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.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

This week for the Magic


The Orlando Magic are currently 52-22 (30-7 home, 22-15 road) and are in 1st place in the SE 4 1/2 games ahead of second place Atlanta (47-26). The Magic are the second seed in the East, 6 games behind number one seed Cleveland (58-16) and 4 1/2 games ahead of third seed Boston (47-26). The Magic have the third best record in the NBA behind Cleveland and the LA Lakers (54-20).

The Magic are averaging 101.9 ppg (10th) and allowing 95.0 ppg (6th). The Magic have an offensive rating of 110.3 (8th) and a defensive rating of 102.8 (3rd).

Last season after 74 games, the Magic were 55-19.

Here is the schedule for the Magic this week:

Apr. 1st: at Dallas (8 PM) 49-25, 26-11 home, 6-4 last 10 games
Apr. 2nd: at San Antonio (8:30 PM) 44-29, 26-11 home, 6-4 last 10 games
Apr. 4th: Memphis (6 PM) 38-35, 16-20 road, 6-4 last 10 games

The "magic number" for the Magic to clinching the second seed over Boston and Atlanta is four. The "magic number" for Cleveland for clinching the number one seed over the Magic is three.

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Game review: Magic (52-22) 103, Nuggets (48-26) 97


The Magic, despite losing Vince Carter to a sprained big toe just 1:35 into the game, had sensational performances off the bench from J.J. Redick (23 points, 8 assists, 7 rebounds) and Ryan Anderson (19 points on 7 of 8 shooting) as the Magic pulled away from the Nuggets in the fourth quarter after a close game throughout.

The Nuggets held the lead through most of the first quarter, leading by as much as 15-9, before the Magic took back the lead briefly 22-19, but the Nuggets scored the final 5 points of the quarter to lead after one 24-22. The Magic led by as much as 40-35 in the second quarter before going into halftime with a slim 52-51 lead. The Nuggets quickly jumped out on a 16-5 run to open the third and lead 67-57. The Magic scored 9 points in a row to get back within a point, and tied the game at 77 entering the fourth. Redick and Anderson combined to score the first 8 Magic points of the fourth, as the Magic never trailed in the final quarter and led by as much as 103-92 with under a minute left.

Magic leading scorers

J.J. Redick: 23 points (8 of 15 FGs, 3 of 7 3 PT FGs), 8 assists, 7 rebounds
Ryan Anderson: 19 points (7 of 8 FGs, 4 of 5 3 PT FGs), 5 rebounds
Dwight Howard: 18 points (7 of 15 FGs, 4 of 9 FTs), 11 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 blocks
Matt Barnes: 16 points (6 of 10 FGs), 5 rebounds
Jameer Nelson: 15 points (6 of 14 FGs, 2 of 6 3 PT FGs), 4 assists
Rashard Lewis: 10 points (4 of 11 FGs, 1 of 5 3 PT FGs), 5 rebounds, 2 blocks

Overall Game Statistics

FG%: DEN 52.5% (42 of 80) ORL 49.4% (39 of 79)
3 PT FG%: ORL 37.9% (11 of 29) DEN 31.2% (5 of 16)
FT%: DEN 72.7% (8 of 11) ORL 63.6% (14 of 22)
REB: DEN 39 (9 offensive) ORL 37 (10 offensive)
AST/TO: ORL 25/9 DEN 18/10
BENCH: ORL 44 DEN 29

Other game notes and stats:

-Redick's 23 points was the second highest total of his career, while his 8 assists, 7 rebounds, and 46 minutes were all career highs
-Carmelo Anthony (26 points) and Chauncey Billups (18 points) led the Nuggets, but needed a combined 42 shot attempts (19 of 42)
-Redick and Anderson combined for 42 points on just 23 shot attempts (15 of 23)
-J.R. Smith scored 13 points off the Nuggets' bench
-Redick played the remaining 46:25 of the game after Carter left with his injury; Mickael Pietrus was also unavailable with a sprained ankle
-Marcin Gortat was the only other Magic reserve to score with 2 points in 5 minutes
-The Nuggets' bench combined to shoot 13 of 20 from the field
-The Magic had twice as many free throw attempts than the Nuggets (22-11)
-With Cleveland's win over Sacramento, the Cavaliers magic number to clinching the number one seed is down to three
-With Atlanta's win over Indiana and Boston' loss to San Antonio, the Hawks and Celtics are tied for the third seed, with the Magic's magic number to clinching the second seed at five

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

Game night preview


ORLANDO MAGIC vs. DENVER NUGGETS

Sunday, March 28. 6:00 p.m.
Amway Arena
Orlando, FL

The Nuggets will visit the Magic on Sunday at 6 p.m. ET in a possible preview of June’s championship series. These two NBA powerhouses also possess two of the more “underrated” MVP candidates. Carmelo Anthony, first off, is having arguably the best season of his career. The three-time All-Star is averaging nearly 29 points and seven rebounds per game, and has his team on pace to win the most games in a season in franchise history since Denver joined the NBA in 1976. Dwight Howard, similarly, has been absolutely tremendous since the All-Star break. Superman leads the league in rebounds and blocks and had a stretch of 20 straight double-doubles recently. In their last meeting on Jan. 13, Anthony racked up 27 points and Chauncey Billups contributed 24 as the Nuggets rolled to a 115-97 victory at the Pepsi Center. Matt Barnes led Orlando in the loss with a season-best 28 points.


Team Record Standings PF PA Road/Home Streak L10
Denver 48-25 1st Northwest / 2nd West 107.2 102.5 Road 18-19 Won 1 6-4
Orlando 51-22 1st Southeast / 2nd East 101.9 94.9 Home 29-7 Won 1 8-2

Here is the complete game preview from Yahoo! Sports.

The Magic are 5 1/2 point favorites.

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Game review: Magic (51-22) 106, Timberwolves (14-59) 97


The Magic held Minnesota to 43 second half points to send the Timberwolves to their 15th consecutive defeat. Dwight Howard led the Magic with 24 points, 19 boards. Ryan Anderson came off the bench to score 19 points, his first game in double figures since February 17th.

The Magic got off to a slow start, as the T-Wolves led for virtually the whole first quarter and had their largest lead of 25-18 before settling for a 29-27 lead after one. The lead changed hands several times in the second quarter, as the T-Wolves last lead of the game was 53-52 with 2:58 remaining. The Magic scored 6 of the final 7 points of the half and led 59-54 going into halftime. The Magic extended their lead to 75-60 in the third quarter, but the T-Wolves cut the lead back to single digits 82-73 going into the fourth. They could get no closer, as the Magic put the T-Wolves away with a 18-6 run to open the fourth for a 100-79 lead with 5:21 left. Minnesota scored the final 7 points of the game to make the final somewhat respectable.

Magic leading scorers

Dwight Howard: 24 points (6 of 7 FGs, 12 of 16 FTs), 19 rebounds, 4 blocks, 4 assists, 3 steals, 5 turnovers
Ryan Anderson (bench): 19 points (6 of 16 FGs, 3 of 9 3 PT FGs), 9 rebounds, 2 steals
J.J. Redick (bench): 14 points (4 of 8 FGs, 2 of 3 3 PT FGs)
Vince Carter: 13 points (5 of 9 FGs, 2 of 4 3 PT FGs), 5 assists
Matt Barnes: 11 points (5 of 11 FGs) 7 rebounds
Rashard Lewis: 10 points (4 of 10 FGs, 2 of 6 3 PT FGs)

Overall Game Statistics

FG%: ORL 45.6% (36 of 79) MIN 44.3% (39 of 88)
3 PT FG%: ORL 36.1% (13 of 36) MIN 31.2% (5 of 16)
FT%: ORL 80.8% (21 of 26) MIN 73.7% (14 of 19)
REB: ORL 51 (15 offensive) MIN 39 (10 offensive)
AST/TO: ORL 24/17 MIN 14/12
BENCH: ORL 45 MIN 29

Other game stats and notes:

-Jameer Nelson was 1 of 4 for 3 points and was the only Magic starter not to score in double figures, but he led the Magic with 7 assists with just 1 turnover
-Five T-Wolves scored in double figures, led by F Al Jefferson with 18 points, 13 rebounds
-Former Magic C Darko Mikicic, starting for the T-Wolves, scored 14 points on 7 of 16 shooting and added 5 assists and 4 rebounds
-F Kevin Love led the Minnesota reserves with 14 points, 7 rebounds
-Anderson scored his 19 points in 23 minutes for the Magic, and came within one point of a season high
-Jason Williams added 8 points, 5 assists off the bench for the Magic
-The T-Wolves outscored the Magic 68-46 on two point shots, but the Magic outscored the T-Wolves 39-15 on three pointers
-From the 3:22 mark of the second quarter to the 3:57 mark of the third quarter (11:25 total), the T-Wolves missed 19 of 21 shot attempts
-The T-Wolves made just 6 of 20 shots in the third quarter
-Cleveland's magic number to clinching the East remains at 4, as the Cavaliers lost to the Spurs to allow the Magic to gain a game to pull within 6 games with 9 remaining
-Atlanta lost, while Boston won their game to allow the Celtics to take over the third seed in the East (the Magic, if they win the first round, would play the winner of the matchup between the third and sixth seeds in the second round)

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

Friday, March 26, 2010

Game night preview


ORLANDO MAGIC vs. MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES
Friday, March 26. 7:00 p.m.
Amway Arena
Orlando, FL

In their previous meeting this season on New Year’s Day, Orlando buried 15 3-pointers and outscored Minnesota by 10 in the fourth quarter to coast to a 106-94 victory at the Target Center. Rashard Lewis led six Magic players in double figures with 21 points. The best one-on-one matchup may be at the point guard position between Jameer Nelson and Jonny Flynn. The rookie out of Syracuse erupted for 23 points against the Magic last meeting.


Record Standings PF PA Road/Home Streak L10
Minnesota 14-58 5th Northwest / 15th West 98.0 107.6 Road 5-32 Lost 14 0-10
Orlando 50-22 1st Southeast / 2nd East 101.8 94.9 Home 28-7 Lost 1 8-2

Here is the complete preview from Yahoo! Sports.

The Magic are 14 1/2 point favorites.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Game review: Hawks (46-25) 86, Magic (50-22) 84


The Magic, after trailing 78-67 with 5:38 remaining, went on a 17-6 run to tie the game on Vince Carter's three pointer with 9.9 seconds remaining, only to see Atlanta win the game on Josh Smith's put-back dunk off Joe Johnson's miss just before the final buzzer. The Magic wasted a 19 point, 24 rebound, 4 blocks performance from Dwight Howard, and a game high 20 points and 8 assists from Jameer Nelson, as the Hawks defeated the Magic for the first time this season after losing the first three games to the Magic by an average of 23 points.

It looked like the Magic would be on their way to another rout of the Hawks, as they jumped out to a 15-2 lead, as the Hawks made just 1 of their first 11 shots. The Hawks cut their deficit to 22-16 at the end of one. The Magic were able to keep a slim lead for much of the second quarter and led 40-37 with 2:06 in the quarter remaining, but the Hawks ended the half on a 9-2 run to lead 46-42. The Hawks led by as much as 61-50 in the third quarter before the Magic cut their deficit to 68-62 after three. The Hawks extended their lead to 78-67 before the Magic would come back to set up the exciting finish.

Magic leading scorers

Jameer Nelson: 20 points (6 of 13 FGs, 2 of 6 3 PT FGs), 8 assists, 5 rebounds, 4 turnovers
Dwight Howard: 19 points (4 of 11 FGs, 11 of 16 FTs), 24 rebounds, 4 blocks, 5 turnovers
Vince Carter: 16 points (7 of 16 FGs, 1 of 3 3 PT FGs), 4 assists
Matt Barnes: 12 points (4 of 8 FGs) 2 of 4 3 PT FGs), 7 rebounds

Overall Game Statistics

FG%: ATL 40.8% (31 of 76) ORL 37.5% (27 of 72)
3 PT FG%: ATL 53.8% (7 of 13) ORL 28.6% (6 of 21)
FT%: ATL 85% (17 of 20) ORL 77.4% (24 of 31)
REB: ORL 48 (9 offensive) ATL 38 (3 offensive)
AST/TO: ATL 21/11 ORL 20/13
BENCH: ATL 24 ORL 11

Other game notes and stats:

-Six Atlanta players scored in double figures, led by Joe Johnson with 17 points, 8 assists; C Al Horford added 12 points, 11 rebounds
-The Hawks outshot the Magic from the field, the three point line, the free throw line, and had 2 fewer turnovers than the Magic
-Rashard Lewis was the only Magic starter not to score in double figures, as he scored 6 points on 2 of 9 shooting, including 0 for 4 on threes, and failed to block out on Smith's game-winning dunk
-J.J. Redick led the Magic reserves with 5 points, but shot just 1 of 7
-Former Magic G Maurice Evans scored 10 points on 4 of 5 shooting for the Hawks, all in the first half
-Redick and Jason Williams combined to shoot 1 of 10 for the Magic
-The Magic's Mickael Pietrus scored 4 first half points before leaving with an injury with 2:52 remaining in the first half
-The Hawks went 8:45 in the fourth quarter without a field goal, shooting 0 for 7 with 4 turnovers during this span to allow the Magic to get back in the game
-The Magic were 18 of 22 from the FT line in the second half
-Marcin Gortat was called for 3 fouls in 4 scoreless first-half minutes and didn't play in the second half; Brandon Bass played just 6 minutes and scored 2 points
-The Hawks now trail the Magic by 3 1/2 games, while the Magic now trail number one seed Cleveland by 7 games with 10 games remaining

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



Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Game night preview


ORLANDO MAGIC at ATLANTA HAWKS
Wednesday, March 24. 7:00 p.m.
Philips Arena
Atlanta, GA

Don’t be surprised when the Magic’s road matchup with the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday (7 p.m. ET) has the feel of a postseason affair. With only a 4.5-game differential separating the Southeast Division rivals, there’s a lot more on the line than your average regular season contest. A win over Atlanta would all but wrap up the Southeast Division for Orlando. Assuming there’s no shift in the standings prior to the matchup, a victory would give the Magic a 5.5-game division lead and complete a four-game season sweep of the Hawks – giving Orlando the head-to-head tiebreaker – with just 10 contests to play. But winning in Atlanta will be no easy task. The Hawks are tied for the fourth-best home record in the league – fittingly with the Magic – and have won six straight games in the friendly confines of Philips Arena. They also secured a playoff spot on Sunday with a thrilling overtime victory over the Spurs. Crawford, a frontrunner for the Sixth Man of the Year Award, has been a big factor in
Atlanta’s push for the postseason and has been playing his best basketball down the stretch. He’s averaging a season-high 21.3 points per game in the month of March and will certainly be a focal point of Orlando’s defensive game plan.

Team
Record Standings PF PA Road/Home Streak L10
Orlando 50-21 1st Southeast / 2nd East 102.1 95.0 Road 22-14 Won 3 9-1
Atlanta 45-25 2nd Southeast / 4th East 102.4 97.7 Home 28-7 Lost 1 6-4

Here is the complete game preview from Yahoo! Sports.

Here is an article about the return of Zydrunas Ilgauskas to Cleveland.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Game review: Magic (50-21) 109, 76ers (24-47) 93


For the third consecutive season, the Magic reached the 50 win plateau as Rashard Lewis continued his resurgence with 24 points and five other Magic players scored in double figures.

In a close first quarter, both teams had no bigger than a 4 point lead as the Magic led after one 27-23. The 76ers' last lead of the game came at 33-31 before the Magic went on a 25-14 run to end the first half to lead 56-47 at the half. The Magic's largest lead of the third quarter was 69-56 before the 76ers went on a 11-2 run to come with 71-67, but the Magic increased their lead to 82-72 after three quarters. The 76ers hung in there, trailing 98-90 with 4:12 remaining before the Magic went on a 11-3 run the rest of the game to put the 76ers away.

Magic leading scorers

Rashard Lewis: 24 points (8 of 12 FGs, 3 of 7 3 PT FGs)
Dwight Howard: 23 points (9 of 11 FGs, 5 of 12 FTs, 15 rebounds, 2 blocks, 4 turnovers)
Vince Carter: 17 points (4 of 11 FGs, 7 of 8 FTs, 5 assists)
Matt Barnes: 14 points (4 of 4 3 PT FGs)
Jason Williams (bench): 10 points (4 of 7 FGs, 2 of 4 3 PT FGs)
Mickael Pietrus (bench): 10 points (3 of 6 FGs, 2 of 4 3 PT FGs)

Overall Game Statistics

FG%: ORL 52.2% (36 of 69) PHI 42.9% (36 of 84)
3 PT FG%: ORL 51.6% (16 of 31) PHI 42.9% (6 of 14)
FT%: ORL 70% (21 of 30) PHI 68.2% (15 of 22)
REB: PHI 40 (15 offensive) ORL 40 (6 offensive)
AST/TO: PHI 23/10 ORL 20/13
BENCH: ORL 26 PHI 18

Other game notes and stats:

-Three 76ers scored in double figures, led by Elton Brand and Andre Iguodala with 23 points each; C Samuel Dalembert added a double/double of 16 points, 14 rebounds
-Jameer Nelson was the only Magic starter not to score in double figures, as he scored 5 points on 2 of 10 shooting, but led the Magic with 6 assists
-Howard and Lewis combined for 47 points on 17 of 23 shooting
-The 76ers' bench combined to shoot just 8 of 32
-The Magic bench combined to shoot 6 of 10 on threes
-Brandon Bass played only 3 minutes off the Magic bench, going scoreless; Marcin Gortat went scoreless in 20 minutes

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

Sunday, March 21, 2010

The week ahead for the Magic


The Orlando Magic begin the week at 49-21 (28-7 home, 21-14 road), in first place in the SE 3 1/2 games ahead of Atlanta (45-24) and are the number two seed in the East, 3 1/2 games ahead of third seeds Atlanta and Boston (45-24) and 6 1/2 games behind top seed Cleveland (56-15). The Magic currently have the third best record in the NBA, behind Los Angeles (51-18) and the Cavaliers.

The Magic are averaging 102.0 points per game (10th) and allowing 95.1 points per game (6th). They have an offensive rating (points per 100 possessions) of 110.2 ppg (9th) and a defensive rating (points allowed per 100 possessions) of 102.7 (4th).

Last season after 70 games, the Magic were 52-18.

The Magic have 4 games on tap this week:

-Mon. March 22nd: at Philadelphia (7 PM) 24-46 (11-23 home) 2-8 last 10 games
-Wed. March 24th: at Atlanta (7 PM) 45-24 (28-7 home) 8-2 last 10 games
-Fri. March 26th: Minnesota (7 PM) 14-56 (5-31 road) 0-10 last 10 games
-Sun. March 28th: Denver (6 PM) 47-23 (17-17 road) 8-2 last 10 games

The Magic have beaten the Hawks easily 3 times this season; we'll see if that trend continues, as the Hawks continue to play solid basketball. Also, a tough challenge next Sunday with the Nuggets in town.

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Possible first round playoff matchups for the Magic


With the playoffs slated to start in less than a month, here's a look at some of the possibilities the Orlando Magic face in the first round. The Magic remain firmly entrenched as the second seed in the East, and if they finish second, they will play the 7th seed, which currently is Miami, but the Heat are only 1/2 game behind Charlotte for 6th place and 1 game ahead of Toronto, which is the eighth seed.

Since the race for the final 4 seedings in the East is so close, there are 5 possible teams the Magic could play in the first round:

-5th seed Milwaukee (37-30)... Bucks are playing the best of the five teams, and are unlikely to slide down from the fifth seed; Magic are 3-0 against the Bucks
-6th seed Charlotte (35-33)... Magic are 3-1 against the Bobcats
-7th seed Miami (35-34)... Magic are 2-2 against the Heat
-8th seed Toronto (33-34)... Magic are 3-1 against the Raptors
-9th seed Chicago (31-37)... Bulls are ravaged with injuries, and have their work cut out for them to make the playoffs; Magic are 2-1 against the Bulls

Any one of those teams might win one game or even two games of a seven game playoff series against the Magic, as Philadelphia unexpectedly did last season, but ultimately the Magic being the superior team to any of those teams should allow the Magic to win a series 4-1 or 4-2 against any of those teams.

Friday, March 19, 2010

Game review: Magic (49-21) 108, Heat (35-34) 102 OT


The Magic, after blowing a 12 point lead with 5:07 remaining in the game, outscored Miami 13-7 in overtime for the win, as all five Magic starters scored in double figures, led by Vince Carter's 27 points and 6 assists. The Magic survived a 36 point night from Dwyane Wade of the Heat.

The Magic ended the first quarter on a 8-1 run to take the lead 29-25 going into the second. The Magic led 38-32 before the Heat went on a 15-3 run to lead 47-41 with 4:09 remaining in the half, but the Magic tied the game at halftime 54-54. Dwight Howard committed his fourth foul 12 seconds into the third quarter, and sat the rest of the quarter as a result. The Magic played well without Howard, leading by as many as 76-69 before going into the fourth with a 76-71 lead. The Magic extended their lead to 88-76 with just over 5 minutes remaining, but went scoreless for 3:46 as the Heat went on a 12-0 run to tie the game at 88. Both teams took the lead in the final 1:21 but couldn't hold their lead as the game went into OT tied at 95. The Heat shot just 1 for 6 in the OT as the Magic took the lead for good at the 2:48 mark.

Magic leading scorers

Vince Carter: 27 points (9 of 21 FGs, 3 of 10 3 PT FGs, 6 of 7 FTs), 6 assists
Rashard Lewis: 24 points (8 of 17 FGs, 4 of 8 3 PT FGs), 11 rebounds, 2 blocks
Jameer Nelson: 15 points (7 of 16 FGs), 5 rebounds, 3 steals
Matt Barnes: 13 points (5 of 8 FGs), 9 rebounds
Dwight Howard: 10 points (3 of 9 FGs, 4 of 8 FTs), 11 rebounds, 4 blocks

Overall Game Statistics

FG%: ORL 45.5% (40 of 88) MIA 41.1% (37 of 90)
3 PT FG%: ORL 35.5% (11 of 31) MIA 32.0% (8 of 25)
FT%: MIA 83.3% (20 of 24) ORL 68.0% (17 of 25)
REB: ORL 49 (13 offensive) MIA 44 (13 offensive)
AST/TO: ORL 22/13 MIA 16/11
BENCH: MIA 25 ORL 19

Other game notes and stats:

-Dwyane Wade scored his 36 points on 12 of 26 shooting and also added 10 rebounds and 7 assists
-Two other Heat players finished in double figures, with Jermaine O'Neal scoring 14 points, 6 rebounds, 5 blocks and former Magic PG Carlos Arroyo with 11 points, 5 assists
-J.J. Redick led the Magic reserves with 8 points on 3 of 4 shooting, Marcin Gortat added 6 points, 5 rebounds, and Jason Williams added 5 assists
-The starting Magic frontcourt outscored the starting Heat frontcourt 47-30, held them to 10 of 32 FG shooting, and outrebounded them 31-13
-Howard played just 31 minutes due to his foul trouble, while Barnes, Lewis, and Carter each played 40+ minutes
-Howard picked up his 15th technical foul of the season in the overtime

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

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Game review: Magic (48-21) 110, Spurs (40-26) 84


After two days of rest, the Magic played much better Wednesday night after their poor effort Sunday against Charlotte as they never trailed in dominating a San Antonio team playing their second game in two nights. All 12 Magic players scored, led by Vince Carter's 24 points and 8 rebounds, and Rashard Lewis had his best game in a while with 20 points.

Carter scored 16 of his 24 points in the first quarter, as the Magic led by as many as 6 points and led after one quarter 29-24. The Magic started out the second quarter on a 19-4 run to lead 48-28 before the Spurs scored 14 of the final 18 points of the half to cut into the lead 52-42 at the half. The Spurs would get no closer the rest of the game as the Magic started the second half on a 22-10 run to go ahead by 22 points and led 80-58 going into the fourth. The Magic maintained their 20+ point margin throughout the fourth and led by as many as 29 points.

Magic leading scorers

Vince Carter: 24 points (7 of 11 FGs, 3 of 4 3 PT FGs, 7 of 8 FTs), 8 assists
Rashard Lewis: 20 points (7 of 10 FGs, 4 of 6 3 PT FGs)
Jameer Nelson: 10 points (3 of 9 FGs, 1 of 3 3 PT FGs)
J.J. Redick (bench): 10 points (2 of 7 FGs, 6 of 6 FTs)

Overall Game Statistics

FG%: ORL 52.1% (37 of 71) SA 42.5% (34 of 80)
3 PT FG%: ORL 43.5% (10 of 23) SA 35.7% (5 of 14)
FT%: ORL 78.8% (26 of 33) SA 78.6% (11 of 14)
REB: ORL 41 (5 offensive) SA 36 (9 offensive)
AST/TO: ORL 24/10 SA 17/11
BENCH: ORL 39 SA 37

Other game notes and stats:

-Richard Jefferson with 20 points and Manu Ginobili with 18 points scored in double figures for the Spurs, combining to shoot 17 of 25 FGs
-The rest of the Spurs shot a combined 17 of 55 on FGs
-Spurs' C Tim Duncan shot just 1 of 10 for 5 points along with 6 rebounds
-Spurs' starters Duncan, Antonio McDyess, and George Hill combined for 9 points on 3 of 19 shooting
-Former Magic G/F Keith Bogans scored 2 points on 0 for 2 shooting for the Spurs
-The Magic starters outscored the Spurs' starters 71-47
-The Magic's Dwight Howard played just 24 minutes and scored 9 points along with 7 rebounds
-Marcin Gortat led the Magic with 10 rebounds off the bench along with 7 points
-Carter's 8 assists were a season high
-Jason Williams added 5 assists off the bench
-Only Lewis and Matt Barnes played more than 30 minutes for the Magic
-Mickael Pietrus left the game in the second quarter with a sprained ankle

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

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Game night preview


ORLANDO MAGIC vs. SAN ANTONIO SPURS
Wednesday, March 17. 8:00 p.m. ESPN
Amway Arena
Orlando, FL

After having their eight-game winning streak snapped on Sunday night, the Orlando Magic (47-21, 27-7 home) will attempt to get back on track when they face the San Antonio Spurs (40-25, 16-15 road) for the first time this season at home Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET. The Magic found themselves on a roll before Sunday’s affair, rattling off eight consecutive victories by an average of 18.1 points per game, but they were unable to get that same type of offensive output against the Bobcats. Despite getting efficient offense out of Dwight Howard, Mickael Pietrus and Vince Carter – who combined for 70 of the Magic’s 89 points – Orlando did not get
consistent production from its other players in its loss to Charlotte. Orlando will have a difficult challenge with San Antonio coming to town. Even though the Spurs have been without Tony Parker (broken left hand), they’ve still managed to notch three straight triumphs and have outscored their opponents by 19.3 points per contest during that span. George Hill has filled in admirably as San Antonio’s new starting point guard, averaging 17 points and 6.8 assists per game since Parker’s injury.




Team Record Standings PF PA Road/Home Streak L10
San Antonio 40-25 2nd Southwest / 7th West 100.8 95.7 Road 16-15 Won 4 8-2
Orlando 47-21 1st Southeast / 2nd East 101.8 95.1 Home 27-7 Lost 1 8-2

Here is the complete preview from Yahoo! Sports.


Tuesday, March 16, 2010

The Magic this week


The Orlando Magic are currently 47-21 (27-7 home, 20-14 road), in first place in the SE 3 1/2 games ahead of Atlanta and hold the second seed in the East 5 1/2 games behind number one seed Cleveland (52-15), 3 1/2 games ahead of third seed Atlanta (42-23) and 4 games ahead of fourth seed Boston (42-24). The Magic also hold the third best record in the NBA behind the Cavaliers and LA Lakers (49-18), and ahead of Dallas (45-22) and Denver (45-22).

The Magic are averaging 101.8 ppg (10th) and allowing 95.1 ppg (4th). They have an offensive rating (points per 100 possessions) of 109.9 (9th) and a defensive rating (points allowed per 100 possessions) of 102.7 (5th).

Last season after 68 games, the Magic were 50-18.

The schedule for the Magic this week:

Wed. Mar. 17th: San Antonio (39-25, 15-15 road, 8-2 last 10 games)
Thu. Mar. 18th: at Miami (35-32, 20-14 home, 6-4 last 10 games)

The Magic only play two games this week, but both are tough games against teams who have been playing well recently. The Magic are coming off a disappointing home loss to Charlotte to break their 8 game winning streak. They have little if any chance to catch the Cavaliers for the number one seed, but will be looking to solidify their hold on the second seed in the East.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Game review: Bobcats (34-31) 96, Magic (47-21) 89


The Magic, going for their franchise-tying 9th win in a row, scored only 36 second half points and were outplayed and outhustled by Charlotte, who had a decisive edge rebounding and converting free throws. The Magic were without Matt Barnes, who sat out with a sprained toe, while the Bobcats were without F Gerald Wallace. Stephen Jackson led the Bobcats with 28 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists, while Dwight Howard led the Magic with 27 points, 16 rebounds.

The Magic led by as many as 4 points in the first quarter, but the Bobcats came on late in the quarter to lead by as many as 5 points and held a 26-25 lead after one. The Magic took the lead early in the second quarter, and led by as many as 6 points on their way to a 53-51 halftime lead. The Magic's last lead of the game was 55-53, as the Bobcats took the lead at the 9:24 mark of the third 57-55 and led by as many as 6 points as they held a 72-68 lead after three quarters. A Jason Williams three pointer pulled the Magic to within 72-71 to start the fourth, but that was as close as the Magic would come as the Bobcats went on a 12-3 run to go ahead 84-74. The Magic scored 7 points in a row to cut their deficit to 84-81 with 4:13 remaining, but could get no closer as the Bobcats went on a 7-2 run to put the game away.

Magic leading scorers

Dwight Howard: 27 points (12 of 14 FGs, 3 of 10 FTs), 16 rebounds, 2 blocks, 4 turnovers
Vince Carter: 23 points (7 of 13 FGs, 3 of 8 3 PT FGs), 6 assists, 4 rebounds
Mickael Pietrus: 20 points (7 of 13 FGs, 5 of 7 3 PT FGs), 5 rebounds

Overall Game Statistics

FG%: CHA 46.7% (35 of 75) ORL 45.8% (33 of 72)
3 PT FG%: CHA 50% (5 of 10) ORL 34.4% (11 of 32)
FT%: CHA 80.8% (21 of 26) ORL 57.1% (12 of 21)
REB: CHA 46 (12 offensive) ORL 34 (9 offensive)
AST/TO: CHA 20/15 ORL 16/15
BENCH: CHA 21 ORL 12

Other game notes and stats;

-In addition to Jackson's 28 points, three other Bobcats scored in double figures with Raymond Felton scoring 16 points with 7 assists, Stephen Graham 12 points, 6 rebounds, and Theo Ratliff with 10 points, 9 rebounds; Tyrus Thomas added 9 points mad 9 rebounds off the bench
-Jameer Nelson (4 points) and Rashard Lewis (3 points) combined for 7 points on 3 of 17 shooting, and 1 of 9 3 PT FG shooting for the Magic
-Nelson had only 3 assists in 33 minutes
-Lewis scored his only points of the game on a three pointer with 32 seconds remaining
-Jason Williams led the Magic reserves with 6 points and 3 assists
-The Magic reserves shot a collective 4 of 15 from the field for 12 points
-Howard, Carter, and Pietrus combined to shoot 26 of 40 from the floor for 70 points; the rest of the Magic shot a collective 7 of 32 from the floor, including 3 of 16 on threes
-The Magic's starting frontcourt outscored the Bobcats' starting frontcourt 50-31, but the Magic starting backcourt was outscored 44-27 by the Bobcats' starting backcourt

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

Game night preview


ORLANDO MAGIC vs. CHARLOTTE BOBCATS
Sunday, March 14. 6:00 p.m.
Amway Arena
Orlando, FL

Unlike Saturday’s opponent against a team that is looking to play spoiler, Sunday’s adversary has a completely different agenda. The Charlotte Bobcats are hoping to qualify for the postseason for the first time in their relatively short franchise history. They currently occupy the sixth seed in the East. Along with a prestigious head coach, Larry Brown, and two first-rate level players in Stephen Jackson and Gerald Wallace (who will miss tonight's game due to injury), Charlotte has depth up front and speed in the backcourt. Some NBA critics and analysts believe come playoff time the Bobcats are the one team who can stun any of the top teams in the East, including the Cavaliers, Magic, Hawks and Celtics. In fact, Charlotte has defeated Cleveland (twice) and the L.A. Lakers this season. Orlando, nonetheless, has beaten Charlotte twice this season – once at Amway Arena and again at Time Warner Cable Arena. On Nov. 16, seven Magic players scored in double figures as Orlando won in Rashard Lewis’ first game of the season. This was also the first game for Jackson in a Bobcats uniform. On Jan. 23, Vince Carter and Jameer Nelson each recorded 21 points as the Magic held off the Bobcats in overtime and snapped Charlotte’s nine-game home winning streak.

Team
Record Standings PF PA Road/Home Streak L10
Charlotte 33-31 3rd Southeast / 6th East 94.9 93.9 Road 9-23 Won 5 6-4
Orlando 47-20 1st Southeast / 2nd East 102.0 95.1 Home 27-6 Won 8 9-1

Here is the complete preview from Yahoo! Sports.

The Magic are 8 1/2 point favorites.

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Game review: Magic (47-20) 109, Wizards (21-43) 95


After a horrendous first quarter that saw them fall behind Washington by 13 points, the Magic got their act together in the second quarter and scored 41 points to take a 6 point halftime lead and continued to extend their lead in the second half to lead by as many as 21 points in the fourth quarter. It was the Magic's 8th win in a row, their best winning streak since March-April of 2006. Dwight Howard scored 28 points and grabbed 15 rebounds for the Magic.

The Magic fell behind 6-0 early but came back to take the lead and led 18-17 before the Wizards went on a 16-2 run to close the first quarter to lead 33-20 as the Wizards shot 65% in the first. The Wizards led 37-23 early in the second when the Magic went on a 38-18 run to close the half and led 61-55, as the Magic scored 41 second quarter points. The Magic extended their lead to 76-60 in the third, but the Wizards cut the lead to 85-76 late in the third before the Magic led 88-76 after three. The Magic put the game away in the fourth, going on a 15-4 run to open the quarter to lead 103-80 halfway with 6:04 remaining before cruising to the final.

Magic leading scorers

Dwight Howard: 28 points (11 of 13 FGs, 15 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 blocks, 4 turnovers
Vince Carter: 18 points (8 of 18 FGs, 2 of 4 3 PT FGs)
J.J. Redick (bench): 18 points (5 of 9 FGs, 2 of 3 3 PT FGs)
Brandon Bass (bench): 16 points (6 of 10 FGs), 9 rebounds, 5 turnovers

Overall Game Statistics

FG%: ORL 51.9% (41 of 79) WAS 48.8% (40 of 82)
3 PT FG%: ORL 57.1% (8 of 14) WAS 22.2% (2 of 9)
FT%: ORL 82.6% (19 of 23) WAS 76.5% (13 of 17)
REB: ORL 46 (15 offensive) WAS 30 (9 offensive)
AST/TO: WAS 24/10 ORL 20/17
BENCH: ORL 48 WAS 35

Other game notes and stats:

-Three Wizards scored in double figures, led by Andray Blatche with 32 points on 14 of 23 shooting; Blatche scored 23 of his points in the first half
-The Wizards' Shaun Livingston scored a season-high 18 points along with 8 assists
-Jameer Nelson led the Magic with 8 assists along with 9 points
-Jason Williams of the Magic added 9 points with 4 assists off the bench
-Starting forwards Rashard Lewis and Matt Barnes of the Magic combined to score 6 points on 2 of 8 shooting
-Three Wizards' starters, Mike Miller, Randy Foye, and Javaris McGee combined to score 13 points on 5 of 16 shooting
-The Magic shot 14 of 19 in the second quarter from the field, 2 of 4 on three pointers, and 11 of 11 from the FT line
-The Magic outscored the Wizards 89-62 after the first quarter
-Brandon Bass of the Magic was credited with his first assist since January 13th, and had his second-highest total in points and minutes played for the season

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

Game night preview


ORLANDO MAGIC at WASHINGTON WIZARDS
Saturday, March 13. 7:00 p.m.

Verizon Center
Washington, D.C.


The Orlando Magic (46-20, 19-14 road) have played the Washington Wizards (21-42, 12-21 home) twice this season, losing both meetings. But when these two teams meet up again on Saturday at 7 p.m. ET in the nation’s capital, the Magic will see a much different opponent. The Wizards dealt away a few of their premier players at the February trade deadline. Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson were sent to Dallas and Antawn Jamison was traded to Cleveland. In return, Washington ultimately ended up with Al Thornton and Josh Howard, who, shortly after arriving, tore his ACL to finish his season. At the start of the 2009-10 campaign, the Wizards were expected to be one of the Magic’s biggest challengers in the Southeast Division. But, Gilbert Arenas’ absence, on-the-court chemistry issues and frequent injuries to some of their essential role players ended any title dreams in D.C. Nevertheless, Orlando must come prepared to clash with an opponent that has nothing to lose. At this point of the season, it’s common for teams who are already out of the playoff picture to upset some of the elite teams. When examining the schedule the rest of the way, the Magic will play several of these non-playoff teams. As a result, one can expect Head Coach Stan Van Gundy to preach this message to his players. Orlando’s coaching staff, though, can rest a bit easier since many of the Magic players are
seasoned veterans who understand the strange dynamic of an NBA season.

Team Record Standings PF PA Road/Home Streak L10
Orlando 46-20 1st Southeast / 2nd East 101.9 95.1 Road 19-14 Won 7 9-1
Washington 21-42 5th Southeast / 13th East 97.0 101.2 Home 12-21 Lost 6 2-8

Here is the complete preview from Yahoo! Sports.

The Magic are 12 point favorites.




Friday, March 12, 2010

Game review: Magic (46-20) 111, Bulls (31-33) 82


Injury-plagued Chicago, already missing Joakim Noah and Luol Deng, lost All-Star guard Derrick Rose in the final seconds of the first quarter with a sprained wrist after a collision with Magic center Dwight Howard. As a result, the Magic had their largest halftime lead of the season at 65-33 and cruised to the final for their seventh win in a row. Vince Carter scored 21 of his game-high 23 points in the first half for the Magic.

The Magic never trailed in the game, and had as much as a 28-15 lead in the first quarter before going into the second quarter with a 28-17 lead. The Magic poured it on in the second quarter, outscoring the Bulls 20-3 to end the quarter to go into halftime with the 32 point lead. The Magic led 68-35 early in the third quarter but then went 8 1/2 minutes without a field goal as the Bulls went on a 15-1 run to get to within 69-50 to make some Magic fans nervous, knowing the Magic's penchant for blowing big leads. That was as close as the Bulls got, as the Magic went into the fourth quarter with a 79-51 lead. The Bulls never got closer than 24 points in the final quarter, and the Magic had their largest lead of the game at 109-75 in the final minutes.

Magic leading scorers

Vince Carter: 23 points (8 of 13 FGs, 2 of 5 3 PT FGs), 4 rebounds
Matt Barnes: 14 points (5 of 8 FGs, 2 of 3 3 PT FGs), 4 rebounds
Brandon Bass (bench): 13 points (4 of 5 FGs), 8 rebounds, 2 blocks
Dwight Howard: 12 points (4 of 6 FGs), 6 rebounds, 2 blocks, 5 turnovers
J.J. Redick (bench): 11 points (2 of 7 FGs), 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals

Overall Game Statistics

FG%: ORL 55.1% (38 of 69) CHI 39.8% (33 of 83)
3 PT FG%: ORL 37.5% (9 of 24) CHI 25% (4 of 16)
FT%: ORL 78.8% (26 of 33) CHI 63.2% (12 of 19)
REB: ORL 46 (11 offensive) CHI 29 (9 offensive)
AST/TO: ORL 19/21 CHI 19/14
BENCH: ORL 47 CHI 46

Other game notes and stats:

-The Magic's Mickael Pietrus was inactive for the game with a strained neck; Adonal Foyle took his place
-All 11 players who played for the Magic scored at least 4 points
-Four Bulls' players scored in double figures, led by rookie James Johnson with 13 points and Taj Gibson with 12 points, 9 rebounds; Derrick Rose scored just 2 points before leaving the game with his injury
-Jameer Nelson (9 points ) and Rashard Lewis (6 points) were held to single digits
-Jason Williams and J.J. Redick each had 4 assists off the bench to lead the Magic
-Marcin Gortat had a game-high 11 rebounds to go along with 7 points and 2 blocks
-No Magic starter played more than 29 minutes, as Howard played just under 20 minutes
-Redick led the Magic in minutes played with 35
-The Bulls shot just 12 of 37 in the first half (32%) as the Magic shot 23 of 37 (62%)

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

Check out Matt's post underneath this one, as he gives his early playoff predictions.
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Thursday, March 11, 2010

A Play-Offs Forecast

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As the Orlando Magic is peaking towards the end of the regular season, let’s forecast potential match ups in the play-offs:

1. The four top teams in the East are established with CLE and Magic as first and second seeds while BOS and ATL fighting it out for the third and fourth spots. Magic may not be able to catch CLE while neither BOS nor ATL could catch Magic. Magic is currently 4 games ahead of both BOS and ATL, and since Magic has the tiebreaker over both of those teams, Magic has to lose 9 games while BOS and/or ATL winning all their remaining games to be able to pass the Magic for the second spot. There are 17 matches left for Magic, and in my view, the worse the Magic could do is 12-5. This means that Magic will have the home-court advantage for the first and second rounds of the play-offs.
2. The bottom four spots of the East is still between five teams; MIL, TOR, MIA, CHA and CHI. I think that either CHA or MIA would be the potential candidate to play with the Magic in the first round, but none could take more than one game from the Magic.
3. Magic will face either BOS or ATL in the second round (probably ATL because BOS is slumping, and ATL may end up as the third seed). Magic will probably win in 6 games.
4. Get ready for an East finals rematch of last year with CLE.
5. Forecasting the team coming from the West is not easy. While the world champions could never be underestimated, DAL is meshing together with the new roster. DAL probably would have a hard time in the second round with DEN, and if they come through watch out. My prediction is that Lakers would still come through. If Magic makes it to the finals, the way the team is peaking, it would be a lot different compared to last year. Magic’s front-court is deeper and stronger, and at PG Jameer is finding his all-star form, while Fisher is older and slower. In the two games played with Lakers, Magic has shown that they can match up at PF and SF positions, should have considerable edge at C and slight/moderate edge at PG. The SG edge is the only spot that goes to LA. This scenario provides for an exciting finals which, if happens to be the case, I predict that Magic will win the series in 6 games.

Game night preview


ORLANDO MAGIC vs. CHICAGO BULLS
Thursday, March 11. 8:00 p.m. TNT
Amway Arena
Orlando, FL


After visiting Chicago twice this season, the Orlando Magic (45-20, 26-6 home) will play host to the Bulls (31-32, 12-19 road) for the first time in their 2009-10 campaign this Thursday at 8 p.m. ET. This contest will determine the outcome of the season series, since the Magic and Bulls have split their two meetings thus far. After dropping a 101-93 decision on Jan. 2, Orlando bounced back for a 107-87 blowout victory over Chicago on Feb. 10. The Magic used a balanced offensive attack in that affair as seven of their players scored in double figures. This matchup will be extremely meaningful to the Bulls, who are currently fighting for a chance at the postseason. They’ve lost their past five games, and trail the Charlotte Bobcats by one game for the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference playoff race.





Team Record Standings PF PA Road/Home Streak L10
Chicago 31-32 3rd Central / 9th East 97.5 99.5 Road 12-19 Lost 5 4-6
Orlando 45-20 1st Southeast / 2nd East
101.7 95.3 Home 26-6 Won 6 8-2

Update: The Bulls' Luol Deng will miss the game with a strained right caf, so the Bulls will be without Deng and Joakim Noah.

Here is the complete preview from Yahoo! Sports.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Game review: Magic (45-20) 113, Clippers (25-39) 87


Six Magic players scored in double figures, led by Dwight Howard's 22 points, 15 rebounds, and 11 of the 12 Magic players who played scored as the Magic easily dispatched of the LA Clippers, who were playing without G Eric Gordon and with Baron Davis coming off the bench because of a stomach ailment.

The Clippers held their only lead of the game at 2-1 and stayed close to the Magic for the first 8 minutes as the Magic held a 17-15 lead; the Magic were able to extend their lead to 31-21 at the end of one quarter. The lead stayed in double digits the rest of the game as the Magic scored 36 second quarter points for a whopping 67-41 lead at the half. The Magic never saw their lead dip below 22 points in the second half and led by as much as 84-54 in then third before going into the fourth quarter with a 91-68 lead. The Magic led by as many as 29 points in the fourth.

Magic leading scorers

Dwight Howard: 22 points (9 of 12 FGs), 15 rebounds, 2 blocks, 4 turnovers
Jameer Nelson: 17 points (6 of 13 FGs, 3 of 5 3 PT FGs), 8 assists, 5 rebounds
Rashard Lewis: 15 points (6 of 11 FGs, 1 of 4 3 PT FGs)
Vince Carter: 13 points (5 of 9 FGs, 2 of 3 3 PT FGs), 5 assists
Matt Barnes: 10 points (3 of 7 FGs, 2 of 4 3 PT FGs), 5 rebounds
J.J. Redick (bench): 10 points (3 of 8 FGs, 3 of 4 3 PT FGs)

Overall Game Statistics

FG%: ORL 48.9% (45 of 92) LAC 43.0% (37 of 86)
3 PT FG%: ORL 40.7% (11 of 27) LAC 38.1% (8 of 21)
FT%: ORL 100% (12 of 12) LAC 83.3% (5 of 6)
REB: ORL 45 (10 offensive) LAC 42 (9 offensive)
AST/TO: ORL 27/8 LAC 21/13
BENCH: ORL 38 LAC 36

Other game notes and stats:

-Four Clippers scored in double figures, led by Baron Davis with 16 points, 9 assists; former Magic forward Drew Gooden added 12 points, 14 rebounds
-Howard played the first 32 minutes of the game before taking a seat for the rest of the game
-Both teams combined to shoot 18 FTs the whole game; on Sunday, the Magic shot 18 free throws in the first quarter alone
-Brandon Bass added 8 points, 5 rebounds off the bench while Mickael Pietrus and Ryan Anderson scored 6 points apiece, but Pietrus was 0 for 5 on three pointers
-No Magic starter played more than 33 minutes
-Anthony Johnson was the only Magic player who did not score

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

Tuesday, March 09, 2010

This week for the Magic


The Orlando Magic begin the week with a record of 44-20 (25-6 home, 19-14 road), in first place in the SE, 3 1/2 games ahead of second place Atlanta (40-23). The Magic currently hold the second seed in the East, 5 1/2 games behind first seed Cleveland (50-15), 2 1/2 games ahead of third seed Boston (40-21), and 3 1/2 games ahead of fourth seed Atlanta. The Magic also have the third best record in the NBA, behind the Los Angeles Lakers (46-18) and Cleveland. The Magic have a 30-11 conference record, and a 7-4 divisional record.

The Magic are averaging 101.6 ppg (10th of 30), with an offensive rating of 109.4 (9th of 30). The Magic are allowing 95.5 ppg (6th of 30), with a defensive rating of 102.9 (4th of 30).

After 64 games last season, the Magic had a record of 47-17.

Here is the schedule this week for the Magic:

Tues. Mar. 9th: Los Angeles Clippers (25-38, 7-24 road, 4-6 last 10)
Thur. Mar. 11th: Chicago (31-31, 12-19 road, 5-5 last 10)
Sat. Mar. 13th: at Washington (21-39, 12-19 home, 4-6 last 10)
Sun. Mar. 14th: Charlotte (30-31, 8-23 road, 4-6 last 10)

The Magic will be a solid favorite in each of those games, as three of the four games are at home, none of those four teams has a record over .500, and the Bulls are missing a key player in C Joakim Noah. If the Magic do win all four games, they will have a 9 game winning streak going into next week.

Sunday, March 07, 2010

Game review: Magic (44-20) 96, Lakers (46-18) 94


In a tough, extremely physical contest that saw a combined 53 fouls called (with several questionable calls against both teams) and the two teams shooting a combined 65 free throws, the Magic led for most of the game and held off several Lakers' runs in the fourth quarter, including a missed Kobe Bryant jumper that would have tied the game in the final seconds. The Magic were able to hold on despite missing 10 of their final 21 free throws and committing 20 turnovers. The Magic held the Lakers to just 37.5% shooting and outrebounded them by 11. The Magic also had all 5 starters in double figures while the Lakers had just 3 starters in double figures, including 34 points from Bryant, who needed 30 shots to get those points.

The Lakers' only leads of the game came in the first quarter at 10-9 and 12-9. It was a foul-plagued quarter, with the Magic making 17 of 18 free throws (Vince Carter 10 of 10) and the Lakers 9 of 11 free throws as the Magic led by as much as 31-21 before going into the second quarter with a 31-24 lead. The Magic were able to maintain that lead throughout the second, but the Lakers scored the final 4 points of the half to make it 52-48 Magic at halftime.

The Magic went on a 10-2 run later in the third for their largest lead of the game at 71-59, and led 74-64 going into the fourth. The Lakers scored the first 8 points of the fourth to pull within 74-72, as the Magic did not make a field goal in the fourth until 5:23 elapsed. A key sequence came when Pau Gasol was called for a flagrant foul against Dwight Howard after a Howard slam to make it 81-74 Magic, but Howard missed the two free throws and Mickael Pietrus was called for offensive goaltending after the missed free throws. The Lakers took advantage of this to pull within 2 points on several occasions, but the Magic always had an answer. A Matt Barnes three pointer gave the Magic a 93-87 lead with 1:10 remaining, but the Magic missed 2 of their next 4 free throws as the Lakers pulled to within 95-84 with 12.9 seconds remaining. Carter could only split his 2 free throws giving the Magic a 96-94 lead, but Bryant missed what would have been the game-tying shot with just over a second remaining as the Magic rebounded as the clock ran out.

Magic leading scorers

Vince Carter: 25 points (5 of 10 FGs, 2 of 4 3 PT FGs, 13 of 14 FTs)
Dwight Howard: 15 points (6 of 14 FGs, 3 of 8 FTs), 16 rebounds, 2 blocks
Jameer Nelson: 15 points (5 of 14 FGs, 5 of 6 FTs), 9 rebounds, 7 assists
Rashard Lewis: 12 points (4 of 13 FGs, 4 of 9 3 PT FGs), 6 rebounds
Matt Barnes: 10 points (4 of 9 FGs, 1 of 3 3 PT FGs), 6 rebounds

Overall Game Statistics

FG%: ORL 41.1% (30 of 73) LAL 37.5% (33 of 88)
3 PT FG%: ORL 33.3% (8 of 24) LAL 29.4% (5 of 17)
FT%: LAL 88.5% (23 of 26) ORL 71.8% (28 of 39)
REB: ORL 50 (15 offensive) LAL 39 (14 offensive)
AST/TO: ORL 18/20 LAL 16/7
BENCH: ORL 19 LAL 16

Other game notes and stats:

-In addition to Bryant's 34 points, Pau Gasol scored 20 points along with 11 rebounds and Derek Fisher added 11 points
-Bryant and Fisher combined to shoot 16 of 42 from the field
-Bryant took 30 of the Lakers' 70 shots from their 5 starters
-The Lakers' Ron Artest (8 points in 38 minutes)) and Andrew Bynum (5 points in 19 minutes) combined for 13 points on 3 of 15 shooting
-Despite all the foul calls, no one on either team fouled out, but 5 players had 5 fouls
-Barnes and Howard were assessed technicals for the Magic, while Bryant was called for a technical for the Lakers, as Barnes and Bryant exchanged words several times during the game
-Carter was the only Magic starter to shoot at least 50% from the field; the other 4 starters combined to shoot 19 of 50
-Pietrus led the Magic reserves with 7 points in 19 minutes, and Marcin Gortat added 6 points, 6 rebounds and 2 blocks off the bench
-Lamar Odom led the Lakers' bench with 8 points and 6 rebounds, but played over 33 minutes
-The Lakers scored 30 fourth quarter points on 13 of 25 shooting, as the Magic were held to 22 points in both the third and fourth quarters, but the Lakers could just score 16 third quarter points
-Bryant shot 7 of 16 in the fourth quarter as he scored 18 points
-The Magic missed their first 7 shots in the fourth quarter but made 7 of their final 8 shots
-The Magic were just 7 of 13 on free throws in the fourth quarter with 5 turnovers

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

Game day preview


ORLANDO MAGIC vs. LOS ANGELES LAKERS
Sunday, March 7. 2:30 p.m. ABC
Amway Arena
Orlando, FL

Orlando Magic fans have long-awaited the return of the L.A. Lakers (46-17, 17-12 road) to Amway Arena since last year’s NBA Finals. There would potentially be nothing more satisfying for Magic supporters than to get revenge on the reigning champions. On Sunday in front of a national audience, the Magic (43-20, 24-6 home) will have an opportunity to earn some retribution when they host the Lakers at 2:30 p.m. ET on ABC. Last June, L.A. captured its 15th NBA Title when it eliminated Orlando in five games. However, the Magic played very competitively in the series and nearly won two of the four games they lost. It would be a humongous confidence builder if the Magic can prove they can beat the Lakers. The last time these two teams played at STAPLES Center on Jan. 18, L.A. snuck out a 98-92 triumph. Orlando, nonetheless, played extremely well and for a portion of the contest thoroughly outplayed the West’s top squad. Dwight Howard registered 24 points and 12 rebounds, while Rashard Lewis posted 18 points and Matt Barnes had an all-around solid game with 13 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Since that loss, the Magic are an impressive 17-5 and have re-established their dominance in the Eastern Conference, while the Lakers have lost two games in a row to teams around the .500 mark (Miami and Charlotte).

Team Record Standings PF PA Road/Home Streak L10
Los Angeles 46-17 1st Pacific / 1st West 102.7 96.5 Road 17-12 Lost 2 6-4
Orlando 43-20 1st Southeast / 2nd East 101.7 95.5 Home 24-6 Won 4 7-3

Here is the complete preview from Yahoo! Sports.

The Magic are 2 point favorites.


Saturday, March 06, 2010

Game review: Magic (43-20) 97, Nets (6-55) 87


The Magic, led by six players in double figures, never trailed in this game and led by as many as 17 points. Matt Barnes led the way with 16 points, scoring 14 of those points in the first 7 minutes of the game. Former Magic first round pick Courtney Lee sat out for the Nets with a sprained ankle.

The game was tied for the last time at 6 apiece when the Magic took the lead for good, leading 32-18 after one quarter. The Magic led by as many as 45-30 before the Nets ended the half on a 13-5 run to trail 50-43 at the half. The Magic extended their lead to double digits in the third quarter, and led 72-57 going into the fourth. The Magic's largest lead of the game was 88-71 with 4:24 remaining. Credit the Nets for not giving up, as they came within 93-85 with 37 seconds remaining, but never threatened the Magic.

Magic leading scorers

Matt Barnes: 16 points (6 of 10 FGs, 2 of 4 3 PT FGs), 5 rebounds, 3 steals
Jameer Nelson: 15 points (4 of 9 FGs, 3 of 5 3 PT FGs), 8 assists
Vince Carter: 13 points (4 of 11 FGs, 2 of 3 3 PT FGs)
Jason Williams (bench): 13 points (5 of 8 FGs, 3 of 5 3 PT FGs)
Dwight Howard: 11 points (5 of 9 FGs), 16 rebounds, 4 assists 4 blocks, 3 steals, 5 turnovers
Mickael Pietrus: 10 points (3 of 6 FGs, 2 of 5 3 PT FGs), 3 assists

Overall Game Statistics

FG%: ORL 44.2% (34 of 77) NJ 40% (32 of 80)
3 PT FG%: ORL 41.9% (13 of 31) NJ 36.4% (4 of 11)
FT%: NJ 95% (19 of 20) ORL 66.7% (16 of 24)
REB: ORL 47 (12 offensive) NJ 38 (8 offensive)
AST/TO: ORL 24/16 NJ 23/14
BENCH: NJ 38 ORL 33

Other game notes and stats:

-Four Nets scored in double figures, led by Brook Lopez with 18 points, 8 rebounds and a double/double from Devin Harris with 17 points, 10 assists
-Harris and SG Chris Douglas-Roberts of the Nets combined to shoot just 9 of 27
-Barnes outscored the Nets starting forwards (Hassell, Jianlian) by himself 16-6 as the Nets' combo shot just 3 of 11
-Rashard Lewis was the only Magic starter not to score in double figures as he wound up with 9 points on 3 of 14 shooting, including 1 of 6 on threes, but added 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals
-Brandon Bass continues to be the first PF off the Magic bench, and scored 7 points along with 4 rebounds
-The Magic shot 12 of 21 in the first quarter, but only 22 of 56 the rest of the game
-Cleveland, Atlanta, and Boston all won, so the top 4 seedings in the East remain unchanged

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

Friday, March 05, 2010

Game night preview


ORLANDO MAGIC at NEW JERSEY NETS
Friday, March 5. 8:00 p.m.
Izod Center
East Rutherford, NJ

It’s definitely a peculiar travel week for the Orlando Magic (42-20, 18-14 road). They fly to Philadelphia before returning home to play Golden State and then revisit the northeast for a meeting with the New Jersey Nets (6-54, 3-27 home). Nevertheless, Friday’s contest (8 p.m. ET) allows Vince Carter to return to the place he flourished at for half a decade. The eight-time All-Star helped the Nets reach the playoffs in three of the five seasons he was there before being traded along with Ryan Anderson this past summer to the Magic for Courtney Lee, Rafer Alston and Tony Battie. The last time he visited New Jersey on Oct. 30, Carter was having an outstanding night before spraining his left ankle in the first half. Nets fans, however, offered their former superstar a very warm welcome back. Meanwhile, a former Magic fan favorite has begun to play very effectively for his new team. Despite New Jersey struggling this season, Lee has recently increased his scoring average to more than 12 points per game after two tremendous performances last week. He matched a season-best with 28 points against Portland and followed with 21 points in a shocking Nets victory over Boston before spraining his ankle. Lee missed Sunday’s game against Washington and his return date is still questionable.

Team Record Standings PF PA Road/Home Streak L10
Orlando 42-20 1st Southeast / 2nd East 101.7 95.6 Road 18-14 Won 3 7-3
New Jersey 6-54 5th Atlantic / 15th East 90.3 101.1 Home 3-27 Lost 2 2-8


Here is the complete preview from Yahoo! Sports.

The Magic are 10 point favorites.

Wednesday, March 03, 2010

Game review: Magic (42-20) 117, Warriors (17-43) 90


Seriously undermanned Golden State, with only 8 players dressed and missing Monta Ellis, Corey Maggette, and Andris Biedrins, stayed competitive for about the first 17 minutes before the Magic took over the game and led by as many as 30 points on their way to the blowout victory. The Magic doubled the Warriors in rebounding, and all five Magic starters scored in double figures along with reserve Brandon Bass.

The game was tied at 10 apiece early before the Magic took the lead for good and led 32-22 after one. The Warriors came as close as 42-38 with 6:48 remaining in the half before going on a 22-4 run before a Warriors' three pointer made the score 64-45 Magic at the half. The Magic extended their lead in the third quarter, leading from 21 to 29 points before settling for a 94-72 lead after three. The Magic led by 30 points on several occasions in the final period.

Magic leading scorers

Dwight Howard: 28 points (11 of 17 FGs, 6 of 11 FTs), 12 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 blocks
Rashard Lewis: 17 points (5 of 10 FGs, 3 of 7 3 PT FGs), 4 rebounds
Vince Carter: 15 points (7 of 11 FGs), 4 rebounds
Jameer Nelson: 13 points (6 of 14 FGs), 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 1 turnover
Matt Barnes: 12 points (6 of 8 FGs), 7 rebounds
Brandon Bass (bench): 10 points (3 of 8 FGs), 7 rebounds

Overall Game Statistics

FG%: ORL 52.2% (47 of 90) GS 42.7% (35 of 82)
3 PT FG%: GS 43.5% (10 of 23) ORL 23.8% (5 of 21)
FT%: ORL 75% (18 of 24) GS 66.7% (10 of 15)
REB: ORL 58 (16 offensive) GS 29 (6 offensive)
AST/TO: GS 21/16 ORL 17/14
BENCH: ORL 32 GS 26

Other Game notes and stats:

-Four Warriors scored in double figures, led by C.J. Watson with 18 points and 4 steals; rookie Stephen Curry added 9 points and 7 assists and Reggie Williams scored 13 points to lead their reserves
-The Magic starting frontline outscored the Warriors' starting frontline 57-37 and outrebounded them 23-11
-The Magic outscored the Warriors 84-50 on two pointers
-All 12 Magic players saw action, and 10 of the 12 players scored
-Ryan Anderson shot 0 for 5 in 5 minutes off the bench; Anthony Johnson also went scoreless in 5 minutes
-Nelson and Bass had a +/- rating of +24 and +21, respectively
-Cleveland, Atlanta, and Boston all won as the Eastern Conference top four seedings remain unchanged

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

Game night preview


ORLANDO MAGIC vs. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
Wednesday, March 3. 7:00 p.m.
Amway Arena
Orlando, FL

The Magic will attempt to complete a season sweep of the Warriors when they host Golden State at 7 p.m. ET on Wednesday. Orlando earned a victory in Golden State earlier this season when it notched a 126-118 shootout victory on Dec. 5. Eight-time All-Star Vince Carter was a key factor in that triumph, posting a team-high 27 points, while Mickael Pietrus scored a then season-high 22. Notching a win at Amway Arena will be a difficult challenge for Golden State. Not only is Orlando one of the toughest home teams in the NBA with a 23-6 record, but the Warriors have been atrocious on the road, going 4-24 away from the friendly confines of ORACLE Arena. The Warriors, on the first game of a five game road trip, lost 110-106 loss at Miami Tuesday night, as three of their top players (Monta Ellis, Corey Maggette, and Andris Biedrins) did not play due to injury and are not expected to play on the road trip.

Team Record Standings PF PA Road/Home Streak L10
Golden State 17-42 5th Pacific / 14th West 107.1 110.6 Road 4-24 Lost 1 4-6
Orlando 41-20 1st Southeast / 2nd East 101.5 95.7 Home 23-6 Won 2 7-3

Here is the complete preview from Yahoo! Sports.

The Magic are 14 1/2 point favorites.

Monday, March 01, 2010

Game review: Magic (41-20) 126, 76ers (22-37) 105


Led by Jameer Nelson's double/double of 22 points and 1o assists with six other Magic players in double figures, the Magic blew open a close game in the second half to win going away and tied their highest point total of the season. Philadelphia played without Elton Brand and Allen Iverson.

In a very high-scoring first quarter which saw both teams hitting at least 70% of their shots from the field, the 76ers led after one 36-35. The second quarter remained close as the Magic maintained a slim lead for most of the quarter, but the Magic scored the final 6 points of the half, all by Nelson, as the Magic led at the half 68-61. The closest the 76ers got in the third quarter was 68-63 at the beginning, but then the Magic gradually extended their lead and ended the quarter on a 13-4 run to go ahead 102-81 entering the fourth. The Magic, known for blowing large second half leads the last few months, would not blow this lead, as the 76ers could not come any closer than 18 points early in the fourth. The Magic's largest lead was 124-96 on their way to the final.

Magic leading scorers

Jameer Nelson: 22 points (8 of 11 FGs, 2 of 4 3 PT FGs), 10 assists, 1 turnover
Vince Carter: 19 points (7 of 13 FGs, 3 of 4 3 PT FGs), 7 rebounds, 4 assists
Rashard Lewis: 19 points (8 of 12 FGs, 3 of 4 3 PT FGs)
Matt Barnes; 16 points (6 of 7 FGs, 3 of 3 3 PT FGs), 4 rebounds, 2 blocks
Dwight Howard: 14 points (4 of 7 FGs), 3 rebounds
J.J. Redick (bench): 11 points (2 of 4 3 PT FGs)
Mickael Pietrus (bench): 10 points (3 of 9 FGs, 2 of 4 3 PT FGs), 6 rebounds

Overall Game Statistics

FG%: ORL 58.4% (45 of 77) PHI 48.8% (42 of 86)
3 PT FG%: ORL 65.2% (15 of 23) PHI 47.1% (8 of 17)
FT%: PHI 92.9% (13 of 14) ORL 84% (21 of 25)
REB: ORL 35 (6 offensive) PHI 34 (11 offensive)
AST/TO: ORL 22/11 PHI 20/12
BENCH: ORL 36 PHI 21

Other game notes and stats:

-All five 76ers' starters scored in double figures, led by a career-high 23 points from PG Jrue Howard, along with 6 assists; Samuel Dalembert added a double/double of 12 points, 11 rebounds
-All five Magic starters shot over 50%, combining to shoot 33 of 50 (66%).
-The 76ers' bench combined to shoot 9 of 26 from the field
-The 76ers shot 14 of 20 from the field in the first quarter, but just 28 of 66 the rest of the game
-The Magic starters other than Howard combined to shoot 11 of 15 from three point range
-Carter led the Magic with 7 rebounds
-Jason Williams had 5 points, 4 assists off the Magic bench and Marcin Gortat added 6 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 steals
-The Magic held the 76ers to 44 second half points
-Ryan Anderson and Anthony Johnson did not play for the Magic

Here is the complete recap and box score from nba.com.
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The week ahead for the Magic


The Orlando Magic begin this week in first place in the SE with a record of 40-20 (23-6 home, 17-14 road), two games ahead of second place Atlanta (37-21). The Magic hold the second seed in the East, 6 games behind first seed Cleveland (46-14), two games ahead of third seed Atlanta (37-21), and 2 1/2 games ahead of fourth seed Boston (36-21). The Magic still maintain the third best record in the NBA, behind the Cavaliers and LA Lakers (45-15), but 1/2 game ahead of Denver (39-20).

The Magic are averaging 101.1 points per game (12th of 30) and are allowing an average of 95.5 points per game (6th of 30).

Last season, after 60 games, the Magic were 44-16.

Here is the Magic schedule for the upcoming week:

Monday Mar. 1st: at Philadelphia (22-36, 10-17 home) 5-5 last 10 games
Wednesday Mar. 3rd: Golden State (17-41, 4-23 road) 4-6 last 10 games
Friday March 5th: at New Jersey (6-53, 3-26 home) 2-8 last 10 games
Sunday March 7th: LA Lakers (45-15, 17-10 road) 7-3 last 10 games

The Magic will be solid favorites to win the first three games, then comes the rematch of last season's championship when the Lakers come into Orlando for a nationally televised Sunday afternoon game. If the Magic can pull that game out and take care of business against the three under .500 teams, the Magic will have a 5 game winning streak going into next week.