Magic Tricks - A Statistical Look at the Magic

Think you know everything about the Magic? Here's a few items you may not know about this year's team...

WE’RE GOING STREAKING!!…
Orlando is currently riding a season-best four-game winning streak…The last time the Magic won four consecutive games was Mar. 15-23, 2003…Last season, Orlando won three straight games on three separate occasions, but never recorded a four-game winning streak…The last time the Magic had a five-game winning streak was Mar. 8-17, 2002, part of a six-game winning streak.

**MAGIC TRICKS – WINNING STREAK STATS**
During the last four games, the Magic are holding opponents to 83.0 ppg. (332 points) and a .396 (124-313 FG) field goal percentage…They have outrebounded their opponents, 181-163…During the streak, Dwight Howard is averaging 12.8 ppg., 12.8 rpg. and 1.75 blkpg. in 33.3 minpg. (51 pts., 51 rebs., 7 blks., 133 mins.).

HOME SWEET HOME…
The friendly confines of the TD Waterhouse Centre have been kind to the Orlando Magic during the team’s history…Orlando has an all-time record of 397-250 (.614) at home (647 games)…The Magic are 4-4 this season at the TD Waterhouse Centre…Their longest homestand of the season will be a six-game span from Dec. 19-30…Under Head Coach Brian Hill, the Magic have a home record of 126-30 (.808).

TRIPPIN’…
The Orlando Magic continue a four-game road trip tonight @ Chicago (1-0 thus far)…This season, Orlando is 3-2 on the road…Last season, the Magic finished with a 12-29 record away from home…They have an all-time road mark of 233-412 (.361, 645 games)…Orlando’s best all-time road record is 23-18, set back in 1995-96.

YOU CAN’T SPELL ORLANDO WITHOUT A ‘D’…
Heading into this season, defense has been a major point of emphasis for the Magic…Last season, Orlando allowed 101.8 ppg., which ranked 28th in the NBA…Through the first 13 games this season, Orlando has allowed an average of 88.1 ppg. (1,145 total points), which currently leads the NBA (as of Nov. 28).

**MAGIC TRICKS – DEFENSE**
Orlando has held opponents to 90 points-or-less nine times this season, including four consecutive games from Nov. 23-28 (Nov. 23 vs. Washington, 91-83; Nov. 25 vs. Portland, 104-89; Nov. 26 vs. Miami, 80-77; Nov. 28 @ Boston, 87-83)…The most games Orlando has held opponents to 90-or-fewer points is 44, back in 1997-98.

DOWNRIGHT DEFENSIVE…
In 31 of the 52 regulation quarters that the Magic have played this season (59.6% of quarters played), Orlando has held its opponents to 22 points or less...Orlando has held the opposition to less than 100 points in 11 of its 13 games…The most games the Magic have held opponents to less than 100 points in a season is 54, back in 1996-97…They also have held teams under .500 shooting from the floor in 11 of 13 outings…Orlando’s most games holding opponents to sub-.500 shooting from the field is 73, back in 2003-04…Opponents are shooting .430 (423-984) from the field against the Magic.

BUY ONE, GET ONE FREE…
Orlando is shooting .737 from the free throw line (250-339) this season…When the Magic attempt more (or the same) free throws than their opponents, they are 5-1…Hedo Turkoglu leads the Magic with a free throw percentage of .952 (40-42), ranking fourth in the NBA (as of Nov. 27).

**MAGIC TRICKS – FREE THROWS**
Hedo Turkoglu made 21 consecutive free throws from Nov. 5-23, before missing his only attempt on Nov. 25 vs. Portland…The most consecutive free throws made in franchise history is 47, by Darrell Armstrong (Nov. 13-Dec. 11, 1999)…Heading into tonight’s game, he has made his last 17 free throws…Turkoglu was also a perfect 10-of-10 on Nov. 26 vs. Miami…The franchise record for most free throws made in a game without a miss is 17, set by Grant Hill on Nov. 1, 2002 @ Minnesota.

CLEANING THE GLASS…
Orlando has outrebounded its opponents in nine of the 13 games so far this season…As of Nov. 27, the Magic are ranked seventh in the league in offensive rebound differential and fourth in total rebound percentage…Dwight Howard leads the Magic, averaging 12.7 rpg….He is second in the NBA in rebounding.

DYNAMITE DWIGHT…
Dwight Howard has started his sophomore campaign right where he left off last season…The 19-year-old (he turns 20 on Dec. 8) leads the team in rebounding (12.7 rpg., 2nd in NBA, as of Nov. 27), blocked shots (1.75 blkpg., 20th), FG percentage (.504, 70-139, T-24th) and double-doubles (10, 5th)…Howard has led (or tied) the team in scoring twice and in rebounding 11 times.

**MAGIC TRICKS – DOUBLE YOUR PLEASURE**
Dwight Howard has recorded a team-best 10 double-doubles this season, including seven straight from Nov. 5-19, averaging 13.1 ppg. and 14.7 rpg. during that span (92 points, 103 rebounds)…Last season, he led the team with 32 double-doubles and was one of only eight players in the NBA to average a double-double…The team record for most consecutive double-doubles is 18, held by Shaquille O’Neal from Nov. 27-Dec. 30, 1993.

20/20…
On Nov. 15 vs. Charlotte, Dwight Howard tallied a season-high-tying 21 points and a career-high-tying 20 rebounds…He became the youngest player in NBA history to record 20-plus points and 20-plus rebounds in the same game (19 years, 342 days)…Last season, Howard pulled down 20 rebounds three times, becoming the youngest player in NBA history to record 20-or-more rebounds in a game and the first rookie to have multiple 20-plus rebound games since Tim Duncan in 1997-98…Below are the top-five youngest players in NBA history to notch a 20-point/20-rebound outing:

STEVE-OHH…
Steve Francis continues to fill the box score each and every night…The 6-3 guard leads the team in scoring (18.5 ppg., 31st in NBA), assists (6.0 apg., 20th), steals (1.08 stlpg.) and minutes played (38.7 minpg., T-16th)…Francis has scored in double figures 12 times, including six games with 20-plus points…He has led (or tied) the team in scoring seven times, in rebounding once and in assists 11 times.

**MAGIC TRICKS – FRANCIS**
Last season, Magic guard Steve Francis joined Oscar Robertson, Magic Johnson and teammate Grant Hill as the only players in NBA history to average at least 15 points, five rebounds and five assists in each of their first six seasons…Robertson accomplished the feat in each of his first 12 seasons, while Johnson averaged at least 15-5-5 in all 13 of his NBA campaigns.

SECOND HALF NELSON…
Guard Jameer Nelson has provided the Magic with a spark off the bench this season, especially during the second half of games…Of his 125 points this season, 93 of them have been scored in the second half (74.4% of his total)…He leads the team in fourth quarter points with 70.