<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Orlando forward Hedo Turkoglu said he expects a backlash from his native Turkey over his decision to skip the world championships this summer. "They'll [the media and fans] kill me," Turkoglu said, only half-joking. "I'll hear it good." Turkoglu said he has represented Turkey since 1999, but his body needs a break this offseason. "This is the only year I decided not to play. Just this year," said Turkoglu, the first Turkish-born player to reach the NBA. "I just need the rest for my body. It's a long season in NBA." A six-year veteran, Turkoglu has missed just three games. Heading into Thursday night's action, he was averaging 14.6 points -- which would be his career-best. Always among the league leaders in free-throw percentage, Turkoglu was at a career-best 86 percent. Magic not out yet The Magic continue to hold out playoff hope. The last time they played in the postseason was 2003, losing a seven-game, first-round series to the Detroit Pistons, who went on to bigger and better things. Forwards Grant Hill and Pat Garrity are the only holdovers from the Tracy McGrady-led 2002-03 team which finished 42-40. Garrity is the only active holdover as Hill is rehabbing a sports hernia injury. As it stands now, several players from that team are on track to appear in the playoffs: Darrell Armstrong (Dallas Mavericks), Mike Miller (Memphis Grizzlies), Jacque Vaughn (New Jersey Nets), Drew Gooden (Cleveland Cavaliers), Pat Burke (Phoenix Suns) and Steven Hunter (Philadelphia 76ers). The Magic held a 3-1 lead in the series before the Pistons rallied.</div> Source
