The value of Magic backup center Marcin Gortat

In this article from Yahoo! Sports' Associated Press Writer Antonio Gonzalez. he writes why it turned out to be a wise investment for the Magic to match the Dallas Mavericks' 34 million dollar offer sheet last summer on the restricted free agent.

Those surprising Bucks, and Howard gets fined by the NBA

The sixth seed Milwaukee Bucks, who were big underdogs to the third seed Atlanta Hawks, especially after the Hawks jumped out to a 2 games to 0 lead, came back in Game 5 with a stunning 14-0 run late in the fourth quarter to defeat the Hawks in Atlanta 91-87 to go ahead 3 games to 2. The Bucks can clinch the series in Game 6 Friday night in Milwaukee, as the Magic patiently wait to face the winner of the series. Here is the recap of the Bucks' Game 5 win from Yahoo! Sports.

Meanwhile, the NBA fined Magic center Dwight Howard $35,000 on Wednesday for Howard criticizing officials on his blog.

Ken Berger of cbssports.com writes why he believes the Orlando Magic could very well win the NBA title, but Phil Shore of the bleacherreport writes that Howard needs to grow up in order for the Magic to win.

Game 4: Magic 99, Bobcats 90... Magic win series 4-0

For the first time in franchise history, the Magic have swept a team four games in the playoffs as five Magic players scored in double figures, led by Vince Carter's 21 points, and the Magic sank 13 three pointers to eliminate Charlotte, despite another foul-plagued game from Dwight Howard.

The Magic started out strong, looking to blow out the Bobcats early, as they jumped out to a 21-10 lead with 4:31 remaining in the first, but the Bobcats came back with a 15-2 run to take a 25-23 lead after one. The Bobcats held the lead for most of the second quarter, with their largest lead of 40-33 halfway through the quarter. The Magic came back to take a brief 43-42 lead, but the Bobcats led 45-43 at the half. The Magic took the lead for good at the 9:09 mark of the third, going ahead 51-49 on Carter's first made three pointer of the series. The Magic maintained a small lead the rest of the third and led 71-68 going into the fourth. It looked like the game would go down to the wire as the Magic held a 77-76 lead with 7:01 remaining in the game, but the Magic went on a 10-0 run to go ahead 87-76 to seal the game for all intents and purposes with 4:18 remaining. Charlotte could get no closer than 7 points the rest of the way, as they went 8:19 in the fourth without a field goal, shooting 0 for 8 in that span.

Magic leading scorers

Vince Carter: 21 points (7 of 16 FGs, 1 of 5 3 PT FGs, 6 of 9 FTs), 4 assists
Jameer Nelson: 18 points (4 of 12 FGs, 2 of 6 3 PT FGs, 8 of 10 FTs), 4 assists, 2 steals
Rashard Lewis: 17 points (5 of 8 FGs, 4 of 7 3 PT FGs), 4 rebounds
Matt Barnes: 14 points (3 of 10 FGs, 3 of 7 3 PT FGs, 5 of 6 FTs), 8 rebounds, 3 steals
Mickael Pietrus (bench): 13 points (3 of 6 3 PT FGs), 2 stea;s, 2 blocks

Overall Game Statistics

FG%: CHA 45.1% (32 of 71) ORL 41.8% (28 of 67)
3 PT FG%: ORL 39.4% (13 of 33) CHA 26.3% (5 of 19)
FT%: ORL 71.4% (30 of 42) CHA 63.6% (21 of 33)
REB: ORL 38 (7 offensive) CHA 36 (7 offensive)
AST/TO: CHA 27/10 ORL 18/7
BENCH: CHA 41 ORL 23

Other game notes and stats:

-Four Bobcats scored in double figures, led by reserve Tyrus Thomas with 21 points on 9 of 12 shooting with 9 rebounds; Gerald Wallace had 17 points with 5 rebounds; Boris Diaw with 13 points and Raymond Felton with 11 points and 6 assists
-Stephen Jackson had 8 assists, but scored just 6 points on 2 of 11 shooting with 4 turnovers; he and Felton combined to shoot just 5 of 19 from the field
-Dwight Howard fouled out in 23:25, scoring 6 points with 13 rebounds and 2 blocks
-Marcin Gortat played 24:35, and added 6 points and 6 rebounds
-The Magic starters outscored the Charlotte starters 76-49
-The Bobcats made just 1 of their final 12 three point attempts
-The Magic outscored the Bobcats 39-15 on three pointers and 30-21 on free throws to more than offset the Bobcats' 54-30 advantage on two pointers
-Carter fouled out of the game in addition to Howard
-Bobcats' starting center Theo Ratliff committed 5 fouls in 8 minutes
-The Magic shot 23 free throws in the fourth quarter, making 15

The Magic will play the winner of the Milwaukee/Atlanta series, which is currently tied at two games apiece after the Bucks' win Monday.

Here is the complete recap and box score from nba.com.

Otis Smith gets shut out in Executive of the Year voting

From cbssports.com:

Milwaukee Bucks' general manager John Hammond becomes the first Bucks executive to win the award, after Milwaukee finished the regular season with 12 more wins than last season and earned its first playoff berth since 2006. Hammond received 12 of 30 votes from a panel of fellow NBA executives. Oklahoma City's Sam Presti was second with nine votes and Cleveland's Danny Ferry took third with two votes in results the league announced Saturday.

Charlotte's Rod Higgins, Dallas' Mark Cuban, Memphis' Chris Wallace, New Orleans' Jeff Bower, Portland's Kevin Pritchard, Sacramento's Geoff Petrie and Utah's Kevin O'Connor each received one vote.

Van Gundy says he won't talk about the refs anymore

From cbssports.com:

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Orlando Magic coach Stan Van Gundy vowed to stop talking about the officials. The declaration left NBA commissioner David Stern with a smile.

The give-and-take between the two continued before Game 3 of the Magic's first-round playoff series at Charlotte on Saturday. Stern was in attendance two days after the league fined Van Gundy $35,000 for criticizing the referees about the number of fouls called on Magic center Dwight Howard.

"I've been fined for saying how good they were this year, and I've been fined for criticizing them," Van Gundy said. "So nobody understands more that we're just not to talk about them at all."

Told Van Gundy's comments about an hour later, Stern immediately smiled.

"I'm glad to hear that," he said. "Isn't that new?"

Stern wasn't finished, though. He later took Van Gundy to task for his complaining about how the first-round playoff series are spread out for television purposes. Stern recalled how coaches used to complain about back-to-back games on weekends.

"So then you can imagine my feeling when I see Stan Van Gundy, the league administrator, lecturing on how we should schedule games," Stern said. "Thank you very much -- as we try to nurture $800 million a year of TV money so we can distribute it to the teams so they can pay their salary."

"So when you tell me he's going to be quiet for a while, that's the best news I've had today."

Here is the Game 4 preview from Yahoo! Sports.

Game 3: Magic 90, Bobcats 86

The Magic received another tremendous performance from Jameer Nelson, as he scored 19 of his game-high 32 points in the first quarter, and the Magic overcame 44% FG shooting, 21 turnovers, and Dwight Howard fouling out and playing just 26 minutes to take a commanding 3-0 series lead.

The Magic started out quickly, making 7 of their first 8 shots and took an 18-10 lead, but Charlotte went on a 17-5 run to go ahead 27-23 before the Magic scored the final 6 points of the quarter, including a 4 point play by Nelson, to take a 29-27 lead going into the second. Howard picked up his third foul at the 10:40 mark of the second and sat out the rest of the half, as the Bobcats outscored the Magic 14-4 to begin the third to take a 41-33 lead and settled for a 46-41 lead at the half. The Bobcats had their largest lead of the game at 50-41 to start the second half, only to see the Magic go on a 11-0 run to take back the lead 52-50. The Magic led by as much as 64-58, but the Bobcats tied the game at 66 after three. The Bobcats held a small lead for much of the final quarter, leading 77-73 with 5:50 remaining. Howard fouled out at the 3:32 mark with the game tied at 79. Charlotte's last lead was 80-79 with 3:32 remaining before the Magic took the lead for good 81-80 at the 3:13 mark. The Magic still had the lead 85-84 in the final 30 seconds with the Bobcats a chance to take the lead, but Stephen Jackson misfired on a three with 24.9 seconds remaining. The Magic made 5 of their final 6 free throws to secure the win.

Magic leading scorers

Jameer Nelson: 32 points (12 of 21 FGs, 5 of 9 3 PT FGs), 4 steals, 3 assists, 0 turnovers
Rashard Lewis: 14 points (4 of 11 FGs, 2 of 7 3 PT FGs), 6 rebounds, 5 turnovers
Dwight Howard: 13 points (4 of 7 FGs, 5 of 10 3 PT FGs), 8 rebounds, 7 blocks, 4 turnovers
Vince Carter: 10 points (4 of 11 FGs, 0 for 4 3 PT FGs), 5 rebounds, 5 turnovers

Overall Game Stats

FG%: ORL 44.3% (31 of 70) CHA 41.9% (31 of 74)
3 PT FG%: ORL 30% (9 of 30) CHA 5 of 23 (21.7%)
FT%: CHA 82.6% (19 of 23) ORL 76.0% (19 of 25)
REB: ORL 43 (11 offensive) CHA 33 (6 offensive)
AST/TO: CHA 17/15 ORL 14/21
BENCH: CHA 33 ORL 14

Other game notes and stats:

-Stephen Jackson led the Bobcats with 19 points, but shot just 6 of 18, including 1 of 7 on three pointers; Gerald Wallace had 13 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals and Raymond Felton added 13 points, 6 assists as both Wallace (4 of 12) and Felton (5 of 14) struggled shooting along with Jackson
-Larry Hughes scored 14 points off the Bobcats' bench on 5 of 6 shooting
-Marcin Gortat and Ryan Anderson led the Magic bench with 5 points each, and Gortat added 8 rebounds, a steal, and a block
-Jackson, Felton, and Wallace combined to shoot 15 of 44, including 3 of 15 on threes
-Other than Wallace and Hughes, the Bobcats shot 1 of 16 on threes
-Other than Nelson, the Magic shot 4 of 21 on threes
-The Magic starters outscored the Bobcats' starters 76-53
-The Bobcats missed 15 of their final 18 shots
-Four different Magic players had 3 assists

Here is the complete recap and box score from nba.com.

Magic's Lewis sprains left ankle

From Yahoo! Sports:

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP)—Orlando Magic forward Rashard Lewis has a sprained left ankle but says he should be fine for Game 3 against Charlotte on Saturday.

Lewis had a wrap around the ankle after practicing Friday. He says he came down sideways on the ankle in Game 2 against the Bobcats.

Lewis stayed in the game and didn’t show any effects from the injury. He will remain in the starting lineup.

Here is the Game 3 preview from Yahoo! Sports.

The Magic are 2 point favorites.

Van Gundy, Barnes fined for criticizing officials

From Yahoo! Sports:

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP)—The NBA fined Orlando Magic coach Stan Van Gundy and forward Matt Barnes $35,000 each Thursday for publicly criticizing officials.

Van Gundy and Barnes said after the Magic beat Charlotte on Wednesday night that they were not happy with the way officials called the game on Dwight Howard.

Orlando’s All-Star center has been in foul trouble the first two games of the series.

Barnes said the officials need “to stop calling such tic-tac fouls on him.” Van Gundy said among other things that he doesn’t “see the other great players in this league on the bench all the time with foul trouble, especially on marginal calls.”

The Magic lead the Bobcats 2-0. Game 3 is Saturday in Charlotte.

Also from Yahoo! Sports:

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP)—NBA commissioner David Stern is tired of coaches and players griping about the officiating, and challenged them Thursday to “make my day” by continuing to complain during the rest of the playoffs.

The league handed out fines of $35,000 apiece on Thursday to Boston Celtics forward Rasheed Wallace, Orlando Magic coach Stan Van Gundy and Orlando forward Matt Barnes for publicly criticizing officials. A week earlier, Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson was fined $35,000 for suggesting that Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant received preferential treatment from NBA referees.

Speaking before the Thunder hosted the Lakers, Stern said such comments were “corrosive” to the product that the league is putting on the floor. He said he understands why coaches try to work the officials through the media, but that the result is such comments undermine consumer confidence in the league’s product.

“So, our coaches should be quiet because this is a good business that makes them good livings and supports a lot of families,” Stern said. “And if they don’t like it, they should go get a job someplace else. I don’t mean to be too subtle.”

Click here for the complete article.

Game 2: Magic 92, Bobcats 77

The Magic were able to parlay balanced scoring, strong defense, and a large advantage in free throw attempts to win their second straight game over Charlotte, even though they could not put away the Bobcats until late in the game despite a 20 point fourth quarter lead.

The Magic led from start to finish, as they led by as much as 10 points in the opening quarter before settling for a 18-14 lead after one. The Magic extended their lead to 12 points in the second quarter and led 41-30 at the half. The Bobcats came as close as 8 points in the third quarter before the Magic were finally able to open up their offense in the third quarter, scoring 34 points, and led 75-55 after three. The Magic had a seemingly comfortable lead of 81-62 with 7:37 remaining before they went on a dry spell as the Bobcats went on a 13-2 run to get to within 83-75 with 3:16 remaining. Charlotte scored only once more though, as the Magic finally pulled away.

Magic leading scorers

Vince Carter: 19 points (5 of 10 FGs, 9 of 11 FTs), 5 rebounds
Dwight Howard: 15 points (5 of 10 FGs, 5 of 12 FTs), 9 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks, 6 turnovers
Rashard Lewis: 13 points (5 of 12 FGs, 3 of 7 3 PT FGs), 7 rebounds, 2 steals
Jameer Nelson: 13 points (4 of 11 FGs, 4 of 5 FTs), 5 assists, 3 steals
Matt Barnes: 11 points (4 of 6 FGs), 6 rebounds, 4 assists

Overall Game Statistics

FG%: ORL 45.3% (29 of 64) CHA 43.9% (29 of 66)
3 PT FG%: CHA 42.9% (6 of 14) ORL 37.0% (10 of 27)
FT%: CHA 72.2% (13 of 18) ORL 68.6% (24 of 35)
REB: ORL 36 (11 offensive) CHA 36 (11 offensive)
AST/TO: CHA 18/21 ORL 17/14
BENCH: CHA 26 ORL 21

Other game notes and stats:

-Three Bobcats scored in double figures, led by Stephen Jackson with 27 points on 10 of 20 FGs, but also committed 7 turnovers; Gerald Wallace added 15 points along with 6 rebounds and 4 blocks, and Nazr Mohammed added 10 points off the bench
-Bobcats' starters Boris Diaw, Theo Ratliff, and Raymond Felton combined to score 9 points on 4 of 15 shooting
-Mickael Pietrus led the Magic reserves with 9 points on 3 of 4 three pointers
-Howard and Lewis each wound up with 5 fouls, with Howard playing 28:32
-Jason Williams, J.J. Redick, and Marcin Gortat combined for 6 points off the Magic bench on 1 of 5 shooting
-The Magic starting frontline outscored the Bobcats' starting frontline 39-21
-Wallace and Jackson combined for 17 of the Bobcats' 18 free throws

Here is the complete recap and box score from nba.com.

Game 2 preview

ORLANDO MAGIC vs. CHARLOTTE BOBCATS

Wednesday, April 21st, 7:00 p.m.

Amway Arena
Orlando, FL

Here is the complete game preview from Yahoo! Sports.

Also, check out this article from bleacherreport.com on why they feel the Magic have a good chance at winning the NBA championship this season.

The Magic are 9 point favorites.

Dwight Howard named Defensive Player of the Year

Here are portions of the Orlando Magic press release announcing Howard's award:

Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic is the recipient of the 2009-10 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award presented by Kia Motors, the NBA announced today, marking the second straight season the All-Star has earned the honor.The 6-11 center became the first player to lead the league in rebounding and blocks (1973-74 was the first season blocks were kept as an official statistic) in consecutive seasons, averaging 13.2 rebounds and 2.78 blocks. Howard also paced the league in field goal percentage (.612), becoming the first player to lead the NBA in all three of those categories since the NBA started keeping blocked shots. He also became only the fifth player in NBA history to lead the league in rebounding for at least three consecutive seasons. Howard recorded an NBA-high 64 double-doubles, including three 20-point/20-rebound efforts.

Howard, a four-time NBA All-Star, helped the Magic to its third consecutive Southeast Division title (59-23) and the league’s second best record behind Cleveland (61-21). With Howard anchoring the defense, the Magic allowed 95.3 ppg, which ranked fourth in the NBA, and held the opposition to a league-low .438 shooting from the field, including 24 games where opponents shot under .400. Orlando held the opposition to less than 100 points 57 times and to less than 90 points 24 times.

Howard received 576 points, including 110 first-place votes, from a panel of 122 sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada. Atlanta’s Josh Smith finished second with 136 points and Charlotte’s Gerald wallace finished third with 113 points. Players were awarded five points for each first-place vote, three points for each second-place vote and one point for each third-place vote received.

Here is the complete article from cbssports.com.

Game 1: Magic 98, Bobcats 89

Jameer Nelson scored 24 of his game-high 32 points at halftime leading the Magic to a 22 point third quarter lead before withstanding a Charlotte comeback that saw them cut the Magic lead to 5 points in the fourth quarter before pulling away on free throws late. Dwight Howard blocked 8 of his 9 shots in the first half before spending much of the second half on the bench in foul trouble.

The Bobcats had their last lead of the game at 8-7, and were within 11-10, before the Magic went on a 13-2 run for a 24-12 lead and led 31-20 after one. The Bobcats cut the Magic lead to 35-31 with 6:45 remaining in the second quarter before the Magic closed the half on a 24-12 run to lead 59-43. Nelson made a 35 footer at the buzzer, just after Charlotte's Stephen Jackson ran into a teammate and hyperextended his knee. Jackson returned for the third quarter, but sat for much of the fourth. The Magic had their largest lead of the game at 65-43 with 9:11 remaining in the third before the Bobcats went on a 17-4 run to cut their deficit to 69-60 before the Magic settled for a 76-66 lead after three. The Bobcats would not let the Magic extend their lead, and pulled to within 85-80 with 3:10 remaining, and were still within 5 points with 33 seconds remaining before the Magic made their final four free throws.

Magic leading scorers

Jameer Nelson: 32 points (10 of 18 FGs, 4 of 8 3 PT FGs, 8 of 8 3 PT FGs), 6 assists
Rashard Lewis: 19 points (8 of 11 FGs, 3 of 5 3 PT FGs), 5 rebounds
Mickael Pietrus (bench): 14 points (4 of 7 3 PT FGs)
Vince Carter: 12 points (4 of 19 FGs, 0 of 5 3 PT FGs)
J.J. Redick (bench): 10 points (3 of 5 FGs, 2 of 3 3 PT FGs)

Overall Game Statistics:

FG%: CHA 46.5% (33 of 71) ORL 44.6% (33 of 74)
3 PT FG%: ORL 43.3% (13 of 30) CHA 25% (3 of 12)
FT%: CHA 71.4% (20 of 28) ORL 70.4% (19 of 27)
REB: CHA 41 (10 offensive) ORL 34 (8 offensive)
AST/TO: CHA 19/16 ORL 13/9
BENCH: ORL 28 CHA 16

Other game notes and stats:

-Dwight Howard was held to 5 points, including 1 of 6 FT shooting, but blocked 9 shots with 7 rebounds in 28 minutes
-Three Bobcats scored in double figures, led by Gerald Wallace with 25 points, 17 rebounds; Raymond Felton added 19 points, and Stephen Jackson 18 points
-Carter fouled out, while Howard finished with 5 fouls
-The Bobcats shot 22 FTs in the second half
-Nelson, Lewis, and Pietrus combined to score 65 of the Magic's 98 points on 22 of 36 shooting, including 11 of 20 three pointers
-Nelson shot 10 of 12 in the first half, including 4 of 5 on threes
-The Magic shot 59 1/2% in the first half, but 29.7% in the second half

Here is the complete recap and box score from Yahoo! Sports.

Game 1 and Magic/Bobcats series preview

Game 1: Charlotte at Orlando
Sun, Apr 18 - 5:30 pm EDT
Preview
TV: TNT

Also, check out this article from AP Writer Antonio Gonzalez on Magic GM Otis Smith and some of the risky moves he's made to mold the Magic into the championship contender that they are.

The Magic are -1000 favorites to win the series over the Bobcats (wagering $1000 to win $100 plus the original amount bet), while the Bobcats are +600 underdogs (wagering $100 to win $600 plus the original amount bet.

The Magic are 10 point favorites to win Game 1.

Points

• Stephen Jackson Cha 20.6
• Dwight Howard Orl 18.3

Rebounds

• Gerald Wallace Cha 10.0
• Dwight Howard Orl 13.2

Assists

• Raymond Felton Cha 5.6
• Jameer Nelson Orl 5.4

A closer look at the Charlotte Bobcats

The Bobcats finished with a record of 44-38 (31-10 home, 13-28 away). They averaged 95.3 points per game (28th in the league) and allowed 93.8 points per game (1st). Their offensive rating (points per 100 possessions) was 104.4 (24th) and their defensive rating (points allowed per 100 possessions) was 102.8 (1st).

Charlotte depth chart:

PG: Raymond Felton (12.1 ppg 45.9% FG, 38.5% 3 PT FG, 5.6 assts), D.J. Augustin (6.3 ppg, 38.6% FG)
SG: Stephen Jackson (20.6 ppg, 42.3% FG, 32.8 3 PT FG, 3.7 assts), Larry Hughes (9.1 ppg, 35.5% FG, 3.0 assts)
SF: Gerald Wallace (18.2 ppg, 48.4% FG, 37.1 3 PT FG, 10.0 rebs), Stephen Graham (4.2 ppg, 49.6% FG)
PF: Boris Diaw (11.3 ppg, 48.3% FG, 32.0% 3 PT FG, 5.2 rebs, 4.0 assts), Tyrus Thomas (9.4 ppg, 46.2% FG, 6.2 rebs)
C: Nazr Mohammed (7.9 ppg, 55.3% FG, 5.2 rebs), Tyson Chandler (6.5 ppg, 57.4% FG, 6.3 rebs), Theo Ratliff (3.6 ppg, 46.1%)

Game review: Magic (59-23) 125, 76ers (27-55) 111

The Magic achieved some milestones in their last regular season game ever at Amway Arena. They set the all-time NBA record for three pointers in a season with 841 and clinched the second-best record in the NBA, and Dwight Howard clinched the rebounding and blocked shots title for the second straight season, which has never been done before.

The Magic never trailed in the game. After a 10-10 tie, the Magic went on a 27-10 run as they shot an unbelievable 83% in the first quarter to lead 37-20 after one. The Magic led by as many as 47-25 in the second quarter before the 76ers went on a 20-8 run to cut their deficit to 10 points before the Magic went into the half with a 63-50 lead. The 76ers briefly came to within 10 points again early in the third quarter before the Magic blew the game wide open with a 28-11 run to lead by 27 and led 93-70 after three quarters. The Magic's lead was as big as 102-74 in the fourth quarter and the Magic still led by 21 points with 1:35 remaining.

Magic leading scorers

Jameer Nelson: 21 points (9 of 13 FGs, 3 of 5 3 PT FGs), 4 assists
Vince Carter: 17 points (6 of 8 FGs, 4 of 5 3 PT FGs), 6 assists
Marcin Gortat (bench): 16 points (5 of 6 FGs), 6 rebounds
Dwight Howard: 15 points (6 of 8 FGs), 12 rebounds
Matt Barnes: 12 points (6 of 10 FGs), 5 rebounds
Brandon Bass (bench): 10 points (4 of 5 FGs)

Overall Game Statistics

FG%: ORL 59.8% (49 of 82) PHI 51.8% (43 of 83)
3 PT FG%: ORL 44% (11 of 25) PHI 31.6% (6 of 19)
FT%: ORL 80% (16 of 20) PHI 79.2% (19 of 24)
REB: ORL 39 (8 offensive) PHI 31 (9 offensive)
AST/TO: PHI 23/8 ORL 21/12
BENCH: PHI 64 ORL 51

Other game notes and stats:

-Six players scored in double figures for Philadelphia, led by Marresse Speights in reserve with 23 points, 8 rebounds
-The Magic starters outscored the 76ers' starters 74-47
-Rashard Lewis was the only Magic starter not to score in double figures, as he wound up with 9 points on 2 of 8 shooting
-Other than Lewis, the Magic starters shot a combined 27 of 39
-Carter and Nelson combined to shoot 7 of 10 on threes
-No Magic starter played more than 29:25, as all 12 players saw action; only Jason Williams and Anthony Johnson did not score

The Magic will open the playoffs this weekend at home against the Charlotte Bobcats, with Game 1 being played Sunday at 5:30 PM and will be televised on TNT.

Here is the complete recap and box score from nba.com.

Game night preview

ORLANDO MAGIC vs. PHILADELPHIA 76ERS
Wednesday, April 14. 8:00 p.m.
Amway Arena
Orlando, FL

It will be an emotional atmosphere on Wednesday when the Orlando Magic conclude their regular season against the Philadelphia 76ers at 8 p.m. ET. It will be the final regular season game ever played at Amway Arena, and one can expect everyone to reflect on all the memorable moments in the arena’s history. From spectacular individual performances (ex. Tracy McGrady’s 62 points in 2004), astounding game-winning shots (ex. Dwight Howard’s dunk against the Spurs) and two unforgettable Eastern Conference Final Magic victories, Amway Arena will always be cherished.

Team	Record	Standings	PF	PA	Road/Home	Streak	L10
Philadelphia	27-54	4th Atlantic / 12th East	97.6	101.3	Road 15-25	Lost 1	3-7
Orlando	58-23	1st Southeast / 2nd East	102.5	95.1	Home 33-7	Won 5	8-2

Here is the complete preview from Yahoo! Sports.

The Magic are 11 point favorites.

Game review: Magic (58-23) 118, Pacers (32-49) 98

The Magic continue to play well as the season nears a close, winning their fifth game in a row as they led from start to finish. Seven players scored in double figures, led by Vince Carter with 21 points.

The Magic led 11-9 in the first quarter before going on a 19-2 run to go ahead 30-11 on their way to a 42-18 lead after the first quarter, tying their highest output for a quarter for the season. The Magic maintained their big lead for the first six minutes of the second quarter, leading 56-32 with 6:12 remaining in the half before the Pacers went on a 19-4 run to briefly cut the Magic lead to single digits 60-51 before the Magic led at the half 65-51. The Magic put the game away in the third quarter, as they went on a 19-7 run to start the quarter to lead 84-58 at the 3:17 mark before settling for a 90-70 lead after three. The Pacers could get no closer than 17 points in the final quarter.

Magic leading scorers

Vince Carter: 21 points (5 of 11 FGs, 11 of 11 FTs), 4 rebounds
Jameer Nelson: 15 points (5 of 10 FGs, 2 of 6 3 PT FGs), 8 assists, 7 rebounds
Rashard Lewis: 14 points (3 of 8 FGs, 3 of 6 3 PT FGs), 6 rebounds, 2 steals
Matt Barnes: 13 points (4 of 10 FGs), 11 rebounds, 3 steals
Dwight Howard: 12 points (4 of 6 FGs, 4 of 10 FTs), 11 rebounds, 4 blocks
J.J Redick (bench): 11 points (4 of 6 FGs), 6 assists
Ryan Anderson (bench): 10 points (4 of 4 FGs, 2 of 2 3 PT FGs)

Overall Game Statistics

FG%: ORL 48.1% (37 of 77) IND 40.9% (36 of 88)
3 PT FG%: ORL 37.5% (12 of 32) IND 34.5% (10 of 29)
FT%: ORL 74.4% (32 of 43) IND 66.7% (16 of 24)
REB: ORL 53 (7 offensive) IND 38 (9 offensive)
AST/TO: ORL 22/17 IND 20/14
BENCH: IND 44 ORL 43

Other game stats and notes:

-Five Pacers' scored in double figures, led by reserve A.J. Price with 19 points; Danny Granger and Mike Dunleavy added 18 points apiece
-Three Magic starters played over 30 minutes, led by Matt Barnes with 37 minutes
-The Magic only made one more field goal than the Pacers and outscored them 86-82 from the field, but had a 32-16 advantage from the free throw line
-Granger needed 19 shots to score his 18 points, and went just 1 for 8 on three pointers
-The Magic starting guards outscored the Pacers' starting guards 36-16
-Mickael Pietrus had 4 steals in 18 minutes off the bench for the Magic in addition to 9 points
-Brandon Bass and Anthony Johnson did not play for the Magic
-The Magic will play the Charlotte Bobcats in the first round

Here is the complete recap and box score from nba.com.

Game night preview

Team	Record	Standings	PF	PA	Road/Home	Streak	L10
Orlando	57-23	1st Southeast / 2nd East	102.3	95.0	Road 24-16	Won 4	8-2
Indiana	32-48	4th Central / 10th East	100.9	103.7	Home 23-17	Won 4	8-2

Here is the complete preview from Yahoo! Sports.

The Magic are 3 1/2 point favorites.

Game review: Magic (57-23) 98, Cavaliers (61-20) 92

The Magic got off to their typical slow start in Cleveland, falling behind the LeBron James-less Cavaliers by 16 points in the second quarter before recovering as they outscored the Cavaliers by 10 points in the second half. It was a meaningless game for the Cavaliers, as they rested Anthony Parker in addition to James, with Shaquille O'Neal still being held out as he recovers from his thumb injury. Thanks to the LA Lakers' loss to Portland, the Magic now have the second-best record in the NBA.

The Magic scored the first 4 points of the game as the score was tied at 11 before the Cavaliers went on a 15-4 run to lead 26-11 before settling for a 28-19 lead after one. The Cavaliers had their largest lead of the game at 40-24 with 7:20 remaining in the second before the Magic went on a 22-10 run to cut their deficit to 50-46 at the half. The Cavaliers led by as many as 5 points in the third before the Magic went on a 24-15 run to close the third quarter and led 77-73. Both teams played their reserves liberally in the final quarter as the Cavaliers had their last lead at 84-83 with under 8 minutes before the Magic took control with a 15-4 run to go ahead 98-88 with 2:22 remaining. The Magic didn't score again, but it wasn't necessary.

Magic leading scorers

Dwight Howard; 22 points (9 of 13 FGs, 4 of 9 FTs), 13 rebounds, 6 blocks
Jameer Nelson: 17 points (6 of 13 FGs, 3 of 5 3 PT FGs), 8 assists
Mickael Pietrus (bench): 12 points (4 of 8 FGs, 2 of 5 3 PT FG), 2 steals
Rashard Lewis: 11 points (4 of 8 FGs, 3 of 5 3 PT FG)
Matt Barnes: 10 points (5 of 7 FGs), 6 rebounds
J.J. Redick (bench): 10 points (3 of 7 FGs, 1 of 3 3 PT FG), 6 assists

Overall Game Statistics

FG%: ORL 48.1% (38 of 79) CLE 41.0% (34 of 83)
3 PT FG%: ORL 34.6% (9 of 26) CLE 33.3% (6 of 18)
FT%: CLE 78.3% (18 of 23) ORL 68.4% (13 of 19)
REB: CLE 42 (14 offensive) ORL 38 (10 offensive)
AST/TO: ORL 29/14 CLE 17/14
BENCH: CLE 36 ORL 32

Other game notes and stats:

-Four Cavaliers scored in double figures, led by Delonte West off the bench with 21 points on 7 of 12 field goals; Mo Williams (9 assists) and Antawn Jamison added 19 points; Zydrunas Ilgauskas added 9 points with 12 rebounds in reserve
-Vince Carter was the only Magic starter not to score in double figures, as he scored 6 points on 3 of 10 shooting, but had 5 assists
-Howard and Nelson were the only Magic starters to play over 30 minutes, as Howard played 37:42; Jamario Moon was the only Cavaliers' player to play over 30 minutes
-Only Anthony Johnson did not play for the Magic; Jason Williams and Marcin Gortat played but did not score
-After starting 0 for 6 on threes, the Magic made 9 of their last 20 three pointers
-Pietrus scored all his points in the fourth quarter on 4 of 6 shooting, including two three pointers and two free throws
-Magic went on a 74-48 run after falling behind 40-24

Here is the complete recap and box score from nba.com.

Game review: Magic (56-23) 118, Knicks (28-51) 103

The Magic continued their hot shooting overall and from three point range as they bolted out to a 14 point lead after one quarter, led by as much as 24 points in the third quarter, saw New York briefly pull to within 8 points early in the fourth quarter, then pulled away. Six Magic players scored in double figures, led by Dwight Howard and Vince Carter with 25 points each.

The Knicks never led in the game, as the Magic went on a 12-0 run in the first quarter to go ahead 22-9 before settling for a 35-21 lead after one. The Magic led by as many as 56-37 in the second quarter and led 62-48 at the half. The Magic quickly jumped out to a 75-51 lead early in the third quarter, and still led 85-64 with 4:43 remaining, but the Knicks went on a 15-5 run to pull within 90-79 after three quarters. The Knicks came as close as 92-84 early in the fourth, and were still within 94-84 with 5:25 remaining, but the Magic went on a 15-4 run to put the game away before two meaningless three pointers by the Knicks to close the game.

Magic leading scorers

Vince Carter: 25 points (9 of 19 FGs, 5 of 10 3 PT FGs), 5 assists
Dwight Howard: 25 points (11 of 14 FGs, 13 rebounds, 0 turnovers)
Ryan Anderson (bench): 19 points (8 of 11 FGs, 3 of 5 3 PT FGs), 6 rebounds, 2 blocks
J.J. Redick (bench): 15 points (6 of 9 FGs, 1 of 3 3 PT FGs)
Jameer Nelson: 13 points (5 of 10 FGs, 3 of 4 3 PT FGs), 5 assists
Mickael Pietrus: 10 points (4 of 10 FGs, 2 of 5 3 PT FGs), 7 rebounds

Overall Game Statistics

FG%: ORL 56.0% (47 of 84) NY 47.3% (35 of 74)
3 PT FG%: NY 48.5% (16 of 33) ORL 46.9% (15 of 32)
FT%: NY 77.3% (17 of 22) ORL 50% (9 of 18)
REB: ORL 39 (14 offensive) NY 35 (9 offensive)
AST/TO: ORL 28/9 NY 21/13
BENCH: ORL 46 NY 37

Other game notes and stats:

-Six New York players scored in double figures, led by Danelo Gallinari with 28 points
-Former Magic star Tracy McGrady scored 6 points in less than 22 minutes on 2 of 6 3 PT FG shooting, as all his shot attempts were three pointers
-The two teams combined to make 31 of 65 three pointers
-Rashard Lewis scored 7 points on 3 of 5 shooting along with three steals for the Magic
-The Magic starting guards outscored the Knicks' starting guards 38-19
-Only Howard (37 minutes) and Carter (31 minutes) played more than 30 minutes for the Magic
-Anderson (11 points) and Redick (9 points) combined to score 20 points on 9 of 12 shooting in the fourth
-Brandon Bass and Anthony Johnson did not play for the Magic

Here is the complete recap and box score from nba.com.

Game night preview

ORLANDO MAGIC vs. NEW YORK KNICKS
Friday, April 9. 7:00 p.m.
Amway Arena
Orlando, FL

Team	Record	Standings	PF	PA	Road/Home	Streak	L10
New York	28-50	3rd Atlantic / 11th East	101.9	105.4	Road 11-28	Lost 1	4-6
Orlando	55-23	1st Southeast / 2nd East	102.1	95.0	Home 32-7	Won 2	8-2

Here is the complete preview from Yahoo! Sports.

Game review: Magic (55-23) 121, Wizards (24-54) 94

After a sluggish start by the Magic which saw them trailing by one after the first quarter, the Magic surged ahead as they outscored Washington by 28 points the final three quarters for the blowout win. All 12 Magic players scored, with seven players in double figures, as the Magic reserves had their best game of the year scoring 65 points.

The Wizards scored 10 points in a row to lead 21-15 with 2:36 remaining in the first, and had two other six point leads before the Magic cut their deficit to 25-24 after one. J.J. Redick's 3 pointer to open the second quarter put the Magic ahead for good, as the Magic led by as many as 46-33 in the quarter before settling for a 50-44 halftime lead. The Magic led by only single digits for much of the third quarter as the Wizards came as close as 5 points. The Magic finally got their lead to double digits in the final two and a half minutes of the third quarter and delivered a dagger when Jason Williams hit two three pointers in the final two seconds of the quarter (the second coming after a steal and a pass from Matt Barnes) to extend the Magic lead from 13 to 19 points, 84-65 after three. The Wizards got to within 13 points again with just under 9 minutes remaining before the Magic outscored the Wizards 33-14 to finish the game.

Magic leading scorers

Dwight Howard: 17 points (7 of 10 FGs), 10 rebounds, 3 blocks
Mickael Pietrus (bench): 16 points (6 of 9 FGs, 4 of 5 3 PT FGs)
J.J. Redick (bench): 16 points (5 of 10 FGs, 2 of 3 3 PT FGs), 4 assists, 2 steals
Matt Barnes: 11 points (4 of 6 FGs)
Ryan Anderson (bench): 11 points (4 of 6 FGs, 2 of 3 3 PT FGs), 5 assists

Overall Game Statistics:

FG%: ORL 57.9% (44 of 76) WAS 50% (39 of 78)
3 PT FG%: ORL 59.1% (13 of 22) WAS 40% (4 of 10)
FT%: WAS 85.7% (12 of 14) ORL 83.3% (20 of 24)
REB: ORL 39 (9 offensive) WAS 27 (5 offensive)
AST/TO: ORL 24/12 WAS 18/14
BENCH: ORL 65 WAS 37

Other game notes and stats:

-Rashard Lewis and Vince Carter added 10 points each
-Jameer Nelson led the Magic with 6 assists and added 8 points and 5 rebounds
-Four Wizards scored in double figures, led by Nick Young with 21 points (9 of 15 FGs); former Magic rookie-of-the-year Mike Miller added 16 points, 9 rebounds
-The Magic reserves shot a collective 25 of 37 (67.6%) from the field, including 10 of 13 (76.9%) on threes, for an eFG% of 81.1%
-All seven reserves shot at least 50% from the field, with six of them shooting 67% or better
-The Magic started out the game making just 5 of their first 15 shots in the first 9 1/2 minutes
-The Magic made 13 of their final 15 shots in the final 8:38, including all 5 three pointers
-No Magic player played more than 29 1/2 minutes

Here is the complete recap and box score from nba.com.

Game night preview

ORLANDO MAGIC vs. WASHINGTON WIZARDS
Wednesday, April 7. 7:00 p.m.
Amway Arena
Orlando, FL

The Orlando Magic and Washington Wizards are in two completely different places at this stage of the regular season. If you have any doubts, just look at the standings. Orlando owns a 30.5-game lead over Washington. But the Wizards do have one advantage over the Magic; they currently lead the season series, 2-1. Orlando will look to even that score at home Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET when the two squads meet for the final time this season. While Washington’s offensive options are now limited after trading away Antawn Jamison, Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson all before the deadline, they still do have one premier scoring option left on their active roster. Forward Andray Blatche has flourished since the aforementioned players were sent out of town, averaging 20.5 points and 6.7 rebounds in March.

Team	Record	Standings	PF	PA	Road/Home	Streak	L10
Washington	24-53	5th Southeast / 14th East	96.1	100.7	Road 10-28	Won 2	3-7
Orlando	54-23	1st Southeast / 2nd East	101.9	95.0	Home 31-7	Won 1	7-3

Here is the complete game preview from Yahoo! Sports

The Magic are 13 1/2 point favorites.

This week for the Magic

Heading down the stretch run with just a little over a week left on the regular season, the Orlando Magic are 54-23 (31-7 home, 23-16 road), 4 1/2 games ahead of second place Atlanta (49-27) in the SE. The Magic are the second seed in the East, 4 1/2 games ahead of third seed Atlanta, with a "magic number" of one to clinch the second seed. The Magic have the third best record in the NBA behind Cleveland (60-17) and the LA Lakers (55-22).

The Magic are averaging 101.9 points per game (9th) and allow an average of 95.0 points per game (4th). The Magic have an an offensive rating of 110.4 (8th) and a defensive rating of 102.9 (2nd).

Last year after 77 games, the Magic's record was 57-20.

The Magic's remaining schedule:

Wed. Apr. 7th: Washington (7 PM) 23-53 (10-28 road) 2-8 last 10 games
Fri. Apr. 9th: New York (7 PM) 27-49 (11-27 road) 4-6 last 10 games
Sun. Apr. 11th: at Cleveland (1 PM) 60-17 (34-4 home) 8-2 last 10 games
Mon. Apr. 12th: at Indiana (7 PM) 29-48 (21-17 home) 7-3 last 10 games
Wed. Apr. 14th: Philadelphia (8 PM) 26-50 (14-24 road) 3-7 last 10 games

The Magic still have a chance to catch the Lakers for the second best record in the NBA, and home-court advantage in the NBA Finals should they get there, so they have something to play for the final five games. It will be interesting to see if the Cavaliers play all their players against the Magic on Sunday, as the game most likely won't mean anything to the Cavs because all they need to do is win a game or have the Lakers lose a game before then to sew up home-court advantage through the playoffs.

The Magic should do no worse than 4-1 or 3-2 these final five games. Should the Magic win their remaining 5 games, they will tie last season's record of 59-23.

Game review: Magic (54-23) 107, Grizzlies (39-37) 92

In a game marred by a third quarter scuffle between Matt Barnes and Memphis's Hasheem Thabeet that saw Barnes get ejected and 5 technicals issued by the referees, the Magic had 5 players in double figures led by Vince Carter's 26 points and came back from a 5 point third quarter deficit to defeat the Grizzlies. The Magic had an outstanding 54.3% eFG% to more than offset the Grizzlies' 29-18 free throws made advantage.

The Magic scored the first 7 points of the game and maintained a lead between 6-10 points for most of the quarter and led 32-24 after one. The Grizzlies closed the Magic lead to 37-36 with 6:45 remaining in the second, but the Magic went on a 13-0 run to lead 50-36 and led 54-46 at the half. The Magic started out horrible offensively in the third quarter, as they scored just 4 points in the first 6:22 of the second half as Memphis took a 63-58 lead. The scuffle between Barnes and Thabeet took place at the 6:54 mark. Two quick threes by the Magic got the lead back, and the Magic took the lead for good 70-69 at the 1:21 mark and led 75-69 going into the final quarter. The Grizzlies got as close as 75-71 early in the fourth, but the Magic gradually pulled away and were never threatened in the final 10 minutes.

Magic leading scorers

Vince Carter: 26 points (9 of 18 FGs, 2 of 5 3 PT FGs, 6 of 7 FTs), 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals
Rashard Lewis: 18 points (6 of 8 FGs, 5 of 7 3 PT FGs), 2 steals, 2 blocks
Jameer Nelson: 18 points (8 of 13 FGs, 2 of 4 3 PT FGs), 5 assists
J.J. Redick (bench): 15 points (4 of 9 FGs, 3 of 6 3 PT FGs)
Brandon Bass (bench): 11 points (4 of 11 FGs), 2 blocks

Overall Game Statistics

FG%: ORL 46.3% (38 of 82) MEM 40% (30 of 75)
3 PT FG%: ORL 44.8% (13 of 29) MEM 33.3% (3 of 9)
FT%: MEM 76.3% (29 of 38) ORL 75% (18 of 24)
REB: MEM 46 (12 offensive) ORL 43 (12 offensive)
AST/TO: ORL 21/14 MEM 12/15
BENCH: ORL 37 MEM 19

Other game notes and stats:

-Zach Randolph led Memphis with 24 points along with 18 rebounds and 4 steals; three other Grizzlies scored in double figures as Rudy Gay scored 18 points and O.J. Mayo scored 17 points
-Gay and Mayo shot a combined 11 of 29 from the field
-Grizzlies' starting center Hasheem Thabeet was scoreless in nearly 20 minutes, but grabbed 5 rebounds and blocked 3 shots
-Magic C Dwight Howard was held to 8 points, but led the Magic with 11 rebounds and 5 blocks
-Barnes was scoreless in 17 minutes with 4 rebounds and 2 assists prior to his ejection
-Jason Williams had 5 assists off the bench for the Magic
-Carter and Nelson combined for 44 points on 17 of 31 shooting, including 4 of 9 on threes with 11 assists and 10 rebounds
-The Magic outscored the Grizzlies 89-63 from the field
-The Magic's "magic number" to clinching the SE and the second seed in the East is now one

Here is the complete recap and box score from nba.com.
-

Game night preview

ORLANDO MAGIC vs. MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES
Sunday, April 4. 6:00 p.m.
Amway Arena
Orlando, FL

The Orlando Magic will get their second and final peek at the Grizzlies when they meet on Sunday at 6 p.m. ET at Amway Arena. The talent is apparent, but the Grizzlies are still searching for that right chemistry and cohesion before they can be a serious threat in the West. Zach Randolph, who was named to his first All-Star Game this year, is a double-double machine and O.J. Mayo has had a quality sophomore season. Marc Gasol is one of the prime candidates for Most Improved Player of the Year honors and Hasheem Thabeet is expected to be a first-rate shot blocker once he settles in.

Team	Record	Standings	PF	PA	Road/Home	Streak	L10
Memphis	39-36	3rd Southwest / 9th West	102.8	103.2	Road 16-20	Won 1	5-5
Orlando	53-23	1st Southeast / 2nd East	101.8	95.0	Home 30-7	Lost 1	7-3

Here is the complete preview from Yahoo! Sports.

The Magic are 10 1/2 point favorites.

Game review: Spurs (46-29) 112, Magic (53-23) 100

In one of their worst defensive efforts of the season, the Magic allowed San Antonio to shoot 52% from the field and score 112 points, as the Spurs were led by Manu Ginobili's season-high 43 points. The Magic also did not help their cause by missing more than half their free throws, as it appeared they lost their focus and emotions in the second half. Matt Barnes and Magic coach Stan Van Gundy got into a disagreement, and Barnes was replaced at the 6:39 mark of the third quarter and did not return. Dwight Howard fouled out late in the game, missed 9 of 11 free throws, and wasn't a factor. Rashard Lewis and Mickael Pietrus, off the bench, led the Magic with 18 points.

In a tightly contested first quarter, which saw Tim Duncan commit 3 fouls in the first 3:32, neither team had more than a 4 point lead as the Spurs led after one 29-27. The Magic came back in the second quarter to lead by as much as 56-50 with 1:17 remaining, as Spurs' coach Greg Popovich picked up his second technical and was ejected at the 2:59 mark, but the Spurs cut the Magic lead to 56-54 at the half. Things began to unravel for the Magic in the third quarter, as their last lead was 65-63 with 7:52 left in the third. The Spurs then went on a 15-5 run to lead 78-70, and led 87-78 going into the fourth quarter. The Magic scored the first 7 points of the fourth quarter to cut their deficit to 87-85, but the Spurs scored 6 in a row to go back to an 8 point lead. The Magic made one final attempt to come back, cutting the Spurs' lead to 98-94 with 5:08 remaining, but that's as close as they would get as the Spurs went on a 8-2 run to lead by 10 on the way to their 12 point victory.

Magic leading scorers

Rashard Lewis: 18 points (7 of 11 FGs, 4 of 7 3 PT FGs)
Mickael Pietrus (bench): 18 points (7 of 9 FGs, 2 of 3 3 PT FGs), 6 rebounds
Jameer Nelson: 15 points (7 of 16 FGs, 1 of 3 3 PT FGs), 6 assists, 5 rebounds
J.J. Redick (bench): 15 points (5 of 10 FGs, 1 of 3 3 PT FGs), 6 rebounds
Vince Carter: 12 points (5 of 15 FGs, 1 of 5 3 PT FGs), 4 assists, 4 rebounds
Dwight Howard: 10 points (4 of 7 FGs, 2 of 11 FTs), 6 rebounds

Overall Game Statistics

FG%: SA 51.8% (43 of 83) ORL 48.8% (39 of 80)
3 PT FG%: ORL 41.7% (10 of 24) SA 31.6% (6 of 19)
FT%: SA 76.9% (20 of 26) ORL 46.2% (12 of 26)
REB: ORL 39 (11 offensive) SA 39 (8 offensive)
AST/TO: SA 21/8 ORL 18/11
BENCH: ORL 40 SA 20

Other game notes and stats:

-Manu Ginobili scored his 43 points (in 35 minutes) on 13 of 25 FGs, 3 of 6 3 PT FGs, and 14 of 17 FTs; he also added 6 rebounds and 5 assists
-Three other Spurs scored in double figures, as Tim Duncan came on in the second half to score 19 of his 23 points on 10 of 12 shooting overall and grabbed 8 rebounds
-Matt Bonner came off the bench to add 15 points along with 6 rebounds
-The Magic starters were outscored by the Spurs' starters 92-60
-Nelson and Carter combined to shoot 12 of 31 from the field
-Jason Williams, Ryan Anderson, and Marcin Gortat combined to score 7 points off the bench on 2 of 8 shooting
-Duncan and Antonio McDyess combined to shoot 15 of 18 from the field for the Spurs
-In his last two games, Pietrus has scored a total of 42 points on 14 of 17 shooting, including 8 of 9 on threes
-Cleveland's win over Atlanta, combined with the Magic loss, officially clinched the number one seed for the Cavaliers; the magic number for the Magic to clinch the SE division is now 2

Here is the complete recap and box score from nba.com.

Game review: Magic (53-22) 97, Mavericks (50-26) 82

The rested Magic, not having played since Sunday, took advantage of a Dallas team that played a tough game that went into overtime the previous night. The Magic dominated, especially in the second half, as their largest lead was 18 points. Mickael Pietrus, after sitting out three games with a sprained ankle, starred in reserve, scoring 24 points and was perfect on all 6 three pointers. Dwight Howard had another strong defensive game with 20 rebounds and 5 blocks.

In a low-scoring first quarter in which neither team led by more than 4 points, the Magic led 18-16 going into the second. The second quarter continued to be low-scoring and close, as the last tie of the game came at 32 with 5:46 remaining before the Magic closed the half on a 11-4 run to lead 43-36 at the half. The Magic gradually extended their lead in the third quarter and led by as much as 68-50 before going into the fourth with a comfortable 72-56 lead. The Magic's largest lead of the game was 83-65 with 7:34 remaining and still led 90-75 with 3:37 remaining before the Mavericks went on a 7-1 run to briefly cut the Magic lead to single digits at 91-82 with 1:14 remaining before Pietrus put the game away for the Magic with two three pointers.

Magic leading scorers

Mickael Pietrus: 24 points (7 of 8 FGs, 6 of 6 3 PT FGs, 4 of 6 FTs)
Vince Carter: 19 points (8 of 17 FGs, 1 of 2 3 PT FGs), 7 rebounds
Dwight Howard: 17 points (6 of 11 FGs) 20 rebounds, 5 blocks)
Jameer Nelson: 14 points (6 of 14 FGs, 2 of 5 3 PT FGs), 7 assists, 6 turnovers

Overall Game Statistics

FG%: ORL 48.6% (35 of 72) DAL 38.3% (31 of 81)
3 PT FG%: ORL 58.3% (14 of 24) DAL 28.6% (4 of 14)
FT%: DAL 94.1% (16 of 17) ORL 61.9% (13 of 21)
REB: ORL 43 (7 offensive) DAL 42 (10 offensive)
AST/TO: ORL 15/14 DAL 7/10
BENCH: DAL 38 ORL 35

Other game notes and stats:

-Pietrus's 24 points was his second highest total in a Magic uniform, second only to the 27 points he scored last season againt Indiana; the 6 three pointers matched a career high
-Dirk Nowitzki was the only Mavericks' starter to score in double figures with 24 points, but shot just 9 of 22; Juan Jose Barea and Jason Terry each scored 16 points off the Mavericks' bench, with Barea scoring his points all in the second half in 17 minutes
-Erick Dampier led the Mavericks with 11 rebounds in reserve
-Other than Nowitzki, the other four Mavericks' starters combined to score 20 points on a combined 7 of 28 shooting
-The Mavericks' starting backcourt of Jason Kidd and Caron Butler combined to score 10 points on 2 of 12 shooting; they each had 2 assists to lead Dallas
-Nelson and Carter, after starting the game a combined 1 for 10 shooting, made 13 of their final 21 shots combined
-Rashard Lewis scored 6 points on 2 of 6 shooting in 31 minutes for the Magic
-Ryan Anderson was scoreless in 3:38 in the first half, while Brandon Bass scored 8 points in 12 second half minutes

Game night preview

ORLANDO MAGIC at DALLAS MAVERICKS
Thursday, April 1. 8:00 p.m. TNT
American Airlines Center
Dallas, TX

There’s no player who has been more trouble for the Magic during their 2009-10 campaign than Caron Butler. After getting the best of Orlando twice this season with the Washington Wizards, Butler once again dealt the Magic a defeat on Feb. 19, this time as a member of the Dallas Mavericks. Orlando will get its final opportunity this season to earn a victory against Butler and Dallas when the two league powerhouses meet on Thursday at 8 p.m. ET. Butler has been a nightmare for the Magic this season, averaging 23.3 points and 7.7 rebounds per game versus Orlando. He’s also burned them in the clutch, drilling a game-winning corner jumper with 0.5 seconds left on Feb. 5.

Team	Record	Standings	PF	PA	Road/Home	Streak	L10
Orlando	52-22	1st Southeast / 2nd East	101.9	95.0	Road 22-15	Won 2	8-2
Dallas	50-25	1st Southwest / 2nd West	101.8	99.6	Home 26-11	Won 3	6-4

Here is the complete preview from Yahoo! Sports.

Also, check out this Dwight Howard interview from Ball Don't Lie from Yahoo! Sports.