Tampa Bay Sports Blog

Orlando’s short-lived 2 game win streak came to an abrupt halt Monday night in Memphis while the Grizzlies continued on to their 11th straight home win.

The Iverson-less Grizzlies have turned into one of the bright spots in the NBA this season; a young team, with talent and a coach who isn’t afraid to stand his ground in Lionel Hollins, who won the battle and apparently the war with A.I.. Now the Grizzlies are much better for it. They are very similar to the Oklahoma Thunder who also sport a youthful, well coached cast of players led by Kevin Durant, who continues to improve and impress. How Kevin Pritchard still has a GM position in Portland after missing the boat on Durant, electing instead to draft Greg “Droppin Trou” Oden, boggles my mind?

Staying true to form, the Magic came out bombing from long range once again, putting up 35 three point field goals, seemingly oblivious to the fact “Superman” was being guarded by Marc Gasol(who looks more like Dan Aykroyd on the basketball court, than his brother Pau Gasol) and Zack Randolph, two of the worst athletes in the NBA. Dwight still managed to do his damage, collecting 27 points, 15 boards and 6 blocked shots, despite his teammates inability to feed him the rock. Unfortunately, for the Magic, the Grizzlies aren’t as hard headed or poorly coached, and know how to play to their strength; which is inside with Randolph and Gasol along with Rudy Gay and O.J. Mayo attacking from the perimeter. Notice I said “attacking”, because, as good a shooter as O.J. Mayo is, he still understands the need to keep the defense honest by driving the lane. Something the Orlando Magic backcourt and wing players refuse to do consistently.

Randolph and Gasol were huge for the Grizzlies, going for 23 points 19 rebounds and 19 points 8 boards respectively, exploiting the Magic’s frontline and exemplifying why both are garnering All-Star consideration. Rashard Lewis and Matt Barnes were simply no match for their Memphis counterparts, leaving Dwight Howard with the burden defensively and on the glass. Memo to Stan Van Gundy: Brandon Bass and Marcin Gortat were both available and willing to work cheap for food!

Add Mike Conley (whose NBA career to this point is disappointing at best) to the growing list of opposing point guards having there way with Jameer Nelson. Conley was impressive as a floor general, and put up 14 points and 7 assists, both above his season averages. Jameer on the other hand, played 26 minutes and managed 1 assist while committing 6 turnovers. Not doing any wonders for his assist to turnover ratio there. To be fair, Neslon has shown glimpses of brilliance at times since his return, however, for the most part he is not getting the job done, especially on the defensive end where the Magic once ruled the realm.

The Memphis game would have been the ideal time to break out the Magics version of the “Twin Towers” with Howard and Gortat(as I have recently been calling for), to try and foil the Grizzlies up front. Instead, Stan” I’m so NOT the man” Van Gundy continues with his game plan: shoot a barrage of three pointers mixed in with a smattering of touches for Dwight Howard.

I know I was a bit harsh on Howard while he went through a tough spell, however, it appears more and more, that a lot of his struggles are a direct correlation to the Magic’s failure to as Keyshawn Johnson would say ;”Get Him The damn Ball”. Understanding how difficult it is to tinker with NBA rosters with the salary cap and teams unwillingness to take on contracts in a dismal economic climate, the Magic’s best option is to “cut off the head”. Sorry coach, but as in Miami, I believe you have worn out your welcome. Not a moment too soon if I might add. If your anything like me, you’d opt to have a root canal procedure  rather than listen to one of Stan’s post game pressers.

Technorati Tags: Allen Iverson, Dan Aykroyd, Dwight Howard, Jameer Nelson, Kevin Durant, Lionel Hollins, Marc Gasol, Marcin Gortat, Memphis Grizzlies, Mike Conley, O.J. Mayo, Oklahoma City Thunder, Orlando Magic, Pau Gasol, Rashard Lewis, Rudy Gay, Stan Van Gundy, Vince Carter, Zack Randolph

It was NASCAR night in Charlotte, where the Orlando Magic needed overtime to eventually outpace the Bobcats 106-95.

The Magic earned the right to take their victory lap with some timely 3 point shooting and tough defense in the overtime period.

Yesterday, I called for better production from the Magic’s starting backcourt and Jameer Nelson and Vince Carter definitely responded. Nelson led the way with 21 points and 7 assists, while Carter chipped in 21 points and 5 assists to go along with his stellar defense against All-Star candidate Gerald Wallace.

The Magic used there outside shooting to build a decent cushion going into the fourth quarter, then suffered a cold spell and allowed the Bobcats to crawl back into the game. Unfortunately, as good as Jameer Nelson was offensively, his defense down the stretch against D.J. Augustin could have cost the Magic the game.  This is becoming a very unwelcome trend with Jameer allowing opponents to go off on him.

The biggest story line for the Magic, at least from my perspective, is the outstanding play of Dwight howard, who is finally looking like the player who carried the Magic to the Finals last season. Howard was huge, snatching a game high 20 boards and swatting away 7 shots. Dwight sets the tone for the Magic, and lately, he looks like a man on a mission, displaying a tenacity that was missing most of the season.

The move to Matt Barnes in the starting line-up over Mickael Pietrus is continuing to pay dividends as well. While his numbers don’t always jump out at you while perusing the box score, his effort and intensity are clearly evident when watching him play. The same can be said about JJ Reddick, whose hard work and dedication have helped him become a consummate pro. Otis Smith’s decision to hold onto Reddick looks like a brilliant one.

Now it wouldn’t be right if I didn’t use this or any other opportunity to blast off on good ol’ Rashard Lewis. Sure, he had what appeared to be a nice game with 18 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists. However, he took 13 three’s and made only 4, a couple of which came when the Magic already had the game in hand. Excuse me if I’m missing something, but on what planet is it ok for a 6′10″ power forward to jack up 13 three point shots? Mercury, Juptiter, Venus or maybe Uranus? I’m not sure about those places in the solar system, but here on Earth, this simply isn’t acceptable. Dude, drop a shoulder and drive the lane, trust me what doesn’t kill you will make you stronger. At this point, some girl push-ups might even be an improvement. Rashard apparently got gypped out of his “Roid Rage”, while he was using performance enhancers, since I’ve never seem him express anything remotely close to aggression.

As much as you fall in love with them when there going down, you cannot simply rely on 3 pointers to be the focal point of your offense if you want to win consistently. Last night the magic hoisted 39 three’s and while it helped Orlando build their lead, it also almost cost the Magic the game.

With that being said, there are still a lot of positives for the Magic to build on, and if Dwight Howard continues his ascent back to last years form, the Magic should be in great shape the rest of the way.

Technorati Tags: Charlotte Bobcats, D.J. Augustin, Dwight Howard, Jameer Nelson, JJ Reddick, Matt Barnes, Mickael Pietrus, Orlando Magic, Otis Smith, Rashard Lewis, Vince Carter

For those of you less educated folks out there who may not be familiar with the old idiom “feast or famine”, it means; either too much of something or not enough of something.

If you’re a fan of the Orlando Magic, you probably already know where I’m going with this. Yes, that “something” I’m referring to is EFFORT.

The Magic have been wildly inconsistent through the first half of this season, and much of that has to do with the lack of effort and intensity they bring to the court on any given night.

After returning home from a disastrous road trip that concluded with a disconcerting loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, in what was ’suppose’ to be a chance to avenge their defeat in the NBA Finals last season. The Magic apparently channeled their inner “Gooch”(pardon my reference to the old sit-com “Different Strokes” and the character who routinely harassed poor Arnold “what you talkin’ bout Willis”) and took their aggression out on two clearly overmatched opponents in the Indiana Pacers and Sacramento Queens…..Oooops, I meant Kings.

Before moving on, I’d like to address the Laker game if I may. I was honestly expecting Orlando to at least come out of the locker room ready to play and show some pride. Laker fans are notorious for showing up late to games, much like the Magic this season who usually get going around the 2nd quarter. So it would have been a great opportunity to take the crowd out of the game and build some momentum.

Unfortunately, the Magic chose to do things the hard way, waiting until the 3rd quarter to find their shooting touch. At this point, the Lakers already imposed their will on the game and simply dusted the Magic off in the fourth quarter, despite a lackluster performance by Kobe Bryant who has been hampered with an injured finger. As much as I hate Kobe (and believe me that hate runs deep…lol..), I have to give him respect for his willingness to play hurt. I wish Vince Carter had that kind of resolve.

The lone bright spot in the Magic’s loss to the lakers, was the 1st half performance of Dwight Howard. Superman was very aggressive, attacking offensively and even displayed a nice feathery touch on a few face up jumpers off the glass. Why the Magic went away from Howard in the second half is a mystery to me? Instead, they reverted back to chucking 3 pointers, a total of 33 on the night to be exact. When will Stan Van Gundy realize this Rick Pitino “Ken-Chucky Wildcat” approach is not going to get it done?

Wednesday nights game against the Pacers was another opportunity for revenge from their last meeting in Indiana where Roy Hibbert had a career night against Howard and company. Howard clearly seemed to remember as he dominated and showed why he is considered one of the best centers in the game. When Dwight plays physical and stays aggressive, there isn’t a player out there who should be able to guard him.  Matt Barnes also had a very productive game with 10 points and a rather impressive 16 boards for the slightly built Forward. Following the Game, Barnes summed things up perfectly stating “We(The magic)need to be the hunters more instead of just the hunted”.

Last nights game against Sacramento was much to do about nothing. So I will keep it short. Aside from Tyreke Evans “Rookie of The Year” campaign, the Kings have nothing left to play for this season. That was very apparent as the Magic took it to the Kings from start to finish. Dwight Howard was impressive once again, especially at the free throw line, where he was a shocking 11-12. If he continues to improve on his free throw shooting as he has of late, it will be increasingly difficult for teams to foul him.

As a former basketball player, I can tell you from my experience, it is much easier to shoot uncontested 3 pointers, compared to shooting with a hand in your face. Which is what happens when the Magic play inside out, as opposed to just coming down and spotting up. If you allow Dwight Howard to draw a double team and then kick it out to the open man, you will get better looks and ultimately, shoot a higher percentage. The Magic are loaded with great shooters, such as Rashard Lewis, JJ Redick and Ryan Anderson, who should benefit from Dwight’s re-emergence as an offensive force.

Even in the blow out wins against Indiana and Sacramento at home, the Magic are still relying far too heavily on the deep ball, and are not getting enough from their starting back court. Vince Carter, injured or not, has to play better on both ends of the floor and start taking better shots. As for Jameer Nelson, I’m afraid diagnosing his problems aren’t quite as easy. His outside shooting has been terrible, and the same can be said for his decision making and leadership. Since his return from knee surgery, he hasn’t had the same explosive quickness to get by opposing players, and his confidence seems shaken. The team plays much more fluidly when being run by back up Jason Williams. Maybe, the Magic need to insert Williams back into the starting role and give Jameer a chance to regain his form against the opposing teams second units.

Tonight Orlando heads back on the road to take on the “Red Hot” Charlotte Bobcats. Yes, you heard me right, I said the Charlotte Bobcats are currently the NBA’s “hottest” team, having won 9 of their last 10 games. Since acquiring Stephen Jackson from Golden State, the Bobcats have been playing much better basketball. And similar to last years Magic team with Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu, the Bobcats are giving opponents fits with the mismatches their line-up of Stephen Jackson, Gerald Wallace and Boris Diaw create.

I would love to see the Magic try and play Gortat alongside Dwight Howard, similar to the Lakers approach with Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol. I’m just curious to see how teams would be able to defend, especially, with the shooters the Magic possess on the perimeter.

Let’s see if the Magic can carry their  home dominance with them on the road.

Technorati Tags: Andrew Bynum, Boris Diaw, Charlotte Bobcats, Different Strokes, Dwight Howard, Gerald Wallace, Indiana Pacers, Jameer Nelson, jason williams, JJ Reddick, Kobe Bryant, Marcin Gortat, Matt Barnes, Orlando Magic, Pau Gasol, Rick Pitino, Roy Hibbert, Ryan Anderson, Sacramento Kings, Stan Van Gundy, Stephen Jackson, The Gooch, Tyreke Evans, Vince Carter

The Magic took their show on the road hoping to capitalize on the momentum of their blowout victory against the surging Atlanta Hawks last Saturday.

Things began nicely, with a convincing win in Sacramento against the injury riddled Kings.

Then reality struck once again on Wednesday night in Denver as the Nuggets dissected the Magic en route to a 115-97 trouncing over Orlando. Playing short-handed without their leading scorer Vince “Cupcake” Carter for the secong straight night, Orlando simply had no answer for the physical play of the Nuggets. Dwight “The Coward” Howard struggled mightily against the likes of Kenyon Martin and Chris “Birdman” Andersen, managing a meager 8 points on 1-7 shooting. A far cry from the 30 points and 16 rebounds he collected the night before in Sacramento.

In what may have been the funniest sound bite I’ve ever heard from a player came from Dwight Howard after the loss to Denver in which he stated “the Nuggets took away the inside game and FORCED the Magic to shoot jump shots”. Excuse me if I’m missing something here, but have you ever seen anyone having to force Rashard Lewis, Vince Carter, Ryan Anderson or JJ Redick(let me stop here, before I name the rest of the roster) to shoot a jump shot?

In the last three games including last nights loss to the Blazers, which I will get to momentarily, the magic took 27,31 and 30 three point shots. So what was so different about the Nugget game as far as the game plan Dwight?

Now we move on to last nights debacle in Portland against the Brandon Roy-less Blazers. Portland came out strong building an 11 point first quarter lead, taking advantage of Orlando’s ritual of slow starts, and never looked back. Without Roy, the Blazers looked to Andre Miller and Steve Blake to lead the charge and also got a strong outing out of Martell Webster who scored 24 points(more than twice his average of 10 a game) and 9 boards. While Dwight Howard managed only 11 points playing against Juwan Howard. Yes, Juwan Howard is actually still in the NBA; amazing isn’t it?  Vince Carter, finally back after suffering a debilitating(wink wink) sprained shoulder, was a non factor, while his backcourt mate, Jameer Nelson, continued to get lit up by opponents point guards. First Chauncey Billups had his way with Jameer “The Steer”, then came Andre Miller( the slowest man on earth, getting paid to run) and Steve Blake to take advantage of the Magics fearless leader . The Tattoo on Jameer’s back reads ” All Eyes On Me”, and if that is the case, there are a lot of people out there witnessing him getting used and abused night in and night out.

Rashard Lewis remains MIA, and is either unable to adjust to playing with his new teammates(especially Vince Carter) or is simply missing his medicine. Remember, Lewis A.K.A. Mr. Softy, was suspended for violating the NBA’s banned substance list for the first 10 games of the season. Rashard is making close to max money and is playing himself into a possible reserve role. Look at what the Philadelphia 76ers did with their version of an overpaid, underachieving player in Elton Brand, who is currently coming off the bench. In the last two games Lewis has scored a total of 15 points and collected a staggeringly low 4 rebounds. The man is 6′10″ 230 pounds, plays power forward and manages to grab 4 boards in a combined 50 plus minutes of action. Pardon me while I scroll through my trusty thesaurus for alternative words for PATHETIC!

The fact is the Magic are a soft, finesse, jump shooting team masquerading as title contenders. Now if this is what they aim to be as an organization; let me be the first to issue a mea culpa: Mission accomplished.

Unfortunately, we all know this isn’t true. The Magic were successful last season because they played much better defensively, and Howard and others asserted themselves more both offensively and on the glass.

Chemistry is a key ingredient, one often overlooked by fans and GM’s alike, who simply look at players numbers and highlights and fall in love with the idea of having them on their team. This Magic team is severely lacking leadership and a sustained consistency. There is a phrase ”The whole is greater than the sum of its parts“. However, when it comes to the Magic, it seems the parts just don’t fit, and it’s time to start assessing the value of each individual piece of the puzzle. The trade market is plentiful this year with all the impending free agents and economic turmoil that has plagued the NBA this season.

If the players aren’t going to be aggressive on the court; management needs to step up and get aggressive off the court.

New Orleans is a prime example of a team suffering crippling losses financially; maybe the Magic can swoop in and pilfer Chris Paul away from the Hornets. Another option to look into is Chris Bosh. Toronto is almost certainly going to lose Bosh at seasons end, and the Magic and Raptors were able to orchestrate deals this past off season, so there is a good working relationship there.

At this point, anything the front office can do to bring about change will be welcome by Magic fans. In most cases the coach is usually the easiest target, and with Stan Van Gundy’s approach wearing on his players, I’m sure there wouldn’t be too much resistance to him being ousted.

The Magic face the lakers Monday night in Los Angeles, a rematch of last years NBA Finals, and I can only imagine what lies in store for them. One things for sure there will be plenty of Kobe Beef on the menu. Vince Carter better rest that shoulder and get ready to do battle, or else, things could get ugly. I’m almost certain we will be seeing a lot of Mickael Pietrus if things start going south early.

Technorati Tags: Andre Miller, Brandon Roy, Chris Andersen, Denver Nuggets, Dwight Howard, Jameer Nelson, JJ Reddick, Kenyon Martin, Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers, Marcin Gortat, Martell Webster, Mickael Pietrus, Orlando Magic, Portland Trailblazers, Rashard Lewis, Ryan Anderson, Stan Van Gundy, Steve Blake, Toronto Raptors, Vince "Cupcake" Carter, Vince Carter

Would someone please call the ASPCA and send them to pick up the carcass resembling the remains of the once proud Orlando Magic that lay still on the Verizon Center court in Washington DC.

Last night’s performance by the Magic against the turmoil filled Washington Wizards was absolutely deplorable. Despite the Magics horrific shooting woes which continue to plague them, they managed to build a ten point lead in the fourth quarter, only to fall victim to a frenetic Wizard rally.

The Magic have now lost four straight games against sub .500 teams, three of which came on the road where Orlando has struggled mightily this season.

Before I begin to dissect the plight of the Orlando Magic following last nights debacle, I would like to clarify that I’m in excellent spirits. I would hate for my rant to be attributed to me possibly waking up on the wrong side of the bed. Which would have been impossible anyway since I slept on the good old couch last night (ah yes, one of the many fringe benefits of living with your girlfriend…lol).

It would be easy to point out once again, the Magics dependence on the 3 point shot (they were 7-27 or .259% for the game against the Wizards), lack of effort, poor execution and defensive intensity. However, I feel the problems go much deeper than that.

Yesterday, I questioned whether the team may be quitting on Coach Stan Van Gundy prematurely. However, after listening to Van Gundy’s post game presser last night, I too may be leaning towards severing ties. Van Gundy had the audacity to state that it was his responsibility to get the most out of his star players(which I can agree with), and that he simply does not know how to at this point. That is simply not the answer you give when your being paid to do a job at the NBA level.

Maybe Pat Riley knew something we are starting to find out about Stan “No Longer The Man” Van Gundy? Even Shaq questioned his mental fortitude and I am starting to agree. When things aren’t going well, Van Gundy always looks out of sorts, unable to maintain composure. How can you expect to lead a group of professional athletes, when you start whining and pouting like a fat kid who had his cake snatched out of his hands.

At least in Miami, Van Gundy had a proven leader and warrior in D Wade, not to mention a strong veteran presence in Shaq, to keep players in line and demand better effort on the court, which they exemplified through their own play.

Unfortunately, the Magic lack a veteran who can command that type of respect. Which leaves the coach to shoulder that burden. This is where I feel Van Gundy has failed, since the majority of his core players are all underachieving this season.

Vince Carter, who up until this point in his career, in best known for dunking over Frederick Weiss in the Olympics (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PPhbHMaf7k) and for admitting he quit on the Toronto Raptors by not always competing hard. So I’m not surprised that Vince hasn’t warmed up to the coaching methods used by Van Gundy. This is no excuse for Carter’s recent struggles, however, it may be a part of the reason he is not excelling. If anything, it appears as if he has regressed since joining the Magic.

The Magics other floor general Jameer Nelson has continued to struggle since his return from knee surgery and I would actually prefer seeing him come off the bench for the time being. Let him regain his confidence playing against the oppositions second unit, rather than allow him to be abused further like he was by Derrick Rose earlier in the week in Chicago.

Now for my favorite target, Rashard ” Please Don’t Touch Me” Lewis, who is either the luckiest man on earth or has a world class publicist. How else can you explain a player making that much escarole flying under the radar and not being trashed for his severe lack of production. Lets be honest, aside from his three point shooting ability, there’s not much else to be enamored about with Rashard’s game.

With all that being said, the Magic are still one of the top 5 teams in the league and can definitely salvage this season. In order for that to happen, there will have to be some major changes made. Ever heard the phrase ” drastic times call for drastic measures”? Memo to Otis Smith: We are in Crisis Mode.

If anything can be learned from last nights collapse, it’s how to respond to adverse situations. Here are the Wizard’s faced with all kinds of on and off court distractions, yet, Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler showed how consummate professionals are suppose to carry themselves. Hopefully, some of the Magic players took notice.

Technorati Tags: Antawn Jamison, Caron Butler, Chicago Bulls, Derrick Rose, Dwayne Wade, Dwight Howard, Frederick Weiss, Jameer Nelson, Orlando Magic, Otis Smith, Pat Riley, Rashard Lewis, Shaq, Stan Van Gundy, Vince Carter, Washington Wizards

The NBA recently gave me some feedback about my blog postings stating that there weren’t many positive stories. This was delivered to me on the heels of the Magics dreadful loss to the Chicago Bulls this past Saturday night, leaving me in a rather precarious position.

Instead of ripping the Magic for losing to the Bulls, who were in the midst of self destructing themselves, I decided to bite my tongue or in this case my fingers and give them a chance to redeem themselves against the Pacers on Tuesday. With the Pacers dealing with injuries to Danny Granger and Troy Murphy, you would think this was an ideal scenario for a team looking to regain their composure on the road.

Much to my dismay, the Magic mailed it in against the Pacers, being severely outplayed by a second rate team and even more surprisingly a second rate big man in Roy Hibbert, who simply embarrassed Dwight Howard.

Hibbert turned in 26 points and 8 rebounds against Dwight “The Coward” Howard, who manages a mere 11 points on 2-7 shooting and 15 boards. I was unaware Roy Hibbert was even on the Pacers until this game, and then to see him play like an All-Star against the Magic front-line was appalling.

After two tough road losses, the Magic returned home on Wednesday night to face the Toronto Raptors who are lead by Chris Bosh.

Once again, the Magic simply didn’t show up to play and were dismantled by Bosh and company.

What troubles me more than anything about the losses, is the lack of effort and intensity by the players. Are they quitting on Stan Van Gundy this early in the season?

Perhaps the criticism Dwight Howard levied against Coach Van Gundy earlier in the year about his negative attitude was a sign of what was to come.

No matter what the reasoning, Dwight Howard is simply not playing near the level he was at last season. His shot attempts are down drastically in recent games, which can be attributed to foul trouble to some degree, or a possible change in the Magics offensive strategy.

I’ve said it repeatedly that Howard is not a number one option on offense and that the Magic need another low post scorer to help balance out their attack. The continued reliance on outside shooting is the exact reason why they are playing inconsistent and not winning games against weaker opponents.

Shots aren’t always going to drop, so you have to have another scoring option. Otherwise, teams will pack it in and make you beat them from the outside.

All teams go through peaks and valleys during a long regular season. However, you rarely see a championship caliber team drop three games in a row. Especially, against teams with losing records who are dealing with injuries and internal strife in the case of the Chicago Bulls who were rumored to be on the verge of firing their Head Coach.

Since the NBA wants a glass half full story, I will try and put a positive spin on things. Yes, the season is long, so there is plenty of time for the Magic to right the ship. Secondly, Orlando is still loaded with talent and in my opinion lead by an excellent head coach.

So if in fact Orlando chooses to stand pat and move forward with the current roster, there are changes they can make such as; moving Rashard Lewis to the small forward position and inserting Brandon Bass in at the power forward. Or, go retro and bring back the “Twin Towers” with Gortat and Howard featured up front.

On the other hand, if Otis Smith does decide to tinker with the roster, their is a wealth of talent for him to deal, giving him plenty of leverage.

It’s too soon to give up on what could still turn out to be a great season, so let’s stay positive for the time being.

There is a silver lining here, as the Magic head up north tonight to face the Washington Wizards who are in complete disarray.

The Wizards have given new meaning to the phrase “Strap em up” and get ready to play. Sorry I couldn’t resist the temptation

Technorati Tags: Chicago Bulls, Dwight Howard, Indiana Pacers, Marcin Gortat, Orlando Magic, Rashard Lewis, Roy Hibbert, Stan Van Gundy, Toronto Raptors, Washington Wizards

Kudos to Coach Stan Van Gundy for making the prudent decision to insert Matt Barnes into the starting line-up replacing Mickael Pietrus.

The move gives the Magic a much more aggressive/active player to help combat their inability to start games with a high level of intensity. Barnes is a tireless worker on the glass and gets out and runs the floor hard on every play. Hopefully, this type of play can rub off on his fellow teammates.

Orlando has been plagued by slow starts at the beginning of games, to go along with their woeful low post scoring and extreme reliance on 3 point shots.

It’s unfortunate that the Magic needed to suffer a couple of losses to serve as the impetus for change. However, it is better late than never.

The move also illustrates Van Gundy’s commitment to winning and not just being satisfied with the status quo. The Magic have a tremendous wealth of talent and ultimately it is up to the coaching staff to utilize it most effectively.

I’m still waiting for Marcin Gortat to be given a permanent spot in the rotation and a larger role in the Magics offensive scheme. Dwight Howard has regressed severely and clearly cannot be counted on to shoulder the load up front.

Technorati Tags: Dwight Howard, Marcin Gortat, Matt Barnes, Mickael Pietrus, Orlando Magic, Stan Van Gundy

After watching Vince “Cupcake” Carter hit the deck following a mild collision with  Ersan IIyasova, I immediately predicted Carter would be slow to get up, so he could milk the crowd for some attention.

It is a scene I became all to familiar with while watching him play in New Jersey for the Nets. The slightest chance of faking an injury would send Carter into full “Drama Queen” mode.

The replays of this play clearly showed there was no contact between Carter’s head and IIyasova’s shoulder, no matter how many times the Magic announcers tried to tell us otherwise.

Much to my chagrin, I was forced to listen to media outlets attributing Carter’s false bravado as the spark that helped lead the Magic to victory against the mediocre Milwaukee Bucks.

The Magic got off to a slow start, a consistent theme this season, then eventually found their shooting touch and ran the inferior Bucks out of the gym.

Once again, the Magic lacked  defensive intensity and relied on their depth and the three ball to carry them to the win. As I’ve said repeatedly, this formula will work against weaker opponents, however, it will continue to hinder the Magic against the leagues top teams. The Magic have feasted on the losing teams and benefited greatly from playing in the pathetic Eastern Conference, where two-thirds of the teams are sporting losing records.

If the Indianapolis Colts are actually right in their view that the ultimate goal should be winning a Championship. Then the Magic clearly have to make some adjustments and roster moves. Otherwise, we will be relegated to finding satisfaction in a bunch of meaningless wins and false hope.

Coach Van Gundy’s decision to replace Mickael Pietrus in the starting line-up with high energy reserve Matt Barnes could be a step in the right direction. I like Pietrus, however, he tends to settle for too many jump shots, mimicking Carter and Rashard Lewis on the offensive end.

Barnes could provide that necessary spark to help the Magic get out of the gate quicker.

Jammer Nelson continues to be MIA, and is simply not the same player he was prior to his shoulder injury. Coach Stan Van Gundy addressed the Jameer Nelson Dilemma after the Bucks game, saying ” we have to re-evaluate where we are at with Jameer”. Unfortunately, Jason Williams seems to be regressing as well since jameer’s return into the line-up. Doesn’t that sound familiar? Last year Rafer Alston helped lead the Magic into the Finals against the Lakers only to be foiled by Nelson’s selfish desire to play.

Dwight “The Coward” Howard came up small against the very talented and equally inconsistent Andrew Bogut, who baited Howard into  early foul trouble. Bogut and the rest of the Milwaukee front line did a good job limiting Howard’s effectiveness on the offensive end when he returned and even interrupted a few alley-oops intended for Howard.

In limited spot duty Marcin Gortat and Brandon Bass continued to play well when given the opportunity. Which begs the question; When will Coach Van Gundy insert either of them in the  regular rotation?

Up next for the Magic are the Minnesota Timberwolves, another of the NBA’s cellar dwellers, who are proud owners of the second worst record in the association. I guess we should expect another repeat performance of the Magic taking advantage of a lesser opponent and eventually prevailing in the end.

It’s amazing, I find myself almost rooting for the Magic to lose, so just maybe the powers that be will somehow miraculously wake up and make some changes. Santa must have missed my house again, because I wanted a Point Guard and Power Forward for the Magic. Instead, I’m left with Jameer “The Steer” who continues to shoot blanks, and Rashard “Please Don’t Touch Me” Lewis who is deathly afraid of human contact.

Didn’t take long for me to break my New Years resolution to be more positive!

Technorati Tags: Andrew Bogut, Brandon Bass, Dwight Howard, Jameer Nelson, jason williams, Marcin Gortat, Matt Barnes, Mickael Pietrus, Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves, NBA, New Jersey Nets, Orlando Magic, Rafer Alston, Rashard Lewis, Stan Van Gundy, Vince "Cupcake" Carter, Vince Carter

It may not have been what they asked for, however, all those Orlando Magic fans out there got something very valuable for Christmas: The Truth!

No I’m not referring to Paul Pierce, who didn’t even play due to a knee infection.

The truth I’m speaking about is the transparent state of the current Orlando Magic, a team with no real leader and a slew of finesse players. Hopefully, this serves as a wake up call, for the always asleep at the wheel GM Otis Smith, to finally make a preemptive strike and make some desperately needed changes to this roster.

On the surface, it may look like I’m another overzealous fan reacting hastily to a tough loss against a very formidable opponent. However, if we take a closer look at the numbers, I think there is genuine cause for concern. The Magic have no low post scoring presence, do not rebound well, with the exception of Dwight Howard,  and rely far too heavily on the 3 point shot to score. Not to mention they are missing one of the most important intangibles of a championship caliber team: Heart.

It was painful to watch the Magic repeatedly get beat to loose balls and out muscled for rebounds on a nationally televised stage against a supposed rival. Their depth and talent will continue to carry them against lesser opponents, but it’s simply not going to get the job done against the likes of the Lakers, Celtics or Cavaliers, who are all rounding into shape and playing excellent basketball.

Dwight “The Coward” Howard, Orlando’s alleged franchise player and dominant big man, only managed one field goal in 43 minutes to go along with 20 rebounds and 7 turnovers. This might be acceptable if he was Charles Oakley or Dennis Rodman, but this is clearly not a performance worthy of the “Superman” status Dwight “The Coward” Howard has somehow managed to acquire.

Could you imagine Shaq, Hakeem Olajuan, Patrick Ewing or David Robinson putting up a 1 for 7 showing in 43 minutes played?

The Magic have to come to the realization that Dwight Howard is not an offensive threat or franchise player. I’m not going to diminish his contributions as a rebounder or defender, where he performs at an All-Star level. However, you cannot continue to try and run an offense thru him. Sorry Patrick Ewing, but your stewardship as Dwight Howard’s offensive guru has been blown way out of proportion and in my eyes is a complete failure. Dwight still lacks the most basic low post moves, cannot shoot free throws to save his life and relies solely on the one signature move in his repertoire; the tomahawk dunk.

The Magic are in desperate need of a reliable low post presence and a player who can create off the dribble and draw fouls going to the rim. In years past, Hedo Turkoglu provided the Magic with a very unique option; a big man who could run the point, space the floor with his shooting and get to the basket.  Unfortunately, with Hedo’s departure to Toronto, the Magic are now left with Vince “Cupcake” Carter as his replacement and he is clearly not getting the job done. Sure, he puts up gaudy numbers and supplies us with some great highlight footage on occasion, but it never seems to translate to wins.

Referees don’t even respect Vince Carter. Look at how often his flailing fade way drives result in no foul calls. Turkoglu was a master at lulling the defense to sleep, then attacking the rim and drawing the foul. Heck, even Rafer Alston gave us a boost offensively last season after he was acquired in a trade and brought some much needed moxie along with him. I guess the old adage,  ”you never know what you got til it’s gone”, may be appropriate here.

What a prefect segue into my next topic of conversation. Welcome back Mr. Jameer Nelson, the Magics mythological leader and All-Star point guard. Shouldn’t we be able to notice a significant change one way or the other from your presence in or out of the line up? Rajon Rondo is probably, no definitely, the worst shooter on the planet. Yet, he managed to blow by Jameer Nelson, even when given a substantial cushion,  and carve up the Magic for 17 points, an impressive 13 boards and 8 assists.

Nelson, much like his replacement in last years All-Star Game, Mo Williams, benefits greatly from the talent that surrounds him and isn’t a game breaker. His size and fragility will, in my opinion, always limit his effectiveness.

Not to be confused with those who just rant and never offer any solutions, I have a few suggestions for Mr. Smith if he is listening. Carlos Boozer would be a great addition to the Magic, addressing both their low post scoring deficiencies and interior toughness. Boozer, will be an unrestricted free agent this summer and Utah will most certainly lose him for nothing. So I’m sure they’d listen to a legitimate trade offer, such as Marcin Gortat or Brandon Bass. There are other pieces such as Matt Barnes or Ryan Anderson who could be thrown into the mix to make salaries match.

Another option could be Nate Robinson, who seems to be in permanent exile in New York. He may be contami”Nate” to the Knicks, however, this guy has a ton of game and can provide the Magic with a much needed scorer off the bench, and some grit on the defensive end.

Don’t be afraid Otis, pick up the phone and make some inquiries. Remember the only dumb questions are the ones that aren’t asked.

Technorati Tags: Boston Celtics, Brandon Bass, Carlos Boozer, Charles Oakley, Cleveland Cavaliers, David Robinson, Dennis Rodman, Dwight Howard, Hakeem Olajuan, Hedo Turkoglu, Jameer Nelson, Los Angeles Lakers, Marcin Gortat, Mo Williams, Orlando Magic, Otis Smith, Patrick Ewing, paul pierce, Rafer Alston, Rajon Rondo, Shaquille O'Neal, Vince Carter

After watching a frustrating, yet understandable loss at Utah last week, followed by another heartbreaker the following night in Phoenix against the Suns, I decided to take a few days off to see how the Magic would respond.

As expected, they returned home Monday night and won and ugly game against the very physical Indiana Pacers. Followed by an unimpressive dismantling of the feeble Toronto Raptors last night.

I think we can all agree that a couple of victories at home against the Indiana Pacers and Toronto Raptors is not quite an accurate barometer of where this Magic team is at.

So I waited on the outcome of tonight’s rematch against the Miami Heat, who narrowly escaped Orlando’s Amway Arena with a victory less than a month ago, courtesy of a last second put back shot by Michael Beasley off an errant D Wade Jumper.

Before giving out my humble assessment of this Magic Team as presently constructed, I want to go on record as having taken into account the Magic are playing 3 games in 4 nights after returning from a long West Coast road trip.

Having said that, I was still completely frustrated by the performance the Magic put on against the Miami Heat tonight. They were simply out-hustled, out-muscled and out-manned. They showed absolutely zero signs of life and continued to struggle against teams who have any low post presence. Amazing, we actually consider Jermaine O’Neal, Udonis Haslem, Dorell Wright, Michael Beasley and Jamaal Magloire a formidable front line. Where have all the good Big Men gone?

Dwayne Wade was efficient and continued his dominance of the Magic, which previously hadn’t always coincided with a Heat victory, pouring in 25 points to go along with 7 assists.

Dwight Howard, who usually has monster games against the Heat, was held pretty much in check, even though he did attempt to assert his aggressiveness. Unfortunately, it wasn’t nearly enough, especially, when none of his teammates bothered to step up. Which is abnormal for the Magic, who usually find contributions from the bench on off nights by the Superstars.

Vince “Cupcake” Carter is starting to show his complacency once again and seems to be losing the desire to attack the rim. I guess with the rest of the Magic jacking up 3 pointers, it can be contagious. Carter and Lewis average  a mere 4.4 and 2.9 free throws per game respectively. Rather startling when compared to slow footed and athletically challenged JJ Redick who averages 2.3 free throws per contest, coming off the bench in a limited role.

What boggles my mind is why Stan Van Gundy refuses to utilize either Brandon Bass or Marcin Gortat. Both have played well when called upon and have also demonstrated a willingness to play physical. Something you will NEVER hear me saying about Rashard Lewis, who seems immune to going anywhere inside the arc.

With Vince Carter,  Rashard Lewis , Mickael Pietrus and Company continuing to hoist up 3’s at will, the Magic are non-existent on the offensive glass

Jameer Nelson will be back in a week or so, however, I’m not sure that will be enough to keep the Magic in the NBA’s upper echelon with the Lakers and Celtics.

If the Magic aren’t going to incorporate Brandon Bass or Marcin Gortat in their regular rotation, they should look to trade one of them for a player who better fits whatever coach Van Gundy is trying to do. Which at this point I can’t quite figure out. The Magic have no identity and are living and dying by the long range jump shot.

The Magic aren’t getting it done on the defensive end and that is in direct correlation with their lack of sustained intensity and effort. Isn’t that a reflection on the coaching staff?

I’ve said it all along and will continue to harp on the fact that the Magic need to address the deficiencies in their roster if they are planning on a repeat of last seasons successful playoff run. They need a rebounding power forward and a low post scoring threat. On second thought, the Magic already have both of those types of players in Brandon Bass and Marcin Gortat. Maybe they should actually insert them into the game.

With the economy in the toilet and many teams bracing for the worst, and let us not forget the impending 2010 free agent class, there are key players available and deals to be had. Otis Smith needs to come off his wait and see approach to things and start being aggressive.

Technorati Tags: Brandon Bass, dorell wright, Dwayne Wade, Dwight Howard, Jameer Nelson, Jermaine O'Neal, Marcin Gortat, Michael beasley, Mickael Pietrus, Orlando Magic, Otis Smith, Rashard Lewis, Stan Van Gundy, udonis haslem, Vince "Cupcake" Carter

The Orlando Magic, fresh from a night off, strolled into Utah to take on a Jazz team who just suffered a debilitating loss the night before to the World Champion Los Angeles Lakers. A perfect scenario for the Magic to continue on their winning ways.

As expected the Jazz looked sluggish early on and the Magic were hitting on all cylinders, building what you would think would be an insurmountable 18 point lead. Well, think again folks, because the always tough at home Utah Jazz had other plans.

I can’t help but think that the momentum change was spurred on when Rashard Lewis pulled a Scottie Pippen in the 2nd quarter; refusing coach Van Gundy’s orders to get back in the game. Lewis, saddled with 2 fouls, later claimed he felt Ryan Anderson had it going and didn’t want to interrupt his hot streak.  Unbelievable as it sounds for a player making a cool $118 millions bucks to refuse a coaches instruction. Stan Van Gundy himself, who has coached some questionable characters in his career, claims he has never had a player question his authority in this manner.

Even if Rashard Lewis thought he was being unselfish, is this the type of attitude you want to permeate throughout your team? An All-Star player feeling that his substitute can provide more effectiveness than himself.  Could you imagine Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan or Dwayne Wade not seething at the opportunity to get back on the court no matter what the score or situation.

Whatever transpired inside the Magic locker room at halftime, seemed to carry over onto the basketball court. The Jazz came out in the 3rd quarter and simply wrestled the game away from the Magic outscoring the Magic 68-51 in the final 2 quarters of play.

Deron Williams was spectacular tallying 32 points and 15 assists while the Jazz also received significant contributions from Carlos Boozer, Mehmet Okur and C.J.Miles.

The Jazz imposed their physicality upon a soft Magic team who wilted under the pressure of a hostile crowd at EnergySolutions Arena.

Tonight, the Magic get a chance to regroup against a far less physical, yet equally athletic club, in the Phoenix Suns. On the bright side, Rashard Lewis should be well rested. While on the flip side, Jason Williams will have his hands full with 2 time MVP Steve Nash and Dwight Howard will have to deal with Amar’e “The Stat Sheet Stuffer” Stoudemire. Without having to look into my crystal ball, I predict an early appearance from Marcin Gortat to spell Dwight Howard after he picks up a quick 2 fouls.

Technorati Tags: Amare Stoudemire, C.J. Miles, Carlos Boozer, Deron Williams, Dwayne Wade, Dwight Howard, jason williams, Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers, Marcin Gortat, Mehmet Okur, Michael Jordan, NBA Finals, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, Rashard Lewis, Stan Van Gundy, Vince Carter

Dwight Howard had his Birthday wishes answered with a dominating performance coinciding with the Magics sixth straight victory and  eighth consecutive road win. Howard collected 24 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists and a couple of posterizing dunks at the expense of Clipper starting center Chris Kaman.

Worthy of ‘its’ own stat line is the SEVEN blocked shots by the birthday boy himself, Dwight “sometimes Superman” Howard. Of course all coming with a smile on his face, which is just part of Howard’s nature I guess. Although, if I was capable of putting up those types of numbers, I might be smiling too!

The Magics balanced attack was on display once again, and is the reason I feel they will ultimately be representing the Eastern Conference once again in the NBA Finals.

Jason William’s had another strong performance with 16 points against the two headed monster of Baron Davis and Eric Gordon. Rashard Lewis also kicked in 17 points to help offset a quiet night from Vince Carter.

Last night’s contest is a perfect example of the type of game that a championship caliber team finds a way to win. Playing against a lesser team on the road in a desolate arena. Yet, the Magic found a way to get it done with an impressive fourth quarter surge. While on the same night, the Cavalier’s, who in my humble, are counterfeit contenders, showed their vulnerability once again with an embarrassing loss to the lowly Memphis Grizzlies. I think you get my drift.

Thursday will be a different animal all together as the Magic head north to face a much more formidable foe in the Utah Jazz. The Magic frontline will be put to the test with the physical play of  Carlos Boozer and Paul Millsap. Coupled with the defensive prowess of Andrei Kirilenko and the adept shooting touch of Mehmet Okur. Definitely not a laughing matter, so I’m hoping Dwight Howard puts his LOL smiley face on hold and brings his never displayed before “Evil Grimace”.  Jason Williams will also have to bring his A game once again, going up against one of my favorite players in the league in Deron Williams. Another test for the Orlando Magic who are proving to be road warriors. Should be a fun game to watch and a good excuse to stay up late on a school night for all the young Magic fans out there.

Technorati Tags: Andrei Kirilenko, Baron Davis, Carlos Boozer, Cleveland Cavaliers, Deron Williams, Dwight Howard, Eric Gordon, jason williams, Los Angeles Clippers, Mehmet Okur, NBA Finals, Orlando Magic, Paul Millsap, Rashard Lewis, Utah Jazz, Vince Carter

In what would best be described as a shoot out between the Magic and Golden State Warriors, two clearly unevenly matched teams, saw the Magic prevail in relatively easy fashion. Yes, the Warriors kept it close with great offensive performances by Monta Ellis and a career night from Anthony Randolph. Unfortunately, that simply was not enough to derail the Magic who continue to stay on their winning track.

Once again, Dwight Howard was plagued with foul trouble, which doesn’t really concern me anymore. Since the Magic seem to play just as well, if not better, with him riding the pine. Vince Carter is showing that he can still carry a team at this stage of his career, at least offensively. Heck he even dished out seven assists and grabbed 5 boards. Mickael Pietrus also came up big against his former compadres with a season high 22 points and Rashard Lewis chipped in a quiet 20 points.

Another bright spot for the Magic continues to be the steady play of Jason Williams. True, the Warriors were able to expose the Magics lack of speed in the backcourt, with the slow footed JJ Redick and aging Jason Williams. However, Jameer Nelson will be back soon enough to help address one of the few flaws in the Magics arsenal.

The Magic are fortunate to have 2 nights off before taking on the Clippers, which will be a nice respite before taking on Utah and Phoenix in a grueling back to back stretch.

Technorati Tags: Anthony Randolph, Dwight Howard, Golden State Warriors, Jameer Nelson, jason williams, JJ Reddick, Los Angeles Clippers, Mickael Pietrus, Monta Ellis, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, Rashard Lewis, Utah Jazz

As expected, the Magic took care of the hapless New York Knicks in convincing fashion. You could get the sense early on that this was going to be a good old fashion shellacking. The Magic came out with good energy, executed well and ultimately wore down a decimated Knicks line up. Depth was a big factor again for the Magic, with Brandon Bass and Matt Barnes picking up the slack on an off night for Vince Carter. Dwight Howard was his usual self, overpowering opponents and claiming his domain inside the painted area. While Rashard Lewis continues to be extremely effective with his long range accuracy since his return from suspension.

Watching this game and others around the association tonight made me seriously contemplate the state of the NBA. Six out of the ten games on the slate for tonight’s action were blow outs, with the Atlanta Hawks leading the way with an impressive 146-115 drubbing of the Toronto Raptors. As many teams, such as the Knicks, jockey for salary cap relief for the impending free agent class of 2010, we the fans, are left to watch a lackluster product to say the least. The Eastern Conference actually has 10 of it’s 15 teams sporting sub .500 records. With the inept New Jersey Nets off to an NBA Record worst start at 0-18. Jay Z will need to become one heck of a salesman to pursuade Bron Bron to join the pitiful Nets.

As a native New Yorker, it is hard to comprehend the current state of the New York Knicks. They do not have a single player on their roster who would even warrant any legitimate basketball fan purchasing a ticket to watch them go through the motions. Instead of instituting a meaningless dress code for the players, why doesn’t David Stern demand that franchises field competitive teams? I’m shocked some slick talking New York City Attorney hasn’t sued the New York Knick organization for performing fraudulent business practices. How can you charge people a premium ticket price for the mediocre talent they carelessly assembled? While pushing hope like some low life TV evangelist, that they somehow have a legitimate shot at acquiring Lebron James. Who mind you, has yet to win anything of significance, unless you count his High School Championships. Which I’m sure 90 percent of NBA Players can claim to have won as well.

Now let’s get back to the Magic, who are playing excellent basketball and staking their claim as the top team in the East. Already collecting wins on the road in Boston and Atlanta, two out of the three other serious title contenders in the conference. I can’t stress enough, the significance of the Magic’s ability to get contributions from different players on any given night. We’ve already witnessed the likes of Jason Williams, Mickael Pietrus and reserves Anthony Johnson, Brandon Bass and Ryan Anderson provide much needed contributions on nights when the Magic needed a player to step up.

As good as things have gone over the last ten games or so, there’s still a lot to improve on. I’d still like to see Vince Carter, Dwight Howard and Rashard Lewis play more aggressively and start to impose their dominance on opponents. Coaches are always instructing players to take what the defense gives them, however, players of their stature are game changers and need to be more assertive, especially when attacking the rim. Success in sports, such as it is in life, is due in large part to a certain mentality or mind set. And I still think the Magic lack a killer instinct that is going to be critical if they have championship aspirations.

Technorati Tags: Atlanta Hawks, Brandon Bass, David Stern, Dwight Howard, LeBron James, Matt Barnes, NBA, New York Knicks, Orlando Magic, Rashard Lewis, Toronto Raptors, Vince Carter

The Orlando Magic continued their winning ways tonight against the lowly New York Knickerbockers. Concluding an impressive road trip in which they did what a championship caliber team is suppose to do; win games against inferior opponents. Each game saw the Magic get behind early then fight back with their superior talent and depth. All this while actually playing short handed, minus All-Star point guard Jameer Nelson, still out with a knee injury.

After losing a heartbreaker to the Miami Heat on Thanksgiving, the Magic showed a lot of character, going on the road and getting the job done. I have been somewhat hard on newcomer Vince “Cupcake” Carter, since his arrival in Orlando. Mainly, because, he continues to underachieve by most peoples standards for a guy with his god given ability and sheer talent. However, since his arrival in the NBA, he has yet to play with a legitimate title contender, so I’m going to take this into consideration, and give him a chance to lose some of the bad habits he’s picked up in his 12 year career with poor performing clubs.  Through all of that, he still manages to carry the brunt of the offensive load while Rashard Lewis regains his composure after being suspended for the first 10 games of the regular season.

Another bright spot continues to be the play of the inspired JJ Redick. It is becoming clearer with each game why Otis Smith held onto Redick while some including JJ himself felt he should be dealt. Not only has he found his collegiate stroke which had been missing in his first couple of seasons. Now he has improved defensively and is even showing the ability to put the ball on the floor when pushed off the 3 point line. With the off season additions of Matt Barnes and Brandon Bass, who also stepped up big in Milwaukee, the Magic have become one of the deepest teams in the NBA. This bolds well  for them when playing a grueling regular season and will prove to be the difference when it comes to seedings in the Playoffs. With the other 3 elite teams in the Eastern Conference, Boston, Cleveland and Atlanta, playing inconsistent and showing transparent flaws in the early goings, the Magic continue to get stronger and are exemplifying a cohesive unit able to withstand the ups and downs of the long haul.

Not to be lost in all the praise for Vinsanity and the other the role players, is the continued resurgence of Dwight Howard as the games premier dominant center imposing his will on all comers. Howard needs to continue to assert himself more as a leader and defensive juggernaut if the Magic are going to fulfill expectations. With that being said, I sincerely believe the Magic need to add another piece to the puzzle if they have serious title aspirations. Memo to Otis Smith: Iverson is still ripe for the taking. Jason Williams is not going to hold up much longer and despite Anthony Johnson’s nice showing against the Atlanta Hawks, he is not a legitimate force on the 2nd unit. If there is any merit to the cliche there’s “Strength in Numbers”, then the Magic need to be proactive in addressing their need for a spark plug to get their motor going. This team is still not where it should be and a little A.I. could do a lot in the way of helping the Magic reach their full potential.

Technorati Tags: Allen Iverson, Anthony Johnson, Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Brandon Bass, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dwight Howard, Jameer Nelson, jason williams, JJ Reddick, Matt Barnes, Mickael Pietrus, Milwaukee Bucks, NBA, Orlando Magic, Otis Smith, Rashard Lewis, Vince "Cupcake" Carter, Vince Carter, Vinsanity

The Orlando Magic and Diwght Howard got back on track last night with an impressive road victory against the up and coming Atlanta Hawks. More importantly, Dwight Howard finally found his offensive game and played with aggresiveness we haven’t since yet in the beginning stages of this season. Hopefully, this is indicative of what we can expect from Mr. Howard and the rest of the Magic from here on out.

It is expected for a team who reached the NBA Finals just six months ago to suffer a bit of a letdown when embarking on another long regular season. So I give the Magic a pass for some of their lethargic play early on. They’ve still managed to pick up some nice road wins in Boston, Toronto and now Atlanta. They say winning starts with defense and that has been the one consistent formula the Magic have put on display. Lead by Mickael Pietrus who has done an excellent job against some of the biggest names in the game, such as Paul Pierce, Dwayne Wade and Joe Johnson. Pietrus is also contributing on the offensive end with some very timely long distance shooting. Hopefully, he starts attcking the basket more, which will make the Magic even more dynamic offensively.

The most impressive aspect of last nights victory was the way the Magic fought their way back into the game in the second half, rather than mailing it in and blaming it on a tough back-to-back road game. Apparently, coach van Gundy challenged his team during his halftime pep talk and they definitely responded. So much for the notion he is losing his team.  With Orlando’s depth at several positions, they should be able to combat fatigue and the occasional off nights by their starters. Evident last night  with Anthony Johnson, who I owe a sincere apology to, putting up 17 points to make up for Jason Williams ineffectiveness.

Again, I can’t stress enough how important Dwight howards tenaciousness is needed to keep the Magic rolling. Every team plays off their best player and while Orlando may have other All-Star caliber players, Howard is clearly the emotional leader of the team. He set the tone in the second half and the rest of the Magic follwed suit. If this continues, the magic could be headed for anpother trip to the finals. Up next is the Milwaukee Bucks and rookie phenom Brandon Jennings. Without Jameer Nelson, this will be a tough assignement for the Magic backcourt. Can’t help but think what might have been had the Magic reached out and grabbed Allen Iverson after he cleared waivers. I guess I’ll have to settle for “White Chocolate” vs. the next “A.I.”.

Technorati Tags: Allen Iverson, Anthony Johnson, Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, brandon jennings, coach Van Gundy, Dwayne Wade, Dwight Howard, Jameer Nelson, jason will, joe johnson, Mickael Pietrus, Milwaukee Bucks, NBA, Orlando Magic, paul pierce, Stan Van Gundy, Toronto Raptors, Vince Carter

Last night was a classic example of a good team letting their inferior opponent stick around too long and having the rug pulled out from underneath them. The Orlando Magic appeared to have their 13th consecutive win against the Miami Heat all but sealed up midway through the 4th quarter, until you guessed it, Mr. Dwayne Wade himself took matters into his own hand. As much as I’d love to put the onus on Vince “Cupcake” Carter, I have to give the “Goat” award to Dwight Howard and the rest of the Magic frontline. They were clearly out hustled and showed zero heart or intensity down the stretch.

It looks as if the recurrent theme of the Magic’s season is going to be their lack of killer instinct. Until Vince Carter and Rashard Lewis realize referee’s are not going to blow the whistle on weak finger roll drives to the basket, or Dwight Howard starts to make critical free throws, the Magic will continue to falter in close meaningful games. Dwayne Wade’s humiliating block of Vince “Cupcake” Carters 4th quarter fade away drive to the basket, was reminiscent of last years finals series against the Los Angeles Lakers, when Kobe Bryant snatched both a ferocious rebound and Dwight Howard’s heart all in one play. Wade stole the momentum of the game and Michael Beasley picked up the scraps, putting the final nail in the coffin of the Magic.

Unfortunately, lost in what has to be a debilitating loss for the Magic, was another solid effort from Jason Williams. He scored 25 points, dished out 8 dimes and had only 1 turnover. However, his 2 missed free throws down the stretch proved critical for the Magic’s chances to seal the deal. Vince Carter showed some resilience hitting a huge 3 point field goal to put the magic up 3 with 14 seconds left, only to be foiled by Wade and company. Ultimately, it was Dwight Howard’s failure to block out Jermaine O’neal or anyone else on the Heats frontline that proved to be the most damaging. It’s unfathomable a player of his stature doesn’t have more pride or determination, and further solidifies my point that he is a “Super Liability” when it counts the most. Let’s hope Stan Van Gundy reverts back to his negative, berating self. Maybe, that can somehow inspire a bit of toughness out of Dwight Howard. If not, can we see Marcin Gortat get at least a cameo role in the Magic’s 4th quarter production?

The beauty of the NBA season is the Magic have a chance for redemption against a soaring Atlanta Hawks club tonight and can quickly put last nights bad memory out of their minds. Another test of their intestinal fortitude will be on display and I’m hoping they don’t wind up resembling America’s traditional Thanksgiving Dinner. TURKEY!

Technorati Tags: Dwayne Wade, Dwight Howard, jason williams, Jermaine O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Michael beasley, Orlando Magic, Rashard Lewis, Stan Van Gundy, Vince Carter

The Orlando Magic are riding a five game winning streak which included wins against a struggling Celtic team on the road and another three against sub five hundred ball clubs. With Jameer Nelson, the fragile starting point guard out once again for a long duration, things could take a turn for the worst if the Magic don’t pick up their defensive intensity and start executing better offensively as well. If Hedo Turkoglu was considered lackadaisical on the court at times, Vince Carter is now filling his shoes quite nicely.

There is no real true leader on this group, especially, with Nelson out of the line up, who is capable of inspiring championship caliber effort. While Stan Van Gundy may be perceived by some of his players as negative or too hard on them, the fact of the matter is if he doesn’t try to get the most out of his players, the majority will just accept a mediocre effort. Dwight Howard should try and assert himself as a leader and increase his game day intensity. Instead, he chose to ask coach Van Gundy to lighten up on the guys, especially, newcomer Vince Carter. Basically, summing up his lack of dedication to winning and improving his all around game, which is evident in his glaring offensive deficiencies soley relying on brute strength and athleticism, making him a liability in close games. I keep hearing the praise for Patrick Ewing when it comes to Dwight Howards growth as a player, yet I don’t see any significant progress. He is still a horrendous free throw shooter with zero post moves, relying instead on lowering his shoulder and trying to overpower his defender. No wonder he continues to struggle with foul trouble. Marcin Gortat has actually showed a more reliable offensive touch and  much better feel for the game. Kudos to Otis Smith for retaining Gortats services.

The Magic still have one thing going for them that will not change for the remainder of the season. They are playing in the National Basketball Association, where there are still only a few teams that actually have a realistic chance of contending for a Championship. This group does have a good core and there does seem to be an excellent chemistry amongst the players. If there is a player out there that the Magic can plug in to bring some grit and fight into the equation, I still believe they have the potential to be playing in June. Pardon me for being redundant, considering my previous post, but Allen Iverson is just the kind of player who could light a fire into this team. Jason Williams is proving to be serviceable, but lets be honest, he’s no where near the player of A.I. and he has a history of inconsistent play and bonehead decisions. Remember Rafer Alston’s performance in last years playoff run. He brought a swagger that was missing all year and disappeared in the Finals when Jameer Nelson tried to force his will on the series when he clearly wasn’t ready to play.

That is exactly the reason the Magic need to make something happen now. True, the NBA season is a long one, but time has a way of flying by. I hate when GM’s wait until after the All-Star break to add a player, never allowing enough time to gel and build that necessary chemistry. The elite teams in the eastern conference are all struggling out of the gate and have serious deficiencies which are becoming more and more evident with each passing game. Why not trump the competition  and add the final piece to the puzzle. The Lakers grabbed Pau Gasol early last season, and look at how the dividends payed off on that move. Remember Otis, the early bird gets the worm, or in this case the Crown!

Technorati Tags: Boston Celtics, Dwight Howard, Hedo Turkoglu, Jameer Nelson, jason williams, Los Angeles Lakers, Marcin Gortat, Orlando Magic, Otis Smith, Pau Gasol, Rafer Alston, Stan Van Gundy

The Magic are going to be stuck playing the Celtics in the second round and that could be good. Dwight will do his thing against Perkins, Garnett or whoever squares up on him. Lewis will continue to be effective yet erratic. Turk will be the enigmatic figure that he has become with the injury. Alston will get torched by Rondo throughout every game. The key will be Courtney Lee.

Lee is fighting off an injury himself, but he’ll be there. Injury or not, if the Magic turn him loose, he’ll go off. Courtney Lee has shown what he’s capable of this year and hasn’t even touched the surface yet. Lee is quick, tough, athletic and a defensive animal that will leave the Celtics wondering what happened to them if Van Gundy gives him the keys to the offense.

Alston has helped and hurt at the same time. It’s obvious. He would be great behind Nelson, but that’s not an option. I loved the strides Jameer Nelson made and he’s is the biggest reason the Magic became an elite team earlier in the season. When he went down it was awful. Alston gave us hope and has done enough to keep the Magic alive thus far.

Now it’s time to play inside. Let’s stop relying on 400 three pointers a game to get by. Time to hit the hole hard and angry. Time to bring it with force, give facials and draw fouls. This sounds like porno movie script, I know, but it will be a winning formula for this team.

It looks like the NBA is angling for a Laker/Cavalier finals so this series shouldn’t be overofficiated too much. We’ll see what happens, but I’m keeping hope alive.

Technorati Tags: Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Courtney Lee, Dwight Howard, Hedo Turkoglu, Jameer Nelson, Kendrick Perkins, Kevin Garnett, Los Angeles Lakers, Orlando Magic, Rajon Rondo, Rashard Lewis, Stan Van Gundy

Rafer Alston came over to the Orlando Magic last week in their big trade deadline deal and looks like he’s going to fit in nicely. He has played two games, starting one, and helped the Magic get victories against the Heat and Bobcats. Alston is a true point guard and increase scoring opportunities for everyone else. The deal came shortly after the Tyronn Lue deal and that’s what leaves me scratching my head. It’s obvious at this point that the Magic threw everything they had into the Alston deal and are counting on him to lead them to the promised land.

Prioritizing these things, I like the Alston deal. It will help the team this year and should help in the next season or two, assuming that Alston takes the back seat to Nelson next year with a good attitude. The Lue deal still irks me and is one of the dumbest moves the team has made to date. Lue already played here and didn’t work out. He is younger than Anthony Johnson yet looks less athletic. He wasn’t an upgrade over Johnson and dealing away Keith Bogans for him was completely stupid and was a knee jerk reaction to Jameer Nelson going down that shouldn’t have happened.

All that being said, every team makes dumb decisions sometime and the Magic at least made the deal for Alston to attempt to fix things. I would still rather see Bogans coming off the bench in playoff time, but that doesn’t matter now. The one thing we all need to see is how well Alston plays against Boston, Cleveland and Detroit. Those are the teams that matter and that is the only thing that will show us how well this deal will work out.

The Magic head to Chicago tonight and I’ve got a feeling we’re gonna see another big game from Dwight so tune in and see if I’m right.

Technorati Tags: Boston Celtics, Charlotte Bobcats, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons, Dwight Howard, Jameer Nelson, Keith Bogans, Miami Heat, Orlando Magic, Rafer Alston, Tyronn Lue