Nets-Magic Preview

By MATT BEARDMORE
Posted Dec 28 2011 3:34PM

Dwight Howard said he couldn't make out what the fans were saying when he took the court for what may have been his last home opener with the Orlando Magic.

It was pretty clear what the fans in New Jersey were chanting about the three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year while the Nets were getting routed in their final home opener before moving to Brooklyn.

Orlando and New Jersey both open stretches of four games in five nights Thursday when Howard and the host Magic go for their eighth consecutive victory in this matchup.

Despite his recent trade request, Howard has been embraced by the fans in Orlando, getting cheered during a Dec. 17 scrimmage and Monday's home opener, a 104-95 victory over Houston. The five-time All-Star said he was too worried about helping the Magic (1-1) bounce back from Sunday's 97-89 loss at Oklahoma City to hear what the fans were saying.

"It was too loud," Howard said after compiling 21 points and seven rebounds. "I was just focused on getting out and having a great game and getting a good win for our home opener. ... I couldn't hear anything. I just saw people with beer, some hands and everybody screaming."

The chant of "We want Dwight" at the Prudential Center during New Jersey's 106-70 loss to Atlanta on Tuesday was a clear indication of how Nets fans hope the team will acquire Howard before the March 15 trade deadline.

Bringing Howard on board also may lure point guard Deron Williams to re-sign as the club looks to build interest before relocating.

A deal between the teams didn't materialize earlier this month, however, and a future trade may have taken a major hit when Nets center Brook Lopez - the likely centerpiece of an offer for the Magic big man - suffered a broken right foot in a preseason game against New York on Dec. 21.

Lopez had surgery Friday and will be out for at least six weeks.

Forward Kris Humphries, who returned to the Nets (1-1) by signing a one-year deal last week, has enjoyed a nice start with 32 points and 22 rebounds. But the team's lack of a premier inside presence could be problematic against Howard, who averaged 21.5 points with 13.3 boards in four wins against New Jersey in 2010-11.

If the Nets are going to snap a six-game skid in Orlando, they will likely have to improve their outside shooting. New Jersey is 11 for 50 from 3-point range this season.

"We have a lot of work to do and not a lot of time to do it," Williams said Tuesday after recording 10 points, one assist and six turnovers.

Magic coach Stan Van Gundy has not been pleased with his team's consistency, saying that no one - not even Howard - has had two good games, but he has to be encouraged by the play of starting forwards Ryan Anderson and Hedo Turkoglu.

Anderson, a former Nets first-round pick, is 8 for 20 from beyond the arc and scoring a team-best 16.5 points per game. Turkoglu has hit 5 of 9 from long range after making 3 of 4 Monday and scoring a team-high 23.

Orlando has won 13 of 15 versus New Jersey.

Magic have little trouble in beating Nets 94-78

Posted Dec 29 2011 11:38PM

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) The New Jersey Nets are one of three teams the Magic gave superstar Dwight Howard permission to talk to about potential trades earlier this month.

It's safe to say the Nets wish they had the Orlando center on their side Thursday night.

Howard scored 16 points, grabbed 24 rebounds and blocked three shots and the Magic defeated the Nets 94-78 in front of a sellout crowd of 18,954.

Ryan Anderson led the Magic with 22 points, while Jason Richardson added 16 points and JJ Redick had 15.

"I like the way we're heading right now," Howard said after notching his 49th career 20-rebound game. "We're doing all the right things on defense - we're making mistakes here and there, but we'll get it right - and our effort has been great."

It was a dominant performance from Howard - who neared his career high of 26 rebounds and helped hold the Nets to 44.8 percent from inside the paint - in a game against the team he's been heavily linked to in trade rumors since the NBA lockout ended.

The two teams reportedly were close to a three-team deal that would've sent Howard to New Jersey a couple weeks ago, but Orlando backed out while holding out hope that Howard might stick around long term. And with trade talks stalled, New Jersey has maneuvered its payroll to make room for Howard, along with current star Deron Williams, next summer.

But Orlando players say the off-court drama wasn't on their minds.

"He did a great job approaching it just like any other game, and everyone on the team did the same thing," said Magic guard Jason Richardson, who scored 15 of his16 points in the first half. "We didn't really worry about what's going on with him."

Howard is intent on taking care of business.

"My focus is on what the Magic have to do to get better," he said.

Rookie forward MarShon Brooks finished with 17 points off the bench for New Jersey, helping make up for the struggles of Williams, who scored just 10 points on 2-of-12 shooting.

"It is definitely frustrating," said Williams, who shot 3 for 11 in the Nets' loss to Atlanta on Tuesday. "I am not playing well right now and the team is not playing too well right now. It is not time to panic. We are going to have a little bit of struggles just because everybody is learning."

The Magic jumped out to a 20-point lead early in the second quarter, but 14-3 run just before halftime - including eight points from Brooks - cut the Magic's lead to six points heading into the break.

But Orlando's suffocating defense prevented the Nets, who scored only 34 points in the second half, from making a serious run. New Jersey cut Orlando's lead to seven points in the fourth quarter, but a balanced Magic scoring attack led by Hedo Turkoglu put the win away. Turkoglu finished with 11 points, seven assists and six boards.

"In the second half we came back with a good frame of mind and didn't go on a big run, but we were pretty consistent throughout the entire second half," Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. "If we'd been able to make free throws then we could have really opened it up."

Notes: Jameer Nelson left the game with a neck spasm early in the third quarter and didn't return. The team will evaluate him in the morning and determine if he can play Friday night at Charlotte. . In an effort to get off to better starts, the Nets adjusted their starting lineup by inserting Sundiata Gaines and Mehmet Okur in place of Anthony Morrow and Johan Petro. It didn't help; The Magic jumped out to a double-digit lead in the first quarter. "We're still in the experimental stages," coach Avery Johnson said. . Williams, who can opt out of his contract and become an unrestricted free agent this summer, declined to comment when asked if he would consider joining the Magic in free agency. . Howard and Williams had dinner together on Thursday night. . The Nets were without Brook Lopez, who is expected to miss several weeks with a broken foot. ... It was referee Dick Bavetta's 2,500th consecutive game.

Notebook: Magic 94, Nets 78

By Dick Scanlon, for NBA.com
Posted Thursday December 29, 2011 11:24PM

THE FACTS: Dwight Howard took down 24 rebounds, two short of his career high, and blocked three shots Thursday night in leading the Orlando Magic to a 94-78 victory over the cold-shooting New Jersey Nets.

Ryan Anderson led five Magic players in double figures with 22 points and the Magic never trailed after Anderson's 3-pointer midway through the first quarter.

Deron Williams shot 2-for-12 for the Nets, who shot 38 percent.

QUOTABLE: "One thing I told the guys is when we have a team down, we've got to start keeping them down. We've got to bury 'em and put 'em away and not give 'em any life. Once we figure out how to do that on a consistent basis, we're going to be tough."
-- Magic center Dwight Howard.

THE STAT: Dick Bavetta officiated in his 2,500th consecutive game.

QUOTABLE II: "That's amazing. I've been around basketball my whole life and I'm not sure I've seen 2,500 games. Sometimes I'm not sure Dick has either."
-- Magic coach Stan Van Gundy, emphasizing that he was only joking.

TURNING POINT: New Jersey had trimmed the Magic's lead to 56-52 early in the second half when Howard scored on an offensive rebound and Chris Duhon hit a 3-pointer, launching a 19-8 Orlando run.

GOOD MOVE: The Nets shook up their lineup, moving Mehmet Okur in at center and Sundiata Gaines in at shooting guard because they had started badly in their first two games of the season.

BAD MOVE: They started even worse, missing 16 of their first 19 shots and falling behind by 13 points in the first quarter.

HOT: With J.J. Redick coming off the bench with 5-for-7 and Chris Duhon 3-for-4 in the last two games, the Magic have shot 42 percent from behind the 3-point line.

NOT: The Nets have shot below 40 percent in all three of their games this season.

QUOTABLE III: "It is definitely frustrating. I am not playing well right now and the team is not playing too well right now."
-- Nets guard Deron Williams.

IN THE ARENA: Much of the pre-game buzz was about Deron Williams inviting Howard out to dinner on Wednesday night, presumably to discuss their upcoming free agency. "I'm disappointed Deron didn't invite me out to dinner," said Nets coach Avery Johnson. "Coaches have to eat. I actually call better plays when my stomach is full."

FANTASY SPOTLIGHT: Jameer Nelson (no points, five assists, four rebounds) left the game in the third quarter with neck spasms.

ROOKIE WATCH: MarShon Brooks came off the bench to lead the Nets in scoring with 17 points for the second game in a row.

NOTABLE: It was the first NBA start for Sundiata Gaines, who has played 59 games for four teams . . . The Nets are shooting .363 and averaging 78.3 points per game.

UP NEXT: For the Nets, Friday @ Atlanta, Sunday @ Cleveland, Monday vs. Indiana. For the Magic, Friday @ Charlotte, Sunday vs. Toronto, Monday @ Detroit.

• Nets: Lopez, Williams
• Magic: Liggins, Orton

• Nets: --
• Magic: --

• Lead Changes: 2
• Times Tied: 1

• Arena: Amway Center, Orlando, FL
• Officials: #27 Dick Bavetta, #50 Olandis Poole, #65 Sean Wright
• Attendance: 18954
• Duration: 2:16