Feb 06
Arron Afflalo selected to Three-Point Contest
Photo by Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images
Via Orlando Magic press release:
The Foot Locker Three-Point Contest pits the NBA’s premier three-point shooters against one another in one of All-Star Weekend’s most hotly anticipated contests. Afflalo will be the ninth Magic player in franchise history chosen to participate in the long-distance shootout, which originated during the 1986 NBA All-Star Weekend.
Selected in the first round (27th overall) of the 2007 NBA Draft by Detroit, Afflalo leads the Magic in scoring with 19.9 ppg. and is currently tied for eighth in the NBA in three-point field goal percentage (.427). Afflalo has led (or tied) the team in scoring a team-best 27 times, scored in double figures 45 times, had 20+ points 24 times and 30+ points four times, including a career-high 43 points on Dec. 3 at Philadelphia. Afflalo, who has connected on at least three three-pointers in 13 games this season, hit 8-of-11 attempts from long distance on Nov. 13 vs. Milwaukee and knocked down five in the third quarter, tying the franchise record for most three-pointers made in a quarter.
Feb 06
Victor Oladipo selected to Skills Challenge
Photo by Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images
Via Orlando Magic press release:
The Taco Bell Skills Challenge was introduced at NBA All-Star 2003 and features players competing in a timed obstacle course consisting of dribbling, passing and shooting stations. Oladipo is the second Magic player to be selected to the competition. Jameer Nelson was chosen as a participant in 2009, but was unable to participate due to an injury.
Oladipo has also been selected to participate in the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge as part of 2014 NBA All-Star Weekend. The Rising Stars Challenge will take place on Friday, February 14 at 9 p.m. ET and will consist of both NBA rookies and sophomores selected by the NBA’s assistant coaches.
Selected in the first round (second overall) of the 2013 NBA Draft by Orlando, Oladipo was named the NBA’s Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month in December. He has led (or tied) the Magic in scoring seven times, in rebounding twice and in assists 12 times. Oladipo has scored in double figures 40 times and had 20+ points seven times, including a career-high 35 points on January 15 vs. Chicago. He tallied his first career triple-double with 26 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists on December 3 at Philadelphia.
Feb 02
Grades: Boston Celtics 96, Orlando Magic 89
Photo by Steve Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images
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Arron Afflalo 6-12 FG | 5-8 FT | 3 REB | 4 AST | 18 PTS | -11
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Nikola Vucevic 7-14 FG | 2-2 FT | 11 REB | 1 AST | 14 PTS | -4
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Glen Davis 6-12 FG | 2-2 FT | 3 REB | 2 AST | 15 PTS | +5
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Tobias Harris 6-12 FG | 1-3 3P | 5 REB | 1 AST | 13 PTS | -4
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Boston Celtics
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Jan 30
Arron Afflalo not selected to East All-Star team
Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images
Via Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel:
The Orlando Magic worried this would happen.
Arron Afflalo, their best and most consistent player this season, was snubbed tonight when the reserves were announced for the 2014 NBA All-Star Game on Feb. 16 at New Orleans Arena.
The Eastern Conference reserves are Chris Bosh, DeMar DeRozan, Roy Hibbert, Joe Johnson, Paul Millsap, Joakim Noah.
The reserves were selected through a vote of league head coaches. Each coach was required to vote for seven players within his conference: two guards, three frontcourt players and two players regardless of position. Coaches were not permitted to vote for someone from his own team.
Jan 30
Grades: Toronto Raptors 98, Orlando Magic 83
Photo by Ron Turenne/NBAE via Getty Images
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Arron Afflalo 4-11 FG | 2-2 FT | 3 REB | 1 AST | 10 PTS | -12 Terrence Ross did yeoman’s work defensively against Afflalo. He hounded him everywhere and used his length to disrupt Afflalo on offense. The one possession that showcased Ross’ long arms being put to good use came early in the first quarter. Afflalo received a handoff pass from Vucevic on the left wing, then curled around Vucevic’s screen to shoot an elbow jumper, only to get blocked by Ross. |
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Nikola Vucevic 6-12 FG | 4-4 FT | 2 STL | 10 REB | 16 PTS | -8 It had been 12 games since Vucevic last played after suffering a concussion in a game against the Los Angeles Clippers on January 6. Yet despite playing just 20 minutes, Vucevic picked up a double-double in limited playing time and didn’t miss a beat. His jump shot looked fluid and he attacked the offensive glass. Not bad for Vucevic’s first game back. |
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Jameer Nelson 5-15 FG | 3-6 3P | 2 REB | 4 AST | 13 PTS | -15 Medical examiners were able to identify the charred remains of Nelson’s body after he got torched by Kyle Lowry at Air Canada Centre. Lowry was ruthless in the first quarter, scoring 17 points (shooting 6-for-8 from the floor, including 5-for-5 from 3-point range) in the period and finishing the game with a near-triple double (33 points, 11 assists, seven rebounds). Nelson didn’t stand a chance. |
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Victor Oladipo 3-14 FG | 5-8 FT | 2 REB | 3 AST | 12 PTS | -17 The bright side for Oladipo is that, unlike some of his Magic counterparts, he didn’t get thoroughly outplayed by Greivis Vasquez. The downside is that Oladipo was defended by Lowry in a cross-match and struggled on offense as a result. Kudos to head coach Dwane Casey for recognizing that Lowry, a bulldog of a defender, could handle the explosive Oladipo. |
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Toronto Raptors
Needless to say, things got out of hand in a hurry. The Raptors, led by Lowry, went on a 3-point barrage in the first quarter, shooting 8-for-8 beyond the arc and building a double digit lead in the first quarter. Coupled with the fact that Toronto has a top 10 defense and the game was over before it really began for Orlando. |
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Jan 29
Victor Oladipo selected to Rising Stars Challenge
Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images
Via Orlando Magic press release:
Orlando Magic guard Victor Oladipo has been selected to participate in the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge as part of 2014 NBA All-Star Weekend in New Orleans, LA. The Rising Stars Challenge will take place on Friday, February 14 at 9 pm ET at New Orleans Arena and will be nationally televised by TNT.
The participants for the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge consist of both NBA rookies and sophomores selected by the NBA’s assistant coaches. The rosters will be finalized following a draft by TNT personalities. Fans will have the opportunity to vote online for who should be in the starting lineup for each team.
Oladipo has appeared in all 46 games (27 starts) this season for Orlando, averaging 13.9 ppg., 4.5 rpg., 3.8 apg. and a team-high 1.57 spg. in 32.0 mpg. As of January 29, he ranks 19th in the NBA in steals. Oladipo also ranks among all NBA rookies in scoring (2nd), rebounding (4th), assists (3rd), field goal percentage (5th), three-point field goal percentage (T-9th), free throw percentage (8th), steals (2nd), blocked shots (5th) and minutes played (2nd).
Selected in the first round (second overall) of the 2013 NBA Draft by Orlando, Oladipo was named the NBA’s Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month in December. He has led (or tied) the Magic in scoring six times, in rebounding twice and in assists nine times. Oladipo has scored in double figures 36 times and had 20+ points six times, including a career-high 35 points on January 15 vs. Chicago. He tallied his first career triple-double with 26 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists on December 3 at Philadelphia.
Jan 29
Grades: Detroit Pistons 103, Orlando Magic 87
Photo by Allen Einstein/NBAE via Getty Images
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Arron Afflalo 6-12 FG | 1-3 3P | 1 STL | 3 REB | 14 PTS | -15 After a relatively quiet first half, Afflalo was finally able to make his presence felt offensively in the third quarter. He making several midrange jump shots early in the period and helped the Magic cut a 10-point halftime deficit to 61-55 midway through the third. But the Pistons responded by going on a big run and Afflalo sat the entire fourth quarter with the game out of reach. |
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Victor Oladipo 7-14 FG | 3-3 FT | 4 REB | 3 AST | 19 PTS | -10 Stat of the night: Oladipo scored or assisted on Orlando’s final 20 points. Even though the game turned into a blowout in the fourth quarter and head coach Jacque Vaughn emptied the bench, Oladipo (who was replaced by Jason Maxiell in the starting lineup to better match up with Detroit) kept playing hard. That’s been his modus operandi all season long. |
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Tobias Harris 4-13 FG | 6-8 FT | 9 REB | 2 AST | 14 PTS | -17 After having an easy time against Ryan Kelly on Friday, culminating in his first career 20-20 game, Harris’ individual matchups have gotten a lot harder in the Magic’s last two games. First it was Anthony Davis, then it was Josh Smith. Like with Davis, Harris had difficulty at times trying to score over the outstretched arms of Smith on the perimeter. |
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Jameer Nelson 3-9 FG | 3-6 3P | 2 REB | 7 AST | 11 PTS | -8 Nelson didn’t have much of an impact in this game. He had six points and five assists in the first quarter, doing a good job of scoring and distributing the basketball. But Nelson’s level of play flatlined in the second and third quarters (he even picked up a technical foul along the way), and like Afflalo, he didn’t play in the fourth quarter. |
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Detroit Pistons
This was a bad matchup for the Magic and Vaughn knew it. Which is why, with Nikola Vucevic out (concussion), he swapped out Oladipo for Maxiell in the starting lineup to try to combat the Pistons’ size advantage. It didn’t work. Detroit lorded over the paint, dominating the rebounding battle and making it difficult for Orlando to score at the rim. |
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Jan 26
Grades: New Orleans Pelicans 100, Orlando Magic 92
Photo by Layne Murdoch/NBAE via Getty Images
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Arron Afflalo 9-14 FG | 6-8 FT | 2 REB | 2 AST | 25 PTS | -1
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Victor Oladipo 6-12 FG | 6-6 FT | 5 STL | 3 REB | 18 PTS | -8
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Tobias Harris 7-14 FG | 3-3 FT | 9 REB | 1 AST | 17 PTS | -8
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Jameer Nelson 6-14 FG | 2-6 3P | 3 REB | 8 AST | 15 PTS | -1
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New Orleans Pelicans
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