The Curse of the Big Aristotle

Magic Wands: December 4, 2009

2009-12-04T12:00:00.001-05:00

-Some scientists have discovered the way to make the perfect free throw (courtesy of Ball Don't Lie).

A Message to My Readers

2009-11-30T12:00:00.000-05:00

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

2009-11-30T00:37:00.005-05:00

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

2009-11-29T16:00:00.005-05:00

-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

2009-11-29T01:16:00.005-05:00

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

2009-11-28T19:00:00.007-05:00

-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

2009-11-28T08:00:00.000-05:00

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

2009-11-27T12:00:00.004-05:00

-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

2009-11-26T22:47:00.002-05:00

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

2009-11-26T18:00:00.006-05:00

-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

2009-11-26T12:00:00.000-05:00

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

2009-11-25T17:30:00.005-05:00

-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

2009-11-20T22:44:00.003-05:00

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

2009-11-20T18:00:00.006-05:00

-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

2009-11-20T12:00:00.008-05:00

-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

2009-11-18T17:00:00.006-05:00

-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

2009-11-18T10:30:00.000-05:00

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

2009-11-17T14:40:00.007-05:00

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

2009-11-16T17:00:00.007-05:00

-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

2009-11-16T12:45:00.000-05:00

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

2009-11-13T17:00:00.007-05:00

-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

2009-11-13T12:00:00.009-05:00

-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

2009-11-11T23:45:00.000-05:00

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

2009-11-11T18:00:00.008-05:00

-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

2009-11-10T21:30:00.000-05:00

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

2009-11-10T17:00:00.002-05:00

-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

2009-11-09T13:00:00.000-05:00

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

2009-11-08T21:35:00.000-05:00

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

2009-11-08T17:00:00.008-05:00

-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

2009-11-06T21:52:00.002-05:00

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

2009-11-06T17:00:00.002-05:00

-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

2009-11-06T12:00:00.009-05:00

-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"

What They're Saying: Suns vs. Magic 11/4

2009-11-04T17:00:00.006-05:00

-Orlando continues to be bedeviled at the Palace of Auburn Hills after earning its first loss of the season last night in Detroit.

-Dwight Howard was caught on FSFlorida cursing after he fouled out of last night's game. Don't blame the guy. Through four games, he is getting beat up worse than usual and generally having to suffer it. Hopefully he can keep his composure and calmly express his complaints during the game, but he does need to make people afraid to foul him. Making free throws, which he has been doing the last two games, is a good start.

-Don't expect Mickael Pietrus to suit up for Orlando, writes Brian Schmitz of The Orlando Sentinel, even though the team has returned home. Pietrus has been feeling better and has been shooting at RDV SportsPlex. Vince Carter is still questoinable.

-Phoenix has a new friend -- the zone defense. It helped the Suns erase a double-digit deficit and hold off the Heat down in Miami. Steve Nash's 25 point, six assist second half did not hurt either.

-Leandro Barbosa sat out last night's game in Miami with a sprained right wrist. Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic reports that it has been bothering Barbosa and he was struggling to catch and shoot the ball before the game last night. He will be re-evaluated before tonight's game.

-Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic says Dwight Howard might be "ornery" after last night's performance, but Amare Stoudemire will ask him and the Magic defense to pick their poison in covering him in the pick and roll.

-Orlando is not in "sky is falling mode" yet, Ben Q Rock of 3rd Quarter Collapse writes, but the Magic could be heading for a rut after an extremely lackluster performance last night in Detroit.

-PhoenixStan of Bright Side of the Sun takes a look at the other big matchup of the game tonight. While the media might be focusing on Dwight Howard's battle with Amare Stoudemire, it is actually Jameer Nelson and Stave Nash we should be watching.

-Tyler Lockman of The Valley of the Suns is still pretty impressed with Phoenix's defensive performance last night and says the fact Howard's shoulder is still sore is something working in Stoudemire's and Phoenix's favor tonight in Orlando.

-Dwight Howard is still not feeling great about his shoulder... or the refs.

-Phoenix took advantage of an odd Miami lineup to improve to 4-0 and erase a double-digit deficit last night in South Florida, writes Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

-Zone defense and a strong fourth quarter were enough for Phoenix to improve to 4-0 for the first time in five years.

-Detroit's quick lineup and attack on Dwight Howard was enough to get them a big win last night at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

-Zach McCann of Orlando Magic Daily further breaks down Orlando's crushing loss to Detroit last night.

-Deep Purple grades the Suns on last night's win. The defense was a surprising B+, the offense a steady B.

Detroit Pistons 85, Orlando Magic 80

2009-11-04T00:46:00.005-05:00

There may have been some new faces in the lineup in that familiar red, white and blue. There may have been some familiar faces sitting on the bench with injuries, providing Orlando some hope of stealing a victory. But, oh that result just remained the same.

Frustration. Floundering. Flustering.

Just another game with the Detroit Pistons.

Orlando and Detroit were in a real defensive slugfest tied at 77 late in the fourth quarter. But the speedy Pistons got to Dwight Howard and Marcin Gortat and outscored the Magic 8-3 in the final moments to take an 85-80 win at the Palace of Auburn Hills on Tuesday night.

The familiar frustrating Pistons defense bottled up Dwight Howard, who fouled out in 17 minutes after scoring eight points and grabbing five rebounds. Detroit just knows how to defend Howard, it does not matter who is in uniform for them.

With Howard on the bench in foul trouble for most of the game -- and on the bench for parts of the third quarter after re-aggravating the shoulder he strained in Sunday's win over Toronto -- Detroit proceeded to attack the tired and undermanned Orlando defense.

Stan Van Gundy admitted as much after the game that Vince Carter could not keep anyone in front of him and that is probably why Carter was sitting on the bench for the entire fourth quarter.

Carter, in his defense, was returning from a one-game absence after spraining his ankle Friday night in New Jersey. Vince finished with 15 points in 30 minutes.

With those two players struggling throughout the night, the offense stagnated for the first time all season. Orlando shot 10 of 35 from beyond the arc and were reluctant to get to the basket. The team had just 16 free throw attempts.

Detroit, on the other hand, used its unconventional three-guard backcourt of Will Bynum, Rodney Stuckey and Ben Gordon to speed its way past Orlando. The Pistons hit on 31 of their 38 free throw attempts. Bynum especially found himself in the paint for much of the night and especially late on his way to 20 points for the game.

The only good news is that the Magic held the Pistons under 40 percent shooting for the night. Not sure how much of it was their defense (I was only able to watch the second half), but the rotations generally looked better. It was hard to tell since Orlando was not making anyone pay tonight, missing open shots and settling for jumpers. That is the simple way to shoot 36.7 percent (29 for 79) from the floor.

That is not beating anybody, even on this night.

Kudos to the Magic for hanging in there tonight and sticking with the defensive gameplan. They kept fighting and scratching even with Howard out and Carter clearly not at 100 percent. The agression was not there and it was clear the team was still a little gassed after playing only nine players in Sunday's game (even after taking Monday off).

They clearly were not ready for the speed the Pistons had and looked, well, a little old at times.

You cannot win all 82 games and I was kind of hoping the Magic would get served some humble pie and mortality. They certainly learned they are not going to shoot 50 percent every game and will have to rely on their defense. Offensively, this was a freak game where shots would not fall and with Howard out, no one could create near the basket -- especially with Ben Wallace becoming Ben Wallace again.

A quick turnaround to play undefeated Phoenix will be another stiff challenge tomorrow. I am more interested to see how this team responds to the defeat in tomorrow night's game.

What They're Saying: Magic vs. Pistons 11/3

2009-11-03T17:30:00.002-05:00

-Ryan Anderson has stepped up in Rashard Lewis' absence, being the second-leading scorer on the team. But even he knows that the will have to step down when Lewis returns.

-Dwight Howard's free throws made the Raptors pay Sunday and will become important as the season progresses. Also Vince Carter worked out on his own to test his sprained left ankle.

-Both Dwight's speed and quickness should make the Pistons cry for help, Ted Kulfan of The Detroit News writes. Also, Richard Hamilton will be out with a sprained right ankle.

-Ben Wallace seriously thought about retirement after Phoenix bought out the last year of his contract. But Wallace, writes Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press, has been a revelation in Detroit and is finding his second wind.

-The Puns are Starting to Bore Me took the time to break down the raw defensive numbers (not advanced numbers) for Orlando's defense. The number are not encouraging for a team that has prided itself on defense the last few years. But the question the blog asks: "Should we be worried three games into the season?"

-Detroit BadBoys has some reaction to the news that Richard Hamilton will miss tonight's game. It certainly hurts the PIstons overall depth and what they can do offensively with a small lineup.

-PistonPowered scouts everyone's favorite Evans High School alum, Chucky Atkins.

-Vince Carter will start tonight for the Magic while the Pistons will be without Tayshaun Prince tonight and Friday night, John Denton of OrlandoMagic.com reports.

Orlando Magic 125, Toronto Raptors 116

2009-11-01T16:08:00.000-05:00

The offensive juggernaut known as the Orlando Magic rolled into Toronto minus three starters. The 3-pointers were falling and even Dwight Howard was making his free throws.

The defense? Still stuck in customs.

The Magic have certainly proved that they are an incredibly deep, offensive team, topping the Raptors 125-116 with Vince Carter out with an ankle injury and Mickael Pietrus on a plane back to Orlando with flu-like symptoms and a high fever. But the defense continued to be a source of concern as the Magic improved to 3-0.

A win is a win and you can take that for whatever it's worth. And the Magic did still manage to outscore the Raptors with Carter and Pietrus not in uniform and only nine guys available. But Toronto is not exactly known for its defensive prowess.

Orlando jumped out early, gaining a 22-point lead at one point in the second quarter. JJ Redick and Ryan Anderson were letting the 3-pointers fly and everything seemed to be rolling, even as Toronto shot nearly 60 percent in the first half.

The Raptors closed to within 11 by the end of the first half and kept the game within striking range for much of the contest. They never could close much closer than six, but the threat of Toronto loomed large throughout.

The team is much-improved on offense because of the addition of Hedo Turkoglu (19 points), but moreso because of the improvement of Andrea Bargnani. Bargnani torched the Magic with 26 points on four-of-five 3-point shooting. Bargnani was having a field day working switched between Howard and Anderson or the slow rotation to the top of the key of either Anderson or Brandon Bass.

Orlando really had no answer for any pick and roll involving him as the team just hoped he would cool down.

Fortunately for the Magic, the Raptors had no answer for them on the defensive end. Jameer Nelson played like an All Star, leading the team with 30 points and five assists. He hit a bunch of big shots with the Raptors closing in and had the ball in his hands late in the game with the decision still up in the air. Nelson attacked the hoop tenaciously and had his first really good game of the year.

No talk of the offense would be complete without mention sir Jeremy Clay Redick. JJ had 27 points and hit five of his eight 3-point attempts to help Orlando build its lead in the first half and maintain it throughout the second. He did a good job with shot fakes and drawing fouls (six of seven from the line on the day) and even attacked the basket.

This was a breakout performance for Redick and by far his best in a Magic uniform. He outplayed Matt Barnes throughout the night and even made some big steals late.

To be fair, Barnes is still the better defender and his size was more of a nuisance to Turkoglu than Redick was. Barnes also had six steal to go along with 12 points and nine rebounds. He did a good job poking at the ball and got his hands dirty on defense to come up with a few nice steals.

But the defense is still bothersome and makes this win bittersweet. As I explained to a friend, Orlando did score 125 points, but what happens when Boston holds the team to 93. Can the Magic hold the Celtics to 92?

At this point the answer is no.

It just looks like the team is not on the same page defensively yet. At least not for a full game. There were a lot of unusual combinations out on the floor tonight, but it looked like everyone was playing a little too overagressive -- especially Howard showing on the pick and roll. Rotations were late and players were left open for threes or given pretty open lanes to attack the basket.

Howard was not quite the deterrant he usually was as he was often pulled away from the basket to defend Chris Bosh or Bargnani. Howard was also clearly frustrated with the Raptors' physical play on him throughout the contest. He finished with a struggling 24 points, but only on five of 13 shooting. Luckily he hit on 14 of his 16 free throw attempts. No clue where the Magic would have been without that performance.

Bosh took advantage of Howard's frustrations and Toronto's versatility with 35 points.

Toronto is certainly a pesky team for Orlando and it always has been in the Bosh era. Bosh gives the Magic a lot of matchup problems and the lack of depth from missing Carter and Pietrus definitely hurt as Orlando tried to hang onto the lead.

The defense is still very concerning, but a win is a win at this point of hte season and there is plenty of time to get everything on the right page. The offense is clicking and that is enough to keep Orlando more than afloat at this point.

Orlando Magic 95, New Jersey Nets 85

2009-10-30T23:00:00.001-04:00

Vince Carter stole the headlines before, making his first trip to New Jersey since the summer's blockbuster trade. Vince Carter stole the headlines during the game, dominating play and scoring 16 points in the first half. And Vince Carter will take the headlines after the game.

Carter left the game in the second quarter after spraining his ankle stepping on Devin Harris' foot and did not play in the first half. His presence was missed, but not enough for the Magic to fall in their first road game of the season as they improved to 2-0 with a 95-85 win.

But before that point, he and Dwight Howard got everything they wanted offensively. Carter finished with 16 points on six of eight shooting in about 15 minutes of play. He started the game with a driving dunk on the opening possession and looked like he wanted to have "one of those games."

It was unfortunate that it was cut short.

But it was fortunate on another end too. The offense was nowhere near as crisp as it was in Wednesday's opener against the 76ers. Hard to expect it to be, but it was like it was two different teams.

The big difference was hte play early in the second quarter when Stan Van Gundy put in his second unit. Instead of coming out with energy and getting to the basket and rotating the ball, they played a lot of one-on-one basketball and had to force up a lot of shots. Guys looked like they were trying to do too much or expected everything to go in because they had been the last two games (including the last exhibition game against Atlanta).

As Van Gundy said after Wednesday's game, the shots will not always fall as they did that night.

But still things never got out of hand. Orlando played decently defensively and kept the Nets generally out of hte paint. Devin Harris and Rafer Alston beat their man -- mostly Jason Williams with Jameer Nelson battling foul trouble the whole game -- a few times and helped create things.

Any chance New Jersey had to close the gap was met by a quick Magic run aor a timely shot. Most of the second half was spent in the 8-13 point range and rarely any more than that. Orlando took care of business when it needed to.

Dwight Howard had a dominant game defensively and really controlled the glass. He finished with 20 points, 22 rebounds and four blocked shots. He had a lot of energy and got Brook Lopez in foul trouble early and kept him from being a factor in the game.

Still, you got two senses from this game.

First, that New Jersey had its opportunities to win this game but simply could not hit any jump shots. The Nets finished shooting 38.3 percent from the floor and five of 15 from beyond the arc. Devin Harris led the way with 18 points, but it came on six of 17 shooting as he really struggled.

The second was the some of Orlando's offensive struggles at times would have been solved if Carter were on the floor creating. With Nelson out for a good portion of the game with foul trouble, Carter out with the ankle injury and Rashard Lewis sitting at home on his stationary bike, Orlando was missing that attacker from the perimeter.

When Nelson finally got out of foul trouble and played extensive minutes in the fourth quarter, things picked up offensively. Nelson finished with nine points and five assists, but the team just felt different with him on the floor.

The ball started moving and that is when Orlando is deadly. When the ball is staying with one person too long, it stagnates like any other offense would.

This was the first game where the Magic struggled from beyond the arc, going six for 21. There are going to be games like that. What was good to see was the team start attacking the basket more and getting other looks.

They found Howard underneath plenty of times. Nelson got deep in the paint a lot. Brandon Bass was extremely efficient with 13 points and three rebounds. Ryan Anderson also played very well, coming off the 3-point line and getting inside for a few inside baskets. Anderson also had 16 points in his first game back in New Jersey.

It was a little disheartening not to see the Magic really blow this one open. It was never a close game, but the game was always in doubt. The Nets are not a great team and they do not have a lot of great shooters. If they did, they could have very easily won this game. But it was pretty clear why they lost a 16-point lead to the Timberwolves on Wednesday night.

The free throw shooting really kept Orlando from distancing itself early. Howard was a horrible four for 11 from the line and missed his first six. The Magic were 15 of 25 overall. A better effort from the line could have made this game a rout early.

But it is what it is. There was certainly a lot to improve upon after this game. The defense played well and closed things down when it needed to. And I think the offense discovered what it can and cannot get away with.

What They're Saying: Magic vs. Nets 10/30

2009-10-30T18:00:00.009-04:00

-Courtney Lee was floored when he found out he was traded, but as Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel reports, he still has nothing but love for the city of Orlando.

-Vince Carter's reunion tour kicks off tonight in New Jersey and will head on up to Toronto for a game Sunday afternoon. Pretty emotional start of the season for Vince.

-Count owner Rich DeVos among the many Magic front office members with reservations about trading Courtney Lee, George Diaz reports.

-After losing a 16-point lead against Minnesota, New Jersey will need to refocus to handle Vince Carter's return. Devin Harris has definitely noticed so far what having Carter on his team meant for his offensive opportunities, Fred Kerber of the New York Post writes.

-There seems to be no animosity toward Vince Carter's departure. The Nets will welcome him "home" for their home opener tonight, Colin Stephenson of the Newark Star-Ledger reports.

-Nets forward Jarvis Hayes will be out 2-3 weeks after straining his left hamstring in New Jersey's loss to Minnesota on Wednesday.

-Orlando Magic broadcaster David Steele will miss tonight's game to attend the induction of his father into the University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame. It is the first game in 21 years he has voluntarily missed. Picked a pretty good reason.

-The Puns are Starting to Bore Me takes a look at the Vince Carter/Hedo Turkoglu switch-a-roo from a purely financial standpoint.

-In The Zzone, by Al Iannazzone of The Record, reports the loss of Jarvis Hayes could be a big one as Lawrence Frank was expecting him to play two or three different positions. Look from more Terrence Williams and maybe even some Eduardo Najera in his absence the next few weeks.

-New Jersey is thinking about trying the basketball version of the NFL's wildcat offense, using Courtney Lee, Devin Harris and Terrence Williams in the lineup at the same time. After one game, NetsAreScorching does not give a good review.

-Vince Carter might see an extra bit of contact tonight. Or at least that's what Devin Harris joked he will see.

-Devin Harris gave Courtney Lee some advice about playing his old team from his experience playing his first couple games against the Mavericks last year (a team Harris went to the Finals with). But the most important thing is not the individual stats, but whether they win.

-Newark's new downtown arena is still waiting for money from the New Jersey Devils and Seton Hall basketball programs, but would love to see the Nets move into the relatively new building.

-John Schuman of NBA.com writes about how the three players Orlando sent to New Jersey -- Courtney Lee, Rafer Alston and Tony Battie -- helped build the Magic last season and how shocking it really was to have to trade them all away.

Magic Wands: October 30, 2009

2009-10-30T12:00:00.012-04:00

-Um, so the rims have changed a little. Curious about what that could mean. And, yes, the black throwbacks are making a triumphant return!

-Looks like the injury bug has been making its way around the NBA this preseason. Magic, relatively unscathed -- except for Rashard Lewis' 10-game suspension.

-Rap world, meet JJ Redick. JJ Redick... good luck.

-And so the selling of the Amway Center begins...

-Dwight Howard, not as dominant around the basket as you think according to John Nichols writing for 3rd Quarter Collapse.

-If you are like me and live outside of Orlando, you probably did not get the Orlando Magic preview section in The Orlando Sentinel. Good thing it is online.

-Orlando is going to be involved in the U.S. bid for the 2018/2022 World Cup. Please sign the petition.

-Think you are athletic? Try a Russian athletic test like the Minnesota Lynx's Renee Montgomery did.

-Here are all the court designs for this year, if you were curious.

-Dwight Howard flew his one millionth follower on Twitter to Wednesday night's game against the 76ers. If I unfollow him and re-follow him, do I get a free trip too?

-ESPN Page 2 takes a different look at NBA logos. Twice!

I am probably nitpicking a little bit here, but pictures of Amway Arena that I have seen our old banners look... different. You have probably seen me tweeting that the Eastern Conference banner was clearly changed (the player's names no longer frame the banner). But this photo from The Orlando Sentinel made me think all the banners had been replaced. I am kind of angry about this. Are you? Discuss.

Orlando Magic 120, Philadelphia 76ers 105

2009-10-28T20:46:00.005-04:00

Orlando wanted to start its season off with a bang, unveiling its new conference championship banner, trying this new video player on the court itself for introductions and inviting back Gina Marie Incandela to sing the national anthem.

The Magic certainly pulled out all the stops before the game, but the question was would the addition of five new players, two new starters and the absence of Rashard Lewis due to suspension hamper the Magic in any way?

Umm... no. At least for one game.

Orlando started slow, but quickly erased an early deficit and used its bench to distance itself from Philadelphia in a dominating performance and a 120-105 win. There certainly will not be a Finals hangover. The only thing that appeared to go wrong was the Internet going down at Amway Arena.

The start was slow for sure and it left Orlando with some things to at least think about. There are still 81 of these things left in the season. But to start with the good.

Orlando's bench came in and took firm control of the game. The Magic trailed for a good part of the first quarter before rallying to take a 29-27 lead. It was the second unit of Marcin Gortat-Brandon Bass-Matt Barnes-JJ Redick-Jason Williams that helped kickstart the Magic.

Orlando outscored Philadelphia 41-20 in the second quarter and had firm control ino the third quarter, scoring 100 points through 36 minutes. They led by as much as 31 and let the margin decrease with a lackadaisical fourth quarter.

The reason? Orlando cut down on its turnovers and were getting anything it wanted on offense.

The Magic shot 16 of 29 from beyond the arc taking advantage of the attention Dwight Howard was getting inside. In the third quarter when the attention was on the 3-point shooters, Howard took advantage in the paint. He finished with his first double-double of the year (21 points, 15 rebounds).

More interestingly, the Magic got out on the break more than they had in the past. They out ran the running 76ers. It was definitely something the team was looking to do and with the athletes and depth they have, I would expect them to push the pace more.

Vince Carter had a decent premiere, hitting a few shots but not really showing off his playmaking ability. He finished with 15 points.

Jameer Nelson also looked like he was completely back and ran the offense well scoring seven points and dishing out six assists. Everyone seemed to fit in offensively and besides falling in love with the 3-pointer as the game got out of hand, the offense was run about as perfectly as it could.

The game was so out of hand that they were definitely dialing back in the fourth quarter.

Still, Stan Van Gundy was not thrilled with some things on the defensive end. And really you can't blame him. Orlando will not shoot 55.6 percent for every game this year and the defense needed a little more focus. Like I said earlier today, that is what got the Magic to the Finals more than their 3-point shooting.

Philadelphia did some things good but is clearly still adjusting to its new offense and coach. The 76ers played much better in the second half, even though they could not close the gap. They ended up shooting 50 percent and scoring more than 100 points.

A lot of work is clearly left to do on that side of the court. But a lot of the problems was just apathy in the fourth quarter after building a 30-point lead. Can't blame them, but can't be encouraged by it either.

The 76ers did a good job pulling Howard away from the basket with their Princeton sets and Marreese Speights looks like a perfect fit with his jump-shooting ability as he finished with a game-high 26 points on 10-of-11 shooting.

In the end, it is tough to find anything too negative to say. The offense did hide some defensive issues but it was clear Orlando had too much to overwhelm Philadelphia tonight. The team had six players in double figures and got whatever it wanted offensively.

That is pretty much all that needs to be said about this game. There is still a long way to go and we will see if they can keep up this offensive pace Friday in New Jersey.

What They're Saying: 76ers vs. Magic 10/28

2009-10-28T17:00:00.004-04:00

-For the first time in his career, Vince Carter is preparing to play a home game in Orlando. And it is a good feeling for the eight-time All Star.

-How determined is Carter to winning a title? He is not giving tickets to his family and friends at Amway Arena so he can focus on winning on the court.

-Fans may be excited for the first game of the season, but according to Mike Bianchi of The Orlando Sentinel, the team could care less. The ring is the only thing that matters.

-How did Philadelphia greet Thaddeus Young after the team announced they had draft him two years ago? According to Bob Cooney of Philly.com, the odd reaction was silence for the now solid starter at power forward -- and hero of Game Three.

-Philadelphia's new offense under head coach Eddie Jordan is like speaking a new language, writes Kate Fagan of Philly.com. They are hoping to add some Princeton sets to their transition-based attack.

-Former Magic player Dominique Wilkins knows the pain Philadelphia's Elton Brand went through when he ruptured his Achilles. Wilkins is also one of the few players to come back successfully from it.

-Ben Q Rock of Third Quarter Collapse says both the Magic and the Sixers will be looking for redemption as they enter their opener tonight at Amway Arena. Well, maybe to night for the 76ers it will be revenge.

-Tania Ganguli of The Orlando Sentinel gives us a look at what Rashard Lewis might be up to with his 10-game suspension starting tonight. Mainly working out more after practice and enjoying games with his daughter.

-Philadelphia is starting their basketball season tonight, but Sixers 4 Guidos asks if anyone in the City of Brotherly Love really care. I mean, there is a little baseball game going on in New York involving the Phillies, but I would imagine people still want to watch basketball.

-In case you missed it, here is the preview section from Tuesday's Orlando Sentinel.

-The Baseline analyzes the trades from the summer and how they will play out. Remember, this is the blog that does not like the Vince Carter move and ranked Orlando No. 8 in their power poll (behind Washington).

-This was tweeted yesterday by The Orlando Sentinel's Tania Ganguli, but expect Ryan Anderson to be in the starting lineup for the Magic tonight.

-The Magic announced they have waived Linton Johnson III in advance of tonight's game.

Orlando Magic and the Year of High Expectations

2009-10-28T12:00:00.002-04:00

To say expectations are high in the Magic Kingdom is an understatement.

Dwight Howard said entering the season how sparse the crowds were his rookie season and how the team's play has transformed the town. Superman said at one point this summer how he wants the Magic to be the way the world learns about Orlando the city and not just the airport you go to get to Disney.

Those are some lofty goals. Whether those are accomplished who knows? But one thing the team can definitely control is what happens on the court. And on the court only one result will do after reaching the team's second Finals and first in 14 years.

But even with that lofty goal, uncertainty still remains. Typically when a championship is in sight it seems pretty sure that at least the Conference Finals will be reached. But with Orlando some uncertainty remains.

Part of that is the improvement from Boston and Cleveland -- who both looked a little slow and unathletic in their matchup last night. Those two teams reloaded in certain ways to test the Magic but we will not know anything until they play in May.

But unlike those two teams, Orlando made significant changes to its core. Gone are Hedo Turkoglu and Courtney Lee. In are Vince Carter, Ryan Anderson and Brandon Bass.

There will be at least two new starters in tonight's opening day lineup and there is five new guys in the 10-man rotation that Stan Van Gundy is expected to use. That is a lot of change and change is not always good.

That is the big question facing the Magic. How do you integrate Vince Carter into the offense and, more importantly, into the defense?

Carter has the skills to add a lot to the offense. He is a scorer plain and simple -- something Orlando has not had since Tracy McGrady was traded. When things break down, he will create and score. As he proved in the preseason he can also space the floor well with his shooting.

He has a reputation that precedes him for sure. And that worries me more on the defensive end. Van Gundy has gotten Rashard Lewis and Turkoglu to play top-level defense with the promise of Howard to bail them out behind him and it worked.

The Magic had one of the top defenses in the league last year and that more than anything piloted them to the NBA Finals. He will have to get Vince to buy in for anything to be successful.

More than anything else, each of Orlando's moves seemed to improve the team. Whereas Boston and Cleveland seemed to make moves to respond and make a splash, Orlando added quality role players to supplement its starters.

Brandon Bass is a tough-nosed player who will do the dirty work and help Howard on the boards against the more physical teams like the Celtics. Not only that, but he has a more than consistent mid-range game that will keep opponents honest and allow Howard room to work.

Ryan Anderson is a clone of Rashard Lewis in his shooting ability and has some toughness and ability to work inside. Matt Barnes is a tough defender who can also drain the 3-pointer and,, as we have learned in the preseason, do a little bit of everything.

These acquisitions should help the Magic off the bench -- an area they struggled in for much of last season.

But the starters are nothing to laugh at either.

The expectations for Howard do not need to be mentioned. Everyone is expecting the soon-to-be 24 year old to continue his offensive improvement. He is already the top defender in the league around the basket and a deterrent at the rim.

And realistically Jameer Nelson is returning from missing half of last season. He was a shell of his former self in the NBA Finals last year. He is an efficient facilitator in the offense and knows when to attack and when to get everyone else involved. He made an All Star leap last year and while it might be expected that he takes a step bakc, it would not surprise if he kept up at that level.

More than anything this team is hungry. They had to watch the Lakers celebrate a title on their home court -- an embarassment if you ask me. Not only that, they have had every national pundit pretty much write them off again as some fluke or beneficiary of luck. It is hard to believe, but this team is flying under the radar among the title contenders.

I think the stars are aligned for Orlando to make a repeat trip to the Finals and face Los Angeles (Lakers). I see the Magic having some trouble in a series with the Celtics, but ultimately their depth and relentless offensive pressure will wear on any team in a seven-game series.

Orlando went out and fixed one of its major deficiencies in signing Brandon Bass. I think he becomes key in a series with Boston or Los Angeles as the second tough guy to throw at some of the bigger front lines.

It is tough to predict all the way out to June and I think a Magic-Lakers series is a tight one (and not a tight five games, I believe a tight six or seven games). But like in that series, I have to go with my heart.

The expectations are a championship. And I firmly believe this is the year Orlando wins the title.

Eastern Conference Preview

2009-10-27T20:30:00.000-04:00

It is becoming increasingly harder to figure out which conference is better. The balances at the top have certainly shifted a little. Any time you add Rasheed Wallace, Vince Carter and Shaquille O'Neal to the three top teams in a conference -- without either of those three teams losing much -- than some things shift.

It will really be an accomplishment in and of itself to get out of the Eastern Conference, let alone top the Western Conference team.

I will get to the particulars of the Magic tomorrow -- and if you are reading this blog, you probably have some basic knowledge of what the Magic did this summer and what they could do this year.

So I will focus on the competition -- also, hopefully I will have more to write on them later.

Many could argue the Celtics missed last year's Finals only because Kevin Garnett was injured. Many could also argue the Cavaliers missed last year's Finals because they are built to beat the Celtics and not the Magic (that was my argument at least... and the Magic were a more complete team).

Suffice it to say, both teams moved to remedy these problems.

Boston's acquisition of Rasheed Wallace is Garnett insurance. And now with Glen Davis out for an indefinitely, that looks like a pretty good insurance plan. Boston's lineup is stacked, although not nearly as deep as Orlando's (Orlando has the deepest team in the league, try arguing against that).

The question becomes whether the team can stay afloat with injuries. Garnett's knees are not getting any younger coming off of major surgery. Paul Pierce looks like he will fall apart at the free throw line, but can still play. Wallace is a powder keg. And, again, who knows how their age will hold up. Four of the five starters are on the wrong side of 30. As Magic fans learned for the first time in a long time, getting to the Finals is a long exhaustive process.

Cleveland also tried to move to become more Orlando-proof. The Cavaliers trumped the Magic's acquisition of Vince Carter with a same-day deal that brough O'Neal to the Rock 'n Roll City. O'Neal will certainly help them defend the bigger posts one on one in the post. But against the pick and roll the combination of Zydrunas Ilgauskas and O'Neal does not bode well. That is really how Orlando took advantage of Cleveland's unathleticism. At least Ilgauskas can step out and hit that 18 footer. O'Neal certainly cannot.

O'Neal's issues with his superstar teammates aside, this move seems to me to be the PR splash move of a bad GM. It does not really help the team. I guess time will tell. But unlike the Vince Carter deal (which I was not sold at when it was made), this one has not settled in with me. I am more skeptical of it because of O'Neal's age and declining production for sure.

I will get to the Magic more in a later post specifically about them. But the big question is how the players integrate. It is clear the offense is going to be quite good. It is unclear whether the team can matinain the high level of defense it played last year. That was what got Orlando to the Finals.

1. Celtics: the East is really 1a, 1b and 1c. It is very hard to differentiate between three teams that are going to playing pretty tightly all the way. Expect each team to try and pace themselves, but with the disappointment after last season, I can see the Celtics pulling away at the end to take the first seed. I have the feeling that it might be better to be battle-tested in the second round then to easily advance -- provided no one gets hurt.

2. Magic: Orlando got better. Everyone who thinks Vince Carter is worse for this team than Hedo Turkoglu has obviously not watched a whole lot of Magic basketball outside of the playoffs. Carter is the one-on-one scorer the team lacked in the Finals and he can still perform all of Turkoglu's duties in the offense. The question is whether he will commit on defense. But this team is deep and can play almost anyway it wants.

3. Cavaliers: Cleveland I think did kind of run a sprint through the marathon NBA season and ran out of steam a little bit in the late stages of the postseason. LeBron James certainly did as he had to carry his Cavaliers through the only competitive series they would play and was summarily thumped. O'Neal should provide some help, but the guy is aging pretty quickly and it gets cold in Cleveland -- unlike in Phoenix. O'Neal is not the answer for the Cavaliers, that I am pretty sure of. Mo Williams will have to continue to develop and without a true point guard on the roster, James still decides when he dominates too much and when he "gets others involved." Anthony Parker is a sneaky move the Cavs made that could be interesting come playoff time.

4. Hawks: Atlanta is good. Not spectacular, but good. Joe Johnson is a pretty well kept secret in the NBA. And he is part of the free agent bonanza next summer. So look for him to have a big year. Returning Mike Bibby and Josh Smith should help this team continue its maturation. Jamal Crawford has never really been on a successful team, but if he can accept his sixth man role, I really like him there. But otherwise, this is a team that does not do well defensively and is just pretty average.

5. Wizards: Washington can be a good team, trust me. They always have been, it is always just dependent on Gilbert Arenas' health. He is as healthy as he has been in a good while and that bodes well for a Wizards team that has some good players. Adding Randy Foye and Mike Miller will help give Arenas the help. Now, can Arenas be the player he was.

6. 76ers: Philadelphia always finds a way to make the postseason. Whether it is with or without Elton Brand, this team always seems to find a way to contend. Losing Andre Miller will hurt this team as they really valued his veteran savvy. But as they proved in the Orlando series, they can compete with some pretty good teams. Andre Iguodala is a solid player. The question will be whether Brand can fit into the offense and stay healthy and whether Lou Williams is finally ready to be a starting point guard.

7. Bulls: Chicago did lose Mr. late game heroics, Ben Gordon. But this is still a team with a lot of guys who can play. Brad Miller adds a lot down low stability to help out the young and inconsistent Joakim Noah and Tyrus Thomas. Derrick Rose is going to continue to develop and improve. And John Salmons is sneakily a pretty good scorer in the league. Plus Luol Deng comes back. The Bulls are not a team to overlook despite losing one of their top players from last year.

8. Raptors: Toronto is a very intriguing team. Adding Hedo Tukoglu kind of makes them the Magic of the North with Andrea Bargnani at the four and Chris Bosh at center. This could work. The team is not that deep, but Bosh is in a contract year and that matters entering the bonanza. But Turkoglu adds something the Raptors did not have last year and that is an outside threat that can attack the basket. I think it can work, but that bench is pretty scarce.

9. Heat: Dwyane Wade has almost single handedly won an NBA Finals series. He single handedly took Miami to the No. 6 seed. When this guy is healthy, he is incredibly difficult to stop. There is not much of anything else on this team. Jermaine O'Neal is on his second life and no one knows how long his knees will hold out. This team goes as far as Wade takes them and with improvements in the East, it will not be that far.

10. Pistons: Detroit still has some of their core pieces from their hey day. Richard Hamilton is not a first option, but he looks that way on this team. Detroit is looking to pick up the pieces after the Chauncey Billups trade. Rodney Stuckey is the next great hope at the point. But this team's identity has changed with the acquisitions of Charlie Villanueva and Ben Gordon. This is no longer a defensive team and they definitely don't have the offense to make up for it.

11. Knicks: you hate admitting it, but the Knicks are not half bad. They are not half good yet, but they are not half bad. Mike D'Antoni is a great coach and he really knows how to maximize his players' offensive potential. Unfortunately New York is in cap clearing mode and has no desire to be incredible this year. Thus they are just treading water. Expect a team that can surprise a few teams, but not much more.

12. Pacers: Danny Granger is one of those secret NBA players that is really pretty good. The Pacers are certainly an improving franchise but kind of in that limbo between decent and bad. This team is not making the playoffs -- they rely on Granger way too much. But Granger and the cast around him is too good to let this team fall into complete irrelevancy.

13. Nets: the Nets are a young team waiting for another breakout star -- or the 2010 free agency bonanza. Devin Harris is a great player and should really come into his own after breaking out next year. More interestingly will be the development of center Brook Lopez who snuck up on many as a Rookie of the Year candidate last season. His development plus the further development of former Magic man Courtney Lee will be the crux of this team's development.

14. Bobcats: Charlotte is close. Close to what, I don't know. Tyson Chandler is a step down for this team from Emeka Okafor. This team needs to find a consistent offensive threat and it just does not have it. Gerald Wallace is not that player. DJ Augustin and Raymond Felton are not those players either. Just a tough team to figure out.

15. Bucks: Michael Redd is one of the best shooters in the NBA. But he is a man followed around constantly by the threat of injury. Much like his playing partner, and former No. 1 draft pick, Andrew Bogut. they lost Richard Jefferson and don't have much else outside of Redd to speak of in scoring. I will not believe anything they do until Redd makes it to the All Star break without an injury.

Western Conference Preview

2009-10-27T01:00:00.000-04:00

While the Eastern Conference has certainly made a case in the last few seasons to claim some type of equality, the Western Conference top-to-bottom is still better. Sorry guys.

The West once again proved its dominance by have .500 teams miss the playoffs while under .500 teams made the Eastern Conference playoffs. Point taken.

That trend will continue. But the balance at the top has certainly changed. The East has won three of the past six NBA titles and arguably has three of the best four teams in the NBA. But one of those three from the West is the Los Angeles Lakers. And the Lakers, it can be argued only got better.

The three beasts of the Eastern Conference certainly got better to try and compete with the Lakers.

But while the Lakers are the class of the West, San Antonio also put in all of its chips to try and battle the Lakers and make one last run at a title. Tim Duncan's career, or at least his prime, is nearing an end and Manu Ginobili's injury problems have kept San Antonio from meeting expectations.

The Spurs certainly have the know-how to get back to championship contention. But do not sleep on Denver. A lot of things went right for the Nuggets to get to the Western Conference Finals -- including avoiding the Spurs in the second round. But with Chauncey Billups at the point and a continually improving Carmelo Anthony, the Nuggets could still get better.

Unlike the other contenders, Denver did not make any significant moves to improve. That might hurt them in the postseason. But, then again, stability might be OK for a team that is still learning how to win. The Nuggets still have some holes though and continued growth could get them over the hump.

Those sitting in the pack and waiting might be teams like Portland and Utah. The Trail Blazers took a big step in qualifying for the postseason, but struggled with the pressure on against the Rockets. Portland has the talent to return to the postseason and make some noise. The question is will the young players continue to grow and is Andre Miller enough veteran leadership to get them there?

The Jazz had a disappointing season too. But with Deron Williams at the point, the Jazz can always be dangerous. Carlos Boozer, despite his trade request, is still a pretty darn good player when healthy. Memo Okur and Paul Milsap will continue to create a pretty formidable front line. Of course, health is always an issue with the Jazz.

But in the end, this is the Lakers' conference to lose. Los Angeles has one of two best players in the league in Kobe Bryant, a pretty solid and versatile front line in Andrew Bynum, Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol and a solid secondary scorer in Ron Artest. Artest will not provide the versatility that Trevor Ariza did, but he should be able to take some of the scoring and defensive pressure off Bryant.

1. Lakers: the champs got better in adding Ron Artest and will bring back a healthy Andrew Bynum. Plus Kobe Bryant is pretty decent at basketball. The defending champs are just that until someone knocks them off.

2. Nuggets: Denver is good. They have been the sleeping giant, waiting for the crafty veteran to make Carmelo Anthony serious instead of the egotistic veteran to keep Anthony selfish. Chauncey Billups is one of the best point guards of the last decade and with another good year in Denver should get serious Hall of Fame consideration. There are some questions about whether Denver can do it again. But Billups is THAT good that he will find a way to make this team good again.

3. Spurs: This definitely has some strange Ride of the Valkyrie theme to the Spurs' latest push for the NBA title. This is probably their last realistic chance of winning a title with Tim Duncan getting older and Manu Ginobili on and off the injured list. Adding Richard Jefferson and Antonio McDyess will help significantly, but these aging guys are one injury away from another disaster like last year's.

4. Trail Blazers: Portland to me has great regular season team written all over it. Brandon Roy is a great player and they have a lot of good young pieces. Andre Miller will give them some veteran leadership, but the rumors have started that he is causing some trouble with his new role. But they are a solid offensive team. Roy will need to become that all-encompassing superstar to get Portland out of the first round.

5. Jazz: Utah is one of those scary teams. They stay healthy and it is clear they can compete in the West. They don't stay healthy and they lack the superstar to support Deron Williams' playmaking ability. Questions abound about Carlos Boozer and whether he will stay in the team. But with Memo Okur and Paul Milsap behind him, they have a difficult front court for opponents to deal with.

6. Mavericks: Dallas backcourt continues to be sneaky good. Jason Terry and Jason Kidd can still play despite some advanced ages -- and height disadvantages. Josh Howard is good when healthy and Shawn Marion is a do-everything forward. Dirk Nowitzki of course is a pretty solid player too. This would be a great running team if Rick Carlisle weren't such a plodding coach. I really don't know how to judge this team. Their front court depth is very worrisome.

7. Hornets: New Orleans will definitely be going through a transition with the trading of Tyson Chandler for Emeka Okafor. That could make them much more efficient in the half court, but could make it more difficult for Chris Paul to be Chris Paul. Definitely some transition, but this team could be a lot better with a more consistent, albeit still injury prone, center.

8. Suns: Phoenix has lost a little bit of its identity, but should find it again. Steve Nash is definitely on his last legs and who knows what Amare Stoudemire's health is like. But it is easy to forget Stoudemire can be quite an offensive force. The Suns will never be the force they were, but they can be a shadow of their former self.

9. Rockets: they are down their top two players -- Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming -- but something about this team says they could still be decent. Trevor Ariza is a decent pickup and this will be his first chance to be a featured player in an offense. But Daryl Morey knows his stuff and rarely misses. The way Houston played after Yao went down in the playoffs shows there is a lot of heart in this team. Can that las them 82 games?

10. Thunder: NBA geeks will say the Thunder are the sleeper team of the league. Kevin Durant is the best kept secret in the NBA and there are so many good young pieces. But this team is not ready. They do not nearly defend well enough to make it into the postseason out of the Western Conference. But the ex-Sonics are certainly coming in the future -- sorry Seattle.

11. Clippers: the Clippers might be good, seriously. Blake Griffin could be good. Baron Davis could be healthy. Eric Grodon could do more than score... maybe. Take everything with the Clippers with a grain of salt. They certainly have the talent, but might be too young and raw to make any postseason noise.

12. Warriors: Golden State is such a mess, I doubt I could make a complete sentence about them. Stephen Jackson, the team's best player, wants out. Stephen Curry is the perfect fit for that system, but has no one to pass him the ball. If you are looking for the definition of a team with all offense and no defense, this is it.

13. Timberwolves: the Ricky Rubio flop will haunt Minnesota for the next calendar year, but this team in all its wheeling and dealing made some good moves. Jonny Flynn will make a case for Rookie of the Year Runner-up. Al Jefferson is one of the best post players in the league -- and no one knows about him since he tore up his knee last season. They should play a decently entertaining style of ball. When they get Kevin Love back from injury in December, Minnesota will not be a tough out.

14. Kings: everyone likes Kevin Martin. He is an efficient scorer. But is he the high-volume scorer of the future for Sacramento? Who knows. Spencer Hawes and Jason Thompson are also good players and Tyreke Evans might be the most interesting prospect from last year's draft. All in all, this is a young team with a lot of room to grow.

15. Grizzlies: Allen Iverson. Zach Randolph. Rudy Gay. O.J. Mayo. One basketball. The math just does not work for this talented, yet egotistical team. It has failure written all over it. Makes you fell sorry for Hasheem Thabeet.

West Finals: Lakers over Spurs in 6

Undefeated Preseason not Meaningless

2009-10-26T15:10:00.000-04:00

So Orlando went 8-0 in the preseason, the first undefeated preseason in the franchise's history. The players and coaches shrug off the success as just an incidence of playing "games."

But despite the seeming blase attitude of the team around this -- minor -- accomplishment, it is something worth at least praising in some respects.

Going undefeated over a long stretch of games means something is going right. From what I was able to watch when the Magic's starters went up against their opponent's starters, the Magic won. Late in games -- think Dallas and Chicago specifically -- Orlando executed down the stretch and pulled out victories.

Certainly the defense was not where it needed to be, the team turned the ball over far too much and, oh yeah, it was preseason so I would not have been surprised to hear anyone say they were trying 100 percent. But the team found ways to win and that is ultimately what this team will be judged on.

And eight wins in a row is no laughing matter. These are (still) NBA teams after all.

An undefeated preseason is no sign that Orlando is going to win the championship. It is a sign that the team is going to be very good and that something did, again, go right. Eight in a row is no fluke -- and it seemed like teams kept their starters in as long as Orlando did.

Think of what happened the other way. In 2003, Orlando won a single preseason game. Everyone kind of shrugged this off as an unfortunate circumstance of the preseason and nothing to be worried about. But then-head coach Doc Rivers did not shrug it off. As The Orlando Sentinel would later report, the team knew something fishy was up after the Magic stunk it up in the preseason.

Those concerns proved to be true as the Magic lost 19 straight after topping the New York Knicks in overtime in the first game. Rivers was fired and Orlando was on its way to a 21-61 season.

There is some coincidence between preseason struggles and regular season failure.

Orlando certainly has done something right then in going undefeated in the postseason. What that is might be hard to tell. It would have been nice to see, for the coaching staff at least, how this team reacts to losing -- even in the preseason. We will not learn that until the first game of the regular season. But the Magic were down plenty and found a way to come from behind to win too.

An undefeated preseason is a somewhat insignificant feat, but it does tell something. I do not think a team that goes undefeated for an entire preseason can have a poor season.

The Magic clearly have made some moves that will help the team and things are generally working. That is a good start for a team trying to integrate so many new players and trying to win a championship.

Orlando Magic 123, Atlanta Hawks 86

2009-10-23T21:57:00.005-04:00

Orlando dominated early and never looked back, asserting their dominance both inside and outside to close out the preseason with a perfect 8-0 record for the first time in franchise history (not that it matters).

Unlike the games earlier this week, this game was a thing of beauty on both sides of the night and even made Stan Van Gundy smile at times. A rare sight indeed... and more proof that it is still the preseason.

But let's start breaking down this thing.

The Magic started from the outside. With the Hawks double-teaming Howard down low on every touch, he was happy to pass the ball to the outside. Ryan Anderson got going first by hitting a few outside jumpers. Vince Carter kept it going with some nice outside shots and some aggressive attacks to the basket. He finished with 26 points on 9-of-10 shooting. Definitely no doubt that he can still jump when necessary.

But we knew those two guys could do that if the defense focused too much on Howard. What finally seemed to come around was the defense.

The Magic used an aggressive trapping zone early in the game and forced a lot of turnovers and put the Hawks in bad positions to score. More or less typical Magic defense. It seemed like they were trapping and doubling more than they usually do, but the aggressiveness was there early and that is what mattered.

I am sure Van Gundy was much happier with the effort tonight as it was clear Atlanta wanted no part of it after playing last night in Jacksonville against Miami. The Hawks were out of this one early as the Magic outscored them 37-16 in the first quarter.

Onto the second half then. That's when Dwight Howard took over.

Howard had 20 of his 25 points in the third quarter as Atlanta could no longer afford to double him with the Magic hitting their 3-point shots. In this quarter, Howard displayed an array of post moves and scored at ease. Mostly from the post too and not on the pick and roll.

If he can put together that kind of effort in the regular season, he will make the leap we have all been waiting on. Granted, Atlanta does not have the front court that can put up much resistance to Howard. But I think we all know we are quickly approaching the time when no one can.

The defense was good, giving up 38 percent shooting. The offense was good, scoring 101 points in three quarters, shooting 62 percent and 10 of 16 from beyond the arc.

This game was a statement on national television for the Magic to say we are ready for the regular season -- even against a lackluster Hawks team.

The only complaint I can make is the second unit does not produce at nearly the same rate as the starters. This occurred in both the second and fourth quarters. But no starter was on the floor.

That's going to change as Stan Van Gundy likes to have at least one starter on the floor at all times (and by starter I mean Jameer Nelson, Dwight Howard or Vince Carter).

A good way to close, now they count.

What They're Saying: Hawks vs. Magic 10/23

2009-10-23T18:00:00.002-04:00

-Brian Schmitz of The Orlando Sentinel previews the Southeast Division. Hint: the Magic win it.

-Ryan Anderson and Mickael Pietrus will get the start tonight. Can't you just see that starting five settling in? My guess is these two will be there for the first 10 games. But I could be wrong.

-Jeff Schultz of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution is playing the disrespect card. He wonders why the Hawks are not projected to do better after retaining all their major free agents and strengthening their bench with the acquisition of Jamal Crawford.

-Here is the Associated Press' writeup of the Hawks win in Jacksonville over the Heat. Joe Johnson had 14 points and Al Horford and Jamal Crawford each had 12.

-Zach McCann of Orlando Magic Daily talks to Marcin Gortat about his strong preseason performance so far.

-The Puns are Starting to Bore Me wonders if Dwight Howard will ever improve his free throw shooting. They cite that question asked a few years ago that wonders if we will see Howard miss 5000 free throws. Back then it was a possibility, now it still might be. I think Howard's shooting has improved greatly -- I saw him hitting turnaround fade aways in warmups Monday night. But in that same game, I saw him rush through some free throws late and miss them badly. It is all a confidence and comfort thing for him and I think he does not have that comfort in games yet.

-Reason No. 7 to be excited for the Hawks, according to Peachtree Hoops? Zaza Pachulia!

-This has nothing to do with the game tonight, but watch this video of video game Zaza Pachulia (via Peachtree Hoops).

Magic Wands: October 23, 2009

2009-10-23T12:00:00.008-04:00

-Craig Smith tries to be Dwight Howard.

-Jonathan Abrams of the New York Times takes a look back at the development of the 3-point shot and how the Orlando Magic are at the forefront of the 3-point revolution.

-Kevin Pelton of Basketball Prospectus named Marcin Gortat the second best prospect in the NBA, behind Philadelphia's Marreese Speights. Not sure what a prospect means, but Gortat might be pushing for minutes someway some how.

-Tell me if you have heard this one... "a coach, a referee and a Rabbi walk onto a basketball court" (from Newsday).

-And so the previews begin! Here is ESPN's panel of experts' thoughts on the Magic this year. And here is Sporting News weighing in.

-Word is the referees are on their way back. ESPN and NBA.com say so.

-A recruiting promise from UCF to Marcus Jordan, son of one Michael, is getting the Knights in some hot water with adidas.

-I am sorry, I can't not post this video of a video game Zaza Pachulia.

Orlando Magic 101, Chicago Bulls 98

2009-10-20T00:19:00.005-04:00

The Magic trailed by four points with about two minutes to play. Then all hell broke loose.

Ryan Anderson's three a minute later gave Orlando a one point lead and after a defensive stop it seemed free throws would all but seal it.

Ah, but Dwight Howard has not quite fixed the free throw bug and the Bulls made it more than interesting, nearly winning a jump ball about 10 seconds left and trailing by two points after Brad Miller intentionally missed a free throw.

Matt Barnes split his pair of free throws for a three-point lead before making up for it with a steal at midcourt as the Magic defeated a B-plus Bulls squad 101-98 at the United Center on Monday to remain undefeated in the preseason.

That is probably the best place to begin. It is the preseason so a lot of the things that are somewhat concerning, probably are not. It seemed to me from pregame warmups (I was in attendance and there far too early) that the team was just not mentally into the game, while the scrappy Chicago team playing without its best player in Derrick Rose, came out ready to play.

The defensive rotations were slow and the offense stagnant at times. Anderson and Brandon Bass each had two fouls by the end of the first quarter and Orlando really struggled keeping Chicago off the free throw line. The Bulls went to the line 27 times on 22 fouls. The defense did not help as Chicago had six players in double figures, led by John Salmons with 19 points -- he also torched Vince Carter a few times especially early -- on 50 percent shooting.

Defense not encouraging.

Offense, very much so.

This was my first chance getting to see Ryan Anderson -- since he did not play against Dallas two weeks ago. And the kid can play. He was built for this system. Anderson is not afraid to shoot and can hit it. He is more than a Rashard Lewis, who did not play tonight, replacement. I am feeling fairly confident about his acquisition. Anderson scored 18 points in 23 minutes on four of seven shooting.

Brandon Bass, also pretty good. He struggled with fouls tonight, but he has good range and works hard on the glass. I actually really liked pairing him with Howard. He does not extend out to the 3-point line like a guy like Lewis or Anderson might, but he can hit that mid-range jumper and adds the support Howard needs on the boards. He will definitely come in handy.

Otherwise offensively, I still think the big players are coasting. Howard had his moments, but it was clear Orlando was trying to work other things on offense. He is a little more patient passing out of double teams and his free throw shooting is better -- 10 of 17 tonight -- but he still tends to rush things and that needs to change.

Jameer Nelson also looked pretty good if not dialed back a little. He is not recklessly going to the basket, but that jumper of his is so deadly that it will certainly come or he will burn teams with that 18 footer if they go under the Howard screen.

Now to Carter. I think Carter is coasting more than anybody at this point. He showed some flashes, making a quick move to the basket for a jam in the third quarter -- clearly hitting turbo all the way -- and making some nice fadeaway jumpers. He and Matt Barnes even connected on an alley-oop in the first quarter. I have complete faith Carter is going to fit into this offense perfectly and will pick it up once the games start counting.

Early on, I was not impressed with his defense. But I was not impressed with anybody's defense tonight. It was not pretty. Generally everyone on the team has to focus more on keeping their man in front of them and not trying to just funnel everything to Howard. Howard fouled out tonight and that is becoming a pattern.

The only time the offense really stagnated was in the second quarter when Stan Van Gundy used a lineup of Anthony Johnson, JJ Redick, Mickael Pietrus, Matt Barnes and Marcin Gortat. You can see the offensive problems. They did decently defensively, but clearly not something we will see.

Turnovers are still a little bit of an issue, but the team got sharper in the second half. The Magic had 18 turnovers total, but only six in the second half. Hopefully that is turning the corner as most of the mistakes looked like rushing mistakes or familiarity mistakes. It is getting better.

The last thing that I think needs to be said is how the Magic won this game. My biggest concern was about the team's resiliency. Could they make that four-point comeback with two minutes left and somehow find a way to win a game they did not deserve.

With the starters playing down the stretch, Orlando did that. And despite the Magic trying very hard to give it away at the end, they found a way to win tonight. The defense was not perfect, but in the regular season the W's are all that matter. 6-0 in the preseason is pretty irrelevant, but I think this team definitely has its pieces together and is just waiting to hit the on switch next week.

Definitely plenty to see and improve upon in the last two games of the preseason, but overall you have to feel confident about the way this team can play.

What They're Saying: Magic vs. Bulls 10/19

2009-10-19T18:00:00.004-04:00

-With a week left in the preseason, Brian Schmitz of The Orlando Sentinel writes it is time for Stan Van Gundy to pick his starting lineup.

-Jameer Nelson injured his shoulder on a random play last year. Don't expect him to be protecting that shoulder or change his style of play because of it.

-The Bulls are 5-1 in the preseason, but don't let that fool you. As K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune writes, the Bulls preseason has been a disjointed mess as players have to sit out time in practcie and games because of injury.

-The Bulls held an open practice yesterday at the United Center -- Stan and Otis, if I would have known this I would have scouted a little for you -- and Derrick Rose and John Salmons sat out once again. Not sure if either will play tonight.

-Derrick Rose, out since October 2 with an injured right ankle, sat out practice Sunday is very unlikely to play tonight, according to John Jackson of the Chicago Sun-Times. Also, Florida alumnus Joakim Noah was quite the rebel as a rookie.

-OrlandoMagic.com has video interviews with Vince Carter, Rashard Lewis and Stan Van Gundy for your viewing pleasure before tonight's game. Van Gundy says Lewis will "not play a whole lot"

-Sam Smith of Bulls.com thinks Chicago did a very good job drafting James Johnson and Taj Gibson in June's draft. He has both in his top 10 rookies. Smith also believes the Magic improved by becoming a more well-rounded team.

-Ben Q Rock of Third Quarter Collapse analyzes the Magic's rotation and lineups so far this season. The only conlcusion? It's still the preseason.

-Zach McCann of Orlando Magic Daily profiles the funky story of Ryan Anderson. Anderson of course is a nondescript late first-round draft pick of the New Jersey Nets who turned into an Internet sensation, then a "throw-in" in the Vince Carter trade and now a player fighting for playing time on a championship-caliber basketball team.

-Tania Ganguli of The Orlando Sentinel is in Chicago and reports that Matt Barnes and Ryan Anderson will get the start tonight at the United Center. Also, she found the Billy Goat Tavern. Not the one at Navy Pier, I hope.

-Speaking of Bulls rookies James Johnson and Taj Gibson, former (still?) project Tyrus Thomas has taken them under his wing and is showing the young players the ropes, writes John Jackson of the Chicago Sun-Times.

-Likewise, the rookies are pushing a players like Luol Deng and Tyrus Thomas, who missed two weeks at the beginning of training camp with an injury, writes Mike McGraw of the Daily Herald.

Magic Wands: October 16, 2009

2009-10-16T12:00:00.007-04:00

-Watch SonicsGate. Enough said. Here is a review from TrueHoop.

-As a reporter and journalism student, the argument of where journalism going is fascinating. The new ESPN local sites offer some promise, but definitely some areas for improvement -- right now it seems like it is just re-purposed content without any real specific devotion. Mark Cuban would certainly agree with that sentiment as he has found ESPNDallas' coverage of his team lacking.

-Olympiakos escaped America with their jerseys. But the U.S. agent who has sued them and won is still fighting to get his winnings.

-Dwight Howard really likes putting stickers on things... and blocking the shots of puny mortals.

-ESPN is rolling out their preview for the upcoming season and held a CoverItLive chat with Chris Broussard and Orlando Magic Daily's Zach McCann. Good read, if you have the time to scroll though.

-A few weeks ago I tweeted that Tim Tebow doesn't get swine flu, swine gets Tebow flu. Well, if you are LeBron James, you might get swine flu.

-The NBA has recently launched a video rule book. Just in time to as everyone seems to be complaining about these replacement refs.

-Oh Dwight Howard and your crazy impersonations.

T-Mac era revisited

2009-10-15T14:30:00.000-04:00

When Orlando acquired Vince Carter this summer, memories began to flood the mind. The memory of Vince's time as a Raptor and the amazing things he did there. The ugly exit from Toronto and the (mis)conceptions that were born out of that divorce.

While many criticized the trade it became clear that Carter represented something the Magic have not had in a very long time.

I am, of course, talking about his cousin -- former Magic All Star Tracy McGrady. He went through a similar messy breakup from the team in Orlando, but no one could deny McGrady was one of the best scorers in the league in his time with the Magic.

Now that Orlando is competing for titles again, I thought back to those formative years when McGrady graced a Magic uniform. Where does that era stand in Magic history?

It certainly was a frustrating one. Unlike the title promises of today, the team refused to go into the luxury tax to surround McGrady with the talent he needed to succeed. Grant Hill's contract was certainly an albatross around John Gabriel's neck for much of that period.

Surrounding McGrady with the likes of Mike Miller, Drew Gooden and Juwan Howard clearly could not cut it and who knows what would have happened had Hill been able to play at anywhere near 75 percent of what he was.

In case we have forgotten -- or blocked out of our minds -- McGrady 28.1 points per game in an Orlando uniform including an astounding 32.1 per game in the 2003 season. He led Orlando to the postseason in every year but one (the infamous 21-61 year) despite pretty much holding to a .500 record every year.

It was perhaps some of the greatest individual seasons of basketball in recent league history. It was certainly the most impressive individual seasons in Magic history perhaps. The fact he was pouring in all these points and single-handedly carrying Orlando to the postseason every year was an impressive feat that not even Shaquille O'Neal or Dwight Howard could do in Orlando.

In the end, though, the McGrady era is going to be forgotten in Magic history as some Dark Age in Orlando basketball. That "horrible" time between the 1995 Penny/Shaq era and the Dwight Howard era. He is and and always will be the in between -- his accomplishments seen as impressive but ultimately disappointing.

The T-Mac era will always be viewed as a failure.

It certainly can be seen that way as Orlando continued to fail to escape the first round of the Playoffs and escape mediocrity. I remember Mike Bianchi of The Orlando Sentinel arguing at the time that Orlando had to either be completely abysmal (which they would be in 2004) or put all their chips in and go for a title. Mediocrity, in other words, would not matter.

As the 2004-06 seasons and the three-year playoff absence proved to Magic fans everywhere, just being in the postseason could make a successful season. Some postseason is better than no postseason at all.

The McGrady era will be viewed as a failure for what the Magic got for him. Steve Francis, Cuttino Mobley and Kelvin Cato had their moments in Orlando. But Mobley was traded to Sacramento in half a season. Francis became listless and useless -- a shell of the former All Star he was. Cato was sent off to Detroit for Darko Milicic and Francis was cleared for cap room.

Nothing says bridge era more than getting nothing in return for your transcendent superstar.

Who knows what would have happened if McGrady put his chips behind Howard in the 2004 Draft instead of Emeka Okafor. Would the Magic have had that inside-outside scoring combination that they have been hoping for since signing Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis.

His injury issues have certainly muddled the what-if questions McGrady's trade asked us.

But with a scoring force like Vince Carter on the roster, it is going to become easier to bury the McGrady past. It deserves some appreciation for its beauty even as we learn to forget it with the team's success the past couple seasons and the expectations of a title in the near future.

What They're Saying: Magic vs. Hornets

2009-10-13T18:00:00.007-04:00

The Magic took care of business last night in Memphis finally getting a solid defensive effort, at least statistically. The turnovers are still a little bit of an issue it seems, but you cannot complain with the results of these games. Tonight Orlando heads to Witchita, Kansas, to face the Hornets.

-Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins claimed the referees favored Dwight Howard in last night's game. Stan Van Gundy said, "Of course he said that," and then claimed Hasheem Thabeet was in fact grabbing Howard as his only defense against Superman. The truth is somewhere in between.

-Rashard Lewis will be riding a bicycle during the games of his 10-game suspension. Might be tough to cart a stationary bicycle into his hotel room on those road trips, but I hear those rooms are pretty big.

-New Orleans' top free agent acquisition, Ike Digou, finally returned from injury only to get injured again in his first scrimmage. Not good new for a team that is slowly bringing star trade acquisition Emeka Okafor back from injury too.

-Ben Q. Rock of Third Quarter Collapse gives us an instant look at some of the position battles in his breakdown of last night's win in Memphis.

-Marcus Thornton and the maturation of a second round pick, from John DeShazier of the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

-The Orlando Sentinel is reporting that Matt Barnes will get the night off tonight. Certainly well deserved after last night's performance. Tonight is also the lone back-to-back on the Magic's schedule. They do not play again until a trip to Chicago on Monday.

What They're Saying: Magic vs. Grizzlies

2009-10-12T18:00:00.005-04:00

-Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel talks about the precautions the team is taking to prevent flue outbreaks.

-Vince Carter is struggling with his shot a little bit, but still plans to attack. Brandon Bass has not struggled with his shot, but Stan Van Gundy wants to see him play defense.

-The Grizzlies are going through their own transition as they try to get their young lineup ready for the regular season.

-Turnovers have been an unfortunate theme for the Grizzlies in three preseason games.

-Third Quarter Collapse solicits fans to help them figure out the Magic's rotations this season.

-Jameer Nelson and Vince Carter will get the night off so Mickael Pietrus and Jason Williams will step into the starting lineup tonight in Memphis.

-Marcin Gortat received a starring role with the Polish national basketball team. Now he feels ready to take a larger role in the Magic's offense, writes Zach McCann of Orlando Magic Daily.

-Grizzlies blog Straight Outta Vancouver takes a look at the storylines in tonight's exhibition game.

-Grizzlies guard Marcus Williams is watching his weight or else he will have to watch his checkbook, Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial-Appeal writes.

-Matt Barnes told Tania Ganguli of The Orlando Sentinel that you have to like your teammates. That means the locker room will take center stage in Memphis with the additions of Zach Randolph and Allen Iverson to its young squad.

What They're Saying: Rockets vs. Magic

2009-10-09T17:00:00.002-04:00

-No one doubts Mickael Pietrus has played very well since missing a good portion of last season with injuries. But the thing you may not know, Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel writes, is Pietrus is still hurting from that wrist injury he suffered in Detroit last year.

-Stan Van Gundy will be jumbling lineups throughout the preseason so expect a new starting five tonight against the Rockets. Also, Matt Barnes' full-court heave.

-Chuck Hayes of the Houston Rockets is in an odd position, Jonathan Feigan of the Houston Chronicle writes. He is a 6-foot-6 center with limited offensive abilities, yet the glue that holds the rag-tag bunch of Rockets together.

-Trevor Ariza has been struggling with his shot entering his return to the Amway Arena -- not sure how I should feel about him as a Magic fan anymore. Also, Shane Battier is still working his way back from a pulled hamstring. Don't expect to see him tonight.

-Rocket Buzz asks if Aaron Brooks is the team's future at point guard.

Magic Wands: October 9, 2009

2009-10-09T12:00:00.003-04:00

-When Olympiakos plays the LeBrons later this preseason, they might be wearing some jerseys from the fan store thanks to an international civil suit.

-One word reaction to this ad: "Nice."

-I do not know if anyone else knows about this, but tonight the Phoenix Mercury and the Indiana Fever will meet in a do-or-die Game Five in the WNBA Finals. You can watch it at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2. That is all.

-To: NetsAreScorching, From: Orlando Magic Fans. Starting Courtney Lee over Chris Douglas-Roberts is really a no-brainer. Lee is a tough, dependable scorer who deserves to be a starter on a championship team. We do not know if he can be a second or third option for you guys, but Lee will do whatever the coaches ask of him and probably succeed. We hope nothing but the best for our favorite masked player -- is he still wearing that mask by the way? Sincerely, The Curse of the Big Aristotle.

-Rave reviews for Magic man Ryan Anderson. And from HoopsWorld too.

-What about the Orlando Magic, Dave Berri of The Wages of Wins Journal.

What they're Saying: Heat vs. Magic

2009-10-07T17:00:00.002-04:00

-People are still wondering what effect Hedo Turkoglu's departure will have on the Magic's ability to win close games. So The Orlando Sentinel dug up this not-so-distant comparison of Vince Carter and Turkoglu's clutch abilities.

-It's tough to judge Vince Carter after one game -- and a preseason one at that -- but The Orlando Sentinel's Tania Ganguli asks: "What should Carter's role on the team be?"

-Stan Van Gundy said Matt Barnes was the best player for the Magic in Monday night's win. Barnes and fellow newcomer Brandon Bass will get inserted into the starting lineup for tonight's game.

-Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reviews the long and tumultuous journey of camp invite John Lucas III as he tries to make the Heat's roster.

-Heat center Jamaal Magloire is awaiting word from the league on whether he will be suspended after getting into a brief skirmish with the Pistons' Jonas Jerebko in a preseason game Monday.

-Anyone expecting a rematch of last year's exciting 3-point contest tonight will be sorely disappointed as Heat guard Daequan Cook will not play tonight after jamming his thumb in practice yesterday.

-Mario Chalmers knows for the Heat to make improvements on last year's fifth-place finish in the Eastern Conference it will have to start with him. That's why, as Michael Wallace of the Miami Herald reports, Chalmers was taking a lot of the blame for the Heat's struggles against the Pistons.

-The theme of practices, it seems, is getting everybody accustomed to the Magic style of play. That's at least what I got from Third Quarter Collapse's recap of shootaround this morning.

-Zach McCann of Orlando Magic Daily reveals that JJ Redick really grew and matured from his struggles his first two years with the Magic. Now he just wants a chance to play and prove what he is still worth.

Orlando Magic 110, Dallas Mavericks 105

2009-10-05T23:29:00.003-04:00

The new-look Orlando Magic made their debut the same way most NBA teams do... with a sloppy, poorly played exhibition. The Mavericks and Magic certainly showed some positive signs Monday night at American Airlines Center, but it might be hard to spot them with the usual choppy play that came with the first preseason game.

But in the end, despite holding the lead for most of the game, Orlando erased a nine-point fourth quarter deficit behind a big and-one conversion from newly acquired Brandon Bass to complete the turnaround and a three-pointer by newly acquired Matt Barnes to seal a 110-105 preseason win.

Both teams were definitely fighting the early October yips that come with the first preseason game. The teams were whistled for a combined 64 fouls -- 35 from Dallas -- and committed a combined 25 turnovers. The turnovers were surprisingly low, but the sloppy defense left Stan Van Gundy more amused than upset it seemed. So goes the first preseason game.

But outside of the settling down, there certainly were some encouraging signs throughout tonight's contest.

Jameer Nelson looked pretty comfortable running the point, despite picking up two quick fouls. He hit on three of his six three-point attempts and finished with 10 points. Dwight Howard too looked pretty comfortable dealing with the Mavericks' double teams. Howard finished with 17 points and 11 rebounds before fouling out in the third quarter.

Their developments will surely continue throughout the preseason.

What was most interesting was the performance of Rashard Lewis. Lewis looked to be in good form as he scored 18 on 7-of-15 shooting. He was agressive when he needed to be and he hit his 3-point looks. Not only that, he was pretty solid defensively in harassing Dirk Nowitzki for most of the night.

The disappointment might have come from Vince Carter. Carter relegated himself to shooting 3-pointers for most of the night until taking over to a certain extent in the third with the team fighting for the lead and Howard out of the game after fouling out.

Carter finished with a team-high 21 points on 7-of-18 shooting and three of 12 beyond the arc. I would like to see Vince attack the basket more rather than settling for threes, but it looks like he is settling into the offense -- as is everybody else.

I will say that the few pick and rolls they ran with Carter, it did look quite deadly. Vince will do more than fill in for Hedo Turkoglu.

Everything tonight was running well in spurts. There were times in the game where the offense and defense looked pretty solid and there were times when teh offense was stagnant and the defense was over pursuing or not in the right position. First preseason game, so plenty to correct.

I will close in saying that Brandon Bass is going to be a very nice addition for the Magic. Whether he can play with Howard is another question, but he will do a lot of things very well for Orlando. The dude is, as advertised, a tough defender and a mean rebounder on both sides. He can also score and showed some range tonight. Bass' final stat line: 13 points, six rebounds.

Like with all things after the first preseason game, there is plenty of area for improvement. The defense needs to be sharpened and the offense is still getting used to having a second guy in the post. But that's what these games are for.

Stan Van Gundy was definitely pushing for the win tonight, and his team (read: bench players) showed some resiliency and fought hard for the W. I will take that as a very good sign.

What They're Saying: Magic vs. Mavericks

2009-10-05T18:30:00.001-04:00

-The preseason is going to matter a little more than usual as the Magic enter their first preseason game tonight in Dallas. Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel writes coach Stan Van Gundy will use the eight exhibition games to help determine lineup combinations and integrate players to a team with title aspirations while also bracing for Rashard Lewis' imminent suspension.

-Fate has the Mavericks seeing some familiar faces (and near-familiar faces) as the Magic come to town, Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News writes.

-Dwight Howard is supposedly getting ready to unveil his new jump shot (again). The man who has seen his growth up close is Adonal Foyle. And Foyle tells Zach McCann of Orlando Magic Daily Howard has grown a lot since his rookie season. And a trip to the Finals has only made him hungrier.

-This will be the first appearance of Orlando's four All-Star lineup. Questions abound about how shots will be distributed, but point guard Jameer Nelson tells Woody Womack of Orlando Magic Daily not to worry about that so much. It's his job to worry about it.

-Four interesting scenes that could occur in tonight's game courtesy of Dallas Basketball.

-El Fantasma de Carlos over at The Puns are Starting To Bore Me says, "Not so fast" to those championship or bust sentiments.

Magic Wands: October 2, 2009

2009-10-02T12:00:00.005-04:00

-Bad omens in Cleveland for the LeBrons.

-AirTran Airways has become the official (and exclusive in arena) airline sponsor of the Orlando Magic. Alex Martins is trying to give the corporate side of the Amway Center a very Orlando feel and bringing on a technically Orlando company like AirTran is a good step forward. And, except for Gate C4A or B at Midway Airport in Chicago, I love AirTran.

-This photo attached to an article in The Orlando Sentinel caught my eye. A lot of stadiums do not allow fans to walk down the aisles from the concourse while the ball is in play. Is Amway Arena joining that trend?

-Brian Hubbard of the Examiner asks: "Who is the greatest player not to have his jersey retired?" If Shaquille O'Neal keeps up his talking, we might have our winner.

Grab A Handle... and hang on

2009-09-29T14:38:00.005-04:00

The photos were snapped, public service announcements recorded, interviews taped and players met together for officially the first time yesterday at the RDV Sportsplex. It is cold outside for the first time all fall and that means it is finally basketball season.

In the words of the Joker, "Here... we... go."

This is arguably the most anticipated season of Magic basketball in the franchise's 21-year history. Owner Rich DeVos dipped into the before unimagined luxury tax realm to try to ensure his team brings home its first championship. Buoyed by last year's trip to the NBA Finals, the once lofty dreams of lifting the Larry O'Brien Trophy have become the only acceptable outcome for the 2009-10 season.

Once again, "Here... we... go."

To continue my somewhat silly superhero movie references -- notice how I have not mentioned Dwight Howard yet (damn) -- with great expectations, comes great responsibility.

And that is why the new catch-word for the team struck a chord with me.

"Grab a Handle"

Like Boston's "Ubuntu" or Los Angeles' "Kobe" (just kidding on that last one), there is a sense of togetherness that comes from this phrase. The sense that through the work of the team, everyone can succeed. It is the type of mentality that every team always credits with inspiring them to a title that season.

Will this one work? Only time will tell.

But Stan Van Gundy and Otis Smith, I think have caught on to the right idea.

It is no secret this is one of the deepest and star-studded teams in the league now. There are four potential All Stars in the starting lineup, something that has not been seen since the 2006 Pistons. I do not expect all four of these guys to make a return trip to the big game in Dallas, but to see three again would not be surprising.

But individual accolades are meaningless to a team that has championship aspirations. It would be nice to get the same type of recognition that Rashard Lewis, Jameer Nelson and Howard got last year, but that is not what is important.

What is important is Grabbing a Handle.

Think about it. In order to power a canoe or row boat (that is not made for an individual, at least) it takes the concerted effort of all the rowers working together to prople the craft through the water. Why do you think crew is so hard?

The same atmosphere and comraderie has to pervade the Magic locker room. The team, at least in its words to the press, is not satisfied with its runner-up finish last year.

So how will Vince Carter fit into the system? Will he be the star Stan Van Gundy hopes he can be, or will he be the ball hog all of Carter's detractors (myself included) fear he could be.

Will Dwight Howard try to put too much on his shoulders? Will Jameer Nelson put too much on his shoulders? What will the affect of the Rashard Lewis suspension be? Can Orlando win with a conventional playing lineup? Will the team keep the resiliency that has become the team's trademark under Stan Van Gundy?

Who knows what the answers to these questions will be.

I know they will all be answered in a positive manner for the Magic if each player "Grabs a Handle."

Magic Wands: September 25, 2009

2009-09-25T12:00:00.005-04:00

-Tracy McGrady and his trainers believe he will return from microfracture surgery sooner than anyone expected. An injury that many believed would keep him out until February, McGrady believes he might be ready to play by October or November. And get this, his trainers say McGrady did a poor job rebuilding his strength after originally injuring his back in 2002 (I was at that game, it was a vicious fall against the Hornets), but now they have him doing things he has not done since he was in a Magic uniform. Looks like my fantasy team is getting better by the day.

-An NBA referees' wife wonders why the league is mistreating the sacrifice she and other families give to be in the family of an NBA referee.

-Keith Bogans is a good defender who can hit an open 3-pointer, especially in the corner. Sounds like a former San Antonio Spur named Bruce Bowen. Could Bogans become the new Bowen?

-DIME Magazine wonders: Who is better? Rashard Lewis or Hedo Turkoglu? Third Quarter Collapse asks the same question.

-Apparently, Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu are two of the worst rebounders taller than 6-10 in NBA history.

-The Trail Blazers are turning to the market in bad times to set single game ticket prices. Who knows, maybe it will start a ticket revolution.

Magic Wands: September 11, 2009

2009-09-11T12:00:00.003-04:00

Nothing is going on in the NBA. Please Training Camp, get here soon! So after a week's delay, here is the latest batch of Magic Wands.

-ESPN rolled out their summer predictions and surprise surprise they have the Cleveland LeBrons winning the East. Cannot say that I blame them, when I sit down and think about it, the LeBrons will probably be one of the three teams I will be debating about in the East. But by that much? Really? Love being underdogs again.

-Tim Povtak of NBA FanHouse tracks down former Magic first round pick David Vaughn. Vaughn has struggled mightily since falling out of the NBA. He was homeless for a while, but has found himself again and is rebounding. I remember in eighth grade my junior high basketball team was practicing at this random practice facility near The First Academy and I saw him. I thought I recognized him and asked him if he was in deed David Vaughn. It was. I had no idea then, and no idea until I read this story, exactly what he must have been going through. Hopefully Vaughn continues to work hard to improve his life.

-Think officiating was bad in the playoffs? Hope the NBA does not have to bring in replacement referees. After negotiations were broken up earlier this week, replacement referees seem very likely for the preseason beginning October 1.

-Bob Dylan once said, "Oh the times they are a-changin." Remember when the stadium was half empty and no one wanted to go to Magic games. Yeah, November sucked. But demand for Magic tickets has increased so much the team has capped season ticket sales. Didn't he also say, "Let the good times roll"?

Magic Wands: August 28, 2009

2009-08-28T12:00:00.003-04:00

-Ever wonder where your mascot sits in the evolutionary chain? Now you can find out.

-Think the officiating was bad in the postseason? Just wait until the NBA locks out the current referees and they have to bring in subs. It would not be pretty if the NBA has to go a long time without the high-level officials they have now.

-Mapping Orlando's success over the year.

-So much for Courtney Lee sulking about his trade to New Jersey. Now, according to NBA FanHouse he is committing himself to proving the Magic wrong and making them regret trading him away. I know we all hope he does well... but not all-time Magic killer, trade-regretting well.

That Team Mentality

2009-08-26T23:13:00.003-04:00

The Finals have come and gone. We have all gone through our withdrawals and our depression -- some are still getting through it. It is still tough to watch Kobe Bryant dancing before every SportsCenter and it is even tougher watching Games 2 and 4 when they air on NBATV.

Lock them away with Game 1 of the 1995 Finals and Game 6 and 7 of the 2003 First Round in the annals of missed Playoff opportunities.

But I bring up this heartbreak because yesterday was a very special day -- and the very special shirt that I bought when I went to Amway Arena for my first Magic Finals game in 14 years.

Yesterday was Stan Van Gundy's 50th birthday. Hard to believe he has made it that long without some sort of heart problem considering the way he carries himself on the sidelines. But here's to another healthy 50 years, Stan.

Van Gundy can be considered the team's greatest head coach for sure. But what has gotten Van Gundy to that point. Besides the record.

That brings me to the shirt I got to remember the Finals.

I went to Game Four after flying home from school for the end of the year the day before. I knew I needed an official Finals shirt to remember the occasion. The only shirt I have left from 1995 was a print of The Orlando Sentinel front page after the Magic won the Eastern Conference Finals. It no longer fits me, to say the least.

The shirt that caught my eye at the Orlando Magic store at the arena was a group of all the jerseys on the team arranged around the Finals logo with the traditional trimmings saying it was the Magic and that they were Eastern Conference Champions.

It is a sweet shirt. And I am a little upset they marked it down with the Finals over. No fun if you buy it after the fact, I say.

But what does it say that this was the shirt to choose of all the others at Amway Arena?

I think it goes to what Stan Van Gundy has done as a head coach. Van Gundy has done what every good coach does: get the best out of his individuals. More than that, he has gotten them to commit to a team mentality that only the good teams have.

Sure, he has his quirks. But Stan Van Gundy is a team-first guy and has built a team mentality with the Magic.

Whenever I wear that shirt, I think about what each player contributed to the team (and confuse Tyronn Lue's No. 10 for Keith Bogans' No. 10). That is why the Magic got to the Finals. They were the great sum of its parts.

So happy birthday Stan. I know you deserve your vacation. But it's time to get this team a ring.

Magic Wands: August 21, 2009

2009-08-21T12:00:00.004-04:00

-Orlando has released its new ticket sales motto. Simple, appealing, encouraging: BE MAGIC. Not "Are You Ready For This." Not "Heart & Hustle." But if it wins you a title, it wins you a title. The wallpapers look sweet though.

-21 reasons to buy NBA League Pass from DIME Magazine.

-A lot of dead-time summer talk about retiring jerseys. If you have not read the series over at 3rd Quarter Collaps e, they break down the arguments for retiring Penny Hardaway, Darrell Armstrong, Nick Anderson and Shaquille O'Neal. Really good stuff.

-The most intriguing argument for Magic fans is Nick Anderson. No doubt he holds a dear place in the hearts for many Magic fans. But how good was he really. Whit Watson of Sun Sports talked with Jordi of the Serious Tip and the truth is, in 1994-95, Anderson was pretty good.

-How's this for a "Shaq vs."? Apparently O'Neal took the idea from Steve Nash and Mr. Nash was not very happy about it.

-Orlando set records with 3-point shooting last year. But they are just the poster child of a growing trend in the NBA.

-Carlos Arroyo, rap superstar.

Orlando and selfishness

2009-08-20T17:00:00.000-04:00

One thing has amazed me about Orlando since Stan Van Gundy took over as head coach. You can see it every time the Magic play and it is probably the key to their success.

It is simple really. The ball goes into Dwight Howard, he tries to bully his way to the hoop only to be double-teamed and dishes back out to Hedo Turkoglu. Turkoglu is fairly open and you would not blame him for taking the shot but with a defender rotating over to try and distract the sharpshooter, he fires it over the Jameer Nelson at the top of the key.

Now Nelson is WIDE open and easily drains a three -- or even worse for a defender, feeds the ball quickly to Rashard Lewis for an open three in the corner. There is simply nothing you can do about this kind of ball movement.

And it is something Orlando does incredibly well.

Back in May, Hardwood Paroxysm published this incredible analysis of "selfishness". I saved the link because it was something incredibly interesting pertaining to the Magic. Orlando is, as Stan Van Gundy has admitted, an incredibly unselfish team. And the stats even bear that out.

A lot of Orlando's big guns from last season rank above a 5.0 in unselfishness (that means they pass the ball and set others up to score). Turkoglu is noticeably low, but Howard is high, Marcin Gortat is high. And even Jameer Nelson comes in around a 6.0.

I don't know how much stock you can put in these stats, but that is something that definitely has separated the Magic team of the past two years from oh so many teams in the past. That ability to make the extra pass to find the better shot it what separates the good teams from the great teams.

Certainly things have changed with the roster overhaul (and it can be considered an overhaul) this summer. The Magic are still going to be the free-wheeling 3-point shooting team they have been, but it won't be all the time. The roster necessitates that there will be more traditional looks out there.

But Stan Van Gundy made an interesting observation during the team's introduction of free agent signing Jason Williams (a signing I am so indifferent toward that I don't think it deserves a full analysis).

Van Gundy said last year's team was characterized by this quality of unselfishness. But this year's team has a better collection of passes.

What exactly does that mean?

It might mean less three-point shooting and more playmaking -- drives and dish or drives and drop ins to Gortat, Howard and Brandon Bass.

Van Gundy has done a great job molding this roster and unlocking the best in every player. I am sure he will do the same with this roster to utilize every attribute available on the roster.

Jameer Nelson and the Family Band

2009-08-17T22:22:00.005-04:00

Now is the dead time in the NBA schedule -- if there is one. The schedule is out, free agency has quieted and everyone is in a holding pattern until training camps open in late September (a scant six weeks away).

The endless prognosticating has begun as The Orlando Sentinel talked to several "experts" about how the Eastern Conference will shake out.

The big concern it seems in the Magic's third place finish in the Sentinel's poll is how the team will come together with so many new pieces. That is an admitted concern seeing that there will be two new members to the starting lineup and many new players coming off the bench.

Before Rashard Lewis' suspension, I thought the first month of the season would tell us how the team was coming together and whether the title was realistic this year or for the christening of the Amway Center -- let alone for both years.

Now with Lewis out for the first 10 games, Orlando is going to have to band together quickly again and gel to keep up with what I am sure will be fast starts from Cleveland and Boston.

Chemistry will go a long way.

Building that chemistry starts this week in Philadelphia.

It will not get mentioned anywhere outside of Orlando, but it is probably the most significant week for the team and its development. In a week in Nelson's hometown and at his expense, Dwight Howard, Vince Carter, Rashard Lewis and most of the other members of the team will work out together, play together and bond together.

This is not the fake picture-taking of the LeBron James gang or the intense scare and love-me-because-you-fear-me camaraderie of Kevin Garnett's band. This is where the Magic get their spunk and become a family.

I have never really heard of a team doing something like this. And entering its third or fourth year, it has truly become a success. Something the team looks forward to and the reason why Nelson has become the true captain of the team.

A lot of questions about Orlando will be solved this week behind the closed doors of a gym, weight room and paint ball facility. It is where the team truly becomes a team.

And where the road to a title truly begins.

Magic Wands: August 14, 2009

2009-08-14T12:00:00.008-04:00

-The last time Brian Hill was coaching in the playoffs, Detroit was sending him home. Now the Palace of Auburn Hills is his home as an assistant coach with John Kuester.

-Whether we like it or not, the idea of corporate sponsors on NBA jerseys is slowly becoming a reality. A very good breakdown of how sponsorships work in European soccer and what it could mean for the NBA at Cowbell Kingdom.

-A New Jersey state senator is suggesting the state government stop paying subsidies to local sports teams unless they show their Jersey Pride. Apparently the Nets are removing the words "New Jersey" from their road jerseys. Brings up an interesting thought in the debate for corporate sponsors on NBA jerseys.

-Hedo Turkoglu wants to be an All Star this year. But the Toronto Sun wants him to be an MVP candidate for Toronto to be successful.

-Speaking of Turkoglu, he nearly signed with Portland. Good thing he didn't, according to Otis Smith.

-Tony Battie might be the next contestant on the Buyout Train.

-Everyone loves a good Adonal Foyle update. Adonal is in St. Vincent and the Grenadines running a basketball camp for his Kerosene Lamp Foundation. He, Bo Outlaw and Courtney Lee are running a camp and teaching valuable life lessons. Foyle is truly not just a halfway decent basketball player, but one of the great philanthropic athletes.

-It's official: American high school junior Jeremy Tyler signed a contract with Macabbi Haifa of the Israel Premier League.

-Like the Nets? Didn't think so. But if you buy a ticket plan with them you can get a reversible Dwight Howard/Yi Jianlian jersey. No, I am not kidding (via Deadspin)

-Coming soon to an Internet near you is the documentary Sonicsgate. I know we all followed the Sonics story and I really feel for everyone in Seattle. It is difficult for Magic fans to remember -- especially now -- that this almost happened to us, although maybe not as bad as it did to the die hard fans of Seattle.

The Dwight double standard

2009-08-12T22:45:00.000-04:00

There have been a number of random thoughts that I have had during the last weeks of the playoffs and the offseason. These are all things that will have a major bearing on the upcoming season for sure.

Perhaps the biggest question that will have to be answered is what I am calling the Dwight double standard.

Take yourself back to Game Five of the first round. Philadelphia's strategy is to hack at Dwight Howard as much as possible and try to make him go to the line thus discouraging Orlando from taking advantage of its best weapon and matchup in the series.

It even works as the Magic continually go away from Howard while he is being defended by the likes of Samuel Dalembert, Marreesse Speights and the unageable Theo Ratliff.

Being the playoffs, the referees feel a little generous and don't always make the call. Later on LeBron James will breathe funny and immediately whistle Courtney Lee for a foul. C'est la vie. More on James in a minute.

So Howard throws an elbow. A somewhat spontaneous reaction to the physicality coming his way and the lack of response from the officials. It is his way of expressing himself, so to speak.

What happens? The predictable. With the NBA feeling touchy about physical play at any point in the season, they lay the hammer down (unfortunately, not the Polish Hammer) and suspend Howard for Game Six.

Luckily the Magic had a Polish Hammer and used it to nail the 76ers in Game Six.

But that's not the point. The point is Howard had to stomach an unfair balance of fouls coming his way, especially for a player of his stature.

As The Puns Are Starting to Bore Me pointed out at the time, Howard led the league in free throws attempted. But he was the only player in the top 10 who did not use getting to the free throw line as part of his strategy.

Look, as we learned in the postseason, it's not always great for Howard to be at the line. I sometimes believe I am the only person who feels confident at any point in the game to have Howard at the line. You have to have that trust in him. And he will get better.

But this is something Dwight will have to live with. There is a double standard for big man. As Greg Oden tried to dispel in that ESPN the Magazine ad: "Big Men Don't Sell." Big men don't get the same calls as the LeBrons and the Dwyane Wades.

Those guys look more acrobatic when they get fouled. When Howard gets fouled, we expect him to power through it and still score. It is incredible that he -- and other big men like Shaquille O'Neal -- put up with this double standard.

But it is one he has to put up with and move on from. Certainly the only way for him to erase this double standard is to start making free throws and force teams to play him straight up. Complaining to the refs won't help him at all.

Magic Wands: August 7, 2009

2009-08-07T12:00:00.002-04:00

-The countdown to avoid a lockout has begun as owners and representatives from the players' union met in New York earlier this week.

-The Orlando Events Center will officially be the Amway Center. 3rd Quarter Collapse's erivera7 got a chance to chat with Alex Martins about it as well as the possibility of seeing a sponsor on Magic practice uniforms -- and when they say practice uniforms, I assume they mean warmups, that makes much more sense.

More interesting Martins is very open to the idea of having sponsors on game uniforms. Something I know I am staunchly against. I want to see "Orlando" or "Magic" on my uniforms. It makes them more personal and easier to identify the "Magic brand." If you get a sponsor, it needs to be for a 10-, 15- or 20-year commitment.

-Speaking of the Amway Center. They released new video and artist renderings of the palace on Church Street.

-Bradford Doolittle of NBA Prospectus runs some fancy numbers through some complicated machine or formula and comes out with some indecipherable date. I think what he says is the Magic will play the third easiest schedule this season. Cleveland is first and amazingly Charlotte is second. He also computes the Spurs are the odds-on favorite to win the title. I guess that's why they play the games on the court.

Rashard Lewis suspended for PED violation

2009-08-06T18:28:00.008-04:00

The Orlando Sentinel reported today Rashard Lewis has been suspended by the NBA for violating the league's substance abuse policy. The 6-10 forward will miss the first 10 games of the season without pay.

The Sentinel says Lewis tested positive for a substance known as DHEA, a testosterone booster found in several over the counter nutritional supplements (and completely legal in the US and even legal in baseball, but banned by the NBA). Lewis said it was an honest mistake and apologized for it while accepting the consequences.

There are so many thoughts running through my mind.

First was, "Oh great, now Cavs fans will be putting an asterisk on our Eastern Conference championship." Thus "The Curse" tag. Luckily respected beat writer for the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Brian Windhorst, does not believe in such things as asterisks.

With baseball constantly going insane over steroids and performance enhancing drugs, that was the next place I went. I remember during those infamous Senate hearings, Senators going after David Stern for the NBA's lax punishments for taking performance-enhancing drugs. I guess Orlando should be thanking that for Lewis' seemingly paltry 10-game suspension.

But at that time, I thought, steroids aren't needed in the NBA. Muscles don't necessarily help you -- especially a shooter. It can throw off your shot or whatever.

Then we all became more educated about steroids and how they are actually used. Yes, they can be used to improve strength and change physical appearance. But they are more commonly used to quickly recover from workouts and injury.

We all know entering the postseason that Lewis was struggling with knee tendonitis issues. He missed a few games to rest the knee. Is it that hard to believe that he took the nutritional supplement -- knowing or not knowing it had a banned substance -- to help him recover from that injury?

My big question is why he was taking this supplement and whether it was because of that injury. My next question is how do you not check the label?

This excuse has been used before by other people caught for violating PED policies and I believe Lewis honestly did not know what was going on, but it is ridiculous for a guy getting paid nearly $17 million a year not to know what he is putting in his body when his body is his living.

One thing I have learned from all the steroids hullabaloo in baseball is that over the counter stuff is not safe from drug-testing policies. This stuff is not always necessarily FDA approved as a Sports Illustrated article a few months back revealed.

It certainly raises a question, whether you believe Lewis' story or not. But there is some evidence to make you think he was in a rush to recover for Orlando's playoff run.

The final thing I thought of is what this will mean for the Magic at the beginning of the season. Generally, I am not worried about how the team plays early. Orlando did its job to brace itself for an injury to its front court this summer in signing Brandon Bass, Marcin Gortat and Matt Barnes.

And as 3rd Quarter Collapse points out, Stan Van Gundy has had to face worse.

But looking at the schedule, the first 10 games are not difficult. There are four games against teams from last year's playoffs -- two against Detroit. Game Nine is against Cleveland -- it would have been too ironic if it were Game 11. A trip to Toronto is somewhat concerning. But overall, the Magic could easily escape with a 6-4, maybe even 7-3 record without Lewis.

This is a good team. Orlando knows how to win and this is only a hiccup in its quest for a championship.

Let's just hope there is not any more fallout. Bad PR is not good for any team in this economic climate.

Magic release Schedule

2009-08-04T16:02:00.009-04:00

The 2009-10 season officially began Tuesday when the NBA released its schedule -- complete with national television broadcast.

Orlando will appear on national television a franchise record 24 times. The Magic trail only the Cleveland LeBrons... I mean Cavaliers... in national television appearances. The Lakers, Celtics and Spurs are also predominantly featured on the national TV broadcasts.

From that standpoint, the regular season schedule is coup for Orlando and all its fans. I know I am excited to see my Magic almost every week of the season from school. It should help grow the franchise too... especially if they win.

But, you cannot really glean much from a schedule besides who the NBA thinks is going to win and who the league wants to feature. It is clear Orlando is near the top of that list. The schedule though is virtually the same. Ah, the beauty of the NBA schedule.

Here are some other random thoughts on the Magic's schedule:

-Orlando's trip to the 2010 Finals begins the same way its trip to the 2009 Finals began: with the Philadelphia 76ers. Should be another interesting matchup and a good test for the Magic in their first game with the new-look roster. Ironically, the schedule also closes with the 76ers coming to the Amway Arena. Bad luck for those Philadelphia fans living in Orlando.

-The Magic's first national TV appearance is against the Cavaliers. All four of the games against Cleveland are going to be on TV and should be featured as one of the big rivalries of the season. Always look forward to this matchup especially with Shaquille O'Neal now in the picture.

-Always interesting to note is how many of the national television appearances are at home. I believe every NBA team should be given at least one home national television appearance -- yes even the Grizzlies. This is the best way to showcase every city in the league and their buildings. I obviously cared more about this when Orlando got only two or three national TV games, compared to 20-plus. But Orlando's national TV appearances break down like this: 12 home, 12 road. Eight additional games will be on NBATV.

-Can't tell if this is a good thing or a bad thing, but Orlando plays Oklahoma City twice in the first month. I like the Thunder and think they are a dark horse to make some noise in the West. Young teams play better at the beginning of the season. I don't think they will be in the playoffs next season, but the year after possibly. A young team like that could be trouble early on.

The same thing could happen with a young team like Toronto, whom Orlando faces twice on the road in November. Hedo Turkoglu is going to want to take out his former team early in the season while the emotions are hot.

-For the first time in a long time, the Magic are on the road for Thanksgiving, featuring a Thanksgiving night game at Atlanta. The chitlins will be cooking at the Howard household!

-Magic again host a Christmas game. They get the Celtics on Christmas Day at the Amway Arena a year after blowing out the Hornets last year.

-The big West road trips are in December and January again, as usual. Unusually they are both four-game trips and seem pretty well balanced with the Western powers. Have to feel good about doing better than .500 on both junkets out West.

-If I am not mistaken, the February 7 game at Boston will be the first time since 2005 that Orlando was scheduled to be on ABC when the schedule was released. The Magic played the Celtics on the ABC premier two years ago, but I do not think they have been scheduled to make the big stage appearance since Tracy McGrady led them against the Mavericks late in the 21-61 season.

-Lakers don't make their return trip to Orlando until March 7.

-Could the schedule not match up with my school's breaks better? I feel like I am going to be at only five non-Chicago Bulls games this season. At least they play the Bulls twice this year in Chicago and on days I can probably go.

Versatility is a good thing

2009-08-03T23:23:00.005-04:00

August is the time of year where the NBA action calms down. Today's announcement of the schedule is going to be a nice pick up of the action from the late summer reprieve. From this point until late September, there is simply nothing to do.

So with most of the free agents having already decided where they will be playing next season, the annual offseason power rankings are rolling out.

The reviews on the Magic are generally good. But, like whenever a major contender complete remakes their team the summer after reaching the NBA Finals, there are some questions.

Most notably, Bill Simmons wonders whether Orlando lost the uniqueness that made it so good and so difficult to matchup with last season. Various others believe the Magic positioned themselves for a championship and did more to keep their window open than the Cavaliers or the Celtics.

Me, I will say that I am willing to wait. I share Mr. Simmons' concern that Orlando lost its uniqueness. And, honestly, I am afraid of change after such a successful season. I remember the years when the team was constantly overhauling its roster around Tracy McGrady to little success.

What I am saying is: these things can be quite hit or miss.

Obviously this situation is much different. Vince Carter is a huge offensive improvement over Hedo Turkoglu and adds a dynamic to the team that the franchise has not had since McGrady's departure.

But still, that doubt lingers. When the schedule comes out later today, I will certainly take a close look at that first month. It will be formative for this team.

I believe most Magic fans consider Rashard Lewis a power forward and that they and he operates best with him at power forward. But a lot of people -- esepcially in the national media -- believe Lewis will shift to small forward with Brandon Bass starting at the four.

One thing is for sure, and this is a point that has been made unendingly at 3rd Quarter Collapse, this kind of versatility is good. To be able to comfortably go big with a lineup of Jameer Nelson-Carter-Lewis-Bass-Dwight Howard or stay with the "traditional" Nelson-Carter-Mickael Pietrus-Lewis-Howard is a hug matchup advantage.

Bass has the ability to step out and hit the mid-range jumper (not a 3 mind you) and could still allow the Magic to play its up-tempo shot-happy style. But it also gives them a bruising secondary low post presence. Just watch Dwight Howard's assist numbers skyrocket.

In the Los Angeles series -- and in the Detroit series last year and the year before and even to a certain extent against Boston -- Orlando struggled with bigger lineups. Now the Magic can throw out their shoot-first, Howard clean-up second lineup as well as a bruising lineup that can physically match their opponents.

I forget who said this -- Kevin Pelton, maybe? -- but Orlando is no slouch even if it has to play Lewis at small forward for stretches. So what if the Magic go traditional for most of the season, they can go back to what got them to the Finals in the postseason, when the matchup dictates it.

Orlando can play any way it wants. I do not know if it will equate to a title. But if it all gels correctly, the Magic will certainly be a tough team to beat on any night.

Magic Wands: July 31, 2009

2009-07-31T12:00:00.003-04:00

-So, who got left off the all-decade team. Justin Kubatko of Basketball-Reference.com starts the debate by naming his all-2000s team. There are some notable names left off the list.

-Marcin Gortat will no longer get those nice Reebok shoes he was wearing. Too bad, they complemented his Air Jordan tattoo really well.

-Ladies, want to win a date with Dwight Howard? Now you can!

-Former Magic man and Orlando resident Dee Brown was named the head coach and general manager of the D-League's Springfield Armor.

-The NBA is allowing teams to sell ad space on their practice jerseys. Don't know how I feel about this. I like how American jerseys are not spaces for sale. It is nice popping the jersey and it saying "Orlando" or "Magic" as opposed to "Walt Disney: Where Dreams are Made." Can I get some free tickets for the mention, maybe?

Magic Wands: July 24, 2009

2009-07-24T12:00:00.002-04:00

-Lester Munson of ESPN.com on an upcoming Supreme Court case that could have very big implications for all of sports.

-Vince Carter New Jersey Nets jerseys are going for $15 while supplies last. They are the right color... if not the wrong name. But who hasn't replaced names on jerseys -- I still have my Tracy McGrady-turned-Doug Christie uniform at home.

-Hardwood Paroxysm asks the question Orlando kind of answered: to retool or not to retool.

-Ranking the NBA's best remaining free agents.

-Dwight Howard will be appearing in a romantic comedy coming out this February. Orlando's star is certainly feeling the love.

-China is supposedly blaming the NBA's way-too-long season for Yao Ming's injury issues. It certainly wasn't him spending his offseasons playing for the national team every year while he was rushing back from injury. Lets you know how Americans view the national team responsibilities despite the gold medal.

-A map to the NBA offseason.

Feeling a bit like the Yankees

2009-07-21T23:25:00.005-04:00

Orlando signed Matt Barnes on Monday using the remainder of its mid-level exception. Barnes is a versatile forward who can do some dirty work, mix it up inside and hit 3-pointers. Since the Magic signed Brandon Bass, I felt he was the best player available that could help them win the title.

So great, Orlando got its man. The team got the piece it needed to virtually complete its roster.

At the beginning of this summer of turnover, I was skeptical of the moves. I did not know if Vince Carter was the right piece to add. I did not know if Brandon Bass was the exact right fit. Even though I love -- and I mean LOVE -- Marcin "Increasingly Growing Urban Legend" Gortat, I did not think it was wise for the Magic to match his offer sheet from Dallas.

It was an interesting summer to this point to say the least. I was not sold it would get the Magic back to the Finals. I am feeling better about it now.

But why does it feel so dirty?

Take a look at our budget sheet, courtesy 3rd Quarter Collapse. That $80 million payroll is nothing to laugh at. Orlando is well into the luxury tax and will be fore quite some time. All in the name of winning a title.

As a Magic fan, I cannot complain. Orlando is in a very realistic position to win a title next season. The ownership has put in all its chips and gotten behind the dream of a title.

That is perhaps what feels so wrong.

The Magic have never been a team to go into the luxury. It has been something they have feared to perhaps a fault. It destroyed any chance of surrounding Tracy McGrady -- to this point perhaps the best scorer in the team's history -- with a decent roster (thanks Grant Hill). It let Darrell Armstrong walk for nothing.

It has handicapped Orlando as the team toiled in mediocrity throughout the early part of this decade. And let's not talk about the poor decisions and moves made with the money they did spend.

So now that the Magic are spending copious amounts of money and making good personnel moves, it all seems surreal and wrong.

OK, maybe saying Orlando is acting like the Yankees is wrong. They are more like the Red Sox -- spending copious amounts of money, but making good decisions instead of bad ones. But that is a lot of money to spending and it is never fun to feel like you are buying a championship -- I would know, I cheer for the Marlins in baseball.

But as my nine-year-old mind discovered when the Fish won the World Series in 1997 -- and South Florida learned again when the Heat won a title in 2006 -- it doesn't matter how you win a title.

If all these moves get Orlando a title, the fans and (most definitely) ownership will feel this is money well spent.

The consequences if the Magic should fail will be very interesting. But that is a concern for next summer.

All I know is that with Barnes, Carter and Bass on board, Orlando could very well see itself back in the Finals and lifting that trophy instead of seeing someone else take it from them.

Instances of the Curse: Milwaukee Madness

2009-07-20T20:20:00.005-04:00

In the early 2000s, no team drove Orlando made like Milwaukee. Yes, hard to believe. But at one time the Bucks were perhaps the Magic's biggest rival.

That thought seems so silly now with Milwaukee's struggles toward relevancy. But back in the day, the Bucks rolled with Ray Allen, Glenn Robinson and Sam Cassel. It was deadly trio that got Milwaukee some playoff glory... although no titles and really nothing more than a blip on the general NBA historical radar screen.

But for some reason, George Karl's team was maddeningly difficult for Doc Rivers, Tracy McGrady and Darrell Armstrong to solve.

The rivalry truly gained footing in 2002 when Karl said in an interview with Esquire that several long-time assistant coaches were being overlooked in favor of former players like then-Magic coach Doc Rivers or then-Nets coach Byron Scott.

The outrage in Orlando was so great that they played the Imperial March from The Empire Strikes Back when Karl took the floor during a 101-91 win in 2002 -- that effectively broke the curse and was one of the most fun games I have ever been to.

What hurt even more was the fact Milwaukee won 10 consecutive regular season games from 1999-2002. And let's go further back and mention the Bucks won just two of the first 14 meetings -- and those early 90s Bucks teams were no where near as good as those late 90s Bucks teams.

The rivalry truly began when the Bucks knocked the heart and hustle team out of surprising Playoff contention with a 85-83 win in Orlando on the penultimate game of the season.

The rivalry really came to a head when the seventh-seeded Magic faced the second-seeded Bucks in the 2001 Playoffs. This was Tracy McGrady's first foray into the postseason as a member of the Magic.

Milwaukee were the clear favorites entering the series and Orlando was honestly looking for one game in the best of five series. The Bucks took the first two games in the Bradley Center as expected. But Tracy McGrady turned in one of his patented postseason performances.

The Orlando Sentinel's headline read: T-Mactacular!

McGrady scored 42 points in the overtime win to snap an 11-game losing streak to the Bucks. It was a cathartic win at the TD Waterhouse Centre.

Milwaukee still won the series in four, closing out on the Orlando floor a few nights later.

That win seemed to make all the suffering worth it.

The losing continued somewhat. Orlando won just eight times in 27 meetings between 1999 and the beginning of 2006. It will forever be Milwaukee Madness for Orlando.

Magic Wands: July 17, 2009

2009-07-17T12:00:00.015-04:00

-A Dallas fan explains exactly what Orlando is getting in Brandon Bass.

-Acquiring Ryan Anderson is a 2-for-1 deal. You get Ryan the basketball player but also Ryan the goofball. Curious who he will select as his cohort without Brook Lopez (my bet? Adonal Foyle). Also hoping there is a few days before the Magic play the Nets so there is an awkward moment between Lopez and Anderson on YouTube.

-Toronto wants to be the Orlando of the Great White North.

-Dwight Howard the journalist?

-Congratulations to the U.S. basketball U-19 team for defeating Greece last weekend and taking home the gold medal for the first time in 18 years. Much props to them -- especially Northwestern's John Shurna (I have to give my alma mater some love, especially when it is in basketball).

-Kevin Love on the art of Tweeting.

-Tracy McGrady will no longer wear No. 1 for the Rockets. T-Mac is switching to No. 3 to promote his 3 Points Darfur program. Good to see Mac has a social conscience and is doing something productive while he is hurt. If the program struggles, expect him to demand a trade to a better one. (I kid, I kid. This is a very good program and I am glad athletes like T-Mac and throughout the NBA are getting involved with it.)

-Doug Collins and Peter Vescey have been awarded the Curt Gowdy Award this year. They will receive the honor at the Hall of Fame enshrinement in September.

-Conan O'Brien has found the tape of LeBron James getting dunked on.

-Dwight Howard wins a trophy from EA Sports. And challenges Vince Carter to a dunk contest. Hey World!

-Adonal Foyle could have made some serious dough if Orlando won the title... and if he played in it the Finals... and if he won MVP.

-When they say "Raise the Roof" at the Orlando Events Center. They really mean it.

Magic catch a Bass

2009-07-11T16:58:00.005-04:00

Surprised I have not seen that pun before. But the big news coming out of RDV Sportsplex was not Ryan Anderson's struggles in the final Summer League game (he certainly had an impressive week putting four stellar games in five days and earning a spot on the first team for the five-day league).

Instead it was Orlando agreeing to terms with Dallas Mavericks free agent Brandon Bass on a reported 4 year, $18 million contract. That equates to about $4.5 million a year and he supposedly has an out clause after the second year.

In reading the long run up to this acquisition, I have heard a lot of mixed reviews about Bass. A lot of people really like him as a player. Even for a guy at 6-8 (one of his detractions maybe), he is a tough rebounder who will scrap and, as The Orlando Sentinel put it, do the dirty work.

I have been calling for Orlando to sign someone whose sole purpose is to protect Dwight Howard and get after people who try to outmuscle him (impossible, I know). Bass can be that guy. What he does really does not always show up on a state sheet.

He will help Howard down low to get rebounds and clean up any misses around the basket when Howard is shooting or not in the game.

The biggest question about Bass is how he will fit into the roster. Bass is 6-8 and was called on to play center for Dallas at times. I do not know how comfortable I am with Bass coming and playing center all the time -- the Magic are in the market for a backup center to replace Marcin Gortat with the remainder of their mid-level exception.

Bass is also not known for his jumper. He has some range outside the pain -- think Tony Battie's range, maybe a shade shorter -- but is not the 3-point shooter that is the ideal of Orlando's spread the floor system. Some people see him as a starter, which I think he certainly can do, others see him coming off the bench.

What I like about this move is that it gives the Magic flexibility and versatility. That is something very important and inherent to Stan Van Gundy's whole scheme with this team.

No one thought Rashard Lewis could play power forward when Orlando signed him. That has clearly worked out. Until the Finals, that is.

Adding a player like Ryan Anderson and Brandon Bass have greatly increased the number of (theoretically) effective lineups the Magic can use. They can throw out their traditional lineup, but also now throw out a big lineup with Carter, Lewis, Bass and Howard on the floor. Or they could go small and have an Anderson and Bass on the floor down low while Howard is out.

The possibilities are no a little more endless. Plus competition is always a good thing in the fight for the power forward spot (I still like Mickael Pietrus off the bench) or for the backup power forward spot.

Bass is going to be a player that endears himself to Magic fans with his effort and play.

Summer League Thoughts

2009-07-10T20:00:00.002-04:00

The following are my thoughts from the four-day Orlando Summer League, held at RDV Sportsplex from June 6 until June 10.

-Dante and Galante are quite funny. They don't talk about the game as much as you like, but it is freaking Summer League and they don't take it or themselves too seriously. It is worth the listen just for them.

-To the players, James Harden looks like he will be able to hold his own. He got to the basket and has a better jump shot than I thought. Of course the competition was not so great either.

-As Dante and Galante pointed out, Serge Ibaka for Oklahoma City is very good when he is trying to score. Not so good when he is trying to do anything else. He looked real athletic around the basket, blocking shots and scoring in the post. Still incredibly raw though.

-Shaun Livingston looked healthy. Not dominant yet, but he should be able to contribute to Oklahoma City next year. Good to see him playing basketball period.

-Richard Hendrix is an absolute beast. Dante and Galante claimed he is planning on going to MMA if this basketball thing does not work out. I do not know if that is true, but I would believe it. He is a fantastic rebounder (in this game) and he will get put backs. Don't know how useful he would be in the season. But the way he works, I think he would be good to have at the end of the bench just to throw in for five energy minutes a game. I don't think you can get a bad minute out of him.

-Ryan Anderson's much anticipated premier with the Magic was so-so, in my thought. His jumper was better than I thought, but I don't feel comfortable with him standing behind the 3-point line shooting threes all day. He is also better in the post than I thought. But he also is not a very strong rebounder and, as reported earlier, he is not particularly strong around the basket. I am interested to see how he develops this week.

-Jeremy Richardson can shoot the ball. Is he the next Darrell Armstrong?

Magic Wands: July 10, 2009

2009-07-10T12:00:00.003-04:00

-The NBA Salary Cap is set at $57.7 million, the first time the cap has decreased since 2002. Let the signings begin!

-So much for the 2010 free agent bonanza. A memo from the NBA has said the salary cap could drop all the way down to $50 million next year.

-Marcin Gortat has said all the right things about leaving Orlando. And apparently, Otis had some nice words to the Polish Hammer on his departure.

-Shaq continues to have delusions of grandeur. LeBron did get dunked on.

The Temporary Incapacitation of Parity

2009-07-05T23:37:00.000-04:00

The last two weeks have been interesting in the NBA, to say the least. Richard Jefferson to the Spurs. Shaquille O'Neal to the Cavaliers. Vince Carter to the Magic. Ron Artest to the Lakers. Trevor Ariza to the Rockets. Hedo Turkoglu to the Blazers. Or to the Raptors, not sure yet.

To say the least, no one could have foreseen even just one of these moves two-and-a-half weeks ago. Or the way they seemed to follow each other one after the other.

It seems like the teams that are going after a title are sititng at a poker table watching others in front of them bet the house for a championship next year and then having to raise the ante one more just to stay on top.

With the NBA in the economic state it is in, teams are cutting salary as quickly as possible. That has meant the teams willing to spend the money can have pretty much any player on a losing team. This has created a mercenary-type atmosphere in the NBA. The superstars of the lower half of the league are like hired guns who can be bouth for pennies on the dollar.

Don't tell me Phoenix got anything of value on the court for Shaquille O'Neal. Don't tell me Courtney Lee (as much as Magic fans love him), Tony Battie and Rafer Alston add up to the potential output of Vince Carter.

More than at any point, it is clear four or five teams are going for the title while the others are happy to fill out an 82-game season and survive financially until next season.

This is going to turn out to be unhealthy for the NBA. The divide between the winners and losers in the league is growing. No longer can you just lump the Clippers and the Grizzlies in the hopeless pile at the beginning of the year. More teams will join them this year.

And really, if you want to get serious, depending on how new players mesh, next year's title will be won by Cleveland, Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio, Orlando or Boston.

They are simply the only ones willing to spend the money to win a title and no one else is. They are going after players with no regard for the salary cap because others are too afraid of it.

Parity is going to be dead in the NBA this year.

The Magic, Spurs, Cavs, Lakers and Celtics will have far and away the most wins in the league. You could see all five around 60 and the next best team in the mid-40s. No team except these five have made serious moves to improve themselves.

Magic Wands: July 3, 2009

2009-07-03T12:00:00.009-04:00

-Happy Birthday Me!

-And Orlando's D-league affiliate is... the Reno Bighorns! Hurray. Orlando will now ignore you completely. The Bighorns feature such fantastic talent as Lamar Butler, Richie Frahm and Cezary Trabanski.

-Dwight Howard offers his thoughts on an odd Thursday last week.

-With the Draft over, it is time to once again discuss the NBA's rules regarding entry. It is very clear the one-and-done rule is not working as intended. It has gutted college basketball and made the whole system somewhat farcical -- meanwhile the experienced teams keep winning the title. Minnesota Timberwolves blog Canis Hoopus links to an interesting article that asks why people are not complaining about the lack of education in baseball.

-The Rockets are not hiding their love of Marcin "Bow Down Before the Polish Hammer or You Will Get Nailed" Gortat.

-Am I the only one who remembers Curtis Borchardt, a pick out of Stanford by the Magic in 2003 before he was traded to Utah for Ryan Humphrey on Draft night? Apparently he is a "force" in Europe and signed with a new team.

-Some self-promotion. But yesterday was the 10-year anniversary of the senseless and racially charged murder of Northwestern basketball coach Ricky Byrdsong. A few friends of mine at Northwestern helped produce a story chronicling the story and its impact on the communities of Evanston, Illinois, and Atlanta.

-Woody Womack of Orlando Magic Daily with a complete breakdown of Orlando's Summer League roster.

-Updated odds for who will win the NBA Finals puts the Magic at 6-to-1. Pretty good. Cavaliers, Lakers and Celtics still ranked ahead of them.

-I am beginning to trust President Obama's basketball analysis (special guest color commentator for the NBA Finals in 2010? Think about it, Mr. President). Obama said Bryant is still not at Michael Jordan's level. I would agree.

-Here they are the 50 highest earning American athletes according to Sports Illustrated. Top 3: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, LeBron James. James gets the foul and is bumped ahead of Mickelson despite the two playing completely different sports and Mickelson being such a nice guy. Shaq is No. 5. Dwight Howard? No. 13, up from No. 22 on last year's list. Tracy McGrady is 15. Worked hard for that money. Steve Francis is No. 22(?). Vince Carter is behind him at No. 23. Go figure. Rashard Lewis and his mammoth contract get him to No. 30 on the list (he only has $750,000 in endorsements).

LATE Magic Wands: June 26, 2009

2009-06-27T12:00:00.004-04:00

-The Magic may not have won a title, but they still got a parade. Or stood at City Hall and thanked the fans and community.

-This Magic fan is taking the Finals loss a little too hard if you ask me. It was bad, but not this bad. Some teams have more resources than others and are better run. And have one of the best players on the planet.

-Nike and the Hall of Fame are getting sued by a Massachusetts company that claims to have exclusive rights to Hall of Fame logos and merchandise.

-Now Orlando gets to embarrass Shaquille O'Neal at least three times a year... or at least hear Shaq try to desperately hold onto the spotlight for one more year.

-According to EA Sports, Orlando would still beat Cleveland even with Shaq in Wine and Gold. The simulation was run before the Vince Carter trade.

-The Wall Street Journal slowly peels back the mysterious cloak of the AAU. It is partly to blame for the lack of fundamentals young American players have.

-Could the impossible happen? Could Rasheed Wallace really be wearing Magic blue next year?

Let the Vincesanity Begin

2009-06-26T11:29:00.006-04:00

I did not want to post on Vince Carter last night. I needed the night to sleep on the deal and figure out what I really thought. Because once the deal happened, I thought the worst.

Those feelings have subsided somewhat. But still linger.

Orlando, after years of flirting and tempting, acquired Daytona Beach's -- and Orlando resident -- Vince Carter from the New Jersey for Rafer Alston, Courtney Lee and Tony Battie. The pieces the Magic gave up in this deal can be addresses in a moment. But what does Carter bring the Magic?

Carter is a guy who can still score 20 points a night on any given night. He scored 20.8 points per game last year and played in 80 games. He's not a bad rebounder, averaging around six a game, and not a bad passer, averaging around five a game.

I try to think of it as a step-up replacement for Hedo Turkoglu.

He can shoot the ball, score on his own and drive the ball. Orlando has not had a scorer like him since his cousin Tracy McGrady was playing at the Amway Arena. He may not be able to work the pick and roll like Turkoglu could, but he is an incredible option to add to this team.

Here are the things that have always unsettled me about Carter.

He is a high-shot guy. He shot the ball 16.8 times last season and 16.9 the year before. For his career he is averaging 19.2 shots per game. A lot of that is a product of having to carry a lot of bad teams in Toronto and New Jersey. But like McGrady, he is a guy who is likely to take the ball down the court, pull up and shoot a three. When they go in, great. When they don't... ugh.

He is not a high percentage guy either. He has rarely shot better than 45 percent in his career. Again, that is part of him having to carry some bad teams.

The other thing is you have to question his defensive effort sometimes. According to 82games.com, the effective field goal percentage when he is on the court is 51.3 percent. Not very good. Hedo Turkoglu was playing at a 46.2 percent clip.

Some of that might be a product of Orlando being a better defensive team. But the difference is pretty stark. The Magic traded offense for defense in this trade.

And that is what concerns me most of all. Carter has had his effort questioned before -- remember how he exited Toronto? I think coming home will inspire him to play the best ball he can ply. But he is also on the downside of his career.

A lot of different things have to happen now for the Magic to reach the Finals.

First, they need to find a new starting small forward. I like Mickael Pietrus coming off the bench, so the Magic need a good defender to take the first turns at LeBron James, Kobe Bryante, etc. Pietrus likes to get injured and the Magic cannot rely on a Carter-JJ Redick defensive combo.

This is why I don't like this deal. Orlando gave up young and promising Courtney Lee. Lee did everything right this season. He was the best defender on the team for much of the season, hit the 3-pointers when he got them and looked to attack. He never played outside himself and played his role masterfully.

Lee will be missed more than anything. And I think the Magic will regret this part of the deal.

Second, they need to re-sign Marcin Gortat. Ryan Anderson is a nice player, but as his stat line show -- 7.4 points per game, 39.3 FG%, 36.5 3FG% -- he is not the greatest fit at small forward. With Battie gone, it appears the Magic are committed to re-upping with Gortat.

Turkoglu is gone, so forget about re-signing him. The Magic need Gortat and a small forward who can start this summer. Still some work to do.

This deal is good in the fact it does provide Orlando with a great scorer. I think Carter will find offensive success in the Stan Van Gundy system. But the Magic will still need a healthy Jameer Nelson and a more aggressive Rashard Lewis to make all this work. Not to mention an improved Dwight Howard.

The defense is still what worries me about this deal. I think Carter will play inspired ball to win a title for his hometown team. But will that be enough? Even in his prime, he was not a great defender.

The Magic won last year on defense. The defense took a big hit yesterday.

This move seemed very reactionary to me. It seemed like Orlando felt like it needed to ensure the team could replace Turkoglu after San Antonio and Cleveland made its trades to gear up for a title run.

It might work out, it might not. I still need to be sold with what happens on the court.

2009 Mock Draft

2009-06-25T15:00:00.001-04:00

They said it couldn't be done. And it was. This will change 20 million times before the actual Draft takes place. But here is my hat thrown into the ring. Seeing as the Magic don't have a pick, I'll just throw the picks out there and let you digest and comment on them.

Everyone and their mom has a mock draft these days. So I will analyze the drafts with my mock draft competition next Friday. Happy Drafting.

1. Los Angeles Clippers: Blake Griffin - no explanation needed

2. Memphis Grizzlies: Hasheem Thabeet - rare a 7-3 guy like this comes around, makes up for losing Pau Gasol maybe

3. Oklahoma City Thunder: James Harden - good scorer and shooter who should complement their talent well

4. Sacramento Kings: Ricky Rubio - flashy point guard, exactly what Sacramento needs

5. Minnesota Timberwolves: Tyreke Evans - need a point guard now that Foye is gone... wait a sec... the 6-5 guy who can play the point and score

6. Minnesota Timberwolves: Stephen Curry - need a point guard now that Foye is gone

7. Golden State Warriors: DeMar DeRozan - would fit well into this system, he is a freaky athlete

8. New York Knicks: Jonny Flynn - strong point guard who can manage a team... plus he has an explosive first step and is fearless... would be D'Antoni's New York Nash

9. Toronto Raptors: Jordan Hill - athletic power forward who could complement Bosh... for now

10. Milwaukee Buck: Brandon Jennings - so glad you could finally make it to the Draft, was that year in Rome worth it? Still questions about whether he can run a team

11. New Jersey Nets: DeJuan Blair - I love this guy, he works hard and does the dirty work... shouldn't be starting, but he will find a place on the court

12. Charlotte Bobcats: Gerald Henderson - not sold on him, but he is an intangible guy with some talent

13. Indiana Pacers: Ty Lawson - has winner written all over him

14. Phoenix Suns: Jrue Holiday - not sold on him, but he is an athletic combo guard who can run the show and score

15. Detroit Pistons: Earl Clark - another guy who is a pure tweener, but he has the athleticism to succeed at the NBA level

16. Chicago Bulls: B.J. Mullens - really could have use another year

17. Philadelphia 76ers: Terrence Williams - this guy will stick, he is a good defender and very athletic... he will find his place

18. Minnesota Timberwolves: Tyler Hansbrough - works hard and if he can put on some muscle, could be a good option off the bench

19. Atlanta Hawks: Eric Maynor - remember this guy beat Duke? He is a smart player who can manage a game

20. Utah Jazz: James Johnson - I honestly don't know much about this guy, but he has got to go somewhere

21. New Orleans Hornets: Jeff Teague - solid point guard who can run the break

22. Portland Trail Blazers: Omri Casspi - freaky athlete from Israel, Portland traded up to get him

23. Sacramento Kings: Chase Budinger - dead-eye shooter

24. Dallas Mavericks: Sam Young - another sleeper... I really like him, he is an intangible guy who plays really tough

25. Oklahoma City Thunder: Wayne Ellington - the forgotten piece of the Carolina championship team... he can shoot it

26. Chicago Bulls: Marcus Thornton - another one of those tweeners

27. Memphis Grizzlies: Austin Daye - the most interesting prospect in the Draft, he is 6-10 and rail thin, but freakishly athletic

28. Minnesota Timberwolves: Jonas Jerebko - awesome name, he will do awesome stashed overseas

29. New York Knicks: Taj Gibson - good athlete for a four, would fit in well with 7 seconds or less scheme

30. Cleveland Cavaliers: Nick Calathes - solid point guard... never lived up to expectations at Florida

So Shaq is a Cavalier

2009-06-25T01:16:00.004-04:00

The Draft has taken up a lot of my attention, but the headline late Draft Eve (Wednesday) was that the Cavaliers and Suns have agreed to a deal that would put Shaquille O'Neal in wine and gold (those are their colors, right?).

This is something I thought I would only see in my Dynasty on NBA Live 2005 -- where O'Neal signed as a free agent with Cleveland before the 2007-08 season to team up with Vince Carter (on a side note: New York drafted LeBron James in the fantasy draft to start my dynasty).

The Cavaliers were looking for revenge after the Magic ousted them from the Eastern Conference Finals. And they knew they would need front court help. Someone, anyone who could contain Dwight Howard.

Cleveland hopes they got that in Shaquille O'Neal. That's right, this blog's namesake will be playing for Orlando's biggest rival in the Eastern Conference.

O'Neal does give Cleveland the front court depth the team needs to attempt to guard Howard. But this move reeks of desperation. O'Neal is not the Shaq of old. He had a good season in Phoenix last year, but was hardly the dominating Big Diesel.

His offense is much slower and methodical. He is more of a liability on defense than he has ever been. His girth and the memory of his greatness are probably his biggest assets at the moment.

I wonder what this does to LeBron James' ability to drive to the basket. As mentioned above, O'Neal takes up a lot of space in the paint. Space James needs to get to the basket.

Kobe Bryant and Penny Hardaway got away with it because they could shoot jumpers. Dwyane Wade did it by recklessly driving to the hoop without care for his body. He won the title, but paid the price. Is James willing to do that before his big summer? I doubt it, James likes thinking he can shoot jumpers.

I think this move makes Cleveland easier to defend. Centers can stay in the paint and help out on James more with O'Neal anchored to the inside. With Howard now in the paint, maybe focusing more on O'Neal, maybe not, James has less room to drive -- especially if James tries his middle of the court drive that worked so well in Game Five.

This move reeks of desperation, again. O'Neal cannot guard Orlando's pick and roll whether it is going to be Jameer Nelson, Hedo Turkgolu or someone else running it.

It will be interesting to see what this deal does to Cleveland and their team dynamic -- Shaq can be a poison in the locker room and, oh by the way, good bye Mike Brown. It is still James' show, and I think they go as far as he will carry them.

But the Cavaliers needed to do something to show they were not satisfied with losing the title, let alone missing the Finals. So here is their big move.

I don't think it will pan out for them.

The changing forward

2009-06-21T20:30:00.000-04:00

You probably cannot tell it from Orlando's reaction -- what with the Finals going on last week and the lack of workouts at RDV Sportsplex -- but the NBA Draft is this week. I, too, am admittedly behind on my Draft preparations as it usually preoccupies my NBA mind from the end of the beginning of May until the end of June.

A playoff run certainly does a good job distracting all Magic fans. Orlando's lack of a pick also does a pretty good job at it too. So excuse the lack of Draft coverage. And frankly, this Draft is not very deep. There are not going to be a whole lot of superstars and maybe not even a whole lot of average players.

Orlando did a good job getting out, in other words. Especially with Hedo Turkoglu and Marcin Gortat heading into free agency, there is really no need to take on any unnecessary spending.

A point does deserve being examined entering this Draft.

There is no doubt Blake Griffin of Oklahoma is the top pick. No one disputes the Clippers will be taking Griffin. He is a versatile and explosive 6-foot-10 forward who has freakish athleticism and can finish around the rim in a variety of ways. I do not think he has the post game to be a great power forward, but he does not have the jumper of a small forward.

Ah, the tweener. Griffin to me is a more disciplined Josh Smith. Others can certainly disagree with this assessment. But one thing is more than clear.

The definition of a power forward has completely changed.

It started with Phoenix's experiment with Shawn Marion at the four. Marion, a six-foot-eight athletic freak who could mix it up with bigger power forwards, rebound and shoot the 3-pointer. He fit Mike D'Antoni's system perfectly and found a niche for himself -- granted one that his ego thought was too small for him.

NBA is a league of imitation and it was not long until others were employing the small power forward.

Most critics believed, because the Suns' experiment failed, that no team could win without a traditional power forward. So it was a curious move when Orlando signed Rashard Lewis.

At 6-foot-10, Lewis had the size of a power forward, but not the build. He preferred to be on the perimeter and shoot 3-pointers rather than work on the block or hit the short jumper that would give the center enough space.

I have been arguing for the last few summers that the Magic have needed to add that rugged power forward to ultimately man the four spot in the future. That thought went right out the window after Lewis torched traditional four-men Glen Davis and Anderson Varejao. The ones he had problems with? Thaddeus Young, an athletic power forward for the 76ers, and Lamar Odom.

No coincidence. The power forward is getting smaller.

Griffin certainly fits into this pantheon. But where will be the question he will have to answer. The consensus for him to be the top pick, however, is a sign the power forward might be changing for good (or at least the moment).

-REMEMBER CONVERSATION WITH IAN ABOUT BLAKE GRIFFING PLAYING THE 3 WITH SACRAMENTO

Magic Wands: June 19, 2009

2009-06-19T12:00:00.009-04:00

-Tim Povtak of NBA FanHouse reports the Magic will go into the luxury tax to keep Hedo Turkoglu. The good news is, it is at least a sign the team knows how close to a title it is.

-Adonal Foyle is usually all smiles. But in his final playoff diary with Henry Abbott, Foyle expresses regret that the Magic could not finish their goal.

-Rashard Lewis and Rihanna?! I thought he was married.

-40 things The Puns Are Starting To Bore Me learned in 40 nights.

-All things considered, the Sports Illustrated cover does the Magic a few favors.

-Keys to Tuesday's Game Six. Looking forward to the Game Seven preview. Why did Universal dump Back to the Future?

-The Orlando Sentinel editorial team thanks the Magic for doing so much for the community in such a difficult economic time.

-The Magic are running at 7-1 in Vegas to win the title next year, behind Los Angeles, Boston and Cleveland.

-At least Dwight Howard's puppet is in a good mood.

-Marc Stein's Winners & Losers in the NBA Playoffs.

-Want some Magic bling? Get your 24KT Eastern Conference Champion gold coins and other fun goodies.

-With the economy in the tanks, owners keeping money in their pockets and every general manager prepping for the big summer of 2010, could Hedo Turkoglu be heading overseas? Orlando certainly could take advantage of all this if Turk's options were limited to NBA teams. But adding Olympiakos to the mix, would certainly change negotiations.

-Apparently the Larry O'Brien Trophy is not worth as much as you think. Or Cash4Gold is a huge rip off.

-The big difference between the NBA & WNBA.

Instances of The Curse: The Free Throws that Haunt Sir Nick

2009-06-17T00:30:00.000-04:00

n 1997 the history of professional basketball was changed inexplicably.

It was that summer when Shaquille O'Neal left the Magic Kingdom in Orlando and leaped across the nation to the Magic Kingdom of Disneyland. It was that summer that the Los Angeles Lakers became a championship contender while the Orlando Magic were left to pick up the pieces.

It was that summer that the Curse of the Big Aristotle was born.

Ever since Orlando won that fateful Draft Lottery in 1992, the team's history would forever be tied with O'Neal's. He led the Magic to their first and only NBA Finals three years later (where they were swept by the defending champion Rockets).

His departure left a gaping 7-foot-1, 300-plus pound hole in Orlando's front line. The Magic were forced to watch from the sidelines as the Lakers won title after title while they slipped into mediocrity and irrelevancy.

It was at this moment the Curse of the Big Aristotle began. This is an instance of the Curse at work:

Nick Anderson stepped to the line in the late stages of Game One of the 1995 NBA Finals. It was the dream season for a young franchise.

It was Year Six of the grand Orlando basketball experiment -- the team's second postseason appearance -- and the team had reached the pinnacle of the NBA. These young guns had no clue what they were getting themselves into.

Shaquille O'Neal was the next big thing. Penny Hardaway was probably still better known for the Chris Rock puppet he walked around with. Horace Grant was all about the goggles. Brian Hill was still a venerable young coach. Dennis Scott was (Dennis Scott, among other things) O'Neal's one-man rapping posse.

And Nick Anderson was, well, he was the link to the franchise's young past. The first draft pick in team history. He was the role player every great team needed. He defended. He hit 3-pointers.

But under the bright lights, the team faced adversity. Orlando lost a 12-point lead and led by three as time ran down in Game One.

Anderson toed the line. He was a 70.4 percent shooter from the foul line. Not great, but not horrible either. It would be impossible to think he could miss two foul shots in a row. Right?

He missed the two shots. For reference after missing the first two free throws, to get back to his average Anderson would make his next five (that would be 71 percent from the line). There is no way he could miss four in a row.

After grabbing the rebound on his second miss, Anderson was fouled and went back to the line. Anderson clanked the next two. Again for reference, to get back to 70 percent he would have to hit his next ten free throws. Pretty impossible to miss four in a row.

He did and it left the door open. A door Kenny Smith made sure he led the Houston Rockets through. The rest, as they say, is history.

Hakeem Olajuwon tipped in the go-ahead bucket in overtime with 0.2 seconds left and gave the Rockets the Game One win. The Magic never recovered and were easily swept out of the NBA Finals.

It was widely assumed Orlando would return to the Finals soon. O'Neal was the next big thing. Hardaway was the next medium thing. And the team had a bright future.

Then Michael Jordan happened. And Orlando never got its chance. Soon O'Neal left for Los Angeles (where he won three titles). And so the Curse began to be cast.

Anderson was never the same. He never shot above 70 percent from the foul line the rest of his career and shot a paltry 40.4 percent in 1996-97. He never was the same.

Despite this, Anderson is -- and should be -- remembered for the great things he did as Orlando's first player. His steal on Michael Jordan in the Conference Semifinals is the greatest play in team history.

Time to reflect and enjoy the moment

2009-06-16T08:30:00.001-04:00

This is going to be one of those columns. Everyone in the Magic blogosphere is doing it. It is the post-mortem to the season. And it is the only way to cope with losing in the NBA Finals.

But I guess I have to throw my hat into the ring. This season was the season I became a fan again.

I mentioned this in an earlier post, but it bears repeating. Since I have become serious about journalism, the fan in me has slowly withered. I was always still passionate about my team. I stood up and cheered, pointed to the Fat Guy at the beginning of the fourth quarter, and cheered my ass off when I went to games.

But it was very different.

I started playing more seriously and actually learned the game. I looked at the game differently. And it changed my relationship to the Magic.

Going to college did not help. Not being able to watch the team on a consistent basis gave me an odd feeling of detachment. My first game after leaving for Northwestern was admittedly odd.

So I became more a journalist -- objective, analyzing and less optimistic -- when I watched the Magic. At the beginning of this season, I believed the goal was to get to the conference finals (or lose by seven in the second round). At the beginning of the playoffs, this would have made me happy.

As the Magic advanced, I stopped believing what my brain was telling me. I started believing my heart. I believed Orlando could give me the world.

My fandom was restored when I went to my first playoff game. Game Four against Boston. I was home for my cousin's Bar Mitzvah. Sure the Magic lost in the most crushing manner possible (although I was illogically upbeat about it), but the atmosphere reminded me why it was so great to be a Magic fan. I forgot how loud the building could get when it was full of crazed Magic fans.

Enjoying this season for me can be summed up in one crazed early morning.

After coming home from work after Game Five, I jokingly e-mailed my Mom telling her tickets were too expensive for me to fly home for Game Six. I received an e-mail from her the next morning asking me if I wanted to do it, she was willing to arrange it.

It took hours of weighing the pros and cons. And then I said, "When is the next time we will be here. I'm doing it." An 8 a.m. flight later (and half a paper), I was in the O-Rena for the Magic's Eastern Conference Championship-clinching game. It is a moment I will never forget.

This was the year I became a fan again. It was the season I believed my team could do anything. It was the year I drank the Kool-Aid and enjoyed it.

I truly believe the Magic could win the title. My brain told me the Lakers would win it. My heart told me Orlando could bring it home. And for the first time in a long time, I went with my heart.

And I do not regret it.

This was a fantastic ride. And I am happy to be along with it. I am happy the city jumped on. You never know when you can get back to the Finals again (it took the franchise 14 years to make its return). That makes it hard to swallow a championship loss.

But it made this season so much sweeter. It made this the most memorable team in Magic hisotry, maybe its best. It reawakened the basketball craze. And more than anything, that is what Orlando should remember about this team.

Game 5: Los Angeles Lakers 99, Orlando Magic 86

2009-06-14T22:17:00.004-04:00

It has been an incredible ride. The Orlando Magic proved their critics wrong and reached the NBA Finals for the second time in franchise history.

Dwight Howard proved to be Superman throughout the postseason. Rashard Lewis earned his paycheck on numerous occasions. Hedo Turkoglu was, Hedo Turkoglu.

No one thought this team would make it this far. Orlando dethroned the champs. Dethroned the King. And did it through adversity and resolve.

All these accomplishments do not make it any easier to see the Los Angeles Lakers walking away with the title on the Amway Arena court (do not know if it would have been any easier to see them do it at the Staples Center). Los Angeles was the better team this series and deserve their trophy. A congratulations is certainly in order.

When push came to shove Sunday night in Game Five, Orlando did not have enough fight left in them to extend the series. The Magic came out on fire and took an early nine point lead.

In the middle of the third quarter, Los Angeles used a 16-0 run to take the lead at the half and never really never looked back. The Magic never got close and watched the Lakers maintain the lead.

Orlando started pressing and trying to force things, succumbing to frustration in taking bad shots. Los Angeles, on the other hand, could not miss. Lamar Odom was draining 3-pointers as was Trevor Ariza. And Kobe Bryant was, finally, efficient Kobe Bryant.

It is not worht going into the stats in this game. The Magic were outplayed tonight. They got down and tried to force their way back. Their 3-pointers were not falling tonight for the Magic. For the Lakers, they were. The bounces were heading Los Angeles' way tonight.

And Los Angeles was the better team in this series. Orlando could not adjust itself to what Los Angeles wanted to do defensively. The Magic did not execute in crunch time (see Games Two and Four) and could not find a way like they had throughout the season.

This was ultimately not Orlando's year. It was Los Angeles'.

This game tonight is all about emotion for both teams. I am sure it is somber in the Magic locker room. I hope the players look on at the trophy presentation on their home court tonight and remember this feeling.

Like Los Angeles, it can only drive them to get back to this point and lift the trophy themselves.

I said all season that Orlando needed to continue to improve and advance in the playoffs -- cache playoff experience. They did that.

I also said all season they needed to do this to gear up for a title run in 2010.

Nothing less should be expected from this team after their fantastic season. The 2009-2010 season starts now. That title needs to be the only thing on the players' minds right now.

What They're Saying: Lakers vs. Magic Game Five

2009-06-14T18:00:00.006-04:00

-IF Phil Jackson wins his 10th NBA title, Henry Abbott wonders if he might be willing to hand the reigns to superstar Kobe Bryant much like Red Auerbach handed the reigns to Bill Russell.

-A reflective mood at Saturday practices as Jackson approaches breaking Auerbach's title mark. The Magic? Hedo Tukoglu looks at the 3-1 deficit as a chance to show Orlando's character once again.

-Sunday might be the last time Orlando sees Hedo Turkoglu or Marcin Gortat in a Magic uniform. It is simply an issue of dollars and cents. For Turkoglu, it is going to take some interesting cap maneuvering and maybe some back breaking. Apparently, Orlando is willing to pay the luxury tax to keep him.

-Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times is very convinced Kobe Bryant will be a Laker for a long, long time.

-Orlando can rain on Los Angeles' parade in more than one way. Even if the Lakers win, they may not get their victory lap around Staples Center.

-Tim Povtak of NBA FanHouse writes sitting on the bench has been the toughest thing for Anthony Johnson to do. The journeyman has earned his way to the Finals, but has not seen a minute of action so far.

-It has been a wild ride for Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher since they both entered the league together in 1996. They were both at the top earlier this decade and have had to claw their way back.

-Mike Bianchi of The Orlando Sentinel also does not want this ride to end. The Magic's success has meant a lot to the city and legitimated the large investment the area put into the team with the new arena.

-George Diaz of The Orlando Sentinel guarantees a Game Five victory for the Magic. Why? The loosey-goosey, jovial mood at practices. This team has played well under adversity this postseason.

-Orlando is confident there will be a ring ceremony at Amway Arena next season, writes Brian Schmitz of The Orlando Sentinel. That is certainly the attitude the Magic will need to complete the improbable 3-1 comeback.

-Mark Jackso n tells the Orlando Sentinel that the Magic did not lose Game Four because of experience. The Lakers executed and made the plays they needed to do win -- a very proactive analysis of the game. Los Angeles' cast of characters seem to have that destiny feeling around them. But then again, so did Cleveland.

-Otis Smith said dealing Trevor Ariza was a very difficult decision. He simply did not fit in with Orlando's new makeup and, as Kyle Hightower of The Orlando Sentinel reports, has fit in perfectly for Los Angeles after the team's failure to beat Boston last year.

-David Thorpe of Scouts Inc. says experience helped the Lakers stay calm in the closing moments of Game Four (not hampered Orlando). He says the Magic did a lot of things right, but their attitude is the most important heading into Game Five.

-Anthony Johnson continues to work hard, knowing full well he probably will not play in Game Five, writes Andrea Adelson of The Orlando Sentinel.

-Turnovers have been key for the Magic all series long. Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel says Orlando's turnovers are up to 15.0 per game this series.