Denton: Magic-Spurs Postgame Analysis
By John Denton
March 17, 2010
Note: The contents of this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the Orlando Magic. All opinions expressed by John Denton are solely his own and do not reflect the opinions of the Orlando Magic or their Basketball Operations staff, partners or sponsors. His sources are not known to the Magic and he has no special access to information beyond the access and privileges that go along with being an NBA accredited member of the media.
ORLANDO – He’s certainly had better statistical games this season, but this particular performance – one filled with one jaw-dropping play after another -- was the finest of the season for Orlando Magic star guard Vince Carter.
Whether it was the three long-distance 3-pointers that Carter hit early in the game or the two spectacular lob passes that he made to teammate Dwight Howard late in the night, Carter was easily the most dazzling player on the floor.
Combining Carter’s spectacular 24-point, eight-assist night with statistically the worst shooting performance of Tim Duncan’s stellar career produced a surprisingly easy 110-84 whipping of the San Antonio Spurs for the Magic.
A nationally televised audience and a sellout crowd at Amway Arena were treated to a show by the 33-year-old Carter. It was vintage Vince when the guard scored 16 first-quarter points to get the Magic off to a blazing start.
In the game, he made seven of 11 shots, three of four 3-pointers and seven of eight free throws. And to make the night even better, his eight assists were a season high for the Daytona Beach native. ``The first thing I look at after a game are my assists and my turnovers, not the points,’’ said Carter, who had one turnover in 30 minutes on Wednesday. ``If I go out and have 14 assists, but turn it over four times, I feel like I hurt my team. But I pride myself on the fact that my team puts the ball in my hands and trust me to protect the ball and make plays. I just try to make good things happen.’’
The Magic, who improved to 48-21 and actually clinched a playoff spot a night earlier, did plenty of good things Wednesday night. Most impressive was holding Duncan, a four-time NBA champion, to one of 10 shooting. According to Elias Sports Bureau, it was the worst shooting night of his career, topping the one of eight night against Minnesota back in 2005.
``We didn’t allow him to get to his sweet spots,’’ Magic center Dwight Howard said of Duncan’s struggles. ``He hit that first shot, but he got it up real quick. He had an off night and missed some shots that he normally makes. Tim said he felt like he was in the matrix.’’
San Antonio (40-26) played a night earlier in Miami, where the Magic will be Thursday to face the Heat. The Spurs have been playing their best basketball of the season of late, winning four in a row and eight of 10.
But on Wednesday night the Spurs ran into a buzz saw in Orlando, and head coach Gregg Popovich acted accordingly by pulling his veteran starters early in the night. Duncan, who is a month away from his 34th birthday, scored just five points and played only 24 minutes. Manu Ginobili (18 points) played only seven minutes after halftime before the Spurs surrendered.
THE GOOD
---- Carter talked recently about how he can’t wait for ``a long second season,’’ implying that he welcomed his trade to Orlando with open arms because it meant playing in meaningful playoff games again.
Two more victories and Carter will be a part of a 50-win team for the first time in his 12-year NBA career, and a part of a team that is showing signs of being a serious championship contender again come the spring.
That push for the playoffs seems to have sharpened Carter’s game. He is shooting the ball better now than he has at any point in the season and is open to having the ball in his hands to score or make plays for others.
``It’s not about who scores the most points; it’s just about who has the open shot and getting them the ball so they can shoot it,’’ Carter said. ``We’ve done a good job of exploiting different situations.’’ ---- Rashard Lewis had a huge bounce-back game after suffering through a mini-slump of three games. Coming into Wednesday he had made 18 of 56 shots (32.1) and eight of 29 3-pointers (27.5 percent), but he was clearly locked and loaded from the start.
Magic coach Stan Van Gundy designed the first play of the night for Lewis, who buried it from the baseline. He went on to make seven of 10 shots and four of six 3-pointers for 20 points.
``I just keep shooting the ball. I don’t worry about (slumps) at all,’’ Lewis said. ``When you make your first shot you feel like you are going to make every shot of the game. This is the type of team where we all want to win and we all just help each other. Jameer did a good job keeping everybody involved and we worked together on some things with some drag screens. It was a really good game for us.’’
---- Marcin Gortat once again bailed out the Magic when Howard picked up two quick fouls in the first quarter. He took great pride in knowing that he played a role in helping hold Duncan to an all-time low game in field goal percentage.
Said Gortat, who had seven points and 10 rebounds: ``First of all, I just tried to keep my hands up and not let Duncan make any of those crazy moves where he goes under your arms. I just wanted to play him tough and compete. I just tried to push him out of them. Duncan is a great player and stopping a guy like that gives you confidence and makes you feel good about yourself.’’
THE BAD
---- Matt Barnes has drawn raves from coach Van Gundy for his willingness to run the floor hard and hustle from start to finish.
But one moment in the second quarter proved embarrassing for Barnes after he sprinted the length of the floor and got ahead of the Spurs.
Carter found a streaking Barnes ahead of the pack for what appeared to be an easy bucket. But Barnes got caught between dunking the ball and laying it up, and instead did neither.
His awkward layup hit off the back of the rim and bounced away.
Barnes, who was playing with a sore big toe on his left foot, was otherwise brilliant, giving the Magic eight points, seven rebounds, four assists and a steal in 33 minutes.
---- The Spurs came into Wednesday’s game playing some of their best basketball of the season, but clearly they can’t get all-star point guard Tony Parker back soon enough.
Second-year point guard George Hill has been an admirable fill-in for the dazzling, daring Parker. But Hill was a mess on Wednesday, looking unsure of himself and looking as if he didn’t want to shoot the ball. Hill missed four of his five shots.
Parker, who is out with a broken hand, could miss the remainder of the regular season.
THE UGLY
---- Mickael Pietrus suffered a freakish injury in the second quarter when he was dribble alone at the top of the key and grotesquely rolled his left ankle over.
Pietrus went down in a heap after the side of his ankle turned over onto the hardwood and lay in obvious pain for some time.
The Magic’s top reserve on the wing assuredly won’t play tonight in Miami, giving the Magic one fewer defensive option to throw at superstar guard Dwyane Wade.
``The trainers said they didn’t think it was that bad, but it will be a few days,’’ Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. ``It’s too bad because he had been in a slump and then had the big game (on Sunday against Charlotte).’’
---- Duncan has had some classic battles with Howard in the past five seasons, averaging 22.4 points, 12.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.4 blocks. But Wednesday’s game has to be one of the worst performances of his storied, four-championship career.
Duncan started the game with a nifty 12-foot hook shot along the baseline, but then he missed his next six shots of the first half.
And by the time he was mercifully pulled from the game with 3:31 left in the third period, Duncan had missed nine of his 10 shots and seemed bothered by Howard’s defensive presence.
Said Popovich: ``I hope it was an off night (for Duncan).’’
John Denton writes for Orlandomagic.com. His Magic ``Behind the Scenes’’ segment can be heard each week on ESPN 1080 AM. E-mail John at jd41898@aol.com.
By John DentonMarch 17, 2010
Note: The contents of this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the Orlando Magic. All opinions expressed by John Denton are solely his own and do not reflect the opinions of the Orlando Magic or their Basketball Operations staff, partners or sponsors. His sources are not known to the Magic and he has no special access to information beyond the access and privileges that go along with being an NBA accredited member of the media.
ORLANDO – He’s certainly had better statistical games this season, but this particular performance – one filled with one jaw-dropping play after another -- was the finest of the season for Orlando Magic star guard Vince Carter.
Whether it was the three long-distance 3-pointers that Carter hit early in the game or the two spectacular lob passes that he made to teammate Dwight Howard late in the night, Carter was easily the most dazzling player on the floor.
Combining Carter’s spectacular 24-point, eight-assist night with statistically the worst shooting performance of Tim Duncan’s stellar career produced a surprisingly easy 110-84 whipping of the San Antonio Spurs for the Magic.
A nationally televised audience and a sellout crowd at Amway Arena were treated to a show by the 33-year-old Carter. It was vintage Vince when the guard scored 16 first-quarter points to get the Magic off to a blazing start.
In the game, he made seven of 11 shots, three of four 3-pointers and seven of eight free throws. And to make the night even better, his eight assists were a season high for the Daytona Beach native. ``The first thing I look at after a game are my assists and my turnovers, not the points,’’ said Carter, who had one turnover in 30 minutes on Wednesday. ``If I go out and have 14 assists, but turn it over four times, I feel like I hurt my team. But I pride myself on the fact that my team puts the ball in my hands and trust me to protect the ball and make plays. I just try to make good things happen.’’
The Magic, who improved to 48-21 and actually clinched a playoff spot a night earlier, did plenty of good things Wednesday night. Most impressive was holding Duncan, a four-time NBA champion, to one of 10 shooting. According to Elias Sports Bureau, it was the worst shooting night of his career, topping the one of eight night against Minnesota back in 2005.
``We didn’t allow him to get to his sweet spots,’’ Magic center Dwight Howard said of Duncan’s struggles. ``He hit that first shot, but he got it up real quick. He had an off night and missed some shots that he normally makes. Tim said he felt like he was in the matrix.’’
San Antonio (40-26) played a night earlier in Miami, where the Magic will be Thursday to face the Heat. The Spurs have been playing their best basketball of the season of late, winning four in a row and eight of 10.
But on Wednesday night the Spurs ran into a buzz saw in Orlando, and head coach Gregg Popovich acted accordingly by pulling his veteran starters early in the night. Duncan, who is a month away from his 34th birthday, scored just five points and played only 24 minutes. Manu Ginobili (18 points) played only seven minutes after halftime before the Spurs surrendered.
THE GOOD
---- Carter talked recently about how he can’t wait for ``a long second season,’’ implying that he welcomed his trade to Orlando with open arms because it meant playing in meaningful playoff games again.
Two more victories and Carter will be a part of a 50-win team for the first time in his 12-year NBA career, and a part of a team that is showing signs of being a serious championship contender again come the spring.
That push for the playoffs seems to have sharpened Carter’s game. He is shooting the ball better now than he has at any point in the season and is open to having the ball in his hands to score or make plays for others.
``It’s not about who scores the most points; it’s just about who has the open shot and getting them the ball so they can shoot it,’’ Carter said. ``We’ve done a good job of exploiting different situations.’’ ---- Rashard Lewis had a huge bounce-back game after suffering through a mini-slump of three games. Coming into Wednesday he had made 18 of 56 shots (32.1) and eight of 29 3-pointers (27.5 percent), but he was clearly locked and loaded from the start.
Magic coach Stan Van Gundy designed the first play of the night for Lewis, who buried it from the baseline. He went on to make seven of 10 shots and four of six 3-pointers for 20 points.
``I just keep shooting the ball. I don’t worry about (slumps) at all,’’ Lewis said. ``When you make your first shot you feel like you are going to make every shot of the game. This is the type of team where we all want to win and we all just help each other. Jameer did a good job keeping everybody involved and we worked together on some things with some drag screens. It was a really good game for us.’’
---- Marcin Gortat once again bailed out the Magic when Howard picked up two quick fouls in the first quarter. He took great pride in knowing that he played a role in helping hold Duncan to an all-time low game in field goal percentage.
Said Gortat, who had seven points and 10 rebounds: ``First of all, I just tried to keep my hands up and not let Duncan make any of those crazy moves where he goes under your arms. I just wanted to play him tough and compete. I just tried to push him out of them. Duncan is a great player and stopping a guy like that gives you confidence and makes you feel good about yourself.’’
THE BAD
---- Matt Barnes has drawn raves from coach Van Gundy for his willingness to run the floor hard and hustle from start to finish.
But one moment in the second quarter proved embarrassing for Barnes after he sprinted the length of the floor and got ahead of the Spurs.
Carter found a streaking Barnes ahead of the pack for what appeared to be an easy bucket. But Barnes got caught between dunking the ball and laying it up, and instead did neither.
His awkward layup hit off the back of the rim and bounced away.
Barnes, who was playing with a sore big toe on his left foot, was otherwise brilliant, giving the Magic eight points, seven rebounds, four assists and a steal in 33 minutes.
---- The Spurs came into Wednesday’s game playing some of their best basketball of the season, but clearly they can’t get all-star point guard Tony Parker back soon enough.
Second-year point guard George Hill has been an admirable fill-in for the dazzling, daring Parker. But Hill was a mess on Wednesday, looking unsure of himself and looking as if he didn’t want to shoot the ball. Hill missed four of his five shots.
Parker, who is out with a broken hand, could miss the remainder of the regular season.
THE UGLY
---- Mickael Pietrus suffered a freakish injury in the second quarter when he was dribble alone at the top of the key and grotesquely rolled his left ankle over.
Pietrus went down in a heap after the side of his ankle turned over onto the hardwood and lay in obvious pain for some time.
The Magic’s top reserve on the wing assuredly won’t play tonight in Miami, giving the Magic one fewer defensive option to throw at superstar guard Dwyane Wade.
``The trainers said they didn’t think it was that bad, but it will be a few days,’’ Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. ``It’s too bad because he had been in a slump and then had the big game (on Sunday against Charlotte).’’
---- Duncan has had some classic battles with Howard in the past five seasons, averaging 22.4 points, 12.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.4 blocks. But Wednesday’s game has to be one of the worst performances of his storied, four-championship career.
Duncan started the game with a nifty 12-foot hook shot along the baseline, but then he missed his next six shots of the first half.
And by the time he was mercifully pulled from the game with 3:31 left in the third period, Duncan had missed nine of his 10 shots and seemed bothered by Howard’s defensive presence.
Said Popovich: ``I hope it was an off night (for Duncan).’’
John Denton writes for Orlandomagic.com. His Magic ``Behind the Scenes’’ segment can be heard each week on ESPN 1080 AM. E-mail John at jd41898@aol.com.
