A Message to My Readers

Well, my player option is coming up and I am seeing the greener pastures of free agency ahead of me. And I am sorry to say, that this small pond can no longer hold this big fish.

OK, enough with the Shaquille O'Neal references. I am not leaving the world of Orlando Magic blogs for some rich Los Angeles Laker blog, three championships leaving nearly a dozen years of disappointment and mediocrity in my wake.

I want to thank all the loyal followers of The Curse of the Big Aristotle for valiantly reading my blog as I attempt to fit in my thoughts and opinions of the Magic inside my schoolwork and class schedule. Since Blogspot does not provide any statistics for my Web site, I assume there are many of you.

But an opportunity has arisen to gain further exposure for my Magic writing and thoughts that I cannot pass up.

As many of you know Zach McCann and Woody Womack run a very good blog called Orlando Magic Daily, which is part of ESPN's TrueHoop Network. They have invited me to help them with their site and write for Orlando Magic Daily.

Very little will change in my writing or what I hope to convey with my Magic coverage. It will just be at a new Web site, one I am sure you all check often.

So mosey on over to Orlando Magic Daily.

Orlando Magic 114, New York Knicks 102

Mickael Pietrus rebounded the ball along the baseline and flung a shot over the defense as the buzzer sounded. It swished through the net, for Orlando's second buzzer-beating shot to end the quarter. If you add JJ Redick's miracle fling off the backboard for three early in the fourth quarter, and you have a pretty good description of the Magic's offense Sunday night in their only trip to Madison Square Garden.

Orlando used a couple of quick 3-pointers in the third quarter from Rashard Lewis and Pietrus to help turn a one-point defitict into a nine-point lead the team would not surrender. In fact, both teams shot an identical 42 of 83 from the field but the Magic hit three more 3-pointers (10 of 33 to be exact) for what turned into a 114-102 win.

After the third quarter, the teams pretty much exchanged shots in an up and down fourth quarter that saw Nate Robinson score 22 of his 24 points in the final period. Stan Van Gundy did not seem to mind.

Defense was an issue, but tired legs and a versatile and dangerous New York Knick lineup made things difficult. Orlando was slow rotating on the pick and roll early in the game but progressively got better. The team made enough stops to win.

Offensively, the Magic got what they wanted starting with Dwight Howard. For the third straight game, Orlando made a concerted effort to get the ball into the post to Howard and he rewarded the team's efforts to get him the ball. Superman posted 24 points on eight of nine shooting and grabbed 16 rebounds.

Howard struggled with New York's versatile big men -- David Lee had 20 points and 12 rebounds but cooled off after a big first half and Jared Jeffries did a good job keeping Howard away from the basket -- on defense. But they struggled with him on offense as Howard got into the lane and shed double teamers like he had done the previous two games.

Howard hit eight of his 15 free throws (not great, but good enough) and did what he needed to do to establish the offense around him.

It certainly helped as Rashard Lewis continued to look like he is almost completely back from his suspension. Lewis made his shots when he was open and continued to look to attack -- something he cannot do enough of. Lewis had 26 points and eight rebounds.

Vince Carter also did his part with 23 points (on nine of 20 shooting), getting a steal late in the fourth quarter that all but ended any chance of New York making a comeback.

In the end, the game was a simple matchup of offenses. Orlando, playing its fourth game in five days, can be somewhat excused for the poor defensive effort. Robinson yo-yoed his way through the lane and got open shots in the fourth quarter. But the Knicks looked equally flat-footed throughout the entire game and the Magic are too good not to take advantage of it.

New York just did not have the firepower to keep up in this track meet. Kudos to Orlando for muscling out a win on the road and extending its road winning streak and completing a tough stretch in the schedule.

What They're Saying: Magic vs. Knicks 11/29

-Tim Povtak did a similar story a while ago, but George Diaz of The Orlando Sentinel catches up with former Magic player David Vaughn and is happy to report he was volunteering at the Salvation Army soup kitchen this Thanksgiving.

-Dwight Howard has learned sharing is indeed caring. "Big Bird" had another 20-20 performance last night in Milwaukee displaying an array of offensive moves. He then shared his thoughts on Charles Barkley's criticism of his offensive game.

-Stan Van Gundy is hoping to see a change in the way the NBA schedules back to backs, according to Brian Schmitz of The Orlando Sentinel.

-Darko Milicic is unhappy and finds himself in Mike D'Antoni's doghouse as the Knicks try to feature Eddy Curry in their offense. He vents his frustration with Marc Berman of the New York Post.

-Matt Gagne of the New York Daily News says not to expect a change in point guards as Nate Robinson still comes off the bench behind (the now hobbled) Chris Duhon.

-Other teams and the media may not be overlooking the Magic as a team anymore, but in the talk of the game's greatest stars, Dwight Howard might be left behind as he continues to struggle offensively and at the line.

-It was a very quietly efficient night for the Magic last night in Milwaukee.

-Posting and Toasting wonders whether Darko Milicic is ready to head home.

Orlando Magic 100, Milwaukee Bucks 98

In one fell swoop, Vince Carter and Rashard Lewis proved their worth and paid for their contracts... maybe not completely. Carter hit a go-ahead bucket with nearly a minute and a half remaining to complete an Orlando comeback and scored 25 points. It was Rashard Lewis though who followed with a driving layup after Carter missed with the game tied as the Magic won 100-98 in Milwaukee.

It was another uneven effort for the Magic and probably the third straight game where they played for only one half and nearly got away with it.

Orlando trailed by 18 points at one point at the raucos and college atmosphere that is (apparently) the Bradley Center. The Bucks were up 56-47 at the half. But much like Thursday's game at Atlanta, Orlando locked everything down in the second half to help earn the win.

It was not a 25-point half, but it was a solid half as the offense woke up from sleepwalking through the first 24 minutes to bring Orlando back by the beginning of the fourth quarter.

As with everything with this team, it all started with Dwight Howard.

Howard was very active offensively in the second half, finishing with 25 points on 10-of-15 shooting. He did a good job reading the double teams (that actually rarely came) and passing out and re-posting. This is becoming Howard's favorite tactic as he often has deeper post position and can just turn and fire on the re-post.

Outside of that, he looked very comfortable in the post and making strong moves to get in scoring position. Again, it did not seem like Milwaukee was willing to double him afraid of Orlando's shooting -- which for the first half did not come through.

Howard was more than active defensively with 20 rebounds and four blocks -- many more changed. It was not surprising to see Milwaukee struggling to get inside the paint and rely on its 3-point shooting.

Brandon Jennings did not disappoint with his speed and playmaking ability. Jennings finished with 18 points and four assists. He got to the basket and made superstar shots. He has a very bright future and showed plenty of flashes tonight. But he is not quite ready to take over games in the way a Vince Carter or Allen Iverson can. He certainly pestered the Magic like Iverson used to do.

The concerning part is still Orlando's general lack of energy early in the games. It was evident even well into the third quarter that the Magic believed they could show up and win. That is how an 18-point deficit is created.

Look at Ersan Ilyasova's stat line.

Ilyasova had 20 points and 16 rebounds and outworked Orlando for much of the night until Howard woke up and re-established dominance in the second half. Even then, Ilyasova was all over the glass. Ilyasova is a good young player. But not a near 20-20 guy against Howard and the Magic.

That is a big sign that Orlando might lose a game here or there to teams simply willing to outwork them. Tonight was apparently not one of them as the Magic woke up in time to erase the deficit and win the game.

Stan Van Gundy was desperate for energy in the game and he even went to Brandon Bass for the first time since the November 18 game against Oklahoma City. Bass had eight points and four rebounds in 8:41. He provided some nice energy and the muscle Orlando needed to re-establish its dominance down low and its superiority on offense and defense.

As I told my cousin who was reminding me that the score was dangerously close to the score of the Miami game (99-98), single games do not mean much. Strings of games do. And this is three in a row where Orlando did not put in a full effort.

The season is 82 games long and is a marathon. Orlando is running that marathon and doing fine. It is not very concerning at this point in the season to see the uneven effort. I am sure it drives Stan Van Gundy crazy, but it would be nice to see the Magic come in and blow some of these lesser teams out and get Howard and the starters some rest (especially with a back-to-back tonight and a West Coast trip upcoming).

The team is still learning how to dominate. For now, we are happy to just scratch out and gut out wins.

What They're Saying: Magic vs. Bucks 11/28

-Veteran point guard Anthony "Dad' Johnson has had to deal with a lot of disappointment after being benched during the Finals last year and being buried on the bench behind Jason Williams and Jameer Nelson. But Johnson continues to take these setbacks in stride, according to Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel, and is taking advantage of his opportunities.

-Positive Stan Van Gundy said he likes his team's defensive effort and approach. The bad Stan Van Gundy cannot figure out why the Magic feel they can still flip the switch.

-The Bucks finished a struggling road trip with a loss on the national stage at Oklahoma City last night.

-Zach McCann of Orlando Magic Daily recaps the first month of the season and tries to figure out where the Magic land between "tinkered too much" and "sure-fire NBA Champions."

-After running some numbers, in pure wins and losses, Jameer Nelson's absence does not make a huge difference.

-The offensive struggles Bucks fans expected at the beginning of the season before Brandon Jennings' revelations reared their ugly head during last night's loss in Oklahoma City.

-Orlando's defense is starting to move up the rankings. Looks like Stan Van Positivity is helping.

-Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports talks about Milwaukee's winning pair.

Fran Vazquez Update

From time to time I like to update Fran Vazquez's progress in the extremely unlikely hope that he will someday don a Magic uniform.

That likelihood seems to be getting less and less likely as Orlando has gone in a completely different direction since drafting him and he is still playing and playing well for Regal Barcelona. If anything would happen, this upcoming summer is the one that anything would.

It is still early in the season for Regal and Vazquez continues to put up decent stats for his team. Vazquez is averaging 7.1 points and 3.6 rebounds per game in 17.4 minutes per game in nine games for the Spanish ACB League.

He has had his share go decent games and his share of not so decent games. But it is tough to judge European stats. He seems like he is producing the same amount as he had in previous seasons. Don't know if he is being helped by the presence of former NBA player Juan Carlos Navarro (who never quite felt comfortable in America) and Timberwolves draft pick Ricky Rubio (5.6 points and 4.9 assists per game in 19.8 minutes per game).

This is not any different than what we have previously seen from Vazquez by looking at stats. Taking a look at some highlights, it kind of looks like he is a pure Marcin Gortat copy. He is long and lanky and knows how to finish off the pick and roll it appears. Certainly not a jump shooter so if he ever came over it would be to replace Gortat and fill in as Dwight Howard's backup.

Magic Wands: November 27, 2009

-There will be no league-wide retiring of Michael Jordan's number, per His Airness.

-Someone clearly lost a bet somewhere to a Dukie and was forced to write a bizarre description of last week's Magic-Celtics game.

-JJ Redick and Ryan Anderson's rap group has a name... and maybe a special guest singer.

-How did Dwight Howard get so strong? Chitlins.

-The manufacture of NBA jerseys could be moving overseas.

Orlando Magic 93, Atlanta Hawks 76

The struggles continued in the first half. The Hawks collected offensive rebounds and outworked the Magic, making it seem like Orlando was heading to its second straight loss (against division opponents, no less) and its first losing streak of the season.

Then, something clicked. In a complete reversal, the Magic came out the aggressors and completely locked down the Hawks. Orlando trailed by as much as 14 points, but erased hte deficit in the third quarter and pulled away in the fourth behind the strong play down low by Dwight Howard and the surprising play of Anthony Johnson.

Things seemed to be clicking and one good half was enough for the Magic to take home a 93-76 win.

You hate using the tale of two halves cliche lead, but it was clear that exact scenario happened in tonight's game. Atlanta scored 25 and 26 points in the first and second quarter, but the team was held to 25 points in the entire second half.

The difference? Energy. The Magic lacked it in the first half, and had it in the second.

Atlanta was beating Orlando to every loose ball and offensive rebound in the first half and attacked the glass. The Magic were content to shoot jumpers and hardly looked inside to Dwight Howard or drive to the basket.

That all changed. Stan Van Gundy challenged Howard to be the best player on the court and he clearly got the message. The Magic looked for Howard early in the third quarter and he established himself in the post early in the half to set the tone. Howard dominated the second half and finished with 22 points and 17 rebounds -- including six offensive rebounds -- total.

As always when the Magic are successful, everything starts with Howard being involved in the offense and converting. He was more energetic on the defensive end and deterred the hard-driving Hawks from getting to the rim. They were content with jumpers (afraid might be the better word) and Howard kept any drives from causing any harm with four blocks. It was certainly most active game I have seen him play this season.

That led to the surprise of the night when Anthony Johnson stepped up to help Orlando extend its lead in the fourth quarter. Johnson had 17 points, most of them in the fourth quarter, and looked to attack off the pick and roll with Howard. He played aggressively and looked to attack.

And that has really been the difference these last two games. When Orlando plays with energy and urgency the team is pretty tough to beat.

But the Magic have found it difficult to keep that intensity every night. That is understandable. They know the end goal is a long, long way away.

It is frustrating to watch a stagnant Magic team. The first half was unbearable, but in the second half the team's hands got active, the defense tightened up and the Hawks could literally do nothing. Yes, some jumpers did not fall that maybe could have but Orlando locked down and stymied a solid Atlanta team.

No cause for concern, but there is definitely a feeling they can turn on the switch and play well or get away with playing poorly and still win. This was an impressive performance and a good win. But there is still a lot of work to do.

What They're Saying: Magic vs. Hawks 11/26

-Rich DeVos was on a radio show in Detroit earlier today and said he has no interest in buying another pro franchise and that the small teams in the NBA really struggle.

-Repeating what I wrote this morning, Brian Schmitz of The Orlando Sentinel agrees the Magic gave one away last night against the Heat.

-Jason Williams had one crazy night last night. For all but 30 seconds, it was probably one of the best games of his career with 25 points, eight assists and one turnover in 39 minutes of action.

-Stan Van Gundy's positive attitude is getting some laugh among his fellow coaches.

-It's a Josh Smith Thanksgiving! Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

-The Hawks are 11-3 and a serious threat to the Magic's Southeast Division supremacy, but they are still struggling at the gate. Ken Suguira of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports the team is struggling to fill Philips Arena despite the hot start and last year's second-round playoff appearance.

-Mike Bibby is uncertain for tonight's game after spraining his ankle Saturday against New Orleans. The Hawks will also be wearing their sparkling new red alternat uniforms too.

-Erivera7 of 3rd Quarter Collapse called last night's game an instant classic between in-state rivals. I cannot stand reading any more about this game since it is so clear we blew it.

-Rashard Lewis admits he is still playing catch up after his 10-game suspension.

-How did Dwight Howard get so strong? Chitlins.

Miami Heat 99, Orlando Magic 98

Jason Williams was having the game of his life and carrying the Magic through three quarters against the Heat. Whenever Orlando needed a big shot to break a funk or jumpstart a scoring streak, Williams was there to deliver.

Williams had 25 points and eight assists to push the Magic to as much as an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter. But with a one-point lead and Williams at the free throw line, White Chocolate could not deliver. Williams missed both free throws.

Then Orlando's other arch nemesis from last night's game showed up. No it was not Dwyane Wade, his game-winning shot ended up short. But Michael Beasley, last year's semi-disappointing second overall pick, swooped in and dunked the miss to give the Heat a 99-98 win.

As well as Williams played, it is hard not to find fault in a point guard who shot 81.3 percent from the line for his career and 70.8 percent from the line this year. But he was not the worst of tonight's game.

The worst was most certainly the effort given by the Magic throughout the game. As mentioned above, Williams was really the only player who came to play offensively for the entire night -- missed free throws aside.

Vince Carter stepped up when the game was on the line and Ryan Anderson had his moments. But it was a frustrating game as the Magic never went for the kill and just kind of waited for the Heat to take advantage. As has been the problem in many of Orlando's losses, there was simply no energy from any of the players.

Dwight Howard especially looked out of it as he was frustrated with foul trouble throughout the game. The worst was unlike Friday's game against Boston when he continued to play well defensively, Howard looked frustrated and uninterested on defense because of his lack of involvement on the offensive end of the floor.

Howard woke up late in the game and became much more active and energetic. That is the Howard Orlando will need. He finished with 12 points and 16 rebounds while shooting three for five from the floor. Even with free throws, there is no way Howard should be taking just five shot attempts.

More importantly, Howard cannot let the little frustrations that seem to be happening game after game affect his energy and effort the way it has this season.

This game once again highlighted the Magic's rebounding problem. It is hard to imagine that Orlando gives up the most offensive rebounds in the league. This was tested and exploited by Miami especially late.

Udonis Haslem made it a one-point game with less than 30 seconds left on a tip-in. Jermaine O'Neal had several key fourth quarter offensive rebounds. Miami finished with 15 offensive rebounds and each one hurt more than the last. The Magic have to shore up this area to be successful.

The frustrating part was that the Magic generally did a good job on Dwyane Wade. Credit to Mickael Pietrus for making him work. Wade had only eight points entering the fourth quarter and finished with 24 points on 6-of-22 shooting. Against Wade, I consider that a victory.

It is really difficult to see Wade play such a poor game in a Miami win. Credit O'Neal, Haslem and Beasley for lifting the team and doing what they needed to do to win the game.

This was a game Orlando could clearly win. The team played a poor game effort-wise throughout the night but still had a chance to win. That is all the Magic can ask for on such a poor night. They could not just wake up in the final three minutes and pull it out. It is tough to say this is another learning experience, wake-up call loss... but it is. Time to move on.

What They're Saying: Heat vs. Magic 11/25

-Nearly a month into the season, ESPN.com's Tim Legler sees a surprising shake up in the East's race to the playoffs. Don't worry, the Magic are locked up at No. 2.

-In the free agency mix up that will inevitably happen this summer (or so we are led to believe), Stan Van Gundy asks his former player Dwyane Wade to please go West. Not likely, but Wade has been especially good against the Magic as Brian Schmitz of The Orlando Sentinel reports.

-Rashard Lewis reveals he had a routine drug test earlier this week.

-Jameer Nelson has moved on to the next stage of his rehab and is receiving electrical stimulation to his surgically repaired knee. Nelson still believes he is weeks away from playing.

-The 3-point line has been a major concern for the Miami Heat all season. After starting out as one of the stingiest teams in the league defending the arc, the team is struggling as it enters tonight's game at Amway Arena.

-The Heat are taking note of Jason Williams' revival in Orlando. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said Williams is a perfect fit for the Magic's pick and roll offense.

-Speaking of Jason Williams, Jeff Shain of the Miami Herald writes about how potent of a threat Williams can be tonight.

-Ben Q Rock of Third Quarter Collapse tries to figure out what is wrong with Marcin Gortat.

-The Southeast Division is much tougher, says John Denton of OrlandoMagic.com.

Orlando Magic 83, Boston Celtics 78

In one game, Vince Carter proved everything that has ever been said about him. He took bad shots, slacked on defense and made lazy plays.

But in the fourth quarter and the game on the line, he showed the brilliance that still make him one of the more dangerous players in the league.

Carter finished with an inefficient 26 points on 10 of 29 shooting. But his isolation plays and killer instinct at the end of the game, including a fall away jumper over Paul Pierce that more or less sealed the game, propelled Orlando to a gritty 83-78 win at TD Garden on Friday night.

Both teams played very determined and gritty defense as neither could get much going to the hole. Dwight Howard was active and engaged defensively and deterred any drive to the basket if he was in the paint -- Kendrick Perkins was in foul trouble and picked up his fifth foul in the middle of the third quarter causing Doc Rivers to go with a Kevin Garnett/Rasheed Wallace front court that always seemed to keep Howard away from the basket; I think we will see that more in April.

It was actually interesting on Howard's part. Dwight had no role whatsoever in the offense outside of setting screens. He took only four shots and had only 11 free throw attempts. He did not really touch the ball much more than that offensively. But he stayed involved defensively even though he was pulled away from the basket. He certainly did not let the frustration of being virtually ignored on offense get to him.

The tone set by Howard and the defense early in the game carried through for much of the night.

The Magic got out quickly behind excellent ball movement and a few very nifty passes from Carter for open threes. Orlando built a 16-point lead in the first quarter, but watched it slowly evaporate as Boston ratcheted up its defense.

Much like Howard, Garnett acted like a deterrent to the rim and Orlando struggled to work the inside out game that makes its 3-point barrage so deadly. The Magic finished 10 of 22 from beyond the arc, but were hardly that good for most of the night. They hit them when they needed to.

The Magic certainly had their struggles. Orlando committed 21 turnovers. More than a few of them were very lazy -- including two intercepted passes down low to Howard by Rasheed Wallace.

I thought the broadcasters made a good point about Carter in that he sometimes makes lazy plays that have become habit since he had to carry a team -- New Jersey -- that had no chance of success.

On top of that, because Howard was pulled away from the basket, the Celtics had their way on the offensive glass with 14 offensive rebounds. They did not always take advantage of them and shot an uncharacteristically low percentage from the floor (34.5 percent) and from beyond the arc (two for 19). But the chances were there and the second chance points helped keep the Celtics in the game.

Orlando never trailed after building its big first half lead (and if the team did, it was only by a point or two) and held off Boston after the team tied the game late in the fourth quarter.

That is where Vince Carter proved his worth more than anything.

Carter was hte go-to guy in the fourth quarter and really displayed his skills in attacking the basket and making difficult shots. If there was any doubt that Carter would be more valuable than Hedo Turkoglu in late game situations, it was eradicated tonight.

Carter, for all his mistakes and missteps throughout the game, still had the confidence to take and make big shots and played a flawless final two minutes (OK, he had one blow by on defense, but for the most part was there defensively).

This was an ugly game. The type of game Boston usually wins.

The Celtics had plenty of looks they could have hit and they missed them. Part of that was Orlando's strong defense, which played its best game that I have seen so far. Part of that was sheer dumb luck.

But these are the type of games a good team has to win. It is not a statement or anything, just a good win on a bad night for both teams.

What They're Saying: Magic vs. Celtics 11/20

-Dwight Howard told the Orlando Sentinel that he had a private meeting with Stan Van Gundy asking him to tone back his trademark negativism. Fortunately Van Gundy agreed and is trying his best to help his team pick up the energy with more positive, less sarcastic and biting commentary during practices and games (and even press conferences).

-Mike Bianchi of The Orlando Sentinel says Stan Van Gundy and the team are showing growth after Van Gundy promised to tone down his criticisms after meeting with Dwight Howard behind closed doors.

-Rashard Lewis is among the Magic players who feel tonight's game in Boston is a big measuring stick for the team and a potential statement game.

-Larry Bird talks with Dan Shaughnessy of the Boston Globe about the little interesting tidbits in his new book, When the Game Was Ours, co-written with Magic Johnson and Jackie MacMullan.

-The Celtics are certainly not overlooking the Magic this year and the sense of title entitlement is gone as they understand Orlando is the team to beat in the East after winning the conference title last year.

-Even Boston is going through some growing pains, but patience is the word from Celtics managing partner and governor Wyc Grousbeck tells Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe.

-In a brief recap of a New York Times article, Ben Q Rock of 3rd Quarter Collapse gets hard numbers on why the pick and roll is in vogue right now and how the Magic are one of the leaders in the pack.

-Doc Rivers may avoid the answer to the question all Boston fans wonder about, Paul Pierce is more than assured the Celtics would have beat the Magic in last year's playoffs with Kevin Garnett in the lineup. He even thinks they would have done it with Leon Powe healthy.

-John Denton of OrlandoMagic.com writes that even though the national media may be overlooking Orlando, do not expect a team like Boston to take Orlando lightly.

-Jeff Clark of Celtics Blog is not feeling the excitement for tonight's game and flat out asks, "Are we ready for the Magic?" He is hoping, as are Magic fans, that this is the game that awakens the sleeping giants.

-Zach Lowe of Celtics Blog and Ben Q Rock of 3rd Quarter Collapse exchange Q&A sessions to preview tonight's game.

Magic Wands: November 20, 2009

-Hedo Turkoglu was nearly a Phoenix Sun instead of an Orlando Magic.

-Orlando has put in its application to host the 2012 All Star Game and as the Orlando Sentinel reports, it might cost them $1.5 million to prepare the city.

-An Ohio State study finds that expecting less from your team helps you get more enjoyment out of them.

-Cleveland Browns coach Eric Mangini has an open invitation for LeBron James to try out and help the Browns.

-No words can describe Kirk Hinrich singing "Love, lift us up where we belong." So video will have to do.

-In New Orleans' never-ending quest to have the ugliest jerseys in basketball, they unveil their new Mardi Gras alternates. Oh boy.

-Larry Bird talks with Dan Shaughnessy of the Boston Globe about the little interesting tidbits in his new book, When the Game Was Ours, co-written with Magic Johnson and Jackie MacMullan.

-Yahoo! Sports reported Tracy McGrady got into a heated, emotional discussion with Rockets coach Rick Adelman about when the team is planning to bring him back. McGrady -- as hard as it is to believe -- was in uniform for warmups before Wednesday night's game and is trying to force the issue and prove he is ready to play. Where was this passion and drive in 2004?

-Jonathan Abrams of the New York Times writes about the play that's all the rage in the NBA -- the pick and roll.

What They're Saying: Thunder vs. Magic 11/18

-So in case you have not heard, Jameer Nelson will undergo arthroscopic surgery and will miss 4-6 weeks.

-George Diaz believes Allen Iverson is the Answer to Orlando's (temporary) point guard problems. To me, getting Iverson would be a huge mistake for a number of reasons that probably deserves its own post if things get very serious.

-Jason Williams gets a tough draw for his first start of the year in Nelson's absence. Williams will have to try and contian the Thunder's Russell Westbrook who has had a very nice early season.

-Back to Iverson, Otis Smith seems willing to wait and see how things go but is not ruling out possibly signing Allen Iverson.

-Kevin Durant is starting to heat up after scoring 32 points in last night's win over the Heat.

-Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman details Kevin Durant's relationship with the Heat's Michael Beasley and how Durant reacted to Beasley's admittance into a rehab facility this summer.

-In Mayberry's notebook from last night's game, Thunder owner Clay Bennet (Seattle fans hissing) was in Miami to inspect their outdoor LED video screen and Russell Westbrook narrowly avoided a skirmish with Jermaine O'Neal.

-A win and some confidence would make a nice birthday gift for Jason Williams' first start for the Magic.

-Joshua Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel's Magic BasketBlog reports Jason Williams will attack tonight's game just like any other he has played for the Magic so far.

-Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel's Magic BasketBlog reports two things. First Marcin Gortat will play tonight after missing Monday's game with an illness. And second, Jameer Nelson underwent successful surgery this morning.

-In a collection of daily new stories, DailyThunder.com reports Shaun Livingston's minor knee surgery was a success. He is also expected to miss 4-6 weeks. Hoping a quick recovery for Shaun, the dude has worked hard to get back to the NBA and deserves nothing but success.

-Royce of the Daily Thunder is scratching his head why Oklahoma City plays up and down to its opponents. But either way, being competitive in most games and having a good shot at winning them is a big step forward for this young team.

-Daily Thunder is trying to build a reputation for one of the top young defenders in the NBA, Thabo Sefolosha.

-Mike Baldwin of the Oklahoman writes about the Thunder's "shell" defense has proven the doubters wrong and is surprisingly effective against the 3-pointer... and everything else.

-Remember when Jason Williams was the darling of Nike commercials and the street ball NBA of the 1990s. Well, it is safe to say Williams has changed a little bit. But he will be back in your living rooms.

Former Magic Player of the Month: Otis Smith

Otis Smith

I think we all know what happened to Otis Smith. But I think it's high time we had another Former Magic Player of the Month (formerly Week, and I have not done any in almost a year now).

Otis is of course our fearless leader and general manager. Smith literally constructed every piece of the current Magic roster and built the team that went to the NBA Finals last year. OK, he was just an assistant general manager when Jon Weisbrod drafted Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson, but we all tend to forget the Weisbrod year.

So clearly Smith has been doing a lot of fun stuff since leaving the Magic as a player after three seasons.

Otis was, of course, selected in the second round of the 1986 NBA Draft with the 41st overall pick by the Denver Nuggets. He averaged 8.8 points per game in just more than two seasons with the Nuggets before being traded to Golden State.

Smith was then selected by the Magic in the expansion draft and played the final three years of his career in Orlando. With the Magic, Smith averaged 11.4 points per game inlcuding a career-high 13.9 points and 5.2 rebounds per game in the 1990-91 season.

He is probably most famous as a player for his game-winning basket in a 110-109 victory over the Bulls in the Magic's inaugural season.

After his playing days he moved into the front office for the Warriors before moving back to Orlando as a community ambassador. He was named the general manager after Weisbrod's departure and was given the full role. He has been the general manager ever since, helping build a Magic team that has won three straight Southeast Division titles and an Eastern Conference Championship.

Image courtesy of jacksonville.com.

Jameer sidelined with meniscus tear

So, remember when Orlando had every single one of their players healthy this season? Yes, I know October seems like a long time ago now, but those were simpler days.

Now, the Magic's road back to the NBA Finals hit another pothole. Feels like we are driving in and around Yeehaw Junction right now. Either way, this team has more adversity to face as Jameer Nelson will miss the next four-to-six weeks after undergoing arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn meniscus.

Jameer has been one of the Magic's more consistent players offensively this year, averaging 13.7 points and 5.5 assists. His defense has been a little suspect, after giving up another big game to an opposing point guard last night against Charlotte, but it is still abundantly clear he was the man at point guard.

At least this injury might explain some of the problems he has had keeping guys out of the lane all season.

So now at the time when orlando thought it would have all its pieces finally assembled on the floor, a good chunk is knocked out again. And even though Nelson has struggled at times this year, his aggression and shooting ability is a weapon the Magic will miss in the pick and roll.

More will fall on the shoulders of Jason Williams now. Williams has played well, dishing out 4.0 assists per game in 18.4 minutes per game. He has shown he can play a solid role off the bench, but can he start?

This is not in any way like Orlando bringing in Rafer Alston from last year. Alston was a proven starter who could run an offense and defend well. Williams is coming off a year away from basketball and has never been known as a good defender. Williams has done decently defensively this year (48.2% effective field goal percentage allowed), but that is against bench guys.

So... confidence level in Williams starting is OK. He is a little more prone to take risks than Nelson is (although his turnovers are only 0.82 per game compared to Nelson's 2.45).

Orlando has prepared for this contingency all year in bringing Williams in. And the team maintained Anthony Johnson because he is a solid, if unspectacular backup. The team is still in an interesting place as this injury occurs.

It certainly is better that Nelson gets this surgery done during this part of the season rather than later when he might miss the playoffs.

As the Magic learned last year, I believe, getting in and getting a high seed are important. But once you are in the postseason and have a chance to win, anything can happen.

This is a big hit. I personally have not been feeling good at where the Magic are and I am more likely to believe the Hawks' 9-2 record is more real than the Magic's 8-3 record is at the moment. It would not surprise me to see Orlando fade a little bit.

But the Magic do have the pieces to overcome this injury too. Expect Vince Carter to run a little more pick and rolls with Howard instead of the usual Nelson-Howard combo. More than anything Carter is going to have to step up more and carry more of the scoring load. And Howard, of course, has to stay involved in the game and keep out of foul trouble.

The margin for error closes ever tightly for the Magic with a big slate of games schedule for the next week.

Orlando has shown it can tread water -- an unimpressive 8-3 being treading water in this case -- until guys get back. The main worry is how well Atlanta is playing and the big back-to-back next week with the Hawks and the red-hot Heat.

What They're Saying: Bobcats vs. Magic 11/16

-Rashard Lewis plays fill in the blanks with Brian Schmitz of The Orlando Sentinel as he prepares to play his first game of the year tonight.

-Stan Van Gundy said he does not expect Marcin Gortat to play tonight after missing the last to practices with an illness.

-Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer dissects the Bobcats' point guard problems. D.J. Augustin and Raymond Felton have struggled to get their teammates good scoring opportunities, but a whole bunch of players have been out for some period of time and are still getting up to speed.

-The Bobcats may not be winning, but Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer likes that Larry Brown has a plan and sticks to it.

-Ben Q Rock of 3rd Quarter Collapse examines the difference of having a stretch-4 like Rashard Lewis in the game or having a typical power forward like Brandon Bass

-Five things we learned about the Magic without Rashard Lewis in the first 10 games.

-The Bobcats might be short-handed tonight after trading Raja Bell and Vladimir Radmanovic to the Warriors for Stephen Jackson. There will be a litany of reaction to the trade. Hardwood Paroxysm just think it's weird, but could work. And Queen City Hoops is skeptical that Jackson is the answer to Charlotte's scoring woes. And Henry Abbott of TrueHoop sees the move as potentially working -- if not for just the fireworks it could cause off the court.

-Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer reports that Jackson might start tonight for the Bobcats.

-As Otis Smith told Rashard Lewis, "Vacation is over." John Denton of OrlandoMagic.com writes Lewis is ready to take the court tonight.

Defense is the difference

No need to beat a dead horse here. Orlando's defense is not as good as it was last year and that is why the team is struggling (although how much you want to say 7-3 is struggling is debatable).

The litany of comments from Magic fans after Wednesday's game against the Cavaliers is pretty simple. Orlando looked uninspired and unprepared to play -- especially on defense.

The defense was markedly improved against the Nets on Friday, but things still are not right -- and Stan Van Gundy said as much after former Magic man Rafer Alston recorded a triple double.

With Rashard Lewis' suspension up, one hopes everything will get back to normal as Lewis has both the ability to stretch teams offensively with the strength to defend most power forwards. That would seem to be able to cure any ail the Magic currently have on either side of the floor.

While that might be what helps Orlando's offense improve (hard to imagine as the team is still putting up pretty gaudy offensive numbers despite struggling and stagnating at times), Lewis is not the cure-all for the defense.

We all know the story, the Magic were the most efficient defensive team last year but have since fallen to the middle of the pack. What exactly has gone wrong?

1) Rotations are late and the team is struggling to get out to shooters. Simple stats help out most here. Last season, Orlando gave up 94.4 points per game and 43.3 FG% to go along with 34.2 percent shooting from beyond the arc. This year, those numbers are 95.2 points per game, 45.6 FG% and 38.6 percent from beyond the arc (a better mark than the Magic are actually shooting).

Without even getting into defensive efficiency, it is pretty clear the defense has taken some sort of step back. But thinking about defensive efficiency, Orlando ranks 12th giving up 101.3 points per 100 possessions. Everyone knows last year they led the league last year. Improvements must clearly be made.

2) It is hurting that the anchor is not playing his best. Dwight Howard was truly the defensive player of the year last season with 13.9 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game last year. Everyone should still expect the same rebounding numbers, but the blocks might go back to the mean. But I do not think anyone could expect the way Howard has played early.

So far this season he is averaging 10.7 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per year. Take out Friday's dominating performance against New Jersey and Howard is at 10.6 rebounds and 1.4 blocks.

One game is not going to change a whole lot obviously, but you could clearly see what difference a focused and energetic Dwight Howard on defense can do from his 26 points, 12 rebound, five block performance against New Jersey on Friday.

It is no secret he has struggled with fouls and that Orlando is simply better with Howard on the court. Howard has had only one game this year (the opener against Philadelphia) with less than three fouls. He has already fouled out of two contests this year and had five fouls in two more. That is nearly half the games where Howard has had to struggle through fouls at some point of the game.

Howard obviously NEEDS to be on the court and have the ability to play aggressively. Orlando is just simply a better team with him out there. He has a +12.7 +/- rating per 100 possessions while on the court. The team is -11.9 points per 100 possessions with him off. That is a huge dropoff.

3) The third area the Magic must improve is, I believe, at the point guard. Jameer Nelson has not been himself defensively for the Magic. Nelson is giving up a 50.2% effective field goal percentage so far this year. That's not great, but it's not stifling defense either.

Time and time again this year, we have seen point guards find a way to attack the middle of the paint and that starts with Nelson. In Orlando's three losses, the team has been giving up big stats to opposing point guards -- 21.7 points and 6.3 assists per game.

Mo Williams had his big 28-point night where he could not miss a shot against Orlando. Rodney Stuckey and Will Bynum had a coming out party for the Pistons. And Russell Westbrook had a field day in a 20-point, 10-assist effort in the Thunder's blowout.

Not all of this is Nelson's fault. He has always been a pesky defender, if not an above-average one. Not having Howard behind him -- and everyone -- has absolutely hurt this team. But the league is so point guard-centric now that getting a good defensive effort from Nelson is an absolute must.

He has to do a better job keeping opposing guards out of the paint. It will help tighten up the perimeter defense and keep Howard from further foul trouble.

Rashard Lewis is clearly not going to fix all these things. But with both Lewis and Ryan Anderson coming back tonight, things should steadily improve for a team that can certainly score enough to hide a defensive lapse or two throughout a game.

What They're Saying: Nets vs. Magic 11/13

-The Magic are at a crossroads in their final game without Rashard Lewis tonight. Stan Van Gundy said the team needs to get embarrassed and want to turn things around defensively for the Magic to compete with the East's elite.

-The Nets are winless right now and it is Friday the 13th. Strange things may be afoot as Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel chronicles Orlando's history on Friday the 13th.

-Barring a "miracle" Ryan Anderson will not play tonight, but he is very close to playing and should be suited up for Monday's return extravaganza.

-Chris Douglas-Roberts is back in practice but still feeling the effects from the flu (yes, that flu). He is also battling the burdens of being the first NBA player identified to have contracted the H1N1 virus. The good news is that he expects to be back soon. As does Courtney Lee, who hopes to play tonight after missing the last two games.

-The Nets are shorthanded themselves, writed Fred Kerber of The New York Post, as both Chris Douglas-Roberts and Courtney Lee, who Kerber reports tweaked his injured groin in a practice yesterday, are fighting illnesses/injuries.

-Guess what? Brandon Bass has the flu and will be out for tonight's game, reports Dan Savage of OrlandoMagic.com, Tania Ganguli and Brian Schmitz of The Orlando Sentinel.

-Officially, Lee will be out of tonight's game, reports Al Iannazzone. The good news for New Jersey is that Devin Harris is taking jumpers and should be available again soon.

-Injuries have hurt the Nets a lot, but as Mark Ginocchio of NetsAreScorching analyzes, it is the fact a lot of players have had to play out of position that has kept New Jersey from breaking through for its first win.

-The Nets are awaiting their day in court about the land their new stadium will be built on in Brooklyn.

-Marcin Gortat has not been pleased with the way he has played this year so far and is working to continually improve, writes John Denton of OrlandoMagic.com.

-Magic TV announcer David Steele has noticed the big offensive drop off since Ryan Anderson's injury. The numbers will astound you.

-Magic radio producer (and personality) Scott Anez says Dwight Howard needs to get the joy back in his game to return to last year's form.

Magic Wands: November 13, 2009

-I don't know what to say about the trailer for the movie Who Shot Mamba. But I will say this... "Mesmerizing."

-Nancy Lieberman was named the head coach of the D-League team in Frisco, Texas, last week. Could she be the first female head coach in the NBA? Next season will be very interesting down in Texas, that is for sure.

-NBA referee Dick Bavetta tells The Orlando Sentinel he might retire at the end of the season.

-Can you name the leaders in points, rebounds, steals and assists for all 30 NBA teams?

-New Jersey's Chris Douglas-Roberts has been diagnosed with swine flu, the first case involving an NBA player. I wish CDR a quick recovery.

-Kareem Abdul-Jabbar announced Monday that he has been diagnosed with leukemia, but that his doctors say the prognosis is good.

-ESPN says Orlando is the second best team... OF THE FUTURE!.

-Fans in the cheap seats of the Amway Center, and in the Amway Center period, will get treated to the largest scoreboard in the NBA. As Alex Martins tells Mark Schlueb of The Orlando Sentinel, this scoreboard is a state-of-the-art HD television that makes the current jumbotron look like a fuzzy 19 inch television. Exciting.

-From the makers of Stan Van Pac-Man, it's Whack a Shaq!

-I was on the Daily Dime Live chat during Wednesday's game and asked what was wrong with Orlando's defense and John Hollinger responded thusly: "I think it's multiple things Phil. First, the D at the point of attack isn't as good. Second, Howard is picking up fouls at an alarming rate, costing them their main interior deterent for long stretches. And of course working in new pieices who don't have a history of going lights out on D (Bass, Carter, Anderson, Williams) is another factor."

-Ex-Gator Joakim Noah has made a Chicago Tribune columnist eat his words, literally.

-LeBron James wants to sell more jerseys... I mean honor Michael Jordan and change his number from No. 23 to No. 6.

Cleveland Cavaliers 102, Orlando Magic 93

The themes are getting somewhat redundant.

Dwight Howard in foul trouble. Reliance on the outside shot. Opposing point guards having big games. Defense struggling.

Orlando continued to struggle putting together a complete game and effort as they seem willing to coast until the games matter a little bit more. Cleveland was inspired and well rested and took advantage of the sluggish home team in a 102-93 rout that was much closer than the final score.

The litany of problems started when Dwight Howard picked up his second foul within the first three minutes of the game. It was clear the Cavaliers wanted to test their new toy in Shaquille O'Neal and looked for him early and often. Howard was not playing poor defense, but was using his hands a little too much and got the early whistle.

His defense early was indicative of how the Magic were going to play on that end all night until the middle of the fourth quarter. It seemed like no one was willing to get down and play defense as cutters came free through the lane and LeBron James and Shaquille O'Neal easily found them with Howard out.

The only saving grace in the first half was that like the Cavaliers, the Magic were shooting above 50 percent. But the way the game was going, it was clear that was not going to last throughout.

Cleveland had 66 points at the half and a 15-point lead. How did the Cavaliers build the lead?

James was his usual self. He looked motivated and determined for much of the night and despite good defense, he was hitting shots. It is LeBron so you can deal with it. James had 36 points on 13 of 23 shooting.

The difference tonight, compared to the Eastern Conference Finals, was Mo Williams. In a disturbing trend of opposing point guards, Williams torched Jameer Nelson the entire night, hitting his first nine shots and scoring 20-plus points by halftime. Williams cooled off but had 28 points and six assists on 12 of 20 shooting. That did not happen in May last year.

The cause for concern though was that Williams was initiating the offense and forcing the Magic to react. With Howard out of the game, it was easier to attack the basket. But things were too easy for Williams. Nelson is not a great defender, but he has always been pesky. That peskiness seems to be gone.

Remember what Raymond Felton did to him last night or Russell Westbrook a few nights before? How about Will Bynum and Rodney Stuckey against the Pistons? This is not the first time and that is a worrisome trend.

This to me was a game of worrisome trends. The defense was obviously struggling until the Cavaliers took their foot off the pedal in the fourth quarter -- the Magic's intensity picked up but the Cavs did not match suit in scoring 14 points in the final quarter and letting the final margin drop to single digits.

Howard had a tough time staying on the floor and that set the tone for the entire game. With Howard out, the team had to settle for jumpers and because Howard was out they were not making them -- four for 18 from beyond the arc.

More interestingly, I believe the Magic are missing Ryan Anderson and Rashard Lewis more than ever. It was clear in this game that a traditional power forward does not work in this system -- no offense to Brandon Bass. Howard and Marcin Gortat had their moments where they worked well together, but it just does not work.

The Magic have been able to cancel out the Cavaliers' superior rebounding abilities with the stretch-4. But with Bass or Gortat in next to Howard, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Shaquille O'Neal and Anderson Varejao were able to attack the glass much better than they had in Magic games past.

Orlando still got a fair amount of offensive rebounds, and Howard got much more aggressive as the game got further out of reach knowing his team needed his effort to get back, but the way Cleveland rebounded and easily got back to the 3-point line was a complete turnaround from last year's matchups (and even the year before's).

The crazy part is only Williams and James really scored a ton of points. The Cavaliers had only one other player in double figures -- O'Neal with 10 -- and two players with nine points. The Magic's balanced offense should still be able to compete with this team.

I think Cleveland can better defend Orlando now that O'Neal can adequately defend Howard one on one and occupy him more defensively, but that does not make them a better team. Like the Magic, the Cavaliers are still learning how to play with each other.

Orlando is getting there, but it is discouraging that the team has not put together a complete 48-minute effort yet this season. There are some worrying trends, but it is hard not to be optimistic with just one game left on Rashard Lewis' suspension.

After that, the turnaround better begin if this team is serious about contending for a title or content with being the third best team in the East.

What They're Saying: Cavaliers vs. Magic 11/11

-Fans in the cheap seats of the Amway Center, and in the Amway Center period, will get treated to the largest scoreboard in the NBA. As Alex Martins tells Mark Schlueb of The Orlando Sentinel, this scoreboard is a state-of-the-art HD television that makes the current jumbotron look like a fuzzy 19 inch television. Exciting.

-Vince Carter made a surprise return in last night's win over Charlotte and made an immediate impact with 15 points. He expects to start tonight against Cleveland.

-The NBA fined Dwight Howard $15, 000 for comments he made on his blog criticizing officials. Stan Van Gundy was cautious in talking about Cleveland's extended break before this game because of it.

-Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel compares Dwight Howard's numbers to Shaquille O'Neal's.

-George Diaz of The Orlando Sentinel declares war on the Cleveland media after the Cleveland Plain-Dealer fired the first shot in an article yesterday. And the Plain Dealer returned fire.

-The LeBron James drama will affect the Cavaliers, whether they like it or not writes Brian Schmitz of The Orlando Sentinel.

-Mike Bianchi of The Orlando Sentinel writes that Shaquille O'Neal's presence has made the LeBrons the Magic's biggest rival.

-JJ Hickson played very well according to coach Mike Brown and in Friday's win over New York, helping Hickson earn his second straight start for tonight's game in Orlando. That of course send Anderson "Flopsy" Varejao to the bench where the Cavaliers are suddenly looking a little deeper with Delonte West and Zydrunas Ilgauskas joining him there.

-The Starting Blocks of The Cleveland Plain-Dealer responds to a Michael Wilbon column that suggests the Cavaliers should acquire Allen Iverson. Surprisingly, the vote is 50-50. Look Cavs fans, there is only one ball and LeBron and Shaq will have enough trouble sharing it. You have already wrecked a good thing by acquiring Shaq, don't screw yourself by overthinking with the Answer.

-Orlando is still far from playing championship-caliber basketball, but no matter how you look at things the team played solid basketball last night in Charlotte, writes Ben Q Rock of 3rd Quarter Collapse.

-From the makers of Stan Van Pac-Man, it's Whack a Shaq!

-Tania Ganguli of the Magic BasketBlog on OrlandoSentinel.com digs through the Sentinel's archives to chronicle Shaquille O'Neal's time with the Magic.

-Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel talked with Hubie Brown, who will call tonight's game for ESPN, about the matchup between the two Eastern Conference finalists.

-Zach McCann of Orlando Magic Daily writes how the Magic were clicking on most cylinders in last night's win over the Bobcats.

-John Krolik of Cavs: The Blog says it is awfully tough to blame Cleveland's offensive struggles on John Kuester's departure.

-Brian Windhorst of the Cleveland Plain Dealer previews tonight's game and advises not to put too much stock into the result of tonight's game. But even though that is the case, be wary of the O'Neal-Howard matchup. It will provide something of a playoff preview.

-RockKing of Waiting for Next Year fears the worst as a Cavs fan both on the court and the highlights ESPN might show.

-Jacob Rosen of Waiting for Next Year polled a few sports writers to try and figure out what is wrong with the Cavs so far this season.

-Maxwell Effort of The Puns Are Starting to Bore Me writes an appreciation of Shaquille O'Neal now that he is entering the twilight of his career.

-John Denton of OrlandoMagic.com finds the Eastern Conference finalists in transition as they meet for the first time since that "lopsided" series.

Orlando Magic 93, Charlotte Bobcats 81

Orlando is still in search of a 48-minute effort. The kind of game where the team knows that it put in a good night's work and completely buried an inferior opponent.

It looked like the Magic would run roughshod all over the Bobcats after building a 22-point second-quarter lead and getting 15 points from Vince Carter in a surprise return. That was not how this one would go. Charlotte rallied to pull within six points at the end of the third quarter as the offense began to sputter.

Stan Van Gundy wanted defense. His team delivered in the fourth quarter, holding the horribly inefficient Charlotte team to 10 points in the final quarter. His team hit enough big shots, including a big three by Jameer Nelson with about three minutes to play to extend the lead permanently into double figures for a 93-81 win.

Defense was the key word tonight and the Magic came out with the intensity and focus they needed to create another strong offensive start and another double-digit first-quarter lead. Orlando was up 35-23 after one quarter behind some strong play from Brandon Bass -- 12 of his 14 points in the quarter.

Things were made easy as it was finally Howard who got his opponent in foul trouble as Tyson Chandler was a non-factor thanks to some early foul trouble. Howard had his way in the post to the tune of 15 points, 10 rebounds and six assists.

Defense was, again, the key word and Orlando began to struggle in the third quarter. The Bobcats were shooting a woeful 36 percent from the field entering the game, but found a way to put up 30 points in the third quarter to close the game to within six.

A few things happened in this quarter that gave Orlando problems.

First, the offense became much less patient. The ball movement and attacking style that opened up shots in the first half stopped as the team settled more for quick jumpers and failed to get Howard the ball inside. Howard attempted only two free throws tonight and had 13 shots. Charlotte, in not having Chandler for most of the game, really did not have anyone to defend him and Howard got five of his six assists in the first half.

The quick shooting helped the speedy and versatile Bobcats get on the break more too. Raymond Felton gave Orlando particular problems in the third quarter. The North Carolina product finished with 18 points, most of it coming in the third quarter. These fast point guards getting penetration is becoming a theme after what Russell Westbrook and Will Bynum were able to do in the Magic's other losses.

Boris Diaw's versatility also gave Orlando problems in the third. Even though he shot only seven of 18 from the floor, he finished with 14 points and eight assists. His driving ability gave Brandon Bass some issues defensively. This is remedied by Rashard Lewis' return and luckily Diaw is not as efficient in this offense as he was in Phoenix's.

Otherwise, Orlando played an outstanding defensive game. The team was able to force Charlotte into a lot of turnovers and mistakes, 17 turnovers on 10 steals to be exact. And 10 points in the fourth quarter says everything it needed to say.

I would have liked to have seen Orlando take control in the third quarter and put the game far out of reach. The team still seems to be missing that killer instinct to bury its opponents. But this was also a good sign. The Magic never gave up the lead and fought off the rally to get a solid win on the road.

Will that work against a team like Cleveland tomorrow night? Probably not. The extend the lead in the third quarter thing might be better.

But certainly seeing Carter back in the lineup and playing well -- although not going to the basket as much -- was very encouraging indeed. As this team gets healthier, more of the pieces will fall into place.

What They're Saying: Magic vs. Bobcats 11/10

-Even if Vince Carter returns tonight, Stan Van Gundy wants the Magic the recommit to the defensive end starting tonight against the Bobcats.

-Always mindful of the future, the Clevleand LeBrons have been off since defeating the Knicks on Firday. They travel to Amway Arena tomorrow night. Fun.

-The NBA's leading rebounder will be on the floor tonight in Charlotte. Unfortunately he will be wearing the white pinstripes of the Bobcats and his name is Gerald Wallace, who thinks he can continue his 13-plus rebound per game pace despite being a 6-foot-7 wing player.

-Ben Q Rock of 3rd Quarter Collapse fears the Bobcats' poor offensive stats will lead to the Magic taking a breather on defense (AGAIN). I, personally, don't see that. This has vengeance game written all over it (as tomorrow's game against Cleveland has extreme focus written all over it).

-Zach McCann of Orlando Magic Daily, for one, is not worried about the Magic's sloppy play. I agree with most, if not all, of his points. But I am worried about the defense at the moment. I see things getting better once Rashard Lewis returns.

-On (or near) the top of Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer's Inside the NBA blog is news that four Bobcats -- Gerald Wallace, Tyson Chandler, Raymond Felton and Boris Diaw -- are on the All Star ballot released today. Also, Vince Carter and Ryan Anderson will be out and the frustration of their absences is starting to build on Stan Van Gundy, who said he cannot progress the team and integrate the new players the way he would like without them on the court or practice floor.

-David Arnott of Rufus on Fire sees this game as another opportunity for the Bobcats to beat an undermanned opponent (especially with the Magic likely resting Carter for tomorrow's matchup with the LeBrons). On top of that, Charlotte is undefeated at home and has some pretty good pump up music.

-Dwight Howard, Jameer Nelson, Rashard Lewis and Vince Carter have been named to the NBA All Star Ballot as voting begins today.

-John Denton of OrlandoMagic.com excuses Stan Van Gundy for his sky is falling mantra, but says the strong offense has hidden the change in Orlando's defensive mindset.

-Official injury updates from Dan Savage with OrlandoMagic.com. Both Vince Carter and Ryan Anderson have been ruled out for tonight after not participating in today's shootaround.

-George Diaz of the Orlando Sentinel forgot that the game against the LeBrons is tomorrow night and not tonight and decided to play therapist for LeBron and Shaq the night before the big game.

-It appears Shaquille O'Neal has backed off (or is trying to back off) some of his statements from last year concerning Dwight Howard and the "Master of Panic" Stan Van Gundy. As the AP headline reads, "A Much Calmer Shaquille O'Neal ready to face Rival Orlando Magic." But I think after reading the lead you will see, O'Neal still harbors some ill will.

Missing Rashard Lewis

Stan Van Gundy spent much of his postgame press conference last night in Oklahoma City questioning the mental makeup of his team. Where was the commitment to defense that helped push the Magic to the NBA Finals last year? Where was the aggressive offensive mentality that made jacking up 20-plus 3-pointers a game acceptable because the offense would continue to produce even if they did not fall?

Where, in other words, was the Orlando Magic? Where have they been this entire season?

Just take a look at the first seven games of this season and it has become clear Orlando is riding its offense to a 5-2 record and not its defense.

There is no single cure to fixing this problem. But bet that the return of Vince Carter from injury will help immensely.

So will the return of Rashard Lewis from his suspension one week from today.

And it is the return of Lewis that I think will put the Magic back over the top and where they need to be for the rest of the season.

The extended absences Orlando has had to deal with this season have had a pretty big effect on how the team plays. Since Vince Carter's injury against the Nets a few weeks ago, Orlando has been stretched very thin by injuries and it is clear that the new players are still trying to figure out Stan Van Gundy's scheme.

But with Carter, Lewis and now Ryan Anderson out of the lineup, defensive worries have taken a backseat to making sure the offense still works.

Maybe that opening night blowout of the 76ers was a bad thing. Maybe scoring 125 points against Toronto and masking a defense that gave up 115 was a bad thing.

Maybe this Orlando squad needs more games where they struggle like in Detroit or like last night in Oklahoma City.

Maybe the Magic just need Rashard Lewis back and some order and stability.

Lewis' presence has been sorely missed these first seven games even if the Magic's record does not show it. With Lewis and Carter out, Orlando is a very young team, lacking the veteran poise needed to integrate and teach the team's newcomers.

Sure Ryan Anderson has been able to adequately replace Lewis beyond the arc. But has he been able to provide the versatile defense Lewis has or the understanding of Stan Van Gundy's defensive schemes? Not quite.

Has he been there to set the example for Carter and what Orlando Magic deefense means?

It seems clear to me that with all these players out with injuries that Orlando's bench is trying to do too much. Anderson is making his 3-pointers and taking shots when he gets them, but he is nowhere near the driver or shooter that Lewis is.

Lewis' return will be a stabilizing force for this team for sure. It will allow players like Anderson and JJ Redick to play more within their roles and not have to worry about the scoring load and making up for those player's production so much.

If you ask me, the reason Orlando got thumped by Oklahoma City was that Orlando's players psychologically felt they had to make up for load of lost offensive production. That will be different the second game without those three players.

With Lewis back, Redick and Anderson can focus more on their true roles for the team. They can provide the shooting that they are known for, but also the effort defensively.

This Magic team, despite the acquisition of Carter, is not a team that needs someone scoring 25-30 points a night. They need three or four guys around 20 points a game, so that the players can focus its energy more on defense.

More than anything, Lewis' return will take a strain off the offense and allow the players to refocus their efforts on defense. I am afraid that until next Monday, the team will continue to rely on its shot-making ability to win games and forsake defense.

Hopefully that bad habit will not carry over once Lewis and Carter return.

Oklahoma City Thunder 102, Orlando Magic 74

Circle November 18 on the schedule and get ready for Charlotte on Tuesday. That is about all Orlando can take out of tonight's crushing loss to Oklahoma City at the Ford Center. The Thunder took a close game in the second quarter and turned it into a rout, running and shooting circles around a short-handed Magic team for a 102-74 win.

The score, for once, is as bad as the game indicated.

Oklahoma City abused Orlando on offense, playing much the same way Orlando is accustomed to playing offensively. The Thunder hit a barrage of 3-pointers behind Russell Westbrook and Thabo Sefolosha before Kevin Durant took over in taking to the basket.

That formula persisted throughout the rest of the game as the Magic could not figure out how to make any baskets. And I mean ANY baskets.

Orlando had a 25-23 lead after one quarter and were outscored 79-49 in the next 36 minutes, failing to score 20 points in the final three quarters. This was a close game at one point, but the Magic just could not get into a flow offensively and the they continued to struggle defensively.

Clearly their offense cannot carry them all the way to victories on every night. The defense has to show up and play well on nights when shots do not fall.

Orlando was without Ryan Anderson and Vince Carter. And for the first time all season it certainly mattered. The Magic sorely missed their outside shooting ability as it was on Dwight Howard's shoulders to carry the team. He did fine in the first half, scoring 15, but he had only five points the rest of the way when fouls and frustration caught up with him.

No one else could really score as JJ Redick went cold going 2 for 11 from the field and Jameer Nelson, trying as hard as he could, only managed 10 points on 4-for-10 shooting. Orlando shot just 3 for 16 from beyond the arc.

On the other side, Oklahoma City had four players in double figures, led by Kevin Durant's 28, and hit 9 of its 16 3-point attempts after coming into the game shooting near 35 percent from beyond the arc. The defense struggled throughout the night containing Durant and the shooters and part of that can be attributed to a lack of perimeter depth. Part of it to something else.

This is the kind of game where everything went wrong and it affected every aspect of the game.

The bottom line though, is the defense has to improve. The Magic are not the same defensive team as they were last year. Part of that is fact Carter is not 100 percent. Part of it is something else. Tough for me to figure out since my free NBA League Pass ran out last week.

I do not want to be Charlotte on Tuesday night because Orlando tends to have very good games after performances like these. But it has been a long time since the Magic have been outplayed like this, and it has been a long time since they have given up on a game like they did tonight.

Either way, Stan Van Gundy will be recanting his statements from Tuesday night after the loss to the Pistons... this is the worst game the Magic have played since the 2003-04 21-61 season. Something needs to change.

What They're Saying: Magic vs. Thunder 11/8

-Dwight Howard is getting really tired of the hard fouls he has to suffer through this (early) season. Brian Schmitz of The Orlando Sentinel tries to get to the bottom of what the team -- including Howard, Otis Smith, Patrick Ewing and Stan Van Gundy -- are trying to do to fix this problem or at least survive it.

-Looks like Orlando is going to be short-handed once again. Ryan Anderson has been ruled out for tonight's game against the Thunder and Vince Carter is doubtful. The Magic recognize they have depth and are looking to have their horses completely ready for the stretch run.

-Tania Ganguli of The Orlando Sentinel gives you five reasons to follow the Oklahoma City Thunder (aka the Zombies).

-More on Stan Van Gundy's breakdown of Orlando's defensive numbers. Either way they need to get to where the top teams are if the Magic are serious about winning a title.

-Etan Thomas of the Oklahoma City Thunder is more than just a basketball player.

-Mike Baldwin of the Oklahoman explains youth is no longer an excuse for Oklahoma City.

-Brian Schmitz of The Orlando Sentinel reports Matt Barnes will play tonight despite having flu-like symptoms and Vince Carter will participate in shootaround but will not play either.

-Shaun Livingston and D.J. White are still trying to break Scott Brooks' nine-man rotation and despite playing in the Thunder's last game, may not make the court tonight against the Magic.

-Thunder coach Scott Brooks does not like mixing up his lineup a whole lot, but the Magic could see Etan Thomas in the starting lineup instead of Nenad Krstic because of Thomas' strong play so far this season.

Orlando Magic 110, Detroit Pistons 103

Orlando was determined to make better on its effort from a disappointing loss Tuesday night in Detroit. Its fast start helped the team build a large lead that seemed to let the team coast to the finish. Things seemed right in the world.

Then Charlie Villanueva, the free agent acquisition who did not do much Tuesday night, decided to show up and prove why he is worth the money he earned this summer.

Villanueva scored 22 of his 28 points in the final quarter, helping Detroit finally get over the hump and close in on Orlando. His run got the Pistons to within six, but Jameer Nelson and Matt Barnes had the big shots the Magic needed for a 110-103 win.

Orlando got anything and everything it wanted early to build up a 19-point lead. The Magic got out to a 13-2 start and played with the type of energy they lacked Tuesday night in Detroit. More importantly, Dwight Howard was aggressive but not reckless early and set himself and his teammates up for success.

Howard finished the evening with 22 points and 12 rebounds, but more importantly three assists. He has gotten a lot more patient in the post and when he works as a distributor and a scorer, the Magic are simply unstoppable on offense.

The problems for Orlando, of course, came in the third and fourth quarter. The Magic had a 15-point lead at the half and 14 -point lead at the end of three after surviving a few mini-runs. The final onslaught came in the fourth behind Villanueva's strong play.

But that confidence could arguably be built by what the Pistons were able to do to Howard. Howard got into foul trouble again in the third quarter after largely staying out of that column of the box score in the first half.

Howard has not had this many issues with foul trouble in his career and it is something concerning. I was unable to watch this game (listened to it on the radio), but it seems like the perimeter defense is just not where it was last year and the team is relying even more on Howard as a last line of defense. He fouled out again tonight in the waning seconds of the game.

The defensive efficiency is not anywhere near last season's level and that is very concerning. While Orlando is able to seemingly score at well, we have also seen the offense grounded to a halt. With Ryan Anderson day-to-day after spraining his ankle in the third quarter tonight, the offense is reliable but not the crux of a championship team.

Howard is still a great deterrent, but the perimeter defense has to improve. Detroit's guards are faster than most backcourts, but Orlando had problems with them again -- Ben Gordon and Rodney Stuckey combined for 39 points.

Luckily for the Magic, Jameer Nelson was able to rally the troops with a six-point lead and help the Magic stave off the Pistons and get the win.

Vince Carter's absence is probably hurting a little bit at this point, but this team is still settling in. We have seen them be an offensive juggernaut, but I am still curious how the team responds defensively when the shots stop falling like they did tonight.

They scratched and clawed their way to a win, but the Magic had plenty of opportunities to really put the Pistons away and failed to do so.

What They're Saying: Pistons vs. Magic 11/6

-Stan Van Gundy tells Mike Bianchi of The Orlando Sentinel that he does not expect Vince Carter to play in tonight's game.

-Rookie Austin Daye had played only five minutes of playing time entering Wednesday's game. He then earned some run and got 16 against Toronto on Wednesday. The rookie is still adjusting to his playing time and the role he is going to play, but that is part of the growing experience, writes Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press.

-Ted Kulfan of the Detroit News has more on Austin Daye.

-The countdown to Rashard Lewis' return is slowly coming to an end. And Stan Van Gundy says it will bring a change to the lineup despite Ryan Anderson's strong play. Lewis will be back in the starting lineup when he returns to the lineup against Charlotte on November 16.

-A large free throw deficit doomed the Pistons in Wednesday's loss to the Raptors. Orlando did not take advantage of the free throw line in Tuesday's loss, that is something the team will look to correct this time around.

-Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press reports that even though it seems like Tayshaun Prince, who will miss his third straight game tonight, is expendable that he is not on the trade block.

-Zach McCann of Orlando Magic Daily explains why Ryan Anderson has no need for the mid-range jumper.

Magic Wands: November 6, 2009

-Here are the excerpts to the Tim Donaghy book (via Deadspin). I post this because its contents DO matter to everyone who is an NBA fan. I think you will find that the accusations seem a little over the top, but do sometimes ring true and kind of make sense (in a non-cheating way too). Some of the accusations are also hard to believe considering the source. I will say that it is painfully obvious why the book is not going to be published. Donaghy's writing is very poor.

-Oh free NBA League Pass, we hardly knew ye.

-Love him or hate him, Bill Walton will be missed from the airwaves. One last time: "Throw it down, big man!"

-The line attached to the Magic in this Ball Don't Lie power rankings is too funny not to post. Speaking of which, I never saw "Zombieland."

-It took a week for the national media to get attached to Stan Van Gundy's introductions at opening night. Us, well, it's just Stan.

-Details of Disney's transformation of Wide World of Sports using the ESPN brand.

-The Basketball Jones takes a look at NBA costumes from this past Halloween.

-Happy Topping off Amway Center!

-Vince Carter, hall of famer?

-An incredibly addictive game involving Stan Van Gundy eating the Detroit Pistons. You will never be happier to hear "Deeetroit Bassssketball"