Monday, April 13, 2009

What They're Saying: Magic vs. Bucks 4/13

-Last road game of the season and the Magic are an impressive 27-13 on the road, a win will top last year's mark 27-14 mark. Quite impressive to put back-to-back years like that on the road.

-The Magic are admittedly in a "funk" right now and know they have to break out of it to gain some momentum heading toward the playoffs, according to The Orlando Sentinel's Brian Schmitz. It is a precarious balance between getting healthy, which the team looks like it needs to do, and getting mentally ready for the postseason.

-Injury updates from Brian Schmitz in Milwaukee: JJ Redick and Rashard Lewis appear to be out for tonight's game. Rafer Alston is questionable after missing the morning shootaround with a migraine. And Hedo Turkoglu reported no swelling in his ankle after spraining it Saturday in New Jersey.

-Zach McCann of Orlando Magic Daily will now calm you down about the end of the season. He notes the struggles of recent title teams in their final games. How you finish the regular season is not necessarily how you finish the postseason.

-Bucks rookie Joe Alexander has had a difficult season living up to the expectations the do-everything small forward had on draft night, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel said. Look, losing to Rudy Fernandez to get into the dunk contest is not THAT big of a deal.

-Magic radio man Scott Anez blogs about which teams might be heading to Orlando this weekend for the playoffs. It will either be Philadelphia, Chicago or... gulp... Detroit.

-Guess it is time to be scoreboard watching. As I said, the 76ers and Bulls are now tied for the sixth spot in the Eastern Conference with the Pistons one game back. That will completely change tonight. Chicago is in Detroit tonight (at 7:30 ET on NBATV). At least Philly will be in the six spot at the end of the night.

-The Bulls are not a good road team, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune says. That will need to change.

-K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune also talks of the redemption of former Gator Joakim Noah. He is thrilled to be back in the postseason.

-Detroit is not guaranteed of even moving out of the eight seed if they beat Chicago, Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press reports.. The Bulls have a better conference record and could win the tiebreaker. The Pistons have a long road to face the Magic in other words.

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