Magic Wands: May 22, 2009

-Relive the greatest play in Magic history. Amazing how things came into place so perfectly in this game. Thanks to 3rd Quarter Collapse for the find.

-X's & O's of Basketball says Malcolm Gladwell's theory about pressing as a way for David to defeat Goliath is actually incorrect. In youth basketball, full-court press stunts growth and the way this article sounds makes it seem like an easy way out. Good thing to teach the kids. The Gladwell article is a good read though.

-Sports targets a very specific audience, so whenever it wins TV ratings it is a big deal. As Hal Boedeker of The Orlando Sentinel reports, the Magic's Game Seven win over the Celtics was the highest rated TV show Sunday night in Orlando.

-When you forget to look at your schedule this happens. Now the NBA has to throw down with the WWE for the Pepsi Center on Monday. Looks like the NBA wins.

-So where did the 1995-96 team go? Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel tracked them all down... or found them at least.

-Someone has pointed out what a bad year it has been for the NBA. First Kevin Duckworth died before the season. Then Norm Van Lier and Johnny "Red" Kerr passed away. Wayman Tisdale passed away last week. Of course, Chuck Daly two weeks ago. And now news that Jerry West has been dealing with a heart ailment in secret throughout his life. Hope for the best for the NBA logo.

-Shaquille O'Neal is taking broadcasting lessons at Syracuse. Maybe he should go to a real journalism school like Northwestern next time. Full disclosure: Go 'Cats!

-Tim Povtak of NBA FanHouse finally gets Stan Van Gundy to explain his attire.

-How the NBA Draft Lottery actually works.

-Welcome to new Orlando Sentinel columnist Shannon J. Owens. It appears the Sentinel is finally re-arranging their staff and have found some pretty good replacements for David Whitley and Jerry Greene. Her first column proclaims Orlando as a legitimate sports town!

-Dwight Howard's new Adidas commercial. Very sweet. And also very Free Darko'ish.

-The 2012 Olympic team in London might look familiar. Many of the stars from the 2008 team in Beijing appear to be on board for a two-year commitment. That is assuming they win the World Championships next summer in Turkey.

-Puppet LeBron James learns about the un-stoppable.

-A kind of old video, but still very true. Dwight Howard is a beast.