Point guard Jason Williams, even before starting his first game Wednesday night, said that this Magic team should be better than the Miami Heat team he played on that won the 2006 NBA title. And that was a pretty good team. "I've said it from the day I got here, that this team is more talented than the championship team I played on in '06," Williams said. "There are just more weapons here." At least for the next month -- until Jameer Nelson returns from the arthroscopic knee surgery he had Wednesday -- this will be Williams' team to direct. The Magic play in Boston Friday night, and Williams will be starting his second consecutive game.
The Magic are hoping he becomes the Rafer Alston of last season. It was Alston who became the starting point guard when Nelson missed the second half of the season with a shoulder injury, and he led them all the way to the NBA Finals.
When he was the starter in Miami, Williams had All-Stars Shaquille O'Neal and Dwyane Wade to help him. Now he has All-Stars Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis and Vince Carter.
"Having all these guys, it just makes my job easier," Williams said. "You get them the ball, and you get them the shots they like. In Miami, we had a go-to guy down the stretch. Here you have a bunch of them. There are just more options."
MAGIC 108, THUNDER 94: In his second game back since returning from his season-opening suspension, Rashard Lewis had 17 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists, helping the Magic to an easy victory. The Magic led from start to finish, avenging an earlier loss to the Thunder. Vince Carter led the Magic with 18 points. Dwight Howard had 11 points and 10 rebounds.
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