Magic Wands: March 6, 2009

-This will make this game tougher, but a well-deserved honor as the Miami Heat will retire Alonzo Mourning's jersey during the game against the Magic on March 30.

-I usually believe San Antonio knows what they are doing. But I do not quite get this one. They signed Drew Gooden. That is Magic fans snickering in the corner.

-Henry Abbott of TrueHoop takes us into the wonderful world of traveling. It is not as easy a call to make as it seems. I have always been one to give the referees the benefit of the doubt. Their jobs are hard.

-Cleveland became the first team to clinch a playoff berth with the team's win over Milwaukee on Wednesday. Scary that we are that point of the year already. Orlando's Magic Number? As of Wednesday night at say 10:30 p.m. (What? I might forget to update this), it is four. Still a little way to go. But they should have a playoff berth wrapped up by the end of next week you would hope.

-This whole flap flop controversy with Stan Van Gundy has probably been blown WAY out of proportion. Let's take a moment to step back and remember who the characters are in this. Stan Van Gundy is a fun-loving guy who likes to make jokes. Shaquille O'Neal is the same. Maybe a little more sensitive to criticism and questions of manhood, but a jokester nonetheless. This got way out of proportion. I think Van Gundy was trying to make a joke and failed. It happens. Instead what was revealed is some very serious tension. And it did tarnish O'Neal's reputation -- at least with the teams that lost him. But the widely held belief that Pat Riley pushed Van Gundy out of Miami now has to be reconsidered. Maybe Shaq is the homewrecker Kobe Bryant believed him to be. I know I am happy to have Van Gundy as coach.