Back at TDW for Magic as LeBron, Cavs visit
The suddenly resurgent Cavs, who have won 4 in a row, bring a 36-26 record and 14-16 away record into TDW. The Magic, who have lost 6 in a row and 18 of 20, bring a 20-40 record and 14-14 home record into the game. The Magic are also trying to end a 6 game losing streak to the Cavs, having not beaten them since last February.
LeBron James is having a superstar season, averaging 30.6 ppg, 7 rebounds and 7 assists. Zydrunas Ilgauskas (16.2 ppg), Flip Murray (13.4 ppg), and ex-Magic Drew Gooden (10.8 ppg, 8.6 rebs) all contribute for CLE. Donyell Marshall (9.6 ppg), and Damon Jones, who hit the game-winning 3 pt FG at the buzzer against Toronto earlier this week, have helped also. CLE averages 97.5 ppg, ORL 96.6 ppg. CLE allows 95 ppg, ORL 96.6 ppg.
The Magic should be well-rested, as they haven't played since a hard-fought loss to Utah on Monday night. Coach Hill is $25,000 lighter in his wallet because of his criticism of the refs after the game. The Magic should be ready for this game and anxious to break their latest losing streak, as they lost several hard-fought games on their recently completed road trip. As usual, the Magic are underdogs, this time by 3 pts (www.pinnaclesports.com).
LeBron James is having a superstar season, averaging 30.6 ppg, 7 rebounds and 7 assists. Zydrunas Ilgauskas (16.2 ppg), Flip Murray (13.4 ppg), and ex-Magic Drew Gooden (10.8 ppg, 8.6 rebs) all contribute for CLE. Donyell Marshall (9.6 ppg), and Damon Jones, who hit the game-winning 3 pt FG at the buzzer against Toronto earlier this week, have helped also. CLE averages 97.5 ppg, ORL 96.6 ppg. CLE allows 95 ppg, ORL 96.6 ppg.
The Magic should be well-rested, as they haven't played since a hard-fought loss to Utah on Monday night. Coach Hill is $25,000 lighter in his wallet because of his criticism of the refs after the game. The Magic should be ready for this game and anxious to break their latest losing streak, as they lost several hard-fought games on their recently completed road trip. As usual, the Magic are underdogs, this time by 3 pts (www.pinnaclesports.com).
posted by Mike from Illinois @ 3:52 AM
10 Comments:
At 11:20 AM,
Big Figure said…
The losing streak has to end sometime,why not tonight? Well i'll tell you why it probably wont end,it would be a good way to finish strong by beating a good cleveland team,but they has always given the magic problems with their size,so who's gonna guard Z is the question?,b/c Dwight & tony are so much alike,neither is a good match-up against Z,but BSH will probably stay with battie in the line-up and not use darko enough or start darko for that matter,its gonna be hard to win with this coach no matter who we play! Realistically cleveland has no business losing to such a poor team,we have bad coaching and young players that dont know how to win,if cleveland loses it'll be b/c they beat themselves and not b/c we outcoached them or made mature basketball decision's out on the floor,cleveland has no business losing this game,lebron & Z is just like t-mac & yoa,and we all know what happened when we played houston,they beat us in our own house! Magic keep it close,but probably lose AGAIN!
At 11:38 AM,
Big Figure said…
Ya know,every team we play has a bonafied superstar,at least one,but the magic have none,grant's in and out of the line-up coupled with injuries & age make's him past his superstar era,dwight doesnt shoot freethrows well enough and doesnt dominate games enough to be considered a superstar ( maybe a budding superstar,but thats it),jameer doesnt have superstar size,so he'll have to put up high scoring averages to make up for the lack of defensive credit from around the league,those are the only players on the team that could even be put into the debate,and those three still failed,so we have no superstar,cleveland has 2,the best i can say is that we have 2 quality starters,2 guys that have proven themselves around the league for more than just one year of success(grant & hedo),both should be starters if they are our most league proven players,plus we have three guys that we should be building around (jameer,dwight,darko),thats the only starting five that can win regularly without having a bigtime superstar on the team (grant & dwight are close realistically with their numbers),will coach hill ever wake-up?
At 11:42 AM,
Big Figure said…
We've got a team full of bench players,with 1 past his prime small forward,and a point guard & power forward of the future combo (jameer & dwight),boy are we in bad shape!
At 12:46 PM,
OVERWADED said…
I Cavs do have one obvious "superstar", but not two. Z is a nice player, and having a "happy ending" to an injury plagued career, but he is no superstar. That's why the Cavs will never do anything until they land some other players. Nobody considers them a legit playoff team. I still expect the Magic to lose tonight. We're just a young team. We have a former superstar in G Hill. Beyond that we have a bunch of unknowns because they're so young. The Magic and the league are grooming Dwight to be a superstar, so you can put your money on him. Jameer has the heart, skill, and attitude for it. If he plays enough side by side with Dwight, his size won't matter, but none of that is going to be defined this year. The Magic have that kind of potential, but that's something we won't know for a while. Until then, we'll have to live with "flashes".
If the Magic do happen to pull off a victory tonight, my guess is it will be because because of Arroyo and Nelson controlling the game. Along with Darko playing more minutes and having a solid game. If those keys fall into place, everyone else will do what they are capable of. Still though, that goes back to B Hill, and making sure all of them get the proper playing time which is doubtful.
We do have a legend like Jordan in the eyes of Puerto Ricans though. ;)
At 12:52 PM,
OVERWADED said…
I disagree with you on our roster. We have a core of guys that we need and can use. They all fit in one way or another around Dwight. I do think we need one other "star". Beyond that, a few role players and a solid lottery pick this year. A new coach would be nice, but who knows what will happen with that. I think we're sitting a lot better than most teams. We're so young, packed full of talent, with some patience and a few more pieces, this team will turn around fast. This is the first time we've rebuilt in this fashion and I'm looking forward to it even though I'm not a patient person.
At 1:59 PM,
Mike from Illinois said…
Yeah Intro, I agree... this team will develop and show their talent very nicely in the seasons ahead, the coach notwithstanding. We're going to have a high draft pick also this off-season, and in the summer of 2007, plenty of cap room to sign a quality free agent (our next big free agent signing can't go as bad as the Grant Hill signing, can it?).
We have a solid young core in place. It's just a matter of finding the rest of the pieces to the puzzle.
At 3:01 PM,
Big Figure said…
Intro how can you disagree with me on our roster,who besides grant & dwight are quality starters? No one! Jameer hasnt proved himself yet over a long span,and hedo likes the bench better,no where did i say that we should just get rid of everybody,c'mon intro your smarter then that,and whether we can "use them" (our bench) or not,wasnt in question,i just pointed out that we have a team full of bench players outside of those three,how can you not agree with that? Then you went on to say,(1)we need another "star" (2)we need a few role players (3) we need a solid lottery pick (4)and we need a new coach,GEE'S LOUISE you pointed out more wrong with this team than i did,and the fact that in three of those opinion's they had to do with NEW players (star,role player,lottery pick) means to me that you realize our current roster aint that great/could be better,so you dont agree that were in bad shape at the moment?,in a few years maybe we'll be OK,but right now with this coach and these players,we suck,make sure guys when you respond to one of my posts that you dont change the subject and that you understand my stance,i never made any references to the future or getting rid of players,i was strictly commenting on the magic as of today! Oh and Z plays like a superstar when we play cleveland,thats is what i really meant b/c of Z's height,he's outplayed dwight and battie the last 4 or 5 times we've played them,so in those match-up's he's had all-star numbers against us everytime,all losses!
At 3:20 PM,
Big Figure said…
Intro,some of the things you chose to point out make it seem as if you didnt read my post correctly or didnt understand my post,if you go back and read i said "jameer doesnt have superstar size",that means he's not as big as JKIDD,thats all,not that he cant become a great player or that his size will hold him back,i said he'd have to put up a good scoring average's to cominsate for him being an average defender,he doesnt have the size to become the best defender in the league at his respective position (if he were 6ft3 or 6ft4 things would be different),and as much as i love jameer and carlos,dwight & tony will be the reason we win or lose,they have to be better than they have been in the past against Z,if he does what he wants in the piant and they get lebron's usuall numbers from the outside,we're gonna get killed,even if jameer and carlos have good shooting nights,points in the piant,taking care of the ball,free-throw shooting & defensive rebounding are most important for this team,we cant rely on outside shooting EVER,or expect young guards to control the game,your big guys should do that with their presence playing inside out!
At 3:49 PM,
OVERWADED said…
That core we're talking about are all potential starters depending on who we add, how they develop, etc... (Nelson, Arroyo, Stevenson, Hedo, Hill, Darko, Dwight) They can all start, it just depends who is around them and who is coaching. When I talk about adding role players, I'm talking about far down the bench, to replace the stiffs we're going to let go this summer. (Garrity, Morris, Augmon, Outlaw, maybe Kasun) So again, I don't think we're in bad shape.
If you don't agree, it's all good, I gotta get going. I'm going out of town for 2 weeks so that will mean no Magic for me. Hold the fort down folks.
At 6:19 PM,
Big Figure said…
No prob,we can agree to disagree,even though i still dont think you clearly understand,we still have 20 games to go with this horrible coach,with his bad line-ups,plus no first round pick,no free agents,no role player(free agent)just this same bunch right now,that will be better obviously with dropping the stiffs you mentioned,and getting a top five pick over the summer,with a free agent or two,shit we'll be in great shape going into next year if we can stay healthy,but thats a long ways away,whether you agree or not,right now were in bad shape for the rest of this season unless coach hill can wake up!
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