Bucks/Magic preview
Two struggling teams go at it WED night in ORL with MIL (18-27, 8-19 road, 11th East) taking on the Magic (23-22, 14-9 home, 7th East). MIL has lost 5 road games in a row and 12 of 14 overall, and their top scorer, G Michael Redd, is still out with a knee injury. The Magic have lost 3 home games in a row and 8 of 9 games overall. MIL is coming off a 110-80 thrashing from MIA on TUE night.
With Redd out, MIL is led in scoring by newly acquired G Earl Boykins, who has averaged 18.2 ppg in 10 games with the Bucks; G Mo Williams 17.6 ppg, 6.2 asts; F Ruben Patterson 13.9 ppg; F Charlie Villanueva 12.4 ppg; C Andrew Bogut 12.2 ppg, 8.6 rebs; and G Charlie Bell 12.2 ppg. MIL averages 100.1 ppg while allowing 103.4 ppg. The Magic average 93.2 ppg while allowing 92.8.
Magic coach Brian Hill has hinted at lineup changes the last few days since the Magic lost 2 games in a row to ATL. With MIL slumping even worse than the Magic, and their top scorer being out, this game offers a good chance for the Magic to get back on the winning track. Magic are 8 pt favorites (www.pinnaclesports.com).
With Redd out, MIL is led in scoring by newly acquired G Earl Boykins, who has averaged 18.2 ppg in 10 games with the Bucks; G Mo Williams 17.6 ppg, 6.2 asts; F Ruben Patterson 13.9 ppg; F Charlie Villanueva 12.4 ppg; C Andrew Bogut 12.2 ppg, 8.6 rebs; and G Charlie Bell 12.2 ppg. MIL averages 100.1 ppg while allowing 103.4 ppg. The Magic average 93.2 ppg while allowing 92.8.
Magic coach Brian Hill has hinted at lineup changes the last few days since the Magic lost 2 games in a row to ATL. With MIL slumping even worse than the Magic, and their top scorer being out, this game offers a good chance for the Magic to get back on the winning track. Magic are 8 pt favorites (www.pinnaclesports.com).
posted by Mike from Illinois @ 4:32 AM
4 Comments:
At 10:46 AM,
Matt said…
This must be an easy win for the Magic after Bucks were pounded last night in Miami. But then the consequential effect could be that after being embarrassed in Miami, the Bucks may come out for redemption. We have to wait and see what changes Hill may make in the line-up. Knowing Hill, as I have come to know him, I don't expect much of a change. It is not gonna happen until Hill feels that his job security is on the line. His recent approach has been to acknowledge the deficiencies without accepting any responsibility on himself short of blaming it all on the players. Good coaches would engage in soul searching at such situations admitting to some of the failures of their own, promising to correct them, and will challenge the players to step up their efforts in an integrated push by the coaching staff and the team, as a tandem.
At 3:13 PM,
Big Figure said…
If bsh starts keith and darko like the sentinel is speculating,then technically the losing was worth it in my opinion.If keith is in the starting line-up but not darko,i wont like it,but at this point i'll take it because it is change as far as our perimeter goes,which is where we get killed the most by opposing offensive players.If the same starting five as usual plays and the magic loses,i think it would be safe to say that the bottom is falling out,on the flip side if they win with that five i see nothing positive coming from that result.
At 3:38 PM,
OVERWADED said…
I want to continue losing until changes are made. If tonight comes, the Magic run the same unit, as I expect them too, and we beat a crappy Bucks team, what does that mean? It doesn't mean anything. It’s 1 win. It’s a home game, so we’re expected to win. It means we played a team worse than ours right now. Even worse, it means that changes will not happen.
If we win, Brian Hill will justify the victory as reason to stick with whatever lineup he wins with. I myself would love to see Darko finally get his shot, and I wouldn't mind seeing Bogans out there too. Do I think anything will happen; no. If anything, I'd expect Bogans to start, and Battie to hold his spot. Is Battie untouchable? Because Brian Hill sure treats him like he is.
One thing is for sure. If the Magic lose tonight at home against the struggling Bucks changes will come no matter what. I’ll take another loss, if that’s what it takes to see changes.
At 3:44 PM,
OVERWADED said…
Worth Reading
www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/basketball/magic/orl-magic3107jan31,0,1631775.story?coll=orl-magic
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