NewsMiami HEAT and Orlando Magic to Face Off in Pre-Season Basketball Game at the St. Pete Times Forum
Tickets go on sale this Saturday, June 19 at 10:00 a.m.
TAMPA BAY – The St. Pete Times Forum will host a National Basketball Association (NBA) pre-season game between the Miami HEAT and Orlando Magic on Friday, October 22 at 7:30 p.m. The inner-state matchup will mark both the HEAT and Magic’s third time playing at the St. Pete Times Forum.
The Miami HEAT clinched its 14th postseason berth in franchise history in 2010, including its sixth in the last seven seasons. It also marks as Miami’s 12th postseason appearance over the last 15 years, tying Detroit for the most postseason berths over that span in the entire Eastern Conference. Additionally, only two other teams in the Eastern Conference, Indiana and Orlando, have even hit double-figures in postseason appearances, both with 10, over the past 15 years.
Most notably this season, Head Coach Erik Spoelstra was named the NBA’s Eastern Conference Coach of the Month for March. It marked the first time Spoelstra earned the monthly honor and the ninth time a HEAT coach has won the award. Spoelstra earned the accolades after guiding the HEAT to a 12-3 (.800) record during March 2010. The 12 wins are the most by Miami in any month since March of 2006, tying for the second most in the league. The 12 wins and .800 winning percentage also tied as the third best mark in Miami HEAT franchise history. Miami entered the month having recorded a .483 winning percentage for the season and its .800 winning percentage for the month marked an improvement of .317, the largest increase in the NBA.
Dwyane Wade finished the 2009-10 season as the all-time leader in HEAT franchise history in many different categories. He first passed Glen Rice (3,604) in field goals made on November 29, 2009 vs. BOS, ending the season with 4,184 made field goals. He then passed Tim Hardaway (2,867) in assists on January 16, 2010 at OKC as he finished the season dishing out 3,126 career assists. On April 11, 2010 at NY, Wade surpassed Glen Rice (461) as the HEAT’s all-time leader in games started, finishing the season with 463 total games started. He then passed Alonzo Mourning’s 17,700 minutes played on April 12, 2010 at PHI as he capped off the season with 17,717 career minutes. Having already held the franchise records for points (11,967), steals (862) and free throws made (3,353) coming into this season, Wade is now the franchise’s all-time leader in points, assists, steals, field goals made, free throws made, minutes and games started.
Orlando's NBA franchise since 1989, the Magic's mission is to be world champions on and off the court, delivering legendary moments every step of the way. On the court, Orlando has won five division championships (1995, 1996, 2008, 2009, 2010), had six 50-plus win seasons, and won the Eastern Conference title in 1995 and 2009. Led by the 2009-10 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Dwight Howard, Orlando reached the Eastern Conference Finals for the second consecutive season.
Dwight Howard was named the 2009-10 NBA Defensive Player of the Year on Apr. 20, marking the second consecutive season that Howard has earned the award, becoming the eighth player in NBA history to accomplish that feat. Howard led the NBA in both rebounding and blocked shots, becoming the first player in NBA history to lead the league in both rebounding and blocked shots more than once. He also became the first player in NBA history to lead the league in rebounding, blocked shots and field goal percentage in the same season.
Dwight Howard was one of only two players unanimously named to the 2009-10 All-NBA First Team on May 6. It marks the third consecutive season that Howard has earned First Team honors (also All-NBA First Team in 2007-08 and 2008-09), and he becomes the first Magic player ever unanimously chosen.
Off the court, on an annual basis, the Orlando Magic gives more than $2 million to the local community by way of sponsorships of events, donated tickets, autographed merchandise, scholarships and grants. The Orlando Magic is also the developer of the Amway Center which will open in the fall of 2010. The facility will be operated by the City of Orlando and owned by the Central Florida Community.
Through the National Basketball Association's NBA Cares program, the league, players and teams have donated more than $120 million to charity, provided more than one million hours of hands-on service to communities around the world, and created more than 465 places where kids and families can live, learn, or play. The NBA is broadcast in 215 countries and territories in 41 languages.
Tickets: Tickets for this event go on sale this Saturday, June 19 at 10:00 a.m. at the St. Pete Times Forum Box Office and all Ticketmaster Outlets. To order tickets by phone, call Ticketmaster at . Tickets are priced at $10.00 (general admission), $15.00, $20.00, $35.00, $50.00, $175 Floor Seats (limited amount) and $250 Courtside Seats (limited amount). A Channelside Club seat will be available for $35.00, and will include a Happy Hour featuring $2.00 draft beer and $3.00 well drinks, as well as light appetizers. Prices do not include facility fees or service charges. For dinner reservations at Medallions Restaurant on the day of the event please call . For more information please call or visit www.sptimesforum.com. Advanced parking passes are available at ticketmaster.com and the Box Office.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
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