Magic Wands: January 30, 2009

-Doc Rivers tells The Orlando Sentinel that the East is back. With three of the top four teams in the NBA and titles in two of the past three years, who can argue with him? Everyone, that is who. 1-8 the West is still better.

-There is no crying in cheerleading. At least not anymore as a Wisconsin court rules that cheerleading IS a contact sport, ESPN Rise reports.

-Don't hear about this often. Brian Schmitz of The Orlando Sentinel is reporting that the Magic have begun thinking about offering coach Stan Van Gundy an extension. He certainly has deserved it after transforming Orlando into a contender in two short years. I hope he makes it through whatever extension he does receive.

-A ringing endorsement for Jameer Nelson as an All Star by Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer from Wednesday (the day before the reserves were announced). Of course, his main point was to get Mo Williams consideration after his 40-point outburst against Sacramento on Tuesday.

-The NBA announced the teams for the Rookie-Sophomore Challenge for the All Star Weekend on Wednesday. The glaring omission for Orlando was Courtney Lee. There were plenty of guys who got snubbed out of this game. There are simply too many good guards in this draft as Mario Chalmers of Miami was also left off the roster. But I honestly cannot complain about anyone who got picked ahead of Lee. They too deserve to be there. Better luck next year.

-Darrell Armstrong has accepted a job as an assistant coach with the Dallas Mavericks, according to Brian Schmitz. Armstrong was with the Nets earlier this season but was waived and was trying to get back into the league. No one wanted him and so he begins the second phase of his basketball career. He is definitely someone who will be coaching in the league a very long time.

-Mark Cuban is always relatively entertaining. Read all the bullets for sure, but definitely bullet No. 5. NBA Live is apparently quite useful.

-"All I know is sex sells." -Jameer Nelson. Who is he talking about here? Watch this video.

-With Jameer Nelson and Rashard Lewis heading to Phoenix. It makes you wonder where else the Magic might be competing during the All Star Weekend. Unfortunately Courtney Lee will not be joining them this year. But word is Nelson will be in the Skills Competition and I would be either Nelson or Lewis will be in the 3-point shootout. And of course, Dwight Howard is in the Slam Dunk Contest.

-Howard was the top vote-getter for the All Star game, but he is just 12th in the list for most popular jerseys in the NBA. Somehow he is behind Nate Robinson. The top 15 are listed on ESPN's Daily Dime today (box three, all the way at the bottom). It is a pretty Magic-ful Daily Dime too, so give it a read.