"Perhaps Orlando Magic guard J.J. Redick just needed extra playing time.

He has flourished ever since Vince Carter suffered a left-knee injury last Monday in San Antonio. In three starts since, Redick has made just over 46 percent of his shot attempts and helped improve the team's ball movement on offense.

"Being out there when you're in the flow of the game, you're going to get shots," Redick said. "And you're going to maybe get two or three shots in a five- or six-minute stretch as opposed to where you go in for a six- or eight-minute run and you have to almost really look for [shots quickly]."

Redick has looked more at ease on the court recently, and he has regained his accuracy on his trademark outside shot. He had made only 14 percent of his 3-point tries when he was coming off the bench, but he has made just under 47 percent of his treys as a starter.

His recent play has prompted some fans to light up Internet message boards and campaign for Redick to permanently replace Carter in the starting lineup. One thread on the team's website had generated over 1,800 views from unique users as of midday Sunday.

Of course, none of those message-board denizens is coach Stan Van Gundy.

Carter is nearing a return from his sprained knee — he shot baskets on the Verizon Center floor prior to gametime Saturday in Washington — and he will return to the starting lineup once he's fully healthy."