Exciting news from the Orlando Sentinel after today's shootaround:
Magic shooting guard Courtney Lee is expected to play tonight in Game 3 against the Boston Celtics, said Coach Stan Van Gundy.
[....]
"Without Rafer [Alston], it was an easy decision to throw him into the rotation," Van Gundy said.
The AP report says Lee will play, but will not start.
It's hard to predict how Lee will play after missing more than a week to have surgery for, and subsequently recover from, a fractured sinus. He'll have to adjust to playing while wearing a protective mask, something other players--Antonio McDyess and Wally Szczerbiak come immediately to mind--struggle with. And although Mickael Pietrus and J.J. Redick have filled in admirably for Lee in his absence, the Magic desperately need his perimeter defense. Additionally, Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis haven't been able to get it together on offense, so perhaps Lee's ability to drive and finish will draw defenders away from the three-point line.
Bottom line: Lee's return can only help the team.