Celtics go for another victory

Associated Press

WALTHAM, MASS.

The original Boston Garden is long gone, and so is the fear in opponents’ eyes when they play the Celtics on their home floor.

So don’t expect the Orlando Magic to be too intimidated when they arrive for Games 3 and 4 of the Eastern Conference finals.

“We’ve won there before, and there’s no reason we can’t do it again,” forward Rashard Lewis said Friday as the Magic prepared for Game 3. “Boston … beat us twice on our home court, so it’s happened before. Why can’t we do it? Why can’t it happen again?”

The Celtics took the first two games in Orlando, stealing the home-court advantage and earning a chance to advance without having to leave town again. A victory at the new Boston Garden tonight would give them a chance to complete the sweep on Monday.

But home-court advantage doesn’t mean what it used to for Boston.

The Celtics were 24-17 at home this year — tied for the worst of all the playoff teams. It’s the first time the Celtics have had a better record on the road (26-15) than at home since 1974, and just the second time since 1955.

SUNS-LAKERS

PHOENIX

Amare Stoudemire is taking a lot of heat for his defense, or lack of it, thus far in the Western Conference finals. Then again, nobody ever confused him with Kevin Garnett as an NBA stopper — and he is playing against the Los Angeles Lakers.

The teams returned to practice on Friday after a day off, with the Lakers up 2-0 as the series shifts to Phoenix for Game 3 on Sunday night.

Stoudemire indicated defensive strategy, not his individual failings, were to blame for Phoenix’s interior defensive woes.

“I’m doing everything the coaching staff is asking me to do, every single thing,” he said after the Suns’ workout, “from fronting the post, to doubling Kobe, to helping out. Those guys are big down there.”

Phoenix is trying to become the first team in 47 tries to come back from an 0-2 deficit to win a seven-game series against a Phil Jackson-coached team.