Orlando Magic 101, Miami Heat 95

Miami is much better than they were last year. And a healthy Dwyane Wade is still a sight worth seeing. But it was not enough to stop an efficient and hot Magic team.

Dwight Howard hit a free throw to tie the game at 92 with about two minutes left. Then Rashard Lewis hit a 3-pointer, followed by a dump down to Howard for an easy basket that gave the Magic all the distance they needed in a 101-95 win.

And Wade?

He had not late game heroics as Courtney Lee forced him into three difficult missed shots down the stretch before fouling out. Wade did score 42 points (he dropped 50 on Lee earlier this season).

But what impressed me most was the poise Orlando had at the end. Howard rattled in a free throw and then easily dominated the final moments of the game. That is what got them this win. And that is the kind of poise they will need in the playoffs.

I only listened to the final six minutes, but this team never ceases to amaze me at how much they fight off adversity and succeed.

My positive note of the night was that Orlando was willing to go into Howard late in the game with the lead. He made one of his two free throws, but the Magic need the confidence to go to their star.

Also, Rashard Lewis has been playing much better. Very good to see as we head down the stretch.

Draft Watch NCAA Tournament Regional Finals

Won't be as many guys here because I will be flying for Sunday's games. But some college thoughts as the nets start to get cut down this weekend.

-Scottie Reynolds, Villanova: his name will forever be etched into Villanova basketball history. That was a perfect play drawn up by the Wildcats at the end of the game to get their star point guard the ball on the run attacking the basket. And Reynolds finished with a driving layup with 0.5 seconds left to defeat Pittsburgh for a berth in the Final Four.

Last second shot notwithstanding, Reynolds is a pretty darn good point guard. He really found holes in the Pitt defense and was the exact spark 'Nova needed to win. The Wildcats play fantastic defense and it starts with their point guard. I have not seen him enough to really break down his game, but I liked what I saw tonight and the snippets I saw in Thursday's game against Duke.

He really knows how to get to the basket and make life hard for defenses. Whether he has the speed and poise to run an NBA team is another question.

-Jeff Adrian, Connecticut: this guy will not get drafted, but I am going to give some love to UConn's tough guy. He benefits a lot from having Hasheem Thabeet behind him, but he is a tough defender and a pretty solid rebounder. His height will limit any chance he has from making it in the pros, but I like his play. He is perfect for his team and fills a role for Connecticut.

Are the Magic bad at free throws?

So I was listening to Colin Cowherd's radio show (not usually a huge fan) on ESPN Radio and he brought up an interesting argument. A team that shoots poorly from the foul line can be a good team, but a team that is dead last in the league in free throw shooting cannot win the title.

That is where the Magic sit right now. And they did not exactly help themselves last night against Milwaukee.

Generally, you can say Orlando's poor free throw shooting can be blamed on Dwight Howard. Sorry, big guy but your 60 percent free throw shooting is not exactly stellar. Plus he takes 38 percent (as of Friday's game) of the Magic's free throw attempts in leading the league in attempts.

So is Orlando really that bad from the foul stripe? It seems like every game Hedo Turkoglu is missing free throws or Jameer Nelson is clanking them for no reason. Those guys should be good free throws.

Take out Dwight's 449-out-747 shooting (through Wednesday's game) and Orlando is a whopping: 964 out of 1208. That is a sterling 79.8 percent shooting.

Where does that put the Magic in the league? Try eighth.

Howard is a pretty clear outlier (fancy stat word for odd number that drags down the average). But it still seems like the team misses far more free throws than they should.

Draft Watch: NCAA Tournament Regional Semifinals

I will repeat some players here, but that is who I watched.

-LeVance Fields, Pittsburgh: the more I watch this guy play, the more I like him. Fields has a lot of quickness and a lot of mental toughness. Last night was not the first time he has hit a shot with the clock winding down. The senior is probably not going to get drafted though.

The reason is probably his height. He is simply too small and does not have the great point guard skills you need in the pros. Interesting comparison I heard Friday morning on Mike & Mike in the Morning on ESPN Radio. Doug Gottlieb compared him to Connecticut's Khalid El-Amin and Michigan State's Mateen Cleeves. Neither made it in the league. But both were instrumental to a national championship team.

Fields takes some bad shots, but plays on raw emotion. He just may not have enough to get drafted.

DeJuan Blair, Pittsburgh: I have gushed about Blair a lot already, but I feel like I need to do it again. Blair is a fantastic rebounder -- watch him pull down boards in traffic, it is simply incredible -- and a steadying force in the post. His size will limit him in the NBA, but he is really starting to remind me of Kendrick Perkins. He is a very tough guy and will be a steady force off someone's bench.

-Tyreke Evans, Memphis: this kid is going to be very good. I did not get to see a whole lot of the game Thursday, but 31 points from a freshman in the regional semifinal cannot be ignored. Sad to see him out of the tournament so soon (plus I hate Missouri -- REMEMBER THE ALAMO!). But what I saw was quite impressive. I hope he stays another year, but would not be surprised if he is in the draft.

NBADraft.net has him going 26th and DraftExpress.com has him at No. 9. So clearly there is a lot of room for this guy to grow. The potential is so tantalizing.

-Gerald Henderson, Kyle Singler, Duke: I want to say this, everyone on Duke is horribly overrated. Villanova shut them down last night in one of the most impressive defensive efforts. Henderson and Singler both struggled to get anything going for their team. Credit Villanova for a fantastic defensive effort. But neither of these guys looked impressive in big spots. They are complementary pieces at best.

Yet Henderson is expected to be a lottery pick. Go figure.

UPDATE: Adding some of those Carolina guys.

Ty Lawson is a really good point guard. He has great court vision and really understands pace. The way he is running North Carolina is the same way Steve Nash ran the Phoenix Suns so many years ago.

It will be interesting to see what he can do with a slower paced team. But he has been masterful with Carolina this year. A great tournament was exactly what he needed to make him the top point guard in the draft. NBADraft.net has him going No. 20 at the moment.

Orlando Magic 110, Milwaukee Bucks 94

Pretty simple game tonight so I do not have a whole lot to say. The Magic got the ball inside to Dwight Howard early and he was struggling. But it always seemed like the Magic were going to blow the game open.

They finally did in the third quarter and the Magic easily coasted to a 110-94 win over the Bucks.

Again not much to say about this game. Orlando is simply better than Milwaukee and they did not let the game stay close for longer than it needed to be.

Rashard Lewis was the best player throughout the night, scoring 19 points on 8-of-15 shooting. The Magic had six players in double figures and were extremely balanced. it was really a product of the early looks Howard got -- even though he missed.

It was a very easy win for the team. And it will be just as easy to discard during the weekend as the Magic get ready for the Heat.

Magic Wands: March 27, 2009

-Pablo S. Torre asks the question: why do athletes go broke so quickly? That is quite a lot of money to burn though. It is all about who you trust with your money that's for sure.

-Stan Van Gundy is making a big stink again and raising some headlines. This time in defense of his assistant coach Patrick Ewing and his seemingly sour relationship with the New York Knicks' front office. Ewing really should be getting a head coaching job soon. It is clear he is not meant for the Magic much longer.

-Interesting report that Dr. Phillips neighborhood is asking the Magic not to build one of the five gyms in their neighborhood saying that it is needed more in other areas. I actually think this is a very good thing. There are plenty of gyms in the Dr. Phillips area and it could be needed in other areas. I am glad to see people do care about others. Maybe I am not seeing the whole picture.

-Now that Orlando has clinched its fourth division championship, and second Southeast Division crown in two years... where is the banner going to go? There simply is not any room left on that left side of the scoreboard where there other banners are. You cannot put it on the same railing as the Conference championship banner and the retired No. 6 jersey for the Fans.

Interesting maneuvering coming up for this thing. Honestly, it doesn't matter. We shouldn't make a banner for every division title... I guess you should until you win that first title.

-Dwight Howard says (in box two), "Bring on the Pistons!" Not an exact quote, but he believes Orlando needs to face and beat Detroit to get over any remaining mental hump.

-Mike Bianchi also noted the large amount of Celtics fans at Wednesday's game. I have a feeling there were a lot more bandwagoners than Bostonians. At least the home team won. But with the way Florida is, expect a lot of the other team's colors in Amway Arena on any night.

Thinking lockout

I think everyone is overreacting a little to this, but then again I am optimistic that the economy will turn around quicker than most think. But the possibility of an NBA lockout could happen when the collective bargaining agreement runs out in 2011.

A few good reads on this pressing issue.

Bill Simmons wrote his All-Star column on the NBA's financial future (which is looking much worse than other sports because of where owners have their money tied into).

Marc Stein created a nice synopsis of the situation in last weekend's Daily Dime.

Then Mike Bianchi of The Orlando Sentinel decided to go doomsday on us all in Wednesday's paper. And Mike Thomas discusses the new economics of arena-building. Something the Magic should be paying attention to with their new building rising out of the ground in downtown. He is very anti-Magic, but he makes some interesting points and knows more about the economy than Bianchi.

Look, a lockout is very possible. But I think everyone learned their lessons from the 1999 situation. The NBA has fought a long way to get back. But something DOES need to change. It is clear that the business model for the NBA is not working as it should.

Contracts have gotten out of control. Teams are committed to bad deals for far too long and people have found ways to work around the system.

Whether it means going to a hard salary cap and getting rid of guaranteed contracts, much like the NFL. Or tweaking the current salary cap system -- it is currently tied to league revenue -- I do not know. I am not a business major. But something needs to be done. Because it seems like catastrophe has hit the NBA in the first major recession since the salary cap was implemented.

David Stern is a smart guy and he will get it figured out. I think he and the owners will be pretty steadfast on their demands for more financial security. But I also think the players will understand that the economic model does not work. If they don't, this might be a long fight that could cost us another NBA season.

And that is something the league cannot afford under any circumstances.

Orlando Magic 84, Boston Celtics 82

Dwight Howard set the tone for the game with a dominant first half. He was active on the boards, he was active offensively and he turned away any attempt at the basket.

He had reached his daily double by the end of the first quarter. The tone he set at the beginning lasted until the end.

The All-Star center blocked a Paul Pierce layup with five seconds left that would have given the Celtics the win. Instead his defense ended another come-from-behind effort from Boston. In the dying seconds, Howard's presence forced Pierce to send his game-winning 3-pointer long and give the Magic a crucial 84-82 win.

Howard's final line? 24 points, 21 rebounds, four blocked shots and countless others altered.

It bears repeating: he set the tone in this game early and decided he was going to dominate it.

Stan Van Gundy said this in his postgame press conference: Orlando probably played its best offensive game against an elite defense Wednesday. The Magic got to the rim at will, fed the ball to Howard for easy buckets and hit 3-pointers.

But 30 minutes of good basketball was nearly not enough. What impressed me tonight was the Magic's scrappiness and defensive tenacity. For most of the night, they frustrated the Celtics in every way.

Paul Pierce and Ray Allen are incredible players and for the most part the Magic did a great job defending them. Pierce caught fire at the end and single-handedly brought Boston back into the game and within one possession of the lead.

But Orlando defended incredibly well and made every shot difficult. Even with the Celtics breathing down their neck, the Magic calmly made the defensive stops they needed for the win.

It takes an incredible defensive effort to win a game when you do not score a field goal for the final 6:06 (not to mention Hedo Turkoglu missing a free throw that touched every part of the rim except the bottom of the net with five seconds left).

But then there is also the problem of Orlando not scoring a field goal for the final 6:06 of the game.

Boston is a great defensive team. The Celtics do a fantastic job taking away your first and second option and really making you dig down to gut out a win. That is exactly what they forced the Magic to do.

For the final moments of the game, it was frustrating to watch the Magic continually go away from Dwight Howard and opt for the screen and roll game that Boston was defending so well. Turkoglu finished with 13 points and 3-for-18 shooting. It does not get much worse than that.

Howard took 18 shots and hit 11 of them. But he was a non-factor offensively in the final moments. I know he struggles from the free throw line, but the offense needs to run through him at the end of games. He will score or find open shooters. If he is not going to get the ball, the Magic (at least for tonight) needed to have Rashard Lewis with the ball.

Lewis finished with 21 points on 6-of-10 shooting. He did a fantastic job defending in the post and posting up some small players on switches. Lewis has really developed well, but he still defers. This should have been his time to shine.

But my main point is -- and has been -- that if Howard is truly and MVP candidate, he needs to get the ball in clutch moments and the Magic must trust him in all situations. Orlando lost its 15-point lead when the team stopped going to Howard consistently.

What They're Saying: Magic vs. Celtics 3/25

The big game is finally here. Orlando sits one game behind the Celtics for the second spot in the Eastern Conference (and more likely than not, home court advantage in the second round. More than that, Orlando needs a win to officially clinch the Southeast Division title (Atlanta is also in San Antonio tonight and a Hawks' loss would also clinch it).

ESPN will be in town. You have the special eight o'clock start. Blue Man Group performing at halftime. Doesn't get much more like the playoffs before April. This is a HUGE game.

-Kyle Hightower of the Orlando Sentinel gives a report from Magic shootaround this morning. Rashard Lewis will start despite some personal issues involving the health of his daughter (all Magic fans wish him the best with that).

He also addresses the perception that Orlando is a "soft" team. While the Magic rely on finesse with their 3-point shooting, this has to be considered the toughest team built in the Mike D'Antonio small forward as power forward mold. Orlando actually ranks in the top five in defensive efficiency and can get dirty and plays some nasty defense to go along with its finesse offense. We will see which Dwight Howard shows up tonight. He has had his problems with Kendrick Perkins in the past.

-I will have more on this tomorrow, but Mike Bianchi writes about the future of the NBA and how it seems to be heading toward a lockout. He is very gloom and doom. But as I said, I have more coming on this tomorrow.

-Brian Schmitz of The Orlando Sentinel goes through the Magic's ring envy. A fair number of people in the Magic organization already have rings -- like Pat Williams, assistant coach Brendan Malone and Tyronn Lue. But the good news is they want one more and with the Magic. I still think they need someone contributing on the court (sorry Tyronn) who has championship experience. Call it my Horace Grant argument. I am sure I will be getting to it in the very near future.

-Boston Globe columnist Tony Massarotti wonders how big this game really is. He is thinking that home court advantage may not really be that important -- plenty of teams have won the title without it. He thinks as long as the Celtics avoid the Hawks, whom they play Friday, Boston will be just fine. I tend to agree. This game is much bigger for Orlando than for Boston.

-Marc J. Spears of the Boston Globe reports that Kevin Garnett will not have his workload increased tonight. Doc Rivers plans to play him seven minutes in the first quarter and seven minutes in the third quarter. Don't know if the atmosphere will change that. Garnett's workload will increase next week apparently.

-Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald reports that Stephon Marbury is still trying to find his way with the Celtics. We all knew it would be difficult for him to balance his score-first mentality with the Celtics' togetherness theme.

-This was up a few days ago on 3rd Quarter Collapse, but the discussion for the MVP award is really heating up. From all accounts it is a three-man race (really just two) between LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade. Dwight Howard is probably fourth on that list and there are some who think he impacts the game in ways that stats simply do not calculate... or at least not in ways that results in an increase in points per game.

-Brian Robb of CelticsHub.com is a Magic skeptic (who isn't? Even Quick Change has to have a logical explanation... oh wait, THAT kind of Magic). But he is slowly coming around to believe Orlando can threaten Boston's title defense. The reason? Orlando's defense is not as bad as everyone seems to think. Looking forward to a low-scoring affair tonight.

-In case you haven't noticed, this is a big game. Just ask all these people how big it is like Zach Lowe of CelticsHub.com did... or accumulated.

-The Celtics are not a healthy team yet despite Kevin Garnett and Rajon Rondo's return. Celtics blog Red's Army is reporting that Leon Powe might be out until the playoffs. And if you scroll down past the cheerleaders, Red's Army is not a fan of Orlando either.

-I know I said earlier in this post that home court may not be important to the Celtics and that winning a title without home court can be done. But John Denton of Florida Today talked to Doc Rivers and the Celtics' coach admitted that home court advantage helped Boston win the title last year. Remember they did have to win two game sevens -- against the Hawks and the Cavaliers -- to reach the championship. For an inexperienced playoff team like Orlando, I think home court does matter.

-OrlandoMagic.com posted some quotes from the players after shootaround today. It is going to be rocking in the O-Rena tonight.

-Reuters reports of an interesting new partnership between the NBA and Cartoon Network. The television station will begin a series call "My Dad's a Pro" featuring sons and their pro athlete dads. It starts with Celtics guard Eddie House at the beginning of next season. I am just waiting for the episode on Shawn Kemp. That one will be REAL fun.

Dwight Howard is the key, or don't forget about your big man

It is no secret. The Magic go as far as Dwight Howard goes. But lately, Howard has disappeared from the offense. He is not getting the same amount of shots or even the same amount of offensive attention.

True, Howard is not a fantastic free throw shooter. But it is also equally true that the Magic are not as good when they are standing around the 3-point line shooting jumpers while Howard fights inside without getting the ball.

Howard must get his shots and get his looks for Orlando to be successful (again, no secret).

But lately, Howard seems to get forgotten. And the Magic have struggled when this happens. Take the Magic's last loss in Cleveland. Howard took fewer than 10 shots and the team kept itself in the game, but could not pull it out.

Howard needs to be the center of the offense whenever he is in the game. Even if he does not take a shot, he affects the way a defense plays and gives the Magic open spaces for drives and threes.

Until Jameer Nelson returns, the Magic will not have the ability to really attack the basket and score at a consistent rate. That just is not Hedo Turkoglu or Rashard Lewis' game.

You saw it last night in New York. Howard got the ball on the block, was doubled and found Turkoglu in the corner for a big three pointer. From then it was all easy for the Magic as the defense could not decide whether to hedge on Howard or guard the shooters. With the game Howard was having, they decided to keep to Howard and allow shooters the extra space.

The opposit happend Saturday. After a great first quarter, the Knicks did a great job doubling him and forcing him to give up the ball. But then, Orlando stopped going inside to Howard completely and he became a complete non-factor. The Knicks hung around and had a real chance to win.

Howard's biggest problem is that he does lose focus defensively -- and even offensively -- when he does not get the ball. That needs to change. He needs to start demanding the ball and finding other ways to stay involved when his teammates do not get it into him.

But the team also needs to realize that they will go as far as Howard will take them. In the playoffs last year, Howard nearly defeated the Raptors by himself with all those 20-20 performances. In the conference semifinals against the Pistons, he was bumped out of his game and almost disappeared.

That cannot happen if Orlando is going to be sucessful. They cannot forget about their big man in any game no matter how much he is struggling offensively with double teams, turnovers or shots.

Orlando Magic 106, New York Knicks 102

Orlando trailed by nine points entering the fourth quarter at Madison Square Garden on Monday. By the end of the game, it was clear that the Magic are in a much different class than the Knicks.

For the second straight game, New York hung with the Southeast Division-leading Magic and had every chance to win it. Unlike Saturday's meeting in Orlando, the Knicks held the lead the entire game and looked in complete control. But New York could never quite put the game out of reach.

Then Hedo Turkoglu and the Magic started hitting the shots -- namely 3-pointers -- that they were missing. Turkoglu scored 10 in the final period to help Orlando comeback and win the game.

But more than that, the effort significantly increased in the fourth quarter especially on the defensive end. It seemed the entire game that Orlando was just coasting. Dwight Howard was getting his looks and keeping the Magic in the game with 29 points and 14 rebounds. But the defensive intensity was not there as New York controlled the pac eof the game and kept it at a frenetic pace.

Then Howard started blocking some shots, the rotations got sharper and New York's field goal percentage began to dip.

It fed to the offensive end where the team just played better. Even then the Knicks still had plenty of opportunities to win the game at the end.

An unsettling win... but like Saturday, it does not have to be pretty, it just has to get done.

New York has given Orlando some problems so it will be nice not to see them in a while. But with a big game against Boston on Wednesday, it would be nice to feel a little more confident about a full 48 minute effort. We will see what happens Wednesday.

Either way, it was nice to see the offense run through Howard. It really set the pick and roll up in the fourth quarter and he took advantage of the Knicks' lack of height. David Lee and Jared Jeffries both fouled out in the game and he dominated the scoring column.

Courtney Lee hit some big free throws at the end and the Magic proved what a clutch team they are again. Lee had 22 points to support Howard on a relatively lifeless offensive night.

If it were not the Knicks, I have a feeling things would be different.

A win is a win though and the "Magic number" to clinch the division is now one.

Draft Watch: NCAA Tournament 2nd Round

DeJuan Blair, Pittsburgh- I have been waiting a while to watch this guy play. He is a physical, big guy who can really bang around and rebound around the basket. His defense is way ahead of his offense at this point, but he is much farther along than Connecticut's Hasheem Thabeet.

He is listed at 6-6, but might actually be he plays as if he is 6-9. But he is big. He reminds me a lot of Robert Traylor. Traylor was far too overweight, but he always knew how to use his weight and he could step out and hit jumpers. Blair does not have that range and probably has a little more drive. So maybe he is more Corliss Williamson than Robert Traylor.

Blair knows how to throw his weight around, but in the NBA his height and his unathleticness are going to be exposed. He has his use though. I can see him being a Glen Davis-type in the NBA. If he can extend his range, he could be real effective in quick spurts.

NBADraft.net has him going No. 13 and DraftExpress.com has him going No. 18.

Sam Young, Pittsburgh- Young had the big game of the second round, scoring 31 points in Pittsburgh's big win over Oklahoma State. Young was fantastic from the three point line. This game might have been a little of an aberration, but he clearly has some skill and a lot of athleticism. He is not the featured star of this Pittsburgh team, but he contributed in a big way Sunday. I am sure he turned some heads.

The athleticism is there. Let's see if he can put in another big game later in this tournament. NBADraft.net has him going No. 22 and DraftExpress.com has him going No. 34 (fourth in the second round).

LeVance Fields, Pittsburgh- the feisty little point guard has probably been Pitt's best player all year. He reminds me a lot of Jameer Nelson with the way he plays. He just does not have the scoring ability. His point guard skills may not be all the way there as he is more of a scorer than a distributor. Either way, in the NBA he is going to be asked to be a floor general.

Will he ever start? Only if a team is desperate. Fields could probably use another year to develop. But Pitt's struggles as the No. 1 team and in the tournament so far could fall directly on their point guard.

He struggled handling Oklahoma State's press late in the game and it allowed the Cowboys to stay in the game longer than they should have.

Fields is not projected to be drafted in the next two years.

Orlando Magic 110, New York Knicks 103

I really don't want to talk about this game. It was frustrating to watch and continues to be frustrating to think about. The bottom line is that Orlando got the job done despite the ugliness of the game.

It looked like Orlando would run away with this one early too. Dwight Howard had eight points in the opening quarter and seemed to have an easy time scoring down low. If he did not score, it at least left shooters open. And they were hitting shots.

But New York frustrated him to no end throughout the night. He was grabbed and pulled by defenders the entire night. He was double teamed and trapped every time he touched the ball. Orlando fell into New York's trap by not continuing to go to him, rendering Howard almostly completely useless.

And Howard played like it. He struggled to get rebounds and was a ghost offensively. The only thing he did was keep players out of the paint. But the rebounding was so bad, New York scored a lot off of second chance opportunities.

It was not pretty. Any way you look at it.

Orlando played at New York's pace and they had a nice performance from Nate Robinson and Quentin Richardson. I do not know if they can put on this kind of performance again. The Magic led the entire way and the game teetered on the edge of completely pulling away and blowing the Knicks out. Orlando simply could outtalent them for a while.

That worked until the end when New York made things interesting while Orlando remained indifferent.

A win is a win. Rashard Lewis looked very good for the first time in a while. And Hedo Turkoglu shook off a poor performance to help seal the game in the fourth quarter. But it was still very discomforting that the ball did not find its way into Howard and he took only seven shots. New York played good defense, but he has to demand the ball more and find other ways to get involved.

The Magic get the Knicks in New York on Monday. The "Magic Number" to clinch the division is now two with Atlanta's loss to Cleveland today.

Your bi-occasinally Fran Vazquez update

All this draft talk got me curious about how our favorite draft pick is doing overseas. That's right, I am thinking Fran Vazquez.

I was watching FIBA World Basketball on NBATV and they showed a nifty little up and under move he had in a Euroleague game. Seems like he is doing well.

He is averaging 11.2 points and 6.4 rebounds (while shooting pretty well from the floor) in the domestic ACB League. His averages drop to 8.9 points and 4.7 rebounds per game in 20 minutes per game in Euroleague.

Obviously he is still a work in progress. But he seems like he could be a nice power forward. He has some range, shooting a decent clip from beyond the 3-point line, and some ability to score around the rim.

FC Barcelona has some pretty solid players (names like Andre Barrett, Juan Carlos Navarro and Ersan Ilyasova) and it seems like they are using him as a sixth man.

I still think Vazquez is a valuable asset for the Magic. If he could slide in as a power forward and continue to help stretch the floor he has value. It seems though that he might be a less tough version of Tony Battie. I think the Magic might need a little more than that.

NBA Draft Wathc: NCAA First Round

The First Round is nearing completion and I am sure a lot of our brackets have been destroyed. Good thing the predictable and fun NBA Playoffs are coming up. Let's talk Draft though right now. Here are my thoughts on some potential NBA players in the NCAA Tournament.

A.J. Abrams- the guard from Texas can flat out shoot and that is always a skill that will land you on an NBA team. I am sticking to the local CBS feed so I am not watching every game. But CBS switched to the Texas-Minnesota game and Abrams turned a two-point deficit into an easy win in a matter of two minutes. Then CBS switched away from the game.

Abrams is a great shooter. This was no fluke. He seemed like he could stroke it like JJ Redick, but he also has the speed to get to the basket and really attack. He is not a true point guard though (otherwise, we would be talking about him a lot more). I think he is ultimately doomed to be a small shooting guard like Ben Gordon. Those can be pretty valuable, but not incredibly valuable. You always want more out of those type of players.

Abrams would fit into Orlando's system in the second round (but he won't last that long). But they don't need another point guard. NBADraft.net does not have him being drafted. I think he is a guy someone will be willing to take a flyer on. That shooting ability is just too good, even if he cannot play the point in the pros.

Manny Harris- I go to school at Northwestern, so I have gotten to see this guy play a bunch. He is a very good player. Scratch that, he can be a very good player. He is 6-foot-5, very strong, has a decent shooting stroke and can play defense. John Bielein does some odd things with his defense and offense to keep the scores low at Michigan, but Harris still has been able to shine.

He certainly made a name for himself in the Wolverines' win over Clemson on Thursday. The only problem with Harris is that he does not bring fantastic play every night. Which is why I think he too should stay in school. He could be a top pick if he can prove that he can be a consistent scoring option.

Harris reminds me of a more talented Corey Brewer. Brewer was the best perimeter scoring option on those Florida national title teams and never seemed to wow you with anything. Harris has all those abilities and a better knack for scoring. It is tough to shine in Michigan's team-oriented style, but Harris needs to do it to create some draft buzz.

DraftExpress.com currently ranks him No. 23 in their 2010 mock draft. So a long way to go for him, but I think he could be a very good prospect if he can show more consistency.

Magic Wands: March 20, 2009

-Ben Q Rock of Third Quarter Collapse examined Rafer Alston's impact on the Magic both on offense and on defense on Saturday. The returns are interesting. But I still have the feeling this team is better with Jameer Nelson.

-Erivera7 of Third Quarter Collapse tries to make the argument that Orlando's bench is not as bad as the "experts" think. He has some pretty decent stats to make this argument. But the fact that Stan Van Gundy has had to rely on his starters so much tells you that the Magic do not really trust their second unit. It is serviceable, no doubt. But I do not let them play for more than 3-4 minutes without parental (read: starter) supervision.

-The bench is getting a lot of love lately. Kevin Arnovitz for TrueHoop looks at hte benches of the current playoff teams. Orlando gets a solid grade. But as noted, Stan Van Gundy plays his starters pretty heavy minutes. So excuse me if I do not panic about bench production. It is serviceable for what we need and has filled in (almost) every gap injuries have caused this season.

-It's March! That can only mean one thing. NBA.com Dancer Brackets! Go Magic Dancers!

-Hey Dwight Howard has a new Web site. Wonder if he will start Tweeting again. But either way, he blogs and has a video channel for our enjoyment.

-I guess there is a first time for everything. Still an odd time to call a three second violation, considering referees bury their whistles throughout much of the game when it actually should be called. Howard is still having trouble accepting that big men are officiated differently whether it is fair or not.

-If you cannot read my Twitter (or it has been filled to the brim), I am now Facebook friends with Dwight Howard. Pretty sweet, I have to say.

-Tyler Hansbrough of North Carolina passed JJ Redick for the all-time scoring record in the ACC with 22 points in the Tar Heels' first round win over Radford on Thursday. Records were meant to be broken, I guess.

NBA Draft Watch: Conference Tournaments

Well, the NCAA Tournament is here and that is really the first time the lay-NBA fan gets to see the future stars of tomorrow. So as I watch the tournament I will provide my thoughts on some players that could be suiting up for NBA teams in the very near future. I will update my thoughts after each round.

And, yes, I know the Magic do not have a first round pick this season (given away in the Rafer Alston deal).

Pre-Tournament

There are a few players I would like to get in that I got a chance to watch in the conference tournaments first.

Hasheem Thabeet - I really like Thabeet. He is a big guy who can block shots. I compare him to a young Alonzo Mourning. His defense is way ahead of his offense and he has a lot of energy and a good frame (almost Dwight Howard-like). But I think he was really exposed in two games against Pittsburgh and in the Big East Tournament.

Thabeet is just not a physical guy. He does not do well with contact and he can be taken out of the game pretty easily. I think he needs another year in college to refine his game and get stronger -- he is still incredibly thin for a 7-foot-3 guy. But this is probably the best time for him to come out. He is projected as the No. 2 pick by NBADraft.net. He has slipped to No. 4 according to DraftExpress.com.

James Harden - the forward out of Arizona State has all the tools to be an NBA player. I don't think he has gotten the notoriety he truly deserves because he is playing for a low profile team. But this guy can contribute on the NBA level. The only issue with him is that he kind of disappears when he is not scoring.

That is the thing with college guys, they are used to dominating the scoring on their teams and they simply will not do that at the NBA level. He can score with the best of them when he wants to and has the physical tools to defend and be a good forward. We will see how it goes. I think he could have a breakout tournament for the Sun Devils. NBADraft.net has him going No. 3 in their current mock draft and he is No. 2 according to DraftExpress.

Demarr DeRozan - there are not a lot of great freshman to be coming to the NBA this year. But this guy could be a special one. In the Pac-10 Conference Tournament Finals against Arizona State, he simply took over at times and really pushed his team to the title. He did not finish the game, but he certainly got them started.

He is going to be an NBA player at some point. I don't think he should come out after his freshman year (but that is generally how I feel). He is currently projected by NBADraft.net as the No. 10 pick. He is No. 17 in DraftExpress' mock. So a wide range for this kid.

The golden hammer?

The playoffs are the priority right now, but it is never too early to start thinking about the summer. And it is going to be an interesting summer at that.

Hedo Turkoglu is a free agent and it still appears uncertain whether Orlando will have enough money to resign him. He is an integral part of the offense and is a must to for the Magic to return to the level they are playing at this year.

The one rotation guy Orlando could certainly lose is Marcin Gortat. The urban legend has a nice little cult following in Amway Arena.

Last year he was the guy everyone liked seeing coming off the bench. He played hard and stayed within himself. Then in the playoffs against Toronto, everyone (including Stan Van Gundy) realized this guy could rebound a little bit and block shots. He certainly was not a defensive stiff like Adonal Foyle and could matchup better with Chris Bosh.

Enter this season. Gortat, even with a healthy Tony Battie, is often the first guy off the bench to replace Dwight Howard. His shot-blocking and rebounding have been very helpful for the Magic -- even with his offensive limitations. More than anything, he has not played above himself.

Now people like Peter Vescey of the New York Post are beginning to notice. And believe it or not: the Polish Hammer could be somewhere else next season. He might be out of Orlando's price range.

Someone is probably going to overpay for him and it will probably be out of the Magic's price range. Thems is the breaks.

The Magic should make the trade off and go after Turkoglu. It would be nice to continue to develop Gortat, but not if he goes for Mehmet Okur prices (as Vescey seems to think... honestly, Okur is and was much better than Gortat).

Since we are on the subject of summer. I know I am going to say this at least 200 more times. Orlando needs a traditional power forward. And not just any normal traditional power forward -- a veteran one and one with playoff experience (think P.J. Brown from last year's Celtics). What made the 1995 team so great was the veteran presence and poise of Horace Grant.

This team is searching for its Horace Grant.

But there is still a postseason to be played... so let's not get too far ahead of us.

Cleveland Cavaliers 97, Orlando Magic 93

It was an up-and-down affair (at least for the 10 minutes of the fourth quarter that I was able to listen to) that ended with LeBron James proving why he is the MVP.

James hit a three to give Cleveland a three-point lead with 40-plus seconds left. Then after a missed shot from Rashard Lewis (I believe), James drew a foul on Courtney Lee and calmly sank the free throws for a four-point win.

This was a battle of two of the top teams in the Eastern Conference and it lived up to its billing. Going to the very end and a true toss up until the final buzzer.

For Cleveland this was a gigantic victory. The Magic have had the Cavaliers' number in the past few years and this win is tantamount -- I would think -- to the Magic topping the Pistons.

I doubt James and Co. fear any team, but I am sure they do not want to see the Magic in the second round and then have to face the Celtics. This was big for them confidence-wise if they fall out of the top spot in the East and it kept them in the top spot.

It looks like the Magic are going to be resigned to the third seed in the conference and a date with Boston in the second round... if they can get out of the first round, which is not for sure with Detroit in the six spot.

If you are an Orlando fan, you have to hope Cleveland slips to No. 2 for a more favorable second round matchup. This was a close game.

But ultimately poor execution at the end did the Magic in. There was a few rushed shots by Hedo Turkoglu and Lewis that helped Cleveland maintain a slim lead. The nail in the coffin was Dwight Howard's three-second violation on the Magic's possession down two points with 30 seconds left.

What confused me most is thtat Orlando was not willing to get the ball into Howard late in the game down one point. Look, this might be my philosophy, but you always get the ball to Howard late in games. This is the time of year, Stan Van Gundy should show faith in his big man to win these types of games late. If he does not do it now, he sure as hell what do it in the postseason.

Howard cannot be relegated to an offensive rebounding option late in games. He needs to be involved. The fact they did not go to him and think he could make one out of two free throws with a one-point deficit is not encouraging.

That is just how I feel.

Orlando did not execute well late. They took the lead on a steal by Rafer Alston and finish by Courtney Lee. But the possession before that, Turkoglu air-balled a 3-pointer. Not exactly confidence building.

This was clearly a game you don't mind losing, but a game Orlando could have won. It seems the Magic are entrenched into the third seed and are beginning to fine tune things for the postseason.

Dwight Howard: Original Prankster

So I just stumbled upon these videos on YouTube. Dwight Howard is quite the prankster.

He got Chauncey Billups. He got Derrick Rose. He got Tim Duncan.

Lots of fun with him and Adidas at the All Star game. Quite hilarious. Enjoy.

There is also lots of video of Dwight's exploits at All Star break linked there.

All I know is that I was telling Dwight no "one-handed" rebounds much longer than Stan Van Gundy. Or anyone impersonating him.

Magic Wands: March 13, 2009

-Very sad news for the Magic family. Former coach Chuck Daly has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. I know everyone associated with basketball wishes the two-time NBA championship coach a speedy and complete recovery.

-Interesting thought from Henry Abbott. Next time you are at Amway Arena, give the person behind you a high five after a Dwight Howard dunk.

-Orlando is getting ready for the playoffs and you can really tell as Stan Van Gundy has experimented with Dwight Howard and Marcin Gortat in the same lineup. It worked Sunday. It did not work Monday. Expect to see it for the postseason. But Dwight, instead of the Polish Prince and Superman, can we call them Superman and Thor (he uses a hammer, just like the Polish Hammer).

-Magic games become more about the, well games.

-I wonder if players think about this kind of stuff. The Jazz won their 12th straight game on Wednesday and have a trip to Orlando planned pretty soon. The streak was snapped Wednesday in Atlanta, but if they had kept winning they would have gone for a franchise best-tying 15th straight win at Amway Arena on Sunday. This has to be the quietest 12-game winning streak in the history. But I am curious what the locker room in Orlando will be like if the Jazz escape Atlanta and Miami this week.

-Never take this for granted guys. But there was little fanfare for the Magic clinching a playoff berth Tuesday night. Sure it is better to do it and celebrate after a win (especially the way they beat down Chicago). But one thing I learned in Orlando's three-year absence from the postseason from 2004-2007 is not to take it for granted. So congratulations on officially making the playoffs. Still more work to do.

-I thought Dwight Howard wanted to go to Georgia Tech. Then again, Georgia Tech is not going to the dance this year.

-So what WOULD happen if Grant Hill were healthy? Glad you asked. Someone took the time to project the Magic's season (including draft picks) from the time Hill and Tracy McGrady signed on until McGrady was supposed to be traded. It is an interesting little study. Interestingly enough, Orlando does well... but not that well. More of a testament of how poor Doc Rivers and John Gabriel did selecting players to surround McGrady with. Then again, having Hill's salary off the books or on the court would have helped.

Orlando Magic 107, Chicago Bulls 79

Richie Audubato called this game correctly. It was just one of those few games each year where everything goes right for one team... and everything goes wrong for the other.

The Bulls were coming off a heartbreaking loss to Miami (heartbreaking is not quite the word for it) and were hurt even before that. Plus they had taken it to the Magic last week. Orlando did not forget.

The Magic were coming off a disappointing performance in Detroit and again had that revenge factor in mind. This game had blowout written all over it.

I am glad Orlando penned that book. It shows a lot of maturity as a team to come back after the way Chicago took it to them in Illinois last week and after a poor performance against the Pistons on Monday and put on a clinic. By the time I tuned in, it was already over.

Not much else to say about this game. A very balanced effort from Orlando.

AND NO ONE CAN STOP THE POLISH HAMMER!

Marcin Gortat scored 13 points and grabbed 15 rebounds. And Tony "Batt-Man" Battie had 18 points, including a 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter, and eight rebounds.

Continuing the love for the bench players, Jeremy Richardson got in and scored six points. And for some reason Audubato and Dennis Neuman thought this guy might become part of the rotation in the near future (near future meaning next season... not tomorrow). Interesting...

Are the Magic tough enough?

It is March. That means t-minus one month and a half until the playoffs. And whether anyone likes to admit it or not, the playoffs are officiated much differently than the regular season.

The playoffs are a much rougher, physical animal. They beat you physically and demand that you put series away early so that you can be as fresh as possible for the next physically grueling series.

Physicality is certainly not the Magic's forte. Their playing style is a finesses style that naturally shies away from contact.

But for Orlando to reach its playoff potential -- and a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals is certainly a very realistic possibility -- it is going to have to adapt to this physical brand of play.

The evidence that they can do this is scarce.

In two games with the Celtics this season, the Magic were manhandled physically by Kevin Garnett and Kendrick Perkins. In any game against the Pistons from the past, say, three years, it has not even been close who has controlled the pace and tempo of the game. Detroit simply knows how to guard Dwight Howard.

It is clear that if Orlando is going to do well in the postseason, it is going to have to adapt and adjust to this playoff style of basketball.

Stan Van Gundy's little spat with Shaquille O'Neal has again raised the question of whether Orlando is tough enough to win in the playoffs or, as Shaq put it, a "front-runner" who cannot finish.

But Van Gundy is also quick to point out that physical toughness starts with mental toughness. And there is no doubt that this team is mentally tough.

Look at the road record. The past two seasons the team has played exceptionally well on the road. Orlando had a better road record than home record at times last season. The same has been true this season.

Entering Sunday's game against the Celtics, the Magic trailed in the fourth quarter in each of the three games of their three-game winning streak. Orlando somehow found a way to pull out each win.

This mental toughness has been the big difference between this team the past two seasons and the mediocre teams of the Orlando Magic past.

Orlando has that going for it at least. But even a fast-paced team like Cleveland has found a way to become a physical team in the postseason. The Magic's fate rests on how well it adapts when things are not going their way. So far the Pistons and Celtics have troubled the Magic and dominated the pace and control of their regular season games.

Orlando may not have to face either of those teams in the playoffs, but they are the most battle-tested playoffs teams and the measuring stick for the future.

Ultimately this postseason will be a debate on whether the spread the floor 3-point style of the Magic can succeed in the playoffs. It would not surprise me if the Magic are going to have to use more traditional lineups to find playoff success in the future.

Orlando Magic 86, Boston Celtics 79

Orlando extended its winning streak to four games in a way that the team has not in the past three. Instead of having to come from behind, the Magic held off a furious fourth-quarter rally from the Celtics to get a very big victory at the TD Banknorth Garden.

First the good:

The Magic came out recognizing this could be a statement game even though Boston was without Keven Garnett and Rajon Rondo. The Celtics were a little flat-footed and could not shoot well enough to keep up with the Magic.

Dwight Howard did get into foul trouble early. But strong play from the bench -- namely Anthony Johnson and Marcin Gortat -- gave the Magic a comfortable 10-point margin. Then Howard came back and helped Orlando tear out to a 20-point lead.

What worked in the first half did not seem to work in the second half.

The Celtics, behind Kendrick Perkins and Leon Powe, stifled Howard and kept him from being a factor offensively. And when that happens, it makes it considerably easier for Orlando to score.

Still it was a 20-point deficit and it did take a very focused effort from Ray Allen to bring Boston all the way back. Allen scored 32 points and helped cut the lead to three points.

But Orlando had enough answers to finish the game. Howard had a couple of big plays to help keep the Magic in front as did Hedo Turkoglu.

It certainly was not the typical Magic win. But any time you can beat the defending champions in their place, it is a solid win.

You would hope Orlando learned some things out of this game and continued to get mentally ready for the postseason. The Celtics showed why they won the title last year and are favorites to repeat this season.

The Magic have some ways to go to be ready to play 48 minutes against the league's best for seven games.

Magic Wands: March 6, 2009

-This will make this game tougher, but a well-deserved honor as the Miami Heat will retire Alonzo Mourning's jersey during the game against the Magic on March 30.

-I usually believe San Antonio knows what they are doing. But I do not quite get this one. They signed Drew Gooden. That is Magic fans snickering in the corner.

-Henry Abbott of TrueHoop takes us into the wonderful world of traveling. It is not as easy a call to make as it seems. I have always been one to give the referees the benefit of the doubt. Their jobs are hard.

-Cleveland became the first team to clinch a playoff berth with the team's win over Milwaukee on Wednesday. Scary that we are that point of the year already. Orlando's Magic Number? As of Wednesday night at say 10:30 p.m. (What? I might forget to update this), it is four. Still a little way to go. But they should have a playoff berth wrapped up by the end of next week you would hope.

-This whole flap flop controversy with Stan Van Gundy has probably been blown WAY out of proportion. Let's take a moment to step back and remember who the characters are in this. Stan Van Gundy is a fun-loving guy who likes to make jokes. Shaquille O'Neal is the same. Maybe a little more sensitive to criticism and questions of manhood, but a jokester nonetheless. This got way out of proportion. I think Van Gundy was trying to make a joke and failed. It happens. Instead what was revealed is some very serious tension. And it did tarnish O'Neal's reputation -- at least with the teams that lost him. But the widely held belief that Pat Riley pushed Van Gundy out of Miami now has to be reconsidered. Maybe Shaq is the homewrecker Kobe Bryant believed him to be. I know I am happy to have Van Gundy as coach.

Shaq fires back at Stan Van Gundy

Well we knew Shaquille O'Neal would not go quietly into this good night. Before Phoenix's game with Miami, O'Neal fired back at his former coach.

Stan Van Gundy accused O'Neal of being a hypocrite after flopping on a Dwight Howard spin move. It was obviously a flop and O'Neal was caught in his lie.

But O'Neal, in all his disgust and anger and egotistical musing, brought up an interesting criticism of Van Gundy. Something Orlando fans should maybe consider from a grisled and successful veteran like Van Gundy.

"I know for a fact that he's a master of panic, and when it gets time for his team to go in the postseason and do certain things, he will let them down because of his panic," O'Neal said. "I've been there before, I've played for him."

O'Neal played for Van Gundy for one season in Miami. Van Gundy led the inexperienced Heat to the conference finals where they got two minutes from beating the Pistons and going to the finals to face the Spurs. It was clear with a young nucleus of Dwyane Wade and some nice role players that this team would contend for years to come.

Then they blew it all up, bringing in Antoine Walker, Gary Payton and Jason Williams to replace Damon Jones and Keyon Dooling among others on that team.

Van Gundy was resigned at the beginning of the next season and Pat Riley led them to a title.

I hardly think this is enough physical evidence to make us believe Van Gundy panics in big games. But there is always some truth in anything that is said. And maybe this is true, maybe this is not.

The whispers from experts that the style Van Gundy has Orlando playing cannot survive in the playoffs -- see Phoenix. Everyone believes the Magic mus acquire a real power forward to be a true contender. I tend to agree with that belief.

But to say Van Gundy cannot coach in big games is premature. He has picked the perfect style for this Orlando team and has helped them transcend their expectations and even their talent level.

We will see how far it goes. But Van Gundy might be the best coach in Magic history.

And Shaq is not great at making friends with the people he deserts.

Why can't we be friends?

This is the kind of thing that makes me hate Shaquille O'Neal all over again.

Everyone knows the Magic drafted O'Neal with the first pick of the 1992 NBA Draft. Everyone knows he led the team to its first playoff berth and to the 1995 NBA Finals. And everyone knows he left in a very controversial, and somewhat shady, deal to Los Angeles in the summer of 1996.

He won his titles with the Lakers and then moved on to the Heat, leaving a wake of destruction and depression behind him.

You can understand if he has a little bit of an ego. He has four titles and has redefined his position -- by pushing big men to the outside rather than the inside.

In the twilight of his career, it seemed like he was finally going to be a likeable person and someone who realized his mistakes. He was doing so well.

I remember growing up and hating everything aobut the man. His departure was partly Orlando's fault, but everyone got the sense that he was going to leave the Magic from the moment they drafted him. So it was partly his ego too.

I could not stand the sight of O'Neal for most of my childhood.

And then I started to come around. I started to believe that the big kid had grown up and realized how great his career and how many teams he really disrupted -- he was at fault as much as Kobe Bryant was.

Then I read these comments about Dwight Howard, the guy most like him in the NBA. It brought out all those feeling of hate and disgust toward him.

He has not changed.

Howard says that he has asked for and gotten advice from all the great centers still around -- from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to Bill Russell to David Robinson. He asked Shaq, who was his teammate at the All Star game two years ago and the clear next in line for the baton of big men, and had not received it.

Look, Howard is going to be better than Shaq in one sense. Shaq did not keep himself in shape and it hurt his overall legacy. Elliot Kalb listed him as the best player in basketball history ahead of Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain in his book Who's Better, Who's Best in Basketball. And he really could have been that good. He never cared enough to keep himself in shape.

Howard will do that and could be a much better player for it -- titles notwithstanding.

It is sad Shaq still has the ego that he cannot respect the future. Don't parents want to see their children become better?

If he built the Amway Arena -- which the sell outs in the first three seasons before O'Neal's arrival prove otherwise -- then he could at least help the guy who is building the new arena.

This Date in Magic History: March 2, 1997

The Orlando Magic had just replaced coach Brian Hill in the famous player coup allegedly led by Penny Hardaway. The season was very much in the balance.

But the Magic burned off six straight wins for new coach Richie Audubato. On March 2, 1997, Audubato lost his first game.

The Sonics, led by Gary Payton, went on for a 109-101 win. Ironically, Orlando was about to depart on a road trip that took them to Seattle first. They won that game two days later.

Payton dueled mostly with Hardaway in this one. "The Glove" had 20 of his 32 points in the second half. Orlando's All-Star, Penny, finished with 17 as the Magic shot a then-franchise-high 32 3-pointers to make up for the lack of defensive intensity -- an oddity in the early tenure of Audubato.

Nick Anderson had 20 including six 3-pointers and Dennis Scott added 17.

Orlando finished the 1997 season with 45 wins and were ousted in the first round of the playoffs by the Miami Heat.

Sweet Lew must be sweeter

Bobby Abreu won the home run derby in 2005. He blasted home runs out of Comerica Park like he was using a corked bat and on steroids -- OK, maybe the wrong simile. But the home runs were flying out like he was barely swinging.

Then the second half of the season started and he could not hit the ball out of the infield. It was largely believed that he had to change his swing to win the home run derby and it was difficult to switch from exhibition to daily grind.

With the way Rashard Lewis has played the last few games, I am beginning to believe the same is happening here. Lewis is the type of player that it should not happend, but so was Abreu.

Lewis is one of the best shooters in the NBA. But his shot was not suited for the 3-point contest. And it may have changed his shot slightly enough to affect his play in the second half of the season.

But that is not what has made Lewis so important this season. He has done a fantastic job at not shooting the 3-pointer, but attacking the basket.

That has been the transformation of his game this season more than anything. He has become more comfortable in the offense and has been more aggressive off the 3-point line.

It was the aggression Orlando needed knowing full well that Hedo Turkoglu could not match the season he had last season.

The Magic fall into a rut when they sit at the 3-point line and shoot jumpers. Lewis is the first one to do that. But when he attacks Orlando is that much better.

That is what has really been lacking since the Jameer Nelson injury. Orlando has gotten the dominating play from Dwight Howard it needed to replace him.

Lewis has not upped his aggression and Turkoglu has been just as inconsistent. Lewis is the better player and he is having a fantastic year. It is now time for him to replace the Magic's point guard and become the player the team needs him to be.