of the Boston Celtics, Howard and Nelson responded brilliantly -- and together -- to win Game 4 and send this series back to Orlando Wednesday, still trailing 3-1.



It was a 96-92 overtime win, a gritty showing that started with the two guys who joined the Magic together in 2004 -- the center and the point guard -- still leaning on each other as always.

 

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Full story at http://nba.fanhouse.com/2010/05/25/howard-nelson-keep-series-alive/