Fan Voice: Jameer = Career

This message was not subject of approval by the NBA or the Orlando Magic. The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA, but solely the writer. By Live or Die Magic, Wednesday, Aug. 11, 2010, 4 PM The Other Florida Team Despite the rhetoric coming out of Miami these days, there is a reason for this upcoming season for the other 29 NBA teams, especially teams residing in cities like Los Angeles, Dallas, Denver, Boston, and yes, even Orlando. As exciting as it might be for Heat fans and LeBron fans around the country to consider how successful a season that souped-up roster can have, I still can be equally excited for the upcoming Orlando Magic season. We return the core of a roster that had the 2nd best record in the league and bulldozed through the playoffs before falling flat to the Celtics. Yes, we lost that series, but I won’t apologize for being excited by what I saw in the two victories we had against Boston. Our two best players stood up and led the team. Dwight Howard had all the moving parts of his talents in sync and was dominating. I have no reason to think that the Magic won’t have an even more successful regular season than we had last year. The further progression of Dwight Howard, the additions of Chris Duhon and Quentin Richardson, the excitement of the new arena, and the hunger for respect and recognition, are all factors in what should be the Magic’s first 60-win season since 1996. Considering that the Magic have reached 59 wins the past two seasons, this isn’t much of a stretch. The Magic – along with the Lakers and Celtics – enjoy one thing that the Heat cannot match (this season at least): continuity. Even with Boston’s higher profile additions of the O’Neals (Jermaine and Shaq), they return their core of Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen. Likewise, the Lakers only added complementary pieces to their core of Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom, and Ron Artest. The Magic’s core of Howard, Jameer Nelson, Rashard Lewis, and Vince Carter will enjoy its second full season together, and from the beginning this time (Lewis missed the first 10 games of last season due to suspension). With the additions of Duhon and Richardson, and the resigning of JJ Redick, the Magic have so much quality depth at each position, head coach Stan Van Gundy’s biggest struggle all year will be getting everyone enough playing time to keep them primed for the playoffs. Players such as Vince Carter, JJ Redick, and Brandon Bass will have extra incentive to play well this season. Carter needs to prove he can show up when we need him or else he risks being traded before the deadline. This being a contract year for him, he also needs to prove he is worth at least the mid-level beyond this season, as he enters his mid-30s. JJ Redick needs to prove he is worth the money the Magic invested in him last month and that he is worthy of consideration for starters minutes. The fact that Carter’s and Redick’s goals are somewhat at odds with each other will only benefit the Magic with better play from both of them, regardless of who’s on the court. Finally, Bass needs to give the Magic justification for not trading him and justification for a switch to a more traditional power forward lineup. If Bass can average 25 minutes, 11 points, and 6 rebounds this season, the Magic will be all the more difficult to match up against. One thing the Magic shouldn’t worry about this year is attempting to keep up with the Heat’s win total. Despite a short bench, the Heat’s starters should be more than sufficient for gaining the #1 seed in the East. But that’s alright, after all, we learned from Boston last season that regular season records don’t mean much if the lower seeded team is full of hungry, playoff-savvy veterans. Instead, the Magic should focus on keeping pace with the West’s top teams, much like they did last season with edging out the Lakers for the #2 overall seed. With a bit more top-to-bottom balance in the West, it will be hard for the West’s #1 seed to top the 60-win plateau. With Boston likely happy to keep their veterans rested at the expense of playoff seeding, and with Chicago and Atlanta not likely to challenge us yet, the Magic should have a clear shot at the #2 seed in the East, and therefore, overall. There is also something to be said for not being the darlings of the league, nor being the team that everyone else is gunning for. As flashy as players like Dwight and Vince can be at times, we really are more of a “down to business” team, as reflected in the demeanor and work ethic of our head coach. So, maybe it will serve us well to just go through this season in as much anonymity as 22 nationally televised games and a brand spanking new arena will allow. I also am very curious to see what the pooling of talent in Miami does to our young center’s ego. My guess is that Dwight Howard sees it as even more motivation to win a ring here in Orlando with his “meager” collection of teammates. Surely there must be a sentiment among his NBA peers that a ring won against “super teams” like Boston and Miami is worth even more than a ring won by those teams. And if there isn’t such a sentiment, there should be. This message was not subject of approval by the NBA or the Orlando Magic. The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA, but solely the writer. By Live or Die Magic, Tuesday, June 29, 2010, 3 PM Back But Still Bitter My self-imposed exile from all things basketball came to an end last week, just in time for the 2010 NBA draft. I took the loss to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals pretty hard. What made it worse was watching how well we played – especially Dwight Howard – in games 4 and 5, and wishing that we had somehow found a way to play that well in at least one of the first three games. So, like any Magic fan who wears his heart way to prominently on his sleeve, I avoided watching the NBA Finals. I didn’t watch a single minute of it. In fact, when commercials for the Finals came on, I changed the channel. No matter who won, I was going to be upset. But ultimately, I suppose I’d rather see the Lakers get yet another title than see Boston get yet another one. Favoring the pompous Lakers over the smug Celtics wasn’t always the case. Long before the Magic arrived in Orlando, I was a big Celtics fan. I loved Larry Bird and couldn’t stand Magic Johnson. But ever since Boston’s big trades of 2007, any residual affinity for the Celtics has long since been slam dunked from my mind. In fact, as of this year’s playoffs, I think I’ve even done a bit of revisionist tinkering in my brain and now I am not sure that I ever liked the Celtics. At the least, I see their storied 1980s run in a completely different light. It is just really hard to have any good feelings toward any Boston sports team or fan base right now. It really begins with their players. Kevin Garnett and Rasheed Wallace have always been hard to stomach. Ray Allen always has that sneer (he apparently got it from his mother). Rajon Rondo is the slap-happiest point guard in the league. Paul Pierce flops more than any three European or South American players put together. Kendrick Perkins is the one starter I actually have a degree of respect for because on the whole, he plays his game and doesn’t worry about complaining. But this season he broke out of his shell a bit. You know what, I think I respect Paul Pierce as well. In fact, I have tremendous respect for his game, despite the flopping and the constant whining to the refs. He consistently did what an elite level scorer is supposed to do. He got in the lane at will, got his shot off at will, and drew fouls at will. I can’t stand the guy, but I sure as hell respect his game. Doc Rivers deserves his own paragraph. Considering the prolific flopping players on his team are guilty of, I’ve seldom seen a head coach complain as much as he does about the flopping being done by his opponent. The hypocrisy is comical. Everyone I ever speak to at the Magic games says that Doc Rivers is a great guy. I agree! He is a great guy! He’s a family man who clearly places high importance on quality time with his kids. He’s an exceptional communicator. He was a good enough player, and well-known enough, to immediately have the respect of his players. He is great at working the refs; he is great at managing egos and personalities. But despite all of those obvious platitudes, and his success with the Celtics over the last three seasons, I still have trouble seeing him as a great coach. I’m open to being persuaded to feel differently about him, but it is hard for me to forget that Rivers was nearly out the door with the Celtics before GM Danny Ainge pulled off the trades for Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett (Ainge was nearly out the door himself!). So, now it appears that Rivers may get out while the getting is good, though he certainly has a justifiable reason for doing so. How can you pass up watching all three of your children playing at an elite sports level, all in the same year? Especially when you can afford to do all the long-distance traveling it will require. Losing to the Celtics was unbearable and apparently, multilayered. On the surface was the present-day elimination from the 2010 NBA playoffs at a time when it seemed the Magic could do no wrong. But underneath that was something much more devastating to Magic fans’ long-term mental health, especially if the Magic’s current core fails to win a title: the idea that Kevin Garnett’s 2009 knee injury prevented the Celtics from making three straight trips to the Finals. To phrase it as an even sharper dagger to the Magic heart, the Magic only went to the Finals because Garnett hurt his knee. It would appear that every NBA fan outside of Orlando and Cleveland now believes this to be the case. This goes double for the media and network pundits. We might as well forget about that wonderful run we had last year because it doesn’t hold any weight anymore. In fact, it’s a good thing the Lakers beat the Celtics after all, because the NBA was about to take back the 2009 title because they didn’t earn it against the true Eastern Conference Champion. It is frustrating that we even have to mount the argument. As Magic fans, we know that we still had to earn that victory over the Celtics in the 2009 Eastern Conference semi-finals. It wasn’t easy. We had to win a Game 7 on the road. Just ask this year’s Celtics how hard it is to win a Game 7 on the road (oh wait, the Celtics only lost Game 7 of the Finals to the Lakers because Kendrick Perkins didn’t play). We still had to beat a 60+ win Cavaliers team in the Eastern Conference Finals without home court advantage. So, shouldn’t winning the East over the best team in the East have validated our right to be in the Finals, regardless of who we beat in the semis? I say it is so. The fact is, injuries are too common in professional sports for them to be the sole basis for a “coulda shoulda woulda” type of revisionist argument. The Pistons got their first title in 1989 by clinching the winning game vs. a Lakers team that was without Magic Johnson or Byron Scott. But so what? Everyone automatically assumes that the Bulls would have won 8 straight titles had Michael Jordan not run off to try baseball. First off, there is no way to know that for sure. The 1995 Bulls were beaten in the playoffs, with Jordan (by the Magic, heh heh). End of story. Also, it isn’t like the NBA kicked Jordan out for two seasons, depriving the league’s fans of an historic run. No, it was Jordan’s decision. Jordan was the one to give up his best sport, at which he was the best in the league, at the height of his game, to go and play baseball in the minor leagues. Anyone remember back in 1999 when Phil Jackson suggested that the San Antonio Spurs title should have an asterisk beside it since the lockout-shortened regular season only had 50 games? I found it preposterous then and even more so now. It wasn’t the Spurs’ fault that there were only 50 games in the regular season. The playoffs were still the same length. Perhaps what Phil meant to say was that the Spurs should have an asterisk by their title because Jordan had retired prior to that season after completing his second three-peat. I guess it’s a good thing that the Spurs went on to validate that first title by winning three others. An NBA team can only play the players available at the time, and against the players available to their opponent at the time. It can’t control the politics of the league, who is retiring and who isn’t, and who lost to whom prior to facing them. An NBA team can only prepare itself as best as it can and simply play the path before them. No team, and especially no NBA champion, should have to apologize for winning a title or feel that its title is any less special because of who it came against or who wasn’t able to play or perform up to their capabilities. The Orlando Magic won the 2009 Eastern Conference semi-finals fair and square. The 2009 Los Angeles Lakers won both their 2009 and 2010 titles fair and square. Anything that Kevin Garnett, Kendrick Perkins, or a spoiled Boston Celtics fan says different is only going to sound like sour grapes. As a Magic fan of recent vintage, I know exactly what they sound, and taste like. This message was not subject of approval by the NBA or the Orlando Magic. The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA, but solely the writer. By Live or Die Magic, Thursday, May 27, 2010, 10 PM Don't Stop Believing! Remember that awful feeling you had late Saturday night? Yeah, me too. But just barely! With each passing day, that feeling fades further and further away, replaced with something slightly resembling hope! I had convinced myself prior to Game 4 that I would be satisfied with just one win because it would afford me the opportunity to attend one more game at the O-Rena. Well, I got that wish, and what a game it was! So, human nature is to get a bit greedy. Now I’m wanting yet another game in the O-Rena. The “wink wink” farewell being given by Magic fans, media members, and Magic workers when they were leaving the building after Game 5 was “see you Sunday!” It was our way of showing that we very much believe that this team will pull off the rare feat of forcing a Game 7 after going down 3-0. “Believe” has been a constant theme for Magic basketball of late, and it could not have been reinforced more than by the comments of our star players themselves. Just take a look at some recent comments from Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson: "After we got down 3-0, it was like either we were going to give in or keep fighting. And everyone made a commitment that night that we're going to go hard and believe in each other," Howard said. "I just feel that if we keep believing in each other and trusting one another and playing as hard as we can, anything's possible," Howard said. "At this point we believe we can win the series. We have to stay humble and remember what we've done to win these last two games. I believe they have the pressure on them now, but they're a veteran team with Hall of Famers and a great coach, so they'll be prepared," Nelson said. "We just all believe. We all believe. We know we can do it," Nelson said. When the players themselves are throwing that much “belief” around, you know it isn’t just a catchy slogan or wishful thinking on the part of the fanbase. These players are locked-in to thinking that they will win the next two games and continue on their quest for a title this season. As the ones who have allowed our very lives to depend on the outcome, it is our duty to buy into their belief, even though it is frightening to do so. Let’s discuss how frightening it is. I was scared to leave the house for Game 4 on Monday night. My heart raced as I turned the game on. I even murmured under my breath, “once more, into the breach.” When the game went into overtime, I couldn’t sit still. With each break in the action, I kept finding excuses to get up and walk around. I’d go fold some clothes, rearrange the pillows on the couch, straighten the living room rug, just anything so I didn’t have to sit still on the couch. When the horn sounded a Magic victory, I didn’t yell or scream or even jump up. I just stood up, fatigued, but with a sense of relief. I was so drained and tired, I felt like I had played the game myself! Apparently, I’m not alone in experiencing fright during these games. I was discussing a viewing party for Game 6 with my Magic buddies and most of them are too frightened to even consider it. Actually, it goes beyond fright and right into superstition. If you sat home alone wearing one blue sock and Horace Grant goggles for Game 4, then you have to do the exact same thing for Game 6. If your sister texted you at the end of each quarter during Game 5, then she has to do the same thing for Game 6. If you got a Magic star tattoo on your leg before Game 5, then you have to get another tattoo before Game 6. If you drank Fosters during the Game 3 debacle, then you must never drink Fosters again. The consensus from my Magic buddies is that if I jinx us by insisting on a viewing party for Game 6 and we lose, that I will be unceremoniously placed on my ear by a flying elbow from Captain Forearms himself. You guys might know him as Marc Acres 3:16. So yeah, deathly fear of retribution from the sports gods if a successful routine is altered trumps beer and cheese sticks. And you know what, I’m fine with that! Because I’m still running off of the energy that every attendee got from that building during Game 5. The place was electric. The place was as loud as I ever remember it being. If this was to be the final game at the O-Rena, then it went out with a bang. But truly, no one could treat this as a last game or even begin to think in those terms. There was too much positive energy. To much determination on the part of the Magic players. Too much belief! The Celtics fans that were in attendance never got an opportunity to cheer for anything. When the Celtics fans started trickling out of the O-Rena in the fourth quarter, the Magic fans made sure to give them a good solid ribbing on their way out. Friday’s game is going to be something to watch. I find it hard to believe that Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson will let the Magic get off to a slow start in Boston. Here’s Howard again: ``We knew that we were down 3-0, but we didn’t want to go home. And it all starts with me and Jameer,’’ Howard said. ``We showed leadership by playing harder. It starts with me and him. Really, it was about showing everybody, `Hey, follow us and we’ll lead you.’’ That sounds like a player that has a single goal in mind and believes he will accomplish that goal. So, I’ll be on my couch, believing right along with him. I’m a fan…it’s my job. This message was not subject of approval by the NBA or the Orlando Magic. The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA, but solely the writer. By Live or Die Magic, Monday, May 24, 2010, 10 AM Win One for the O-Rena Shortly after the numbness from viewing Game 3 had worn off, I started pondering what I could possibly write about in advance of the impending, obligatory Game 4. I had put every last ounce of hope into Game 3, fully expecting that the Magic would throw everything they had at the Celtics on Saturday night. From my viewpoint, that wasn’t the 2009-2010 Orlando Magic on the court. I didn’t see the confidence and effort that we have seen from them all year. But there is one more game. The Magic players do have to show up and actually play…at least I’m pretty sure! If the clip of Jason Williams asking for space in the visitors’ locker room after Game 3 is any indication, the Magic players are upset at their circumstances. They have one more opportunity to accomplish something this season; something that might actually salvage a bit of grace from this awful series. So, my rallying cry, both for all the dejected, suffering Magic fans, and the Orlando Magic players and coaches themselves, is “win one for the O-Rena!” As I left the O-Rena after Game 2 last Tuesday night, it did not even cross my mind that I could have been leaving that building for the last time. As much as it may have been on the mind of Magic fans between Game 2 and Game 3, it wasn’t until after Game 3 that we started to focus on this as reality. So, what needs to happen is we need to win Game 4 so that we can come back to Orlando one more time and give the O-Rena a proper sendoff. This building has seen many a Magical moment and yes, many a gut-wrenching collapse. But the building deserves one more moment, one more opportunity for us to squeeze like lemmings into the bathroom line or pick our way through the concourse on our way to our last O-Rena Chicken Tender Basket. We need to walk up those crazy slanted steps one last time. We need to see Stuff tumbling down the steps one last time. We need to hear Paul Porter’s familiar O-Rena voice one more time. After all, who knows what he might sound like with the acoustics of the new, cavernous Amway Center. I want one more chance to squeeze into a seat way to small for a man like myself who has tree trunks for legs. I want one more chance to watch the Magic’s introduction and video montage. I want one more chance to hear the awesome sound the O-Rena makes when a Magic player nails a 3-pointer or when Dwight Howard slams home a dunk. I want one more chance to see Nick Anderson, Otis Smith, or Pat Williams watching the game from their familiar spots just inside the tunnel. I want one more chance to see that crazy old guy in the sweater vest who flails his arms behind the Magic bench. I have no idea if the Magic organization has anything planned in the event that we do return home for a Game 5. But really, it wouldn’t matter if they did or didn’t. The fans know what to do. We just take one last look around and feel the place. If it is your first visit there, or your 300th, it doesn’t matter. You will realize that everything that the Magic have ever been is tied to that building. No matter how awesome the new building will be – and it will be awesome – it can’t make us forget the first home the Magic ever had. The O-Rena will always be where it all started. The old girl deserves one final game, one final opportunity to welcome us into her confines and say goodbye. So, I’m asking Dwight Howard, Jameer Nelson, Rashard Lewis, Vince Carter, and Stan Van Gundy, please win one for the O-Rena. It may be too late to win this series, but it isn’t too late to win one game. Bring the Magic back home just one more time, so we can all give a proper farewell to a dear old friend. This message was not subject of approval by the NBA or the Orlando Magic. The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA, but solely the writer. By Live or Die Magic, Friday, May 21, 2010, 1 PM Hope to Hold On To This one was hard to write. The easy move would have been to dig a hole, stick my head in it, and avoid anything related to the Magic. I got as far as picking up the shovel. After the Game 1 loss, I was talking to some of my buddies who are hard core Magic fans like I am. It was quickly apparent that I am hardly alone in my misery. One of my buddies, who lives downtown, said the losses were harder because he just couldn’t seem to get away from things that reminded him of the Magic. He said that it was great when we were winning, but since we were losing it is tough seeing all the car flags, yard signs, t-shirts, massive banners in the side of buildings, etc. He said it made him realize what is at stake for the community that has gotten behind this team. This same friend posed a question to a friend of ours stationed in the military in another State far from Florida. He asked him if living far away makes it easier to handle a loss. Our friend’s response was that although he doesn’t see the flags or hear about the Magic on the news, he still has the same problems. All of his military buddies know that he’s a huge Magic fan and therefore send him texts after every game in the playoffs. He said he got about nine different text messages from buddies giving him the business after the Game 1 loss. He said that he also receives in-game texts from his family and that reading them is like riding an emotional rollercoaster. He says he can literally hear them go from anger to joy with every play. He said that even far away, he can never really get the Magic out of his head. It's like a dark cloud that follows him around. That pretty much sums it up for me as well. All of my co-workers, family members, and friends, many of whom are only casual Magic fans, have been stepping around me as if someone close to me just died. I can’t tell you how many shoulder pats I’ve received, followed by a “what’s up with your Magic?” The funny thing is, prior to Sunday, many of these same casual Magic fans were claiming the team as their own. But now, after a couple of losses, it’s “your” Magic. I got really riled up when friends started suggesting that maybe we shouldn’t have fired Doc Rivers or that we should have resigned Hedo. Guys…you’re my friends, and I love you, but really, you just have no idea what you’re talking about! It is just hard to believe that only 6 days ago, I was on top of the NBA world, along with thousands and thousands of my fellow Magic fans. But now the overall sentiment seems to be that the Magic have never accomplished anything positive as a franchise. I don’t believe this, but many others do. Judging by what they were writing, it appears many members on the Orlando Magic Message Boards had busted out their emo music and their razor blades. The national media were breaking their ankles from jumping off the Magic’s bandwagon as fast as they could. These same media members previously claimed we were the title favorites. The Boston Celtics went from being gritty, over-achieving veterans to being the best team in the NBA, a title the Magic held on Sunday morning. The national and local media feed and thrive off of the fans’ emotional nature. The emotional extremes are really fascinating if you think about it. The exhilarating thrill I felt after the Magic won Game 7 against the Celtics last season will most definitely be matched by the devastation I will feel should we lose Game 3 on Saturday. After each win against the Bobcats and Hawks in the previous two rounds this season, I would listen to sports radio during my morning drive, hoping that they would be discussing the Magic. I would peruse the interwebs for articles claiming our championship destiny. But on Monday and Wednesday morning of this week, I avoided the radio and interwebs entirely, not wanting to hear or read all the pundits who had been singing our praises now ripping us apart, never seeing the hypocrisy of their “I told you so” attitudes. As I drove to work on Wednesday morning, a car up ahead of me was flying an Orlando Magic flag from the car window. As I was watching, the cloth part of the flag ripped off the plastic arm. The flag hovered above the road for a moment and then was quickly run over by several vehicles, including mine. I said to myself: “That’s about right.” When it rains, it pours. Prior to Game 1, my buddies and I were planning a viewing party at a local sports bar for Saturday’s Game 3. On Tuesday, prior to Game 2, we joked that if we lost Game 2, we may not be in the mood to watch Game 3 out in public. By Wednesday morning, the joke wasn’t all that funny. Wednesday represented the lowest point of the week. Thursday was bad too, but better than Wednesday. Then this morning – Friday morning – I woke up with the smallest trace of pep in my step. I started feeling just a touch of excitement for Saturday’s game. The amount of dread I was feeling had definitely lessened. I even begin discussing that viewing party again! When the schedule for the Eastern Conference Finals was announced, I was upset to see that there was a huge gap of time between Game 2 in Orlando and Game 3 in Boston. At the time, I felt that this long layoff benefitted Boston because they are the older team and it would give them much needed rest. Of course, I also felt at the time, that the Magic would be up 2-0 at this point! Now, I am thinking that this long layoff may actually be of great benefit to the Magic. I am holding on to the hope that the extra time gives Stan Van Gundy and his staff time to regroup, reassess, and reinforce a new game plan for dealing with the Celtics’ defense. One thing that hasn’t changed is the fact that the Magic’s coaching staff is one of the best prepared in the entire NBA. Regardless of whether we win or lose Game 3, the team will be prepared. Also giving me hope for this series is the idea that our players are upset with themselves and have taken these losses personally. I know that the players on this team have a tremendous amount of pride. They are not ready to go on vacation yet. They are not ready to give Boston fans something else to act smug and superior about. They see that they are now facing true adversity for the first time in these playoffs and for the first time in about 3 months, dating back to their fantastic end to the regular season. This is their opportunity to show the championship mentality that everyone claimed they had just a few days ago. They realize they haven’t been blown out. They realize that they had a chance to win both Games 1 and 2 in the final seconds. They realize that the difference in these games has come down to a few missed baskets, a few poor decisions, and maybe even a few bad bounces. I believe that success breeds confidence, which in turn breeds more success. I think if the Magic can get something good going in Game 3, they will find that it suits them, and the Magic train will continue rolling. As easy as it is for me to imagine that, I am still left with the knowledge that I am living or dying with how this team performs. Whether I watch the game on live television at home, tape it and watch it after the outcome has been decided, or venture out to a viewing party with my Magic buddies, I know that my mind and emotions will be hundreds of miles away in New England. Win or lose, I wouldn’t have it any other way. This message was not subject of approval by the NBA or the Orlando Magic. The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA, but solely the writer. By Live or Die Magic, Friday, May 14, 2010, 9:00 AM Bringing the Magic Home Two seasons ago, I took my eldest son to his very first Magic home game. It was an amazing experience for both of us. In addition to his first NBA game, he enjoyed his very first O-Rena Chicken Tender Basket, his first cup of Mountain Dew, and his first autographs. When my son arrived home, he thrilled his younger brother with stories of French fries, caffeine, roaming green dragons, and ice cream! Soon thereafter, I treated my younger son to a Magic game as well. My first suspicion that he wasn’t interested in the basketball game itself came late in the 1st quarter, right after he had finished devouring his cup of “Dibs” ice cream. As he closed the lid on the empty ice cream container, he looked up at me and asked when we would be going home. I didn’t mind too much…after all, it is hard for a three-year old to sit through an entire game. Since that time, neither of my sons has been back to a Magic game, primarily because of my duties in attending the games as the “Fan Voice.” However, their interest in the game of basketball itself has definitely increased. My oldest son, who just turned eight, recently completed his first season of organized basketball. My younger son, now five, can’t wait until he is old enough to play as well. Multiple times this season, my sons have asked me to take them back to a Magic game. Each time, I was excited that they were interested and also disappointed that it was never convenient to take them. So, when the playoffs rolled around and both boys were once again asking to go, a great idea started to take root in my mind. You see, although I was fairly certain that my older son really was interested in the game (after all, he had watched several of the weekend afternoon road games on television with me this season), I was equally certain that my younger son was only interested in the circus atmosphere of the game and those tasty “Dibs” bites. So I got to thinking…”why can’t I recreate that environment right in my own living room?” My plan was to do just that for the Saturday afternoon Game 3 of the opening round series, on the road vs. the Charlotte Bobcats. So, I set about planning my “Go to the Magic game, at home” day by first starting a list of things I would need. Both boys have plenty of Magic gear (hats, t-shirts, blankets, pillows, noise makers, you name it!). We also had plenty of signs, flags, and placards to place around the living room, making it as “Magic festive” as possible. Both boys would need “tickets” to the game, of course, so I set aside the two media credentials I had received for Games 1 and 2 of the series. Next, I went to the dollar store to pick up a few small toy items that I could “toss into the crowd” during the breaks between quarters. Since my boys are likely never to catch anything such as a t-shirt at a Magic game, I thought the least I could do is let them experience this thrill in their own home, albeit courtesy of their father, jumping around the living room like a complete idiot. My next stop was the grocery store to purchase hot dogs, frozen French fries, chicken tenders, and Dibs! Since I wanted to be sure to make an OCTB at home that was as close to the real OCTB as possible, I ended up buying two kinds of tenders and two kinds of fries (after all, the FOTS is awfully particular). I felt that between all of the choices I made, I’d find something close enough to what is served in the O-Rena. Thankfully, I had enough space in my freezer to hold it all. When Saturday morning came around, I took stock of everything I had gathered and decided that I had everything I needed. As Mrs. LOD and I started decorating the living room, she asked me if I had picked up any Mountain Dew. Ack! It was the one thing I’d forgotten. So, I stopped at the corner 7/11 and grabbed two 20oz Mountain Dew bottles, one was the traditional green color, the other the “Code Red.” The nice lady at the counter informed me that the 20oz Dew bottles were “buy 2, get 1 free” so I went back for a third bottle. I saw a new “blue” colored Mountain Dew and grabbed that, thinking that the boys would like having all the different colors to sample, plus there would be plenty for me to have some as well. The game was a 2pm tip-off, but I decided that our personal tip-off would be 2:30pm. So, I set the DVR to record the game. I figured that I would have a greater chance of keeping my kids’ attention long after the food and ice cream was gone if I didn’t make them sit through all the commercials. I figured a 30-minute “commercial buffer” would do the trick. Of course, cooking and preparing hot dogs and several OCTBs proved to be a more time consuming task than I had anticipated, so tip-off ended up being closer to 2:45pm. My boys entered the living room dressed to the nines in Magic gear, both of their faces just beaming with excitement. I asked them if they had their tickets to the Magic game and they looked at each other and then back at me with perplexed expressions on their faces. I commented that they certainly didn’t expect to gain entrance to a Magic game without a ticket, did they! But in the same moment, I pulled my two media credentials, complete with lanyards, from behind my back and placed them around each boy’s head. Now they were official! The boys took their seats in the living room as I brought out an OCTB and traditional green Mountain Dew for my older son, and a hot dog, French fries, and the new blue Mountain Dew for my younger son. Turns out that I had purchased chicken tenders that were almost identical in look, texture, and taste to what is served with the OCTB. I was very pleased with myself, since this attention to detail was extremely vital to the overall authenticity of my recreation. I mean, you can’t mess around with the OCTB! The game itself started out quite well, with Dwight Howard managing to stay on the court for most of the first quarter. As the boys started to finish up their food and, more to the point, started finishing up their cups of Mountain Dew, I noticed a change in their mood that was subtle at first, but soon took on Jekyll & Hyde proportions. At first, the boys started cheering just a bit more with every good Magic play. Then, they started banging the noisemaker drums with just a bit more zest. I had poured myself a bit of the green Mountain Dew and thought it tasted funny. So, I went back in the kitchen to look at the bottle, and parents, this is when the cautionary tale begins. It turns out that the traditional green Mountain Dew I purchased was in fact, something called Mountain Dew “Distortion.” Although it looked like regular Dew, it was lime flavored. The bottle of red-flavored “Code Red” Dew was fine, no surprise there. But the bottle of blue Dew gave me an even bigger surprise than the “lime” flavored stuff. The blue bottle was called “Voltage” and in addition to the high amount of caffeine that is typical of Mountain Dew, it also included ginseng! My sons rarely have soda or caffeine of any kind; and now I realize why. I walked back into the living room to alert Mrs. LOD to the fact that we had just given our children the soda equivalent of jet fuel. The boys were jumping on the sectional couch, up and down as high as they could go, and yelling at the top of their lungs “Let’s go Magic, LET’S GO!” I would have been extremely proud if I weren’t already extremely worried. I sat back down just as my 8 year old began attempting reverse aerial dismounts off the couch and onto the rug while yelling “Look at me, I’m Shaun White!” My five year old was high-stepping along the couch, back and forth, with his Magic hat turned backward. Because he was standing on the couch and I was sitting, we were at eye level. My five year old ran up to me and started repeatedly patting my shoulder while saying “Daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy!” I said “yes, what is it Turbo?” And he responded: “Daddy, I can’t feel my face!” At that point, I had to pause the game; Mrs. LOD and I were both laughing too hard. At halftime, I brought out the dollar store toys and proceeded to do my best impression of the Magic’s crowd entertainers. My friends, let me assure you that no group of Magic fans in the O-Rena have ever gone after flying items with the same excitement and exuberance as the two caffeine-enriched boys in my living room. The one condition I hadn’t accounted for was the presence of our Golden Retriever. Once the dog realized that items were being tossed for entertainment, she had to get in on the action, much to the delight of the home crowd. I’ll just say that I’m glad I only paid a dollar for the items. I’d like to say that the highlight of the game, at least from my boys’ perspective, was the game itself, with the Magic going up 3-0 on the Bobcats. I’d even settle for the highlight having been either the food, the Magic theming of the room, or the Mountain Dew. In a pinch, I’d even take the freebies being tossed to two boys and a dog who obviously felt they’d stepped into heaven on earth, complete with cushy sectionals from which to leap with gusto. In the end, the highlight was those tasty Dibs. When, at the start of the 3rd quarter, I entered the living room with those containers of the perfect mix of chocolate, toffee, and vanilla, I was greeted with a crowd reaction to rival Ricky “Wild Thing” Vaughn coming out of the bullpen in the 9th against the Yanks. To say that the Dibs didn’t last long would be an understatement. They weren’t eaten so much as they were inhaled. The good thing about all of those stimulants in my sons’ system is that they were the fast-burning kind. By the end of the third quarter, my 5 year old crashed hard and not too long into the 4th quarter, he had fallen asleep on Mrs. LOD’s lap. Too his credit, he watched the game right up until his eyes closed. My 8 year old crashed as well, but he didn’t fall asleep, he ended up sitting next to me, leaning in against me with my arm around him. He watched the rest of the game with me, asking me questions along the way. I was able to use the DVR to rewind and point things out to him as I saw them. For me, this was my highlight: having my son watch the game with me and being able to talk to him about basketball. I’m a Magic fan through and through, but I remember a time when there wasn’t an Orlando Magic. I like the fact that my son is growing up and having the Magic always be a part of his life. Who knows, maybe he will turn out to be an even bigger Orlando Magic fan than I am! Nothing can ever take the place of attending a Magic home game with your children. The sights, sounds, smells, and just the overall feel of being in that building cannot be duplicated to perfection. I’m sure this unique experience will only be heightened next year in the new arena where there will be even more attractions and options for a family to enjoy. These options are important for a young family, because even though the main point and purpose of attending is to watch your favorite basketball team, a young child is always going to prefer Dibs to dunks. As a child gets older, the game itself will take on more importance, but in the meantime, the Magic are doing families a great service by offering them the best of both. For one afternoon at least, I was able to sufficiently recreate that environment in my own home and treat my sons to a basketball experience I hope they will remember. And the Orlando Magic did their part too. This message was not subject of approval by the NBA or the Orlando Magic. The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA, but solely the writer. By Live or Die Magic, Tuesday, May 11, 2010, 5:00 PM Hurry Up and Wait! The Orlando Magic just can’t seem to get to their rest periods quick enough, can they? If eight days of rest after a grinding, but thankfully short series against the Bobcats means the Magic have the juice to sweep the Hawks by a margin of 101 points, then here’s hoping that six days rest can lead to a margin of +4 against either the Cavs or Celtics. I guess I should be careful what I wish for…as nice as it would be to see the Magic in the Finals again, I’m not sure I’d survive four games in which the Magic only win by a point! This is a crucial difference between this year’s Magic team and last year’s Finals squad. The first round against the Sixers had all kinds of drama. We lost the first game at home. We had to play a game without Dwight Howard. We had to rely on a rookie (Courtney Lee) to get us one of our wins. The second round against the Celtics is still too trauma-inducing for me to openly discuss – and we won that series! Between Big Baby eating children courtside and Kevin Garnett finger walking every time Eddie House hit a shot, I have no interest in ever going through that again. Give me a four game sweep against the Atlanta Hawks every year. Sure, it might mean that you have a situation like last night, where I found myself feeling tired of watching the Hawks and ready for the game to be over. But at least I won’t have to keep a defibrillator nearby or have my PCP on speed dial while I’m watching a game. People seem to forget that there are two halves to this layoff equation. It only works if the next round’s opponent takes a while to dispatch their opponent in the previous round. Had the Hawks taken care of the depleted Bucks in five games like they should have, we wouldn’t have waited eight days to send them on vacation. Likewise, we are waiting at least six days to play the Eastern Conference Finals because Boston and Cleveland are playing an epic series (this one we definitely could have seen coming). All this rest should still work in our favor, regardless of which team we play. I’m not much for the sentiment that a team coming off a long series is at a disadvantage when playing the next round against a rested opponent (after all, there will still be at least two days rest before a close-out game in the 2nd round, and the start of the ECFs). But I will say that because of the age of some of the major contributors on both the Cavs and Celtics rosters, the lack of rest on their part could be a greater factor than normal. But the lack of rest will have little impact on those teams’ best players – LeBron James and Rajon Rondo. On a side note, I find it strange that the NBA regular season includes so many back-to-backs and yet there is never a single back-to-back in the playoffs. I’m sure back-to-backs are somewhat necessary in order to have 30 teams play an 82 game schedule within a 5 ½ month period, but it still seems like it isn’t really preparing them for the playoffs, where they may go three days between games 3 and 4 in a series. I’ve had to stifle an obnoxious laugh every time I’ve read or heard someone mention how the Cavs rolled through the first two rounds last season before getting knocked down by the Magic in the conference finals. Apparently, this fact has some sort of bearing on the Magic’s fate this season. Um, no…actually, it doesn’t. The Magic were the better team last season and presented matchup problems that the Cavs could not overcome. It had nothing to do with the Cavs not being tested, or being too rested. While there is no denying that the Magic did some growing up by winning a Game 7 on the road in Boston before facing the Cavs, that didn’t make us the better team against the Cavs. We already were the better team. Those favorable matchups we exploited against the Cavs existed long before we played Boston. I’ve also heard mention that the last two teams to sweep the first two rounds went on to lose in the conference finals. The last team to do this prior to the Cavs was the 2005 Miami Heat, coached by Stan Van Gundy. But come on, that Heat team took the defending champion Detroit Pistons to seven games! Trust me, if we get beat by either the Cavs or the Celtics, it will have nothing to do with how many games we played – or didn’t play – in the earlier rounds. On yet another side note, we swept a better Hawks team than the version the Cavs swept in the 2nd round last season. The Cavs faced a Hawks team that didn’t have Al Horford or Marvin Williams for Game 2. Neither of those players played much of any of the other three games, and ended up averaging 20 (Horford) and 18 (Williams) minutes for the series. Of course, you could also argue that this year the Magic faced a Hawks team that was playing without Joe Johnson, but that might be too low a blow. The point I’m making is that winning our first eight games, regardless of who the opponent is, cannot be viewed as a bad thing. But what is a bad thing is finding something to do with ourselves during all of these dry spells between rounds. If the Magic were the only team to sweep, we wouldn’t have any issues of boredom. But the Suns and Lakers had to go and sweep as well! So, now we only have one 2nd round series to watch. I’m sure that I will miss these long, relatively stress-free gaps of time once the Eastern Conference Finals begin. It’s funny what heart palpitations can make you long for. This message was not subject of approval by the NBA or the Orlando Magic. The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA, but solely the writer. By Live or Die Magic, Thursday, May 6, 2010, 5:30 PM Owning the Hawks It wasn’t too long ago that Orlando Magic fans were flustered by the team’s shortcomings every time they played the Detroit Pistons. No matter how much progress we made, whether it be increasing our win total, or acquiring better players, there were the Pistons to put us back in our place. They ended the final playoff appearance of the Tracy McGrady-led Magic teams by coming back from a 3-1 deficit in 2003. Things didn’t get much better the next time we made the playoffs four seasons later. Dwight Howard’s first trip to the post-season ended much the same way, with the Pistons sweeping us in the first round in 2007. So, we get a new coach, a new high-priced free agent and make a big jump in the standings, only to face and lose to the Pistons in the second round of the 2008. Along the way, the Pistons won nine straight playoff games against us, and 11 of 12. Unfortunately, we will never get revenge against them, since much of that Pistons nucleus is now playing for several different teams. Considering our plight against that one team that always had our number, it is easy for me to feel empathy toward Hawks fans who might wonder why their steady improvement as a unit has about as much consequence as a Ben Wallace free throw attempt when the Hawks play the Orlando Magic. As good as the Hawks have been this year, even against other great teams, they just don’t seem to match up well, or play well, against the Orlando Magic. The Hawks are lucky in this one respect though, they are only experiencing their first, though likely not last, miserable experience against the Magic in the playoffs. All of the talk prior to Tuesday night’s Game One was of how rusty the Magic might be after 8 days off. People felt the Hawks might actually have an advantage by having played the Bucks two nights before. If the Hawks were going to steal a game in Orlando, Game 1 was the time to do it. This sentiment existed for exactly one quarter. Then, all you heard was how the Magic benefited from all of the rest and how the Hawks were tired from their seven game series. You know, it is all a bunch of bovine excrement. The Hawks weren’t tired; the Magic weren’t rusty or overly rested. The fact is the Magic are just that much better than the Hawks. It isn’t even that the Magic are that much more talented. On paper, the Hawks are a very talented team and one of the more athletic teams in the league. They have a great coach in Mike Woodson. It would be too easy to say that the difference begins and ends with Dwight Howard. It’s true that the Hawks haven’t had any answer for him in three seasons, but they do have the personnel to employ an effective strategy against him. But planning and execution are two different things. It really does go beyond Dwight Howard though. Something about the way these two teams match up just goes beyond sheer talent. The Magic just seem to have the Hawks number and once we get them down, they just have no way of getting back up. I do enjoy being on this side of the match up for once. Of course, I sure hope it ends with us having the same hardware the Pistons got! I was asked prior to Game 7 of the Hawks v. Bucks first round series which team I wanted to win. I chose the Hawks because I thought they would give us a better series, and therefore better prepare us, for the Eastern Conference Finals. I still feel this way, but I do hope the Hawks give us more fight than we got in Game 1. After all, Dwight Howard still hasn’t played 30 minutes! This message was not subject of approval by the NBA or the Orlando Magic. The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA, but solely the writer. By Live or Die Magic, Friday, April 30, 2010, 3:30 PM Random Thoughts – Magic vs. Bobcats, Part 2 • If given the choice between watching a Magic game via the team’s feed (Sunsports or Fox Sports Florida) or TNT/ESPN, I’m going with the team’s feed every time. It’s true that the HD picture quality is much sharper on the bigger networks, but the bigger networks do not have David Steele and Matt Guokas. The mute button is a better alternative than having to listen to TNT’s Reggie Miller attempt to discuss basketball intelligently. Until ESPN can figure out a way to clone Hubie Brown and have him be the game analyst for every NBA game they broadcast, I’ll steer clear of them too. Listening to Guokas break down aspects of the game is not only thoroughly entertaining, but thoroughly educational. He breaks down the game as objectively as possible but he also seems to relish going all Magic homer on us every now and then. I especially enjoyed this during some of the more egregious foul calls on Dwight Howard throughout the Bobcats series. As for Steele, he has long since replaced Chip Caray as the voice of the Orlando Magic, in my mind at least. Unfortunately, as the Magic go deeper in the playoffs, the big networks will get exclusive broadcast rights to the games, and we’ll have to say farewell to David and Matty until next season. • Impressed with the conviction of fans of rival teams still in the playoffs (and by fans of rival teams still in the playoffs, I mean Cavaliers fans) that the administration of swift justice laid down by the Magic on the Bobcats was in fact the easiest possible matchup we could have been granted, I now consider the dismantling of Cavs fans hopes and dreams as essential to the happiness of our own fan base, and to the stability of this team, nay, this entire city. In other words, Cavs fans go home! • Dwight Howard sure seemed frustrated throughout the entire series, huh? I thought for sure that game 4 was going to be different, what with him playing most of the first quarter without picking up a single foul. The first foul was a pretty bad call, and I’m pretty sure he picked up the almost immediately called 2nd foul because of how he complained about the first one! As easy as it is to cry “foul” and think that Stern and the refs have it in for Dwight Howard and the Magic, I can’t help but think that Dwight would have had more floor time if he weren’t helping the refs out by retaliating. It was reported that Stan Van Gundy sat down with Dwight after Game four and showed him where he was being whistled for legitimate foul calls. Here’s hoping that Dwight takes it to heart and starts the 2nd round series with a renewed focus on making sure that he is not the cause of his foul troubles. If at that point, it continues, then at least we know where to direct all the blame! • Michael Jordan took some heat for some of his antics during the series, especially games 3 and 4 in Charlotte. People felt that it wasn’t appropriate for an owner to be sitting on the bench, right next to the players. He also rubbed Magic fans the wrong way when he gave the “get out of here” thumb hook gesture when Dwight fouled out of Game 3. I admit I didn’t particularly care for that one either. But I keep thinking that Jordan is not your typical owner. He is the first former NBA player to own a team. He isn’t just any former player either; he is arguably the greatest NBA player ever and certainly the most competitive. So, sitting on the bench with the players likely is quite natural and comfortable for him and also speaks to his renewed involvement with the team. Remember, Jordan was criticized for his absentee status when he was running the Wizards. Now that he has a greater financial stake, it only makes sense that he will be hands on and involved, especially if we are talking about the city’s first playoff game in years and the franchise’s first playoff appearance, period! • I’ve never seen two teammates playing a road game draw such complete polar opposite reactions from the crowd as Vince Carter and JJ Redick did in Games 3 and 4 in Charlotte. Carter is still loved for his time with the North Carolina Tar Heels while Redick is still derided for his days with the Duke Blue Devils. Carter received plenty of cheers while Redick was booed at every opportunity. I started paying attention to the crowd shots immediately after a made shot by Carter. Guess what, many people in the crowd were cheering! They likely weren’t Magic fans, which means they were Bobcats fans who were just as happy to cheer a Magic made shot by a beloved Tar Heel. So, I did the same thing – watched the crowd reactions when JJ made a basket (all three of them in Charlotte!) and I saw people cheering! I give up on trying to figure out Carolina fans. This message was not subject of approval by the NBA or the Orlando Magic. The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA, but solely the writer. By Live or Die Magic, Tuesday, April 27, 2010, 1:37 PM Random Thoughts – Magic vs. Bobcats, Part 1 First off, I just really have to get this off my chest, right from the start. I really do not like Tyson Chandler. It seems like just yesterday he was taking alley-oops from Chris Paul left and right and averaging double-digit rebounds. Now he is relegated to third string big man with six fouls who’s only remaining skill is his ability to attach his face to Dwight Howard’s elbows. Of all the Bobcats players, he is the only one who really drew my ire during the series. I didn’t care for the way he outwardly celebrated any foul called on Howard as if he had just made some big basket or a key defensive stop. Congratulations Tyson, you’re tall! Seems strange that the Magic swept the series and still never really dominated a game for four quarters, at least not in the way we are used to seeing them dominate. The way the Bobcats slowed everything down, it was as if the Magic were playing basketball in a pool. Every movement seemed just a bit slower, requiring just a bit more effort (Jameer Nelson being the exception.) With Dwight Howard off the court for so long, you’d have thought it would change how the Magic played. But the 3-pointer was still the weapon of choice. The Magic averaged 30 three-point attempts per game for the series, averaging 11 makes a game. The 37.5% for the series is made even more impressive if you remove Vince Carter’s 1 for 17 performance from beyond the arc, leaving the rest of the team to shoot 43%. Jameer Nelson didn’t bother announcing it, but it appears as though he has decided to become Chauncey Billups in this series. Sure, he may not have the size or put up the assist totals of Billups, but he is exuding that same confidence and that same knack for knowing when to take that big dagger of a shot. More than any other player on either team, he had his way in this series. Look at his totals: 36 minutes per game, 48% shooting (43% from 3), 89% FTs, 2.5 steals per game, 4.5 assists per game, and 23.8 points per game. As impressive as all of that is, you cannot discount his lowly 5 turnovers for the entire series. Nelson just isn’t making mistakes. My favorite Nelson play of the series isn’t a quick drive to the basket or a big three. In the early moments of game 4, Raymond Felton got around Nelson for a layup. Nelson got the inbound and immediately streaked up court, forcing all five Bobcats to hurry up and try to catch him. He drove under the basket and back out the left baseline and to the corner. Twice during this sequence, Nelson had three defenders (three!!) on him. Because the Bobcats rushed to follow Nelson to the basket, the trailing Rashard Lewis had 20 feet of open space around him at the top of the arc. Nelson fired the pass out to Lewis for the easy three. The play took all of six seconds and happened much more seamlessly than I have described above, but this play typifies why Nelson’s shoot-first reputation is a weapon. Teams must account for Nelson’s quickness and his ability to get into the lane whenever he wants. If multiple defenders follow Nelson in transition, it opens up at least one player – Lewis, Barnes, Carter, Pietrus, Redick, pick one – for a wide-open three. Frankly, if Nelson weren’t so effective and explosive an offensive player, he wouldn’t be as effective a playmaker. After Nelson’s big Game One, we were making jokes on the official Magic Message Boards that Jameer was trying to make up for his poor 2009 NBA Finals performance in one game. But it does appear that he is out to show that the Magic are a better team with him in the lineup, going full speed. I already feel sorry for whichever point guard, Mike Bibby or Brandon Jennings – Nelson faces in the next round. They are already quite overmatched. This series is where playoff experience really kicked in for Rashard Lewis. After an up and down season, he turned rock steady against the Bobcats. He had several playoff runs with the Sonics, including one deep run to the Western Conference Finals. Add to that what he has done in seven playoff series with the Magic, and the dude is definitely tested. With Howard on the bench and Carter struggling with his shot, we needed Lewis to join Nelson as the heavy lifters for the series. It seems like as long as two of our four all-stars have big games, we can win. This statement might hold true for the next round, but we will likely need everyone to join the party if we are to knock off the Cavs. This message was not subject of approval by the NBA or the Orlando Magic. The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA, but solely the writer. By Live or Die Magic, Sunday, April 25, 2010, 10:00 PM Coaching Criteria Watching Stan Van Gundy match wits with Larry Brown in the Orlando Magic’s first round series against the Charlotte Bobcats has been fascinating to me. Seeing Stan win the first three games against an all-time great coach like Brown, even when Stan doesn’t have his best player on the floor for long stretches, makes me think back to the times when Stan’s coaching ability has been questioned. I find it increasingly hilarious that Stan Van Gundy continues to be referred to as a “master of panic,” particularly by one Shaquille O’Neal. Not only should Stan have shed that negative distinction, but he should never have had it ascribed to him in the first place. Although the phrase has not seen print in recent weeks, it will most certainly get play should the Magic meet the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals. O’Neal will feel the need to unburden his soul and spout the phrase, or something akin to it, to the first beat writer or blogger he sees. O’Neal’s point is to say that he doesn’t think Van Gundy is a good coach. Let’s not build it up to be any more substantial a point than that. It is almost as if O’Neal thinks that you are only a good coach if you win a championship. Using that logic, there are only three good coaches in the NBA right now: Phil Jackson of the Lakers, Gregg Popovich of the Spurs, and Larry Brown of the Bobcats. That means that only ten percent of the active NBA coaches have achieved what their owners, players, and fans expected of them when they were hired. But if coaches are only judged on whether or not they won a championship, then the vast majority of NBA coaches, current or former, would fall well short. Going back to the late 1980s, nearly 25 years, only six coaches have won championships, the three already mentioned, and Pat Riley (Lakers/Heat), Chuck Daly (Pistons), and Rudy Tomjanovich (Rockets). Considering how many coaches have been hired by NBA teams during that time, it is an astonishingly low percentage (Don’t worry, I didn’t forget Doc Rivers, but if I am making the case that you don’t have to win a title to be a good coach, then I must also believe that winning a title doesn’t mean you’re a good coach either. Frankly, Doc Rivers doesn’t belong in the same category as the other six coaches mentioned.). So, if only six coaches have won titles, where does that leave the rest that didn’t? Is Rick Carlisle not a good coach? How about Don Nelson and all of those wins? Rick Adelman, did he just continue to panic during all of those close calls he had with Portland and Sacramento? How about Mike Woodson and the steady improvement he has gotten out of the Hawks? Too bad, no ring! George Karl, I guess he isn’t a good coach either. Don’t forget Avery Johnson and his 73 percent career winning percentage. And don’t even get me started on Jerry Sloan. See, it really is rather ridiculous, isn’t it? In a league where Doug Collins can be viewed as a favorable candidate to coach Chris Paul in New Orleans, how can we possibly use so stringent a criterion as championships to judge a coach of Stan Van Gundy’s quality? Is Shaq just that spoiled? Did playing for Phil Jackson and Pat Riley cause him to unfairly hold all other coaches to the same high standard? If Mike Brown bests Stan Van Gundy in the ECF, does that automatically make him the better coach? If Stan should win the title this season after beating Shaq’s Cavs and Phil Jackson’s Lakers, will Shaq suddenly feel differently about Stan? Of course not! This is Shaquille O’Neal we are talking about! He takes everything personal and he never apologizes. Stan could win three titles with the Magic and Shaq would still stubbornly refer to him as the master of panic. This is the same guy who whined when another NBA big man was referred to as Superman. Kind of makes you wonder why we all were so upset by it, huh? In the meantime, we can continue to enjoy a coach who has our team averaging 56 wins a year since he got here and has created a style of play that is both entertaining and effective. As much as Magic fans want and even need Stan to win a title for us, he doesn’t need the ring to prove that he is a fantastic coach. This message was not subject of approval by the NBA or the Orlando Magic. The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA, but solely the writer. By Live or Die Magic, Friday, March 26, 2010, 3:00 PM For Love of Basketball Have any of you ever stopped to wonder why you love the game of basketball? My guess is that it did not start with love of the Orlando Magic. Most likely, you were introduced to basketball before you even knew the Magic existed, or in the case of the old-timers, before the team existed at all. I can think of many reasons why I love the game of basketball, but the one reason I’d like to discuss here is this one: the game of basketball is inclusive. More than any other sport, it can easily be played, with minimal equipment, money, or even people required. Want to play baseball? Even if you had the ball, glove and bat, you’d still need a baseball diamond or a field big enough to play in, plus at least two other people to pitch and retrieve balls. Want to play football? Sure, you really only need just the football, but you also need at least one other person for a game of catch, and at least two other people to play any kind of game, unless you wanted to do three people with one as the “all time QB.” Oh, and if you’re wanting to play tackle without pads, better make sure you have medical insurance. How about soccer? It requires a big enough field and at least four people (if not more) to make a decent game. Other sports like golf, tennis, racquetball, and even bowling are readily available to the general public but require membership, money, or expensive, specialized equipment in order to play them. And don’t even get me started on hockey and auto racing. But the beauty of basketball is that you just need one person, one ball, and one hoop. Many houses have a hoop right in their driveway. Most cities in the US have multiple public parks with multiple basketball hoops; free for anyone to use. Many churches build gyms with basketball courts. Even the smallest of public or private elementary schools have outdoor basketball courts. So, the sport of basketball is truly the most accessible sport in the country, if not the world. I could personally spend hours out on my driveway, just shooting baskets by myself. To play a game, I’d really only need to add one more buddy. In addition, basketball can be enjoyed by people of all ages, all sizes, and both genders. In fact, many of us are introduced to basketball at a very early age. A three-year old can learn how to shoot on an adjustable driveway hoop. An 80-year old grandmother can play a game of “HORSE” with her grandson. I won’t argue that football isn’t the undisputed king when it comes to sports broadcasting and sports fans. Between the NFL and college football, you will always find more people following that sport than any other. But the problem is that it is difficult to emulate or mimic your NFL heroes. Let’s say you just watched a great football game and there was a really great catch, throw, or run made by your favorite player. You couldn’t easily go outside and re-create it, could you? But raise your hands if at some point in your life, you’ve been watching a basketball game – with or without family members or friends – and you saw a really great play and then you went out to the driveway to recreate it. My friends and I used to love to pretend to shoot like certain players and then have the others guess who we were shooting like. I’m still working on my “Dreamshake” impression, but I can shoot free throws like Bill Cartwright, even better than he could! You can’t easily do this with any other sport. Basketball is a sport that doesn’t require you to have a ton of athletic ability or to be in the best of shape. Plenty of people who have never stepped foot in a gym, never played an organized sport in their life, or can’t get up a flight of stairs without being winded can still enjoy shooting hoops on a basket. In fact, as with any practiced motion, the ability to shoot a basketball effectively can be picked up by just about anyone with enough time, practice, and patience. Sure, playing a game of five-on-five full-court basketball at the local playground might be a recipe for pain and potential injury if you aren’t in shape, but it doesn’t stop thousands and thousands of people from playing it anyway, and loving every minute of it. And if you didn’t want to get too winded, you could still enjoy a game of half-court two-on-two or three-on-three. If you needed to get some exercise but didn’t want to simply go on a run, then playing basketball would be a great, and fun, alternative! Even people fortunate enough to play basketball at the college or professional level do not have to truly give up their sport once they retire. I was lucky to have played basketball for my high school’s basketball team, but I had just as much fun playing intramural basketball in college, and I still love to play pick-up basketball now, as often as I am able. The same cannot be said for those who play football, baseball, or hockey. A retired NBA player can continue to enjoy his sport so long as he can stand and move his arms. In fact, there was a time that these retired “Legends” staged a friendly game during the NBA all-star weekend. Can you imagine a similar event during the NFL’s pro-bowl? Basketball is one of the few sports that are just as much fun to play as it is to watch. So, let’s hear it for Dr. James Naismith and his brilliant idea of throwing a soccer ball into a peach basket. This message was not subject of approval by the NBA or the Orlando Magic. The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA, but solely the writer. By Live or Die Magic, Wednesday, March 17, 2010, 6:00 PM Fearless Forecast There are 14 games remaining in the regular season, seven of them are at home and seven are away. At 47-21, it appears unlikely that the Magic will be able to catch the Cleveland Cavaliers for the top seed in the East. So, their focus must be on keeping their tenuous hold on the 2-spot. The Atlanta Hawks and the Boston Celtics are only three and four games back respectively, of the Magic and will not be going away any time soon. The Magic will not be able to lose any of the easy games left on their schedule, nor can they afford to lose against too many of the contenting teams left on their schedule if they want to ensure two rounds of home court advantage in the playoffs. So, with the luck of St. Patrick’s Day as my inspiration, and since I’m always here to help my fellow Magic fans, I’ve done you the favor of laying out for you exactly how the final 14 games will go. Of course, feel free to tune into the games anyway, you know, just for kicks. March 17th – vs. San Antonio Spurs This is the one and only visit by the aging and fading San Antonio Spurs. The trade for Richard Jefferson was supposed to infuse some youth and speed to the Spurs offense, but as my fantasy team can attest, Jefferson is not playing as advertised. Meanwhile, Tony Parker has missed the past five games and will miss quite a few more. Still, the Spurs have been on a tear lately, winning 8 of 10 and four in a row. Even though they aren’t a contender anymore and are only 7th in the West, they still are a team of champions and this will be a great test for the Magic. Of course, the Magic are still chafing from the loss to the Bobcats on Sunday and will most certainly take it out on the Spurs. Magic WIN March 18th – @ Miami Heat The Magic ran roughshod over the Heat on February 28th after losing the first two matchups this season in different but equally irritating ways. This game allows the Magic to reestablish, for the Heat’s benefit, just where the Heat stand in the Southeast’s pecking order. Magic WIN March 22nd – @ Philadelphia 76ers The two victories over the 76ers this season have been very similar, with the Magic scoring over 120 points and winning by double digits both times. Considering that the 76ers have lost five straight and 10 of the last 11, I can’t imagine why this matchup will be any different. Hopefully, Jameer Nelson will enjoy another homecoming performance and match his 22 and 10 from earlier this month. This is the first of several “gimme” games down the home stretch that the Magic MUST win, and this time, they do. Magic WIN March 24th – @ Atlanta Hawks Well well well, look who is still hanging around! Unlike last season, the Hawks have not faded away as the Magic made their push. Who’d have thought that adding Jamal Crawford could turn the Hawks from upstarts to legit playoff threat? This is the team in the best position to spoil the Magic’s playoff seeding hopes. The Hawks better enjoy whatever run they make this season, because it won’t be nearly as easy to do next season when Joe Johnson departs. The Magic have absolutely owned the Hawks the last few seasons, including three double-digit victories already this season. But hey, even a blind pig finds a truffle every now and then, so I suppose the Hawks were due for a squeaker win on a night when the Magic can’t find the basket, despite a requisite big Atlanta night from Dwight Howard. Magic LOSE March 26th – vs. Minnesota Timberwolves The Magic lose a close one on the road to the Hawks and then come home to face the Timberwolves two nights later. Considering that the Wolves are on a 10 game losing streak, which is likely to be 14 by the time this game rolls around, I feel it is safe to say that the Magic’s starters will be sitting by the 3rd quarter. Magic WIN March 28th – vs. Denver Nuggets That darn Chauncey Billups. He never seems to have an off night when playing us and, in fact, seems to thrive against us as much as any team in the league. Combine that with the fact that the Nuggets have enough big men – Nene, Chris Andersen, and Kenyon Martin (assuming he has returned by then) – to throw at Dwight Howard, and it is easy to see why the Magic were trounced in Denver in January and will struggle again against the Nuggets at Amway. I didn’t even need to mention Carmelo Anthony…whoops. Magic LOSE April 1st – @ Dallas Mavericks This past Saturday, the New York Knicks beat the Dallas Mavericks, in Dallas, 128-94. This is significant because the Knicks are 23-43 and the Mavericks had won their previous 13 games. This is exhibit A for the argument that the dominant, contending teams in this league cannot sleep on the doormats. The Mavericks have benefitted greatly from a trade deadline overhaul that brought in Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood, both of whom have contributed mightily. The Mavericks play eight games between today and this matchup with the Magic and are likely to win all of them. Not to put too fine a point on it, but this will make 9 in a row. The TNT broadcast team begin shoveling dirt on Orlando’s title hopes, with Reggie Miller’s brother once again chiding Dwight Howard in an interview after the game. Magic LOSE April 2nd – @ San Antonio Spurs Two losses in a row to two of the best teams in the West leads to drama in the media and amongst the Magic fanbase. Thankfully, the Magic have two things going for them: they are away from Orlando and therefore have a buffer, and they only have one night to wait to get back on the court again and take out some frustration on a very surprised and embarrassed Spurs team. Magic WIN April 4th – vs. Memphis Grizzlies Don’t look now, but the 9th best team in the West has as many wins as the 5th best team in the East. The surprise is that it is the Memphis Grizzlies. The young core of Zach Randolph, Rudy Gay, OJ Mayo, Marc Gasol, and Mike Conley have figured out how to play effectively together, winning 7 of their last 10. Although they aren’t in the playoff picture like they were when they beat the Magic in January, the result is the same and Magic Land heads for the ledges! Magic LOSE April 7th – vs. Washington Wizards The Magic had absolutely no business losing two games to the Wizards earlier this season. They finally figured out how to put away a bad team when they whipped the Wizards by 14 points just four days ago. The Wizards have lost their last 9 games and should put up little-to-no challenge to a Magic team that is tired of losing. Magic WIN April 9th – vs. New York Knicks The great part about losing three of their past five games prior to this matchup is that the Magic come into this game pretending that David Lee and the New York Knicks are Larry Bird and the Celtics. Taking no chances, the Magic treat the Orlando home crowd to a fun and easy victory. The chants for Adonal Foyle begin in the 3rd quarter, and coach Stan Van Gundy puts him in! Magic WIN April 11th – @ Cleveland Cavaliers So here we are at the last big game of the season. The 60+ win Cavaliers come into the game having locked up home court advantage through the Finals. The Cavs have gotten along just fine without Shaquille O’Neal, and Antawn Jamison has slid in comfortably as the number 2 option under LeBron James. Coming into this matchup, the Magic haven’t beaten a title contender since the Lakers well over a month before. The Magic don’t really care much for the Cavs, even if Shaquille O’Neal isn’t on the floor. On this night, the Magic decide to show the Cavaliers who the best team in the East really is. To make the victory even sweeter, this is the Cavaliers’ last home game, giving the Cleveland faithful something to ponder when looking ahead to a potential Conference Finals rematch. Magic WIN April 12th – @ Indiana Pacers You might think that the Magic would be caught still enjoying their win over the Cavaliers when they arrive in Indianapolis the next night. But Stan and the guys are locked in, and this final road game of the regular season is treated as if it is a playoff game. The win over the Pacers also secures the Southeast division title and the #2 playoff seed in the East for the Magic. Magic WIN April 14th – vs. Philadelphia 76ers With the division title and playoff seeding already secured, Stan tells his starters that he’d really like to play them for 20 minutes or less and therefore he’d appreciate it if they could get out to a big lead early because what he really wants to hear is chants for Adonal Foyle in the first half. The Magic starters accommodate him with a 40 point first quarter against the outmanned and outclassed 76ers. Magic WIN. So, the Magic go 10-4 in their final 14 games and more importantly, finish with a five game winning streak. A final regular season record of 57-25 secures them the #2 seed in the East and keeps the Cavaliers, and the Celtics and Hawks for that matter, from feeling too comfortable about their playoff fortunes. I hope you don’t mind me spoiling the rest of the regular season for you, but you at least should have enjoyed the way it turned out! HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY!! This message was not subject of approval by the NBA or the Orlando Magic. The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA, but solely the writer. By Live or Die Magic, Wednesday, March 3, 2010, 5:00 PM Star Power or Balance? I was reading a very interesting article from ESPN.com’s Gene Wojciechowski the other day. In the article, he poses the possibility of soon-to-be free agents LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh all choosing to take less than the maximum salary to sign with the New York Knicks together this Summer. His angle is that if the three stars place championship dreams over dollar signs, they can start a dynasty together in New York. He further argues that they can more than make back the loss in salary by playing in the product endorsement magnet of the Big Apple. Picturing James, Wade, and Bosh on the same team was rather exciting, from an NBA fan’s perspective. But it got me wondering if there was a trio of players that could rival those three and make a playoff matchup interesting, hypothetically speaking of course. I came up with three players who I feel would be provide better team balance, and therefore a greater chance at a dynasty, than the three players who may or may not be headed to New York. Those players are Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony, and Dwight Howard. For the sake of this hypothetical fantasy, we are going to assume that all of these players are completely healthy (Bosh, Anthony, Wade, and Paul have all missed a game or three to injuries over the last couple of seasons). It is worth noting that all six of the players being discussed were drafted in the talent-rich period from 2003 to 2005. Even though the set of James, Wade, and Bosh clearly provides more star power and sheer talent (not to mention the love of the NBA referees), I feel that Paul, Anthony, and Howard provide better balance across the positions and offers a much greater defensive presence. Chris Paul, when healthy, is the best combination of scorer and distributor at the point guard position and he has previously led the league in steals. Combine that with Dwight Howard leading the league in blocks and rebounds two seasons in a row, and it is easy to envision a team that rarely has a problem keeping its opponent in check. There is also the adage that the point guard and center positions are the hardest to fill. Well, with Paul and Howard, you’re getting these traditional building blocks while also getting the best in the NBA at their positions. In Carmelo Anthony, you have a small forward that can score from anywhere on the court. It should not go unnoticed that Anthony has prospered from playing with a point guard that knows how to get him the ball (Chauncey Billups). As for the sheer talent and star power of James, Wade and Bosh…well, what does that matter if the players can’t play together? Which of those three are willing to give up their shots? James and Wade are better players when they have the ball in their hands, not hanging out on the wing waiting to receive it from someone else. Those two could barely play together in the all-star game last month. It is also worth noting that on the US Men’s National Team, Coach K did not always play James and Wade together, instead choosing to bring Wade off the bench. Poor Chris Bosh…would anyone even remember that he is there? I think that Howard and Anthony, combined with a talented point guard like Jameer Nelson or Chauncey Billups, could give James, Wade, and Bosh fits in a seven game series. But when you add Chris Paul, it makes that trio the clear favorite. I have a sinking feeling that the average NBA fan would still likely choose to have James, Wade and Bosh over Paul, Anthony and Howard. But as we’ve learned over the years, star power doesn’t always get it done. You still have to have the right players at the right positions, and you still have to have players willing to defer to others. I think Chris Paul would absolutely love to distribute the ball to players like Anthony and Howard. I think that Paul and Howard would have no problem letting Anthony take the last-second shot. Finally, Anthony and Paul will love all the open looks that Howard gets for them by him being dominant in the paint. Of course, it is highly unlikely that either of these two sets of players ever play together on the same team. Still, it is nice to fantasize about this type of thing, as I’m sure that New York Knicks fans will continue doing for the next few months. The problem with fantasy is that it can make reality look all the more mundane in comparison, but remember that as Orlando Magic fans, we have quite the fantasy roster already! I would like to thank my friends and fellow Orlando Magic Message Board members for joining with me in a lively discussion on this topic. Many of your thoughts made it into this blog. This message was not subject of approval by the NBA or the Orlando Magic. The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA, but solely the writer. By Live or Die Magic, Thursday, February 18, 2010, 5:00 PM Dwight is Right I know this is slightly dated news, but I just have to give my take on the recent back-and-forth between Dwight Howard and Shaquille O'Neal. I fail to understand why Shaquille O'Neal – with all that he has accomplished – feels the need to send childish barbs in the direction of a much younger and, at present, less accomplished player. Even though the source of the spat is a nickname, I think it goes much deeper. In fact, the only reason that makes sense is that Shaq must be envious of Dwight Howard's current role as "best big man in the NBA" and the fact that Howard is on his way to having a greater legacy, if not in the NBA, then most certainly in Shaq's adopted hometown of Orlando. I find it highly comical that Shaq feels offended by comparisons to Dwight Howard and by Dwight's use of the "Superman" nickname. Is anyone even justified in dictating who has the right to use a nickname from a fictional character? And if there is anyone, shouldn't it be Jerry Seigel? Or even George Reeves? Or even Christopher Reeve? Unfortunately, none of these gentlemen are around anymore to provide their opinions, but I am fairly certain that they would tell Shaq that having a "man of steel" tattoo does not give him the right to claim the Superman nickname. The funny thing about this is that Superman is known primarily for flying, and flying is something that Dwight Howard does infinitely better than Shaq! We are talking about a player who quite possibly can jump higher than any NBA player…ever. Shaq cannot compete with Howard's aerial arsenal, even if he was with the Blue Angels. Howard actually went so far as to MAKE USE of the Superman character in an NBA event, which undoubtedly ties him to the moniker much more firmly than anything Shaq has done. Howard didn't exactly stump for the nickname. In fact, it was Jameer Nelson who famously suggested that Howard put on the "S" and cape for the dunk contest two years ago. The Orlando Magic quickly jumped on the marketing angle by creating Superman t-shirts with Howard's name and number on the back and playing the Superman theme song whenever he dunks in a game. The point being, while Howard has embraced it, it almost seems like he has just grabbed a hold and enjoyed the ride as opposed to driving it. Dwight has done us proud by taking the high road and not striking back at Shaq with barbs of his own. When he was first asked about it on national television during last Friday's NBA All-Star Weekend events, he politely explained that he didn't want to get into it. But later, on Sunday, he was more forthcoming: "It didn't sit well with me personally," he said. "I'm a young player trying to get to where he's at. I felt it would be better if he tried to help me instead of trying to put me down."Howard went on to tell TNT: "I don't have any problems against him. The whole Superman thing, there's no battle of nicknames. I mean, if he wants to be Superman, he can be Superman. But I never tried to steal that title from him or take away anything that he's done for the game of basketball. I would like, instead of people fighting over a nickname, for us to be able to talk about what it's like to win a championship. Just little things that him being who he is can help me. But I never tried to do anything to be like him. I'm my own person. I just love to have fun, and I have a lot of respect for him and what he's brought to the game of basketball, and I would just ask that somebody like Shaquille O'Neal to help me become a better basketball player and a better person." I love this! What a way to very diplomatically put Shaq in his place! I am so proud of Howard and how he is stating the real issue here: that Shaq appears too egotistical to give back to the game and help with the heritage of the league by fostering a relationship with a younger center, the only other center in the NBA who appears capable of living up to Shaq's legacy. It is too bad that Howard's request for help from Shaq will only be responded to with a sneer. Even back during Shaq's prime, he was inexplicably selective with his respect for other players, especially other centers. He respected Hakeem but dissed Ewing; respected Duncan, but dissed Robinson. It seems like Shaq has his own methods for determining who is deserving of respect but he is not about to explain it to anyone else. Shaq is not likely to ever give Howard his due, regardless of what Howard accomplishes. He has not aged gracefully, NBA-wise, and he has yet to leave a team on good terms. The guy is starting to make Michael Jordan look magnanimous. You guys remember Shaq's rookie year? He was in a commercial that featured Bill Walton, Kareem, Wilt, and Bill Russell, all indoctrinating him into the pantheon of great big men, and he hadn't even done anything yet. He didn't seem to have any problem with that kind of premature praise at the time. Now that he sits front and center among the greats, wouldn't it be great if he could acknowledge the closest thing to himself that is likely to come along? It would be a positive, beneficial thing for Dwight, and even Shaq himself, if a relationship between the two could be brokered. Right now though, Shaq is just sounding like a bitter, aging old man. Think of the goodwill that Shaq could foster with the city of Orlando by helping Dwight instead of insulting him. With every word Shaq utters, he only makes Magic fans like him less, if that's even possible. Seems to me that Dwight has the right idea, stop talking and just keep playing basketball. This message was not subject of approval by the NBA or the Orlando Magic. The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA, but solely the writer. By Live or Die Magic, Friday, February 5, 2010, 5:30 PM Vince Carter: Decoy The local and national media have spent an abundance of time and print on the decline and fall of Vince Carter. Since his slump began in late-December, it has been the most discussed topic related to Magic basketball. It isn't just the media; its the fans as well. It hasn't helped that Vince's slump has coincided with a stretch of Magic losses last month. Even though the Magic seem to have righted themselves and are back to winning ballgames, Carter's slump continues, with the latest trend being that he doesn't play in the fourth quarter. Yes, it is fair to point out that Vince not playing in the fourth quarter is humorous in an unfunny way, considering he was brought in to be the go-to scorer in the 4th quarter of close games. But I'm not intending to recap what has already been written or to provide some form of a retort to those who have provided Carter with a bright, blazing spotlight these past few weeks. In fact, I'd like to thank them. Let Vince Carter be the story. Let him be the focus. If he's not going to make the shots, let him take the shots. Vince is becoming the Magic's decoy both on and off the court. Let everyone around the league be so focused on Vince and his struggles that it lessens the glare on the more intriguing Magic stories that are developing as the Magic hit their stride. Dwight Howard's renewed energy, focus, and his ability to stay on the floor for big minutes instead of being in foul trouble. The exploding confidence of JJ Redick and Ryan Anderson. The steady "glue" contributions of Jason Williams and Matt Barnes. The quiet cool of Sweet Lew and his rock solid play of late. In fact, Rashard Lewis has flourished as much as any Magic player during Vince's period of struggle. In his last 10 games – the time period showcasing the Magic's upturn – Lewis is averaging 17.1 points per game, 5.5 rebounds per game, 46% shooting from the field (including 43% from the arc), and one awesome game winner to beat the Boston Celtics, which was dubiously set up by the decoy himself! That layup by Lewis with Kevin Garnett guarding him is my favorite play of the year so far. During that same 10-game span, Lewis has averaged 34.6 minutes a game (a significant amount for anyone not named Dwight Howard on this deep team!), showing how valuable and dependable he is as a steady contributor. As far this fan is concerned, Vince Carter can continue to be less than half-amazing if it means the rest of his teammates continue to flourish and the team continues to rack up wins. If Vince's poor shooting, or absence in 4th quarters means that he is the center of scrutiny, I don't think that Dwight Howard will mind having a shorter time answering questions in the Magic locker room. Vince drawing this much attention off the court is just a bonus to what he was meant to do on the court. Regardless of whether Vince scores 20 points or two points, opposing teams must still plan for him and in many cases, double team him. The other team can never know if THIS is the night that Vince busts out his "A" game and puts up 35 points. In spite of the recent trend, Vince's reputation remains the same, an offensive player for whom you must account. Considering that he is sharing the court with Rashard Lewis, Jameer Nelson, and Dwight Howard, then it becomes apparent that splitting that focus up among so many threats makes prepping for the Magic a grueling process for the other NBA coaches. Magic GM Otis Smith summed up this sentiment when speaking to the Orlando Sentinel: "I didn't bring Vince Carter here to score 25 points a night." "What you have to do is guard him every night and when you guard him, somebody else is open," Smith said. "I don't care if we have 12 guys averaging 10 points a night. It's not centered around one guy." If Vince's slump should continue as the playoffs draw nearer, more will be made of the fact that the guy brought in to replace and improve upon our previous "Mr. 4th Quarter," Hedo Turkoglu, is barely even playing in the 4th quarter. This is highly unlikely; however, because ultimately, Vince Carter will adjust and figure out how to be effective late in close games. As the pace of the game slows down in the playoffs, his ability to isolate and go one-on-one to the basket, with a good chance of a foul call, will be more pronounced. I truly believe that this is simply a time of adjustment for him, a time when he is still finding his place on the most talented roster he's ever been on. But in the meantime, acting as the decoy for the rest of his talented teammates seems to be working just fine, even if this isn't quite the way that he, or the Magic, had envisioned his role on this team. Oh and guess what? Vince Carter played 40 minutes in Tuesday's win over the Bucks, shot 7 of 15, scored 17 points, dished out 7 assists and snagged 10 boards. It's only one game, so I'm not saying his decoy days are over, but a player as naturally talented as Vince Carter could certainly manage to carry a team while occasionally running interference. After all, isn't that what a decoy is for? This message was not subject of approval by the NBA or the Orlando Magic. The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA, but solely the writer. By Live or Die Magic, Friday, January 15, 2010, 5:30 PM Reflecting and Relating After reading and/or listening to multiple reports and comments about the New York Knicks attempt to lure LeBron James away from the Cleveland Cavaliers this coming offseason, I couldn't help but think back to the Summer of 1996 when the Los Angeles Lakers were able to pry Shaquille O'Neal from us. At the risk of stirring up old hurt feelings, I thought I'd provide my thoughts on the matter and also provide you with some insight I was fortunate to get from two individuals with more knowledge than I. First off, I'm curious if it bothers anyone else that various sectors of the media and even a large number of fans are expressing anger toward the New York Knicks and their rather transparent attempt to create salary cap space to sign LeBron? Actually, I'm not bothered by their anger, but I do find it odd this same anger, at least from a league-wide perspective, was not present back during the 1995-1996 season when the Los Angeles Lakers were doing the same thing, if a little more discreetly. It was gut-wrenching and franchise-devastating when the Orlando Magic lost O'Neal back then, and in my mind, Cleveland losing LeBron to the Knicks, or any other team, is the only event that could possibly equal or trump it. At least the Cavaliers have had several years to prepare for the possibility, and at least they got to resign James once already. The Magic had less than a season to prepare for Shaq's departure and up until he had announced that he had signed with the Los Angeles Lakers, no Magic fan dared to consider the terrible scenario. So why is it that everyone seems to dislike the idea of the Knicks trading for expiring contracts, signing their own free agents to one year deals, and generally putting an inferior product on the floor, on purpose? Why are people clamoring for change now? Where were these people 14 years ago? Why is it different? Could the difference between sentiment now and sentiment then be partly because we've been through this before? Is the reaction to the Knicks' actions due to the NBA fan base and the media already seeing this situation play out one too many times? Do I dare consider the thought that those that follow the NBA actually learned something from all the time spent by the Orlando Magic franchise in the sports abyss? Yeah, I'm not buying it either. Sports fans tend to place the needs and desires of their own favorite team(s) above the needs of all other teams, or even the league as a whole. So, I'm not thinking that the NBA fan base wants a pity party for Cleveland, let alone a retroactive one for the Magic. More likely, the reason for the difference is because now, in 2010, the way the game is covered has evolved far beyond how it was covered in 1996. The way that the media makes information available to the fans, and the way that the fans access both the media's information, and the league's product itself, has changed drastically. Back then, there weren't any blogs or tweets, and really, there were very few websites at all, in comparison to today or even to 10 years ago. For most NBA fans, your NBA news came from Sportscenter and your local newspaper. So, even if there were an equivalent uproar back then, there were not as many outlets for that uproar to be disseminated. At a recent Magic home game, I spoke with former Magic GM John Gabriel. Gabriel has an interesting view of all of this. In 1996, he was part of the Magic's front office who so desperately tried to sign Shaq to an extension. Today, he is a scout for, yep, you guessed it, the New York Knicks. John agreed with my opinion that the way the NBA is covered now is a major factor in the difference in perception. As for 1996, Gabriel did hint that the Magic were aware of the history between Shaq and his LA-based agent Leonard Armato, and that Armato was pushing Shaq to leave all along. Regarding his being on the other side of the situation now, he did make sure to point out that everything that Knicks GM Donnie Walsh has done has been up-front and above board. In other words, Walsh is not trying to break any NBA tampering rules. I will go to my grave firmly believing that Armato and then-Lakers president Jerry West were taking tampering to a new level back in 1996. I was also able to speak with Orlando Magic executive Pat Williams about the differences and similarities between the Magic/Lakers situation with Shaquille O'Neal back in 1996 and the Cavaliers/Knicks situation with LeBron James this season. Williams, like Gabriel, was part of the Magic's front office in 1996 and so he also had an interesting perspective on the situation. Williams feels that it ultimately came down to the Magic getting burned by a loophole in the NBA's collective bargaining agreement that allowed a player to become an unrestricted free agent within the framework of his rookie contract. This loophole sounds completely ludicrous by today's NBA standards. To put it in perspective, consider the Oklahoma City Thunder's Kevin Durant or the Portland Trailblazers' Brandon Roy. Both players are irreplaceable to their teams and their cities. Imagine if this offseason, Roy was able to leave Portland, after completing his fourth season, and the Trailblazers received no compensation and had no recourse. It would be even worse if in the summer of 2011, after completing his fourth season, Durant left the Thunder dark and cloudy (yes, I went there.). Both teams, and both teams' fan bases, can breathe a sigh of relief because neither of them can lose these players in quite that manner. Shortly after the Magic lost Shaq, the NBA closed this little "loophole" that allowed players to easily become unrestricted free agents during their rookie contracts. Today, a rookie's contract value is predetermined by his draft position. A player drafted in the first round will receive a standard 5-year contract, with the final two years being option years. Because the team has the option of extending the contract, it allows the player to become a restricted free-agent in year four. So, even if the two sides cannot reach agreement on an extension, the team at least can consider trade options to avoid losing the player for nothing. No such options were available to the Magic in 1996. There is one crucial difference between the Magic/Shaq situation and the Cavaliers/LeBron situation: the current rookie contract setup allowed the Cavaliers to successfully resign LeBron James once already. Granted, James did choose to sign a shorter deal, but the team has still managed to keep his services for seven seasons (three seasons longer than the Magic has Shaq). This same rookie contract setup also prevented lightning striking twice here in Orlando, as the Magic were able to extend Dwight Howard past his rookie contract. So, the system does work in this sense. Of course, nothing can stop an elite player from leaving a team once he has reached unrestricted free agent status. At that point, it truly comes down to whether the player wants to stay with that team or not. Money still plays a factor, as the current team can still sign the player for more money and more years, but if the player wants a change, there is really nothing the team can do except hope and pray for a sign and trade. The Magic sure would have liked a sign and trade back in 1996. I think it is worth pointing out that the three major free agent signings the Magic have made since then – Tracy McGrady and Grant Hill in 2000, and Rashard Lewis in 2007 – were sign and trades, not unrestricted free agents signings. So, no matter how unbalanced the trades might have been, at least those players' former teams didn't come away empty handed. Sure, the sign and trades benefitted the players, but I choose to believe that, at the very least, the Magic front office also showed some consideration to their trade partners. So, getting back to today's perception of the New York Knicks…even if coverage and access to information is more widespread, the sentiment and the principle should be the same, right? Time period or environment shouldn't matter when considering whether the Knicks deserve the ire of the NBA fan base. I believe that teams should be permitted to improve themselves, in whatever manner they can, provided they are operating within the NBA framework. But there are problems with dumping salary, acquiring expiring contracts, or signing short term deals. This plan typically translates to a bad record ('99-'00 Magic being an exception) in the present, with no guarantee that your efforts will be rewarded. It takes a very open-minded fan base to deal with going from bad to worse. In the case of the Knicks, you are asking fans who are paying more for tickets than any other franchise to pay those same rates while also acknowledging that the team is purposely performing actions that lead to a less-competitive product. So, yeah, one could argue that this transparency has a direct impact on the integrity of the game. By the way, I find it absolutely hilarious – but not in a funny way – that Shaq has a connection to both the Magic's situation in 1996 and the Cavaliers situation now. I mean, what were the Cavs thinking bringing in the most disloyal superstar in the history of the NBA to be around their franchise player during his free agent season? Is Shaq really the player you want whispering free agent advice into LeBron's ear? For all we know, Shaq may already have a nice little package deal worked out with Knicks GM Donnie Walsh! If the Knicks end up with both LeBron James and Shaq this offseason, the league should just implode right on top of David Stern's office. So, give me your thoughts. How do you feel about what the Knicks are doing? Do the recent accusations by former Cavaliers coach John Lucas that the Cavs tanked the 2002-2003 season in order to better position themselves to draft LeBron change your perceptions of this whole situation? What are your thoughts on the differences between now and 1996? This message was not subject of approval by the NBA or the Orlando Magic. The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA, but solely the writer. By Live or Die Magic, Tuesday, January 12, 2010, 12:41 PM What, Me Worry?? Last week's visit by the Toronto Raptors may have been played in the Amway Arena, but it was difficult to tell if it was the home team or the away team that was playing like the Orlando Magic. The inside-outside game being used by Chris Bosh and his teammates looked rather familiar. It was a distorted mirror image of the last visit by the Raptors in December, save for the Magic's valiant, but ill-fated push in the 4th quarter. With the loss to the Raptors, the Magic stood at 7-7 in their previous 14 games. Then, when they followed that loss up with a curious 4th quarter meltdown against the normally hapless Washington Wizards, it signaled the first four game losing streak of Coach Stan Van Gundy's tenure. As any proud Magic fan knows, the worst part wasn't the losses, but who the losses came against: four straight sub-500 teams beat the Magic. I find myself looking for but not finding any quick, obvious answers that quickly explained the reasons for the slump. A good friend of mine, who is also a passionate Magic fan and fellow Orlando Magic Message Board member, described the problem as a lack of good, consistent point guard play, combined with lapses in Dwight Howard's playing level. That is as good an explanation as anything I can come up with. But regardless of any slump or any easy answers, what time and again amazes me is the extreme, knee jerk reactions from Magic Fan. When the team is on a roll, he thinks the players should get sized for rings. When the team starts a skid, the club should fold or move to Seattle, if the city will even have them. It's true that the Magic are struggling of late and have had trouble on the road. What was once perceived as a strength has now become a weakness at worst, and an uncertainty at best. As we sit poised for the first of a four-game road trip out West, I choose to view it as an uncertainty. Although chemistry is truly not an issue with this team, familiarity with all the moving parts might be. We can't seem to get healthy. "Healthy" for the Magic might have to be redefined as "any time the Magic can employ any three of the four all-stars on the roster." So, the fact is, nearly halfway through the season, the team is still getting comfortable playing together. And in light of all of these factors, is 25-11 all that bad? It may not be the pace of an elite 60-win team, but we certainly shouldn't be filling out our wills. The goal for the season shouldn't be a specific win plateau but instead should be to finish with as many wins as possible and to finish as high in the standings as possible. For all we know, 55 wins might get it done! But really, it is just way too early to even predict where the Magic will finish. For now, it is sufficient to say that the Magic sit in a good position amongst their peers, namely, the Boston Celtics and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Home court advantage is very important, but we cannot forget that this advantage did not help the Celtics and Cavaliers last season. The Celtics have their own injury issues, and over the course of the next month, the Magic may be in a position to take advantage of it (especially if we can figure out a way to schedule the Atlanta Hawks a few more time, amirite!). The Cavaliers are more of an unknown factor. Frankly, I am still waiting for them to falter and I still don't think they match up well against us in a series. But they have LeBron James, so… So explain it to me Magic Fan. How can a fan base become so spoiled after only one season of true playoff success? It seems impossible for Magic Fan to just come along for the ride. I still remember how up and down, crazy insane last season was, but it was so much fun! By early June my buddies and I had agreed to get Magic tattoos if we won the title. Never mind that my tattoo would have been somewhere well-hidden, like, I don't know…on my foot, maybe. The point is, we were excited, the Magic were world beaters, and we were prepared to promise anything – within reason – while basking in the euphoria of the Magic glow. It is much easier to enjoy this kind of team, and this kind of season, if you just acknowledge that there will be ups and downs, but many many more ups than downs! Let go of the wheel Magic Fan, buckle up, and relax! This message was not subject of approval by the NBA or the Orlando Magic. The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA, but solely the writer. By Live or Die Magic, Thursday, December 17, 2009, 12:41 PM Booing Turk? Take off, eh! I was especially excited to attend last night's Orlando Magic game vs. the Toronto Raptors because it was the first time that Hedo Turkoglu would be visiting the O-Rena since he departed the team last Summer. It warmed my heart to see him before the game, exchanging hugs with his former teammates and greeting various Magic staffers, arena workers, and media members that he had gotten to know over the past five seasons. You could tell he was genuinely happy to be back here to a place that was his home. During the player introductions, Hedo received what sounded like a nice, warm reception from the Magic crowd. I was very pleased to hear it. But then, once the game started, I was astonished to hear rather loud booing every time Hedo touched the ball. I was incredulous! How can anyone boo Hedo Turkoglu! This isn't Shaquille O'Neal we are talking about. This isn't Grant Hill and seven years of salary cap purgatory. This isn't even Tracy McGrady leaving and having a few choice words on the way out. Hedo Turkoglu was a model player while he was here and his personal development coincided with the Magic's rise to prominence. This is a player who chose to sign with the Magic back in 2004 and was our most versatile offensive player during his five seasons with us. Even if you care to take issue with some of the deficiencies in his game, or if you feel that the Magic are better off with Vince Carter instead of Hedo, you cannot take issue with how well Hedo represented the Orlando Magic and how great a teammate he was while he was here. Perhaps the Magic fans that were booing him weren't aware that he did not exactly bull rush out of here and head up to the Great White North to hang with the McKenzie brothers. For several months before the 2008-2009 season ended, there was speculation that Orlando Magic GM Otis Smith was not going to break the bank to sign Hedo Turkoglu. You could make a very valid argument that once the Magic traded for Vince Carter, signing Hedo Turkoglu was no longer a possibility. My point is that if you have to pick a party that should feel slighted, it is hard to point to the Magic. Under this assumption, how can those that were booing last night possibly think that Hedo deserved it? Considering how poorly the Toronto Raptors are playing so far this season – last night they basically played the role of the Washington Generals to the Magic's Globetrotters – Hedo should be getting our sympathy, not our disdain. If you really want to get down to the essentials of this whole booing business, and why it was wrong, just read what Coach Stan Van Gundy had to say about it: "I thought he got a good reception, I don't know. Once the game starts I don't know what happens. I thought before the game he got a nice reception. Anybody who's booing him in my mind really can't be a Magic fan. I don't understand how you're a Magic fan and you're booing him. He did a great job for this organization for a number of years. We wouldn't have gotten to where we got to last year without him. He deserves nothing but the respect and gratitude of the fans. Plus he's a good guy. This is not a guy who ever caused any problems. I can't imagine how you can be sitting in that arena and boo Hedo Turkoglu. I didn't hear it and I don't understand how anybody could do that." After Stan's press conference ended, I went over to the visitors' locker room and spoke with Hedo Turkoglu. I explained to him that Stan was asked about the booing and told Turk what Stan had to say about it. This was Turk's response: "It was nice of him...I still have a good relationship with him. He always showed respect and supported his players and today I appreciate his comments. You know, this is business...and fans, some of whom boo and some cheer...and you can't get on to the whole of Magic fans for what some of them do." See there Magic fans...Hedo is not holding it against you. For the love of Mookie Blaylock, why are you holding it against him? This message was not subject of approval by the NBA or the Orlando Magic. The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA, but solely the writer. By Live or Die Magic, Wednesday, December 2, 2009, 4:55 PM A Preferable Problem The Orlando Magic's roster depth will be a point of discussion all season long. We won't know until the end of the season if the depth is of a quality to place us above the rest of the elite teams in the NBA. For the moment, it is sufficient to state that the depth of talent on the roster is what should allow the Magic to successfully weather the early stages of what is shaping up to be an even more interesting season than we anticipated. The team has already seen plenty of injuries and illnesses (and suspensions!) throughout the roster. We lose Rashard Lewis for the first 10 games, then get him back, only to then lose Jameer Nelson for a minimum of four weeks, but likely for longer! Ryan Anderson and Vince Carter both tweaked ankles, while Mickael Pietrus and Marcin Gortat got the flu. Despite all of this, the Magic have still been able to send out at least eight players for each game who have meshed and performed well enough to achieve a 14-4 record. It has also left some of the bench players with some uncertainty. Brandon Bass can't seem to get any playing time all of a sudden, Marcin Gortat is never sure how much he will play and JJ Redick is never sure if he will get six minutes or 20 minutes. My point isn't to criticize, in fact, I don't envy Coach Stan Van Gundy and his rotation decisions each game. But I'm sure he prefers this to the alternative: having to look beyond his own bench to find a piece to plug into the hole. Sure on a night like the game against the Thunder, it meant that Brandon Bass and Matt Barnes didn't see action until the fourth quarter. Considering how integral both players were to the Magic's success so far, it was surprising to see them sitting so long. Of course, its not like the Magic didn't have 9 other players more than capable of putting away an improved team like the OK Thunder! It is also a bench that has us with the Eastern Conference's best record after 18 games. Ultimately, Stan will have to tighten up his rotation. I don't see him playing 11 players deep into April. But it will be almost impossible for him to get it down to the typical 8-man playoff rotation. In fact, depending on matchups, Stan may be hard pressed to avoid playing 10 players a night. With Nelson proving to be injury-prone, Stan will likely keep his minutes down once he returns. Considering how well Jason Williams has played in the starting role, he will likely continue to see at least 20 minutes a night. Dwight Howard has shaken off his foul troubles the last three games, allowing him to play over 40 minutes each game (for the first time all season!) and get back to the kind of scoring, rebounding, and blocks numbers that we have come to expect from him. Should Howard continue to struggle with foul trouble all season (especially against opponents with all-star caliber post players), it will mean that Marcin Gortat will continue to be an important part of the mix. Seriously, how could GM Otis Smith even consider trading Gortat during the season if Howard continues to have issues with fouls? As I've mentioned previously, I feel that J.J. Redick will be in the rotation as long as he is in Magic pinstripes. Matt Barnes has shown his versatility, on the court and in the stat sheet, so he is likely to see time at multiple positions throughout the season. Which bring us to our two back-up power forwards. Who would have thought that the energetic, rugged Brandon Bass, signed as a free agent out from under the Dallas Mavericks, would be the odd man out. It appears that Ryan Anderson, the "throw in," is going to be the player getting the minutes behind Rashard Lewis. Granted, Stan did throw a curve ball the other night against Milwaukee when Bass suddenly played again after racking up 4 consecutive DNP-CDs. But then the very next night against the Knicks, it was Anderson getting the minutes again. It looks like Stan will attempt to keep both of these players from getting too rusty on the bench, but clearly, Anderson, with his long-range shooting ability, will be the favorite to get the most minutes. As much as I like Anderson, it is a shame that we can't figure out how to use both players. I mean, it has been a while since we have seen a player like Bass on the roster. Even in limited minutes, he seems to deliver. But then, that is the whole point of this roster! A very talented player (or players) will be left sitting on the bench because we just have too much of a good thing. We managed to beat good teams with physical presences like Atlanta, Boston, and Toronto without Bass playing at all. You know it has reached comical levels when Magic fans have taken to the message boards with their debates over whether Jason Williams should keep the starter's job once Nelson returns. Who'd have expected that possibility a month ago? You think that's preposterous? Try this one...someone posted a thread on the Magic message boards saying that Ryan Anderson should start at power forward, even after Rashard Lewis returns! Jubilant, hyper-intense fans of any team in any sport use the open access medium of the interwebs to voice their opinions, regardless of how outlandish they might sound. But it is a symptom of the make-up of the current roster that these types of outlandish claims are even possible. I say we just enjoy the ride. After all, we aren't the ones having to scratch our heads and stroke our mustaches before each game, wondering how best to divvy up the minutes. Let's leave the hard work to Stan and his staff. Point To Ponder In researching some stats on the bench's minutes played for this piece, I couldn't help noticing Dwight Howard's stats over the last three games - all road wins. The last three games represent the first games of the season in which Dwight Howard has played 40 minutes or more. A direct correlation to this fact is his low number of fouls in those games. It needs to be stated that all three wins were close games, at least going into the fourth quarter, therefore the starters played more minutes. Howard also was not having to guard an all-star in the post in any of these games, making it easier to stay out of foul trouble. Still, it is nice to see that when Howard avoids foul trouble and gets bigger minutes, he can put up the numbers we expect. I think that Dwight's increased focus of late - especially on defense - has contributed to the better numbers. Stan has also made it a bigger priority to establish Howard in the post. The only knock is that he shot 50% from the stripe in those three games. Here are his numbers (averages) for the last three games: 40.7 mins; 71% FG; 3.3 Bpg; 17.7 rbpg; 23.7 ppg; 3 fouls per game. That, my friends, is straight-up stellar. This message was not subject of approval by the NBA or the Orlando Magic. The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA, but solely the writer. By Live or Die Magic, Thursday, November 12, 2009, 1:05 PM The Arrival of Redick In a relatively quiet manner, with no one noticing save those setting out to notice it, J.J. Redick has transformed himself into a solid NBA basketball player. Over the course of the past 12 months, and specifically the past 12 days, JJ has proven to this Magic fan that he is just as important to our depth as Brandon Bass, Matt Barnes, and Marcin Gortat. Consider that JJ has survived Maurice Evans, Keith Bogans, and Courtney Lee as former Magic shooting guards who have come and gone during his tenure. Now, despite the signing of Mickael Pietrus and the trade for Vince Carter, here's JJ, averaging 30 minutes per game with 6 starts in 9 games this season. Sure, we have been hit hard with injuries so far this season, but even last night, with both Carter and Pietrus in the lineup, JJ still played 20 minutes and again got into double figure points. Take a further look, and you'll see that it appears he is the only shooting guard on the roster who can stay consistently healthy. J.J. Redick remains one of the most discussed players the Magic have ever drafted. Whether you liked him in college or hated him, everyone assumed he would be the type of player in the pros that he was at Duke. We've spent over three seasons now making this unrealistic and unfair comparison. Perhaps even JJ spent some time struggling with the assumption that his NBA career would be as smooth and successful as his college career. While records and accolades have not followed Redick to the pros, on thing remains constant: he plays for a hard nosed coach who preaches defense, discipline, and individual sacrifice. As much as any player on the roster, Redick has been molded to Stan Van Gundy's image of what an NBA player should be. His incomparably sweet shooting stroke aside, JJ's game has all the attributes of Stan Van Gundy basketball. On offense he is constantly moving, looking for space, and taking the open jumper when he has it. Gone is the hesitation he showed during his first couple of seasons. It was maddening to watch JJ then. He'd have three-to-five feet of space to put up a shot – ample space for a quick, rhythm shooter – but more often he would simply pump fake and then look to pass. Now, if JJ pump fakes, it is intended, and it can just as easily be followed by a move toward the lane as by an effortless 3-pointer. He is comfortable driving to the basket or utilizing back door cuts to catch interior passes and get easy layups. He has also demonstrated the knack for the timely extra pass. All of this is basketball "know how" that he already possessed, but now he appears comfortable using this knowledge at this level. In fact, you could actually argue that he has learned to turn his brain off and just allow his basketball instincts to take over. On defense, he stays with his man as best he can and is ready to offer help defense when needed. JJ may never be a lock down defender and may always struggle with both size and speed when defending opposing shooting guards. But as Stan Van Gundy will tell you, defense, and especially team defense, is primarily about effort. Teams may not be able to avoid a bad shooting night on occasion, but there isn't much excuse for a lack of effort on defense. Effort on defense is one area that Redick excels as much as any other Magic player. Even though Stan was not yet here when we drafted JJ, it almost seems that JJ is one of Stan's guys. Redick listens to Coach Van Gundy and it appears that Van Gundy has complete confidence that when Redick is on the floor, he will give Stan exactly what he expects. I have to wonder if even Stan expected Redick to be averaging 12 points per game and 42% from beyond the arc (actually, he probably WAS expecting that second part). It was very appropriate that after a horrible defensive performance last night against the Cavaliers, Stan Van Gundy singled out JJ Redick in his post-game press conference. He didn't single out JJ for a great shooting night or for stellar play, but for his willingness to be the first player to stand up and admit to his teammates and coaches that the Magic are just not a very good team right now. This is a sentiment that Stan has been sharing with anyone that will listen for at least a full week now. See, now Stan and JJ are even starting to think alike! The fact that JJ is willing to speak up in a locker room filled with all-stars is a testament to his character and how good a teammate he can be on the court and in the locker room. Remember that supposedly brash, almost egotistical, player we drafted out of Duke? Where is he now? Redick's comfort and familiarity with his teammates is also evidenced by his ability to work just as effectively with the starting unit as with the second unit. He no longer has any issues with getting into the flow of the game. One argument made for his earlier struggles was that he was used to starting and playing bigger minutes and did not have the consistent playing time needed to get comfortable and loose. While that argument might have had some merit at the time, Redick now appears comfortable and "in the flow" from the minute he steps on the court, whether that's at the start of the 1st quarter or the start of the 2nd. I submit to you this assumption: Redick will still be an integral part of the rotation this season, even once the Magic are fully loaded. The average Magic fan has taken it as fact that the Magic will allow Redick to walk after this season as a restricted free agent or be included in some mid-season trade. While both are realistic possibilities, I think that the Magic, and Coach Stan Van Gundy in particular, like who JJ has become and see him as being an integral part of this championship caliber team for many seasons to come. I mentioned earlier that it was unfair to assume that JJ would be the same type of player for the Magic that he was in college. I think maybe I should qualify that statement. JJ may not be as prolific a player for the Magic as he was at Duke. But he actually is still the same type of player. A player who can shoot "lights out", a player who will play exactly as his coach demands, a player who shows leadership both on and off the court, and a player who can be and wants to be, the best teammate possible. This message was not subject of approval by the NBA or the Orlando Magic. The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA, but solely the writer. By Live or Die Magic, Friday, October 30, 2009, 9:09 AM Opening Night Observations · I always like to get to the O-Rena early enough to see the festivities outside the building. There is always a plethora of activities going on for the fans. Last night I was very pleased to see the final steel beam that will be placed inside the new events center. The Magic had displayed this beam outside the O-Rena so that Magic fans could sign the beam for posterity. The beam was on its side and so most people were writing on the top. I looked underneath and saw that the underside was pretty much empty. So, I had all kinds of space to sign! It will be interesting to see where the beam is placed and whether or not it will ever be visible again. · Got to speak to the Sixers Asst. GM and former head coach Tony DiLeo in the media food line. After exchanging greetings, I couldn't think of anything else appropriate to say but in my head I was wondering if it felt odd for him to not be coaching the team, considering it was their first regular season game since he stepped down. · The banner raising ceremony, and the '09 playoffs recap video was epic. I got goose bumps watching it. I have to say, it did seem odd that the video recap, which conveniently ended at the Eastern Conference Finals, didn't include any highlights from any player not currently on this season's roster. So, no highlights from Hedo Turkoglu, Courtney Lee, or Rafer Alston. And to be fair, all three of those players had a ton of highlight-worthy moments during the playoffs. I was sitting next to a member of the Magic's web development team and I brought this point up. It was explained to me that the reason those players are missing is because the Magic can't promote another team's product. I am quite satisfied with this answer as I'm sure it is a league wide practice in these situations. · I was lamenting not having an actual game ticket when I saw that the Magic were giving out mini versions of the ECF Championship banners. Undeterred, I ventured out to the concourse and scored one from an unnamed worker at the turnstiles. Hey, I'm still a fan, right!? · One thing that really stood out for me was how healthy – and FAST – Mickael Pietrus looks. Seriously, he makes Vince Carter look slow by comparison, which is saying something! · I've been hearing a few Ryan Anderson / Pat Garrity comparisons lately. The problem with these comparisons is that they pit the current Ryan Anderson against the most recent Pat Garrity. To be fair, we should be comparing second-year Anderson to second-year Garrity, which incidentally, leads us to the most appropriate comparison. See, Garrity was also sent to us as a "throw-in" (Penny Hardaway to the Suns in 1999 for multiple draft picks) and came to us during his second year. During that 2nd year, he was a solid contributor on the "Heart and Hustle" squad, only starting one game, but playing solid minutes (18 min.) in all of them. He hit 40% from the arc and averaged 8.2 ppg. If we get that kind of production out of Ryan Anderson this season, I'll be very happy. Of course, the main reason that I don't think the comparison has merit is because Ryan Anderson seems to have a more physical game than Garrity did. Sure he is obviously a shooting threat, but in the nine games we've seen so far (including preseason) he is spending as much time inside the point as outside the paint. · I am continuously amazed at the size of Dwight Howard's shoulders. It almost looks like he has a bowling ball at the top of each of his arms. The maximum weight of a bowling ball is 16 pounds. I have no idea what the average weight of the human shoulder is, but would any of you be at all surprised to learn that Howard's shoulders weigh 16 pounds each? · Can someone please explain to me why the Sixers dumped Andre Miller?· Funniest moment of the night: So, you know the Magic are trying this courtesy initiative in which they ask you to wait for a stop in play for you to return to your seat. This way, you do not disrupt your fellow fans who are in their seats enjoying the game. In theory, it is a great idea, and I hope it works. But in practice, it leads to unintentional comedy. I observed a group of people being asked to wait at the top of the concourse until there was a stop in play. One of the fans waiting - a pretty woman with long red hair - heard me make a comment about how long the policy might last. She responded "Two games! Cuz after that, I'm going red-head on them!" Stay tuned! · I was absolutely amazed at how completely and efficiently the Magic 2nd unit WORKED the Sixers 2nd unit in the 2nd quarter. The lineup of Marcin Gortat, Matt Barnes, Brandon Bass, JJ Redick, and Jason Williams might win 20 games as a starting unit, which is saying something considering that most NBA benches are lucky to go three deep. Regardless, our 2nd unit will easily compete and surpass most, if not all, of the 2nd units in the league. Sure, its one game, but come on, Jason Williams had 11 points, 4 assts, and a board in just 11 first half minutes! · Speaking of Jason Williams...I loved seeing him get fouled on a last-second heave to end the half. He went to the line for three with a 70 point first half on the line and he didn't disappoint. · My one and only feeling of disappointment with Dwight Howard on the night was his technical foul. I mean, the 1st half of the 1st game of the year and Howard already has a tech? Of course, Stan went and did the same thing later in the game, so there you go. · The Magic pretty much hit the brakes after the third quarter and Stan basically said as much in his post-game press conference. Still, I want to cut the guys a bit of slack considering they put up 100 points in three quarters. But Stan has a point, we can afford to only play 36 minutes when we are shooting lights out and playing teams like the Sixers. But we will need all 48 minutes and zero defensive lapses when we're playing the elite teams of the league. · As if the first night of the season wasn't special and satisfying enough, on my way out of the O-Rena, Nick Anderson, my favorite player of all time, stops me, shakes my hand, and asks me how I'm doing! I'm doing just great Nick, and thanks for asking! Final Point to Ponder I'm not totally sure what the best NBA regular season record is for a team without a 20 points-per-game scorer. I feel pretty confident that it is the 2007-2008 Boston Celtics who won 66 games with Paul Pierce leading the way with 19.6 ppg. The reason I bring the point up is that I would not be surprised if our team depth is such that our leading scorer – most likely Dwight – dips below the 20 points-per-game threshold for the season. Now, the real question is whether or not we have the talent, drive, and yes, luck, to make a run at 67 wins. It will be fun to watch them try! This message was not subject of approval by the NBA or the Orlando Magic. The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA, but solely the writer. By Live or Die Magic, Friday, October 23, 2009, 10:10 AM No Uncertainty Here! To me, it seems uncommon for a team coming off of so successful a campaign to enter the following season with so much uncertainty. But there it is. Whether this is simply a perception shared by the media and the fans, or whether it is something the coaches and players feel as well, it is apparent that the 2009-2010 Orlando Magic have many questions to ponder and answer as they move toward the start of the new season. After winning 59 games and losing in the Finals in June, the Magic still bring back their franchise player, their highest paid player, their starting point guard, and their top-flight coach. For most successful teams, that would seem like enough – enough at least, for most observers to feel that the team should be ready to duplicate the success of the previous season. But the Magic didn't stop there – no, they added a 20 point scorer and finisher in Vince Carter, and they reinforced an already good bench with starting quality players such as Brandon Bass, Jason Williams, Matt Barnes, and Ryan Anderson. You would think that this influx of new talent would only serve to strengthen the argument that the Magic should continue on the path to a championship. But instead, we hear that the loss of Hedo Turkoglu eliminates any mismatch edge we had against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Magic's ability to surround Dwight Howard with several different combinations of slashers, shooters, and scorers makes the current roster an opposing coach's headache. But instead, we hear how Rashard Lewis missing the first 10 games is going to cause us to lose ground against Boston in the race for home court advantage. The Magic chose to make a surprising move when they matched the large contract of their back-up center. Marcin Gortat could easily start for a significant number of NBA teams. Instead, he will continue to back up the best center in the league. Instead of marveling at what a luxury it is, what a great potential advantage it is, to be able to call on such a good player, if needed, we hear how the Magic's chemistry issues will be a disadvantage all season long against the other elite teams in the league. I sometimes wonder if the people making these observations are watching the same NBA that I am. Was chemistry an issue for the 2007-2008 Boston Celtics? How 'bout for the 2007-2008 LA Lakers when they brought Pau Gasol in? How about any other NBA Finalist over the last decade who has made tweaks and changes each year? The fact is, chemistry is always going to be something that NBA teams deal with, even when rosters don't change this dramatically. But we are talking about professionals here. Otis Smith and Stan Van Gundy are on the same page with this team. They know what to expect from everyone on the roster. The locker room is under control thanks to players like Rashard Lewis, Dwight Howard, and especially Jameer Nelson. The players we have brought in as additions to this team are either veterans eager for the chance to be on a successful team and playing with a dominating center (Vince Carter, Matt Barnes, Jason Williams), or are young, promising players itching for the chance to establish themselves even further (Brandon Bass, Ryan Anderson). We have not added head cases or potential malcontents such as Ron Artest or Rasheed Wallace onto this roster. Everyone wearing Magic blue and white this season will be more than willing to sacrifice themselves for the other players on this team. So, I would argue that chemistry will be a major strength this season, not a weakness. For me, I have appreciated watching my team have such an amazingly eventful off season, coming off such an amazingly eventful 2008-2009 campaign. I never expected to be more excited to watch the 2009-2010 Magic roster than I was to watch last season's version. And maybe this is the very simple place to stop all the uncertainty and just focus on this one certain fact: this Magic season is going to be fantastic! This message was not subject of approval by the NBA or the Orlando Magic. The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA, but solely the writer.