Orlando Magic Blog

Group Blog talking about the NBA 2009 Eastern Conference Champions. Due to the amazing success of the 2009 playoff run comments are now frequently deleted to kill offensive comments, incoherence, or asininity. Comments can no longer be anonymous and require either a Blogger or OpenID account.

Sunday, January 31, 2010

Game review: Magic (32-16) 91, Pistons (15-31) 86


The Magic, playing without PG Jameer Nelson the final three quarters because of a hyperextended knee, were able to squeak out a hard-fought win against their nemesis Detroit, thanks to another outstanding performance off the bench from J.J. Redick in place of an ineffective Vince Carter, and also reserve Mickael Pietrus, who hit several clutch shots during the game. The Pistons had lost 18 of 22 games coming into the game and had lost their last home game by 27 points to Miami, and were also without starter Charlie Villanueva, who was scratched just before the game. Nevertheless, they gave the Magic all they could handle.

The Magic started out the game like they were going to blow out the Pistons, as they made 7 of their first 8 shots and led by as much as 25-10 in the first quarter before settling for a 29-21 lead after one. The Magic had a comfortable 43-29 lead halfway through the second quarter before suddenly going cold and turning the ball over as the Pistons pulled to within 48-45 at halftime. The Magic scored just 2 points the first 6 minutes of the third quarter as the Pistons completed a 30-9 run that started in the second quarter and had their largest lead at 59-52. The Magic came back to pull within 65-64 after three. That was the Pistons' last lead of the game, as the Magic scored the first 5 points of the fourth quarter to go ahead 69-65. However, they could not put the Pistons away as they stayed close and tied the game at 79 with 3:54 remaining. The Magic scored five in a row to make it 84-79, but Detroit refused to give up, coming to within 87-86 with just under a minute remaining. Richard Hamilton and Ben Gordon each missed shots with under 20 seconds remaining that would have given the Pistons the lead. The Magic made their final 4 free throws in the final seconds to account for the win.

Magic leading scorers

J.J. Redick (bench): 17 points (5 of 11 FGs, 2 of 6 3 PT FGs)
Dwight Howard: 16 points (4 of 9 FGs, 8 of 18 FTs), 15 rebounds, 5 blocks
Rashard Lewis: 15 points (5 of 7 FGs, 3 of 4 3 PT FGs), 7 rebounds, 4 assists
Mickael Pietrus (bench): 14 points (4 of 5 3 PT FGs)

Overall Game Statistics

FG%: ORL 46.9% (30 of 64) DET 39.2% (31 of 79)
3 PT FG%: ORL 45.5% (10 of 22) DET 31.2% (5 of 16)
FT%: DET 76% (19 of 25) ORL 65.6% (21 of 32)
REB: DET 43 (12 offensive) ORL 38 (4 offensive)
AST/TO: DET 20/12 ORL 19/14
BENCH: ORL 47 DET 22

Other game notes and stats:

-Four Pistons finished in double figures, led by G Rodney Stuckey with 18 points, 7 assists; F Jonas Jerebko added 16 points, 9 rebounds; Richard Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince combined to score 26 points, but shot a combined 10 of 26; Pistons' C Ben Wallace added 9 rebounds and 3 blocks
-Pistons' free agent signee Ben Gordon scored just 5 points off the bench on 2 of 11 shooting
-The Pistons' starters outscored the Magic starters 64-44
-The Magic bench scored 47 points on 15 of 31 FG shooting, including 6 of 16 on threes, and made all 11 free throw attempts
-Redick and Pietrus combined for 31 points off the bench on 9 of 17 FGs, including 6 of 11 3 PT FGs
-During the Pistons' 30-9 run that spanned portions of the second and third quarter, the Magic shot just 2 of 17 and committed 7 turnovers
-The Magic held the Pistons to 41 second-half points
-After weeks of not seeing meaningful playing time, Magic PG Anthony Johnson backed up Jason Williams due to Nelson's injury and scored 6 points with 3 assists and 0 turnovers in 21 minutes
-Vince Carter's struggles continue, as he scored 2 points on 1 of 8 shooting; he was replaced by Redick at the 7:49 mark of the third quarter and did not return
-Other than Howard, the Magic were 13 of 14 at the FT line
-Rashard Lewis attempted just 7 field goals in 31 minutes; he scored 9 first quarter points and did not score a gain until the final quarter
-With the Magic win, they now are all alone as the second seed in the East; as a result, Stan Van Gundy will coach the Eastern Conference All-Stars in the All-Star Game in 2 weeks; Cleveland coach Mike Brown is ineligible because he was the coach last season

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

Game Day Preview


ORLANDO MAGIC at DETROIT PISTONS
Sunday, Jan. 31. 6:00 p.m.
The Palace of Auburn Hills
Auburn Hills, MI


Following their clash with the Hawks at home, the Orlando Magic will fly to Detroit for a battle with the Pistons on Sunday at 6 p.m. ET. NBA champs in 2004, runners-up in 2005 and six consecutive Eastern Conference Championship series appearances from 2003-2008, Detroit has dealt with several key injuries, coaching changes and a revolving roster over the past two seasons. Unlike previous years when Dwight Howard and Co. had to contend with Rasheed Wallace and Ben Wallace on the inside and Chauncey Billups on the perimeter, the Magic know this is not the same Pistons team of old. In their last meeting on Nov. 6 at Amway Arena, Howard powered his way to 22 points and 12 rebounds, while Jameer Nelson and Matt Barnes each posted 18 points in an impressive victory. Vince Carter (sprained ankle) and Rashard Lewis (suspension) did not play in that game. Since their defeats in the postseason against Detroit in 2007 and 2008, the Magic seem to always want to prove they do not fear the Pistons in any way.


Team Record Standings PF PA Road/Home Streak L10
Orlando 31-16 1st Southeast / 2nd East 101.1 96.0 Road 13-12 Won 2 6-4
Detroit 15-30 5th Central / 13th East 91.6 97.0 Home 11-13 Lost 4 4-6

Here is the complete game preview from Yahoo! Sports.

The Magic are 5 point favorites.

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Game review: Magic (31-16) 104, Hawks (30-16) 86


The Magic continued their recent dominance over Atlanta, as they outscored the Hawks 55-42 in the second half and were led by Dwight Howard's 31 points, 19 rebounds, and 3 blocks. The Magic reclaim first place in the SE by a half game over the Hawks and also the second seed in the East.

Atlanta started out fast, scoring 16 of the first 22 points of the game, but the Magic were able to cut their deficit to 21-18 after one quarter. The Hawks had their last lead of the game at 27-26 with over 8 minutes remaining when the Magic took the lead for good and led at the half 49-44. The closest the Hawks came in the third quarter was 57-54 with 7:22 remaining before the Magic went on a big 17-2 run to go ahead 74-56 late in the quarter and led after three 77-63. The Hawks tried to come back, as they came within 81-72 with 8:43 remaining before the Magic put the game away with a 19-8 run and cruised to the final.

Magic leading scorers

Dwight Howard: 31 points (10 of 16 FGs, 11 of 18 FTs), 19 rebounds, 3 blocks, 4 turnovers
Rashard Lewis: 17 points (6 of 10 FGs, 3 of 7 3 PT FGs)
Ryan Anderson (bench): 16 points (7 of 11 FGs 2 of 4 3 PT FGs), 5 rebounds
Jameer Nelson: 14 points (5 of 7 FGs), 5 assists

Overall Game Statistics

FG%: ORL 54.2% (39 of 72) ATL 39.5% (32 of 81)
3 PT FG%: ATL 33.3% (7 of 21) ORL 30.4% (7 of 23)
FT%: ATL 75% (15 of 20) ORL 70.4% (19 of 27)
REB: ORL 43 (6 offensive) ATL 34 (5 offensive)
AST/TO: ORL 20/11 ATL 16/10
BENCH: ORL 32 ATL 30

Other game notes and stats:

-Four Hawks scored in double figures, led by Joe Johnson with 19 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds; Jamal Crawford came off the bench to score 19 points but shot just 6 of 17 from the field
-J.J. Redick had a career-high 7 assists along with 8 points off the bench
-The Magic starting frontline outscored the Hawks' starting frontline 52-27 on 18 of 31 shooting compared to 11 of 29 shooting and outrebounded them 27-12
-The Magic's Vince Carter scored 6 points on 2 of 7 shooting in 22 minutes and added 3 rebounds and a steal
-All 10 Magic players who played scored, and all 10 had a positive +/- rating
-The Magic's Mickael Pietrus scored 2 points on 1 of 5 shooting in 23 minutes
-The Hawks' Zaza Pachulia fouled out in just 14 minutes, and Jason Collins had 4 fouls in just 5 1/2 minutes
-The Hawks were whistled for 25 fouls, the Magic 15 fouls

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

Game night preview


ORLANDO MAGIC vs. ATLANTA HAWKS
Saturday, Jan. 30. 7:00 p.m.
Amway Arena
Orlando, FL

In a highly-anticipated Southeast Division battle, the Orlando Magic (30-16, 17-4 home) host the Atlanta Hawks (30-15, 11-10 road) on Saturday at 7 p.m. ET. Already 2-0 against the Hawks in 2009-10, the Magic look to sustain their dominance over their familiar foes. In the two meetings this season, Orlando won by an average margin of 24.5 points. Dwight Howard racked up 22 points and 17 rebounds in the Magic’s victory on Thanksgiving night at Philips Arena, while a balanced effort guided Orlando past Atlanta at Amway Arena on Jan. 9. Preventing Joe Johnson and Jamal Crawford from having big nights is key for Orlando. The two Atlanta guards were a combined 19-for-57 from the field in their two losses against the Magic. If they win on Saturday and finish with the same record as the Hawks at season’s end, the Magic will secure the tiebreaker against Atlanta. Not only would it determine the division winner, but even more important, it would give Orlando home-court advantage over Atlanta should the two teams meet in the playoffs.

Here is the complete preview from Yahoo! Sports.

The Magic are 5 point favorites.






























Friday, January 29, 2010

Game review: Magic (30-16) 96, Celtics (29-14) 94


The Magic, down by as many as 16 points early in the third quarter and 14 points early in the fourth quarter, never gave up and came through with a stunning come-from-behind victory over Boston thanks to Rashard Lewis's lay-in with 1.3 seconds remaining. The Celtics shot a better percentage from the field, the three point line, and the free throw line than the Magic, and had a much better assist/turnover ratio than the Magic. The Magic, though, had a huge rebounding advantage over the Celtics and were the more aggressive team, as evidenced by the fact they had more than twice as many free throw attempts than the Celtics.

Boston jumped on the Magic right away, as they shot 60% in the first quarter to lead 34-23 after one. Things didn't improve for the Magic in the second quarter, as they were only able to get as close as 6 points before the Celtics extended their lead to as much as 13 points before settling for a 51-40 halftime lead, as the Magic shot a woeful 33.3% from the field, including 1 of 10 from three point range.

The Celtics went on to their largest lead of the game at 56-40 with under 10 minutes remaining in the third quarter, but the Magic went on a 20-10 run to cut their deficit to 6 points, before the Celtics got their lead back up to double digits 72-61 after three. The Celtics had a 75-61 lead with 11;39 remaining before the Magic made their move with a rather unusual lineup: Jason Williams, J.J. Redick, Lewis, Marcin Gortat, and Dwight Howard. The Magic went on a 23-8 run took their first lead of the game at 84-83 at the 4:52 mark. For the final 5 minutes, the lead changed hands several times, with the Celtics taking a 94-91 lead with 51.5 seconds remaining. Redick then tied the game with a three pointer, and a Ray Allen missed three for the Celtics set up Lewis's heroics in the final seconds, as he got the ball on a busted play and found clear sailing for the winning lay-in. Rasheed Wallace's three point attempt at the buzzer was nothing but air.

Magic leading scorers

Rashard Lewis: 23 points (8 of 13 FGs, 2 of 3 3 PT FGs), 8 rebounds
Dwight Howard: 19 points (8 of 12 FGs, 3 of 10 FTs), 10 rebounds, 4 blocks, 2 steals
Jameer Nelson: 12 points (5 of 10 FGs), 5 rebounds
J.J. Redick (bench): 11 points (2 of 7 FGs, 2 of 5 3 PT FGs)

Overall Game Statistics

FG%: BOS 47.3% (35 of 74) ORL 43.8% (32 of 73)
3 PT FG%: BOS 46.2% (12 of 26) ORL 30% (6 of 20)
FT%: BOS 66.7% (12 of 18) ORL 65% (26 of 40)
REB: ORL 47 (17 offensive) BOS 32 (6 offensive)
AST/TO: BOS 22/15 ORL 8/16
BENCH: BOS 41, ORL 31

Other game notes and stats:

-Five Celtics scored in double figures, led by Ray Allen with 20 points and Rasheed Wallace with 17 bench points; Rajon Rondo added 11 points and 8 assists
-The Celtics' Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce were held to a combined 18 points on 5 of 20 shooting
-Rondo and Garnett each had 7 rebounds
-The Magic had only 1 assist in the first half, tying a franchise record-low for a half
-The Celtics outscored the Magic 82-70 from the field, but the Magic outscored the Celtics 26-12 from the free throw line to account for the victory
-The Magic starting frontline outscored the Celtics' starting frontline 47-22, and outrebounded them 24-12
-Gortat scored 6 points along with 8 rebounds and 3 blocks in nearly 27 minutes, while Williams contributed 8 points and 2 assists in 20 minutes
-The Magic made 12 of their final 15 field goals in the fourth quarter, and 7 of 9 free throws to outscore the Celtics 35-22 in the final quarter
-The Magic's Vince Carter struggled with 6 points on 2 of 13 shooting, but drew enough attention from Celtic defenders on Lewis's game-winning bucket that allowed Lewis to get to the basket unabated
-Lewis scored 16 of his 23 points in the second half
-Celtics' starting center Kendrick Perkins played just 15 minutes and had 5 fouls
-The Celtics' bench shot a combined 16 of 31 for the 41 points

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

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Game night preview


ORLANDO MAGIC vs. BOSTON CELTICS
Thursday, Jan. 28. 8:00 p.m. TNT
Amway Arena
Orlando, FL

When the Magic (29-16, 16-4 home) return home on Thursday the national spotlight will be shining on Orlando as they get set to battle the Boston Celtics (29-13, 16-6 road) for the third time this season at 8 p.m. ET. Orlando has split its two meetings with Boston during its 2009-10 campaign. After traveling up to Beantown and notching an 83-78 victory on Nov. 20, the Magic fell to the Celtics, 86-77, at Amway Arena on Christmas Day. Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo took advantage of a rusty Jameer Nelson – who was playing in just his third game after missing more than a month following knee surgery – and dominated the Magic to the tune of 17 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists. But since that triumph on Dec. 25, Boston has won just six of its last 14 games – a stretch that included three consecutive losses at TD Garden. However, Kevin Garnett played in just three contests during that span. And Orlando is all too familiar with how much his presence means to Boston defensively. “They have a lot of athleticism, they move well and they take up a lot of the paint, so they make it tough,” Vince Carter said of Boston’s defense. “They do a great job and believe in each other on the defensive end.”

Team Record Standings PF PA Road/Home Streak L10
Boston 29-13 1st Atlantic / 2nd East 99.7 93.7 Road 16-6 Won 2 5-5
Orlando 29-16 2nd Southeast / 4th East 101.1 96.3 Home 16-4 Lost 1 5-5

Here is the complete game preview from Yahoo! Sports.

Also, check out this article from writer Tim Povtak of nba.fanhouse.com about how Magic center Dwight Howard wants the ball more.

The Magic are 3 1/2 point favorites.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Game review: Grizzlies (24-19) 99, Magic (29-16) 94


Memphis extended their home winning streak at 11 games, as they overcame a 16 point second quarter deficit to the Magic and held the Magic to just 15 fourth quarter points. All five Grizzlies' starters scored in double figures, led by Zach Randolph's 23 points, 19 rebounds. Dwight Howard led the Magic with 27 points, 15 rebounds, 6 blocks.

The game was close throughout the first quarter, as the Magic led going into the second quarter 23-22. The Magic went on a 21-6 run to start the second on their way to their largest lead of the game at 44-28. It didn't last long, though, as the Grizzlies went on a 24-6 run to take back the lead going into halftime at 52-50, thanks to Randolph's 60+ foot heave that went in at the halftime buzzer. The Magic were able to come back in the third quarter, and led by as much as 70-63, before the Grizzlies cut their deficit to 79-77 going into the fourth. The Magic's shooting slumped badly in the final quarter, as they made just 2 of their final 15 shots. The Magic's largest fourth quarter lead was 84-77 with just over ten minutes remaining. Their last lead was 94-92 with 1:51 remaining, as the Grizzlies scored the final 7 points of the game. The Magic missed their final 5 shots and committed a turnover.

Magic leading scorers

Dwight Howard: 27 points (9 of 14 FGs, 9 of 11 FTs), 15 rebounds, 6 blocks, 4 turnovers
Rashard Lewis: 19 points (6 of 16 FGs, 4 of 8 3 PT FGs), 5 rebounds
Vince Carter: 15 points (6 of 15 FGs, 1 of 6 3 PT FGs)
Jameer Nelson: 11 points (4 of 8 FGs), 6 turnovers
J.J. Redick (bench): 11 points (4 of 6 FGs, 3 of 4 3 PT FGs)

Overall Game Statistics

FG%: MEM 46.3% (38 of 82) ORL 42.3% (33 of 78)
3 PT FG%: MEM 50% (6 of 12) ORL 37.1% (13 of 35)
FT%: ORL 83.3% (15 of 18) MEM 65.4% (17 of 26)
REB: MEM 45 (14 offensive) ORL 37 (13 offensive)
AST/TO: ORL 21/19 MEM 18/20
BENCH: ORL 22 MEM 8

Other game notes and stats:

-In addition to Randolph, the Grizzlies' O.J. Mayo had 20 points; Marc Gasol 19 points, 8 rebounds; Rudy Gay 15 points; Mike Conley 14 points, 7 assists
-Four of the Grizzlies' starters played 40 or more minutes
-The Grizzlies' starters outscored the Magic starters 91-72
-The Magic's Matt Barnes went scoreless on 0 for 3 shooting, but did have 5 rebounds
-Jason Williams led the Magic with 4 assists off the bench; 5 other Magic players had 3 assists
-Redick and Williams scored 19 of the 22 bench points for the Magic, as Redick scored all 11 of his points in the first half and had to leave the game in the fourth quarter after a laceration to his head
-Mickael Pietrus, Ryan Anderson, and Marcin Gortat combined to shoot 1 of 9 for 3 points
-The Magic missed 10 of their last 11 3 point attempts
-The Magic now trail Atlanta by 1 1/2 games in the SE, and also lost a game in the conference standings to Boston and Cleveland

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

Monday, January 25, 2010

The week ahead for the Magic


The Orlando Magic begin this week at 29-15 (16-4 home, 13-11 road), tied for first in the SE with Atlanta (28-14), but trail the Hawks by mere percentage points, and are the fourth seed in the East. The Magic trail number two seed Boston (28-13) by 1/2 game, and number one seed Cleveland (34-11) by 4 1/2 games. Last season after 44 games, the Magic were 34-10.

The Magic are averaging 101.3 ppg (9th in the NBA) and are allowing 96.2 ppg (7th in the NBA).

The Magic play four games this coming week:

Monday, Jan. 25th: at Memphis (23-19, 16-5 home) Grizzlies are one of the more surprising teams in the NBA. Grizzlies are 7-3 in their last 10 games.

Thursday, Jan. 28th: Boston (28-13, 16-6 road) Celtics continue to have injury problems with key players. Celtics are 5-5 in their last 10 games.

Saturday, Jan. 30th: Atlanta (28-14, 10-9 road) Hawks will try to prove they can hang with the Magic after two big losses earlier to them. Hawks are 7-3 in their last 10 games.

Sunday, Jan. 31st: at Detroit (15-28, 11-11 home) The Magic's nemesis have had their struggles this season, due to injuries and inconsistency. Pistons are 4-6 in their last 10 games.

The Magic are coming off an impressive 3-1 week, their best week in over a month. They have 3 tough games this week, and everyone knows how tough the Pistons play the Magic, no matter how badly the Pistons may be playing.

The Magic would do well to finish 3-1 with this week's games.

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Game review: Magic (29-15) 106, Bobcats (21-21) 95 OT


The Magic, thanks to a nice defensive effort and good games from Jameer Nelson and Vince Carter, led by as many as 16 points in the third quarter over Charlotte before the Bobcats started clicking offensively in the fourth quarter and the Magic got cold, allowing the Bobcats to tie the game in the final seconds of regulation. However, the Bobcats expended so much energy in the fourth to get back in the game they had nothing left for the overtime, which was the Magic's first overtime game of the season. The Magic dominated, outscoring the Bobcats 14-3 in the OT to break the Bobcats' 9 game home winning streak.

The Magic led through most of the first quarter and had a 24-21 lead going into the second. The Magic extended their lead by as much as 37-28 in the second before settling for a 49-45 halftime lead. The Bobcats scored the first 2 points of the second half before the Magic went on a 20-6 run for their largest lead of the game at 69-53 and led 69-59 going into the fourth. The Magic led by 75-64 with under 9 minutes remaining when the Bobcats made their comeback and tied the game at 87 with 57 seconds remaining. A Nelson jumper and two Rashard Lewis free throws gave the Magic a 91-87 lead with 20 seconds remaining; however, a three pointer by Raymond Felton of the Bobcats, followed by Carter splitting two free throws, and a layup by Stephen Jackson with 1.2 seconds left sent the game into overtime, the Magic's first of the season. The Magic shot 5 of 7 in the OT, while the Bobcats were just 1 of 8 in a dominant performance by the Magic in the overtime.

Magic leading scorers

Jameer Nelson: 21 points (8 of 12 FGs, 3 of 3 3 PT FGs), 7 assists
Vince Carter: 21 points (8 of 16 FGs, 2 of 6 3 PT FGs), 5 rebounds
Rashard Lewis: 18 points (6 of 17 FGs, 4 of 13 3 PT FGs), 6 assists, 5 rebounds, 3 steals
Matt Barnes: 13 points (4 of 11 FGs), 6 rebounds
Dwight Howard: 10 points (4 of 11 FGs), 20 rebounds, 7 blocks, 6 turnovers

Overall Game Statistics

FG%: ORL 43.7% (38 of 87) CHA 39.8% (35 of 88)
3 PT FG%: ORL 35.9% (14 of 39) CHA 33.3% (9 of 27)
FT%: ORL 72.7% (16 of 22) CHA 72.7% (16 of 22)
REB: ORL 49 (8 offensive) CHA 46 (12 offensive)
AST/TO: ORL 22/12 CHA 17/13
BENCH: CHA 38 ORL 23

Other game notes and stats

-Four Bobcats scored in double figures, led by D.J. Augustin off the bench with 22 points, including 5 of 9 3 PT FGs
-The Bobcats' top season scorers, Stephen Jackson (15 points) and Gerald Wallace (9 points), were held to a combined 24 points on 8 of 29 shooting, including 1 of 7 3 PT FGs
-Wallace and Boris Diaw each grabbed 10 rebounds despite not scoring in double figures
-The Magic starting five outscored the Bobcats' starting five 83-57
-Other than center Nazr Mohammed, the other four starters for the Bobcats combined to shoot just 16 of 53 (30%)
-J.J. Redick led the Magic bench with 9 points on 3 of 5 FGs
-The Magic's Mickael Pietrus had 5 rebounds and 3 blocks off the bench in 18 minutes
-Nelson and Carter combined for 42 points on 16 of 28 FGs, including 5 of 9 3 PT FGs
-The Magic are now tied with Atlanta for first place in the SE

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

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Game night preview


ORLANDO MAGIC at CHARLOTTE BOBCATS
Time Warner Cable Arena
Charlotte, NC
Saturday, Jan. 23. 7:00 p.m.


The Orlando Magic (28-15, 12-11 road) finish their four-game week on Saturday when they travel to Charlotte (21-20, 18-4 home) to square off with the Bobcats at 7 p.m. ET. Orlando has won its past six contests against Charlotte, including its two meetings with the Bobcats this season. But both of their wins came well before the Bobcats started to hit their stride. Charlotte has won six of their last seven, including two consecutive blowouts of Western Conference powerhouses (Phoenix and San Antonio). “I just want the guys to be proud of what they've done and realize these are just small steps,” Bobcats Head Coach Larry Brown said of his team. “We dug ourselves such a huge hole at the beginning of the season. We've just got to continue to try to get better.” Part of the reason for Charlotte’s turnaround has to do with the addition of Stephen Jackson. They now find themselves in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race, holding down the fifth seed. “That's what I play this game for,” said Jackson, who is averaging over 20 points per game since the trade. “I just want to go out there and be a factor every night.”



Team Record Standings PF PA Road/Home Streak L10
Orlando 28-15 2nd Southeast / 4th East 101.2 96.2 Road 12-11 Won 2 4-6
Charlotte 21-20 4th Southeast / 6th East 94.2 92.5 Home 18-4 Lost 1 8-2

Here is the complete preview from Yahoo! Sports.

The Magic are 2 point favorites.

Friday, January 22, 2010

Game review: Magic (28-15) 100, Kings (15-27) 84


Thanks to a solid defensive effort from the Magic along with great free throw shooting and a whole slew of missed shots from Sacramento, the Magic broke the game wide-open in the second half, leading by as many as 32 points in the third quarter and cruised to victory as the Magic starters all sat out the fourth quarter. Dwight Howard finished with a double/double of 19 points, 15 rebounds.

The Kings scored the first 5 points of the game in a nip-and-tuck first quarter as the Magic led after one quarter 23-22. The Magic gradually extended their lead and led 48-32 at the half, thanks to awful 4 of 25 shooting from the Kings in the second quarter. The Magic put the game away in the third quarter, leading by as much as 77-45 near the end of the quarter and led 77-49 going into the fourth, as the starters went to the bench the rest of the game. The Kings scored 18 of the final 25 points of the game to make the final score somewhat more respectable.

Magic leading scorers

Dwight Howard: 19 points (4 of 7 FGs, 11 of 12 FTs), 15 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 blocks, 5 turnovers
Rashard Lewis: 15 points (5 of 13 FGs), 6 rebounds, 4 turnovers
J.J. Redick (bench): 15 points (4 of 7 FGs, 2 of 4 3 PT FGs)
Vince Carter: 11 points (4 of 7 FGs, 1 of 2 3 PT FGs)), 2 steals, 2 blocks

Overall Game Statistics

FG%: ORL 43.2% (32 of 74) SAC 33.3% (31 of 93)
3 PT FG%: SAC 33.3% (4 of 12) ORL 28% (7 of 25)
FT%: ORL 87.9% (29 of 33) SAC 66.7% (18 of 27)
REB: ORL 51 (8 offensive) SAC 48 (16 offensive)
AST/TO: ORL 19/23 SAC 17/17
BENCH: ORL 45 SAC 39

Other game notes and stats:

-The Kings had just two players in double figures, led by rookie Tyreke Evans with 19 points and Jason Thompson with a double/double of 10 points, 10 rebounds
-Other than Evans, the other four Kings' starters combined for just 26 points on 8 of 31 shooting
-The Kings only made 11 of their first 50 shots
-Magic starting frontline outscored the Kings' starting frontline 37-21
-Jameer Nelson led the Magic with 7 assists
-The Magic blocked 12 Kings' shots, led by Marcin Gortat with 4 blocks
-All 12 Magic players played, and only Anthony Johnson did not score
-The Magic allowed the Kings only 27 points combined in the second and third quarters
-The Magic continue to trail Atlanta by 1/2 game in the SE

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

Game night preview


ORLANDO MAGIC vs SACRAMENTO KINGS
Amway Arena
Orlando FL
Friday, Jan. 22. 7:00 p.m.


The Magic (27-15, 15-4 home) close out their brief homestand on Friday when they battle the Sacramento Kings (15-26, 3-17 road) at 7 p.m. ET. In their only meeting with the Kings this season, Orlando throttled Sacramento, 109-88. Magic All-Star center Dwight Howard delivered a spectacular performance, posting 30 points, 16 rebounds, five assists, three steals and three blocked shots. “We couldn't stop Dwight Howard,” Kings Head Coach Paul Westphal said following that game. “If we doubled him, he found the open man. If we didn't double him, he scored himself.” The Magic were also boosted by a tremendous defensive performance in the fourth quarter of that affair. Orlando used an 18-4 run to open the fourth and held Sacramento to just one field goal over the first 7:14 of the quarter. “The only way that we are going to get better is if we play defensively like we did (that night),” Howard said. “I think we came out with a great defensive effort as a team.”

Team Record Standings PF PA Road/Home Streak L10
Sacramento 15-26 4th Pacific / 13th West 102.3 105.3 Road 3-17 Lost 5 1-9
Orlando 27-15 2nd Southeast / 4th East 101.2 96.5 Home 15-4 Won 1 3-7

Here is the complete preview from Yahoo! Sports.

The Magic are 10 point favorites.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Game review: Magic (27-15) 109, Pacers (14-28) 98


The Magic began the second half of the season on a successful note, as they led from start to finish and led by as many as 29 points in the second quarter. The Magic faltered in the second half, letting the Pacers get as close as 8 points midway through the fourth quarter before the final margin. Dwight Howard set a season-high with 32 points, tied a career-high in free throw attempts with 24, and made his second-most free throws in a game with 16. Matt Barnes set a career-high with 16 rebounds.

The Magic got off to a blistering start as they scored 40 first quarter points to lead after one quarter 40-20. The Magic led by as much as 59-30 in the second quarter before settling for a comfortable 68-46 halftime lead on 60% shooting, including 9 of 13 on threes. The Magic led by as much as 92-65 late in the third quarter, and settled for a seemingly safe 94-74 lead after three. The Pacers put a scare into the Magic in the fourth, as they outscored them 14-2 to begin the quarter to pull within 96-88 midway through, but did not get any closer.

Magic leading scorers

Dwight Howard: 32 points (8 of 13 FGs, 16 of 24 FTs), 11 rebounds, 4 steals, 6 turnovers
Rashard Lewis: 18 points (7 of 16 FGs), 7 rebounds
Jason Williams (bench): 14 points (6 of 11 FGs), 9 assists
Matt Barnes: 10 points (4 of 6 FGs), 16 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals

Overall Game Statistics

FG%: ORL 49.3% (37 of 75) IND 44.7% (34 of 76)
3 PT FG%: ORL 38.5% (10 of 26) IND 25% (6 of 24)
FT%: IND 72.7% (24 of 33) ORL 67.6% (25 of 37)
REB: ORL 50 (12 offensive) IND 35 (7 offensive)
AST/TO: ORL 25/21 IND 13/19
BENCH: IND 38 ORL 36

Other game notes and stats:

-Five Pacers scored in double figures, led by Danny Granger with 25 points; Troy Murphy had a double/double of 17 points, 10 rebounds; Dahntay Jones scored 17 points off the Pacers' bench
-Pacers' center Roy Hibbert, who scored 26 points the last time the two teams played, was held to 3 points on 3 free throws
-The Magic shot just 1 of 13 on threes in the second half after making 9 of 13 in the first half
-In a 7:40 span of the third and fourth quarter, the Pacers outscored the Magic 23-4
-The Magic's Vince Carter continues to struggle shooting-wise, as he made just 2 of 8 FGs for 6 points in 25 minutes, but he did have 5 assists
-Carter and Jameer Nelson combined to score just 13 points on 5 of 16 shooting
-The Magic bench combined for 36 points on just 24 shots along with 13 assists and 12 rebounds
-The Magic starting frontline outrebounded the Pacers' starting frontline 34-19
-All 11 players who played for the Magic scored; only Anthony Johnson did not play
-The Magic remain 1/2 game behind Atlanta in the SE

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

Game night preview



MAGIC vs INDIANA PACERS
Wednesday, Jan. 20. 7:00 p.m.
Amway Arena
Orlando, FL

After finishing out their four-game West Coast trip, the Magic (26-15, 14-4 home) return home to face the Indiana Pacers (14-27, 4-17 road) on Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET. Orlando is 1-1 against Indiana this season and in each of their matchups the home team has emerged the victor courtesy of a huge performance from their respective center. Magic center Dwight Howard and Pacers big man Roy Hibbert have each had their shining moments against one another this season. In Orlando’s first meeting with Indiana, Howard erupted for 21 points and 23 rebounds to lift the Magic to a 106-98 victory. In the second matchup, Hibbert helped get Howard into early foul trouble and then took advantage by exploding for a career-high 26 points to go along with eight rebounds in the Pacers’ 97-90 triumph on January 5. “I’m proud to see him mature into the player he is,” Howard said of Hibbert. “I’m very happy for him.”




Team Record Standings PF PA Road/Home Streak L10
Indiana 14-27 5th Central / 13th East 98.9 104.3 Road 4-17 Lost 2 5-5
Orlando 26-15 2nd Southeast / 4th East 101.0 96.5 Home 14-4 Lost 3 3-7

Here is the complete preview from Yahoo! Sports.

Also check out this article from Kelly Dwyer of Yahoo's Ball Don't Lie and get his thoughts on the current state of the Magic.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Game review: Lakers (32-9) 98, Magic (26-15) 92


In a game that featured big runs from both teams, the Magic were unable to hold onto a 9 point lead late in the third quarter, as Los Angeles scored the first 15 points of the fourth quarter to retake the lead for good. The Magic were unable to take advantage of a poor shooting game from the Lakers' Kobe Bryant, who shot 4 of 19 for 11 points. However, the Lakers' bench picked up the slack, scoring 42 points, led by a career-high 22 points from Shannon Brown.

The Lakers started out fast, getting out to a 21-8 lead, before settling for a 33-25 lead after one quarter. The Magic slowly got back into the game in the second quarter, cutting the Lakers' lead to 52-47 at the half. Dwight Howard had an outstanding first half for the Magic, scoring 18 points on 9 of 12 shooting. The Lakers scored the first 4 points of the third quarter, before the Magic went on a stunning 20-2 run over the next 7 minutes to take a 67-58 lead with just over 3 minutes remaining in the quarter, and led after three 68-64. The Lakers scored the first 15 points of the fourth quarter to complete a 21-1 run of their own to go ahead 79-68. The Magic did not score their first point of the final quarter until 6:38 remained. The closest the Magic could get after that was 96-92 with 23 seconds remaining thanks to some late threes before the Lakers made free throws to close the scoring.

Magic leading scorers

Dwight Howard: 24 points (10 of 14 FGs), 12 rebounds, 3 blocks
Rashard Lewis: 18 points (6 of 11 FGs, 3 of 7 3 PT FGs), 5 rebounds
Jameer Nelson: 13 points (6 of 14 FGs), 8 assists
Matt Barnes: 13 points (5 of 11 FGs), 7 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 blocks

Overall Game Statistics

FG%: ORL 43.9% (36 of 82) LAL 42.7% (38 of 89)
3 PT FG%: ORL 33.3% (11 of 33) LAL 33.3% (6 of 18)
FT%: LAL 72.7% (16 of 22) ORL 60% (9 of 15)
REB: LAL 44 (10 offensive) ORL 44 (9 offensive)
AST/TO: ORL 23/13 LAL 19/7
BENCH: LAL 42 ORL 15

Other game notes and stats:

-The Lakers had 5 other players in double figures in addition to Brown's career-high 22 points; Pau Gasol had a double/double of 17 points, 10 rebounds
-The Lakers' Lamar Odom grabbed 16 rebounds off the bench, while the entire Magic bench had 12 rebounds
-Bryant had a team-high 7 assists
-The Magic's Vince Carter's struggles continued, as he scored 9 points on 3 of 11 shooting in 29 minutes
-Ryan Anderson led the Magic bench with 6 points on 2 three pointers
-The Magic bench shot a combined 6 of 21 for the 15 points
-The Magic shot 15 of 41 from the field in the second half
-During the Lakers' 21-1 run in the second half, the Magic shot 0 for 10 from the field and committed 6 turnovers during that span
-The Magic close out the first half of the season at 26-15, in second place in the SE 1/2 game behind Atlanta, and 4th seed in the East

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

Monday, January 18, 2010

Game night preview


ORLANDO MAGIC at L.A. LAKERS
Monday, Jan. 18. 10:30 p.m. TNT
STAPLES Center
Los Angeles, CA

The Orlando Magic (26-14, 12-10 road) will attempt to get back on track Monday when they engage in a highly anticipated Finals rematch with the Los Angeles Lakers (31-9, 22-3 home) in front of a national audience at 10:30 p.m. ET. After sweeping their regular season series with Los Angeles, the Magic dropped their Finals series with the Lakers, 4-1, last year. “It’s hard to say that we’ve gotten over losing to the Lakers, I know I haven’t,” Magic All-Star center Dwight Howard explained. “People don’t understand how I felt playing in the NBA Finals because that was a life-long dream. But then you get so close and lose and it’s like losing something in your life that you cherish the most.” All-Star point guard Jameer Nelson knows there’s only one way to get the bad taste of losing The Finals out of Orlando’s mouth. “I don’t know if you ever get over losing in The Finals until you win a championship,” Nelson said. While the nation will be focused on the rematch, Magic Head Coach Stan Van Gundy is worried about other things. He’s focused on righting the ship for an Orlando team that’s won just two of its past eight games. “It hasn’t been perfect, but our guys are making a good effort to do more of the things that we want,” Van Gundy said. “The Lakers are not even the big issue. It’s about us getting ourselves right... if we make a better effort and do things better, we have a chance to get better.”


Team Record Standings PF PA Road/Home Streak L10
Orlando 26-14 2nd Southeast / 3rd East 101.2 96.5 Road 12-10 Lost 2 4-6
Los Angeles 31-9 1st Pacific / 1st West 103.6 96.6 Home 22-3 Won 2 7-3

Here is the complete game preview from Yahoo! Sports.

The Lakers are 6 point favorites.


Sunday, January 17, 2010

The week ahead for the Magic


The Orlando Magic begin the week in their worst slump in the Stan Van Gundy era, as the Magic have lost 2 games in a row, 6 of their last 8 games, and 10 of their last 19 games to drop out of their season-long hold on first place in the SE division. The Magic, 26-14 (14-4 home, 12-10 road), are now in second place, a half game behind Atlanta in the SE. The Magic are now the number four seed in the East, trailing the Hawks, Boston, and number one seed Cleveland. The Magic average 101.2 ppg, while allowing 96.5 ppg.

After 40 games last season, the Magic were one of the top teams in the NBA at 32-8.

The Magic have four games on tap this week:

Mon. January 18th: at LA Lakers (31-9, 22-3 home) The Magic hope to end their 4 game road trip with a win to finish 2-2 in a rematch of last season's NBA Finals; Lakers are in first in the Pacific with the best record in the NBA and are 7-3 in their last 10

Wed. January 20th: Indiana (14-26, 4-16 road) Magic will look for revenge after losing to the Pacers two weeks ago in Indiana, but the Pacers have injured Danny Granger back; Pacers are last in the Central and are 5-5 their last 10 games

Fri. January 22nd: Sacramento (15-24, 3-15 road) Magic beat the Kings to start out their current road trip, but the Kings have injured Kevin Martin back; Kings are 4th in the Pacific and are 2-8 their last 10 games

Sat. January 23rd: at Charlotte (19-19, 16-4 home) The surprising Bobcats have one of the best home records in the league; Bobcats are 4th in the SE and are 8-2 their last 10 games

The Magic figure to finish 2-2 this week, as they have two very tough road games but two winnable home games; however, the Magic have looked awful offensively and defensively their last two losses, and if they can't give a better effort, then they could go 0-4. Conversely, if the Magic turn it around and can play like they're capable of, they could go 4-0.

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Game review: TrailBlazers (25-16) 102, Magic (26-14) 87


The absence of Portland star Brandon Roy, along several other Blazers' injuries, and the return of Vince Carter to the Magic starting lineup, did nothing to help the Magic Friday night. Portland, led by Martell Webster's 24 points, led from start to finish, leading by as many as 23 points, as the Magic fell from first place in the SE with Atlanta taking over the top spot in the division.

After the Magic tied the game 8-8 early, it was all downhill from that point on for the Magic. The Blazers led 24-14 after one and outscored the Magic 21-6 to end the half as their lead swelled to 52-32. The Magic scored 10 of the first 12 points of the third quarter to try and get back in the game, but the Blazers took back momentum and eventually led 74-51 before settling for a 77-59 lead after three. The Blazers maintained their lead throughout the fourth, leading by 21 points with under 5 minutes left and cruised to the final score.

Magic leading scorers

Jameer Nelson: 15 points (7 of 11 FGs), 3 assists
Rashard Lewis: 15 points (7 of 13 FGs, 5 rebounds
Dwight Howard: 11 points (4 of 7 FGs, 11 rebounds, 2 blocks
J.J. Redick (bench): 10 points (4 of 8 FGs)

Overall Game Statistics:

FG%: ORL 47.9% (35 of 73) POR 47.1% (41 of 87)
3 PT FG%: POR 52.4% (11 of 21) ORL 23.3% (7 of 30)
FT%: POR 90% (9 of 10) ORL 50% (10 of 20)
REB: POR 42 (8 offensive) ORLK 38 (6 offensive)
AST/TO: POR 23/9 ORL 17/12
BENCH: POR 36 ORL 33

Other game notes and stats:

-In addition to Webster's 24 points, four other Blazers scored in double figures, as Andre Miller finished with 19 points, LaMarcus Aldridge had 14 points along with 14 rebounds, and Steve Blake came off the bench to score 18 points
-Carter scored 5 points in his return to the Magic lineup on 1 of 7 FGs (1 of 6 3 PT FGs)
-The Blazers' starting frontline (Webster, Aldridge, Howard) outscored the Magic starting frontline (Barnes, Lewis, Howard) 46-34 and outrebounded them 29-23
-Even though the Magic had a better shooting percentage than the Blazers, the Blazers outscored the Magic from the floor 93-77 thanks to their superior 3 point shooting
-Jason Williams had 4 assists to lead the Magic, while Andre Miller had 9 assists to lead the Blazers
-Webster, Miller, and Blake combined for 61 Blazers' points on 23 of 40 shooting
-The Magic's Howard has scored 18 points in his last 2 games on 5 of 14 FGs
-The Magic scored 32 first half points on 13 of 36 FGs, including 2 of 17 on threes
-The Magic shot 28 of 43 on two point FGs
-Williams and Matt Barnes shot 3 of 6 from three point range; the rest of the Magic shot 4 of 24 from long range
-Brandon Bass and Anthony Johnson did not play for the Magic

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

Friday, January 15, 2010

Game night preview


ORLANDO MAGIC at PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS

Friday, Jan. 15. 10:30 p.m. ESPN
Rose Garden
Portland, OR


The Magic (26-12, 12-9 road) continue their challenging West Coast road trip when they face another conference juggernaut, the Portland Trail Blazers (24-16, 15-7 home), on Friday at 10:30 p.m. ET on national TV on ESPN. Brandon Roy (who is questionable for the game with a sore hamstring), an All-Star last season and one of the NBA’s premier scoring guards, erupted for a game-high 33 points in Orlando against the Magic. The Blazers, however, didn’t have an answer for Dwight Howard late as the Magic coasted to a 92-83 triumph. D-12 racked up an impressive 20 rebounds and four blocked shots, while Rashard Lewis and Jason Williams combined for 28 points. Besides hoping to climb in the Eastern Conference standings, Orlando would love a victory in Portland to elevate its confidence before traveling to L.A. for a rematch with the defending champion Lakers on Monday.






Team Record Standings PF PA Road/Home Streak L10
Orlando 26-13 1st Southeast / 3rd East 101.6 96.3 Road 12-9 Lost 1 4-6
Portland 24-16 2nd Northwest / 6th West 97.7 94.4 Home 15-7 Won 1
6-4

Here is the complete preview from Yahoo! Sports.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Game review: Nuggets (25-14) 115, Magic (26-13) 97


The Magic played well for a half, taking a 3 point halftime lead over Denver, before running out of gas in the second game of back-to-backs and in the high altitude of Denver as the Nuggets, led by Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups, jumped on the Magic quickly in the second half and didn't let up.

The Magic led for most of the first quarter, and led by as many as 6 points before settling for a tie at 25 after one. The Magic led again for a majority of the second quarter and went into halftime with a 53-50 lead. The Nuggets scored the first 12 points of the third quarter, and never trailed after that. The closest the Magic would get was 72-63 before the Nuggets went ahead by as many as 16 points before settling for a 85-72 lead after three quarters. The Nuggets went ahead by 20 points with just over 9 minutes remaining in the fourth, and had their largest lead of 108-80 with under 5 minutes remaining. The Magic made 4 three pointers in the final minutes to cut their final deficit to 18 points.

Magic leading scorers

Matt Barnes: 28 points (11 of 18 FGs, 3 of 5 3 PT FGs), 9 rebounds, 3 steals
J.J. Redick: 13 points (2 of 9 FGs)
Mickael Pietrus (bench): 12 points (5 of 10 FGs), 2 steals

Overall Game Statistics

FG%: DEN 55.6% (43 of 77) ORL 43.6% (34 of 78)
3 PT FG%: DEN 47.6% (10 of 21) ORL 38.7% (12 of 31)
FT%: ORL 73.9% (17 of 23) DEN 73.1% (19 of 26)
REB: ORL 36 (10 offensive) DEN 36 (4 offensive)
AST/TO: DEN 28/14 ORL 20/19
BENCH: ORL 34 DEN 26

Other game notes and stats:

-The Nuggets had 6 players in double figures, led by Carmelo Anthony with 27 points and Chauncey Billups with 24 points; Kenyon Martin had a double/double of 11 points, 10 rebounds
-The Nuggets outscored the Magic 58-27 in the second half until under 5 minutes remained in the game
-The Nuggets' starters outscored the Magic starters 89-63
-Anthony Carter led the Nuggets with 6 assists in 20 minutes
-Magic C Dwight Howard was held to 8 points on 1 of 7 shooting along with 5 turnovers, but grabbed 13 rebounds and had 3 blocks
-Jameer Nelson scored 8 points, all in the first 5 1/2 minutes of the game
-Howard, Nelson, and Rashard Lewis combined to score 22 points on 7 of 23 shooting
-Vince Carter remains day-to-day with his sprained shoulder
-Jason Williams led the Magic with 4 assists, but had 5 turnovers
-Only Adonal Foyle did not see any action for the Magic
-The Magic's lead in the SE over Atlanta is down to 1/2 game

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

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Game night preview


ORLANDO MAGIC at DENVER NUGGETS
Wednesday, Jan. 13. 9:00 p.m. Pepsi Center, Denver, CO

The Magic (26-12, 12-8 road) travel to Denver (24-14, 16-3) on Wednesday to clash with one of this season’s Western Conference powers, the Nuggets, at 9 p.m. ET. Although recent injuries to both Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups have slightly diminished their offensive firepower, the Nuggets remain among the best in the league. Once completely healthy, Denver expects to be a serious challenger to the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers in the West. Orlando, furthermore, has plenty in common with its opponent from the Mile High City. Both teams feature supreme centers in Dwight Howard and Nene. These two forces will attempt to slow down one another, while other key standouts such as the Magic’s Rashard Lewis and the Nuggets’ Kenyon Martin will try to steal the spotlight offensively. Perhaps most significant in this highly-anticipated matchup, the Magic and Nuggets embrace two of the NBA’s best benches. On one hand, reserves such as Mickael Pietrus, Ryan Anderson and Jason Williams have provided a colossal boost for Orlando. On the other hand, J.R. Smith and rookie sensation Ty Lawson have delivered frequent big performances for Denver. Last season, these two championship contenders advanced far into the postseason. Orlando competed in the NBA Finals, while Denver qualified for the Western Conference Finals.


Team Record Standings PF PA Road/Home Streak L10
Orlando 26-12 1st Southeast / 3rd East 101.7 95.8 Road 12-8 Won 2 5-5
Denver 24-14 1st Northwest / 4th West 106.8 101.9 Home 16-3 Won 1 5-5

Here is the complete preview from Yahoo! Sports.

The Nuggets are 5 1/2 point favorites.




Game review: Magic (26-12) 109, Kings (15-22) 88


In a very close game through three quarters, Sacramento held a 2 point lead entering the fourth over the Magic, before the Magic, led by a dominant game from Dwight Howard, totally overwhelmed the Kings in the fourth quarter, outscoring them 33-10 on their way to victory to open their 4 game road trip.

The Magic led by as much as 5 in the opening quarter, but settled for a 24-24 tie after one. The Kings led by as much as 9 points in the second quarter, but the Magic came back to cut their deficit to 55-51 at halftime. The Kings maintained a lead through most of the third quarter, leading by as much as 8 points before the Magic cut it to 78-76 entering the fourth. The Magic dominated offensively and defensively in the final quarter, as they held the Kings to just 4 of 21 shooting and made 12 of 18 field goals to pull away for the impressive victory.

Magic leading scorers

Dwight Howard: 30 points (9 of 15 FGs, 12 of 17 FTs), 16 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 blocks, 3 steals
Mickael Pietrus (bench): 18 points (7 of 11 FGs), 10 rebounds
Jason Williams (bench): 12 points (6 of 11 FGs), 6 assists
Ryan Anderson (bench): 12 points (4 of 5 FGs, 2 of 3 3 PT FGs), 5 rebounds
Jameer Nelson: 10 points (4 of 10 FGs), 3 assists
Matt Barnes: 10 points (4 of 7 FGs), 7 rebounds, 2 steals

Overall Game Statistics

FG%: ORL 50.6% (39 of 77) SAC 34.9% (30 of 86)
3 PT FG%: ORL 29.6% (8 of 27) SAC 29.6% (8 of 27)
FT%: ORL 82.1% (23 of 28) SAC 80% (20 of 25)
REB: ORL 50 (9 offensive) SAC 41 (12 offensive)
AST/TO: ORL 20/12 SAC 15/12
BENCH: ORL 44, SAC 42

Other game stats and notes:

-The Kings had 3 players in double figures, led by Tyreke Evans with 18 points and a double/double by Omri Casspi with 11 points and 11 rebounds
-The Magic starting frontline (Barnes, Lewis, Howard) outscored the Kings' starting frontline (Casspi, Greene, Thompson) 47-24 and outrebounded them 25-19
-The Kings' starters combined for just 46 points on 16 of 53 shooting
-The Magic bench combined to shoot 18 of 28 from the field
-The Magic's J.J. Redick was 0 for 6 on three pointers, but had just one turnover in 38 minutes starting in place of Vince Carter, who is day-to-day with his sprained shoulder
-Redick and Rashard Lewis combined for 15 points on 4 of 17 shooting, including 1 for 10 on threes
-Howard's 30 points was a season high
-Brandon Bass, Anthony Johnson, and Adonal Foyle did not see action for the Magic

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

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Game night preview


ORLANDO MAGIC at SACRAMENTO KINGS
Tuesday, Jan. 12. 10:00 p.m.
ARCO Arena
Sacramento, CA

The Orlando Magic (25-12, 11-8 road) open up a four-game West Coast trip on Tuesday when they visit the Sacramento Kings (15-21, 12-8) at 10 p.m. ET. It was during a four-game West Coast swing last season – facing three of the same four opponents – that the Magic players say they came together and really gelled as a team. They hope that this trip has a similar effect. “You never know what’s going to spur you,” Magic Head Coach Stan Van Gundy explained. “But I do know that it’s going to be a very tough trip.” Orlando has won three straight contests against Sacramento, including an impressive 139-107 triumph at ARCO Arena last season. During that affair, the Magic set an NBA record for most 3-pointers in a game with 23. However, the Kings – as well as the Magic for that matter – feature a dramatically different squad this season. Sacramento is now led by a pair of rookies, point guard Tyreke Evans and forward Omri Casspi – both of which are in the top three of NBA.com’s latest rookie rankings. Evans has proven that he can be a solid floor general as well as a clutch scorer, demonstrated by his game-winning shot with 0.7 seconds left against this Nuggets this past Saturday. His averages of 20.7 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game are among the tops for all rookie point guards. Casspi is also starting to blossom. The 6-9 Israeli native has scored at least 16 points in five out of his last six games. The Magic will have to be diligent on the defensive end if they hope to start off this West Coast trip with their second straight victory.

Team Record Standings PF PA Road/Home Streak L10
Orlando 25-12 1st Southeast / 3rd East 101.5 96.0 Road 11-8 Won 1 5-5
Sacramento 15-21 4th Pacific / 13th West 103.8 105.6 Home 12-8 Won 1 3-7

Here is the complete game preview from Yahoo! Sports.

Monday, January 11, 2010

The week ahead for the Magic, and speculation about Vince Carter becoming a reserve


The Orlando Magic begin the week in first place in the SE division at 25-12 (14-4 home, 11-8 road), 1 1/2 games ahead of second place Atlanta. The Magic are currently the third seed in the East, 2 games behind second seed Boston and 3 games behind top seed Cleveland. Last season after 37 games, the Magic were 29-8.

The Magic play 6 of their next 8 games on the road, and begin a 4 game game road trip this week with 3 games:

Tuesday, Jan. 12th: at Sacramento (15-21, 12-8 home, 4th Pacific) Last season, the Magic set the NBA record for most three pointers in a game here; Kings are 3-7 in their last 10 games.

Wednesday, Jan. 13th: at Denver (23-14, 15-3 home, 1st Northwest) Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups have missed games recently; Nuggets are 4-6 in their last 10 games.

Friday, Jan. 15th: at Portland (23-16, 14-7 home, 2nd Northwest) Blazers are besieged by injuries, missing Greg Oden, Rudy Fernandez, Joel Przybilla, and Travis Outlaw, but are 6-4 in their last 10 games.

The Magic are coming off one of their best games of the year with a resounding win against Atlanta to break their 4 game losing streak. Hopefully, it carries over to this challenging road trip. The Magic would do well to win 2 of 3 this week.

Former Orlando Sentinel writer Tim Povtak, now a columnist and writer for NBA Fanhouse, wrote a column this weekend suggesting the Magic may be better off having Vince Carter come off the bench when he returns from his shoulder injury and leave J.J. Redick as the starting shooting guard.

Here are some excerpts from Povtak's column:

Van Gundy was lamenting the inability of his four best players – All-Stars Carter, Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis and Jameer Nelson – to play well together this season.

They have won just five of the 10 games they started together, which prompted the possible change-of-lineup discussion. They played the first 10 games without Lewis (suspension). They played 16 without Nelson (knee). And they played Saturday without Carter. They are 20-7 in those games.

"We have been quite a bit better this season when we've had at least one of those four guys out, '' Van Gundy said. "We just have not been very good with them – not nearly as good as we've played the rest of the games. I don't know if that's something where we need to get some more complementary players in there with them.''

"It (a lineup switch) is something you may have to look at, what some of the other guys bring a little bit better in terms of balance, guys who don't need plays called for them,'' Van Gundy said. "Part of it is guys in their roles and how they play. Instead of four guys who see themselves as scorers, you would get three and a couple guys who do other things.''

Carter becomes the most likely choice for a role change among the four. Howard is the best center in the league. Nelson is the co-captain and floor leader. Lewis is in the midst of a $118 million contract, and still in his prime. Carter is no longer among the best at his position and moving into the twilight of his career.

Here is the complete column from Tim Povtak.

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Game review: Magic (25-12) 113, Hawks (23-13) 81


Many Orlando Magic fans were probably expecting the worst from the Magic Saturday night after the Magic looked abysmal in losing 4 games in a row to sub-.500 teams. Instead, the Magic played maybe their best game of the season against a quality Atlanta team, leading by as many as 38 points on their way to the 32 point victory, solidifying their hold on first place over the Hawks in the SE.

The first 8 minutes of the game were actually very close, with the lead going back and forth between the two teams. The Hawks' last lead of the game was 15-14 with under 4 1/2 minutes remaining in the first. The Magic went on a 15-6 run to lead 29-21 going into the second quarter. With the Magic leading 33-24 early in the second, they broke the game wide open, outscoring the Hawks 33-13 the rest of the quarter to lead 66-37 at halftime. The Magic extended their lead to as much as 38 points at 87-49 in the third before settling for a 91-59 lead after three. The closest the Hawks would come in the final quarter was 26 points before the resounding 32 point Magic victory.

Magic leading scorers

Matt Barnes: 18 points (8 of 11 FGs), 7 rebounds
J.J. Redick: 17 points (7 of 12 FGs, 3 of 6 3 PT FGs)
Ryan Anderson: 16 points (5 of 10 FGs), 5 rebounds
Jason Williams: 14 points (6 of 9 FGs, 2 of 4 3 PT FGs), 6 assists
Rashard Lewis: 13 points (4 of 8 FGs)
Dwught Howard: 12 points (4 of 8 FGs), 7 rebounds, 3 blocks
Mickael Pietrus: 11 points (4 of 11 FGs), 6 rebolunds, 4 steals

Overall Game Statistics

FG%: ORL 52.4% (43 of 82) ATL 39.7% (31 of 78)
3 PT FG%: ORL 42.9% (12 of 28) ATL 23.5% (4 of 17)
FT%: ORL 75% (15 of 20) ATL 60% (15 of 25)
REB: ORL 45 (11 offensive) ATL 35 (9 offensive)
AST/TO: ORL 15/12 ATL 12/16
BENCH: ORL 46 ATL 33

Other game notes and stats:

-J.J. Redick started in place of the injured Vince Carter, nursing a sprained left shoulder
-The Hawks had 4 players in double figures, led by Al Horford's 14 points
-The Magic outscored the Hawks from the field 98-66
-Magic backup C Marcin Gortat grabbed 12 rebounds and blocked 4 shots in addition to scoring 5 points in 25 minutes off the bench
-Redick was the only starter to play more than 26 minutes, as he logged 37 minutes of playing time
-Jameer Nelson was the only Magic starter not to score in double figures, scoring 7 points along with 4 rebounds and 2 assists
-The Hawks' starting guards (Bibby and Johnson) combined to score just 12 points on 3 of 14 shooting
-The Hawks' bench combined to shoot 12 of 36 (33%)
-After missing their first two shots of the second quarter, the Magic made 17 of their remaining 24 shots of the half (71%)
-From the 5:32 mark of the third quarter to the 1:32 mark of the fourth quarter (16 minutes), the Magic made just 4 of 24 field goals, but the Hawks could only get as close as 26 points.
-Brandon Bass, Anthony Johnson, and Adonal Foyle did not see action for the Magic

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

Saturday, January 09, 2010

Game night preview


ORLANDO MAGIC vs. ATLANTA HAWKS
Saturday, Jan. 9. 7:00 p.m.
Amway Center
Orlando, FL

The Magic (24-12, 13-4 home) close out their four-game week on Saturday when they host the Southeast Division rival Atlanta Hawks (23-12, 9-8 road) at 7 p.m. ET. After a red-hot 11-3 start to the season, the Hawks are just 12-9 since dropping a Thanksgiving Day decision to the Magic on November 26. Following a sub-par showing in the first half of that contest, Orlando went on to outscore Atlanta 54-25 after halftime as it marched to a 93-76 road victory. Dwight Howard and Anthony Johnson played huge roles in that triumph, combining for 39 points, 31 of which came in the second half. "I came out in the second half and just trusted my teammates," Howard said following that game. "They made some open shots and I tried to dominate the paint. It doesn't matter if we're down 20, we're going to continue to fight." The Magic will need a similar effort from their superstar center on Saturday if they want to extend their current half game lead over the Hawks in the Southeast Division.

Here is the complete preview from Yahoo! Sports.

The Magic are 3 1/2 point favorites.

Game review: Wizards (12-22) 104, Magic (24-12) 97


The Magic were trying to put a stop to their to their recent bad stretch of losses, and it looked like they would do so when they led by 10 points over a reeling Washington team, without suspended Gilbert Arenas, with just over 10 minutes remaining in the game. However, the Magic totally unraveled offensively and defensively from that point on, as they lost their 4th game in a row and 5th game of their last 7. SG Vince Carter sprained his left shoulder in the second quarter and did not return.

In a reversal of their recent losses, the Magic played well in the first half, and played awful in the second half. The game was tied at 29 after one quarter and the Magic led by as much as 11 points in the second quarter and settled for a 56-51 lead at the half. The Wizards came back to tie the game in the third quarter at 65, but the Magic went on a 12-1 run to take back control of the game 77-65, and led 77-71 after three quarters. The Magic scored the first 4 points of the fourth quarter before their stunning collapse, as the Wizards went on a 23-5 run over the next 7:21 to take command of the game 94-86 with 3:18 remaining. The Magic could get no closer than 96-91 on their way to the loss.

Magic leading scorers

Dwight Howard: 23 points (9 of 13 FGs, 5 of 12 FTs), 11 rebounds, 2 steals, 3 turnovers
Mickael Pietrus (bench): 14 points (6 of 14 FGs), 5 rebounds
J.J. Redick (bench): 14 points (4 of 12 FGs, 3 of 8 3 PT FGs)
Jason Williams (bench): 10 points (4 of 8 FGs)

Overall Game Statistics

FG%: ORL 42.9% (36 of 84) WAS 42.5% (34 of 80)
3 PT FG%: WAS 40% (6 of 15) ORL 25.9% (7 of 27)
FT%: WAS 88.2% (30 of 34) ORL 60% (18 of 30)
REB: WAS 55 (15 offensive) ORL 41 (13 offensive)
AST/TO: WAS 17/16 ORL 15/12
BENCH: ORL 45 WAS 9

Other game notes and stats:

-Three Wizards scored 20 or more points, led by Antawn Jamison with 28 points, 11 rebounds; Caron Butler with 23 points, and Randy Foye with 20 points
-Wizards' C Brendan Haywood added a double/double with 18 points, 15 rebounds
-The Wizards' starters outscored the Magic starters 95-52
-Jameer Nelson, Carter, Rashard Lewis, and Matt Barnes, 4 of the Magic starters, combined for 29 points
-Nelson and Lewis combined to shoot 6 of 24 for 14 points
-The Magic starters combined to shoot 1 of 10 on three pointers
-For a 9 1/2 minute stretch in the fourth quarter, the Magic shot just 3 of 17 from the field during that span
-The Magic were outrebounded 20-11 in the fourth quarter
-Nelson and Lewis combined to shoot 6 of 24 from the field for 14 points
-The Magic bench shot 11 for 18 for 30 points in the first half, but just 6 for 21 for 15 second half points
-Nelson led the Magic with 5 assists
-Former Magic draftee Mike Miller and Randy Foye each had 6 assists for the Wizards

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

Friday, January 08, 2010

Game night preview


ORLANDO MAGIC at WASHINGTON WIZARDS
Friday, Jan. 8. 7:00 p.m.
Verizon Center
Washington, DC

The Magic (24-11, 11-7 road) continue their arduous stretch of four games in five days on Friday when they visit the Washington Wizards (10-22, 5-9 home) at 7p.m. ET for the first time this season. Orlando swept its season series with Washington last season, 4-0. The Wizards have had to deal with their share of adversity already this season, ranging from off-the-court distractions to injuries, and as a result have already used 12 different starting lineups. "It's tough, but you just have to stay ready," Wizards guard Randy Foye said to the media on Monday. "You just have to keep working hard and be ready when your number is called." Caron Butler, who struggled at the start of the season to adjust to Wizards Head Coach Flip Saunders' offensive system, believes they're about to turn the corner. "I've finally gotten a rhythm in this offense," Butler recently told the Washington Post. "Things are starting to turn a corner. Hopefully, it continues to do that because we're right there.

Team Record Standings PF PA Road/Home Streak L10
Orlando 24-11 1st Southeast / 3rd East 101.3 96.2 Road 11-7 Lost 3 5-5
Washington 11-22 5th Southeast / 11th East 99.1 103.1 Home 5-9 Lost 1 4-6

Here is the complete preview from Yahoo! Sports.

The Magic are 7 point favorites.