Archive → January, 2011
Recap: Memphis Grizzlies 100, Orlando Magic 97
AP Photo/ Mark Weber
If the game against the Chicago Bulls may have put the nail in the coffin for a team considered by many as part of the elite in the NBA, consider the case closed now as the Memphis Grizzlies were able to defeat the Orlando Magic by the score of 100-97. To be rather blunt, stupidity almost cost the Magic a chance to tie the game at the end of regulation. With 5.5 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Mike Conley headed to the foul throw line after Jason Richardson fouled him following a missed three-pointer by Hedo Turkoglu that could have given Orlando the lead. But before Conley went to shoot his free-throws, Dwight Howard – inexplicably — mouthed off at one of the officials and earned a technical foul at the most inopportune time. This is the franchise player for the Magic, and he was unable to keep his mouth shut at a crucial moment in time. Fortunately for Howard, after Zach Randolph made the technical free-throw to give the Grizzlies a two-point lead, Conley missed one of two free-throws. That gave Orlando one last chance at tying things up, but Richardson missed a 30-foot three-point heave with time expiring. Another loss for the Magic and it’s becoming clear that this is a flawed team that has little chance of competing for the Eastern Conference title in their current form. Memphis was led by a balanced attack, six players scored in double-figures. However, the player of the game for the Grizzlies was Conley, who finished with 26 points and 11 assists — first time in his career that he’s been able to amass more than 20 points and 10 assists in the same game. Orlando was led by a balanced attack as well, with six players scoring in double-figures. Howard finished with 25 points, 14 rebounds, two steals, and two blocks but also had seven turnovers. Also, Brandon Bass left in the third quarter with a sprained right ankle.
Preview: Orlando Magic at Memphis Grizzlies
| 8:00 EST | Sun Sports | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31-17 |  |
@ |  |
24-24 |
| Pythagorean Record: 33-15 | Pythagorean Record: 26-22 | |||
| Pace: 92.1 (16th) | Pace: 92.4 (15th) | |||
| Offensive Rating: 108.4 (10th) | Offensive Rating: 106.2 (17th) | |||
| Defensive Rating: 102.2 (4th) | Defensive Rating: 105.1 (11th) | |||
| FedEx Forum | Magic lead season series 1-0 | ||||
Recap: Orlando Magic 103, Cleveland Cavaliers 87
Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images
In a game that lacked any drama, whatsoever, the Orlando Magic were able to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers by the score of 103-87. For the Cavaliers, the latest loss puts them on a 20-game losing streak. Clearly, this is not the same franchise that was piloted by LeBron James for the past seven years. The Magic were led by a balanced attack, as five players scored in double-figures. Despite playing barely 27 minutes, Dwight Howard was able to put together his fourth 20-20 game of the regular season with exactly 20 points, 20 rebounds, and two blocks. Not bad. Ryan Anderson is beginning to emerge as one of the best role players in the league, finishing with 23 points and 16 rebounds off the bench. J.J. Redick had another of his efficient outings, putting up 17 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the field. Jason Richardson and Brandon Bass each chipped in with 12 points. The story of the game wasn’t so much about Orlando winning, but more so the dramatic fall of grace that Cleveland has had to endure this season. Without the services of Anderson Varejao, arguably their best player on the team, the Cavaliers have had to endure a lot of losing and there doesn’t seem to be any hope in sight for the foreseeable future, not until the offseason when they have a chance to pick first in the 2011 NBA Draft. In some ways, Cleveland offers a cautionary tale of what happens when a player of James’ caliber leaves.
Preview: Cleveland Cavaliers at Orlando Magic
| 6:00 EST | Sun Sports |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8-38 |  |
@ |  |
30-17 |
| Pythagorean Record: 8-38 | Pythagorean Record: 32-15 | |||
| Pace: 93.5 (10th) | Pace: 92.0 (16th) | |||
| Offensive Rating: 99.9 (30th) | Offensive Rating: 108.5 (10th) | |||
| Defensive Rating: 112.0 (30th) | Defensive Rating: 102.4 (5th) | |||
| Amway Center | Magic lead season series 2-0 | ||||
Recap: Chicago Bulls 99, Orlando Magic 90
Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images
In a revealing game that may have put the nail on the coffin for a team considered by many as part of the elite in the NBA, the Chicago Bulls were able to defeat the Orlando Magic by the score of 99-90. The Bulls were led by a three-pronged attack, as Derrick Rose, Luol Deng, and Carlos Boozer took turns dominating the game and befuddling the Magic defense in the process. Rose was spectacular, finishing with 22 points, 12 assists, and six rebounds. It wasn’t the most efficient outing for Rose but he proved that he’s deserving of being the All-Star starting point guard for the Eastern Conference. Deng was a force, putting up 26 points, eight rebounds, and two steals — he gave Hedo Turkoglu fits defensively, too. Boozer contributed with 16 points, 16 rebounds, and four assists. As for Orlando, it was the Dwight Howard show. Howard played one of the best games in his illustrious career in the league, dominating to the tune of 40 points, 15 rebounds, four steals, and three blocks. Only in Game 6 of the 2009 NBA Eastern Conference Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers was Howard better. Howard was transcendent at the United Center, yet it didn’t matter because a lack of support from his teammates wasted his herculean performance. Cavaliers fans can relate to that last sentence, which is scary in the grand scheme of things when talks of Howard possibly leaving the Magic in 2012 grow louder by the day. Unfortunately for Orlando, their loss proved something that will — undoubtedly — discourage Magic fans.
Preview: Orlando Magic at Chicago Bulls
| 8:00 EST | Sun Sports | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30-16 | |
@ |  |
31-14 |
| Pythagorean Record: 32-14 | Pythagorean Record: 31-14 | |||
| Pace: 92.0 (17th) | Pace: 91.7 (18th) | |||
| Offensive Rating: 108.7 (11th) | Offensive Rating: 105.5 (21st) | |||
| Defensive Rating: 102.3 (5th) | Defensive Rating: 99.4 (1st) | |||
| United Center | Magic lead season series 1-0 | ||||
Orlando’s Dwight Howard named NBA All-Star for fifth straight time
Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images
Via the Orlando Magic:
Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard led all Eastern Conference players, and was second overall, in the NBA All-Star Balloting program presented by T-Mobile with 2,099,204 votes. It marks Howard’s fifth straight appearance in the NBA All-Star Game and fourth consecutive time voted a starter.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant, a three-time All-Star MVP, is this year’s overall leading vote-getter with 2,380,016 votes. It is Bryant’s 13th consecutive All-Star selection; only Jerry West, Karl Malone and Shaquille O’Neal, with 14 straight nods each, have more.
Joining Howard in the Eastern Conference starting lineup at forward are the Miami Heat’s LeBron James (2,053,011), the 2006 and 2008 All-Star Game MVP, and the New York Knicks’ Amar’e Stoudemire (1,674,995). The starters for the East at guard are the Heat’s Dwyane Wade (2,048,175), last year’s All-Star Game MVP, and the Chicago Bulls’ Derrick Rose (1,914,996), who earns his first All-Star Game start. James and Wade are the first set of teammates to start an All-Star Game for the Eastern Conference since Wade and Shaquille O’Neal represented the Heat in 2007 in Las Vegas.
Bryant, the youngest All-Star in NBA history in 1998, and the All-Star MVP in 2002 and 2007, and co-MVP along with Shaquille O’Neal in 2009, is joined in the Western Conference starting backcourt by the New Orleans Hornets’ Chris Paul (1,281,591). The Oklahoma City Thunder’s Kevin Durant (1,736,728), making his first All-Star Game start, and the Denver Nuggets’ Carmelo Anthony (1,299,849) are the starting forwards. The Houston Rockets’ Yao Ming gets the nod at center (1,146,426). NBA Commissioner David Stern will select a replacement for Yao, who is injured with a stress fracture in his left ankle.
Hedo Turkoglu and comfort
AP Photo/Michael Conroy
Via Fran Blinebury of NBA.com:
After [Hedo] Turkoglu was the second-best player on the Magic team that lost in the 2009 NBA Finals to the Lakers, there was every reason to saddle up the old gang and let them take another shot again last season. But there were $53 million worth of reasons why it didn’t happen, the size of the free agent five-year contract that Orlando wasn’t willing to offer and Turkoglu got in Toronto. [...]
Of course, a bigger version of the same accusation could have been made of the Magic, who blew up the best team in the history of their franchise in the name of fiscal restraint and managing the budget down the line when they were maybe standing on the doorstep of their first championship.
General manager Otis Smith has since admitted his mistake, albeit with a mountain of caveats. Though what really matters now is that Turkoglu returned to Orlando on Dec. 18, the day Jason Richardson and Gilbert Arenas also arrived in a declaration that shouted the future is now and the Magic have gone 13-6 (.684) since.
“I was disappointed and hurt when our Finals team traded away Hedo and Courtney Lee,” said center Dwight Howard. “I thought that was an awesome team that deserved another chance.”
As perhaps the last remaining dominant center in the league, Howard missed not only Turkoglu’s ballhandling skills and make big shots in key situations, but also his ability to make the entry pass into the low post.
“A 6-10 guy who knows right where I like it and can get it there? Yeah, I was glad to see him back,” Howard said.
Dwight Howard’s quotes are telling and reveal, in a way, his feelings about Vince Carter.
Recap: Orlando Magic 111, Indiana Pacers 96
AP Photo/Michael Conroy
The Orlando Magic were able to defeat the Indiana Pacers by the score of 111-96, getting back in the win column after losing to the Detroit Pistons on Monday. The Magic were led by a balanced attack, as six players scored in double-figures. Dwight Howard led the way for Orlando with 19 points, 16 rebounds, three blocks, and two steals. Howard befuddled Roy Hibbert defensively, holding him to four points and two rebounds in roughly 15 minutes of action. With Howard able to shut down the Pacers’ lone threat in the low post, they had to rely on a perimeter attack that couldn’t muster enough offense to overcome Hibbert’s lack of production. Yes, Indiana was able to make a game of it at times throughout the evening, but the Magic’s firepower offensively was too overwhelming. In total, Orlando was able to make 16 three-pointers, two short of their season-high. Jason Richardson finished with 19 points and nine rebounds. Hedo Turkoglu had an efficient outing, putting up 18 points (on 7-of-10 shooting), seven rebounds, and four assists. Ryan Anderson contributed with 14 points. Jameer Nelson had 12 points, while J.J. Redick chipped in with 10 points. Lights out three-point shooting by Orlando was the difference in the game, when it all comes down to it.
Wednesday’s Magic Word
- Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel: “Reserve point guard Jason Williams did not join the Orlando Magic on their two-game road trip to face the Indiana Pacers tonight and the Chicago Bulls on Friday night, leaving his status with the team up in the air. When asked about Williams’ status after the Magic’s shootaround today at Conseco Fieldhouse, the team’s president of basketball operations, Otis Smith, responded: ‘Well, he’s not with the team. We’ll deal with him when we get back to Orlando.’ Williams participated in the team’s practice Tuesday at Amway Center, but with the impending return of big man Malik Allen from injury, Williams was slated to be taken off of the team’s active list because the Magic would have had 13 healthy players and NBA teams are permitted to carry 12 players on their active roster. This is Williams’ second absence from the team this season.”
- Since then, Jason Williams has been waived by the Orlando Magic.
- Head coach Stan Van Gundy will continue with the big men rotation of Dwight Howard, Brandon Bass, and Ryan Anderson manning the forward and center positions.
- Roy Hibbert talks about playing against Howard.
- Quentin Richardson — a consummate professional.
- Josh Cohen of OrlandoMagic.com says that Tim Duncan had an odd impact on the Magic, even though he never signed with the team as a free agent in 2000: “This one may be kind of unusual since Duncan never played for the Magic. But he almost did. In 2000, when the Magic had a ton to spend on free agents, the franchise came very close to landing Duncan and, in effect, uniting him with their other prized signees, McGrady and Grant Hill. It’s very possible that if Duncan opted to join Orlando, the Magic would have captured multiple NBA championships by this time.”
- Evan Dunlap of Orlando Pinstriped Post puts things in perspective about Howard’s free agency.
- Kevin Pelton of Basketball Prospectus: “So where does that leave us with WARP, PER, WP, WS and the rest of the acronyms? Well, if you’re putting your complete trust in any single statistic to measure player value, that is surely a mistake. Each metric has its own biases that can be seen most easily in comparison to the others. I believe that WARP does a better job of reflecting value than anything else; otherwise I would use the others. Yet I still blanch every time I see Jason Kidd ranked in the league’s top 10 last season, which seems excessively kind. WARP tends to give too much credit to defenders who pile up steals and blocks while neglecting individual defense, so to consider them using only WARP would be a mistake. The other useful reality check for me is net plus-minus and, with the appropriate caution, adjusted plus-minus. A couple of years ago, when I pondered the state of APBRmetrics, I argued that the choice between box-score statistics and plus-minus statistics divided the community. Increasingly, however, I see people using both in combination. When they agree, they allow us to make a stronger conclusion about a player. When they disagree, that’s when basketball analysis becomes an art rather than a science. And that, to me, is the most interesting part of the whole process, especially when it becomes clear that there really is no such thing as player value in a vacuum. Everything is contextual based on role and system.”
- Howard for Defensive Player of the Year.
