Orlando Magic 106, Philadelphia 76ers 100

Courtney Lee's night resembled the night Orlando was having.

Lee could not hit any shot he took, whether he was closely guarded or wide open entering the third quarter. And then the light went on.

And just like that, the Magic had found a way to creep back into a game they were being outplayed and steal a road victory as they often do the past two seasons.

Lee finished the night six for 18, including four of 12 from beyond the arc, and scored 18 points -- most of them in the fourth.

Orlando trailed by 10 entering the final period when Hedo Turkoglu took over to guide them to a big win.

I listened to the game and throughout you got the sense that the game was never really out of reach despite the 76ers leading almost the entire way. But the defense was poor and a team, again, frustrated Dwight Howard.

But Rashard Lewis and Turkoglu kept the Magic in the game and gave them the spark they needed to pull out a win.

Complacency has been the feeling on this team for a while, but it seemed like a sense of urgency came over them late in this one. They got the job done and that is all that matters.

Detroit Pistons 93, Orlando Magic 85

Orlando took an eight-point lead at the end of the first half. The offense, which had sputtered through nearly 24 minutes of play, had finally picked up the pace and gotten the ball inside to its superstar, Dwight Howard.

And then like a mirage, it disappeared. The Detroit Pistons just know how to do that.

Detroit came out storming out of the locker room, transforming the deficit into a nine-point lead. The Magic made a run in the fourth quarter bust still could not solve the riddle of the Pistons, falling at Amway Arena 93-85 on Friday.

This is no longer an issue of Detroit having Orlando's number. The Magic would have played well enough to win on most nights.

This was not most nights.

The 3-point shots were not falling. And the Pistons did their usual fantastic job denying and frustrating Howard. But even with that Superman scored 21 points and grabbed 13 rebounds.

What made this night more different than anything else was the complete lack of energy. Even in the first half when things were going well, there was no sense of urgency. I would be more concerned with that than with anything else.

THIS WAS THE TEAM THAT ELIMINATED YOU FROM THE PLAYOFFS THE LAST TWO YEARS AND HAS VIRTUALLY OWNED YOU FOR FIVE-PLUS SEASONS.

That needed to be in all caps, I am sorry.

The Pistons are a better team without Allen Iverson. It was painfully obvious from how much space Richard Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince and Rodney Stuckey had to operate. They were much more efficient -- Rasheed Wallace was not even a factor tonight -- and played a much smoother game than I am sure they have played in some time.

But when things got rough, it was when the Pistons plodded up the court and ran their half-court game to perfection. Orlando played decent defense, but were just generally frustrated. The team could never take control of the pace of this game.

The fact the Magic stayed so close in this game despite such a poor performance from beyond the arc speaks wonders about how good this team is. But they just cannot seem to put it all together right now -- at least not like they were earlier in the season.

This team right now is playing .500 ball. That simply won't get it done. They seem out of rhythm since the injury and something has to change. I do not know what that has to be, but it must be something.

It might simply be a mid-season swoon. They happen in an 82-game season. But now is the time to get geared up for the playoffs. Complacency is not an option.

This was not a game Orlando should have been complacent. But they were for some reason. The response, which the Magic have done well with in this stretch, might come tomorrow in Philadelphia.

Magic Wands: February 27, 2009

-Always sad to hear another team lose their face. The Utah Jazz -- and the city of Salt Lake City -- lost one of the best owners in the NBA last Friday with the passing of Larry H. Miller. He turned the Jazz, a team in the worst media market in the NBA, into one of the most successful franchises in the league. He is a loss that team will take a long while to replace.

-We all knew the Magic were bad at drafting... but this bad? According to research and ratings by Roland Beech at 82games.com, Orlando is actually 20th out of 32 teams (that includes the Hornets and Grizzlies twice). Not too bad, but you would love to see them get better. Good analysis of the report at Third Quarter Collapse. Odd that Milwaukee is first.

-So apparently Stuff has broken his leg. But nothing keeps this dragon down -- he is 20 and living it up now. He was out there jumping around in Sunday's game against the Heat with a cast over his left leg. Get better soon Stuff!

-Apparently the Bucks' mascot is also injured. Here is the video. Watch at your own risk.

-ESPN once again caught Dwight Howard hitting a half court shot during pregame warmups. Apparently that is four. And Stan Van Gundy shakes his head as his secret last second plans to score are revealed to the national audience.

-Congratulations to Hedo Turkoglu and his wife for giving birth to their first child Thursday! A title is a nice gift for her, trust me.

-So this tells me all Orlando has to do to get to the White House is have a president who is a fan? Pretty cheap Chicago, pretty cheap. You have to earn a meeting with the president at the White House.

Over .500, got to love it

It is never not significant when your team gets win No. 42. Orlando got there with a win last night at New York.

Yes, the Magic are playing pretty mediocre basketball right now -- at least to their standards. But getting to win No. 42 more or less gets you a playoff berth in the Eastern Conference.

Better days are certainly ahead for this team. I think they are in one of their spells (they tend to happen in an 82-game season). They should right the ship soon.

Orlando got to win No. 42 and now have a guaranteed .500 record this season. For a team with such a mediocre history, that is an accomplishment worth noting.

Orlando Magic 122, Miami Heat 99

A couple of quick thoughts on last night's game...

-Orlando got out to a quick start. And I mean a quick start. The Magic took a 30-16 lead and led 39-24 at the end of the first quarter. They did this with some fantastic ball movement and even better shooting.

The 3-pointers did stop falling (at least at the rate they were in the first) but the ball movement really did not. Rafer Alston has this team running at a completely different pace and everyone seems a lot looser. This was a good deal and should keep the Magic more than afloat.

-Dwight Howard had another monster game. He toyed with Jermaine O'Neal (who is a very good defender and actually played pretty good defense) all night and made scoring look easy.

The Magic's problem is always consistently giving the ball to Howard. When they do it often like they did last night, things are very easy for Orlando. When they don't, the Magic are still a good enough team to recover typically.

Solid game for Orlando and a good starting point for the rest of the season with Alston in the lineup.

Otis Smith: Finally a competent GM

As the excitement from the Rafer Alston trade begins to die down (although it may not until the Magic lose and we realize that Alston will not get them as far as Jameer Nelson), I am still marveling at the deal that acquired him.

It was a pure stroke of genius (and good timing, apparently they phoned it in to the league right at the deadline) to dump two very poor players -- sorry Adonal Foyle -- and an unneeded first round pick for a player that could very well keep the team afloat and respectable among the Eastern Conference's elite this season.

Otis Smith deserves a lot of credit for the job he has done this season.

He had the foresight to take the risk of taking away Nelson's safety blankets -- Keyon Dooling and Carlos Arroyo -- offer him an extension and give him full control of the team. I was one of the many who were skeptical of this decision. But Nelson has flourished.

He had the genius to build Orlando's roster. Stan Van Gundy deserves a lot of the credit to get this tema playing at such a high level, but Smith has built this roster very smartly. They are an incredible group of guys that should grow in the next year or two into a title contender.

As much as you want to slam Smith for offering Rashard Lewis such a large contract, it has turned into a great deal for the team. Lewis has really helped give everyone the comfort to play at their very best.

Thinking about it, I can only really count three or four bad moves by Smith.

-The drafting of Fran Vazquez. And I still think this deal could turn around WHEN he come to the U.S.

-The drafting of JJ Redick. He has been good at spots, but with the 11th pick he was not a solid enough guy to take a flier on. He is a spot-duty, special situation player.

-The trade of Trevor Ariza. Again also debateable. Maurice Evans was a better now-decision. Ariza though has and can still develop into a much better Evans. The salary cap space from Evans' departure was spent on Mickael Pietrus and the jury might still be out on this decision.

-The signing of Billy Donovan as head coach. Luckily he got a second chance. But I can tell you, the Magic would not be sitting at 40 wins right now with him at the helm.

That is all I can think of. How many bad moves could you think of in Jon Gabriel's first three seasons? Or Jon Weisbrod's season and a half?

This is a tough job. Otis Smith has done it well. When teams were looking to shave salary, Smith decided he need to make a move to help his team win now. Yes, Alston's arrival has made it more difficult to resign Hedo Turkoglu (although I am getting the suspicion that he may not opt out with the current climate of the NBA) this summer.

But Smith has, again, had the right attitude for this team all along. It is all about winning titles. Orlando is in the best situation it has been in more than a decade.

I am intrigued what Smith will say in his State of the Magic address tomorrow afternoon.

Magic Wands: February 20, 2009

-In case you missed this from All Star Weekend: Rashard Lewis, Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson had a blog from Phoenix. Pretty good stuff and a great look at the whirlwind life of an NBA All Star. It is not really a break for these guys. ...

-But at least you get some nice swag. This courtesy of LeBron James. A crystal trophy(?) with the names of the entire Eastern Conference engraved on it. It is good to be the king.

-Dwight Howard recently graced the cover of ESPN the Magazine. But the article itself is not about Superman. Rather it is about Clark Kent. And how the NBA has been transformed from the Super Flashy Men it was in the late 90s and early 00s to the dressed up, clean cut (and marketable) NBA of today. Lot of issues at work here, but David Stern has gotten the NBA right where he wants it.

-It probably did not get the notice it should have Saturday night. But what Rudy Fernandez did during the dunk contest with his first attempt was something truly special. Fernandez paid homage to the NBA's first Spain-born player, donning a throwback Fernando Martin Blazers uniform. I did not even know who the guy was, but he apparently died in a tragic car accident. A nice tribute for his countryman that certainly deserves notice.

Magic acquire Rafer Alston

The biggest deal at the NBA's trade deadline? Orlando my have solved its point guard problem.

While Jameer Nelson underwent surgery on his shoulder by famed surgeon Dr. James Andrew of Birmingham, Ala., Orlando acquired point guard Rafer Alston from Houston in a three-team deal. The Magic gave up Brian Cook, Adonal Foyle, Mike Wilks and a first round pick.

But considering where it appeared this season was going, it all seems worth it for security at the point.

It has been clear since Nelson's injury that Anthony Johnson is just not meant to be a starting point guard. He does not have the ability to knife his way through defenses like Nelson could and he has been exposed. Not that he isa bad player, but his talents better suit him for a role off the bench.

Alston has been a reliable starter for a playoff team for the past two seasons.

More importantly, I really think he fits the Magic well. He is a great 3-point shooter and can attack the basket -- something he did often in his And1 days as "Skip to My Lou". Also not a horrible defender either.

This was a necessary deal for the Magic to reach their goals in the playoffs, namely get out of the first round.

I expect Alston to integrate into the team very quickly and be a key contributor down the stretch. This is not to say that Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu are not going to have to step up their games. Alston is not going to produce at the level Nelson was. But this trade insures the Magic have a starting point guard for the rest of this season.

The big topic of discussion this trade deadline has been how teams have cut costs. This was not a cost-cutting move for sure. Alston has another year left on his deal. But he should still figure to contribute next season.

I am beginning to think that Turkoglu will not opt out of his contract in fear that he cannot get as much as he would make. But this trade hampers Orlando's efforts to re-sign him. It will be interesting to see how this plays out this summer.

History Revisited: Mac attack -- or lack thereof

In the summer of 2004, Orlando was at a crossroads.

A new GM was in office and looked to shape up a moribund, mediocre 21-61 squad. With the No. 1 pick in the draft, he issued his star player an ultimatum. Join us or be shipped out.

It was clear even before the Magic picked up that lucky ping pong ball that the superstar wanted out unless his team could become a winner immediately. He thought Emeka Okafor would be that answer, not Dwight Howard.

Fault Jon Weisbrod for a lot of things. But he had bravery to tell an established superstar, "Let's go in a different direction. You are not part of our plans." Yes, he messed up the Steve Francis deal and left the city as a failure for numerous other missteps.

But five years later, look at where Orlando and Houston stand.

Howard has blossomed into the best big man in the league and the Magic are one of the elite teams in the Eastern Conference.

The Rockets have knocked on the door and have always looked like they could be very good. Then they fail to get out of the first round. McGrady still has not tasted playoff success.

Now T-Mac is out for the rest of the year in need of microfracture surgery on his left knee. McGrady has struggled with injuries in the past five years.

It is clear McGrady thought he was going to be the winner of his journey out of Orlando. It is clear now that the Magic were right to rebuild.

New Orleans Hornets 117, Orlando Magic 85

Well, consider the favor returned. After the Magic decimated the Hornets on national television on Christmas Day, New Orleans came home and returned it to Orlando.

It was a dominating game from start to finish as the Hornets ran away with a 117-85 win at New Orleans Arena.

The big difference was Chris Paul. Orlando simply had no answer for him.

The plan was to duck under screens and let him shoot. Paul not only made his shots, but like a surgeon, cut delicately into the Orlando defense. Really it seemed like the Magic did not have their legs under them and the Hornets cut apart the defense. Paul is incredibly efficient and was a this best tonight. He finished with 36 points and 10 assists.

With no Tyson Chandler for the second time since the trade, New Orleans was happy to foul Dwight Howard. He had 10 points in the first quarter on a strong performance from the line (he took only two or three shots). But New Orleans did a good job denying the big man and keeping him from taking shots. The Hornets forced him to get his points from the line.

And with a big performance last night -- and logging a lot of minutes -- he clearly could not maintain a high level of play tonight.

The Hornets shot the lights out and the Magic were playing catch up the entire night.

The bigger source of concern is offensively. Howard dominated the first quarter, but he could only keep them in the game for so long. The offense looked absolutely lost tonight. Usually you can attribute that to something random on one single night.

But this felt very different. The ball movement just is not there. More importantly, the penetration that frees up space for Howard and the perimeter shooters is not there. Every shot becomes contested without this penetration from the point guard.

That was something Jameer Nelson was very very good at. That is something Anthony Johnson is not good at it. That is something Hedo Turkoglu cannot consistently do.

The penetration from the point guard position is key to this offense and it is clear that Orlando is not getting it like the team used to. It has made Orlando mediocre.

I bring this up not only because this was my first chance to actually watch the Magic since Nelson's injury, but also because it seems like this is something that happened in another game -- the Denver game.

Hopefully it is not a pattern. The Hornets were a much better team tonight. They caught fire and caught the Magic on an off night.

Stan Van Gundy said it best over ESPN's microphones: even the coaches failed to make the correct adjustments. No reason to yell at them.

Let's not make a habit of this though.

Orlando Magic 109, Charlotte Bobcats 107 OT

Well today was a pretty good day for JJ Redick. First he has a pretty nice game for me in my fantasy league (I believed Stan Van Gundy, boy was I wrong) then he hits the game-tying three for Orlando after the team did everything it could to give away the game.

OK, I only listened to the last 5:30 of the game (that is in gametime). But I got a pretty good sense of how the Magic were playing in that time.

First there was a reckless drive to the basket by Rashard Lewis with the team down one. I did not see it, but Richie Audubato made it sound like a pretty poor shot attempt.

My thought, glancing at Dwight Howard's box score was to get him the ball any way possible. With 45 points and 19 rebounds in the game -- and 13 makes out of 18 shots on the line -- he seemed like the obvious choice for a final shot. He would have made one if not both those free throws the way he was playing tonight.

But Lewis is an All Star too.

The worst was when Hedo Turkoglu was called for a foul before the ball was inbounded. The Bobcats could have taken a four-point lead. But Raja Bell missed a free throw and allowed Redick to be the hero.

In overtime, Howard took over as did the rest of the team.

I am still trying to figure out how the game got to this point. No disrespect to Charlotte, but as Marcin Gortat said, "They're not that good. Don't you want to see the Polish Hammer?" (paraphrasing, but he did say something like that on a sketch for Dante and Galante's show).

Clearly there is still a ways to go before this version of the 2009 Magic hit their stride.

New season starts now

This column is going to be extremely cliche. But it needs mentioning with 30-plus games remaining and Orlando's season in relative balance at the All Star break.

Everyone is 0-0. It is not how you start, it is how you finish. Nothing matters unless you perform in the postseason. Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.

But the truth is the last 31 games this year is going to tell us which team Orlando will have in the playoffs. Assume at this point that Jameer Nelson is not coming back.

As much as you hate to say it (and I think of the Chicago Bulls from a few years back as I say it) , the Magic's window for a title is still open and there is no reason to risk it dramatically shutting on this year when the team is not going to win the title -- ask yourself honestly.

So the team that has struggled since returning from a 4-0 West Coast road trip and looked listless since Nelson went down is the team the Magic get. Do not expect a major move at the deadline (who will they trade?), maybe expect a signing, definitely expect some pressure.

It is clear this Magic team is not as good as one with Nelson -- doesn't take a genius to see that. The expectation of reaching the conference finals is difficult now, but certainly not impossible. Playoff experience should still be the goal.

That goal can still be achieved. It is going to take a much more focused effort from Dwight Howard and Nelson's replacements -- Anthony Johnson and Tyronn Lue.

Howard has been up and down this season. He has been great and his down is still All Star-worthy. But he needs to become a SUPERstar for Orlando to still reach its goals.

The Magic are secure in the Southeast Division. But once the playoffs start and the records really go to 0-0... then they cannot rely on what they did with Nelson.

If Orlando plays well the next two months, then everything will be fine and dandy. If not, then we are looking at a disappointing season -- injury or no injury.

Time to get that sense of urgency. Because right now we're 0-0.

This Date in Magic History: February 16, 1992

Orlando won its first game over Milwaukee with a 118-104 win at Orlando Arena.

The immortal Stanley Roberts scored 20 points and grabbed seven rebounds, outplaying future hall of famer Moses Malone (playing in the twilight of his career). Roberts was inserted into the lineup with leading scorers Nick Anderson and Dennis Scott out with injuries.

Malone was so angered that he was outplayed by Roberts, that he refuses to speak to reporter.

Moses, you are not alone buddy.

Roberts, of course, was the Magic's first round Draft Pick in 1992. You probably do not remember that because Orlando landed another big man from LSU the following season. Roberts was shuffled off the team in fairly quick order and was never heard from again (it is actually kind of sad what happened to him after he left the Magic Kingdom... some drug and weight problems).

He is also pretty famous for fouling out of a game in one quarter. That is six fouls in less than 12 minutes. Tough to dig around and find when that game happened. Go Elias!

West 146, East 119

A yawner of a game in the desert. Not a whole lot of huge dunks or highlight-style plays. There were a fair share of them, but not exactly the great entertaining game the All Star Game usually provides.

I won't say much about it because it is an exhibition, but overall I was disappointed by this weekend's festivities. The Rookie Game was by far the best of all the events with Kevin Durant's exhibition (he should have been in the main event).

Dwight Howard, like most centers in these games, was mostly on cleanup duty. He did a decent job at that. And then he decided to yack it up in the second half, getting a pass sent between his legs by All Star co-MVP Shaquille O'Neal (ironically with Kobe Bryant) for a give and go, and then attempting a three (he made a long two) after the game was decided in the fourth.

It was odd that the teams played some pretty decent defense in the first half. But the West had a better roster and the better team tonight.

By better roster I mean, the East had two post players and they both played at the same time. It was comical watching Rashard Lewis try to guard Shaq throughout the game. Lewis is used to playing out of position and he was happy to do his part.

The final stat lines: Howard had 13 points and nine boards. Lewis finished with eight points and six rebounds.

It was an All Star Game for sure and it is over. Time to get serious about the season now.

A forgettable Saturday night

No, not just because both Rashard Lewis and Dwight Howard came up short in their respective competitions. It was just a lackluster night.

The Sprite Slam Dunk Contest was the best event of the night by far, but even it lacked the luster that it gained from Howard the last few years.

Nate Robinson was the deserving winner -- taking a 52-48 advantage in the fan vote in the final. And he was certainly playful, donning his green Knicks jersey and green shoes with a yellow elbow sleeve to represent the irradiated kryptonite.

But the dunk of the night was his jump over the 6-foot-11 Howard. It was an impressive feet for the 5-foot-5 former (and now current) dunk champion. Other than that, his dunks were more or less a copy of what he has done in the pass.

Yes Nate, we know you are smaller than most basketball players. And yes, we know you can dunk.

Howard's dunks were largely uninspired. The throw off the side of the backboard and his throw from behind the backboard were nice dunks.

But his now trademark Superman dunk was not worth the setup it received. He has been wanting to bring in a 12-foot rim for two years, he finally did and he did not do anything special. The phone booth was a nice touch and I enjoyed the Magic jersey Under Armour (not sure if that is the brand, but I think it is synonymous by now) he sported (thinking about it, the thing had to be from Adidas).

I am curious if Jameer Nelson's injury ended up limiting what Howard could do in the contest. I am sure Howard had some things planned with Nelson that he obviously could not do with his injury.

Howard looks done with the contest. Hopefully he brings it tomorrow night for the big game.

Lewis did his best in the Foot Locker Three Point Shootout. He reached the finals, but had nothing left for the shootout. He was beaten easily by Daequan Cook.

I do not think Lewis has a shot that really suits a 3-point contest. So, I was impressed by his performance.

Follow the Magic at the All Star Break on their offiicial blog here.

The Big Question for All Star Saturday Night

So with Jameer Nelson officially out of the All Star festivities, Dwight Howard has a big question to ask?

Who is going to be throwing him the ball for the obligatory teammate dunk?

Everyone around the Magic know Nelson and Howard are almost inseparable on the court. The past two seasons, the point guard has been a key to Howard's dunk performances.

Whether it is throwing the ball up to the big man to slap a sticker -- and then unveiling a poster he was carrying reading 12'6". Or throwing the ball over the hoop for Superman to fly.

The dunk is only as good as the pass that creates it, right?

The next clear answer is Hedo Turkoglu. The combination of Turkoglu and Howard has been the equation that has resulted in plenty of alley-oops. Turkoglu of course through the game-winner against the Spurs a few years ago.

But the obvious answer is going to be Rashard Lewis, and that is who I think will be teaming up with Howard tomorrow night. Lewis will be in uniform Saturday night as part of the 3-point shootout.

This might matter for Howard. His two most memorable dunk contest dunks were set up by Mighty Mouse. Nelson probably is not going to be pulling a Willis Reed and show up to throw a few passes -- it probably would not be good for his shoulder.

So it should be Lewis and Howard tomorrow night. Hopefully Lewis keeps Howard's good vibes going.

Follow the Magic players at the All Star Game on OrlandoMagic.com with their blog!

That Place You Cannot Win

Since it is still Friday the 13th, I decided to look up the place where Orlando has had the least luck winning. Denver just broke a 15-game losing streak at the Amway Arena on Wednesday night and it got me thinking, where have the Magic struggled recently?

Well, we all remember Orlando's struggles with Milwaukee. And the Magic have never done well with their trips to the great Northwest -- Portland and Seattle -- or Sacramento.

But right now, the Magic's longest road losing streak is to Phoenix. Orlando has lost seven straight to the Suns, including this year's last second defeat at U.S. Airways Arena, site of the All Star game this year ominously.

The last time Orlando won at Phoenix was a 93-92 win on Nov. 14, 2001. Assistant coach Patrick Ewing had 22 points and 15 rebounds for the Magic in the win. Don't think he will be suiting up when they visit the desert next year.

There were some long streaks recently snapped in Dallas, Sacramento and Detroit. But the road success in the last two seasons has made pretty much every stadium hospitable to the men in blue.

Overall, the worst record on the road is at San Antonio. Orlando, including the team's win this season, is 4-17 at AT&T Center and the Alamodome. Tells you how big the win was this year. The wins were this year's victory, April 2006, January 2001 and April 1992. Two of them were in overtime too.

The Magic are also pretty bad in Boston (even after closing the Boston Garden in 1995) and against the Lakers.

Magic Wands: February 13, 2009

-Lucky day today... use it wisely.

-Keyon Dooling made his first visit to Orlando since a somewhat testy summer between he and the Magic. But as Brian Schmitz reports, Dooling is still close to his Orlando teammates -- especially Jameer Nelson. The Florida native's father is also sick and his family will not be driving up from Fort Lauderdale for the game. I speak on behalf of all Magic fans when I wish his family the best and a speedy recovery for his father.

-A chronicle of The Curse from long-time Magic beat writer Brian Schmitz after Nelson's injury. He only hits the highlights, leaving out the countless poor draft picks, crippling contracts and questionable transactions in the years since Shaquille O'Neal left.

-Still great to see No. 10 around the Magic. Would have been nice to see him retire as a member of the Magic (experienced point guard... don't know if he can still play 20 minutes a game). Darrell Armstrong was on Magic Overtime with Dante & Galante. Watch the whole episode on their blog.

-In these times more franchises will probably be doing this and more. But The Orlando Sentinel reports that the price for season tickets will not be increasing in Amway Arena's final season.

-H-O-R-S-E makes its premier at All Star Weekend on Saturday night. Kevin Durant, O.J. Mayo and Joe Johnson will be you competitors on the outdoor court in Phoenix. Wish they got bigger names to be in it, but we will see how the inaugural event goes.

-Mike Bianchi received a letter from Denver that makes you love athletes again... or at least remember why having Adonal Foyle on the team is so good.

-With injuries to Jameer Nelson and Chris Bosh, Ray Allen and Mo Williams have been named to the All Star team. Williams was named Bosh's replacement Tuesday ending a lot of screams and shouts from Cleveland about his exclusion. Which brings up the question: who is going to back up Dwight Howard at center now?

-Elgin Baylor filed a suit against the Los Angeles Clippers claiming owner Donald Sterling treated him and players in a racist manner. My first thought was, no way could you be suing him when he stood by you for 20-plus years while the Clippers struggled on the court. Sterling is guilty of not caring about the product on the court if anything. Then I read the story and thought about it more and there might be something to this. It is always sticky with race in the NBA and the outcome of this case could be interesting.

Meet the people of Amway Arena

If you have been to Magic games at all in the last 20 years, you probably have seen all of the people described in this Orlando Sentinel article by Josh Robbins. They are as much a part of the game experience as the game itself.

I have been to plenty of games (and at one time could have probably made this list... still might, now that I think about it even though I have moved away to college) and have seen all of these people. I do not know them personally and this article was great to learn more about the people of Amway Arena.

I have some guys I would like to add to this list. Hopefully they write a second edition in the near future because the Magic have a lot of great and devoted fans.

The Fat Guy

This is a guy I do know pretty well. Sitting near the top of Section 102, he is the quintessential Magic fan. Dressing up completely in what looks like a home-designed shirts. He is great at pumping the fans up, taking laps around the stadium late in games to rile up the crowd. He is probably the one fan that would be allowed on teh court at any time (during a timeout) and no one would ever bat an eye.

The Sign Lady

Way up in the 200 sections, she waits for a point late in the game. A fourth quarter timeout is showtime for her. She displays her homemade signs of encouragement from the railing at the end of the upper bowl were a staple of the teams of the 90s. If I remember her uniform correctly she has some googly-eared head band to go with her Magic getup. I think she is back in the arena now after a short absence, but her signs have been a staple of Magic games and what one fan can do to inspire a team.

Got fan stories? I would love to add to this list, but it has been a while since I have been to a game. There are plenty of great fans at Amway Arena and they are certainly some of the best in the league.

Orlando Magic 101, New Jersey Nets 84

Orlando took a big lead out of the first quarter and were never really threatened in a 101-84 win over New Jersey at Amway Arena on Sunday.

The Magic had a 32-18 lead after 12 minutes and the Nets fought back but could not muster enough to overtake the lead without star Vince Carter. They got as close as seven in the fourth quarter, but timely shooting from Orlando kept the game from getting interesting.

It was honestly a mundane middle of the season game. I listened to the second half and it did not seem like Orlando was really threatened even with New Jersey playing pretty hard. The Magic did enough to win comfortably.

When they got in trouble they threw it in to Dwight Howard, who had another big game with 30 points and 16 boards. He scored at will and had his way on the boards despite pestering from Robin Lopez, who also played well with 19 points and 12 rebounds.

Mickael Pietrus and Rashard Lewis were consistent and hit threes when they needed them. But even with the comfortable win, something feels off about this team right now.

The Magic are 5-4 since coming back from a 4-0 junket against the Western leaders -- and Sacramento -- and have not played with the same intensity. The upcoming All Star break might be on their minds at this point (only one game left until the trip to Phoenix) but the team needs to keep its focus.

Losing Jameer Nelson has hurt this team's intensity. Devin Harris had a nice game with 28 points and 12 assists, proving why he was selected to the All Star team. Recently (re-)acquired Tyronn Lue got about two minutes of playing time scoring two points. Clearly he just arrived and is not ready to run the team.

Anthony Johnson was OK -- again. He scored six points, grabbed eight board and had four assists. Hedo Turkoglu and Courtney Lee manned the point for the most part and the platoon seemed to work. It seems that is how things are going to work out even with Johnson and Lue in the fold. We will see how it works.

Overall, Orlando just got the job done tonight. It was not pretty by any stretch of the imagination but it counts the same as any other win. It is nice to know that Howard is starting to assert himself more offensively without Nelson and do what his team needs him to do without its All-Star point guard.

We will see if he keeps it up with Denver coming to town before the break.

Keith Bogans: we hardly knew ye

Well, Keith Bogans second stint with Orlando came to an unceremonious end Thursday with his trade to Milwaukee for Tyronn Lue. It was a trade of necessity with the injury to Jameer Nelson and a lack of depth at point guard.

Bogans was the clear choice to be traded. His skill set copied that of the recently drafted Courtney Lee. His playing time slowly decreased as Lee came into his own this season and appears to be a long-term solution at shooting guard.

Orlando drafted Bogans back in 2003 but sent him away for the first time in a trade to Charlotte for Brandon Hunter. A forgettable trade indeed.

But the Magic reacquired Bogans in 2005 and he became a pretty consistent player for the Magic. He became the starter more out of necessity than skill. But he played the part well.

He was never the long-term solution at the position but he was not a horrible short-term solution.

Bogans is a physical defender and a streaky shooter. He never really found his way under Brian Hill but he fit perfectly under Stan Van Gundy.

Even then though, he never really found his way. Consistent, but not spectacular. There was always a better player out there to replace him.

No one can argue that Bogans worked hard and performed his role. It was never quite good enough to hold down the more talented and more skilled players Orlando always signed to compete with him.

Bogans will certainly be missed in Orlando... until he comes back to the team.

Magic Wands: February 6, 2009

-I finally discovered Magic Overtime with Dante & Galante (and I know it is eight episodes in... I am not always in Orlando). And all I can say about this clip is: "I dunk from free throw line but the mascot move." What am I talking about? First watch this. Then go to about 1:08 to enjoy some Polish Hammer hilarity. (Sorry Marcin, we believe you can do it... and apparently so does Anthony Johnson and Mickael Pietrus... sorry for publishing that on the Internet so you cannot bet future new Magic players that you can do it)

-I don't care who you are. In these times this report from The Associated Press is a very good thing.

-A ringing endorsement (OK maybe not ringing) of Jameer Nelson as an All Star from CelticsBlog, no less.

-With Jameer Nelson out, Brian Schmitz of The Orlando Sentinel wonders who might be available through free agency or trade. Among the names he bandies about: Keyon Dooling, Carlos Arroyo and Jason Williams.

-This is quickly turning into the Jameer Nelson wands. I do these as the week goes on so you can notice how the week started out so cheery and then turned to this. But it is important that you read Kyle Hightower's transcript of Otis Smith's press conference.

-Monday was point guard injury day: Chris Paul is day-to-day with a groin injury and Chauncey Billups turned an ankle against the Spurs on Tuesday.

-Gregg Poppovich never ceases to amaze. He gave Spurs all stars Tim Duncan and Tony Parker the day off Tuesday against Denver as San Antonio embarks on its annual rodeo road trip.

-I will have more on this later, but the Magic made it official Thursday trading Keith Bogans for Tyronn Lue. Welcome Lue back Sunday night.

Weighing their options without Nelson

Only two days have passed since Jameer Nelson's injury and it is still unclear what path he will take to get back. But it is clear (even with a blowout win against the Clippers) that the Magic cannot stand pat and expect to still compete for an Eastern Conference title.

Anthony Johnson has been good this year. He has done everything that has been asked of him. But we all know he can not start nearly half the season and the playoffs. At least, if Orlando wants to be successful.

More than one site has conjectured how the Magic will try to replace Nelson. It is clear at the very least they need another body at the point.

You can read Brian Schmitz or Marc Stein's interesting takes on and solutions to the situation.

Johnson is playing quite well tonight (20 points in the first half), but he is not going to keep that up and the Magic do not face the Clippers anymore.

So where does Orlando go?

The first option is to try and find a free agent. But who is available?

Darrell Armstrong already took that coaching position with the Mavericks. Steve Francis cannot play anymore (and we do not want to go down that road again). Former Magic player Sidney Green's son, and Florida alum, Taurean Green is not doing anything. Edgewater alum Darius Washington has NBA experience and can at least imitate Nelson with his scoring ability.

These are all kind of far-fetched ideas. But what else is available in a trade?

Raymond Felton from Charlotte is definitely available and would be a long-term backup for Nelson (sorry Anthony). Plus he is still working on his rookie contract so that would make him a bargain. Felton is a guy that could really work.

Another guy on the block is Jamaal Tinsley. The maligned Pacers point guard has wanted out of Indianapolis for some time now. He is an experienced starter, which is probably the most important thing Orlando can get out of a replacement. His contract is no fun ($14.5 million over two years). But if the Magic are serious about contending, he is a pretty good option.

There are other options out there in the trade market, but the next question Otis Smith has to ask is: What is the cost?

It is no secret that Courtney Lee has rendered Keith Bogans pretty useless (or at best an older version of Lee). So he is on the table. But to get anyon really fantastic in the trade market, it may cost Hedo Turkoglu. I do not think they can trade him.

Orlando simply does not have a lot to offer other teams in a trade. The team does not have a whole lot of draft picks (although do not be surprised to see Fran Vazquez to be put on the table) and does not have a lot of young talent it can part with.

I think free agency is the route most likely taken then. Who the Magic bring in is anybody's guess. But it has to be someone who can take some of the scoring burden off of Johnson and the other key players.

But who they bring in and how they do it will be a sign of whether Otis Smith believes this is the year Orlando can win a title.

Jameer Nelson: A torn labrum

It is official, the Magic will be without All Star point guard Jameer Nelson.

This is a huge blow to Nelson and Orlando. Nelson was in the middle of a career season, finally getting full reign over the Magic's offense. And Orlando was in the middle of its best season since 1996.

Those visions of an NBA title dancing in your head should slowly dissipate with time.

So what exactly is Nelson out with?

Nelson tore his labrum. The labrum is the muscle around your shoulder that helps stabilize the joint that holds your arm into your shoulder (if you know anything about anatomy, you know that the shoulder joint is a junction of three different bones). Read more about it at WebMD.com (I do not know if Nelson has the specific tear mentioned in that article, but it has a good definition of what Nelson actually injured).

His options are to immediately go into surgery, causing him to miss the remainder of the season, or try to rehab it and play through the injury.

Either way, Nelson will need surgery.

There is a history of players rehabbing this injury and playing. They are well documented by writers covering the Magic. He can hope to recover from anywhere between 3-12 weeks if he decides to go the rehab option.

So even then it is uncertain if and when Nelson will be back. Even with offseason surgery, Nelson will probably miss the beginning of training camp as surgery typically takes four months to rehabilitate from, according to various reports.

Even if Nelson opts to go with rehab, the Magic will need to find a more permanent solution at point guard.

Orlando was not going to win a title this season. The team is missing something (what that is, I do not know. But look deep down in your heart and tell me this team can grind it out in the playoffs and win a title... I did not think so... unless they are really hot).

Losing one of your top three players does not help. But this is a solid team still and I would not expect Orlando to fade away and lose the division or fall out of the Eastern Conference title picture completely. This team has a very good starting lineup and can still score with the best of them.

We will see how Orlando moves forward from here.

Nelson injury tests the master plan

Orlando's season suffered another hiccup when Jameer Nelson went to the floor, hunched over to keep his shoulder from moving. The early diagnosis is a separated shoulder and he will be having an MRI today to learn the full extent of the injury.

But this is a big hit to the Magic's season.

Nelson was playing like an All Star and has been a steadying force for Orlando. His play has made the team transcend its solid, but not great status and become a team that can realistically win the title. How long he is out will have an impact on the NBA Playoff landscape.

Don't expect the Magic to fall out of the Southeast Division lead, but expect some slipping.

Orlando has played without Nelson before this season. Anthony Johnson did a serviceable job as the team went 3-1 (the loss to the Celtics and three to losing teams). But if Nelson is out for an extended period of time (the Orlando Sentinel says the injury could be out three to 12 weeks), then the Magic need to find a third point guard to help out.

Courtney Lee could do a serviceable job. But expect Orlando to get more active in the trade market or try to find a point guard in free agency.

Otis Smith made the decision to let Carlos Arroyo and Keyon Dooling walk. Nelson and the team lost their security blanket at the point. It turned out to be a good decision.

That is until Nelson, who has had a history of injuries, got hurt. Now Smith's decision-making is going to be tested. And I think Orlando needs to find a way to bring in someone to help out at the point in a more permanent manner.

We all knew Anthony Johnson was a good backup and spot starter. If he is starting for the next month, the Magic might struggle a little bit and fall behind in the race for home court in the Eastern Conference.