Orlando Magic Blog

Game day preview

2009-11-22T03:47:00.002-05:00

From the Magic press release:

ORLANDO MAGIC at TORONTO RAPTORS
Sunday, Nov. 22. 12:30 p.m.
Air Canada Centre
Toronto, Ontario

The Magic close out their four-game week on Sunday when they visit the Toronto Raptors at 12:30 p.m. ET. In their first meeting this season, the Magic torched the Raptors with their deadly outside shooting. Orlando connected on 17 of its 32 shots from downtown as it notched a 125-116 victory in Toronto. The Magic’s backcourt tandem of J.J. Redick and Jameer Nelson played a huge role in the squad’s success. Nelson erupted for 30 points, while Redick tallied 27 points, six rebounds and five assists. Dwight Howard dominated in the paint, notching 24 points and 11 rebounds.

Here is the complete preview from Yahoo! Sports

The Magic are 3 point favorites

Game night review: Magic (10-3) 83, Celtics (9-4) 78

2009-11-21T01:30:00.001-05:00

In a defensive struggle, the Magic were able to overcome 41% FG shooting, 58% FT shooting, and 21 turnovers to outlast Boston, as the Magic were able to withstand a big Celtics' comeback after the Magic led by 16 after one quarter.

The Celtics had their last lead of the game at 6-5 before the Magic went on a tear the rest of the first quarter, shooting 65% and holding the Celtics to 21% shooting as the Magic led 29-13 after one. The Celtics erased most of their deficit in the second quarter, coming as close as 41-40 before the Magic went into the half with a 43-40 lead. The Magic were able to extend their lead in the third quarter back up to 10 points before ending the third with a 66-59 lead. The Celtics eventually tied the game at 78 with under 3 minutes remaining in the game before the Magic held the Celtics scoreless the rest of the way with stifling defense and pulled out an important road win 83-78.

Magic leading scorers

Vince Carter: 26 points (10 of 29 FGs), 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 6 turnovers
Rashard Lewis: 16 points (5 of 11 FGs), 10 rebounds
Mickael Pietrus: 14 points (5 of 6 FGs)
Dwight Howard: 9 points (2 of 4 FGs), 15 rebounds, 3 blocks

Overall Game Statistics

FG%: ORL 41.4% (29 of 70) BOS 34.5% (30 of 87)
3 PT FG%: ORL 45.5% (10 of 22) BOS 10.5% (2 of 19)
FT%: BOS 88.9% (16 of 18) ORL 57.7% (15 of 26)
REB: BOS 43 (14 offensive) ORL 42 (7 offensive)
AST/TO: BOS 20/12 ORL 19/21
BENCH: BOS 18 ORL 11

Other game notes and stats:

-The "Big Three" (Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett) of the Celtics combined for 49 points on 17 of 42 shooting, with Pierce scoring 21 points
-Rasheed Wallace off the Celtics' bench had 13 rebounds to lead them; Garnett added 11 rebounds for a double/double
-Wallace, Eddie House, and Rajon Rondo combined to shoot 8 of 34 from the field, including 1 of 12 from three point range
-Allen and Rondo each had 6 assists to lead the Celtics
-The Celtics outscored the Magic 72-53 on two pointers and free throws, but the Magic outscored the Celtics 30-6 on three pointers
-Ryan Anderson led the Magic bench with 5 points
-Jason Williams had 6 assists, along with 4 steals
-The Magic made 7 of their first 8 shots, and 9 of their first 12 shots
-The Celtics shot just 5 of 24 in the first quarter
-The Celtics missed their last 5 shots after tying the game at 78
-Brandon Bass was the only active Magic player not to play
-The Magic remain a game behind Atlanta (11-2) in the SE

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

Game night preview

2009-11-20T15:19:00.002-05:00

From the Magic press release:

ORLANDO MAGIC at BOSTON CELTICS
Friday, Nov. 20. 8:00 p.m.
TD Banknorth Garden
Boston, MA

The Orlando Magic will travel to Boston on Friday for a re-match of the Eastern Conference Semifinals when they take on the Celtics at 8 p.m. ET on Sun Sports and ESPN. The national spotlight will be on Orlando as it attempts to prove that it can take down Boston even with its addition of Rasheed Wallace and a healthy Kevin Garnett. “We’re looking forward to playing those guys again,” Magic All-Star center Dwight Howard explained. “We know it’s going to be a dogfight. We’ve always had dogfights with Boston. It’s not going to be any different. It’s going to be a good matchup, but I think we can win that game.” While the Magic will be looking to prove themselves once again, the Celtics, on the other hand, will be looking for payback. The Magic became the first team to defeat Boston after it led 3-2 in a playoff series and just the fourth all-time to win a Game 7 on its home floor when they stormed TD Banknorth Garden and claimed a 101-82 Eastern Conference Semifinals series-clinching victory last postseason.

Here is the complete preview from Yahoo! Sports.

The Celtics are 6 point favorites.

Game review: Magic (8-3) 108, Thunder (6-6) 94

2009-11-18T23:45:00.001-05:00

The Magic, with Jason Williams starting at the point in place of the injured Jameer Nelson, played arguably their best basketball of the season in the first three quarters on their way to a 30 point lead over Oklahoma City, before the Thunder outscored the Magic by 16 points in the final quarter to make the final score more respectable.

The Thunder had their only leads of the game at 2-0 and 4-2 before the Magic took over. The Magic led after one quarter 28-17 and extended their lead to as many as 20 points in the second quarter before settling for a 61-43 halftime lead. The Magic scored 10 of the first 11 points in the third quarter to put the game away, and had their largest lead of the game at 88-58 after three. The Thunder then outscored the Magic 36-20 in the fourth quarter to account for the final margin.

Magic leading scorers

Vince Carter: 18 points (6 of 13 FGs), 6 rebounds, 2 blocks
Rashard Lewis: 17 points (7 of 16 FGs), 10 rebounds, 9 assists, 2 steals
Mickael Pietrus: 14 points (4 of 8 FGs)
Ryan Anderson (bench): 12 points (4 of 11 FGs)
Dwight Howard: 11 points (5 of 7 FGs), 10 rebounds
Marcin Gortat (bench): 10 points (3 of 5 FGs), 2 blocks

Overall Game Statistics

FG%: ORL 48.1% (39 of 81) OKC 41.0% (34 of 83)
3 PT FG%: ORL 41.9% (13 of 31) OKC 38.1% (8 of 21)
FT%: OKC 78.3% (18 of 23) ORL 65.4% (17 of 26)
REB: ORL 47 (9 offensive) OKC 42 (5 offensive)
AST/TO: ORL 25/13 OKC 18/14
BENCH: OKC 57 ORL 44

Other game notes and stats:

-Rookie James Harden came off the Thunder bench to lead them in scoring with a career-high 24 points, including 6 of 7 on threes
-The Thunder's leading scorer Kevin Durant was held to just 12 points on 4 of 12 shooting
-The Thunder's starting five combined for just 37 points on 14 of 45 shooting
-Williams, starting for the Magic at PG, scored 4 points in 28 minutes with 5 assists and 1 turnover
-Backup PG Anthony Johnson scored 9 points along with 4 assists
-Howard played less than 18 minutes due to foul trouble
-Both Matt Barnes and Brandon Bass did not see action until the fourth quarter
-Pietrus and Lewis were the only Magic players to play more than 30 minutes
-The Magic remain a game behind Atlanta (10-2) in the SE

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

Game night preview

2009-11-18T16:00:00.002-05:00

ORLANDO MAGIC vs OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER
Wednesday, Nov. 18. 7:00 p.m.
Amway Arena
Orlando, FL

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

The Magic will close out their four-game homestand on Wednesday when they battle the Oklahoma City Thunder at 7 p.m. ET. Although Orlando has won seven of its last eight meetings with Oklahoma City, it had a rough showing in the last matchup. Kevin Durant erupted for a game-high 28 points as the Thunder routed the Magic, 102-74, on November 8. “Last time we played them, they just out-ran us, out-jumped us and out-worked us,” Magic All-Star center Dwight Howard said. The Magic were not pleased with their overall performance in that game and are anxious to even the score. “We want to play those guys again after what they did to us in that last game,” Howard explained.

Here is the complete preview from Yahoo! Sports.

The Magic are 12 point favorites

Nelson to have knee surgery

2009-11-17T15:40:00.001-05:00

From the Magic press release:

BREAKING NEWS

Jameer Nelson To Undergo Arthroscopic Knee Surgery

Orlando Magic point guard Jameer Nelson will undergo arthroscopic surgery Wednesday morning to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee.

Nelson was injured in the fourth quarter of Monday night’s game vs. Charlotte and underwent an MRI Tuesday morning.

It is estimated that Nelson will be out four-to-six weeks following the procedure.

Nelson had started all 11 games for the Magic, averaging 13.7 ppg. and a team-high 5.5 apg.

The Magic (8-3) return to action Wednesday night by hosting Oklahoma City at Amway Arena (tip-off 7 p.m.)

For more information visit orlandomagic.com.

Game review: Magic (8-3) 97, Bobcats (3-7) 91

2009-11-17T01:32:00.000-05:00

The Magic welcomed back Rashard Lewis from his 10 day suspension, and also Ryan Anderson after missing several games with a sprained ankle, while Charlotte welcomed newcomer Stephen Jackson and inserted him in the starting lineup after obtaining him in a trade with Golden State earlier in the day. Charlotte hung tough the whole game and came as close as three points in the final two minutes.

In a first quarter that saw several lead changes, the Magic led 25-21 after one. The Magic had their largest lead of the quarter at 31-23 before the Bobcats went on a 25-13 run to go ahead by 4 points before they settled for a 52-50 halftime lead over the Magic, thanks to 59% shooting. The Magic held the Bobcats to 16 third quarter points and led 76-68 after three, then had their largest lead of the game with 10 1/2 minutes remaining at 80-68 in the fourth, but the Bobcats pulled to within 90-87 and had a chance to get within a point with under a minute and a half remaining, but turned the ball over and the Magic were able to finally put the game away.

Magic leading scorers

Jameer Nelson: 16 points (5 of 10 FGs), 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals
Vince Carter: 15 points (5 of 12 FGs)
Dwight Howard: 14 points (4 of 5 FGs), 11 rebounds
Ryan Anderson (bench): 12 points (5 of 9 FGs)
Mickael Pietrus: 10 points (3 of 7 FGs), 6 rebounds
Rashard Lewis: 10 points (4 of 15 FGs)
Brandon Bass (bench): 10 points (4 of 8 FGs), 6 rebounds

Overall Game Statistics

FG%: CHA 50.7% (36 of 71) ORL 42.9% (33 of 77)
3 PT FG%: ORL 34.4% (11 of 32) CHA 28.6% (4 of 14)
FT%: ORL 64.5% (20 of 31) CHA 57.7% (15 of 26)
REB: ORL 41 (13 offensive) CHA 34 (4 offensive)
AST/TO: ORL 19/13 CHA 17/17
BENCH: CHA 38 ORL 32

Other game notes and stats:

-The Bobcats' Ronald "Flip" Murray tied a career high with 31 points off the bench on 13 of 21 shooting; Boris Diaw added 21 points
-Jackson scored 13 points in his Bobcat debut with 9 rebounds
-Murray and Diaw combined to shoot 23 of 34; the rest of the Bobcats shot a combined 13 of 37
-Pietrus started at SF along with Lewis at PF
-The Magic made just 3 of their first 16 shots
-Marcin Gortat was unavailable due to the flu
-J.J. Redick played just 6 minutes
-Lewis missed his first 8 shots from the field, and was 0 for 6 on threes
-Howard made 6 of 14 FTs
-The Magic remain a game out of first in the SE after Atlanta's OT win over Portland

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

Game night preview

2009-11-16T17:44:00.002-05:00

ORLANDO MAGIC

vs.

CHARLOTTE BOBCATS

Here is the complete preview from Yahoo! Sports

Note: The Bobcats today traded Raja Bell and Vladimir Radmanovic to Golden State for Stephen Jackson and Acie Law.

The Magic are 12 point favorites.

Magic injury update

2009-11-16T04:09:00.002-05:00

Here are excerpts from an article Sunday by Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel:

Jameer Nelson missed his second consecutive day of practice Sunday because he was feeling sick. Van Gundy said Nelson was tested for all kinds of flu and that the test showed the point guard has a bad cold or an upper-respiratory infection. Van Gundy said he thinks Nelson "has a good chance to play" versus the Bobcats.

Marcin Gortat might not be so fortunate. The backup center missed practice Sunday because he felt under the weather, and Van Gundy said he doesn't expect Gortat to be available to play Monday.

Van Gundy said he doesn't know whether J.J. Redick will play because the shooting guard tweaked his right ankle Saturday.

Layups

● PF Brandon Bass, who missed Friday's game and Saturday's practice because he had flu-like symptoms, practiced on Sunday.

● PF Ryan Anderson, who sprained his right ankle on Nov. 6, expects to make his return Monday. "I feel like I'm in good shape," Anderson said. "I feel like I can just come back and start getting in my normal rhythm of playing."

● Lewis said he's been told by Van Gundy that he'll play at small forward on occasion. "I'm fine with that," Lewis said. "The only difference is on the defensive end, chasing guys off screens and guarding the pick-and-roll."

● The Magic spent just 15 minutes Sunday scrimmaging five-on-five because of their reduced manpower, Van Gundy said. "We've been struggling to get stuff accomplished in the last couple of days," the coach said. "You do what you can."

Game review: Magic (7-3) 88, Nets (0-9) 72

2009-11-14T00:20:00.001-05:00

Injury-riddled New Jersey, led by former Magic PG Rafer Alston's triple-double, gave the Magic a pretty good game for a half, and trailed by just six points with under ten minutes remaining in the game before the Magic went on a 10-0 run to seal the victory. The Magic were missing Brandon Bass (flu), in addition to Rashard Lewis and Ryan Anderson. The Nets were missing six different players, including Devin Harris, Yi Jianlian, and former Magic players Courtney Lee, Tony Battie, and Keyon Dooling.

The Magic started slowly, as the Nets had the lead for virtually all of the first quarter and led after one 27-23. The Nets extended their lead to 36-26 in the second quarter before the Magic came back to take the lead before settling for a 42-42 halftime tie. The Nets never had the lead in the second half, as the Magic led 62-56 after three quarters and had their largest lead of the game at 88-70 before the final margin.

Magic leading scorers

Dwight Howard: 26 points (10 of 14 FGs), 12 rebounds, 5 blocks
Mickael Pietrus: 16 points (6 of 14 FGs),
Vince Carter: 14 points (5 of 12 FGs), 5 rebounds
Matt Barnes: 13 points (4 of 9 FGs), 13 rebounds, 5 assists
Jameer Nelson: 10 points (4 of 11 FGs), 5 rebounds

Overall Game Statistics:

FG%: ORL 44.6% (33 of 74) NJ 32.9% (28 of 85)
3 PT FG%: ORL 29.6% (8 of 27) NJ 29.4% (5 of 17)
FT%: NJ 84.6% (11 of 13) ORL 56% (14 of 25)
REB: ORL 48 (8 offensive) NJ 44 (7 offensive)
AST/TO: ORL 16/16 NJ 12/14
BENCH: NJ 23 ORL 9

Other game notes and stats:

-Alston wound up with 17 points (7 of 20 FGs), 10 assists, and ten rebounds for his first career triple-double
-Three other Nets' players finished in double figures
-Jason Williams scored all 9 of the Magic's bench points
-J.J. Redick did not score in 33 minutes, but had 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and a steal
-6 of 8 Magic players played at least 32 minutes
-The Magic held the Nets to 45 total points the final three quarters
-Brook Lopez and Terrence Williams of the Nets combined to shoot 4 of 29 from the field
-Magic were just 3 of 17 on threes in the first half, but improved to 5 of 10 in the second half
-The Magic are now tied for second place in the SE with Miami at 6-3, one game behind 7-2 Atlanta

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

Game night preview

2009-11-13T03:41:00.002-05:00

From the Magic press release:

ORLANDO MAGIC vs NEW JERSEY NETS
Friday, Nov. 13. 7:00 p.m.
Amway Arena
Orlando, FL

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

In their final matchup of the week, the Orlando Magic will host the New Jersey Nets (0-7) on Friday at 7 p.m. ET. The Magic have dominated the Nets at home in recent history, winning five of the last six meetings in Orlando. In their only matchup of this season, the Magic rolled to a 95-85 victory in New Jersey on October 30. Dwight Howard posted his first 20-20 game of the season, notching 20 points and 22 rebounds. Vince Carter was on pace for a 40-plus point contest, but was forced to leave the game with a sprained ankle in the second quarter after erupting for 16 early points. Still, Orlando won’t let past success get in the way of the task at hand. “You know they are going to be coming for us just like everybody else,” Magic forward Matt Barnes explained. “We really have to set the tempo early and just try to take it to them for 48 minutes.” New Jersey is also dealing with its share of injuries. Chris Douglas-Roberts (illness) Devin Harris (groin), Yi Jianlian (knee) and Courtney Lee (groin) have all missed games due to injury. However, the Magic still recognize that the Nets still possess plenty of young talent. “I know they have a few players hurt, but they have a lot of good young players,” Barnes said. “Teams like that have no fears.”

Here is the complete preview from Yahoo! Sports

The Magic are whopping 15 1/2 point favorites.

Game review: Cavaliers (5-3) 102, Magic (6-3) 93

2009-11-11T23:45:00.001-05:00

The final score was not an indication about how one-sided this game was, as Cleveland had a 20 point lead with under six minutes remaining in the game before a meaningless Magic run in the final five minutes. LeBron James and Mo Williams combined for 64 points.

The Magic had their only lead of the game at 9-7, as the Cavaliers shot 65% in the first quarter to lead 35-28. The Cavaliers extended their lead to 57-42 in the second quarter before settling for a 66-51 halftime lead. The Cavaliers continued to extend their lead in the second half, leading 88-68 after three quarters and had their largest lead of 92-70 early in the fourth quarter.

Magic leading scorers

Vince Carter: 29 points (11 of 23 FGs), 5 rebounds
Jameer Nelson: 19 points (8 of 15 FGs), 5 assists
Dwight Howard: 11 points (3 of 3 FGs), 7 rebounds
J.J. Redick (bench): 10 points (3 of 7 FGs)

Overall Game Statistics

FG%: CLE 48.1% (37 of 77) ORL 45.1% (37 of 82)
3 PT FG%: CLE 71.4% (10 of 14) ORL 22.2% (4 of 18)
FT%: CLE 78.3% (18 of 23) ORL 60% (15 of 25)
REB: CLE 42 (6 offensive) ORL 37 (7 offensive)
AST/TO: CLE 12/14 ORL 9/10
BENCH: ORL 18 CLE 10

Other game notes and stats:

-LeBron James led the Cavaliers with 36 points, along with 8 rebounds; Mo Williams scored 28 points with 6 assists
-Williams scored 22 of his 28 points in the first half, and made all 9 shots
-Shaquille O'Neal added 10 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 blocks
-Magic shot just 15 of 42 in the second half
-Matt Barnes and Brandon Bass, the Magic's starting forwards, each scored 8 points with 4 rebounds
-Howard picked up 3 fouls in the first quarter, attempted just 3 shots in 31 minutes, and was 5 of 12 on free throws
-James and Williams combined to shoot 25 of 43
-The Cavaliers' bench combined to shoot 2 of 15
-The Magic bench combined to shoot 7 of 21
-Marcin Gortat led the Magic with 8 rebounds, and started the second half along with Howard
-Magic are now in third place in the SE, behind Miami (6-1) and Atlanta (6-2)

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

Game night preview

2009-11-11T13:54:00.004-05:00

ORLANDO MAGIC vs CLEVELAND CAVALIERS
Wednesday, Nov. 11. 8:00 p.m.
Amway Arena
Orlando, FL

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

The Magic (6-2) won’t have much time to prepare for their most anticipated contest of the season: an Eastern Conference Finals re-match with the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers (4-3) on Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET. The Magic swept the Cavaliers at home (3-0) during the 2009 Eastern Conference Finals and will look to continue that trend in front of ESPN’s national audience. Orlando’s first nationally televised contest of the regular season is sure to draw a lot of media attention and its players are looking forward to the challenge. “You know everyone loves Cleveland, so you know it’s going to be a good measuring stick,” Magic forward Matt Barnes explained. “This team had success against them last year and we look to carry that on this year.” In order to carry on that success, the Magic will need to limit All-Star forward LeBron James. The perennial MVP candidate is averaging 26.3 points, 7.7 rebounds and 8.0 assists per game. “It’s virtually impossible,” Barnes said of defending James. “You just want to make players like him, Kobe (Bryant) and Paul Pierce earn their points. They are so offensively gifted that no one is going to shut them down. You just want to make them work for it, grind on them, beat them up a little bit and hopefully they take more shots than they make.” While there will be a lot of talk about James and the conference finals re-match, there will be an equal amount of media focus on the matchup between Magic All-Star center Dwight Howard and Cleveland center Shaquille O’Neal. Howard is on pace for another All-Star-caliber season, averaging 19.4 points and 11 rebounds per game. On the other hand, O’Neal is posting 11.1 points and 7.4 boards per contest, which are much more pedestrian numbers than his career averages of 24.6 and 11.2. Still the main question will be, does O’Neal make enough of a difference to push the Cavaliers past the Magic?

Here is the complete preview from Yahoo! Sports.

No line on the game yet due to the injury situation with the Magic.

Game review: Magic (6-2) 93, Bobcats (3-3) 81

2009-11-11T00:48:00.001-05:00

The Magic welcomed back Vince Carter in a bench role, as he saw his first action in a week from a sprained ankle, and he tied with Dwight Howard for the team lead in scoring with 15 points as the Magic bounced back from their debacle Sunday night against Oklahoma City.

The Bobcats' only lead of the game came at 2-0. The Magic, who shot nearly 70% in the first quarter, led 35-23 after one, and extended their lead to 57-35 in the second quarter before settling for a 57-41 halftime lead. The Bobcats made their run in the third quarter, cutting the Magic lead to 77-71 after three. The Bobcats could come no closer in the final quarter, as the Magic extended their lead to 91-77 with under 4 1/2 minutes remaining before the final margin.

Magic leading scorers

Vince Carter (bench): 15 points (5 of 16 FG)
Dwight Howard: 15 points (7 of 13 FGs), 10 rebounds, 6 assists, 5 turnovers
Brandon Bass: 14 points (7 of 9 FGs)
Mickael Pietrus: 12 points (5 of 11 FGs)

Overall Game Statistics

FG%: ORL 46.9% (38 of 81) CHA 44.2% (34 of 77)
3 PT FG%: ORL 36% (9 of 25) CHA 11.8% (2 of 17)
FT%: CHA 78.6% (11 of 14) ORL 57.1% (8 of 14)
REB: CHA 39 (9 offensive) ORL 37 (9 offensive)
AST/TO: ORL 21/14 CHA 18/17
BENCH: ORL 38 CHA 21

Other game notes and statistics

-The Bobcats had 5 players in double figures, led by Raymond Felton with 18 points; Boris Diaw added 14 points, 8 assists, 6 rebounds, and Gerald Wallace13 points, 9 rebounds, 3 steals
-The Magic shot 22 of 58 from the second quarter on
-The Bobcats' starting center, Tyson Chandler, had 5 fouls in just 11 minutes
-Bass scored 12 of his 14 points in the first quarter, and made his first 6 shots
-The Magic starting guard combo of Jameer Nelson and J.J. Redick combined for 17 points
-The Magic remain 1/2 game out of first place behind 6-1 Miami in the SE division

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

Game night preview

2009-11-10T14:36:00.002-05:00

From the Magic press release:

ORLANDO MAGIC at CHARLOTTE BOBCATS
Tuesday, Nov. 10. 7:00 p.m.

Time Warner Cable Arena
Charlotte, NC

After a tough loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday, the Orlando Magic (5-2) will attempt to bounce back on Tuesday when they visit the Charlotte Bobcats (3-3) at 7 p.m. ET. The Magic went 4-0 last season against the Bobcats and have won eight of the last nine meetings overall. But in order to ensure that things get back on track against Charlotte, Magic Head Coach Stan Van Gundy has made it clear he wants to see an improved defensive effort from his squad. “(Right now) we’re totally predicated on shooting,” Van Gundy explained after Sunday’s defeat. “We do not have any kind of defensive mindset.” Orlando has allowed five of its seven opponents to crack the 100-point plateau and is allowing the opposition to shoot 47.5 percent from the floor, which puts them at 24^th overall in the NBA. While it’s easy to come down on the players’ defensive effort, the Magic have already had to deal with a number of extenuating circumstances. The Magic have played games without Rashard Lewis, Vince Carter (ankle injury), Ryan Anderson (ankle injury), Mickael Pietrus (illness), Anthony Johnson (personal reasons) and Adonal Foyle (knee injury), and as a result have had four different starting lineups in just seven contests. But still, this team isn’t making any excuses. “There’s no question (injuries are) a factor, but we can’t use that as an excuse,” All-Star point guard Jameer Nelson explained. “We have to play with who we have and keep hustling. We will get better; it is still early in the season.”

Here is the complete preview from Yahoo! Sports.

The Magic are 3 1/2 point favorites.

Four Magic players named to 2010 All-Star Ballot

2009-11-10T14:23:00.001-05:00

From the Magic press release today:

FOUR MAGIC PLAYERS HIGHLIGHT NBA ALL-STAR BALLOT
PRESENTED BY T-MOBILE

--First Time in Balloting History Fans Can Text Their All-Star Votes--

-- Fans Can Vote on NBA.com, via Wireless Ballots and in NBA Arenas--

The Orlando Magic's Dwight Howard, Vince Carter, Rashard Lewis and Jameer Nelson were all named to the 2010 NBA All-Star Ballot that was unveiled today during a

Dwight Howard, a three-time NBA All-Star, was the 2009 leading vote-getter in the NBA All-Star Balloting program presented by T-Mobile.

special tip-off event in Dallas, the Official Host City of NBA All-Star 2010. Howard, a three-time NBA All-Star, was the 2009 leading vote-getter in the NBA All-Star Balloting program presented by T-Mobile with 3,150,181 votes, becoming the first player in balloting history to crack the 3 million-vote ceiling. Howard is joined by Carter, an eight-time NBA All-Star, Lewis, a two-time NBA All-Star and Nelson, who was an NBA All-Star for the first time in 2009.

NBA All-Star Balloting presented by

T-Mobile will begin this afternoon at 12:30 p.m. ET. The 2010 NBA All-Star Game, which will air live on TNT and ESPN Radio in the U.S., and reach fans in more than 200 countries and territories in more than 40 languages, will be played at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, before and expected crowd of more than 80,000 - the largest group ever to witness a live basketball game, on Sunday Feb. 14, 2010.

Game review: Thunder (3-3) 102, Magic (5-2) 74

2009-11-08T22:17:00.001-05:00

The Magic, missing Rashard Lewis (suspension), Vince Carter (ankle), and Ryan Anderson (ankle), were no match for Oklahoma City Sunday night, as the Magic were dominated in virtually every statistical category, in one of their worst losses of the Stan Van Gundy era.

The Magic actually had a decent start, as they led 25-23 after one quarter. They had their largest lead of the game at 33-27 with just under nine minutes remaining in the half before things deteriorated rapidly. The Thunder outscored the Magic 26-11 the rest of the half to lead going into halftime 53-44. The Thunder scored 22 of the first 30 points in the third quarter to put the game away, and led 79-57 after three quarters. The Thunder lead swelled to 33 points in the fourth quarter before the final margin.

Magic leading scorers

Dwight Howard: 20 points (5 of 10 FGs), 7 rebounds
Mickael Pietrus (bench): 15 points (4 of 9 FGs), 3 steals
Jameer Nelson: 10 points (4 of 10 FGs)

Overall Game Statistics:

FG%: OKC 57.1% (40 of 70) ORL 36.8% (25 of 68)
3 PT FG%: OKC 56.2% (9 of 16) ORL 18.8% (3 of 16)
FT%: OKC 86.7% (13 of 15) ORL 61.8% (21 of 34)
REB: OKC 45 (4 offensive) ORL 30 (9 offensive)
AST/TO: OKC 27/17 ORL 14/15
BENCH: ORL 23 OKC 21

Other game notes and stats:

-Kevin Durant led the Thunder with 28 points; Russell Westbrook added 17 points along with 10 assists
-Thabo Sefolosha also had a double/double with 13 points, 10 rebounds
-The Magic were outscored from the field 89-53
-The Magic's two centers, Howard and Marcin Gortat combined to shoot 9 of 18 from the field; the rest of the Magic shot 16 of 50
-Pietrus made both his three point attempts; the rest of the Magic shot 1 of 14 from long range
-Four of the Thunder starters shot at least 58% from the field
-J.J. Redick shot just 2 of 11 from the field, missing all 6 of his three point attempts for the Magic

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

Game night preview

2009-11-08T14:50:00.003-05:00

From the Magic press release:

ORLANDO MAGIC at OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER
Sunday, Nov. 8. 7:00 p.m.

Ford Center
Oklahoma City, OK

Orlando’s four-game week comes to an end on Sunday as they head to Oklahoma City to face the Thunder (2-3) at 7 p.m. ET. After finishing the 2008-09 campaign with the fourth-worst record in the NBA, the Thunder look like a rejuvenated franchise this season. Their young nucleus, consisting of 2007 second-overall draft pick Kevin Durant, forward Jeff Green and Russell Westbrook, has put up impressive numbers to start the NBA’s 2009-10 campaign. Durant has exploded for 24.2 points and 8.2 rebounds per game, while Green is averaging 16.6 and 6.6. Russell Westbrook has distributed the ball effectively to both of Oklahoma’s fantastic forwards, notching 7.8 assists to go along with his 18.4 ppg. The key once again for Orlando will be establishing Dwight Howard down low. The Thunder currently lack an effective big man and will rely on Nenad Krstic to stop the reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Week.

Here is the complete preview from Yahoo! Sports.

The Magic are 6 point favorites.

Magic injury update

2009-11-07T16:36:00.003-05:00

Here are excerpts from Brian Schmitz's BasketBlog on orlandosentinel.com today:

Ryan Anderson wore a boot on his right foot today and said an MRI this morning showed his injury isn't especially serious -- no tear or break.

"I guess it's the best possible situation for what happened," Anderson said.

But it will keep Anderson out of some games. Magic Coach Stan Van Gundy also said Vince Carter was doubtful for Sunday's game. That means between the suspension (SF Rashard Lewis) and injuries (PF Anderson, SG Vince Carter, C Adonal Foyle) the Magic will have nine available players tomorrow night in Oklahoma City.

"It's sore and it's swollen," Anderson said. "It's pretty painful but I guess as the swelling goes down my pain will go to a central area. Hopefully it's not too bad, but I guess I sprained it in a pretty good spot."

Anderson said he wasn't told how long he would be out, that would depend on how fast his body healed. He also wasn't entirely sure how he sprained it early in the third quarter of Orlando's 110-103 win over the Detroit Pistons, but said he passed the ball and cut, then must have stepped on someone's foot.

Van Gundy said he would be shocked if Anderson recovered within a week.

Game Review: Magic (5-1) 110, Pistons (2-4) 103

2009-11-07T00:25:00.000-05:00

The Magic rode a terrific first quarter and terrific free throw shooting to the victory despite being outscored by ten points by the Pistons in the final three quarters. The Magic had six players in double figures. Vince Carter sat out to rest his ankle, while Ryan Anderson rolled his ankle early in the third quarter and sat out the rest of the game.

The Magic hit their first six shots of the game and their first five three pointers as they jumped out to a 18-3 lead and led after one quarter 40-23. The Magic extended their lead to 58-39 late in the second quarter before settling for a 58-43 halftime advantage. The Magic again extended their lead to 19 points at 68-49 in the third before the Pistons cut the margin to 82-68 after three. The Pistons were finally able to get within single digits with 5 and a half minutes remaining, and got as close as 96-90 with 2:39 remaining but could get no closer as the Magic were able to extend their lead to 11 with just over a minute remaining before the final margin.

Magic leading scorers

Dwight Howard: 22 points (7 of 8 FGs), 12 rebounds, 2 blocks
Matt Barnes: 18 points (4 of 12 FGs), 9 rebounds
Jameer Nelson: 18 points (8 of 15 FGs), 8 assists
J.J. Redick: 16 points (3 of 7 FGs)
Brandon Bass (bench): 13 points (5 of 9 FGs), 6 rebounds
Ryan Anderson: 11 points (4 of 7 FGs)

Overall Game Statistics

FG%: DET 51.4% (38 of 74) ORL 47.4% (36 of 76)
3 PT FG%: DET 36.4% (4 of 11) ORL 28.6% (8 of 28)
FT%: ORL 85.7% (30 of 35) DET 62.2% (23 of 37)
REB: ORL 37 (9 offensive) DET 34 (7 offensive)
AST/TO: ORL 19/11 DET 13/11
BENCH: ORL 25 DET 25

Other game notes and stats:

-Charlie Villanueva scored 22 of his game-high 28 points in the fourth quarter for the Pistons, and Rodney Stuckey added 20 points; Ben Gordon scored 19 points but shot just 5 of 17
-Howard became the Magic's all-time leader in blocked shots with 825, surpassing Shaquille O'Neal's mark
-The Magic shot 14 of 18 in the first quarter, but just 22 of 58 the rest of the game
-The Magic missed 20 of their final 23 three point attempts
-After shooting just 9 FTs in the first half, the Pistons attempted 28 FTs in the second half
-The Magic and Pistons both scored 80 points from the field, but the Magic had a decisive 30-23 edge at the FT line

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

Game night preview

2009-11-06T14:07:00.002-05:00

From the Magic press release:

ORLANDO MAGIC vs DETROIT PISTONS
Friday, Nov. 6. 7:00 p.m.
Amway Arena
Orlando, FL

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

The Magic (4-1) will close out their brief homestand on Friday at 7 p.m. ET when they battle the Detroit Pistons (2-3) for the second time this week. While Orlando’s defensive efforts will again focus on limiting Detroit’s backcourt, offensively it’ll attempt to deliver the ball inside to All-Star center Dwight Howard to take advantage of the Pistons in the low post. To start the season, Detroit is relying on Ben Wallace to hold down the starting spot at center. Although, he’s still an active defensive presence, he’s no longer a dominant interior defender. Howard had tremendous offensive success against Wallace during the Eastern Conference Finals last season – when Wallace was with the Cavaliers – and he’ll look to continue that trend on Friday. Orlando’s Superman has been a handful for opposing big men thus far and is on pace for another MVP-caliber season, averaging 21.7 points and 16 rebounds per game.

Here is the complete preview from Yahoo! Sports.

Rip Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince will both miss the game for the Pistons, while Vince Carter will most likely sit out for the Magic to further reat his ankle.

The Magic are 13 point favorites.

Amway Center Update

2009-11-05T18:37:00.003-05:00

From the Magic press release today:

AMWAY CENTER
"TOPPING OFF" CEREMONY

Construction on the new Amway Center in downtown Orlando met a milestone today as the placement of the final steel beam was recognized by the traditional "Topping Off" ceremony.

The 875,000 square foot Amway Center will open in the fall of 2010 and compete to host major national events, concerts and family shows, while serving as the home of the Orlando Magic.

Participants in the ceremony included Orlando Magic Chief Operating Officer Alex Martins, Mayors Buddy Dyer and Rich Crotty, City and County Commissioners and representatives from Hunt Construction Group.

"Topping Off," coined by ironwrokers in the 1920s, celebrates hoisting the final piece of structural steel once a building has reached its maximum height. The beam was signed by fans, construction crews, Orlando Magic and City and County officials. Traditionally "Topping Off" also involves placing a small tree or branches at the top of the new building to signify a safe and efficient job well done, while honoring nature for providing natural resources for its construction. Amway Center will be Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) certified.

Seven short miles from Amway Center, the six, 380-footlong, 150-ton steel roof trusses were fabricated. Roof truss erection began on July 14. The entire structural steel portion of Amway Center is in excess of 3,000 tons. The cutting, shaping and assembling of the raw steel involved 200-plus local steel workers.

FOR AN UPDATED LOOK AT THE AMWAY CENTER

CLICK HERE

Game review: Magic (4-1) 122, Suns (4-1) 100

2009-11-04T23:59:00.001-05:00

The Magic played well following an awful performance Tuesday night and beat previously unbeaten Phoenix 122-100, as the Magic broke the game open in the second half and won just about every major statistical category, with six players in double figures. The Magic welcomed the return of Mickael Pietrus off the bench after missing the previous two games, while Vince Carter sat out to rest his injured ankle.

The Magic started out quickly, jumping out to a 27-13 lead in the first quarter, but held on to a 29-25 lead after one. The Magic had their largest lead of the second quarter at 44-33, but the Suns cut into their deficit to make it a 58-52 halftime game. The Magic outscored the Suns 25-8 to begin the third quarter, but the Suns ended the quarter on a 9-0 run to cut the Magic lead to 92-78 after three. The Magic put an end to any Suns' hope of a fourth quarter comeback, as they outscored the Suns 17-5 to begin the quarter on their way to their largest lead of 119-91 before the final of 122-100.

Magic leading scorers:

Dwight Howard: 25 points (9 of 14 FGs), 6 rebounds
Ryan Anderson: 20 points (8 of 14 FGs), 10 rebounds
Jameer Nelson: 16 points (7 of 13 FGs), 10 assists
Mickael Pietrus: 15 points (4 of 10 FGs)
Matt Barnes: 13 points (5 of 9 FGs), 11 rebounds
Brandon Bass: 12 points (6 of 8 FGs)

Overall Game Statistics:

FG%: ORL 52.3% (46 of 88 FGs) PHO 45.5% (40 of 88)
3 PT FG%: ORL 52.2% (12 of 23) PHO 31.8% (7 of 22)
FT%: ORL 75% (18 of 24) PHO 65% (13 of 20)
REB: ORL 47 (14 offensive) PHO 44 (16 offensive)
AST/TO: ORL 26/15 PHO 18/18
BENCH: PHO 58 ORL 39

Other game notes and stats:

-Amare Stoudemire led the Suns with 25 points and 14 rebounds, but scored only six points in the second half
-Former Magic swingman Grant Hill was held scoreless in 18 minutes, after averaging 17.2 points coming into the game
-Suns' guard Steve Nash was held to 12 points and 4 assists
-Three Magic players (Barnes, Anderson, Nelson) achieved a double/double
-Every Magic starter, except for J.J. Redick, shot over 50% from the field
-Barnes and Anderson combined for 21 rebounds
-Howard finished 7 of 8 from the FT line

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

Game night preview

2009-11-04T14:30:00.002-05:00

From the Magic press release:

ORLANDO MAGIC vs PHOENIX SUNS
Wednesday, Nov. 4. 7:00 p.m.
Amway Arena
Orlando, FL

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

The Magic (3-1) won’t get much rest before traveling back to Orlando to host the Phoenix Suns (4-0) on Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET. Playing a back-to-back is never an easy task, especially when you’re trying to contain the Suns’ high-octane offense. After parting ways this offseason with center Shaquille O’Neal, who at times stagnated Phoenix’s run-and-gun style, and having a full offseason under the guise of head coach Alvin Gentry, the Suns’ offense has returned to form. Phoenix has posted a league-best 117.33 ppg. in its first three affairs with six players averaging in double figures. Along with scoring 18.7 ppg., Suns point guard Steve Nash has also dished out an average of 14 assists per contest. The Magic will not only need a staunch defensive effort from All-Star point guard Jameer Nelson to limit the two-time MVP, but they’ll also need his teammates to clog the passing lanes to prevent him from distributing the ball at will.

Here is the complete preview from Yahoo! Sports

The Magic are 8 point favorites.

Game review: Pistons (2-2) 85, Magic (3-1) 80

2009-11-03T23:50:00.000-05:00

Detroit came into the game missing two of their best players, Richard Hamilton (ankle) and Tayshaun Prince (back), which broke Prince's string of 496 straight games played. Vince Carter returned to the starting lineup for the Magic, while Mickael Pietrus (flu-like symptoms) remained out.

The Pistons kept their hex on the Magic, using an aggressive brand of offense while the Magic settled for mainly outside shots and three pointers, and missed the majority of those. Dwight Howard also had foul problems and shoulder problems that limited him to just 17 minutes in the Magic's first loss of the season, as the Magic failed to start 4-0 for the first time in franchise history.

The Magic started out slow, falling behind 15-6, before trailing at the end of one 19-14. The Magic came to life somewhat in the second quarter, outscoring the Pistons by eight to lead at the half 41-38. The Magic had their largest leads of the game at 47-41 and 55-49 in the third quarter, before the Pistons tied the game at 60 going into the fourth quarter. The Pistons led 71-64 three minutes into the fourth quarter before the Magic went on a 13-4 run for their final lead at 77-75 before the Pistons scored 10 straight points to put the game away before a consolation three by the Magic at the buzzer for the 85-80 final.

Magic leading scorers

Vince Carter: 15 points (6 of 16 FGs)
J.J. Redick: 14 points (4 of 12 FGs)
Matt Barnes: 11 points (5 of 9 FGs), 7 rebounds

Overall Game statistics

FG%: DET 37.5% (27 of 72) ORL 36.7% (29 of 79)
3 PT FG%: ORL 28.6% (10 of 35) DET 0% (0 of 6)
FT%: DET 81.6% (31 of 38) ORL 75% (12 of 16)
REB: DET 44 (9 offensive) ORL 42 (10 offensive)
AST/TO: ORL 18/15 DET 8/10
BENCH: ORL 29 DET 28

Other game notes and stats:

-Three Pistons scored 20 or more points: free agent signee Ben Gordon 23 points; Rodney Stuckey 20 points; and Will Bynum off the bench with 20 points
-Dwight Howard, with a double double in the first three games, did not even get a single double this game, finishing with 8 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 blocks before fouling out in 17 minutes
-Neither did Jameer Nelson, as he finished with 7 points, 6 assists, and 5 turnovers in 33 minutes
-Ryan Anderson finished 2 of 14 from the field and 1 for 11 from long range
-Backup center Marcin Gortat also fouled out, finishing with 4 points and 7 rebounds in 23 minutes
-Anderson, Nelson, and Redick shot a combined 9 of 37 from the field, while combining for 28 points; the trio had combined for 77 points Sunday against the Raptors
-Anderson, Carter, and Nelson shot a combined 5 of 24 on three pointers
-Magic outscored the Pistons 68-54 from the field, but were outscored 31-12 from the free throw line
-Magic were called for 30 fouls compared to 17 for the Pistons
-Pistons' starters Jonas Jerebko, Charlie Villanueva, and Rodney Stuckey combined to shoot 10 for 36 from the field
-Ben Wallace led the Pistons with 10 rebounds
-Jason Williams had 5 assists off the bench for the Magic

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