Magic erupt in second half for big win over Cavaliers

It was Cleveland who was the dominant team early. The Cavaliers led 32-25 at the end of one and extended their lead to 43-33 in the second quarter before settling for a 56-55 halftime lead. The Magic then buckled down on defense in the second half, as the Magic went on a 44-18 run spanning the third and fourth quarters before the Cavaliers scored the final 14 points of the game to make the final a little more respectable as the Magic won 99-88.



Magic leading scorers

Dwight Howard: 22 points (9 of 15 field goals), 18 rebounds
Hedo Turkoglu: 19 points (8 of 22 field goals), 11 rebounds
Rashard Lewis: 19 points (6 of 16 field goals), 5 rebounds, 5 assists
Jameer Nelson: 18 points (6 of 11 field goals)

Cleveland leading scorers

LeBron James: 23 points (10 of 27 field goals), 8 rebounds, 8 assists
Wally Szczerbiak (bench): 14 points (5 of 6 field goals)

Overall Game Stats

FG%: ORL 45.0% (36 of 80) CLE 41.5% (34 of 82)
3 PT FG%: CLE 50% (7 of 14) ORL 35.5% (11 of 31)
FT%: ORL 88.9% (16 of 18) CLE 65% (13 of 20)
REB: ORL 48 (11 offensive) CLE 39 (8 offensive)
AST/TO: CLE 17/6 ORL 17/11
BENCH: CLE 34 ORL 13

Other game notes and stats:

-The Magic allowed only 32 second-half Cleveland points on 13 of 38 shooting
-Szczerbiak scored all of his points in the first half
-The Cavaliers' bench was held to nine second half points after scoring 25 first half points
-The Magic starting frontline outscored the Cavaliers' starting frontline 60-34 and outrebounded them 34-19
-The Cavaliers' starters combined to shoot just 21 of 59
-James and Mo Williams, who combined for 66 points Tuesday, combined to score just 39 points on 14 of 42 shooting against the Magic
-The Magic starters outscored the Cavaliers' starters 86-54
-The Magic played an eight man rotation, with Anthony Johnson leading the reserves with 9 points
-In addition to Szczerbiak, J.J. Hickson also scored in double figures off the Cavaliers' bench with 13 points
-Mickael Pietrus scored just 4 points off the Magic bench in 27 minutes after scoring 27 points against Indiana Tuesday
-The Magic went the final 5:20 of the game without scoring
-The Cavaliers played without center Zydrunas Ilgauskas and guard Delonte West

The Magic now trail Cleveland by just 1/2 game in the East, and Boston by 2 games.

For the complete box score, click here

Cavaliers and Magic battle tonight for the first time this season

Cleveland (35-8), who has the NBA's best winning percentage, comes to Orlando (34-10) in a nationally televised game on TNT tonight. Both teams are coming off impressive wins Tuesday. The Cavaliers beat Sacramento 117-110, with LeBron James getting a triple-double and PG Mo Williams scoring 43 points along with 11 assists.

"Big Z", Zydrunas Ilgauskas, is doubtful to return tonight for the Cavaliers.

The Cavaliers are 23-0 this season when scoring 100 or more points, but the Magic have beaten the Cavs 6 of the last 8 games overall.

The Magic are 4 1/2 point favorites.

For the complete game preview from Yahoo! Sports, click here

Essay Time: Will Rebounding Derail Magic Title Hopes?

The Painted Area: Importance of Good Board Scores (Part II)

In the last 25 years, only 4 of the 50 teams that participated in the NBA Finals had a negative rebounding margin. The Magic rebound margin is currently at -0.1 per game.

However, two of those four teams were the two time winning Houston Rockets.

Magic are currently 6th best at defensive rebounding thanks to Howard, but 29th at offensive rebounding thanks to all the 3 point shots.

Two things could help here. Pietrus was brought in to produce rebounds from the 2 position (10 rebounds in his second return from injury this year). Or a trade.

Pietrus's return sparks Magic to big win over Pacers

The Magic had a season-high eight players in double figures as the unexpected return of Mickael Pietrus from a broken wrist gave the bench a big boost as the Magic led from start-to-finish in a 135-111 romp over Indiana. The Magic had averaged only 88 1/2 points in their previous two losses last week.

The Magic made 13 of their first 17 shots and stormed to a 36-18 lead after one. They maintained a comfortable 68-50 lead at the half, and led 102-87 after three. The Magic put the game away in the fourth, as their largest lead was 129-100, on their way to a 135-111 rout over the Pacers.

Magic leading scorers

Mickael Pietrus (bench): 27 points (8 of 13 field goals), 10 rebounds
Rashard Lewis: 24 points (9 of 13 field goals)
Dwight Howard: 22 points (7 of 14 field goals), 10 rebounds, 6 turnovers
Courtney Lee: 14 points (6 of 9 field goals)

Indiana leading scorers

T.J. Ford: 23 points
Marquis Daniels: 16 points

Overall Game Statistics

FG%: ORL 54.9% (45 of 82) IND 50.6% (44 of 87)
3 PT FG%: ORL 45.5% (15 of 33) IND 37.5% (9 of 24)
FT%: IND 82.4% (14 of 17) ORL 81.1% (30 of 37)
REB: ORL 50 (10 offensive) IND 29 (4 offensive)
AST/TO: ORL 29/16 IND 21/15
BENCH: ORL 52 IND 46

Other game notes and stats:

-Pietrus appeared to aggravate his wrist late in the game and was taken out
-The Pacers' Danny Granger scored only 10 points and was removed in the third after injuring himself
-Two Magic players had 20/10 games... Pietrus (27/10) and Howard (22/10)
-The Magic starting frontline outscored the Pacers' starting frontline 57-32 and outrebounded them 18-11; Granger and Mike Dunleavy combined to shoot 6 of 26
-Lewis, Howard, and Pietrus combined to score 73 points on 24 of 40 shooting
-The Magic reserves, led by Pietrus, scored a season high 52 points; Tony Battie (13 points) and Anthony Johnson (10 points) also scored in double digits off the bench
-The Magic attempted 37 free throws to just 17 free throws attempted for the Pacers
-Hedo Turkoglu and Jameer Nelson each had 8 assists to lead the Magic

The Magic gain a half-game on Boston but still trail Cleveland by 1 1/2 games as the Cavs also won Tuesday night.

The Cavaliers come to Orlando for their first matchup with the Magic this season on Thursday.

For the complete box score, click here

Indiana comes to Orlando tonight to take on Magic

The Orlando Magic (33-10) will try to avoid their first three-game losing streak in more than a year as they take on Indiana tonight.

The Magic are 2-0 against the Pacers this season, as Dwight Howard has had two monster games of 32 points and 21 rebounds and 24 points, 17 rebounds, and five blocks against them.

The Magic will have to try and slow Pacers' forward Danny Granger, who averages 26.1 ppg.

The Magic have beaten the Pacers four games in a row, and the Pacers have only six road wins all season.

The Magic are 9 1/2 point favorites.

For the complete game preview from Yahoo! Sports, click here

Heat thwart Magic comeback attempt as Magic lose second in a row

The Magic had their largest lead at 21-15 in the first quarter, then saw Miami take control. The Heat held a 32-29 lead after one and 56-52 at the half. The Heat went on a 23-9 run to end the third quarter and led 83-68 going into the fourth. The Magic then went on a 26-11 run to tie the game at 94, but the Heat scored 9 of the final 12 points of the game to defeat the Magic 103-97. The Magic now have their first losing streak since they started the season 0-2.

Magic leading scorers

Dwight Howard: 22 points (9 of 11 field goals),10 rebounds, 3 blocks
Rashard Lewis: 21 points (6 of 12 field goals), 8 rebounds
Hedo Turkoglu: 18 points (6 of 13 field goals), 6 assists
Jameer Nelson: 16 points (4 of 11 field goals), 7 assists

Miami leading scorers

Dwyane Wade: 27 points (11 of 21 field goals), 8 rebounds, 6 assists
Mario Chalmers: 20 points (8 of 12 field goals), 6 assists

Overall Game Statistics

FG%: ORL 47.8% (33 of 69) MIA 47.4% (37 of 78)
3 PT FG%: ORL 36% (9 of 25) MIA 35.7% (5 of 14)
FT%: ORL 78.6% (22 of 28) MIA 75% (24 of 32)
REB: ORL 41 (5 offensive) MIA 36 (6 offensive)
AST/TO: ORL 17/14 MIA 16/4
BENCH: MIA 39 ORL 13

Other game notes and stats:

-The Heat had just 4 turnovers the entire game
-The Heat bench scored 39 points on 11 of 32 shooting and 14 of 18 free throw shooting, with Chris Quinn and Michael Beasley each scoring 10 points
-The Magic bench combined for 13 points on 5 of 13 shooting, with J.J. Redick leading the Magic reserves with 4 points
-The Magic starting frontline outscored the Heat starting frontline 61-17, and outrebounded them 24-5
-The Heat starting guards outscored the Magic starting guards 47-23 on 19 of 33 shooting compared to 7 of 20 for the Magic guards
-Howard was ejected in the final seconds of the game with his second technical foul
-The Magic scored just 16 third quarter points on 3 of 14 shooting

The Heat stopped a ten game losing streak to the Magic with their first win over the Magic since February of 2006.

The Magic have two days off before resuming action at home against the Pacers Tuesday night.

For the complete box score, click here

After flat outing against Celtics, Magic hope to improve tonight against Heat

The Magic (33-9) will be trying to avoid their first losing streak of the season since they started the season 0-2 as they take on the Heat in Miami tonight.

The good news is the Magic have a 10 game winning streak against Miami, and have not lost to them since February of 2006.

Key stat... the Heat are 13-4 this season when superstar Dwyane Wade scores 30+ points, and just 9-15 if he is held under 30. Wade scored 33 points against the Magic in their previous game, but was shutout in the fourth quarter as the Magic won a low-scoring affair 86-76.

The Magic are 7 1/2 point favorites tonight.

For a complete game preview from Yahoo! Sports, click here

Celtics end cold-shooting Magic's winning streak

This definitely wasn't the same Magic team that was so dominant out West. The Magic's largest lead was 6-2 and their last lead was at 17-16. The Celtics held a 24-19 edge after one, and 44-36 at the half. The Celtics had their largest lead of 56-40 in the third quarter, and led 65-54 going into the fourth. The Celtics had a 79-65 lead with 5:21 remaining before the Magic went on a 10-3 run to make the score 82-75. It was 84-77 Celtics when the Magic had a chance to cut the deficit down to five with about 1:30 remaining, but couldn't do it as Boston went on to win 90-80 to break the Magic's 11 game home winning streak and 7 game overall winning streak in a resounding manner.

Magic leading scorers

Hedo Turkoglu: 22 points (6 of 15 field goals)
Rashard Lewis: 20 points (8 of 14 field goals), 10 rebounds, 2 steals
Jameer Nelson: 17 points (6 of 16 field goals)
Dwight Howard: 11 points (4 of 10 field goals), 11 rebounds, 3 blocks

Boston leading scorers

Paul Pierce: 27 points, 10 rebounds
Kevin Garnett: 16 points, 5 rebounds
Glen Davis (bench): 16 points
Ray Allen: 12 points

Overall Game Statistics:

FG%: BOS 46.7% (35 of 75) ORL 38.2% (26 of 68)
3 PT FG%: ORL 31.8% (7 of 22) BOS 0% (0 for 6)
FT%: BOS 80% (20 of 25) ORL 72.4% (21 of 29)
REB: BOS 40 (14 offensive) ORL 36 (12 offensive)
AST/TO: ORL 11/14 BOS 9/11
BENCH: BOS 19 ORL 10

Other game notes and stats:

-The Celtics had the better field goal percentage, free throw percentage, more rebounds, and fewer turnovers than the Magic
-Magic shot just 12 of 38 (31.8%) from the field in the first half, including just 3 of 14 on threes
-Lewis grabbed 9 of the 12 Magic offensive rebounds, 7 of those in the first quarter
-The "Big Three" of Boston (Garnett, Pierce, Allen) scored 55 points on 22 of 43 shooting with 17 rebounds
-The "Big Three" of the Magic (Howard, Lewis, and Turkoglu) combined for 53 points on 18 of 39 shooting with 24 rebounds
-Nelson and Courtney Lee combined for 17 points on 6 of 21 field goals, including 1 for 7 from long range, with Lee getting shut out
-The Magic reserves shot a combined 2 of 8 from the field
-J.J. Redick had as many assists (2) as shot attempts (2) in 26 minutes and led the reserves with 6 points
-Davis scored 16 of the 19 bench points for the Celtics; other than Davis, the Celtics bench shot a combined 0 for 9
-The five Magic guards combined to shoot just 8 of 24 from the field
-Other than Turkoglu, the Magic shot just 3 of 15 from long range

The Celtics (36-9) now lead the Magic (33-9) by a game and a half in the East, as the Magic travel to Miami to take on the Heat Saturday night.

For the complete box score, click here

How the Celtics and Magic match up statistically going into tonight's game

The Celtics are coming off a dominant 98-83 win over the Miami Heat Wednesday night as they come into Orlando for tonight's big game, which will be nationally televised on TNT at 8 Eastern Time. Ray Allen scored 27 points and Eddie House scored 25 points to lead the Celtics.

Boston has now won six games in a row, including their last four games by an average of 21 points. They are back on track after losing 7 of 9 games prior to their current winning streak.

Boston (35-9) now leads the Magic (33-8) by a half-game in the Eastern Conference standings, even though the Magic (.805) still has the better winning percentage than the Celtics (.795). A win tonight from the Magic will put them in sole possession of first in the East.

Let's take a look at how both teams are performing in various statistical categories. The stats from the Boston/Miami game last night are not included, except for the points per game and points allowed, which are up to date.

PPG... ORL 102.3 BOS 100.9
PA... BOS 91.3 ORL 93.7
MARGIN... BOS 9.6 ORL 8.6
FG%... BOS 48.0% ORL 46.1%
3 PT FG%... ORL 40.3% BOS 37.4%
FT%... BOS 77.0% ORL 71.9%
AST... BOS 22.5 ORL 19.5
TO... ORL 14.1 BOS 16.1
REB... ORL 42.9 BOS 42.8
STL... BOS 8.6 ORL 7.4
BLK... ORL 5.7 BOS 4.9

The Magic are 5 point favorites. Should be a great atmosphere at Amway Arena... GO MAGIC!!

For a complete game preview from Yahoo! Sports, click here

John Denton on Jameer Nelson

All eyes on him: Magic's Nelson silences critics | floridatoday.com | FLORIDA TODAY

"Jameer isn't doing anything we didn't expect him to do. We saw the progression there," Smith said. "People make a lot out of contracts and contract size, but I'm about people and having those people in the right place. Really, it's all about building around No. 12 (Howard). I'll take the hit for Rashard's deal and Jameer's deal, but I'm the one who considers how they fit into our team.

"I couldn't lose (Jameer) because we were worried about a dollar amount," Smith continued. "To the people who said we gave him too much money, give me 10 (point guards) who are better than him? I think I'm right."

Smith, who rarely misses a game or practice, is as dialed in to his team as any GM in all the NBA. Smith and Nelson make a point of signaling to each other prior to every tipoff and rarely does a practice go by that Nelson isn't in his office afterward for a pep talk or chewing out.

Also, Denton's midseason awards here

Dwight Howard 3rd for MVP (Wade, James)

Dwight Howard #1 Defensive POY

Stan Van Gundy #1 for COY

Jameer Nelson #1 for Most Improved

It's official... the Magic have the best winning percentage in the NBA!

With Cleveland losing to the LA Lakers Monday evening, the Magic have now replaced the Cavaliers as the team with the NBA's best winning percentage! Even though Boston gained a half-game on the Magic with their win over Phoenix, they still do not have a better winning percentage than the Magic. Here's how the top four teams in the NBA stack up:

1) Orlando 33-8 (.805)
2) LA Lakers 32-8 (.800)
3) Cleveland 31-8 (.795)
4) Boston 34-9 (.791)

Even though the Celtics are a game ahead of the Cavaliers in the standings, they are still percentage points behind them, which is kind of an oddity.

We can now say it for at least a day... the Magic are the best team winning-percentage wise in the NBA! When was the last time that could have been said about the Magic halfway through the season? I have a feeling this won't be a short-term thing either!

"ESPN Research"

I f@*&ing hate ESPN and their television dominance. They drive me nuts with columnists who are never right with their predictions, their anti-South bias and their sheer laziness. (Just last week the ugly white guy on PTI declared the Magic can't play defense.) They have spent more energy covering a Knick PG who hasn't played a minute this year, than they have watching a cohesive Magic come together and climb to the top of the league.

Hey ESPN, here's an idea for you. Open a Southeastern U.S. bureau and spend some time in Florida. In case you don't know, Florida has great weather, outstanding High School, College and professional sports. But maybe I'm being too hard on them. Their research into the mysterious Florida has uncoverd a pro team having a "special" season.

I guess I shouldn't gripe about this almost too-late discovery. Except most of the pinheads employed at ESPN had them 8th or 9th in the East this year, and definitely, absolutely, way behind the Sixers and Raptors.

Anyway, from today's Daily Dime

ESPN Research

Magic Enjoying Special Season

The Magic's Dwight Howard is a leading candidate for the MVP and Defensive Player of the Year awards, Stan Van Gundy has done one of the league's best coaching jobs and few players have shown more improvement this season than Jameer Nelson.

While all of those individual accolades are nice, Orlando has championship dreams. The Magic, who are 33-8:

• Are tied with the Celtics for the most wins in the league;

• Have won seven straight and nine of their last 10

• Have won 11 straight games at home

• Are now 17-5 on the road and 18-4 vs. the Western Conference

• Defeated all three Western Conference division leaders on its just completed West Coast trip

• Swept the Lakers and Spurs in their respective season series for the first time in their 20-year history

Must Read Weekend Dime

Weekend Dime: Scouts take measure of the game - NBA - ESPN

We are not the only Magic fanboys anymore. I'm not going to quote any part here, because it is all a good read.

Magic finish off Nuggets for a perfect 4-0 road trip

All five Magic starters scored in double figures, led by Hedo Turkoglu's 31 points, 19 of which came in the second half, to make up for a horrible effort from the Magic reserves, who only scored two points the whole game, as the Magic pulled away in the fourth quarter for 106-88 win over Denver, their seventh in a row.

Jameer Nelson scored 21 first half points as the Magic led 26-23 after one, but trailed 48-47 going into the half. Denver's largest lead was 54-49 early in the third, and the last tie of the game was at 61 before the Magic took control. They led 79-70 going into the last quarter and quickly pulled away.

Magic leading scorers

Hedo Turkoglu: 31 points (9 of 16 field goals), 5 assists
Jameer Nelson: 23 points (9 of 15 field goals), 5 assists
Rashard Lewis: 23 points (8 of 12 field goals)
Dwight Howard: 14 points (5 of 15 field goals), 20 rebounds, 3 blocks
Courtney Lee: 13 points (5 of 11 field goals), 6 rebounds, 3 steals

Denver leading scorers

Linas Kleiza (bench): 26 points
Chauncey Billups: 18 points

Overall Game Statistics

FG%: ORL 46.3% (37 of 80) DEN 36.5% (31 of 85)
3 PT FG%: ORL 42.3% (11 of 26) DEN 31.3% (5 of 16)
FT%: ORL 70% (21 of 30) DEN 70% (21 of 30)
REB: DEN 47 (16 offensive) ORL 41 (7 offensive)
AST/TO: DEN 19/17 ORL 16/11
BENCH: DEN 44 ORL 2

Other game notes and stats:

-The Magic starters outscored the Nuggets' starters 104-44 while shooting 36 for 69 (52.2%), compared to 15 of 57 (26.3%) for the Nuggets
-The Denver bench outscored the Magic bench 44-2 while shooting 16 for 28 (57.1%), compared to 1 of 11 (9.1%) for the Magic
-Anthony Johnson was the only Magic reserve to score
-Brian Cook and Adonal Foyle did not see action
-Lewis and Turkoglu combined for 54 points on 17 of 28 field goals (60.7%), including 8 of 14 three point field goals, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 blocks
-Lee and Nelson combined for 36 points on 14 of 26 (53.8%) shooting
-The Nuggets' starting guards, Billups and J.R. Smith, combined for 27 points on 8 of 30 (26.7%) shooting
-The Magic starting frontline outscored the Nuggets' starting frontline 68-17, and outrebounded them 28-16
-The Magic outscored the Nuggets in the second half 59-40

The Magic finish the first half of the season at a sensational 33-8, just percentage points behind Cleveland for the best record in the NBA!

The Magic get a well-deserved four day break before a huge game Thursday night as Boston comes to Orlando for the first time this season.

For the complete box score, click here

Magic look to finish off perfect road trip tonight in Denver

The Nuggets (27-13) will be without star Carmelo Anthony tonight as he continues his recovery from a broken hand, but they have won 3 of the 4 games he's missed as Chauncey Billups has stepped up his game in Anthony's absence.

The Magic (32-8) need to win against Denver to stay ahead of Boston, who trounced New Jersey by 20 earlier today.

The Nuggets are 1 point favorites, as the Magic have lost five games in a row in Denver.

For a complete game preview from Yahoo! Sports, click here

Nelson catches fire in the fourth to lead Magic over Lakers

Jameer Nelson scored 15 of his 28 points all in the final six minutes of the fourth quarter and four other Magic players scored in double figures to overcome Kobe Bryant's triple double as the Magic scored the last eight points of the game in a tense, playoff-like 109-103 Magic win over the LA Lakers.



The Lakers had the lead for all of the first half, leading 23-20 after one and 52-44 at the half. The Lakers had their largest lead at 54-44 early in the third, but then the Magic went on a 25-6 run to take a 69-60 lead. The Lakers then finished the quarter on a 15-5 run to take a 75-74 lead into the fourth quarter. Nelson pulled the Magic through in the final six minutes as he hit 4 of 5 field goals, including 3 of 3 three pointers and 4 of 5 free throws for his 15 fourth quarter points.

Magic leading scorers

Jameer Nelson: 28 points (9 of 18 field goals), 8 assists, 6 rebounds
Dwight Howard: 25 points (8 of 18 field goals), 20 rebounds, 3 blocks, 6 turnovers
Rashard Lewis: 16 points (5 of 11 field goals), 4 steals
Hedo Turkoglu: 13 points (4 of 14 field goals), 5 rebounds
Courtney Lee: 12 points (4 of 10 field goals), 7 rebounds, 3 steals

LA leading scorers

Kobe Bryant: 28 points (10 of 26 field goals), 13 rebounds, 11 assists
Lamar Odom (bench): 17 points, 9 rebounds
Vladimir Radmanovic: 15 points

Overall Game statistics

FG%: ORL 44.6% (37 of 83) LAL 39.8% (37 of 93)
3 PT FG%: ORL 42.9% (12 of 28) LAL 34.6% (9 of 26)
FT%: LAL 74.1% (20 of 27) ORL 67.6% (23 of 34)
REB: ORL 54 (15 offensive) LAL 40 (12 offensive)
AST/TO: LAL 19/11 ORL 19/16
BENCH: LAL 24 ORL 15

Other game notes and stats:

-The Magic swept the two game season series for the first time ever from the Lakers
-The Magic scored 65 second half points after being held to just 44 first half points
-After shooting just 16 of 44 in the first half, the Magic shot 21 of 39 in the second half
-The Magic starting frontcourt outscored the Lakers' starting frontcourt 54-42 and outrebounded them 29-13
-Nelson and Lee combined for 40 points on 13 of 28 shooting
-Howard was just 9 of 16 from the free throw line and committed six turnovers despite the 25/20
-The Magic used a nine-man rotation, with Tony Battie leading the reserves with 8 points
-Bryant shot just 3 of 12 in the final quarter, missing 8 of his final 9 shots
-Other than Vladimir Radmanovic, who shot 5 of 8 from three point range, the Lakers were just 4 of 18 from long range
-Bryant took 26 shots; the next two closest Lakers had 13 shot attempts

The Magic are now just percentage points behind Cleveland in the East and have a better record than any NBA team except the Cavaliers.

Not much rest for the Magic, as they take on Denver Saturday night in the hope for a perfect 4-0 road trip.

For the complete box score, click here
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Magic win over Lakers would vault Magic to near top of NBA

A win by the Magic over the LA Lakers Friday night (which will be nationally televised by ESPN) would put the Magic ahead of everyone in the NBA except Cleveland, who would only be percentage points ahead of the Magic, pending the outcome of their home game against New Orleans Friday. Even if the Cavaliers beat the Hornets, the Magic, if they can beat the Lakers to advance to 32-8, would be one-half game ahead of Boston (32-9), Los Angeles (31-8), and tied with Cleveland (31-7).

The Magic are coming off a 139-107 pounding of Sacramento Tuesday night, as the Magic set the all-time NBA record for most three pointers made in a game with 23, and shot a phenomenal 62% from long range. This post from Third Quarter Collapse examines the Magic's red-hot three point shooting the last 21 games, and how much better they have been from long range than in their first 18 games.

The Lakers come into the game averaging a league-best 107.8 ppg, but allow 99.2 ppg, while the Magic average 102.0 ppg and allow just 93.6 ppg.

An update on former Magic F Trevor Ariza's season stats: 9.2 ppg on 48.1% FG shooting, including 30.7% on three pointers and 68.3% FT shooting; 5.2 rebounds, and a team-leading 1.8 steals per game. Ariza is the Lakers' leading scorer off the bench, and averages 24.8 minutes per game.

The Lakers have lost back-to-back games only once this season, last month to the Heat and Magic. The Lakers are a 3 1/2 point favorite.

For the complete game preview from Yahoo! Sports, click here

Sacramento Shooting Witness

Sun Sports :: Whit Watson Blog:

Read the whole thing. Watson talks about his part in letting the bench know they were close to the 3 point record. Then ends with:

"Very chatty flight to LAX that night. To every fellow basketball junkie, I wish I could bestow upon you about 24 hours of what it feels like to work and travel with a winning team. There's nothing better in this business, period. The Magic are 31-8 and apparently bulletproof. Jameer Nelson is playing like an All-Star, Courtney Lee is a Magic late-first-rounder that (gasp!) has exceeded expectations, Rashard Lewis can't miss, and nobody -- nobody -- in the NBA has an answer for Dwight Howard."

Fun with Widgets

I added a bunch of links to the sidebar today. I'm not sure if I like them all or not. Let me know and I'll dump all or some of them if you want.

Magic break three point record in shellacking of Kings

The Magic set the all-time NBA record for three pointers made in a game as they made 23 to break the old record of 21 (set by Toronto in 2005) in a 139-107 dispatching of Sacramento. Nine different Magic players made a three, with five players making at least three three pointers. The Magic made 13 threes in the first half (which was also a team record), and 10 threes in the second half.



Seven Magic players scored in double figures, as all twelve players scored. The Magic also set a franchise record for most points in a half with 75 in the first half. The Magic never trailed in this one, as the last tie of the game was at 23 all. The Magic led 41-29 lead after one and owned a 75-56 halftime lead. The Magic led 107-85 entering the fourth quarter, and had their largest lead at 136-99 before the final.

Magic leading scorers

Dwight Howard: 25 points (8 of 10 field goals), 15 rebounds, 4 steals
Jameer Nelson: 23 points (8 of 12 field goals), 11 assists, 5 steals, 0 turnovers
Rashard Lewis: 19 points (7 of 12 field goals)
Hedo Turkoglu: 17 points (5 of 12 field goals), 8 assists

Sacramento leading scorers

Kevin Martin: 30 points
Francisco Garcia: 15 points

Overall Game Statistics

FG%: ORL 60.5% (49 of 81) SAC 45.1% (37 of 82)
3 PT FG%: ORL 62.2% (23 of 37) SAC 44.4% (8 of 18)
FT%: SAC 80.6% (25 of 31) ORL 78.3% (18 of 23)
REB: ORL 39 (5 offensive) SAC 32 (9 offensive)
AST/TO: ORL 28/14 SAC 23/12
BENCH: SAC 46 ORL 44

Other game notes and stats:

-J.J. Redick led the reserves with 15 points, shooting 4 of 7 from three point range; Keith Bogans added 12 off the bench, shooting 4 of 6 from three point range
-Nelson was a perfect 5 of 5 shooting threes and had 5 steals
-The Magic outscored the Kings from the field 121-82
-The Magic made almost as many three pointers as two pointers (23-26)
-Howard had 4 steals and shot 9 of 11 from the free throw line
-The Magic starting frontline outscored the Kings' starting frontline 61-23 and outrebounded them 20-7
-Nelson and Courtney Lee combined to shoot 13 of 17 from the field
-Subtracting Anthony Johnson (1 for 4) and Tony Battie (0 for 1), the Magic shot 22 of 32 from three point range

The Magic get a much-deserved two day break before traveling to Los Angeles and taking on the Lakers Friday night in a nationally televised ESPN game.

For the complete box score, click here

Magic at Kings tonight

The Magic (30-8) will try to improve the league's best road record tonight at Sacramento (9-29). The Kings are coming off a 102-95 win Sunday over Dallas, but had lost 11 of their previous 12 games before Sunday.

The Magic have not had much success in Sacramento, losing 12 of their last 13 games there, but are 7 1/2 point favorites tonight.

The Magic need to win to stay ahead of Boston in the East, who beat Toronto in OT Monday night.

For a complete game preview from Yahoo! Sports, click here

Yet another impressive road win for the Magic as they beat Spurs

In a tense game that saw 18 ties and 29 lead changes, the Magic held San Antonio scoreless for the final minute of the game as the Spurs missed their final five shots and the Magic, behind 14 three point field goals and with three players over 20 points, withstood 31 points from G Tony Parker and beat the Spurs 105-98.

The Magic led 34-28 after one, then had their largest lead of the game at 40-32 in the second before going into the half with a 55-50 lead. It was 74-72 Magic going into the final quarter, as the Magic increased their lead to 85-79 before the Spurs came back on a 7-0 run to take the lead. It was 97-96 Magic with 2:18 remaining before the Magic scored eight of the final ten points for the final margin of victory, as the Magic (29-8) sweep the season series from the Spurs (24-12).

Magic leading scorers

Dwight Howard: 24 points (9 of 12 field goals), 14 rebounds, 2 blocks
Jameer Nelson: 22 points (7 of 18 field goals), 5 assists
Hedo Turkoglu: 21 points (7 of 12 field goals), 5 assists, 5 rebounds
Rashard Lewis: 15 points (5 of 12 field goals), 5 rebounds

San Antonio leading scorers

Tony Parker: 31 points, (13 of 22 field goals), 6 assists
Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili: 18 points

Overall Game Statistics

FG%: SAS 50.6% (39 of 77) ORL 48.6% (36 of 74)
3 PT FG%: ORL 63.6% (14 of 22) SAS 23.1% (3 of 13)
FT%: SAS 100% (17 of 17) ORL 86.4% (19 of 22)
REB: SAS 38 (6 offensive) ORL 33 (6 offensive)
AST/TO: SAS 23/11 ORL 22/13
BENCH: SAS 30, ORL 18

Other game notes and stats:

-Even though the Spurs made three more field goals than the Magic and shot two percentage points better, the Magic outscored the Spurs 86-81 from the field thanks to the 14 three point field goals to just three for the Spurs
-The Magic shot just 22 of 52 from two point range
-The Magic starting frontline outscored the Spurs' starting frontline 60-32 and outrebounded them 24-20
-The Magic used a nine-man rotation with J.J. Redick leading the reserves with 12 points on 4 of 6 three point field goals; Redick is now 16 for his last 27 on threes
-Battie, Cook, and Foyle did not see action
-The "Big Three" of Parker, Duncan, and Ginobili combined for 67 points on 25 of 49 shooting; the other six Spurs who played scored just 31 points

The Magic stay a half-game ahead of Boston in the East and trail Cleveland by just a half game.

The Magic play the second game of their road trip Tuesday at Sacramento.

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Magic begin tough four game road trip tonight at San Antonio

The Magic's tough January schedule continues as they travel to San Antonio to take on the Spurs Sunday evening at 8:30 in a game that will be televised by NBA TV. This is the Magic's first game of their four game road trip.

The Spurs (24-11) are playing at their usual high level after a 2-5 start. They have won 9 of their last 10 games, and are coming off a 106-84 win against the LA Clippers on Thursday.

The Magic (29-8) are now in second place in the East by a half game over Boston. The Celtics play at Toronto Sunday.

The Magic have had a tough go of it in San Antonio, losing 16 of their last 18 games played there; the Spurs are favored by 3 points tonight.

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Magic dominate Atlanta to complete home-and-home sweep

The Hawks scored the first two points of the game; after that, the Magic put on one of their most impressive displays in a number of years as their lead swelled to FIFTY points 101-51 with 2:46 remaining in the third. All the reserves played in the fourth as the Magic cruised to a 121-87 victory.

Six Magic players scored in double figures, and 11 of the 12 players scored. The Magic bolted out to a 22-4 lead, and led after one 41-18, and 71-33 after the first half. The Magic shot 60% in the first half while the Hawks were a miserable 25%. The Magic led 103-60 after three quarters before Coach Van Gundy emptied the bench for the fourth.

Magic leading scorers

Hedo Turkoglu: 21 points (6 of 9 field goals), 6 rebounds, 4 assists
Dwight Howard: 16 points (6 of 9 field goals), 10 rebounds, 4 blocks
J.J. Redick (bench): 15 points (4 of 5 three point field goals)
Jameer Nelson: 14 points (5 of 8 field goals), 9 assists, 0 turnovers

Atlanta leading scorers

Acie Law: 16 points
Joe Johnson: 11 points

Overall Game Statistics

FG%: ORL 48.2% (40 of 83) ATL 35.0% (28 of 80)
3 PT FG%: ORL 57.1% (16 of 28) ATL 40% (8 of 20)
FT%: ORL 78.1% (25 of 32) ATL 69.7% (23 of 33)
REB: ORL 55 (15 offensive) ATL 38 (10 offensive)
AST/TO: ORL 28/11 ATL 16/10
BENCH: ORL 46 ATL 45

Other game notes and stats:

-The Magic made 11 of their first 12 shots and their first six three point field goal attempts
-The Magic starters outscored the Hawks' starters 75-42 on 24 of 39 shooting compared to 15 of 48 shooting for the Hawks' starters
-Only one Hawks' starter (Johnson) scored in double figures
-The Magic starting frontline outscored the Hawks' starting frontline 50-24 and outrebounded them 20-12
-No Magic starter played more than 27 minutes (Howard)
-Redick's 15 points established his season high
-Keith Bogans was the only Magic player not to score
-Nelson had a 9/0 assist/turnover ratio
-Marcin Gortat's 12 rebounds off the bench led the team

The Magic are now in second place in the East with Cleveland's big win over the struggling Celtics. The Magic lead the Celtics by half a game and trail the Cavaliers by only a game.

The Magic now embark on a tough four game road trip as they take on San Antonio Sunday and also play the LA Lakers and Denver on successive nights later next week.

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J.J. Redick's recent improvements

As the Magic get ready to take on Atlanta in the second game of a home-and-home series tonight in Orlando, they will be looking to sweep after hanging on for a 106-102 win Wednesday night in Atlanta after having a large lead for much of the game.

An encouraging sign for the Magic has been the much-improved shooting eye of reserve SG J.J. Redick. The first 16 games of this season that he appeared in, Redick was an ice-cold 20 of 63 from the field (31.7%), including 11 of 38 from three-point range (28.9%), and averaged just 3.5 ppg. In the last nine games he has appeared in, the improvement has been quite dramatic, as he has shot 22 of 38 (57.9%), including 8 of 16 (50%) from three-point range, while averaging 6.1 ppg.

If Redick can just come close to keeping up that torrid pace from the field, he should cement himself in the rotation as the first SG coming off the bench, especially with Mickael Pietrus injured and Keith Bogans having completely lost his shooting touch. Meantime, rookie SG Courtney Lee is doing a very nice job as the starter.

The Hawks have won 3 of their last 4 games in Orlando. For a complete preview of tonight's game from Yahoo! Sports, click here

Magic survive frantic Hawks comeback in four point win

Things looked pretty good for the Magic when they had a big 93-74 lead with just over ten minutes remaining in the fourth. Atlanta proceeded to make their run then, as the Magic would miss 11 of their final 14 field goal attempts. The Hawks came as close as 101-97 and could have cut their deficit to two points with just under a minute remaining when, inexplicably, Mike Bibby missed a wide-open layup. The Hawks drew within 105-102 in the final seconds, but the Magic hung on for a 106-102 victory.

Six players scored in double figures for the Magic, as they led throughout the game. Atlanta's only lead was 2-0. The Magic had a lead as big as 76-55 midway through the third, and 19 points early in the fourth before the Hawks made their failed comeback.

Magic leading scorers

Dwight Howard: 23 points (8 of 12 field goals), 19 rebounds
Hedo Turkoglu: 20 points (6 of 12 field goals), 8 assists, 7 rebounds, 2 steals
Rashard Lewis: 20 points (5 of 11 field goals), 4 rebounds
Jameer Nelson: 15 points (5 of 14 field goals), 5 rebounds, 5 assists
Courtney Lee: 11 points (5 of 10 field goals)

Atlanta leading scorers

Josh Smith: 21 points, 9 rebounds
Mike Bibby: 17 points, 9 assists

Overall Game Statistics

FG%: ORL 50% (36 of 72) ATL 47.6% (40 of 84)
3 PT FG%: ORL 44.4% (8 of 18) ATL 38.1% (8 of 21)
FT%: ORL 72.2% (26 of 36) ATL 56% (14 of 25)
REB: ORL 43 (8 offensive) ATL 39 (9 offensive)
AST/TO: ATL 27/13 ORL 21/18
BENCH: ATL 26 ORL 17

Other game notes and stats:

-Hawks' star G Joe Johnson scored just 13 points, just two more points than Magic reserve J.J. Redick
-Johnson and Bibby combined to shoot just 11 of 34 for 30 points, but did combine for 18 assists
-The Hawks outscored the Magic 88-80 from the field, but the Magic's 26-14 free throw edge was the difference
-The Magic used a nine-man rotation with Redick leading the reserves with 11 points on 5 of 7 shooting; Keith Bogans sat out again with a sprained ankle
-Anthony Johnson was the only other Magic reserve to score
-The Hawks' reserves combined to shoot 10 of 16 from the field for 26 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals
- The Magic starting frontline outscored the Hawks' starting frontline 63-46 and outrebounded them 30-24
-Lewis and Turkoglu combined for 40 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists, and 2 steals
-With his 5 of 14 performance from the field, Nelson is 10 of 31 his last two games

The Magic now trail Boston by just a half game in the East as Houston upset the Celtics in Boston 89-85; and trail the Cavaliers by one game.

The Magic and Hawks play the second of the home-and-home set Friday night in Orlando.

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Why Does Atlanta own the Magic?

John Denton of Florida Today:

"The Orlando Magic have been the exception to the rule for years, mysteriously struggling against the Southeast Division-rival Hawks. Including its shocking 99-85 season-opening loss to Atlanta, Orlando has dropped six of the past nine games against the resurgent Hawks. And the Magic have been even worse in Atlanta, losing six of the past seven there. ... Magic star center Dwight Howard, an Atlanta native, has been confounded for years as to why Orlando always seems to struggle against the Hawks. This set of back-to-back games is a chance for the Magic to right what they deem to be a wrong against the Hawks. '(The Hawks) seem to have our number lately, but this is our chance to send a message to that team from the start of the game,' said Howard. 'They really play well at home and they are a good team, but if we go down there and dominate from the first quarter we can get ourselves a good win.'"

Magic struggle past Wizards

Despite holding Washington to six second quarter points on brutal 2 of 19 shooting from the Wizards, the Magic could not put away the game until the final minute as the Wizards narrowed what was once a 50-33 Magic lead in the third down to 83-80 in the final minute and twenty seconds of the game. The Magic scored the final six points to win 89-80.

Magic leading scorers

Hedo Turkoglu: 22 points (6 of 12 field goals), 7 assists, 5 rebounds, 3 steals
Dwight Howard: 15 points (5 of 9 field goals), 16 rebounds
Jameer Nelson: 14 points (5 of 17 field goals)
Rashard Lewis: 12 points (4 of 12 field goals), 8 rebounds

Washington leading scorers

Caron Butler: 29 points
Antawn Jamison: 13 points

Overall Game Statistics

FG%: ORL 41.3% (31 of 75) WAS 39.5% (34 of 86)
3 PT FG%: ORL 38.5% (10 of 26) WAS 27.3% (3 of 11)
FT%: ORL 85% (17 of 20) WAS 75% (9 of 12)
REB: ORL 49 (9 offensive) WAS 39 (8 offensive)
AST/TO: ORL 17/15 WAS 17/15
BENCH: ORL 18 WAS 16

Other game notes and stats:

-The two teams combined for 22 points on 8 of 38 shooting in the second quarter
-The Wizards made 13 field goals in the third quarter, as many as they made in the entire first half
-The Wizards scored a combined 23 points in the second and fourth quarter on 10 of 42 shooting
-The Wizards' Butler scored all of his 29 points in the second half
-The Wizards scored only 30 first half points on 31% shooting
-Butler and Jamison were the only Wizards in double figures
-The Magic starting frontline outscored the Wizards' starting frontline 49-28 and outrebounded them 29-16
-Courtney Lee made his first start of the season for the Magic in place of the injured Keith Bogans and scored 8 points with 3 rebounds and 2 steals in 28 minutes
-The Magic used a nine-man rotation with J.J. Redick and Tony Battie leading the reserves with 8 points
-Lewis and Turkoglu combined for 34 points, 13 rebounds, 9 assists, and 4 steals
-The Wizards' reserves combined to shoot just 7 of 22

The Magic also gained a game on Boston, who were stunned by Charlotte in OT 114-106. The Magic trail the Celtics by just 1 1/2 games for the top spot in the East, and trail Cleveland by just a game for second in the East.

The Magic play the first of a home-and-home against their closest competitors, the Atlanta Hawks, in Atlanta on Wednesday night.

Magic/Wizards tonight at Amway Arena

The Magic (26-8) will try for their tenth home win in a row as they take on Washington (7-25) Tuesday night. The Wizards are coming off their best win of the season, an 80-77 victory over Eastern Conference title contender Cleveland.

The Wizards are 0-7 so far this season against SE Division teams, including 0-2 against the Magic.

The Magic are favored by a whopping 13 points.

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Balanced scoring helps Raptors top Magic despite Howard's 39

The Toronto Raptors came into the game as arguably the most disappointing team in the NBA with a poor 13-20 record after making the playoffs last season and predicted to be a top contender in the East this season. To make matters worse for the Raptors, they came into the game without two key starters... PG Jose Calderon and PF Jermaine O'Neal.

The Raptors responded by playing their best game of the year as they outshot the Magic from the field, the free throw line, outrebounded the Magic, and committed fewer turnovers, while having five players in double figures.

Toronto went on a 20-2 run in the first quarter and led 34-22 after one. The Raptors had their largest lead of the game at 44-28 in the second quarter before the Magic cut into their deficit and made it 56-49 Toronto at the half. The Magic came alive in the third and led 78-77 going into the fourth, and had their largest lead at 83-79 early in the fourth. The Magic had their last lead at 101-99 with about 3:15 remaining before folding badly down the end. The Magic missed their final five shots and committed two turnovers as Toronto came away with the 108-102 victory.

Magic leading scorers

Dwight Howard: 39 points (ties career-high) (14 of 19 field goals), 8 rebounds
Rashard Lewis: 20 points (6 of 13 three point field goals), 9 assists, 6 rebounds
Jameer Nelson: 15 points (4 of 11 field goals), 5 rebounds

Toronto leading scorers

Anthony Parker: 26 points (13 of 16 field goals)
Chris Bosh: 23 points, 11 rebounds
Andrea Bargnani: 18 points

Overall Game Statistics:

FG%: TOR 53.9% (41 of 76) ORL 46.1% (35 of 76)
3 PT FG%: ORL 44.1% (15 of 34) TOR 25% (3 of 12)
FT%: TOR 95.8% (23 of 24) ORL 70.8% (17 of 24)
REB: TOR 39 (5 offensive) ORL 31 (8 offensive)
AST/TO: ORL 27/12 TOR 20/10
BENCH: TOR 25 ORL 16

Other game notes and stats:

-The Magic's 27 assists were a season high
-Lewis and Turkoglu combined for 14 assists, with Lewis's 9 assists a career high
-Turkoglu scored just 9 points on 4 of 12 shooting and has now scored a combined 16 points on 5 of 26 shooting his last two games
-The Magic starting frontline outscored the Raptors' starting frontline 68-46, but the Raptors' starting frontline outrebounded the Magic frontline 25-16
-The Raptors' starting guards, Parker and Solomon, outscored the Magic starting guards 37-18 on 18 of 24 shooting, while the Magic starting guards shot just 5 of 13
-The Magic used a ten-man rotation, with J.J. Redick leading the reserves with 8 points

The Magic, now 26-8, missed a brilliant opportunity to gain ground on Cleveland, as the Cavs were upset by Washington 80-77. The Magic go back home to take on the Wizards Tuesday.

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Despite shooting struggles, Magic pull away from Heat in fourth

The Magic, despite shooting just 38% from the field for the game, were able to survive a big game from Miami's Dwyane Wade while holding Miami to just 11 fourth quarter points and 32 for the second half as the Magic, ahead just two points at the end of three quarters, led by as much as 12 points late in the fourth quarter and settled for a 86-76 victory. Miami's largest lead came early in the third 48-45.

Magic leading scorers

Rashard Lewis: 17 points (5 of 12 field goals), 5 rebounds
Jameer Nelson: 16 points (5 of 10 field goals), 5 assists
Dwight Howard: 15 points (6 of 11 field goals), 15 rebounds, 2 blocks
Courtney Lee (bench): 10 points (4 of 10 field goals), 4 rebounds

Miami leading scorers

Dwyane Wade: 33 points (16 of 29 field goals), 7 rebounds, 6 assists
Udonis Haslem: 12 points

Overall game statistics:

FG%: MIA 40.5% (32 of 79) ORL 38.2% (29 of 76)
3 PT FG%: ORL 29.6% (8 of 27) MIA 18.8% (3 of 16)
FT%: MIA 90% (9 of 10) ORL 66.7% (20 of 30)
REB: ORL 54 (17 offensive) MIA 41 (7 offensive)
AST/TO: ORL 19/15 MIA 15/12
BENCH: ORL 24 MIA 20

Other game notes and stats:

-The Heat outscored the Magic from the field 67-66, but the 20-9 free throw edge held by the Magic was the difference
-The Magic attempted three times as many free throws than the Heat (30-10)
-Wade made 16 field goals; the rest of his teammates combined for 16 field goals on 50 attempts
-Hedo Turkoglu shot an awful 1 for 14 from the field for 7 points, but grabbed 11 rebounds with 5 assists
-The Magic starting frontline outscored the Heat starting frontline 39-18
-The Magic used a nine-man rotation with Lee, Battie, Johnson, and Gortat seeing action
-The Heat shot just 4 for 16 in the final period, with Wade going scoreless
-Other than Lewis shooting 4 of 7 from three point range, the Magic were just 4 of 20 from long range
-The two Heat rookies, Michael Beasley and Mario Chalmers, combined to score just 13 points on 5 of 20 shooting

The Magic pick up a full game on Atlanta, who lost to New Jersey in OT, and lead them by 4 1/2 games, as they lost to New Jersey in OT.

The Magic will travel for their Sunday afternoon contest against their first round playoff opponent from last season, Toronto.

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A look ahead to the month of January for the Magic

The Magic start the New Year with a 25-7 record, which is the third best record in the East and the fourth best in the NBA. The Magic's road record of 12-4 is the best in the NBA, just ahead of Boston's 11-4 road mark. The Magic finished the month of December exceeding all expectations, with a 12-3 record. Against teams that are over .500, the Magic were 5-3, while the Magic were 7-0 against teams under .500.

The month of January promises to be the Magic's toughest month yet, as they play 13 games, 9 of which will come against teams with winning records, with only 4 games against losing teams. The Magic play 7 away games, 5 of which will be against winning teams: Atlanta, San Antonio, Los Angeles Lakers, Denver, and Miami. Two away games will be against losing teams: Toronto and Sacramento. The Magic play 6 home games, 4 of which will be against winning teams: Miami, Atlanta, Boston, and Cleveland. Two home games will be against losing teams: Washington and Indiana.

From January 6th-17th, the Magic play 7 games in a 12 day stretch, including a four game trip out West. The Magic play only one back-to-back this month, but is a brutal one during their road trip as they take on the Lakers and Nuggets on successive nights. The Magic get a much-needed 4 day break from the 18th-21st after their Western swing.

Key games for the Magic include a home-and-home set against the Hawks on the 7th and 9th. The Hawks continue to play very well and are just 3 1/2 games behind the Magic with the 5th-best record in the NBA. The Hawks made the Magic look bad on opening night and traditionally give the Magic a very rough time, so we'll see how the Magic handle them now. Of course, there's the three games against the teams that have better records than the Magic... the Celtics, Cavaliers, and Lakers.

Optimistic outlook of how the Magic fare this month: 9-4
Pessimistic outlook of how the Magic might fare: 6-7

The Magic begin the month Friday night as they host the much-improved Miami Heat and superstar Dwyane Wade, who leads the league in scoring. Rookie G Mario Chalmers has been a pleasant surprise to go along with number two pick Michael Beasley.

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