Magic's Backcourt Back in Order
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March 16, 2009
ORLANDO -- Let’s take a trip back in time for a moment and rewind to just about one month ago.
Jameer Nelson has just gone down with a season-ending shoulder injury and things are looking a little bleak for the Magic at their point guard position.
Although veteran Anthony Johnson is doing a serviceable job starting in place of the wounded All-Star guard, there are major concerns about depth at that spot and Johnson’s ability to handle high minutes over the duration of the season.
The Magic are 3-4 since the injury and their once bright championship aspirations are looking a little dim.
If at this moment in time you told the Magic’s staff they could just have average play at that position for the rest of the season, they may have taken it.
But after making a few inquisitions, an opportunity came knocking at Magic General Manager Otis Smith’s doorstep. It was a deal he couldn’t pass up.
He had the chance to acquire point guard Rafer Alston without giving up any of Orlando’s core players.
It was a move he believed would make his team better and bring them back among the Eastern Conference’s elite squads.
His intuition was right on.
With Orlando’s 105-87 home rout of the previously red-hot Utah Jazz this past Sunday, the Magic earned their third straight win and improved to 10-3 since trading for Alston.
The recently acquired guard was again a pivotal piece of the puzzle, notching 16 points on a sensational 7-of-11 shooting to go along with six assists, three rebounds, two steals and one blocked shot.
While Utah’s Deron Williams – widely considered one of the top point guards in the league – was supposed to be the one to watch, he was heavily outshined by Alston and held to a dismal 3-of-10 shooting performance from the floor.
Alston – aka Skip to My Lou – continued to look more comfortable with his surrounding cast as Orlando grabbed its seventh triumph in its past eight games.
“With each game and each practice I’m (feeling more comfortable),” Alston said. “I’m trying to focus on being more sure with the ball and trying to find those guys sweet spots on the floor. It’s getting better with each passing day.”
His teammates couldn’t agree more.
“Of course the ball handling and decision making are going to always be there, because that’s what he’s known for,” Johnson said about Alston’s attributes. “Now he knows when his shots are going to come in the offense and is making plays. He looks like he is fitting in well. The better he plays, the better we play.”
Alston’s impact is having a positive affect on Johnson as well.
Although the two rarely grace the court at the same time, his presence has allowed Johnson to revert back to a backup role and increased his production.
The player known as Dad to his teammates for his veteran wisdom tallied 14 points and five rebounds in just over 21 minutes against Utah.
“AJ has been playing well since Skip has been in the lineup,” All-Star forward Rashard Lewis said. “He’s been coming off the bench and playing some of his best basketball that he’s played all year. That just shows he’s doing his job and playing his role.”
The backcourt tandem has also taken some of the pressure of All-Star center Dwight Howard’s shoulders and allowed him to once again get comfortable with the Magic’s offense both in transition and when he sets up in the low post.
“Rafer has come in and has done a good job of pushing the pace and getting us into our offense,” the Magic’s Superman said after posting 28 points and 20 rebounds for his seventh 20-20 performance of the season. “Dad has been doing a great job coming off the bench with the same kind of intensity. We are happy that the two guys we have at our point guard position are doing an excellent job.”
While some players may have soured over the thought of being reduced back to a bench role, Johnson has fully embraced it. After being on his fair share of franchises – seven to be exact – the veteran point guard is just searching for a championship. And he fully appreciates the Magic organization’s intense effort to make sure he gets one.
“There is no way you can really replace an All-Star player,” Johnson reflected about Nelson’s season ending injury. “The way he was playing this season; he was playing at an unbelievable rate. He was making this team go. But throughout an NBA season, you’ll have injuries. Otis made a good move to bring in (backup point guard Tyronn Lue) and Rafer Alston. Now with Skip, he gives us a little bit more play making than I provide. At the same time, we have to play a solid 48 minutes at that point guard spot for us to win ballgames. We are just trying to get it done individually and collectively as a unit.”
When the Magic take the court Tuesday night for a heavily anticipated matchup in Cleveland at 7 p.m., it will nearly mark Alston’s one month anniversary with club. And with Orlando once again being considered as a top contender in the conference, the impact he’s made is crystal clear.
