Tampa Bay Sports Blog

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

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

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

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 finals have been good on both ends this year and there has been a lot of discussion and debate over a lot of crap. I think it’s time for me to toss my opinions out there on the whole thing and I really don’t care what anyone thinks. I’ll start with the Lebron/Kobe debate.

Kobe is still better than Lebron for one reason. He is a closer.  In my opinion, there is way too much talk about sharing the ball, game ending shots and officiating in these games. The thing that still stands out to me is this. Kobe finishes games like Lebron doesn’t right now. The ball sharing argument is stupid to me because of this. When it is time to finish off a game, you’re best player needs to do it. Kobe shares the ball early in the game but in the last couple minutes, when it matters, he has it and finishes things off. Lebron doesn’t finish games this way. He is still looking to dish the ball even though he is rolling right through the lane and that is a sign of a guy who doesn’t think he can do it. He hit the big three at the end of game 2, but he should have taken charge of that game way before that. Jordan, Bird, Magic, and Kobe have all done that consistently. Win or lose, you die with your star in the NBA. There are occasions where someone else MUST take the shot because the defense takes you out, but there shouldn’t be so much doubt with a guy like Lebron.

Now I’ll talk about the Magic. They are better than I thought behind guys I didn’t think would do it. First off, Rashard Lewis is way tougher than I ever thought and it’s time for me to bow down to him and take back every negative thing I’ve said about him. He has shown some serious nads on both ends of the floor that warrant some major ass-kissing. Without Lewis this team isn’t here.

Next up is Rafer Alston. Alston has shown some cold-blooded toughness that I think most of us didn’t think he had. I went back and realized that he has done this before with Houston and understand now that I underestimated him beyond belief.

Mickael Pietrus is an animal. There may be no bigger free-agent signing when it is all said and done than this guy. He has been great on both sides of the floor in the playoffs and has now made himself invaluable to this team.

Time to dog guys out now. Dwight Howard has shown no inside offensive game and is proving to be a young guy looking to find himself. With his size you would expect him to overpower people in a Shaq-like manner, but no. With his athleticism you would expect quicker less clumsy moves in the paint, but no. He has done decent on the defensive end but has been getting into foul trouble and losing his head too much. I expected a lot more from Dwight in this series against Lebron, but haven’t gotten it.

Hedo Turkoglu has proven that it’s not necessary to bring him back. Most, including myself, have made a lot of Turk’s ability to be the man in the fourth quarter for the Magic and that he is needed to make this offense work. He has proven in the playoffs that it is Lewis and not himself that is the most vital cog in the Orlando offense. His low FG% will always be over played because of the role he plays in the offense, but his poor decisions and turnovers late can’t be overlooked in the playoffs. He is flopping and complaining too much at the end of games, taking too many poor shots and not working the middle the way he should be. Thank god Rashard Lewis can make clutch three’s at the  end of these games or the Magic wouldn’t be where they are.

The bottom line with these NBA playoffs to me is this. The Nuggets and the Magic are the two best teams left even though it’s closer than made out. The Lakers will beat the Nuggets because Kobe can finish. The Magic will beat the Cavs because Lebron can’t. The Magic match up better against the both the Cavs and the Lakers so I will predict the Magic winning the title. It won’t surprise me if the Lakers win because of the Kobe factor, but I would be shocked to see the Cavs or the Nuggets come back.

The NBA is a strange world but I do think the Magic take the trophy home. It’s not a homer thing either, I just feel them doing it.

Technorati Tags: Cleveland Cavaliers, Denver Nuggets, Hedo Turkoglu, Kobe Bryant, Larry Bird, LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers, Magic Johnson, Micheal Jordan, Mickael Pietrus, NBA, NBA Championship, Orlando Magic, Rafer Alston, Rashard Lewis

This series is going to be awesome! The Magic came out ugly but they closed the gap late and this thing was absolutely great to watch. If the entire series is like this it will be the best in a long time. Lebron James is one of the most ridiculous athletes I’ve ever seen but the Magic match up very well against them. Watching this game took me back to the old days of the Lakers/Celtics and what not.

There is really no one on Orlando to step up against James to make it a Bird/Magic thing, but it is fun to watch. The Magic have more good players than Cleveland, but James counts for like three so it evens out. After the game started I thought Cleveland was going to run away with it, but the Magic stepped up and really showed something. Rashard Lewis hit the clutch three late to put the Magic up and it actually held up. I thought for sure that Lebron would find a way to finish it off, but it didn’t happen.

I can’t believe the Magic pulled this game out but I’m happy they did. There isn’t anything more I can say to get my point across, you had to see it to understand.

Technorati Tags: Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Larry Bird, LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers, Orlando Magic, Rashard Lewis

It was an odd night in the NBA last night. A couple of not so close games has some odd behavior attached to them. The Magic got handled fairly easy by the Celtics in game two, but it was Rafer Alston’s girly behavior that caught my attention.

It’s not shocking that the Celtics came out with a lot more fire and intensity last night. They finally had some time to recover from the wild Bulls series they had in round one. They also needed to take that game to avoid going to Orlando down 0-2. What surprised me was Alston. Eddie House was going off last night (he finished with 31) and it finally got to Alston. It was funny but will probably land Alston on the sideline for game 3. After Eddie House hit a three pointer (in Alston’s face) Alston decided to slap him in the head as turned to run down the court. That’s right, he “slapped” him.

He’s lucky House didn’t turn and pummel him, but even House had to laugh at the girly attack Rafer laid on him. It was so pathetic that the ref’s didn’t eject Alston and gave he and House both technical fouls on the play. Hey Rafer, if you’re gonna get mad and hit someone, at least pretend you’re a man and throw a punch.

In the Laker game there was an incident between Kobe Bryant and Ron Artest. A lot was made of this and I completely disagree with the decision of the officials to throw Ron Artest out of the game. Kobe and Artest were battling for a rebound and Kobe threw an elbow after Artest was shoving him from behind. It was just some good old fashioned physical basketball. The Ref’s threw Artest out after he got in Kobe’s face and it was stupid. He didn’t throw any punches, he just wanted to let him know that he was pissed about being elbowed in the neck.

They completely overreated to it and tossed him. After the game it was nice to see Artest having a sense of humor about it saying “doesn’t he know who he’s messing with?”. All in all it was a good night of playoff ball.

Technorati Tags: Boston Celtics, Eddie House, Houston Rockets, Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers, NBA, Orlando Magic, Rafer Alston, Ron Artest

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

The Magic are tearing through the NBA right now with a 33-8 record and look like serious title contenders right now. The improvement on both sides of the court is relevant to everyone picking up their game. Turk is what he always has been, a cold blooded beast that attacks other teams defense’s with the reckless abandon of a football player. Dwight Howard is dominating inside the paint and has dramatically improved his defense, namely his shot blocking skills. Rashard Lewis has gotten with the program and has shown a much tougher side to him on both ends of the floor. Courtney Lee is doing right now what we expected from Mickael Pietrus and when Pietrus is healthy again the bench will get that much deeper. Aside from Lee, we’ve seen all of these guys play at this level before during their careers. The one guy that has really taken giant steps forward is Jameer Nelson, and that has translated into the Magic taking a giant step forward.

Nelson is having a career year for the real Orlando Blue Man Group and is bringing the team with him. If anyone said they didn’t notice before, the Laker game should’ve gotten their attention. Nelson outplayed Kobe Bryant in the fourth quarter of that game and led the Magic to the most notable victory this season. That win not only solidified them as a top tier team, but served notice to the rest of the league that they can beat anyone anywhere. Now I’m not comparing Nelson to Bryant, that would be silly, but I’m saying that it’s time to start giving the man some run as a legitimate MVP candidate. He’s not putting up numbers like Bryant, James or Wade, but he’s doing as much for his team as anyone. He’s hitting clutch shots, spreading the ball around and helping create opportunities for Lewis, Turk and Howard to get theirs. The team has improved as much as Nelson has and that’s no coincidence.

Nelson is not only putting good numbers up, he leads all guards in field goal percentage. That’s right, he’s shooting at a better clip than James, Bryant, Wade or any other guard you want to name. He’s twentieth in the NBA in overall FG% and that’s comparing him to guys like Howard and Shaq who get most of their points off dunks and easier shots inside. He’s also fifth in the NBA in 3-point percentage and he’s doing all of this while basically being the fourth option offensively here. I’m not trying to make a case for the guy to be the MVP, but he should at least be in the conversation. When a player improves as much as Nelson has, and subsequently his team does as well, it’s time for everyone to take notice of it. I would just like to see him mentioned within these MVP rankings I see tossed up and, other than Third Quarter Collapse and Orlando Magic Blog, haven’t seen too much about Nelson put out there. Like I said, he’s not top three or maybe not even top ten, but he should at least be in the same class as Paul Millsap and Allen Iverson right now, don’t you think?

Technorati Tags: Allen Iverson, Courtney Lee, Dwight Howard, Hedo Turkoglu, Jameer Nelson, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers, Mickael Pietrus, MVP, Orlando Magic, Paul Millsap, Rashard Lewis, Shaquille O'Neal

Orlando capped of their 4-0 road trip last night with another convincing win, a 106-88 victory in Denver. The Nuggets are a good team but the Magic turned it up in the fourth quarter to run away with it. Turk, Nelson and Lewis took it to the Nuggets combining for 77 of the Magic’s 106 points. This win was impressive because of the night before. After the game they played the night before against the Lakers, you could see a letdown game coming. They didn’t let that happen and are establishing themselves as THE force to be reckoned with in the NBA. They have the best road record in the league and have done so while beating teams like the Lakers, Nuggets, Spurs, Hawks and so on in their buildings.

That Laker game was everything I thought it would be by the way. Jameer Nelson stepped up again with 28 points, which included 15 in the fourth quarter. Howard showed Andrew Bynum that he still has some growing up to do as he dominated the paint despite getting into early foul trouble. It was an outstanding game and I come away even more impressed than I already was. It was nice to see Jameer hit the big shots in the fourth, especially as Kobe missed. Everything is going pretty well right now, hopefully they’re not peaking too soon, and I am now looking forward to the future match-ups with the Celtics, Cavs and Pistons.

Technorati Tags: Andrew Bynum, Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Courtney Lee, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, Dwight Howard, Hedo Turkoglu, Jameer Nelson, Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers, Orlando Magic, Rashard Lewis, San Antonio spurs

I’m not going to bother going over it too much because I’m sure everyone out there saw the aerial bombing that the Magic dropped on Sacramento on Tuesday, but it was amazing to watch. Normally when teams get hot like that you just sit back and wait for them to cool down and see what happens from there. It never happened and the Magic embarrassed the Kings at home 139-107. It was awesome and got me extremely excited for tomorrow’s game with the Lakers.

I could be setting myself up for a huge letdown, but I’m excited none the less. I can’t wait to see if they can keep the hot shooting going, how Courtney Lee does defensively against Kobe Bryant and if the Magic can beat one of the NBA’s best on their home floor. If they pull out the win I think it go a long way toward this team believing that they can go all the way and give them a little more swagger in future match-ups against Cleveland and Boston. This team has come a long way this year and there is no ceiling on what they can do. I once again encourage everyone to watch this team that hasn’t yet and I think you’ll be hooked when you do.

Technorati Tags: Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Courtney Lee, Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers, Orlando Magic, Sacramento Kings

What we have seen so far from the Orlando Magic this season has been remarkable so far and all of us fans should be excited for what may be to come. The Magic are now sitting atop the NBA along with Boston and the Lakers as the first teams to clinch the 30 victory mark and don’t look to be slowing down at all. I’ts been an awesome sight to watch this year and it has been highlighted the last week with an impressive road victory in San Antonio last night and the absolute destruction of Atlanta on Friday.

Last night’s 105-98 victory over the Spurs really set them apart as the leagues best road team and has helped them let everyone know that they’re for real and need to be in the conversation as one of the best in the NBA right now. If they keep this pace up they should be considered elite, but they need to show and prove in the playoffs to really make their mark.

There are a few things different this season than in the past that make me believe that this team is ready to snag a title and I’ll go through them quickly.

• The emergence of Jameer Nelson as a better floor captain and scorer is probably the biggest improvement in the team this season. Nelson is on pace to set or match career highs in FG %, PPG, FT %, rebounds, steals and 3 pointer %. Nelson has probably set himself up for the most improved player award at least.
• The recent addition of Courtney Lee to the starting lineup is going to do nothing but help this team that has been lacking at the SG position for some time. Lee is an animal defensively, is lightning fast and will do enough offensively to keep the job he has earned. His scoring will slowly improve as he gets more time, but I wouldn’t expect too much from him there with Lewis, Howard, Turk and Nelson doing most of the damage.
• Rashard Lewis looks like he finally understands how talented he is and has improved his game on both ends of the floor. I have dogged Lewis in the past for not driving the lane enough and I must stop that now. He could probably go to the hoop more, but with Lee in the lineup, it’s not near as necessary as before. Lee will be aggressive inside so Lewis can light it up from the outside and these guys really seem to understand that and are playing very well together.

All of these things coupled with coach Stan Van Gundy’s relentless defensive approach has set this team apart from the rest of the league and should have this team believing they can take down Boston as NBA Champs.

Technorati Tags: Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Courtney Lee, Hedo Turkoglu, Jameer Nelson, Los Angeles Lakers, NBA Championship, Orlando Magic, Rashard Lewis, San Antonio spurs, Stan Van Gundy

Yesterday I posted about how the Magic have been winning games and that people need to respect what they’re doing so far. I still think that’s the case, but I may have gotten crazy with the cheeze whiz in lumping them in with the Lakers and Celtics as far as being elite type. I still think they can do it, but last nights contest against Detroit showed that they still have some work to do. Detroit is not the same team that has beaten up on the Magic over the last few playoff seasons, yet they still have the intimidation factor over them. I talked about this back in November and it is holding true as we speak. Rashard Lewis showed last night that his new found backbone may not be temporary as he was the only real offensive force for the Magic. Jameer Nelson went cold as did Dwight Howard in combining for 27 points together. They both did their part defensively but the team couldn’t muster up enough offense to put Detroit away.

The Pistons contested damn near every shot it seemed like, especially in the fourth quarter, and the Magic just couldn’t get enough shots to fall in the end. They did show a more physical style than they have in past years and hung with Detroit much better in this sense. The Pistons spread the ball around nicely and Orlando did a decent job of contesting shots, but they need to find an answer for Antonio McDyess. McDyess was all over the boards in the fourth quarter and made some incredible hustle plays to keep things from getting away from the Pistons. The Magic bench was all but non existent and the final ended up 88-82.

There were some good things within the game, but we are at the point now where we need to win and not look for consolation within a loss. These are the games that the Magic need to outhustle and outshoot to get over the hump and into the elite. I’m not disappointed with them, they were due for a bad game after running off seven straight, but we need to see more fire in upcoming big games in order to keep this thing going.

Box score

Technorati Tags: Antonio McDyess, Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons, Dwight Howard, Jameer Nelson, Los Angeles Lakers, Orlando Magic, Rashard Lewis

The idiots on the four letter network keep driving me insane with their doubting of the Magic because of their schedule. It’s not college football you assholes! They don’t get to pick who they play, they play the schedule they’re dealt and all they can do is win. Guess what dumbasses, they’re winning! It’s not like they’re playing St. Mary’s high school or a pickup game in the back yard. They’ve won on the road against the Western Conference and they’ve beaten good teams at home. They beat up on San Antonio and New Orleans at home and won tough games on the road. They’re doing this all without really having the entire team clicking on all cylinders. It took Lewis a while to get his offense going and Dwight Howard hasn’t exactly been lighting things up lately while he nurses an injury. They won while Nelson and Pietrus were out and nothing seems to be slowing them down at this point. Since their tough loss in Boston earlier this month the Magic are 13-1, with the only loss being on a last second shot by Grant Hill in Phoenix.

I’m sick of hearing people doubt this team because they want to hang all over LeBron James’ sack. Get over yourselves idiots. The Magic are in Detroit tonight for a big game and follow that up with another tough one in Chicago on Wednesday. Next month they will get Boston at home and have to play the Spurs, Kings, Lakers and Nuggets in a brutal West Coast trip. If they bomb out there then you can get on them, but if they win these games now, you need to get on board with the rest of those that think they’re finally reaching elite type status. I can’t wait to see what this team can do with everyone healthy and playing well and everyone out there should be looking forward to it as well. We’re seeing Jameer Nelson mature into a very good player and could be on the verge of something really great with Courtney Lee. If Rashard Lewis’ sudden newfound toughness isn’t temporary we could really being seeing something special out of these guys. I hope they keep winning and the four letter network retards keep overlooking it until they’re holding up some hardware.

Technorati Tags: Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, Courtney Lee, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, Dwight Howard, Grant Hill, Jameer Nelson, LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers, Mickael Pietrus, New Orleans Hornets, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, Rashard Lewis, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio spurs

The Magic headed out west last week looking to remove any doubts any of us may have had about them and what they could accomplish this year. I’m on board now! They came out last night in a game that could’ve easily been dropped with Howard out and the boys lagging from the tough trip that it was. Jameer Nelson wasn’t about to let that happen though. Nelson stepped up a dropped 32 points on the Warriors, which matched a career high, as he dropped bombs from the arc in the fourth quarter in finishing off Golden State. Nelson has been out of his mind lately and there’s nothing prettier than that high arching shot of his going through when he’s on. The way he shoots really lends to prolonged slumps during a long season, but when it’s on it’s sooooo pretty. Turkoglu was driving the lane like a wild animal and Marcin Gortat stepped up with a 16/13 effort in Howard’s absence. We have come to expect this type of play from Turk, but Nelson and Gortat have shown tremendous strides in their game and the mental toughness they both displayed on this road trip really impressed me. Turk shot like crap again, but has really showed he’s capable of running this offense when he’s needed. It’s good to see him taking on such a leadership role with this team and we shouldn’t freak out about his shots not falling because we know they will. Rashard Lewis is staying consistent right now as he contributed 21/8/5 and Courtney Lee also sparked things with 16 off the bench. Lee has been tremendous off the bench since he’s been given an opportunity and I see no reason that won’t continue. The final last night was 109-98 and the Magic finished up their road trip 4-1 with their only loss being a 1 point loss to the Suns on a final shot by Grant Hill. Outstanding trip to say the least. Speaking of Grant Hill, there are rumors circulating that the Magic are interested in re-acquiring the enigmatic Hill from the Suns for JJ Reddick (hat tip to Third Quarter Collapse for that one). I would be extremely disappointed with this move. Not that I would miss JJ Reddick, but why bring back a guy that essentially flattened this franchise for years with injuries and average play. Hill is not a player that we need here anymore and hopefully the higher ups recognize that as well. No Grant Hill! Anyway, it was a great trip and the Magic now sit at 19-6 and are 3.5 games up on Atlanta in the Southeast. We can’t rest easy now though, tough games are coming with San Antonio, the Lakers, Golden State and New Orleans at home. We really need for Howard to be back Thursday when Tim Duncan and the Spurs come to town, let’s hope he’s ready to go then.

Technorati Tags: Courtney Lee, Dwight Howard, Golden State Warriors, Grant Hill, Hedo Turkoglu, Jameer Nelson, JJ Reddick, Los Angeles Lakers, Marcin Gortat, New Orleans Hornets, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, Portland Trailblazers, Rashard Lewis, San Antonio spurs

   The Orlando Magic have looked pretty good so far this year. A 9-3 record is good enough for first place in the Southeast. Quality wins over the Sixers, Mavericks and Bulls help build some confidence toward the long road ahead. The real season starts for the boys in blue next month though. That’s when we’re going to find out how much progress they’re making as a team this year. They start off on the road in Boston to face the defending champs. Then, after two games at home, they head out on a very tough West Coast swing that includes the Clippers, Blazers, Suns, Jazz and Warriors. They then come home to face the Spurs and Lakers among others and finish off the month on the road again to face the Pistons and Bulls. It’s gonna be a tough month however it winds up and we should know a lot more about this team before New Year’s Day. The key matchups are obviously the Celtics and Pistons. Both are away games and both teams are the elite of the Eastern Conference. The Celtics returned most of their team and have looked like they haven’t taken any steps backwards so far. The Pistons have struggled a little, especially since the Iverson/Billups deal, but are still among the best. They carry the intimidation factor as well when they face the Magic. Teyshawn Prince has been sick so far this year and Rip Hamilton still poses nightmares for the Magic. We’ll have to see how big a difference Mickael Pietrus can make. Pietrus was brought in with Hamilton in mind. The Magic have had no answer for Hamilton in playoffs past and now have to contend with Iverson as well. I don’t want to pass judgment on anything until we see, but it’s hard to see Magic containing the Hamilton/Iverson/Prince trio come playoff time. There’s no need to break down the Celtics big three, we already know what they can do. Jameer Nelson looks to be improving the way we had hoped (finally) and Mickael Pietrus has been a little better than expected so far. What’s troubling to me is the fact that Pietrus and Howard have been getting in early foul trouble a lot. What happens when they deal with the tougher matchups that are really gonna beat up on them? It’s also been a rough offensive start for Turk and Lewis. We know my opinion on Lewis already so I’ll leave it be, but the Magic need Turkoglu to maintain his presence on the offensive end. He’s uhh, how you say, the straw that stirs the drink. It’s going to be an interesting month for these guys and I personally can’t wait to see it.

Technorati Tags: Allen Iverson, Boston Celtics, Chauncey Billups, Chicago Bulls, Dallas Mavericks, Detroit Pistons, Dwight Howard, Golden State Warriors, Hedo Turkoglu, Jameer Nelson, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Mickael Pietrus, Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns, Portland Trailblazers, Rashard Lewis, Richard Hamilton, San Antonio spurs, Teyshawn Prince, Utah Jazz