Magic Wands: March 13, 2009

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

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

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

-Magic games become more about the, well games.

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

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

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

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