Orlando Magic News

Darren Collison scores 27 points and records 9 assists, but the Magic slow him in the 2nd half
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February 9
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Cite the New Orleans Hornets for theft. Judging by what transpired Monday night at Amway Arena, the Hornets might have gotten the biggest steal of the 2009 NBA draft. Darren Collison did his best imitation of injured New Orleans superstar Chris Paul -- and did it at the expense of his Orlando Magic counterparts, Jameer Nelson and Jason Williams. The rookie point guard scored 27 points and dished out nine assists, but the Magic managed to slow Collison just enough in the second half to pull out a 123-117 win over the Hornets. Over the final two periods, Collison scored 11 points but recorded just one assist. "We just played more aggressive, especially myself," Nelson said. "You've just got ..."
Magic ride vintage Vince Carter performance to beat Hornets
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February 9
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Vince Carter said he'd be a new man in February. Carter wasn't only a new man on Monday night at Amway Arena. He reinvented his legend, scoring 48 points to lead the Orlando Magic in a 123-117 comeback victory against the New Orleans Hornets. Carter, who struggled through a forgettable January slump, hit 19-of-27 shots and six 3-pointers in his first signature performance since signing with the Magic, his boyhood team, last summer. It takes a lot to overshadow Dwight Howard. Howard had a monster game, too, with 25 points and 12 rebounds, but it was a night for Vinsanity. Clinging to a 111-110 lead in the last two minutes, Carter drained his sixth 3-pointer of the night --- and Carter's ..."
Magic's Adonal Foyle says the owners' latest proposal has 'mobilized' players
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February 8
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Orlando Magic center and NBA Players Association first vice president Adonal Foyle on Sunday labeled owners' newest collective bargaining agreement offer "unfair" and said the owners' proposed salary rollbacks have mobilized and united the league's players. Foyle's comments are perhaps the most substantive remarks from a players union official since Commissioner David Stern's office recently sent the proposal to NBPA Executive Director Billy Hunter. According to an ESPN.com story, the owners' proposal would cut maximum guaranteed salaries to almost a third of their current level. The offer also calls for players' existing contracts to be restructured to any salary limits set by a new labor ..."
Vince Carter said he'll be a 'new me' in February and he delivered Sunday
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February 8
Orlando Sentinel
 
"After one of the worst months of his career, Vince Carter promised his Orlando Magic teammates that he would improve in February. He made good on that pledge during Sunday's 96-89 road win over the Boston Celtics. Carter scored a game-high 20 points on 7-of-13 shooting. The performance contrasted sharply with a horrid January in which he made just 28.4 percent of his shots. "It's been a long time coming," Carter said in the Magic locker room after the game. "I told the guys coming into this month. I said, 'It's a new me.' " Carter also excelled in Orlando's 83-78 win in Boston on Nov. 20, scoring 26 points in that game."
Howard, Carter prove clutch as Orlando stuns Boston in 2nd half
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February 8
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Stan Van Gundy now has coached the Orlando Magic for 215 regular-season games and another 34 playoff games, and in all that time, he says he's never seen his team play a better quarter than it did in the third period Sunday afternoon against the Boston Celtics. He'll receive few arguments from the Celtics -- not after the Magic needed a little more than seven minutes to erase an 11-point third-quarter deficit and build a commanding 14-point lead. Orlando then hung on down the stretch to leave TD Garden with a 96-89 win and a victory in the regular-season series over Boston. "I'm quite sure a lot of people picked us to lose, but we picked us to win," Magic point guard Jameer Nelson said. ..."
No slack in back-to-backs for Orlando Magic
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February 7
Orlando Sentinel
 
"The week heading into the all-star break is always challenging for players looking ahead to some relaxation. The Magic will be particularly tested, beginning today against the Celtics in Boston — the first of four games in five days. Orlando then comes home to face the New Orleans Hornets on Monday night at Amway Arena in a back-to-back. Then it's off for another back-to-back as the Magic face the Bulls in Chicago on Wednesday night and then to Cleveland to play the league-leading Cavs on Thursday night. The Magic won't see the Celtics again after today unless they meet in the postseason. Orlando leads the season series 2-1 and a win today can give them a potential playoff tiebreaker in ..."
Magic star Dwight Howard keeps piling up technical fouls
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February 7
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Turned off by the hours and hours of animated non-stop chatter leading up to the Super Bowl? Then maybe you might want to watch something other than. … the Orlando Magic and Boston Celtics today. Arguments are set to begin at 2:30 p.m. These two teams yak more at officials than in your typical local town hall meeting. PETA doesn't launch this many protests in a year. When the Magic and Celtics get together, you actually feel sorry for referees, what with all the caustic complaining from tip-off to final horn. Divorce attorneys ought to officiate them. If the NBA really wanted to punish Tim Donaghy, authorities would make him work every Magic-Celtics game. And today, there's even more at ..."
Hawks, Magic in tight battle in East
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February 7
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
 
"Increasingly it looks as if the Magic, not the Celtics, will be the Hawks' main competition for the No. 2 playoff seed in the Eastern Conference. And that's not just because the Hawks already swept the Celtics and are 0-3 against the Magic. The Celtics are starting to show their age as injuries pile up. Their bullying tactics fell flat in losses to the Magic and the Hawks. Then point guard Rajon Rondo hinted at chemistry issues, which seemed unfathomable when Boston won the 2008 title and nearly made the East finals last season without Kevin Garnett. Clearly the Celtics have slipped. "You don't feel like it's the same continuity and camaraderie in the locker room as it was the first ..."
Dwight Howard expects to attend soccer's 2010 World Cup
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February 6
Orlando Sentinel
 
"It appears that Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard will continue his jet-setting ways this upcoming summer. Howard has revealed that he expects to attend a portion of soccer's 2010 World Cup in South Africa. The all-star said adidas, a company he endorses, wants to send him to the event to serve as "a sports reporter." "I'm planning to go, yes," Howard said after the Magic lost to the Washington Wizards on Friday night. "Most likely I'll be there." Although Howard said he plays a soccer videogame on occasion, he acknowledges he doesn't know much about the world's most popular sport. When asked whether he's a big supporter of the United States' team, he volunteered that he doesn't know the ..."
Stan Van Gundy says 'It's all a bunch of crap' following loss to Wizards
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February 6
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Stan Van Gundy is no longer Stan Van Giddy OR Stan Van Grumpy. You can now call the Orlando Magic coach Stan Van Crappy following his team's 92-91 loss Friday night to the Washington Wizards at Amway Arena. After watching the Magic blow a 21-point lead to one of the worst teams in the Eastern Conference, the kinder, gentler Stan Van Gundy was understandably nowhere to be found. The worn-down, haggard grouch we've all come to know and love finally returned after OrlandoMagic.com writer John Denton asked: "Did you think your team, which went to the NBA Finals last year, was beyond immaturity before this game?" Van Gundy responded:"
Van Gundy is tired of talking about Vince Carter's shooting slump
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February 6
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Orlando Magic coach Stan Van Gundy has grown tired of the constant questions about Vince Carter's ongoing shooting slump, especially after Friday night's painful 92-91 loss to the Washington Wizards. "Stan, Vince still seems to be having problems with his shooting game," a reporter said to Van Gundy midway during his postgame press conference. "He had a good one the other night and kinda fell back tonight." "Yeah, he did," Van Gundy responded."
Magic blow lead, fall to Washington Wizards at home
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February 6
Orlando Sentinel
 
"It was fitting that it ended with a clock controversy. The Orlando Magic lost the game, the whereabouts of Caron Butler and all track of time on Friday night. The official result shows that the Magic fell 92-91 to the Washington Wizards in the last second --- in the final .5 seconds on Butler's jump-shot --- at Amway Arena. But, to a man, the Magic know they really lost their grip on this one with plenty of time left --- with 24 minutes to play and leading by 15. Everything unraveled in the second half, specifically the third quarter. Trailing by 21 points and left for dead early, the Wizards sprang to life by outscoring the Magic 39-17 in the third and, incredibly, built a nine-point lead ..."
Ewing would like a head coaching gig
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February 6
Washington Post
 
"Magic assistant and former Georgetown star Patrick Ewing is still hoping for the opportunity to become an NBA head coach, something that he never pondered during his glory days with the New York Knicks. "Never," Ewing said. "If you asked me that question when I was playing, I would've said, 'Hell no.' " But Ewing's attitude toward coaching changed when Michael Jordan asked him to join the Wizards' staff as an assistant before the 2002-03 season. He has since gone on to work in Houston and Orlando, where he has helped Dwight Howard blossom into an all-star center. Ewing has worked with agent David Falk for the past 25 years, but since Falk cannot represent players and coaches, Ewing ..."
Former Orlando Magic sharpshooter Dennis Scott keeps busy . . . just like Ryan Seacrest
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February 5
Orlando Sentinel
 columnist Josh Robbins
"Here in Central Florida, basketball fans still refer to former Orlando Magic sharpshooter Dennis Scott as "3-D" because he made 3-pointers with ease. But back home in suburban Atlanta, Scott's family calls him "Baby Seacrest." As in Ryan Seacrest, the host of American Idol and a nationally syndicated radio show. Just like Seacrest, you can see and hear Scott everywhere these days: on television on NBA TV, on the radio in Atlanta and on the Internet on NBA.com. "I always knew that when I finished playing basketball I wanted to be in the media in radio or TV or something," Scott says. "People get a chance to see the other side of my personality, and NBA TV and NBA.com have done an excellent ..."
Brandon Bass' agent will push for trade if playing time doesn't increase
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February 5
Orlando Sentinel
 
"The agent for Brandon Bass said Thursday that he would push the Orlando Magic to trade the little-used power forward this offseason if it becomes apparent he isn't fitting into their plans. "Without question," Tony Dutt, Brandon's agent, told the Sentinel by phone. "If things keep going the way they are through the rest of the year, then I think the writing's on the wall." The Magic signed Bass to a four-year, $18 million free-agent deal last summer, but he has appeared in just 28 games this season, with three starts. Bass, admittedly frustrated and disappointed, was asked if he still wanted to be in Orlando. "Do I want to stay here? If they feel like I can help them, sooner than later, ..."
Hawks have a Dwight Howard Problem
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February 5
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
 
"The Hawks obviously have ambitions beyond the second round of the playoffs, but they have a Dwight Howard Problem. They can't guard him. The Orlando center scored 31 points and had 19 rebounds in a 104-86 victory against Atlanta last week and Rashard Lewis, the Magic's swingman, pushed a needle in the Hawks. "They don't have anybody who can guard Dwight inside," Lewis told the Orlando Sentinel. It was a taunt that could resonate throughout the rest of the season. The Hawks, no matter how good they may become, face a wall they cannot climb. So do the Hawks have a short future in April? Mike Woodson, whose team entertains Chicago Friday night, has more than 20 years of NBA experience as a ..."
Sunday super for Marquis Daniels?
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February 5
Boston Herald
 
"Marquis Daniels was back practicing yesterday nearly two full months after undergoing surgery on his left thumb. Doc Rivers didn't close the door on a return to the lineup tonight, but Sunday's game against Orlando is looking like a better bet. "I'm sure we'll discuss that (playing tonight) and see, but I would say I doubt it," Rivers said. "It'll be great to get him back playing. It'll help a lot of things. It'll help some of the guys get rest, No. 1. "We didn't do anything live, so it wasn't a great practice for him. He's just trying to get some rhythm. He has to remember the stuff again. You have to be retaught all the stuff all over again, so it's tough." Said Rivers of the wrap on ..."
Paul Pierce quickly afoot: Eyes return vs. Magic
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February 5
Boston Herald
 
"Rumors of Paul Pierce [stats]'s demise were greatly exaggerated. Instead of a possible broken left foot, he is dealing well with a strain and likely will return when the Celtics [team stats] host Orlando on Sunday. And Pierce definitely is looking forward to being in the 3-point shootout at All-Star Weekend next Saturday in Arlington, Texas. "He may do a shootaround (today), and we'll evaluate," said coach Doc Rivers, "but right now I'm pretty sure he's not going to play (tonight against New Jersey)." Pierce, who was hurt Monday in Washington, said he could probably play against the Nets were it a playoff game. "I'm just going by how it feels," he said. "The good thing about it is it's ..."
Patrick Ewing will coach in the NBA's Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam
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February 4
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Orlando Magic assistant coach Patrick Ewing will be the head coach for the sophomore team in the Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam on Feb. 12 at American Airlines Center in Dallas. The exhibition is one event at all-star weekend. The NBA made the announcement a few minutes ago. Adrian Dantley, a Denver Nuggets assistant coach, will coach the rookie squad. Ewing works often in practice with Dwight Howard, and now Howard will have a chance to critique his mentor."
Coach Stan Van Gundy brings experience to this year's NBA All-Star Game
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February 4
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Stan Van Gundy wanted to spend the NBA all-star break at home with family and rest up for the final couple of months of the regular season. But now that he's certain to coach the Eastern Conference all-stars on Feb. 14, Van Gundy is discussing how he'll approach the job. In 2005, he coached the East to a 125-115 victory in Denver, so he knows what to expect from this year's tilt at Cowboys Stadium. "You're just managing people in and out of the game," Van Gundy said. "I'm not coaching people. I'm not going to be yelling and screaming at guys. "Maybe Dwight," he added, smiling and referring to Magic C Dwight Howard. "It's their game. And they'll figure it out. . . . You maybe diagram a play ..."
Orlando Magic coach Stan Van Gundy believes in the value of statistics
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February 4
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Stan Van Gundy believes in numbers. The Orlando Magic coach studies statistics. He pours over figures. He often relies on objective data to confirm or dispel his gut feelings. On Nov. 7, he put all that work to use. He gathered his players together before a Saturday-morning practice and told them that their play on defense needed to improve dramatically. To make his point, he cited nine separate defensive statistical categories, including opponents' field-goal percentage, layups given up and second-chance points allowed. He told his players that they ranked below the Boston Celtics, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Miami Heat in almost all of those areas. "Most coaches are more into the ..."
February stretch will show what Magic are made of
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February 3
Orlando Sentinel
 
"As pointed out in the instructional manual to the Sega Genesis classic Lakers vs. Celtics and the NBA Playoffs, the NBA season is a grueling epic. So it usually is unwise to place too much emphasis on any one chunk of the season. But success in the month of February, especially against Boston and Cleveland, would show that Orlando is truly ready to compete for a title again. The Magic, counting Tuesday's win over Milwaukee, will play 12 games in 28 days, so the number of contests won't be brutal – it's the level of competition that will be telling. The month will feature two games against the mighty Cavs, a road rematch in Boston, rival Miami at home as well tough games at Houston and New ..."
Lawrence Frank is visiting the team, but not because of Vince Carter
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February 3
Orlando Sentinel
 
"In January, Vince Carter averaged 8.7 points per game and shot just 28.4 percent from the field. Is that why Lawrence Frank, Carter's former New Jersey Nets coach, attended the Orlando Magic's shootaround on Tuesday? Is that why Frank is spending the week with the Magic? "No, no, no, no, no, no," Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. "It has nothing to do with that. I just wanted him to come down and just share some knowledge with us and some thoughts and some different perspective." Van Gundy said he invited Frank to spend some time with the team after the Nets dismissed Frank in November. Van Gundy explained that Frank wasn't able to visit in December and couldn't visit in January because ..."
Orlando Magic, J-Will thrive against the Milwaukee Bucks as injured Jameer Nelson sits out
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February 3
Orlando Sentinel
 
"The Orlando Magic thrived when Jameer Nelson missed 16 games earlier this season because of a knee injury. Nothing's changed. On Tuesday night, Jason Williams showed once again that there's little drop-off when he starts at point guard. He helped lead the Magic to a 99-82 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks. Williams scored 11 points, added five assists and collected five rebounds. Best of all, he didn't have a single turnover. "J-Will as a starter not to have a turnover -- that's so key for us," Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. "I thought he was in control of that game." Most importantly, Williams and Anthony Johnson helped contain the Bucks' cat-quick Rookie of the Year candidate, Brandon ..."
Vince Carter comes alive to lead Orlando Magic over the Bucks
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February 3
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Vince Carter revealed he still has a machine that plays VHS tapes. Now that's old school. It seemed fitting on a night that he returned to looking like Vintage Vince that he talked about watching some dated footage of past dunk contests. Carter, 33, has been caught measuring his present with his past lately, mired in a mystifying shooting slump with the Orlando Magic. Even after eight all-star berths and almost 19,000 career points, he needed people reminding him of just who he is and what he's done. Or as coach Stan Van Gundy said after the Magic whipped the Milwaukee Bucks 99-82 on Tuesday night, "Vince has to remember who Vince is." After struggling through January --- averaging just ..."
Playing way out of their league
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February 3
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
 
"A weary Andrew Bogut knew his team's 99-82 loss to the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night proved a painful point. "They're a championship-caliber team and that's what we're trying to get to," Bogut said after the Milwaukee Bucks had their three-game winning streak snapped. "They have a great team 1 through 12. It's not to say we're a long way from that, but we are a distance away from it." That distance seemed incredibly long after the Magic quickly erased an early 12-point deficit to grab a 50-36 halftime lead. The Bucks (21-26) never made a serious run in the second half as they lost to Orlando (33-16) for the third time in as many tries this season. Center Dwight Howard had 22 points, 11 ..."
Orlando Magic hope they're back on track
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February 2
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Although the Magic got their coaches into the all-star game with a win, the implications of the win meant less to the team than the actual win. "I think it's always important to get wins under your belt," Van Gundy said. "I don't know if there's really such a thing as momentum going into a break and coming out." One of the all-stars he'll be coaching is his own center, Dwight Howard."
Orlando Magic still believe in Vince Carter
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February 2
Orlando Sentinel
 
"The Orlando Magic said they have no plans to bench Vince Carter a day after the eight-time all-star's mystifying slump apparently hit rock bottom. Carter scored a season-low two points and — in a recurring trend — wasn't called upon to play the pivotal fourth quarter in a narrow 91-86 win on Sunday against the Detroit Pistons. General Manager Otis Smith and coach Stan Van Gundy said Monday that the possibility of benching Carter — even for a while — has not been broached. "I don't know if (benching Carter) would help or hurt, but I don't see that being the case at all," Smith said. "It isn't an issue with us." Van Gundy said he can't sit Carter if the team intends to meet their stated goal ..."
Jameer Nelson listed as day-to-day with hyperextended left knee
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February 2
Orlando Sentinel
 (scroll down)
"Carter's continued lack of production could be more of an issue if starting point guard Jameer Nelson and reserve small forward Mickael Pietrus are unavailable to play tonight against the Milwaukee Bucks at Amway Arena."
Anthony Johnson steps in at point guard
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February 1
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Never missing an opportunity to tease each other, Anthony Johnson got that playful ribbing from several of his teammates after playing 20 minutes Sunday night in Orlando's 91-86 win over Detroit. He helped replace starter Jameer Nelson who hyperextended his left knee in the first quarter and missed the rest of the game. The last time Johnson played more than 15 minutes for the Orlando Magic was December 19 in a 92-83 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. That was 21 games ago. He hadn't even played since January 22nd against Sacramento. "I thought J-Will was playing well, but I thought he looked really really tired halfway through the third quarter and then I just thought A.J. played well," ..."
Orlando Magic defense has gone from liability to asset
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February 1
Orlando Sentinel
 
"What once was a liability for the Orlando Magic has turned into one of their strongest points. In its last 10 games, Orlando has allowed opponents 96 points per game, the 6th fewest points of any team in the league during that span, the fourth lowest field goal percentage and taken down the fourth most rebounds. "It's clearly the opposite of the beginning of the season, because defense was our biggest problem," Magic forward Ryan Anderson said. "I think that's a good thing as long as our defense is solid. We're going to have nights when we struggle offensively." Part of that has resulted from new players — of which the Magic have two starters and three reserves — growing more accustomed to ..."
Palace doesn't haunt Magic this time as Orlando tops lowly Detroit
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February 1
Orlando Sentinel
 
"The Detroit Pistons and the voodoo that envelops the Orlando Magic any time they enter The Palace of Auburn Hills tried their best to derail the Magic Sunday evening. Instead, in a rare feat, the Magic beat the Pistons in Detroit. Orlando (32-16) beat Detroit (15-31), 91-86, after leading by 15 in the first quarter, then trailing in the third. The Magic picked up the franchise's 11th regular season win in Detroit out of 40 tries. The win sent Van Gundy and his coaching staff to the All-Star Game where they will coach the Eastern Conference all-stars. "This place is just a house of horrors for us," Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. "?Crazy stuff always happens in this building for us I'm ..."
Magic stops spell; Pistons' home stand ends 1-5
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February 1
Detroit Free Press
 
"Guess the Pistons can't even count on Orlando for a win. The Pistons had beaten Orlando 10 of 13 previous meetings, but that dominance was a distant memory Sunday night when the Pistons lost to the Magic, 91-86, at the Palace. After starting a six-game home stand with an upset over the Boston Celtics, the Pistons lost the next five. Coach John Kuester had questioned his team's effort for most of the skid, but he was pleased with the fight Sunday as the Pistons (15-31) made a game of it after trailing by 15 points in the first quarter. They took the lead in the second half, but couldn't generate enough offense down the stretch, shooting 39.2%."
Howard delivers on guarantee
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February 1
Detroit News
 
"Pistons broadcaster Rick Mahorn didn't get his usual nod and smile from Magic center Dwight Howard on Sunday. That's because Howard was in a foul mood, angered by his team's inability to beat the Pistons on a consistent basis. He even guaranteed the Magic team would defeat the Pistons, who had won six of the last seven meetings. The Magic came through on Howard's promise, ridding themselves of the pesky Pistons 91-86 on Sunday evening at The Palace. "I told you before the game we were going to win," Howard said. The victory was the Magic's eighth in the last 34 games against the Pistons. Last season the Pistons, who barely made the playoffs, swept the Magic, who advanced to the NBA ..."
Magic win earns Van Gundy coaching gig with East All-Stars
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February 1
NBA.com
 
"Orlando Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy will coach the Eastern Conference All-Stars for the 2010 NBA All-Star Game, to be played on Sunday, Feb. 14, at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. With a 91-86 road victory tonight over the Detroit Pistons at The Palace of Auburn Hills, the Magic (32-16, .667) have clinched the second best record in the Eastern Conference through Jan. 31. The Cleveland Cavaliers' Mike Brown coached the East in last year's game and is not eligible for the honor this season. In his third year as coach, Van Gundy has Orlando poised to win its third straight Southeast Division title and back in title contention a season after guiding the Magic to The Finals. The Magic ..."
Nelson reaggravates knee, not serious; Pietrus injures ankle out a week
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February 1
Orlando Sentinel
 (scroll down)
"Orlando didn't emerge unscathed. Starting point guard Jameer Nelson hyperextended his left knee during the first quarter, reaggravating the joint on which he had surgery in November. Magic general manager Otis Smith and Nelson both said the injury wasn't serious. Shooting guard Mickael Pietrus turned his ankle and said he will probably miss a week."
Howard sees potential for comedy if Van Gundy coaches in the All-Star Game
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January 31
Orlando Sentinel
 
"The possibility of Stan Van Gundy coaching in the All-Star Game left Dwight Howard chuckling, smiling and yelling in a raspy voice on Saturday. Van Gundy is an intense coach who emphasizes defense. In the All-Star Game, hardly anyone plays defense. More than ever, it looks like those two contrasting forces -- Van Gundy's singular focus and the exhibition's relaxed atmosphere -- will collide. The Orlando Magic's 104-86 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday means Van Gundy will coach in the game if the Magic defeat the Detroit Pistons today. If the Magic lose, either Atlanta's Mike Woodson or Boston's Doc Rivers will serve as the coach, depending on the result of the Celtics' home game ..."
Vince Carter scores 6 points as the Magic defeat the Hawks
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January 31
Orlando Sentinel
 
"One play Saturday night epitomized Vince Carter's January to forget. Carter received a pass underneath the basket, went up for a dunk … and missed. To be fair, Carter was fouled on the play, but the errant dunk was emblematic of another night in which Carter didn't contribute much offensively. Carter finished with six points and three rebounds as the Orlando Magic defeated the Atlanta Hawks 104-86 at Amway Arena. The eight-time all-star sat out the entire second quarter and much of the fourth as fellow shooting guard J.J. Redick scored eight points and dished out a career-high seven assists. "I didn't think he was bad tonight," Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said of Carter. "I didn't see ..."
It's Dwight's night as Howard leads Orlando Magic's rout of Atlanta Hawks
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January 31
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Mere percentage points separate the Orlando Magic and Atlanta Hawks in the Southeast Division standings. But when you throw Dwight Howard into the mathematical equation, the teams seem miles apart. Howard and the Magic emphatically answered the latest challenge by the rising Hawks, squashing them 104-86 on Saturday night in front of a sell-out crowd at Amway Arena. Howard scored 31 points and grabbed 19 rebounds as the Magic won their sixth consecutive game against the Hawks, including three this season. Orlando (31-16) recaptured first place from Atlanta (30-16) and lead the Southeast by 1/2-game. The Hawks had made up ground and vaulted to the top during the Magic's slump earlier this ..."
Hawks still can't solve Magic's Howard
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January 31
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
 
"There was so much out there for the Hawks to take. With a win against the Magic on Saturday night, they would increase their Southeast Division lead over Orlando and their lead over Boston for No. 2 in the Eastern Conference. Coach Mike Woodson would coach the East All-Stars, and a 3-1 record in a tough week would further establish the Hawks among the East elite. Instead, Dwight Howard took it all away. The Hawks couldn't stop the Magic's All-Star center in the decisive third quarter and lost 104-86 at Amway Arena. It was the Hawks' third loss in three games against the Magic this season and sixth consecutive overall. Orlando (31-16) regained the Southeast lead by one-half game over the ..."
One poor free-throwin shooting team will meet another when Pistons face Magic on Sunday
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January 30
Michigan Live
 
"The two worst free-throw shooting teams in the NBA will square off Sunday at The Palace. The Detroit Pistons (72.0 percent) and Orlando Magic (71.6 percent) rank 29th and 30th in the NBA in free-throw shooting percentage and are set to play Sunday in their third meeting of the season. The Dallas Mavericks, the top free-throw shooting team in the NBA, are shooting 80.5 percent from the line. Pistons coach John Kuester said it is sometimes a matter of who goes to the line rather than how good a team as a whole is at making free throws. "Teams that are very good free-throw shooting teams, a lot of times that deals with their stars getting fouled who are very good scorers," Kuester said. That ..."
Giant arena screen: What Magic want, Magic get
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January 29
Orlando Sentinel
 
"I've decided that Orlando Magic executives should formally declare that they want world peace. Because whatever these guys want, they get. First, there was the arena. The billionaire team owner and his multimillionaire players said they wanted taxpayers to build them a new one. And they got it — despite overwhelming objections from the unwashed masses. Then the team wanted Mayor Buddy Dyer to approve a massive new video screen on the side of their new arena — even though state officials weren't sure such a thing was even legal. The Department of Transportation raised questions about the sign's potential to "distract motorists" (something forbidden by state statute, if it actually ..."
J.J. Redick wants to stay with the Magic
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January 29
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Magic SG J.J. Redick, who can become a restricted free agent after the season, has made it clear that he wants to stay in Orlando. "I'd love to stay here," Redick told the Sentinel after Thursday's shootaround. "This is where my home is. I'm comfortable with the city. I'm comfortable in Florida. I'm comfortable with the organization. I love the team and I love my teammates and the coaching staff." The Magic can match any offer this summer to keep the 25-year-old Redick, because he is a restricted free agent. Heading into Thursday night's game, he is averaging 9.7 points and a club-leading 41.4 percent from 3-point range in 46 games. The fourth-year player out of Duke has worked his way ..."
Dwight Howard finds his rhythm on offense against the Boston Celtics
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January 29
Orlando Sentinel
 
"For three quarters Thursday night, it looked like Dwight Howard would end up with another disastrous offensive night against the Boston Celtics. But everything changed in the fourth quarter. Initially limited by early foul trouble and Boston's rugged interior defenders, Howard came alive in the game's late stages. He scored 11 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter and helped lift the Orlando Magic to a 96-94 comeback victory over the Celtics at Amway Arena. "That's the best he's played against their big guys in the low post," Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. "I thought that he looked tremendous down there, and we kept going to him in the fourth quarter because he was playing so well. I ..."
Rashard Lewis' runner wins it for Orlando Magic against Boston Celtics
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January 29
Orlando Sentinel
 
"The last possession was typical --- disjointed, discombobulated, players playing hot potato against the Boston Celtics on Thursday night. And so typical of the season, the Orlando Magic couldn't find struggling go-to guy, Vince Carter, when they needed him most. So after the Boston Celtics blanketed Carter, J.J. Redick frantically fed the ball to Rashard Lewis, who had no choice with the clock ticking down. Lewis' strength is not driving to the basket so it figured a 3-point shooter wound up being the hero. Lewis drove past Kevin Garnett for the game-winning layup with 1.3 seconds left for an improbable 96-94 victory against the Celtics, rallying from a 16-point deficit at a raucous Amway ..."
Celtics' lead magically vanishes in Orlando
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January 29
Boston Globe
 
"The Celtics did almost everything right for nearly three quarters against the Orlando Magic last night. But they did nearly everything wrong in the last minute of play, and it cost them in a 96-94 loss. "We should have been up 25 points at halftime,'' said Celtics coach Doc Rivers. "I thought we lost our focus. We started walking around like we had accomplished something by getting up. Our focus kept going in and out. And when it did, you saw what happened.'' Though Kevin Garnett was slogging through one of his least inspired performances since joining the Celtics, they led by as many as 16 points in the third quarter. The Magic rallied with a 35-22 fourth, but even then, the Celtics ..."
Sluggish Kevin Garnett: This one's on me
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January 29
Boston Herald
 
"Kevin Garnett had an out-of-Big Ticket experience last night, finishing with six points and seven rebounds in 33 minutes. The good news is that his performance, which included unsuccessful defense on Rashard Lewis' game-winning drive, was not knee related. "He was off today," said Celtics [team stats] coach Doc Rivers after the 96-94 loss to the Magic. "I think he's OK. He just didn't have a good game tonight. "He was late on a lot of stuff, late on our offensive plays. Sometimes you wake up and you just don't have it. It might have been one of those nights." Garnett concurred. "I feel like I really didn't do much tonight," he said. "I've got to get better rebounding. I've got to get ..."
Down 16, Orlando stuns Celtics
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January 29
Boston Herald
 
"The Celtics aren't the first tourists to be victimized on a trip to the Magic kingdom. But crime scene investigators weren't quite sure who to charge last night. The Celts had their 16-point lead stolen, but there is evidence they may have left their doors unlocked and practically invited the Magic in before offering the game up. Rashard Lewis drove by a struggling Kevin Garnett and scored with 1.3 seconds left, and Rasheed Wallace's trey at the buzzer caught only air as the C's fell, 96-94. But the seeds of this defeat were sown long before, back when the Bostonians were frolicking around like carefree vacationers. They led 51-40 at halftime and had held the Magic to just one assist, but ..."
Van Gundy cares about the quality of 3-pointers, not the quantity
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January 28
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Are the Orlando Magic taking too many 3-pointers? For coach Stan Van Gundy, it's not a question of quantity. It's a question of quality. Van Gundy is a fan of the trey. He's seen statistics that say 3-point shots fall at roughly the same percentage as midrange jumpers. So, if 3-pointers are worth more, why not take them? But Van Gundy doesn't like contested shots from beyond the arc, especially if his guys could have driven the ball inside instead. On Wednesday, Van Gundy show8ed some film to his players to make that point. "I don't think our decisions on when to shoot, when to drive, when to pass have been consistently very good," Van Gundy said. Dwight Howard acknowledges that he ..."