A look ahead at the month of December for the Magic

After starting the season in October an alarming 0-2, in which the Magic averaged just 84 1/2 points, the Magic used a favorable November schedule to get back on the right track and establish themselves as a top three team in the East. The Magic went 13-2 in November, including 7-2 at home and 6-0 on the road. Only four of the teams the Magic played in November currently have an at or above .500 record. The Magic are 13-4, with the third-best record in the East, and the 4th-best record in the NBA.

Things will get tougher for the Magic in December. With a tougher schedule on tap, the Magic will be without starting shooting guard Mickael Pietrus (thumb) and key reserve Keith Bogans (thumb) for several more weeks. Starting point guard Jameer Nelson (hip) will be out for at least the next week. To make matters worse, another key reserve, center Tony Battie, hurt his ankle against Indiana Saturday and his status for this week is not yet known.

The Magic play 15 games the month of December, nine on the road and six at home. Eight of those games will be against teams currently over .500, seven against teams under .500. On the road, the Magic will play five games against winning teams (Boston, Portland, Phoenix, Utah, and Detroit), and four games against losing teams (LA Clippers, Golden State, Minnesota, Chicago). At home, the Magic will play three games against winning teams (San Antonio, LA Lakers, New Orleans), and three games against losing teams (Minnesota, Oklahoma City, Golden State).

The Magic have a five game, eight day western road trip from the 8th to the 15th, including two sets of back-to-backs, and they will play six games in an eleven day stretch from the 12th to the 22nd. Their longest homestand is four games from the 18th through the 25th. The Magic will play on Christmas Day for the first time in five years as they host New Orleans in a nationally televised game on ESPN at noon.

Optimistic view of how the Magic might do this month: 11-4
Pessimistic view of how the Magic might do this month: 7-8

Things get started Monday night as the Magic travel to play the World Champion Boston Celtics.

Decisive win for Magic over Pacers

The Magic, missing starters Jameer Nelson and Mickael Pietrus, along with key reserve Keith Bogans, did not miss a beat against Indiana thanks to four starters in double figures, over 50% field goal shooting, and a 30/20 night from Dwight Howard.

The Magic had the lead throughout in the game, leading 27-22 after one, 58-47 at the half, and had their largest lead at 81-59 late in the third quarter. The Pacers went on a 33-19 run to cut the Magic lead to 100-92 with 4 1/2 minutes remaining in the fourth. The Magic then scored seven points in a row and went on to a 110-96 victory.

Magic leading scorers

Dwight Howard: 32 points (11 of 15 field goals), 21 rebounds, 4 blocks
Rashard Lewis: 24 points (8 of 18 field goals)
Hedo Turkoglu: 22 points (7 of 16 field goals), 5 rebounds, 4 steals
Anthony Johnson: 16 points (6 of 10 field goals), 4 assists
Indiana leading scorers

Danny Granger: 27 points
Marquis Daniels: 21 points

Game Statistics

FG%: ORL 50.7% (38 of 75) IND 43% (40 of 93)
3 PT FG%: ORL 46.2% (12 of 26) IND 28.6% (6 of 21)
FT%: ORL 73.3% (22 of 30) IND 10 of 15 (66.7%)
REB: IND 48 (16 offensive) ORL 41 (7 offensive)
AST/TO: IND 22/18 ORL 19/18
BENCH: IND 22 ORL 12

Other game notes and stats:

-The Magic starting frontcourt outscored the Pacers' starting frontcourt 78-47
-Lewis and Turkoglu combined for 46 points on 15 of 34 shooting, 8 rebounds, 5 steals, and 4 assists
-After a 12/0 assist/turnover ratio against the Wizards, Anthony Johnson had a more modest 4/3 ratio against the Pacers, but had his shooting eye going with 16 points
-J.J. Redick, starting in place of the injured Mickael Pietrus, attempted just 4 field goals in 30 minutes, scoring 4 points with 4 assists, 2 rebounds, and a steal
-Courtney Lee, Tony Battie, and Brian Cook were the only Magic players to see action off the bench
-The Pacers attempted 18 more field goals than the Magic, and had nine more offensive rebounds
-Other than Howard, only Tony Battie had an offensive rebound for the Magic
-Magic attempted twice as many free throws than the Pacers
-The Magic outscored the Pacers by 88-86 from the field, but 22-10 from the free throw line
-The Magic outshot the Pacers from the field, the three point line, and the free throw line

The Magic won their fourth in a row, ninth out of ten games, and thirteen out of fifteen games overall, and continue to lead the second-place Hawks by 2 1/2 games in the SE.

For the complete box score, click here

UPDATE: Pietrus to miss time with thumb injury

Mickael Pietrus is the latest Magic player to get bitten by the injury bug. He suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right thumb during Wednesday's Magic victory over Philadelphia.

J.J. Redick will start in Pietrus's place against Indiana tonight.

For the complete details, read Kyle Hightower's article from today's OrlandoSentinel.com

Magic host Pacers tonight

The Magic (12-4) play host to the struggling Indiana Pacers (6-9) Saturday night. The Pacers are coming off a surprising home loss to Charlotte Friday night 115-108 in overtime. Danny Granger led the Pacers with 35 points.

The Magic will be going for their fourth win in a row and ninth in ten games, and are favored over the Pacers by 8 1/2 points.

For the complete game preview, click here

Magic top Wizards for sixth road win in a row

The Magic (12-4) showed no signs of sluggishness, despite the fact they were coming off a tough win over the 76ers the previous night and had arrived early in the morning for the game against Washington. The Magic stormed out to a 38-25 lead after one quarter. The Wizards made a run in the second quarter to cut the Magic lead to 44-40, but the Magic extended their lead to 55-44 at the half. The Magic then blew the game open in the third quarter as they took a 86-65 lead into the fourth quarter, and cruised the rest of the way in a 105-90 win.

Magic leading scorers

Dwight Howard: 26 points (8 of 12 field goals), 14 rebounds, 3 blocks
Hedo Turkoglu: 20 points (7 of 16 field goals), 10 rebounds
Rashard Lewis: 17 points (6 of 14 field goals), 5 rebounds
Mickael Pietrus: 17 points (8 of 13 field goals), 4 rebounds
Anthony Johnson: 7 points, 12 assists, 0 turnovers

Wizards leading scorers

Caron Butler: 25 points
Antawn Jamison: 17 points

Overall Game Statistics

FG%: ORL: 46.9% (38 of 81) WAS: 42.2% (35 of 83)
3 PT FG%: ORL 31.6% (6 of 19) WAS 17.6% (3 of 17)
FT%: WAS 77.3% (17 of 22) ORL 76.7% (23 of 30)
REB: ORL 49 (13 offensive) WAS 46 (11 offensive)
AST/TO: ORL 26/11 WAS 22/13
BENCH: WAS 34 ORL 18

Other game notes and stats:

-The Magic outshot the Wizards from the field, from three point range, made six more free throws, outrebounded the Wizards, and had the better assist/turnover ratio
-The Magic starters outscored the Wizards' starters 87-56
-The Magic starting guards, Johnson and Pietrus, combined for 24 points on 10 of 18 shooting
-The Wizards' starting guards, Stevenson and Brown, combined for 8 points on 3 of 13 shooting
-Johnson had a brilliant 12/0 assist turnover ratio
-Turkoglu and Lewis combined for 37 points, 15 rebounds, 7 assists
-Turkoglu and Lewis each had a staggering +/- rating of +31
-All the Magic starters played at least 34 minutes
-Stan Van Gundy used an 8 man bench rotation once again (Redick, Battie, Lee); Gortat, Cook, and Richardson played in the waning stages of the game; only Adonal Foyle did not see action
-The Magic bench shot a collective 7 of 21 from the field
-J.J. Redick had 5 turnovers in 24 minutes

The Magic have now won six road games in a row, 8 of their last 9 games, and 12 of their last 14 games, and lead Atlanta by 2 games in the SE.

The Magic host the Pacers Saturday evening.

For the complete box score, click here

Lewis's three with under five seconds lifts Magic over 76ers

Without Jameer Nelson and Keith Bogans, this would prove to be a diificult game for the Magic against Philadelphia. The Magic started out well, jumping out to their largest lead 26-14 and led 33-23 after one. The Magic were able to maintain their lead in the second quarter and went into halftime with a 55-45 lead. The 76ers were able to cut into their deficit in the third, and took the lead 72-71 going into the fourth. Philly had their largest lead at 80-74 and led 92-88 with 1:15 remaining. A three point bucket by Anthony Johnson and two free throws by Hedo Turkoglu gave the Magic the lead at 93-92 before two free throws gave the 76ers the lead back. Turkoglu, on a drive to the basket, found Rashard Lewis open in the corner who then buried a three with 4.8 seconds remaining putting the Magic up by one as the 76ers had no timeouts remaining and could only put up a desperation three at the buzzer that was well off the mark.

Magic leading scorers

Dwight Howard: 21 points (13 of 18 free throws), 14 rebounds, 5 turnovers
Tony Battie (bench): 20 points (9 of 9 field goals)
Rashard Lewis: 19 points (5 of 10 three point field goals), 4 rebounds
Hedo Turkoglu: 12 points (4 of 11 field goals), 7 assists, 5 rebounds

76ers leading scorers

Elton Brand: 21 points
Andre Iguodala: 17 points

Game Statistics

FG%: ORL 47.1% (32 of 68) PHI 44.4% (36 of 81)
3 PT FG%: ORL 34.6% (9 of 26) PHI 23.1% (3 of 13)
FT%: PHI 79.2% (19 of 24) ORL 76.7% (23 of 30)
REB: PHI 39 (14 offensive) ORL 39 (9 offensive)
AST/TO: PHI 25/14 ORL 18/18
BENCH: PHI 31 ORL 27

Other game notes and stats:

-The Magic were only 11 of 34 from the field in the second half before Lewis's game-winner
-The Magic were outscored from the field 75-73 but their 23-19 advantage at the free throw line helped them to the win
-Magic made six more three pointers than the 76ers
-Tony Battie scored his Magic career high with 20 points
-Battie and J.J. Redick combined to shoot 11 of 12 from the field for 27 points
-Courtney Lee was the only other reserve to see action, going scoreless in 12 minutes
-Philadelphia's starting guards combined to score 25 points on 8 of 26 shooting
-Anthony Johnson and Mickael Pietrus combined to score 17 points on 6 of 19 shooting
-Philadelphia's starting forwards combined for 34 points on 15 of 24 shooting
-Turkoglu and Lewis combined to score 31 points on 11 of 28 shooting, 9 rebounds, 9 assists
-Turkoglu led the Magic with 7 assists

The Magic remain a game and a half ahead of Atlanta in the SE, and travel to Washington for the game Thanksgiving Night.

The Magic have won 7 of their last 8 contests, and 11 of their last 13.

For the complete box score, click here

Magic play at Philadelphia tonight on ESPN

The Magic (10-4), play a nationally televised ESPN game Wednesday night as they travel to take on the 76ers.

Philadelphia is coming off a 93-84 loss Monday to Charlotte. The 76ers have scored under 90 points in their last three games. Free agent pickup Elton Brand is averaging 16.6 points per game, which is four points off his average from two seasons ago with the Clippers.

The Magic will be without point guard Jameer Nelson (strained groin) and reserve shooting guard Keith Bogans (thumb fracture). Veteran Anthony Johnson will take Nelson's place in the lineup, with Courtney Lee the backup, and Hedo Turkoglu also playing some at the point.

The 76ers are favored by 2 points.

For a complete game preview, click here

Update on Jameer Nelson's injury

From Brian Schmitz's BasketBlog in the online Sentinel:

Magic point guard Jameer Nelson will be out a week to ten days after an MRI on Tuesday revealed a strained hip flexor on his right side.

Huge free throw advantage helps Magic over Milwaukee

The Magic started out fast, making 7 of their first 8 shots, and led 33-23 after one. They extended their lead to 58-47 at the half, and maintained a double digit lead for much of the second half. They led 94-81 with 7 1/2 minutes remaining, but could not close out the Bucks who went on a run and got as close as 103-100 in the final 30 seconds but the Magic (10-4) were able to make their free throws to defeat Milwaukee (7-9) 108-101.

Milwaukee came into the game without guard Michael Redd. They lost center Andrew Bogut for the rest of the game in the third quarter with a knee bruise.

The Magic, having found out earlier in the day that they would be without guard Keith Bogans for at least a month with a thumb fracture, lost point guard Jameer Nelson with ten minutes remaining in the third due to a strained groin.

Magic leading scorers

Dwight Howard: 24 points (7 of 10 field goals), 13 rebounds, 6 blocks, 6 turnovers
Rashard Lewis: 22 points (5 of 12 field goals), 4 rebounds
Hedo Turkoglu: 22 points (6 of 13 field goals), 9 rebounds
J.J. Redick (bench): 10 points (3 of 6 three point field goals)

Bucks leading scorers

Richard Jefferson: 25 points
Charlie Villanueva: 17 points
Andrew Bogut: 16 points

Game Statistics

FG%: ORL 47.7% (31 of 65) MIL 46.0% (40 of 87)
3 PT FG%: ORL 36.4% (8 of 22) MIL 30.8% (4 of 13)
FT%: MIL 81.0% (17 of 21) ORL 70.4% (38 of 54)
REB: MIL 40 (10 offensive) ORL 40 (7 offensive)
AST/TO: MIL 20/15 ORL 18/18
BENCH: MIL 36 ORL 23

Other game notes and stats

-The Bucks attempted 22 more field goals than the Magic and outscored the Magic from the field 84-70
-The Magic outscored the Bucks 38-17 from the free throw line, and attempted 54 free throws to the Bucks' 21
-The Magic starters outscored the Bucks' starters 85-65
-The Magic starting frontline combined for 68 points and 26 rebounds
-The Magic starting forwards combined for 44 points on 11 of 25 field goals and 18 of 19 free throws
-The Bucks' starting guards combined for just 13 points on 6 of 22 shooting
-With Bogans out, the Magic used a ten man rotation, with only Brian Cook and Marcin Gortat not seeing any action
-Howard (10 of 20) and Mickael Pietrus (3 of 6) combined to make just 13 of 26 from the foul line
-J.J. Redick completed a four-point play in the second quarter
-Former Magic point guard Tyronn Lue finished with 14 points and 5 assists in reserve for the Bucks

For the complete box score, click here

UPDATE: Bogans to miss time with thumb fracture

From OrlandoSentinel.com by Kyle Hightower:

Magic reserve guard Keith Bogans is out a minimum of three weeks and possibly as many as four to six after sustaining an avulsion fracture of his thumb in his left hand.

The injury, sustained during Orlando's loss Saturday to Houston, has also caused a pull on a ligament in the affected hand. Coach Stan Van Gundy said he didn't see how the injury occurred, but noticed Bogans grabbing for it after going through a screen.

While it's certainly a blow to the Magic lineup (Bogans was averaging 6.5 points and 3.5 rebounds in 24.4 minutes of action), Van Gundy admitted that it does silence a bit of the criticism for the logjam at shooting guard he had behind starter Mickael Pietrus. He said that both J.J. Redick and rookie Courtney Lee would get Bogans' time in the interim.

"Yeah, we're covered there and now those guys (behind Bogans) will get more of an opportunity," Van Gundy said. "You never want anything like this and I think Keith is a big loss for us, but everything that happens bad, there's always a silver lining."

The only change to the rotation that he said he envisioned seeing was at the small forward spot, which Pietrus played at times with Bogans in the lineup. With Bogans out, he said it could mean that forward Rashard Lewis would see a little increased time there.

Magic host Milwaukee tonight

The Magic (9-4) will take on the Bucks (7-8), who will be without star guard Michael Redd for at least another week. Former Magic point guard Scott Skiles is the Bucks' coach.

Hedo Turkoglu will return to the lineup, as the Magic are favored by 8 1/2 points.

For the complete preview, click here

Rockets continue mastery over Magic in Orlando

Houston, with Yao Ming outplaying Dwight Howard, held the Magic to just 42 second half points, as the Magic could not sustain a 82-79 lead in the fourth quarter, as the Rockets went on a 21-10 run and won in Orlando for the seventh game in a row 100-95. Five Rockets scored in double figures. Hedo Turkoglu was not in uniform for the game due to the flu.

Magic leading scorers

Jameer Nelson: 21 points (7 of 16 field goals), 6 assists
Rashard Lewis: 18 points (6 of 21 field goals), 8 rebounds, 5 assists
Dwight Howard: 13 points (5 of 10 field goals), 9 rebounds, 2 blocks
J.J. Redick (bench): 13 points (8 of 10 free throws)

Houston leading scorers:

Yao Ming: 22 points, 13 rebounds
Tracy McGrady: 17 points
Rafer Alston: 13 points

Game Statistics

FG%: HOU 48.2% (40 of 83) ORL 40.7% (33 of 81)
3 PT FG%: HOU 38.9% (7 of 18) ORL 25.9% (7 of 27)
FT%: ORL 84.6% (22 of 26) HOU 72.2% (13 of 18)
REB: HOU 42 (8 offensive) ORL 38 (8 offensive)
AST/TO: HOU 23/13 ORL 19/13
BENCH: ORL 34 HOU 24

Other game notes and stats:

-The Magic made just 13 of 41 (31.4%) from the field in the second half
-The Magic made just 2 of their final 16 three point attempts
-Keith Bogans, starting at shooting guard, scored just 5 points in 36 minutes
-Pietrus, who was moved to small forward, Lewis, and Bogans combined to shoot just 10 of 35 from the field for 27 points
-The Magic were outscored from the field by the Rockets 87-73
-The Magic starters were outscored by the Rockets' starters 76-61
-Adonal Foyle saw his first action of the season with 4 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 blocks in 13 minutes
-Nelson and Anthony Johnson combined for 29 points, 11 assists, 1 turnover
-Jeremy Richardson, activated for the first time, and Brian Cook did not see action.

The Magic remain in first place by a game over Atlanta by a game.

For the complete box score, click here

Magic try to break home drought against Rockets tonight

The Magic (9-3) coming off a tough overtime win against Indiana last night, host Houston (8-5), who is coming off a 103-91 win over Washington last night.

Former Magic star Tracy McGrady has never lost in Orlando while a member of the Rockets. In fact, the Magic have not beaten the Rockets in Orlando since April of 2002.

The Magic will be going for their sixth win in a row, and are favored by 2 1/2 points.

NBA TV will televise the game; for a complete preview, click here

Magic pull out 100-98 OT win over Indiana

The Pacers started out with the hot hand in the game, as they led the Magic 34-28 after one and had their largest lead 40-30 in the second, but the Magic pulled within 54-50 at the half. The Pacers stretched their lead to 77-70 after three before going cold from the field in the fourth quarter, allowing the Magic to come back to send the game into OT tied at 91. Rashard Lewis then scored seven of the nine points for the Magic in the OT and Dwight Howard's last-second block of a Pacers' shot enabled the Magic (9-3) to pull out yet another comeback win 100-98 over the Pacers (5-6).

Magic leading scorers

Dwight Howard: 24 points (9 of 19 field goals), 17 rebounds, 5 blocks
Rashard Lewis: 23 points (9 of 12 field goals), 6 steals, 5 rebounds
Jameer Nelson: 22 points (9 of 16 field goals), 9 assists, 1 turnover
Mickael Pietrus: 10 points (3 of 10 field goals), 7 rebounds
Anthony Johnson (bench): 7 points

Indiana leading scorers:

Marquis Daniels: 25 points
T.J. Ford: 22 points
Danny Granger: 21 points

Game Statistics

FG%: ORL 43.0% (37 of 86) IND 38.4% (38 of 99)
3 PT FG%: IND 43.8% (7 of 16) ORL 38.7% (12 of 31)
FT%: ORL 77.8% (14 of 18) IND 75% (15 of 20)
REB: IND 53 (15 offensive) ORL 47 (5 offensive)
AST/TO: IND 22/14 ORL 14/18
BENCH: IND 19 ORL 18

Other game stats and notes

-The Magic won the game despite one of Hedo Turkoglu's worst career games; he scored just three points on 1 of 13 from the field, 0 for 7 from three point range along with four turnovers
-In the fourth quarter and overtime, the Pacers shot just 8 of 33 from the field
-The Magic starters outscored the Pacers' starters 82-79
-The Magic starting frontline outscored the Pacers' starting frontline 50-32
-The Pacers' starting frontline shot just 12 of 42 (28.6%) from the field
-Lewis played the fourth quarter and overtime with five fouls
-J.J. Redick was the first guard off the bench, and scored 2 points on 1 of 3 field goals in 12 minutes, all in the first half
-Brian Cook saw his first meaningful playing time this season, scoring 3 points in 12 minutes
-The Pacers' bench shot just 7 of 20 from the field
-Nelson had a fantastic 9/1 assist/turnover ratio
-The rest of the Magic had an awful 5/17 assist/turnover ratio
-Magic had only five offensive rebounds on 49 misses
-Courtney Lee and Marcin Gortat did not play

Magic go for their sixth win in a row, and tenth out of eleven overall Saturday night against Houston.

For the complete box score, click here

Magic try for fifth win in a row tonight at Indiana

The Magic (8-3) will be trying for their ninth win in ten games also, but will have a tough challenge against the Pacers, who are coming off a 113-96 win over Atlanta on Tuesday, with Danny Granger scoring 34 points. It hurts to be reminded that the Magic drafted Fran Vasquez over Granger in 2005.

The Magic are favored by 2 points.

For a complete preview, click here

Also, check out the Third Quarter Collapse game preview

The Trevor Ariza trade: How it looks one year later

It was one year ago on November 20, 2007, that the Magic traded young, athletic small forward Trevor Ariza to the Lakers for shooting guard Maurice "Mo" Evans and power forward Brian Cook. Let's take a look how the trade looked then and how it looks now.

Ariza, who was just 22 years old, was coming off a very impressive 2006-'07 season, with the Magic and then-coach Brian Hill. He averaged 8.9 points per game on 53.9% field goal shooting and 4.4 rebounds in just over 22 minutes a game. We all thought he was a cornerstone for the future of the Magic because of his tremendous athleticism and potential.

However, in the 2007-'08 season under new coach Stan Van Gundy, Ariza's playing time and numbers dropped dramatically. He just could not crack the regular rotation (supposedly because of his weak outside shooting), and was averaging only 3.3 ppg and 2.2 rebounds in just over 10 minutes a game before the trade was made.

The Magic definitely got the better of the trade for last season. Ariza played in 24 games for the Lakers, averaging 6.5 ppg and 3.5 rebounds, before getting hurt in January and missing the rest of the season. Mo Evans was inserted as the starting shooting guard for the Magic shortly after the trade, and was very steady throughout the season, averaging 9.3 ppg on 48.9% FG shooting and 39.6% three point shooting, scoring in double figures 35 games with a high of 27 points.

While it took Van Gundy several games to play Brian Cook, when he finally did, Cook proved to be a spark off the bench in several games with his three point shooting, as he scored in double figures in nine games with a high of 18 points. Overall, with the Magic, Cook averaged 5.0 ppg on 39.1 three point shooting last season before breaking his hand in April and missing the playoffs.

For this year though, and for the future, there's no question the Lakers got the better of the trade. The Magic elected not to re-sign Evans, who is now with Atlanta. Cook came into training camp not in the kind of shape Van Gundy wanted him in, and has been in the doghouse, appearing in just two games in mop-up time of blowouts.

Meanwhile, Ariza, who is now healthy, has found a place in the regular rotation with the Lakers, and is thriving under Phil Jackson. He is averaging 8.9 ppg, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.0 steals in 23 minutes a game. He is shooting 46.8% from the field and 42.9% from three point range. He never had three point range with the Magic, but has it now with the Lakers. Kobe Bryant recently said what a huge boost it gives the Lakers when Ariza is on the floor because of the energy and hustle he provides on both offense and defense.

With Ariza just 23 years old, and developing all his athleticism and potential with the Lakers, this could prove to be Magic GM Otis Smith's worst trade.

In partial defense of Smith, he signed free agent Mickael Pietrus from Golden State to replace Evans at SG, and Pietrus has proven to be an excellent free agent signing so far.

It remains to be seen what Otis could get for Brian Cook, who is on the trading block. It would be for the benefit of the Magic if they could play Cook more, to showcase him for other teams.

Balanced Magic scoring overcomes Bosh's 40 points to defeat Toronto

Both teams were missing key starters for the game Tuesday night, as the Raptors were missing point guard Jose Calderon, and Mickael Pietrus was scratched for the Magic because of bruised ribs. Coach Stan Van Gundy inserted J.J. Redick into the starting lineup in place of Pietrus in what was Redick's first career start.

The Raptors jumped out to a 37-27 second quarter lead, but the Magic tied it at the half at 45. The Magic took control in the third to take a 67-54 lead as the Raptors could get no closer than five the rest of the way as the Magic won 103-90.

Magic leading scorers

Jameer Nelson: 22 points (10 of 15 field goals), 5 assists
Rashard Lewis: 22 points (6 of 13 field goals), 8 rebounds, 5 steals
Hedo Turkoglu: 22 points (8 of 20 field goals), 7 assists, 3 steals
Dwight Howard: 18 points (5 of 10 field goals), 9 rebounds, 3 blocks
J.J. Redick: 10 points (4 of 9 field goals)

Toronto leading scorers

Chris Bosh: 40 points (14 of 19 field goals), 18 rebounds
Jermaine O'Neal: 16 points (6 of 12 field goals), 10 rebounds

Overall Game Stats

FG%... ORL 45.7% (37 of 81) TOR 43.8% (35 of 80)
3 PT FG%... ORL 47.8% (11 of 23) TOR 14.3% (2 of 14)
FT%... ORL 78.3% (18 of 23) TOR 78.3% (18 of 23)
REB... TOR 44 (11 offensive) ORL 37 (8 offensive)
AST/TO... ORL 17/17 TOR 12/24
BENCH... TOR 15 ORL 9

Other game stats and notes

-Will Solomon, who started in place of Calderon for the Raptors, committed 7 turnovers
-Other than Chris Bosh, the Raptors shot just 21 of 61 (34.4%)
-The Magic starting guards combined for 32 points on 14 of 24 field goal shooting
-The Raptors' starting guards combined for 14 points on 7 of 19 shooting
-Turkoglu and Lewis combined for 44 points, 12 rebounds, 8 assists, 8 steals, and 8 turnovers
-Despite Bosh's 40 points, the Magic starting frontline outscored the Raptors' starting frontline 62-61
-All five Magic starters played at least 34 minutes
-For the second game in a row, Howard fouled out
-The Toronto bench shot just 6 of 21 (28.6%) from the field
-The Magic bench wasn't much better, shooting 4 of 14 (28.6%) from the field
-Adonal Foyle replaced Mickael Pietrus on the active roster

The Magic have now won 4 in a row and 8 of their last 9 games overall, and are in first place by a game and a half over Atlanta, who dropped their fourth in a row Tuesday losing at Indiana. Magic have a tough back-to-back coming up at Indiana Friday and at home against Houston Saturday.

For the complete box score, click here

Individual and team comparisons from so far this season to last season

Going into tonight's home game against Toronto, and with the season ten games old, let's compare current individual statistics for the Magic after ten games to the entire 2007-'08 season.

Jameer Nelson:
'07-'08: PPG... 10.9 FG%... 46.9% 3 PT FG... 41.6% FT%... 82.8% AST... 5.6 REB... 3.5 TO... 2.0
'08-'09: PPG... 12.9 FG%... 45.6% 3 PT FG... 25.0% FT%... 94.1% AST... 4.5 REB... 4.2 TO... 2.2

Mickael Pietrus:
'07-'08: PPG.... 7.2 FG%... 43.9% 3 PT FG%... 36.1% FT%... 67.4% REB... 3.7
'08-'09: PPG... 14.5 FG%... 49.5% 3 PT FG%... 45.2% FT%... 88.9% REB... 3.8

Dwight Howard:
'07-'08: PPG... 20.7 FG%... 59.9% FT%... 59.0% REB... 14.2 BLK... 2.2 TO... 3.2
'08-'09: PPG... 21.3 FG%... 60.3% FT%... 52.1% REB... 14.0 BLK... 4.2 TO... 2.4

Hedo Turkoglu:
'07-'08: PPG... 19.5 FG%... 45.6% 3 PT FG%... 40.0% FT%... 82.9% REB... 5.7 AST... 5.0 TO... 3.0
'08-'09: PPG... 17.5 FG%... 38.1% 3 PT FG%... 28.6% FT%... 84.5% REB... 5.1 AST... 3.9 TO... 2.3

Rashard Lewis:
'07-'08: PPG... 18.2 FG%... 45.5% 3 PT FG%... 40.9% FT%... 83.9% REB... 5.4 AST... 2.4 TO... 1.7
'08-'09: PPG... 16.5 FG%... 39.2% 3 PT FG%... 27.5% FT%... 78.8% REB... 6.8 AST... 1.9 TO... 2.1

Keith Bogans:
'07-'08: PPG... 8.7 FG%... 41.0% 3 PT FG%... 36.2% FT%... 73.6% REB... 3.2
'08-'09: PPG... 6.9 FG%... 42.3% 3 PT FG%... 38.2% FT%... 85.7% REB... 3.3

Anthony Johnson:
'07-'08: PPG... 6.7 FG%... 43.1% 3 PT FG%... 42.9% FT%... 81.3% AST... 4.8 TO... 1.2
'08-'09: PPG... 3.4 FG%... 32.6% 3 PT FG%... 33.3% FT%... 50.0% AST... 2.3 TO... 1.0

Overall Team:
'07-'08: PPG... 104.5 PA... 99.0 FG%... 47.4% 3 PT FG%... 38.6% FT%... 72.1% REB... 42.0 AST... 20.8 TO... 13.8 STL... 6.3 BLK... 4.1
'08-'09: PPG... 99.0 PA... 93.3 FG%... 44.2% 3 PT FG%... 31.3% FT%... 70.0% REB... 44.5 AST... 16.7 TO... 13.3 STL... 7.4 BLK... 7.8

The Magic were 8-2 last season after ten games on their way to a 16-4 start. This year, the Magic are obviously not doing as well offensively, as points, field goal percentage, three point percentage, and assists are all down significantly. Defensively though, the main numbers are all better as points against, rebounds, steals, and blocks are all improved over last season.

We all know the Magic are a much better offensive team, especially shooting-wise, than they've shown so far. If they can improve those offensive numbers, and keep up their really good defensive numbers, this team can really be something special!

For a different perspective on the Magic stats, check out this post from Third Quarter Collapse.

For a complete preview of tonight's game against the Raptors, click here

Magic finish 3-0 on road trip after win at Charlotte

Despite one of the worst offensive games of Dwight Howard's career, the Magic were able to overcome a 43-38 halftime deficit to the Bobcats for a 90-85 victory. The other four Magic starters all scored between 15 and 20 points to make up for Howard's four points, all on free throws.

Magic leading scorers

Hedo Turkoglu: 20 points (6 of 15 field goals), 4 assists
Mickael Pietrus: 18 points (7 of 13 field goals), 4 rebounds
Rashard Lewis: 17 points (6 of 16 field goals), 6 rebounds
Jameer Nelson: 15 points (7 of 10 field goals), 5 rebounds
Tony Battie (bench): 9 points (4 of 5 field goals), 7 rebounds, 2 blocks

Charlotte leading scorers:

Gerald Wallace: 19 points
Raymond Felton and Adam Morrison: 14 points each

Game stats:

FG%: ORL 43.8% (32 of 73) CHA 43.2% (32 of 74)
3 PT FG%: ORL 26.9% (7 of 26) CHA 25% (3 of 12)
FT%: ORL 79.2% (19 of 24) CHA 66.7% (18 of 27)
REB: CHA 41 (11 offensive) ORL 38 (8 offensive)
AST/TO: ORL 14/14 CHA 13/14
BENCH: CHA 34 ORL 16

Other game stats and notes:

-The Magic starters outscored the Bobcats' starters 74-51
-The Magic starting frontline shot a combined 12 of 34 from the field
-The Magic starting guards shot a combined 14 of 23 from the field for 33 points
-The Charlotte starting guards shot a combined 7 of 21 from the field for 20 points
-Mickael Pietrus scored his 18 points in just under 21 minutes
-Howard fouled out in just 26 minutes
-Tony Battie played 28 minutes and scored five more points than Howard and grabbed just as many rebounds (seven)
-Howard did contribute five blocked shots and two steals defensively
-Bobcats' center Emeka Okafor struggled somewhat also, with 8 points and 9 rebounds
-J.J. Redick saw three minutes of action and did not attempt a shot

Magic are back at home Tuesday night in a rematch of last season's first round playoff against Toronto.

For the complete box score, click here

Magic try for 3-0 road trip at Charlotte Sunday

The Magic (6-3), after their come-from-behind victory Friday against Dallas, will try for their seventh win in eight games and a perfect three game road trip as they take on Charlotte (3-5) in a 5:30 PM start.

The Bobcats are coming off a 104-96 victory over Utah on Friday.

With a win, the Magic would take over sole possession of first place in the SE over Atlanta, thanks to New Jersey's win over the Hawks on Saturday.

The Magic are 6 1/2 point favorites.

For a complete game preview, click here

Magic end long drought in Dallas with comeback win

The Magic started out terribly in the game, making just 3 of their first 17 shots and fell behind Dallas 21-17 after one quarter. Dallas scored 35 points in the second quarter for a 56-46 lead at the half. The Mavericks had their largest lead at 69-54 in the third quarter and led 80-72 going into the fourth. They led 83-72 early in the fourth before the Magic started their comeback, led by their starters. Jameer Nelson, Mickael Pietrus, and Rashard Lewis all made clutch baskets or free throws as the Magic led by two in the final ten seconds. Jason Terry's twelve-footer in the final seconds missed, and the Magic came out with their first win in Dallas since December of 1997 102-100.

Magic leading scorers

Rashard Lewis: 23 points (6 of 14 field goals), 9 rebounds
Jameer Nelson: 21 points (9 of 18 field goals), 2 assists
Mickael Pietrus: 20 points (5 of 7 3 point field goals), 9 rebounds
Dwight Howard: 18 points (6 of 14 field goals), 13 rebounds
Hedo Turkoglu: 12 points (4 of 10 field goals), 5 rebounds

Bench

Courtney Lee: 5 points

Dallas leading scorers

Josh Howard: 25 points
Dirk Nowitzki: 24 points
Jason Terry: 20 points

Game Stats:

FG%: DAL 43.7% (38 of 87) ORL 38.8% (33 of 85)
3 PT FG%: ORL 36% (9 of 25) DAL 31.3% (5 of 16)
FT%: DAL 82.6% (19 of 23) ORL 73.0% (27 of 37)
REB: DAL 54 (16 offensive) ORL 47 (15 offensive)
AST/TO: DAL 17/18 ORL 12/13
BENCH: DAL 32 ORL 8

Other game stats and notes:

-The Magic starters outscored the Mavericks' starters 94-68
-The Magic won the game despite the fact that Dallas outshot them from the field (44% to 39%), the free throw line (83% to 73%), outrebounded them (54-47), and had the big bench advantage
-The Magic made four more three point field goals, eight more free throws, and three fewer turnovers to help them to the victory
-The Magic starting guards outscored the Mavericks' starting guards 41-15
-The Magic bench shot a combined 3 of 17 from the field
-Anthony Johnson led the Magic with six assists; no other Magic player had more than two
-Nelson and Johnson combined for 23 points, 8 assists, 4 turnovers
-Hedo Turkoglu fouled out
-Magic outscored Dallas 19-10 to close the game

Thanks to Atlanta's 115-108 los to New Jersey, the Magic are just a half game behind the Hawks in the SE, and will try for a 3-0 road trip when they travel to Charlotte Sunday.

For the complete box score, click here

Magic take on struggling Mavericks tonight

Dallas finds themselves desperate for a win following their fourth loss in a row Thursday night, 98-91 to Chicago, despite the Mavericks jumping out to a 24-5 lead. That loss was Dallas' 4th in a row. At 2-6, this is their worst start in ten years, and they will be trying to avoid a five game losing streak for the first time since March of 2000.

The Magic (5-3) are coming off their 109-92 win over OK City, led by Dwight Howard's fantastic game of 30 points, 19 rebounds, and 10 blocks. Howard could be in for another monster game tonight, as Dallas has not played well defensively so far this season.

It was good seeing Howard getting national attention because of his out-of-this-world stat line against the Thunder, the likes of which haven't been seen since Hakeem Olajuwan of the Rockets back in the 80s. Howard was a topic of conversation on "Around the Horn" and "Pardon the Interruption" on ESPN on Thursday.

The Magic, however, have not won in Dallas in nearly 11 years.

For the complete game preview, click here

Howard's triple-double helps Magic start road trip on a positive note against Thunder

The Magic received good news before the game even started, when they found out OK City's second-year star Kevin Durant would sit out the game with a sore ankle. The Magic never trailed in this game, leading 39-19 after one quarter, and had a resounding 71-42 halftime lead. The lead swelled to 76-44 early in the third before the Thunder went on a 29-11 run to cut their deficit to 87-73 early in the fourth quarter. The Thunder would get no closer, as the Magic were able to empty the bench late in a 109-92 win, led by Dwight Howard's triple-double and Jameer Nelson's double-double.

Magic leading scorers

Dwight Howard: 30 points (12 of 21 field goals), 19 rebounds, 10 blocks
Jameer Nelson: 17 points (7 of 12 field goals), 10 rebounds
Mickael Pietrus: 17 points (5 of 10 field goals), 5 rebounds
Hedo Turkoglu: 15 points (3 of 13 field goals), 7 assists
Rashard Lewis: 13 points (6 of 15 field goals)

Thunder leading scorers

Jeff Green: 25 points
Russell Westbrook: 13 points

Game Stats

FG%: ORL 45.1% (41 of 91) OKC 37.4% (34 of 91)
3 PT FG%: ORL 31.8% (7 of 22) OKC 27.3% (3 of 11)
FT%: OKC 77.8% (21 of 27) ORL 74.1% (20 of 27)
REB: ORL 50 (9 offensive) OKC 50 (10 offensive)
AST/TO: ORL 17/8 OKC 14/13
BENCH: OKC 29 ORL 17

Other game notes and stats:

-The Magic starting frontline outscored the OK City starting frontline 58-26
-Mickael Pietrus, who can be foul-prone, did not commit a foul in 33 minutes
-Howard scored 15 first quarter points, while Nelson added 12 points in the period
-The Thunder bench combined to shoot 10 of 38 from the floor, with Russell Westbrook shooting 3 for 19
-Magic shot just 15 of 43 (34.8%) in the second half
-Rashard Lewis, with his 6 for 15 field goal shooting, is now 11 for 37 shooting from the field in his last three games
-Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu shot a combined 9 for 28 from the field
-Marcin Gortat blocked 3 shots in 3 minutes of action; for the season, he has 7 blocks in 11 minutes of action, which equates to 30 1/2 blocks per 48 minutes
-Tony Battie grabbed 7 rebounds in 16 minutes off the bench
-J.J. Redick went 0 for 2 from the field in the final three minutes, and is now 0 for 10 shooting on the season

The Magic now trail Atlanta by 1 1/2 games in the SE, thanks to Boston's last-second 103-102 victory over the Hawks. Magic will try for two in a row on the road when they face Dallas Friday night.

For the complete box score, click here

Great start to season by Atlanta puts them as favorite to win SE over Magic

With the Atlanta Hawks latest win, a 113-108 victory over Chicago on Tuesday, the Hawks are now 6-0 (one of two unbeaten teams left) and 2 1/2 games ahead of the Magic. Power forward Al Horford had a Dwight Howard-like night with 27 points, 17 rebounds, and 6 blocks. Former Magic starting guard Maurice Evans came off the bench to score 17 points on 7 of 9 field goals, including 3 of 4 three pointers.

Though the season is only two weeks old, Atlanta has shown that they are the best team in the SE division, without question. They have beaten four teams that made the playoffs last season, including impressive wins at Orlando, at New Orleans, and at home against Toronto, and are outscoring their opponents by an average of 98.8 to 89.5.

It's not easy to say this, but the Atlanta roster is superior to the Magic roster, at least right now, the way the two teams are playing. The Hawks have six players who average in double figures, and their bench depth is far superior to the Magic. The Hawks are without one of their best players in forward Josh Smith, who is out with an ankle sprain, but they haven't missed a beat, thanks to the other guys picking up the slack and their depth.

Let's compare the current team statistics for the Magic and Atlanta:

FG%: ORL 45.0% ATL 44.8%
3 PT FG%: ATL 39.5% ORL 31.3%
FT%: ATL 70.1% ORL 67.9%
REB: ATL 44.7 ORL 44.3
AST/TO: ATL 21.2/12.3 ORL 17.7/14.1
STEALS: ATL 8.0 ORL 7.3
BLOCKS: ATL 6.3 ORL 6.3
POINTS AGAINST: ATL 89.5 ORL 93.7
POINTS FOR: ATL 98.8 ORL 98.4

Those statistics illustrate how much better the Hawks are doing than the Magic. The Magic have a very slight advantage in only one category, FG%, and are tied in blocked shots. Atlanta has the advantage in every other category, including a distinct advantage in 3 pt%, FT%, assist/turnover ratio, and defense. I still think the Magic can have a good season, but all the guys need to step up and play like they're capable of playing (Rashard Lewis...hello??), be more consistent, and SVG needs to do a better job of coaching. If they don't, the SE division will be won by the Hawks easily, and the Magic will probably be a 5th or 6th seed (if that) in the playoffs.

That would be a far cry from the 50+ wins and a solid playoff run most of us were predicting before the season started.

Coach Mike Woodson deserves a lot of credit along with the players for the Hawks' dominant start, proving that taking Boston to a Game 7 last season in the first round was no fluke.

The Magic start a three game road trip tonight against the Oklahoma City Thunder. All three games on this trip are winnable; I think it's imperative for the Magic to win two out of the three games at least.

For a complete preview of tonight's game, click here

Magic end long homestand on a losing note to Portland

The Blazers started out the game red hot, outscoring the Magic 36-28 in the first quarter. They cooled off in the second as the Magic pulled to within 54-53 at the half. The Magic took a 73-72 lead into the final quarter but Portland outscored the Magic 15-2 to open the quarter to take a 87-75 lead and the Magic never were able to come close after that, losing 106-99, despite great games from Dwight Howard and Hedo Turkoglu.

Magic leading scorers

Hedo Turkoglu: 35 points (11 of 21 field goals), 4 rebounds
Dwight Howard: 29 points (8 of 11 field goals), 19 rebounds
Keith Bogans (bench): 12 points (4 of 9 field goals)
Jameer Nelson: 10 points (4 of 12 field goals), 7 assists, 4 turnovers

Blazers scoring leaders

Brandon Roy: 27 points
Steve Blake: 20 points, 5 rebounds
Travis Outlaw (bench): 20 points, 5 rebounds

Game Stats

FG%: ORL 45.1% (32 of 71) POR 43.8% (35 of 80)
3 PT FG%: POR 52.9% (9 of 17) ORL 29.2% (7 of 24)
FT%: POR 84.4% (27 of 32) ORL 73.7% (28 of 38)
REB: ORL 44 (10 offensive) POR 34 (5 offensive)
AST/TO: POR 18/6 ORL 15/14
BENCH: POR 40 ORL 12

Other game stats and notes:

-Portland wound up with a solid advantage in three point field goal percentage, free throw percentage, assist/turnover ratio, and bench scoring
-Howard had 23 points and 12 rebounds at the half
-Rashard Lewis continues to struggle, scoring just 6 points on 3 of 11 shooting, including 0 for 5 on threes; he is now 5 of 22 from the floor the last two games
-The Magic used a nine man rotation, with Courtney Lee joining Bogans, Tony Battie, and Anthony Johnson
-Bogans was the only Magic bench player to score
-Howard and Turkoglu combined for 64 of the Magic's 99 points on 19 of 32 field goals and 22 of 32 free throws
-Howard hit 7 of his first 8 free throws, then just 6 of his last 12 free throws
-Lewis, Nelson, and Mickael Pietrus combined to score just 23 points on 9 of 28 field goal shooting
-The Magic starting guards were outscored by the Blazers starting guards 47-17
-The Portland starting frontline combined to score just 19 points, with LaMarcus Aldridge scoring 16 of those points

Magic start a three game road trip Wednesday night at Oklahoma City

For the complete box score, click here

Magic seek to close out perfect homestand against Portland Monday night

The Magic (4-2) play the final game of their season-high five game homestand tonight against Portland (3-3). The Magic won the previous four games, and are coming off their most impressive win of the year against the Wizards on Saturday. The Blazers will be starting a five game road trip tonight. They are winless in three games on the road so far.

The Blazers will be without 2007 number one draft pick Greg Oden for another couple weeks as he recovers from his latest injury, but they feature two outstanding young players in Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge.

The Magic are in second place in the Southeast Division, a game and a half behind the undefeated Hawks, and are 7 1/2 point favorites tonight against the Blazers.

A win here would give the Magic a five game winning streak as they begin a stretch of six out of nine games on the road after tonight.

For player stats and the complete preview, click here

Magic make it four in a row with rout of Wizards

The Magic (4-2) really took advantage of a struggling, winless Washington (0-5) team, as they led by six points after one; 58-39 at the half; and increased the lead to 84-55 in the third. The Wizards could get no closer than 18 points after that, and the Magic were able to empty their bench late in the game winning handily 106-81.

Magic leading scorers

Dwight Howard: 31 points (11 of 13 field goals), 16 rebounds, 3 blocks
Mickael Pietrus: 18 points (6 of 13 field goals)
Keith Bogans (bench): 13 points (5 of 8 field goals)
Hedo Turkoglu: 11 points (4 of 12 field goals)

Wizards leading scorers:

Nick Young: 20 points
DeShawn Stevenson: 14 points

Game stats:

FG%: ORL 50% (39 of 78) WAS 39.2% (31 of 79)
3 PT FG%: WAS 37.5% (6 of 16) ORL 33.3% (8 of 24)
FT%: WAS 72.2% (13 of 18) ORL 66.7% (20 of 30)
REB: ORL 42 (12 offensive) WAS 35 (7 offensive)
AST/TO: ORL 21/13 WAS 13/16
BENCH: WAS 43 ORL 35

Other game stats and notes:

-The two Wizards stars, Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler, scored just a combined 17 points on 7 of 20 field goal shooting
-The Magic starters outscored the Wizards starters 71-38
-All twelve Magic players saw action
-Bogans, Battie, Anthony Johnson, and Courtney Lee combined for 35 points off the bench, by far the bench's best scoring output of the season
-Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis scored just a combined 16 points on 6 of 23 field goal shooting with 5 turnovers, though they did combine for 4 steals
-Howard made 7 of his final 8 free throw attempts
-Four of the five Magic starters played between 31 and 36 minutes; only Jameer Nelson played under 30 minutes
-Nelson had a 6/0 assist/turnover ratio

Portland, even without Greg Oden, will pose a challenge for the Magic Monday night in Orlando.

For the complete box score, click here

Winless Wizards come to Orlando Saturday night

With star Gilbert Arenas recovering from his latest injury, the Wizards find themselves at 0-4 entering tonight's game against the Magic (3-2) after their loss to the NY Knicks Friday night.

Still, Washington cannot be taken lightly as they have starters Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison in addition to some good young talent in reserve.

Magic will be looking for their fourth win in a row after starting the season 0-2. They are coming off a nice win against Philadelphia even though the Magic let them back in the game after being ahead 23 points in the third quarter.

Jameer Nelson had his best game of the year and must show he can play like that on a consistent basis.

Magic are favored by 9 points.

For player stats and a complete game preview, click here

Magic climb over .500 for first time this season with win over 76ers

The Magic got off to a quick start in this game, leading 30-16 after one and 54-43 at the half, and opened the second half on a 14-2 run to lead 68-45. Philadelphia then made their run, outscoring the Magic 29-12 to pull with 80-74 in the fourth. They got no closer, as the Magic gradually pulled away to win 98-88.

Leading scorers

Rashard Lewis: 20 points (7 of 20 field goals), 8 rebounds
Hedo Turkoglu: 20 points (8 of 20 field goals), 8 rebounds
Jameer Nelson: 16 points (6 of 12 field goals), 9 assists
Dwight Howard: 14 points (6 of 11 field goals), 8 rebounds, 3 blocks
Mickael Pietrus: 12 points (5 of 7 field goals)

Bench

Keith Bogans: 8 points, 6 rebounds
Tony Battie: 8 points, 6 rebounds

76ers leading scorers

Thaddeus Young: 19 points
Andre Iguodala: 16 points, 11 rebounds

Game Stats:

FG%: ORL 45.1% (37 of 82) PHI 37.9% (36 of 95)
3 PT FG%: ORL 36% (9 of 25) PHI 29.4% (5 of 17)
FT%: PHI 84.6% (11 of 13) ORL 57.7% (15 of 26)
REB: PHI 54 (17 offensive) ORL 46 (11 offensive)
AST/TO: ORL 21/10 PHI 18/14
BENCH: PHI 22 ORL 16

Other game stats and notes:

-Lewis and Turkoglu combined to shoot 15 of 40 from the field
-Nelson and Pietrus combined to shoot 11 of 19 from the field
-Three Sixers had double figure rebounds
-Howard had three first half fouls and scored just two points in the half, failing to record a double-double for the game for the first time this year
-Nelson had a 9/3 assist/turnover ratio, with Nelson and Johnson combining for 11 assists
-Bogans, Battie, and Anthony Johnson were the only reserves to see action, with Bogans seeing 31 minutes of action
-The two 76ers starting guards, Andre Miller and Andre Iguodala, combined to shoot just 11 of 36 from the field
-The 76ers attempted 13 more shots from the field than the Magic, but the Magic attempted 13 more free throws than the 76ers

For the complete box score, click here

Also, check out the Third Quarter Collapse game recap.

Magic play host to Sixers Thursday night

It will be a battle of two teams who have not lived up to their preseason expectations so far in this young season. The Magic (2-2) played poorly against the Bulls, shooting only 41% from the field, 33% from three point range, 68% from the free throw line, and committed 19 turnovers, while nearly blowing a 17 point third quarter lead. Philadelphia (2-3), is coming off an embarrassing 23 point loss to Miami Wednesday night, where they committed a whopping 26 turnovers.

The Magic will have their first look at Elton Brand as a member of the 76ers, who signed with them as a free agent in the off-season.

For player stats and a complete preview, click here

The Magic are 5 1/2 point favorites, and the game will be nationally televised on TNT at 8:00 eastern time.

Magic back to .500 with close win over Bulls

The Magic's largest first half lead was 45-28, but Chicago scored 19 of the next 24 points as the Magic led at halftime 50-47. The Magic then went on a 15-1 run early in the third quarter to once again go up by 17 points, but had to hold on as the Bulls came as close as two points late in the fourth, but the Magic held on and won by the final tally of 96-93.

Magic leading scorers

Dwight Howard: 22 points (9 of 15 field goals), 15 rebounds, 5 blocks
Rashard Lewis: 21 points (7 of 16 field goals), 11 rebounds
Jameer Nelson: 13 points (5 of 11 field goals), 3 steals, 4 turnovers
Hedo Turkoglu: 10 points (3 of 16 field goals), 7 assists, 7 rebounds
Mickael Pietrus: 10 points (3 of 4 field goals)

Bench

Keith Bogans: 13 points (3 of 6 field goals), 5 rebounds

Chicago leading scorers

Drew Gooden: 21 points
Andres Nocioni: 20 points, 7 rebounds

Game Stats

FG%: CHI 44.2% (38 of 86) ORL 41.2% (33 of 80)
3 PT FG%: CHI 38.5% (5 of 13) ORL 33.3% (9 of 27)
FT%: ORL 67.7% (21 of 31) CHI 66.7% (12 of 18)
REB: ORL 49 (16 offensive) CHI 46 (11 offensive)
AST/TO: ORL 16/19 CHI 13/18
BENCH: CHI 47 ORL 20

Other game stats and notes

-Even though the Magic bench was outscored so badly, the Magic starters outscored the Bulls starters 76-46
-Magic starting forwards Lewis and Turkoglu combined to shoot 10 of 32 from the field for 31 points
-The Magic point guards, Nelson and Anthony Johnson, combined for 16 points, 4 assists, 5 turnovers
-Rookie Courtney Lee saw his first action in a regular season game, scoring 2 points on 1 of 6 field goals
-Lee, Johnson, and Tony Battie combined to shoot 3 of 12 from the field from the bench
-Guard J.J. Redick did not play after going 0 for 8 from the field the first three games; Brian Cook and Marcin Gortat also did not play
-Bulls starting forwards Loul Deng (1 point) and Tyrus Thomas (7 points) combined for just 8 points on 3 of 15 shooting
-Bulls rookie Derrick Rose scored 14 points with just 1 assist
-Howard finished just 4 of 11 from the free throw line
-Magic grabbed 16 offensive rebounds off 47 misses
-Mickael Pietrus was called for four fouls in just over 15 minutes

For the complete box score, click here

Magic get a few days off to work on a lot of things before Philadelphia comes to town Thursday.

Magic look to get to .500 Monday night as they host Chicago

The Bulls, who were arguably the most disappointing team in the NBA last season, finishing 33-49 after many experts predicted they would be a contender to win the East before last season, have retooled thanks to getting lucky in the draft lottery in securing the number one draft pick. They turned that pick into Derrick Rose, who leads all NBA rookies in scoring three games into the season leading the Bulls to a 2-1 record.

Dwight Howard should have a huge night, as the Bulls have no one who can guard him. They don't start a true center, starting a power forward in Drew Gooden and two small forwards in Tyrus Thomas and Luol Deng. However, Rose could have a big night himself as he is coming off a 26 point effort against Memphis. Jameer Nelson will definitely need help in guarding Rose, as there is no way Nelson can keep up with the quickness of Rose.

The depth of the Bulls will pose a problem for the Magic also. Gunners Ben Gordon, Kirk Hinrich, and Andres Nocioni all have come off the bench the first three games; all scored in double figures against Memphis.

Gooden is coming off a 20 rebound game against Memphis and Tyrus Thomas a 5 blocked shots effort against the Grizzlies.

The Bulls have held all three of their opponents to under 100 points, so the Magic need to keep up their good shooting from Saturday night's game against Sacramento.

For the complete preview, click here

Also, check out the third quarter collapse preview and the iblogbulls.com preview

The Magic are 7 point favorites.

Magic click on all cylinders offensively against Kings in first win of season

After two straight embarrassing offensive performances to open the season, the Magic did well in virtually every offensive category and pulled away in the fourth quarter against Sacramento for a 121-103 win to get in the victory column for the first time this season.

All five starters scored in double figures for the Magic, while four of the starters scored at least 20 points.

Magic leading scorers

Dwight Howard: 29 points (11 of 14 field goals), 14 rebounds, 5 blocks
Rashard Lewis: 26 points (10 of 20 field goals), 7 rebounds, 6 assists
Hedo Turkoglu: 21 points (7 of 13 field goals), 4 assists
Mickael Pietrus: 20 points (6 of 9 field goals), 4 rebounds

Bench

Anthony Johnson: 7 points, 3 assists

Sacramento leading scorers:

Kevin Martin: 31 points
Spencer Hawes: 14 points

Game Stats

FG%: ORL 55.0% (44 of 80) SAC 52.7% (39 of 74)
3 PT FG%: ORL 36.4% (8 of 22) SAC 33.3% (5 of 15)
FT%: SAC 83.3% (20 of 24) ORL 80.6% (25 of 31)
REB: ORL 40 (15 offensive) SAC 28 (6 offensive)
AST/TO: ORL 25/13 SAC 21/12
BENCH: SAC 29 ORL 13

Other Game Stats and Notes

-Six Kings scored in double figures
-Magic scored 59 first half points and 62 second half points
-Magic starters outscored the Sacramento starters 108-74
-The starting Magic frontcourt outscored the Kings starting frontcourt 76-32
-The two point guards, Nelson and Anthony Johnson, combined for 19 points and 8 assists
-Magic had a better than 2/1 assist/turnover ratio
-J.J. Redick did not score in 9 minutes off the bench and is 0 for 8 from the field in three games
-Keith Bogans grabbed 6 rebounds off the bench in 19 minutes
-Brian Cook, Marcin Gortat, and Courtney Lee did not play

For the complete box score, click here

Magic will try to get to the .500 mark on Monday as they host Chicago and number one draft pick Derrick Rose.