Orlando Magic News

Dwight Howard flirts with 1-game NBA suspension
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March 16
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Magic C Dwight Howard hopes the league rescinds the technical foul — his 14th of the season — he received on Sunday in a loss to the Charlotte Bobcats. Howard rolled the ball after being called for his fourth foul with eight minutes, 27 seconds left in the game, and Orlando trailing 80-73. "Hopefully, it'll be rescinded," he said. "I just threw the ball like it was a bowling ball. That's it. I rolled it pretty fast." Howard previously had two other technical calls rescinded by the NBA after the Magic asked the league to review them. Howard faces a one-game suspension without pay once he accrues 16 technical fouls."
Vince Carter not concerned about 'individual stuff'
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March 16
Orlando Sentinel
 
"The points have piled up over the years at such an impressive pace that he has lost track. Orlando Magic shooting guard Vince Carter had no idea that he had passed Bob Lanier to take over No. 43 on the NBA's all-time scoring list with a 23-point effort in Sunday's loss to the Charlotte Bobcats. For the record, Lanier had 19,248 points and Carter has 19,265 … and counting. Only Carter doesn't really count. Scoring has come so natural to him in this, his 12th season in the NBA, that the news is often greeted with a surprised look and a nod. The "individual stuff" that he's accomplished, well, it can all provide a nice backdrop one day to what Carter really wants now: A championship for the ..."
Magic's Rashard Lewis keeps positive despite downward March
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March 15
Orlando Sentinel
 
"If Rashard Lewis feels frustrated about his recent slump, he's not showing it. The power forward emerged from the Orlando Magic locker room after Sunday's 96-89 loss to the Charlotte Bobcats and encountered a cluster of fans screaming his name and waiting for autographs. Lewis patiently signed for several minutes. You wouldn't have known that he had scored just three points against the Bobcats and has scored under 10 points in four of the Magic's last six games. He took only seven shots against Charlotte — the lowest total among any Orlando starter — and made only one of them. "This is my 12th year in the league," Lewis told reporters after the game. "There's been times when I've got ..."
Magic win streak snapped by Bobcats
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March 15
Orlando Sentinel
 
"The streak never really had a chance to live for another game, much less flirt with club history. Oh, and the formality of clinching a playoff spot?. well, it must wait another day. The Orlando Magic were unable to double dip, beset with the blahs from the beginning and unable to mount a run when it mattered. The Magic deserved every bit of their 96-89 lackluster loss to the Charlotte Bobcats on Sunday, who won their sixth consecutive game while breaking a nine-game losing streak at Amway Arena. The only streak the Magic (47-21) kept alive was the home sell-out streak (now at 61 and counting). The Bobcats halted the Magic's winning streak at eight --- one victory shy of tying the franchise ..."
Matt Barnes misses Sunday's game because of a sprained big left toe
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March 15
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Matt Barnes sat out the Orlando Magic's 96-89 loss Sunday night to the Charlotte Bobcats because he has a sprained big toe on his left foot. Barnes, who was limping before the game, said he tweaked the toe during the fourth quarter of the team's win Saturday night in Washington. "I had surgery on it going into college, so it's always kind of been a problem for me," Barnes said. "When it flares up on me, this is what happens.""
Blowout wins give Orlando Magic starters some much-needed rest
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March 14
Orlando Sentinel
 
"A side benefit of blowout wins, which Orlando enjoyed in four of its last six games in March heading into Saturday's contest against the Washington Wizards, is that their starters have had time to rest. "It really does help because once the playoffs start there's no rest, no off days," Magic F Rashard Lewis said. "You're either watching film or doing some type of preparation and you're playing very, very hard so your body's beat up." The Magic began the season with a tendency to lose big leads and let teams precariously back into games. That changed during its seven-game winning streak heading into Saturday's game, the Magic won by an average of 18.7 points including decisive wins over ..."
Orlando Magic dominate Washington Wizards, 109-95
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March 14
Orlando Sentinel
 
"The Orlando Magic's offense stalled and its defense was porous. The Washington Wizards smacked them in the opening quarter of Saturday night's game at the Verizon Center and Orlando's starters had no answer. The Magic needed a jolt. They got it from their bench. "[Mickael Pietrus] looked at me, and MP said to everybody we needed to pick things up for the starters," J.J. Redick said. That's when things went back to normal. With the second team of Redick, Pietrus, point guard Jason Williams and power forward Brandon Bass joining starting center Dwight Howard in the second quarter, the Magic beat the exhausted Washington Wizards (21-43) into submission. Orlando (47-20) scored 41 points in the ..."
Orlando Magic tops Washington Wizards
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March 14
Washington Post
 
"Playing their third game in as many nights was demanding enough for the Washington Wizards. That the opponent was reigning Eastern Conference champion Orlando made it all the more so, and after an early push, fatigue doomed the Wizards in a 109-95 loss Saturday at Verizon Center. The Wizards dropped their season-high seventh consecutive game and remain winless in March. Their last victory came Feb. 28 over New Jersey, which has the worst record in the NBA, and is Washington's only win in its past 10 games. The Wizards (21-43) lost seven in a row last season, when they finished 19-63, dismissed former coach Eddie Jordan after a 1-10 start and went with Ed Tapscott for the final 71 games. ..."
Back-to-back-to-back? Wizards won't be well-rested for Orlando Magic
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March 13
Orlando Sentinel
 
""Thy fate is the common fate of all, "Into each life some rain must fall." Or some snow. The Washington Wizards might not be too familiar with Henry Wadsworth Longfellow — hey, he's not on Twitter — but his poetic lament captures their season. Tonight the Orlando Magic face the Wizards, who are playing a back-to-back … to-back. Yes, that's right. As if they haven't gone through enough hard times this season, what with Gilbert Arenas' suspension for gun-play, the death of owner Abe Pollin and trades of three starters that signaled another franchise re-start, the Wizards are playing the last game of a three-game set. They lost to the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday night at home in a make-up game. ..."
Charles Barkley says Orlando Magic can't win an NBA title, something he knows quite a bit about
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March 13
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Charles Barkley does ramble on, doesn't he? Barkley, the colorful TNT analyst, compared the Magic to the old, hard-luck New York Knicks teams during the Michael Jordan era and also bragged about advising C Dwight Howard. "[The Magic] are going to be this generation's New York Knicks," he said Thursday night, commenting on the Magic's game against the Chicago Bulls. "The Knicks would have won some championships without Michael Jordan [in the league]. Because of LeBron James in Cleveland and getting Antawn Jamison, [the Magic] can't beat the Cavs." Barkley apparently gave Howard some advice during a TNT pre-game interview with Howard during all-star weekend. "I want to take my hat off," ..."
The Magic will start scouting possible first-round foes
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March 12
Orlando Sentinel
 
"The Magic are preparing to monitor teams that they might face in the first round of the playoffs. The club went into Thursday night's game against the Chicago Bulls positioned as the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference playoff race. If they held the spot, they would begin the postseason facing the No. 7 seed, which is currently a grab-bag of possibilities. Toronto, Charlotte, Milwaukee, Miami and the Bulls are all in the mix at No. 7. The Magic might have to see how the season plays out before knowing their opponent. "You just don't know the way teams are bunched down there," Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. "We'll start watching them more and more intensively." The Magic face the Bobcats ..."
Magic vets to Derrick Rose: Be smart when attacking big men
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March 12
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Vince Carter shook his head when remembering the time he barreled into Shaquille O'Neal, much like Derrick Rose crashed into Dwight Howard in the first quarter of Thursday night's game. Carter learned his lesson on how to do that. Did he get hurt? "Yeah. Yeah," Carter said. "And he didn't move." That's what happens when a little(ish) guard hits a big man at full speed. Thursday's collision was the second of its kind between Howard and Rose this season. Howard knocked Rose down in February, committing a hard foul on the point guard and injuring his hip. Thursday night, Howard did less, but Rose landed hard and sprained his wrist. Without their most potent player for the second, third and ..."
Derrick Rose's kryptonite is Dwight Howard
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March 12
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Better keep Derrick Rose away from Dwight Howard. Howard was, and still is, hazardous to Rose's health. The Chicago Bulls point guard hurt his left wrist Thursday night after he drove into the lane, collided in midair with the Orlando Magic center and crashed to the Amway Arena court in a loud thud. Rose sat out the final three quarters of the 111-82 Magic victory. Chicago coach Vinny Del Negro said that Rose has a sprained wrist and will have an MRI exam today. "As a big man, you never try to hurt anybody when they come down the lane," Howard said. "Me and Derrick are cool. He's a great player, a great person. You never want to see him get hurt. But I always tell him, 'When you come down ..."
Orlando Magic handle their business against the Chicago Bulls
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March 12
Orlando Sentinel
 
"There are 16 regular-season games remaining for the Orlando Magic. Although they haven't officially clinched a postseason spot, you can see the pending playoffs written all over Vince Carter's game face. About the only time that Carter, 33, eyes the calendar is to remind himself how long it has been since he's played bonus basketball. Officially, it has been almost three years since he's participated in the playoffs -- the 2006-07 season with the New Jersey Nets -- and that's a lifetime for a veteran. Carter continued his charge on Thursday night, scoring 21 points in the first half in the Magic's 111-82 rout of the Chicago Bulls at Amway Arena. Orlando rode his production to its ..."
Howard says Rose injuries not his fault
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March 12
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard wasn't exactly remorseful after knocking Bulls point guard Derrick Rose out of another game with a hard foul Thursday. After knocking Rose to the court for the second time in about a month -- Rose suffered a bruised right hip Feb. 10 at the United Center and a sprained left wrist Thursday -- Howard was asked about the second hit after the Magic's 111-82 victory. 'He went up, and he fell,'' he said. ''That's all I remember.'' In fact, Howard sort of blamed Rose for both falls. ''As a big man, you never try to hurt anybody coming down the lane,'' Howard said. ''Me and Derrick are cool. I think he's a great player, a great person. You never want to see him ..."
Rose hurts wrist in 111-82 loss
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March 12
Chicago Tribune
 
"Don't tug on Superman's cape, and don't even think about driving the lane on the big guy. With two hands figuratively tied behind their back entering Thursday night's tough assignment against the Magic, the Bulls were blown out, predictably, 111-82 at Amway Arena. More ominously, All-Star guard Derrick Rose suffered a wrist injury that could render the Bulls without their best player indefinitely. Starters Joakim Noah (foot) and Luol Deng (calf) sat out Thursday's mismatch. Then Rose suffered an injury to his left wrist in the first period when imposing center Dwight Howard fouled him. Rose had his wrist X-rayed and reportedly had it placed in a sling. He remained in the training room and ..."
Bass will continue as Rashard Lewis' primary backup at least for tonight
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March 11
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Looks like Brandon Bass will continue to be the first power forward off the bench for the Orlando Magic at least for as long as the Magic continue to win. Bass has played in six consecutive games, all Magic victories, as the primary backup to starter Rashard Lewis. Coach Stan Van Gundy has said he wants both Bass and fellow backup Ryan Anderson to be ready for the playoffs because matchup considerations ultimately will determine whether Bass or Anderson come off the bench in the postseason. "A lot of times what I've been doing now with some of these teams is having Rashard start the second quarter so I can sort of see who the other team is going to play," Van Gundy said Wednesday. "But ..."
Matt Barnes' tweets don't diaper, er, dampen feud with Lakers' Lamar Odom
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March 11
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Orlando Magic forward Matt Barnes has a message for the Los Angeles Lakers' Lamar Odom: Take this dirty diaper and be quiet. Irked by Odom's continued trash talk, Barnes posted a message on Twitter on Wednesday in which Barnes said he might need to take one of his twin sons' dirty diapers and stick it into Odom's mouth. "Morning yall up early w/ the babies watchn Dora," Barnes tweeted. "Seems Lamar can't keep my name out his mouth maby I need 2 put my sons [expletive] diaper n it." The tweet continued the war of words between Odom and Barnes that originated Sunday after the Magic defeated the Lakers 96-94. Physical play dominated that game, which included some tense moments between Barnes ..."
Time to give Howard some puppy love
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March 11
Orlando Sentinel
 columnist George Diaz
"A rather dapper-looking Dwight Howard — the ascot was a nice touch — started barking in the locker room after the Orlando Magic whacked the defending NBA champions Sunday afternoon. "Woo-woo-woo," I'm a puppy dog," Howard said after beating the L.A. Lakers. "Woo-woo-woo." It was a funny — and pointed — dig at some critics like, ahem, George Diaz, who recently suggested that Howard needs to "become the alpha dog, not the tail-wagging, happy-go-lucky puppy." A lot of people — columnists, NBA Hall of Famers, Joe in the 27th row — have gone Dog Whisperer on Howard, suggesting he isn't fit to be the pack leader because he's just too warm and fuzzy and amiable. Howard's comeback has been to ..."
Adonal Foyle wants to continue as a player after this season ends
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March 10
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Orlando Magic C Adonal Foyle is in his 13th NBA season — far beyond his expectations when he finished at Colgate back in 1997. And he doesn't see an end in sight. Foyle, who turned 35 on Tuesday, said prior to the Magic's game against the Los Angeles Clippers that he wants to keep playing after this season. "I've been very fortunate to be around this game for as long as I have," Foyle said. "It's been fun. I really enjoy it and I still do. It's wonderful.""
Magic commit only 8 turnovers in their win over the Clippers
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March 10
Orlando Sentinel
 
"For one night at least, the Orlando Magic solved one of their problems that nags at Stan Van Gundy. They protected the basketball. The Magic committed just eight turnovers Tuesday night in their 113-87 win over the Los Angeles Clippers. Three starters -- Matt Barnes, Vince Carter and Jameer Nelson -- didn't lose the ball at all. Rashard Lewis had one turnover, and Dwight Howard had four turnovers. "If we take care of the ball, we have good enough offensive players to get good shots for themselves and for others," said Nelson, who finished with eight assists. "We've just got to continue to work on that and value the ball." Orlando entered Tuesday averaging 14.3 turnovers per game. Although ..."
Magic efficiently dismantle the woeful L.A. Clippers
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March 10
Orlando Sentinel
 
"It seemed like cruel and unusual punishment for both Dwight Howard and the Los Angeles Clippers. Orlando Magic coach Stan Van Gundy played Howard more than normal in the first three quarters of a runaway -- and that certainly was way too long for the hapless visitors on Tuesday night. The Magic thumped the Clippers 113-87 for their sixth consecutive win as Howard played the entire first half and then some, pacing Orlando to a 26-point lead at intermission. Howard played the first 32 minutes and 17 seconds of the game until Van Gundy relieved him late in the third quarter with back-up Marcin Gortat. Howard, in Van Gundy's usual rotation, takes a rest early in the second quarter. Howard ..."
Dwight Howard has more breathing room on technical fouls than previously thought
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March 9
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Dwight Howard isn't quite so close to an automatic one-game suspension after all. The NBA informed the Orlando Magic communications staff on Monday that the all-star center has accrued 13 technical fouls this season, not the 14 team spokesmen thought after Howard picked up a technical Sunday afternoon against the Los Angeles Lakers. A league official informed Magic Vice President of Communications Joel Glass on Monday that a technical foul Howard committed on Feb. 8 against the New Orleans Hornets had been rescinded. Magic General Manager Otis Smith had asked for a review of the technical, and NBA Executive Vice President for Basketball Operations Stu Jackson determined that the tech ..."
Will Magic's Matt Barnes return next season?
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March 9
Orlando Sentinel
 
"After watching his dirty-work duties include tormenting Kobe Bryant on Sunday, wouldn't it be a shame if Matt Barnes and his attitude signed elsewhere this summer? It could happen. Barnes signed a two-year deal with the Orlando Magic last offseason, but he has an option to leave as a free agent after the season. Asked by the Sentinel on Monday what he hoped the Magic would do, he said, "I hope give me a multiyear offer. "I'm in my eighth year now, and I've had an amazing, up-and-down, roller-coaster career up to this point. Hopefully, the team, the organization and the city likes what I bring. Hopefully, we can make something happen." Barnes, who celebrates his 30th birthday today, has ..."
Is Pippen right about Howard's inability to dominate?
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March 9
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Dwight Howard has been playing with great passion and purpose lately. But he still can't shake the "nice guy" label. Former Chicago Bulls great Scottie Pippen has joined the ranks of the un-impressed. "He's a very special player but I don't think he's going to win a championship until he gets another superstar to play alongside of him," Pippen said recently while visiting Orlando. "A guy that's very consistent and has that drive, that's what it's going to take. I don't think that he can carry a team to a championship." "He's not that great of a scorer, he's not a good shooter and he's not a good foul shooter. So in the latter parts of the game, as big as he is and as much athleticism as he ..."
Jameer Nelson collects nine rebounds to help the Magic defeat the Lakers
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March 8
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Jameer Nelson stepped on a scale the other day and loved the results. He has lost eight pounds since January to drop to 198, and his weight loss is paying dividends on the basketball court. On Sunday, Nelson provided one of his most energetic performances of the season and routinely outfought much taller Los Angeles Lakers players for rebounds. The diminutive point guard scored 15 points, collected nine boards and dished out seven assists to help the Orlando Magic defeat the defending world champs 96-94 at Amway Arena. "There's no way we win that game without the plays he was making," Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy said. "He was phenomenal. To get nine rebounds in a game like that against ..."
Otis Smith expects some interest this offseason in J.J. Redick
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March 8
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Orlando Magic General Manager Otis Smith said he expects some offseason interest in SG J.J. Redick, who can become a restricted free agent after the season. Smith said before Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Lakers that he's been impressed with Redick's improvement since the club drafted him in 2006, but added, "I'm not going to bid against myself" to retain Redick. Smith said he would — "for the most part" — handle Redick the way he has previous free agents, basically matching or not matching any offer the player receives."
Barnes' frenetic fury pins Kobe
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March 8
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Matt Barnes woke up Sunday morning to play with his 16-month-old twin boys, exhilarated by the ga-ga, goo-goo world of fatherhood. He went to work Sunday afternoon, exhilarated by the flying elbows, the spittle in the face, the body shots, the cursing, and the fury. The two images are easy to reconcile. Barnes, the family guy, punches the clock with more frenetic energy than anyone on the Orlando Magic roster. He also became my favorite Magic player Sunday, when hard-workin' Orlando squeezed out a 96-94 victory against the Los Angeles Lakers at Amway Arena. In a prelude to Oscars night, Barnes took on the most formidable of all Hollywood divas — Kobe Bryant — and punched him on the red ..."
Magic hold off L.A. Lakers 96-94 in NBA Finals rematch
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March 8
Orlando Sentinel
 
"The question everyone wants addressed (other than the identity of Ron Artest's hair stylist) might have been delivered with a counter-punch,18 games from the playoffs. Are the Orlando Magic better than they were last season and can they win the NBA title this time? The Magic hit back when the defending champion Lakers unleashed their full fury and beat them 96-94 on Sunday at Amway Arena. Sure, you can get a temperature reading on the Magic by listing their latest, greatest victims: They've beaten the Boston Celtics (twice), Cleveland Cavaliers and the Lakers while going 18-5 in the second half of the season. But attaching a face to the Magic evaluation makes it even more meaningful, if ..."
Magic makes a stand against Lakers
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March 8
Los Angeles Times
 
"Matt Barnes was not going to back down from Kobe Bryant or Derek Fisher or any other Laker. Dwight Howard was going to be the aggressor, the attacker, the one to go at the Lakers. Vince Carter was going to be an offensive force even it was against defensive ace Ron Artest. The Orlando Magic felt if it had to make a stand against the Lakers, even if it meant getting technical fouls, setting hard screens, committing hard fouls or talking trash. Orlando Coach Stan Van Gundy summed up his team's 96-94 victory over the Lakers Sunday at Amway Arena the best. "I thought we battled them toe to toe," he said. From the Magic perspective, the Lakers would push and shove, but Orlando refused to back ..."
Lakers hope to regain magic against Finals foe
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March 7
L.A. Daily News
 
"The Lakers returned to the scene of their greatest triumph last season, eager to rekindle the fire that's gone out of their game. Actually, they practiced Saturday at Rollins College rather than at Amway Arena, but you get the idea. At this point, the Lakers need to latch onto something - anything - to get going again after starting their three-game trip with losses to the Miami Heat on Thursday and the Charlotte Bobcats on Friday. They haven't lost three in a row since January 2008."
Magic expect playoff-like atmosphere in Sunday's game against Los Angeles Lakers
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March 7
Orlando Sentinel
 
"It's been nine months since the Los Angeles Lakers played in Orlando for the NBA Finals, and the Magic don't expect the intensity to be much different for Sunday's game. "It will be a playoff atmosphere just like the Cleveland game was a playoff atmosphere," Magic F Rashard Lewis said. "Lot of people are going to come to see the Lakers. Lot of people are going to come to see us. So it's most definitely going to be a playoff atmosphere." In June the Lakers beat the Magic for the NBA title in five games. The Magic won Game 3, then watched the Lakers celebrate on their home court. The Lakers enter Sunday's game having lost consecutive games to the Miami Heat and Charlotte Bobcats."
Kobe Bryant and the Lakers visit the Orlando Magic in an NBA Finals rematch
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March 7
Orlando Sentinel
 
"The last time the Los Angeles Lakers were here, it likely took a while to air out the visitors' dressing room at Amway Arena. The smell of champagne, sprayed everywhere, tends to linger. The Lakers are back in town today, a painful reminder for the Magic of the NBA title they captured in Orlando's building last June. Nobody much remembers the runner-up. And the Magic's memories of making their first Finals appearance since 1995 aren't all that warm and fuzzy, either. "It was a disappointment, but you move on. So I don't have to reminisce," coach Stan Van Gundy said. "You take what you think you might have learned about them [the Lakers] and their players and try to put that to use. But as ..."
As Vince Carter comes to town, NJ Nets reminded his leadership is missed
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March 6
Newark Star-Ledger
 
"Want to know how much the Nets miss Vince Carter? The math is pretty simple. Through 61 games this season, following Friday night's 97-87 loss at Izod Center to Carter and the Orlando Magic, the Nets are 6-55 and remain on track to finish with the worst record in NBA history. Through 61 games last season, with Carter on their team, the Nets were 27-34 and in the hunt for a playoff spot. "Vince was a huge piece last year,'' said Magic forward Ryan Anderson, who was traded with Carter last summer in the deal that brought back Courtney Lee to the Nets. "A lot of guys were playing well because of Vince, getting open because of Vince, getting open looks.'' Carter was the Nets' second-leading ..."
Orlando Magic coach Stan Van Gundy: People like beating us up
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March 6
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Magic coach Stan Van Gundy gets a little confused when he hears about how great teams like Dallas and Denver are. "For some reason people get on our inconsistencies," Van Gundy said. "I keep looking, then I read all the stuff about us and I go, 'God, we got the 3rd best record in the league.' People are like beating us up. I don't hear the comments about Atlanta and Boston. Denver. In fact, Denver, everybody talks about their greatness. Dallas, everybody talks about their greatness. I don't know." Orlando trails Cleveland in the Eastern Conference standings, heading into Friday's games, by six games. The Magic led Atlanta by two and Boston by 2.5. Magic assistant coach Patrick Ewing ..."
Orlando Magic coach Stan Van Gundy upset despite win over Nets, players happy with victory
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March 6
Orlando Sentinel
 
"In the hallway outside the Orlando Magic's locker room after the Magic beat the six-win New Jersey Nets, 97-87, Magic coach Stan Van Gundy voiced his displeasure at the way his team won. "All year losing the lead is how we play," Stan Van Gundy said. "Give us a lead and we will play poorly at both ends of the floor. I have absolutely no idea how to fix it." But it was a win, so Magic players laughed and joked with each other inside the locker room. "He's always upset," Rashard Lewis said. "No matter if we win by 50 or if we win by one. He's going to stand on the sideline, he's going to be mad, he's going to be upset. You make one turnover he's going to be mad. They make a basket he's going ..."
New Jersey Nets back on the record track for fewest wins with 97-87 loss to Orlando Magic
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March 6
New York Daily News
 
"Hosting one of the greatest players to ever call the Meadowlands home hours after they officially announced plans to move out, the Nets virtually ensured that this season will be their worst in the building. A 97-87 loss to Vince Carter and the Magic Friday night dropped the Nets' home record to 3-28, meaning they will have to win their remaining 10 home games to avoid setting a record for fewest wins there in one season. The Nets went 13-28 at the Meadowlands in 1989-90 to set the current mark. They also still have shot at the all-time franchise record for fewest home wins at any venue - 10, set in 1976-77 at the Nassau Coliseum. At 6-55, the Nets are also back on pace to set a new league ..."
Dwight Howard believes he's found the formula to slow down Brook Lopez
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March 5
Orlando Sentinel
 
"New Jersey C Brook Lopez ranks as one of the best young big men in the NBA. He'll have another chance to prove it when the lowly Nets host Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic tonight in East Rutherford, N.J. Howard has dominated Lopez so far this season. In fact, Howard may have found the formula for slowing Lopez down. "He's one of the bigs who can really shoot the ball," Howard said Thursday. "He's a big body. The thing with him is you have to move him, run him, beat him up and down the floor and be aggressive. By doing all that stuff on the offensive end and pressuring him on the defensive end usually he gets tired a little bit faster than a lot of people. So, you take advantage of ..."
C.J. Watson plays in Amway Arena for first time since last summer's trade talk
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March 4
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Wednesday offered Golden State Warriors PG C.J. Watson his first opportunity to play at Amway Arena since the Orlando Magic tried to acquire him in a sign-and-trade deal last summer. The Warriors declined the Magic's offer for the 25-year-old Watson, who was a restricted free agent at the time. Watson eventually accepted Golden State's $1 million qualifying offer for the 2009-10 season instead of a more lucrative multi-year deal with the Warriors. That decision will enable Watson to become a restricted free agent again once this season ends."
Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic breeze past Golden State Warriors
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March 4
Orlando Sentinel
 
"The highlight of an otherwise uneventful night was "The One Man Fastbreak," started not with a pass, but a block. Dwight Howard blocked a shot so hard off the backboard late in the first quarter that the ball ricocheted to J.J. Redick, who was a few steps from the half-court line. Redick drove in for a layup on the other end. "Used to do that all the time in high school," Howard said. "They used to give me an assist for it." Howard was just joking, but the play reflected how the Orlando Magic toyed with what passed for the Golden State Warriors in an 117-90 rout Wednesday night. The injury-racked Warriors dressed just eight players and resembled a D-League squad because, well, three of ..."
Otis Smith still lives to ride, despite friend's death
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March 3
Orlando Sentinel
 columnist George Diaz
"The roar of Bike Week beckons Otis Smith to Daytona Beach this week. He longs for the breeze whistling in his face, giving him a therapeutic pick-me-up. But assuming he can break free from his Orlando Magic family, Smith's journey will be bittersweet. Memories of his friend Bruce Rossmeyer will be scattered throughout Daytona Beach. There's a video tribute at Destination Daytona. There will be stories. There may be tears. Magic fans remember Rossmeyer as the big guy with the beard who always sat by the visitor's bench. Others remember him as one of the nation's largest Harley-Davidson dealers, and a guy with a charitable heart. Rossmeyer rode to Sturgis, S.D., for a motorcycle rally with ..."
Jameer Nelson playing like an all-star again
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March 3
Orlando Sentinel
 
"J.J. Redick was asked what a healthy Jameer Nelson means to the Orlando Magic. "He takes us to another level," Redick said, matter-of-factly. It seems as if the court of public opinion sometimes wavers regarding Nelson, the club's starting point guard. But in the locker room, there is no debate. When Nelson is at the top of his game — and lately he has scaled to the apex — the Magic are confident they are as good as anybody in the NBA. Memo from the court of public opinion: The Magic reached the Finals last June essentially without Nelson, who was injured the last half of the season and through the Eastern Conference Finals. Didn't Rafer Alston get them there as a temp?"
Power forward Ryan Anderson can't wait for playoffs to arrive
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March 2
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Magic PF Ryan Anderson can't wait for the playoffs to arrive. It will be a new experience for the second-year player out of the University of California. "I hear it gives everybody new energy," he said. Acquired along with Vince Carter from New Jersey last summer, Anderson escaped basketball purgatory with the Nets, the league's worst team. Anderson never played in the NCAA Tournament in college. He played in the National Invitational Tournament, and well, it wasn't exactly memorable. Anderson said the crowds, even for an NIT game at Cal, were so small that television was careful to not pan cameras too high in the near-empty stands."
Nelson leads Magic in 126-105 rout of Sixers
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March 2
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Hey, Superman. Mighty Mouse wants equal time. Dwight Howard calls 5-foot-10 Jameer Nelson by the cartoon moniker, and with Superman again in foul trouble, Nelson continued his improved play as well. Nelson put on a show for his family and friends as the Chester, Pa. native and former St. Joseph's star scored 22 points and added 10 assists to lead the Magic to a 126-105 rout of the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night. The Magic (41-20) won for the fourth time in their last five games, and captured the second game of a back-to-back after defeating the Miami Heat on Sunday night. Actually, Nelson wants to be called "JN14" --- his initials and his uniform number --- instead of having the ..."
Magic thrash lifeless Sixers
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March 2
Camden Courier-Post
 
"Eddie Jordan didn't mince words, blaming the 76ers for a lack of passion, a lack of energy and a lack of leadership after their humiliating 126-105 loss to the Orlando Magic on Monday. Jordan seemed to be talking about Andre Iguodala, especially when he mentioned the team's poor body language in the second half. He certainly wasn't talking about himself, despite the fact the Sixers allowed the most points in a regulation game this season. They allowed 127 in an overtime win over the Knicks earlier in the season. "When they make shots, we just didn't respond in a passionate way," Jordan said. "We lost the passion to compete. We saw poor body language. I wasn't going to have it. I addressed ..."
Magic make clear 76ers' deficiencies
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March 2
Philadelphia Inquirer
 columnist Stephen A. Smith
"For a moment last night, lamenting the malady that is the 76ers took a backseat to deciphering precisely how they have become so sorry. For this team, wins are accompanied by bewilderment, not celebrations. Fans find themselves walking into the Wachovia Center, pointing at the visitors, then asking themselves, "Why aren't we that team?" And the worst part is that the Sixers are still looking for answers with barely a month left in the season. Last night was no different as the Orlando Magic strolled into town. The outcome - a 126-105 Magic victory - was, basically, of no consequence. It didn't make a bit of difference that the Sixers got routed. Who cares? When the final buzzer sounded, ..."
Orlando Magic notebook: Coach Stan Van Gundy attributes team's problem holding leads to a lack of "focus"
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March 1
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Oil and water. Jay Leno and prime time. The Orlando Magic and double-digit leads. None of them go well together. The Magic allowed an 18-point lead slip away during Friday night's loss to the New Orleans Hornets. In February, Orlando also lost to the Dallas Mavericks and the Washington Wizards after the Magic built leads of at least 10 points. So what's going on? "It's not that guys quit playing, but it's a lack of focus," coach Stan Van Gundy said. The Magic, for instance, committed five turnovers in the final six minutes of the third quarter against the Hornets. Those miscues helped New Orleans cut its 18-point deficit to eight points heading into the final period. The Hornets' momentum ..."
Miami's Dwyane Wade has mixed results in his return from a calf injury
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March 1
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Dwyane Wade erased any doubts about his ability to return from injury three minutes into Sunday night's game between the Miami Heat and the Orlando Magic. Wade dribbled past defenders as if they were standing still, jumped toward the hoop and slammed the ball home for a reverse dunk. Same old Wade. But same old result for the Heat. Miami's 96-80 loss to Orlando dropped the Heat to ninth place in the Eastern Conference standings, a half-game behind the Charlotte Bobcats for the East's final playoff spot. "It's the same old song we continue to say all year," Wade said. "It's just the inconsistency of the team." If Sunday yielded a bright spot for Miami, it was that Wade showed his typical ..."
Dwight Howard manages just 7 points, 5 rebounds, but Orlando Magic win
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March 1
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Marcin Gortat filled in for Dwight Howard. So did Rashard Lewis. So did Vince Carter and J.J. Redick and Jameer Nelson and maybe the beer vendor. Everybody who played -- all 10 of 'em -- scored at least one point and grabbed one rebound. The Orlando Magic replaced the foul-troubled Howard by committee in a 96-80 victory against the Miami Heat on Sunday night at Amway Arena. The Magic (40-20) paid back the Heat (29-31) after losing to them twice this season -- and paid back Howard after he had carried them through 59 games. "We told Dwight afterwards that we certainly owed him. ? He's been carrying us," coach Stan Van Gundy said. "He had a frustrating night with calls and virtually everyone ..."
Dwyane Wade's return can't spark struggling Miami Heat
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March 1
Miami Herald
 
"There might have been only two people at Amway Arena on Sunday night who weren't surprised by Heat guard Dwyane Wade's unexpected return from a four-game injury absence. One was Wade. The other was the coach Wade just loves to torment. ``He's played well against us,'' Orlando Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said when informed before Sunday's game of Wade's return. ``So I just figured he would [play].'' Wade was back after missing four games with a strained left calf, and he was in typical attack mode against a team he has tortured with a 30-point average, his highest against any team in the league. But Wade's return wasn't enough to rescue the Heat from its struggles. Instead, Miami extended ..."