Van Gundy no Scrooge this year

? Magic coach Stan Van Gundy has gone from being a Scrooge about playing on Christmas to perhaps spreading a little too much holiday cheer.

Van Gundy sarcastically suggested Saturday that the NBA go from five to 10 games on Christmas and start them at midnight.

Orlando was hosting Boston for the second straight year on Christmas. Van Gundy has said the Magic were hit with a “hefty” fine for his critical comments last year about playing on the holiday. He has refrained from making such remarks again to avoid another fine from NBA Commissioner David Stern.

Instead, he went a different route this year.

“I have no comments at all on Christmas Day games,” Van Gundy began. “My suggestion to my staff this morning was that I think the NBA is so important to Christmas that what we really need to do is increase from five games to 10, and we need to start them at midnight on what would have been Christmas Eve … The NBA is Christmas, to me, anyway. It’s what it’s all about.”

Lakers coach Phil Jackson and Miami’s LeBron James are among those who have expressed their discontent for playing on Christmas this year, saying they would rather be home with their families.