Rashard's got the number

The staggering figures always seem to come, win or lose, just after the mention of his name, Rashard Lewis has noticed.
Usually, it goes something like this: Rashard Lewis, $118 million. These days, it's as if that's his name Rashard Lewis, $118 million -- the Orlando Magic's quiet star said.
While there are certainly about 118 million worse things to have attached to your name, the details of the enormous contract that Lewis signed last summer with the Magic can at times be a burden.
For months, Lewis has had to read the message-board posters and listen to the rantings on talk radio who have ripped him for being so grossly overpaid. He's quietly kept his cool, refusing to respond to those who doubt his worth to a Magic team that's on the rise.
Lewis might have finally quieted some of those claims Saturday night with his finest performance in a Magic uniform. Not only did he guard all-star power forward Chris Bosh, 3-point shooting champ Jason Kapono and 7-footer Andrea Bargnani at various times, he also poured in 27 points and 13 rebounds in Orlando's 106-94 Game 4 defeat of the Toronto Raptors. And Lewis made one of the biggest shots of the night when he buried a 3-pointer with 91 seconds to play to give Orlando a commanding 3-1 lead in the series.
"He posted up, he drove the ball, he worked hard defensively and he had an unbelievable rebounding game,'' Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said of Lewis. "You have to understand what we've asked this guy to do: He's a career small forward who plays power forward for us. He got 13 rebounds and scored in the 20s, and the question is, 'Is he overpaid?' Well, by NBA standards you can't do much more than what he did. If he's overpaid, then a lot of people must be overpaid.''
Lewis said he hasn't regretted joining the Magic one day since committing to Orlando on July 3 last summer. After playing with a host of journeymen centers in his eight seasons in Seattle, Lewis wanted to feel what it was like to share the spotlight with blossoming center Dwight Howard.
He spent most of the season playing mostly in the shadows of Howard and the improved Hedo Turkoglu, but Lewis knows the playoffs are the time to step up his play and earn his money. He responded accordingly on Saturday, driving to the rim for five baskets, converting a tough putback and hitting five free throws.
"I know my salary is going to come up every time somebody mentions my points and rebounds," said Lewis, who is making $17 million this season. "That's just part of life. It doesn't affect how I play."