Magic Wands: December 12, 2008

-Supersonicsoul has an interesting look at NBATV ratings. Orlando is not doing so hot (sorry, I have not been home to eat up NBATV in the odd hours of the afternoon). But the league is still as popular as ever.

-According to one scout who talked to Marc Stein on the Weekend Dime:

"I think Orlando is the best team in the NBA that's not being talked about. Everyone loves Portland right now, so everyone talks about them. Orlando is racking up the road wins again, and they're going to be a legit player in the Eastern Conference if they can get that No. 3 or [No.] 2 seed and avoid Boston in the second round. I know people say they have no bench, but once you get to the playoffs you only play seven or eight guys anyway.

"Look at what they do have: Rashard [Lewis] and Hedo [Turkoglu] to spread the floor and one of the few legit big guys out there [in Dwight Howard], even though he's not a great scorer. And Jameer Nelson … his problem is that he's making $8 million instead of $6 million. If he was making $6 million, everyone would think he's a bargain. In the playoffs, I thought the kid was pretty good."

Tell me something I don't know.

-Darko Milicic makes his run for Superman after picking up a foul against Houston on Monday. Better video here.

-Remember when I complained about Tuesday's basketball lineup on ESPN. Marc Stein calms me down in the Daily Dime. Plus, Stan Van Gundy deserves all the credit for the win at Portland (scroll to the bottom).

-Avid Trail Blazer fan Henry Abbott tries to explain why Brandon Roy made the wrong decisions down the stretch Tuesday. Here's a hint: Keith Bogans is good at defense.

-Chicago Bulls assistant coach Pete Myers gets the first crack at playing President-Elect Barack Obama, the Chicago Tribune reports.

-According to a Truehoop reader, residents of Shanghai want resident Yao Ming to play more like Dwight Howard. We will take that as a compliment and a vote for Howard as the best center in the league.

-Early returns from All Star ballotting have Dwight Howard leading the way. Not for centers, but for EVERYONE.

-Former Magic man Cuttino Mobley is going to officially retire because of a heart condition.

-Dwight Howard tells Brian Schmitz of The Orlando Sentinel that he will be competing in the slam dunk contest this year. And he has something BIG planned for it.