Denton's Notes: Howard-Boozer Pairing?
By John Denton
December 10, 2009
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.
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A month ago, it was Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade saying that of all the superstars in the NBA the one he’d most like to play with is Orlando Magic superstar Dwight Howard.
Now, Utah Jazz star forward Carlos Boozer has followed suit, saying he’d love to play alongside of Howard, his closest friend in the NBA.
Boozer was rumored to be on the trade block all summer and he could return to that position before February’s trade deadline if the Jazz (13-9) fall out of the playoff picture in the Western Conference. Boozer, 28, is in the final year of a contract that will pay him $12.6 million and he’ll be an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2010.
``You got that big fella down there on defense because he covers up a lot of mistakes for you when he’s as active as he is,’’ said Boozer, who was in the Magic locker room after Thursday’s game to chat with Howard. ``Everybody in the league would like to be on the same team as Superman.’’
Boozer and Howard became close friends during the 2008 Summer Olympics in China. Boozer was in Orlando throughout much of the Eastern Conference Finals and the NBA Finals last spring, dinning nightly with Howard at his suburban Orlando house. The two also traveled to Africa together this past summer as a part of the NBA Cares ``Basketball Without Borders’’ program.
``We bonded, that’s one of my best friends. Great character, great dude and he’s a big kid inside a gigantic body,’’ Boozer said. ``I just hung out with him (last spring) and his chef made some great food. I was rooting for him, wanting him to get his first (championship). He played well and he’s one of my best friends. When one of us gets knocked out like we did, then we cheer for the other one.’’
VAN GUNDY AMAZED: Stan Van Gundy’s father was a coach, his brother was a coach and all he ever wanted to be while growing up was a basketball coach. And he’ll glad tell you that most of his friends are coaches of some sort.
So maybe it’s no surprise at all that Van Gundy considers Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan as one of his heroes in the profession. Van Gundy marvels that Sloan has been so successful in his 22 years in Utah, leading the Jazz to the NBA Finals twice.
``To me, this is a mentally taxing job, the losses bother me, the season is long and the travel is tough. To me, maybe other than Phil Jackson winning 10 championships, the most remarkable coaching achievement is what Jerry has done,’’ Van Gundy said. ``I can’t fathom 21 years of doing this and doing it well. It seems otherworldly to me.’’
Van Gundy, who has admittedly struggled with keeping his emotions from spilling over during long seasons, said he’s most impressed with how Sloan has been able to maintain his intense style of coaching and never wavering in his approach.
``He’s a very intense guy and for him to go out year after year and do it, I marvel at it,’’ Van Gundy said. ``I talk about it all the time with other coaches. To me it’s as big as an accomplishment as anybody has ever reached in this league, being in one place 21 years and counting. It’s phenomenal.’’
J.J.’S PUMP FAKE: J.J. Redick’s growth as a player helped make him a fixture in Van Gundy’s rotation each of the past two seasons. And Redick got to this point not only on his talent alone; he’s also become a student of other players to help grow his own game.
Redick is utilizing his pump fake more than ever this season, a move that has helped him get free for shots. And he’s also used it to get defenders off their feet and help him get to the free throw line.
Redick entered Thursday’s game in Utah averaging 2.19 free throws a game, easily the most in his career. As he’s made more 3-pointers and long jump shots, Redick has found that his pump fake has become an even bigger weapon for him.
``People are usually going to at least lean on my shot fake. I use the shot fake before and after the dribble – before the dribble to get by a guy or after the dribble to get them up in the air,’’ Redick said. ``Watching guys like Kobe (Bryant) and (Dwyane) Wade, they do it three or four times a game to get to the free throw line. And one thing that I’ve learned from them is the best time to use it is when there is already space. That’s when a guy will usually bite on (the fake) because he feels like he has to close the space. That’s when you can really draw a foul.’’
Redick said his ability to get to the free throw line might be a bigger advantage if he weren’t shooting a career-low 78.3 percent from the line. Said Redick: ``If only I were a good free throw shooter it would really be beneficial for me.’’
ETC: Former Magic small forward Matt Harpring’s career is likely over after he was unable to recover fully from an infection that developed following ankle surgery in 2008. Harpring, who is currently doing television work for the Utah Jazz, hasn’t formally announced his retirement, but has said he won’t play this season. … TNT sideline analyst Craig Sager is known for his flashy attire, but he opted for an understated brown and tan look Thursday night. When one fan asked him before the game what color he’d be wearing, Sager said: ``Warm.’’ The temperature outside Energy Solutions Arena at game time was 10 degrees. … The Magic play the Suns in Phoenix tonight at 10:30 p.m. Phoenix has easily played the NBA’s most road games (15), but it is the league’s lone unbeaten team at home (7-0). Orlando, which beat the Suns 122-100 on Nov. 4, has lost seven in a row in Phoenix.
John Denton writes for Orlandomagic.com. His Orlando Magic ``Behind the Scenes’’ segment can be heard on ESPN 1080 AM on Thursday at 5:05 p.m. Submit questions to John for his ``Ask J.D.’’ mailbag feature that will appear every Friday at AskJD@orlandomagic.com.
By John DentonDecember 10, 2009
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.
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A month ago, it was Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade saying that of all the superstars in the NBA the one he’d most like to play with is Orlando Magic superstar Dwight Howard.
Now, Utah Jazz star forward Carlos Boozer has followed suit, saying he’d love to play alongside of Howard, his closest friend in the NBA.
Boozer was rumored to be on the trade block all summer and he could return to that position before February’s trade deadline if the Jazz (13-9) fall out of the playoff picture in the Western Conference. Boozer, 28, is in the final year of a contract that will pay him $12.6 million and he’ll be an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2010.
``You got that big fella down there on defense because he covers up a lot of mistakes for you when he’s as active as he is,’’ said Boozer, who was in the Magic locker room after Thursday’s game to chat with Howard. ``Everybody in the league would like to be on the same team as Superman.’’
Boozer and Howard became close friends during the 2008 Summer Olympics in China. Boozer was in Orlando throughout much of the Eastern Conference Finals and the NBA Finals last spring, dinning nightly with Howard at his suburban Orlando house. The two also traveled to Africa together this past summer as a part of the NBA Cares ``Basketball Without Borders’’ program.
``We bonded, that’s one of my best friends. Great character, great dude and he’s a big kid inside a gigantic body,’’ Boozer said. ``I just hung out with him (last spring) and his chef made some great food. I was rooting for him, wanting him to get his first (championship). He played well and he’s one of my best friends. When one of us gets knocked out like we did, then we cheer for the other one.’’
VAN GUNDY AMAZED: Stan Van Gundy’s father was a coach, his brother was a coach and all he ever wanted to be while growing up was a basketball coach. And he’ll glad tell you that most of his friends are coaches of some sort.
So maybe it’s no surprise at all that Van Gundy considers Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan as one of his heroes in the profession. Van Gundy marvels that Sloan has been so successful in his 22 years in Utah, leading the Jazz to the NBA Finals twice.
``To me, this is a mentally taxing job, the losses bother me, the season is long and the travel is tough. To me, maybe other than Phil Jackson winning 10 championships, the most remarkable coaching achievement is what Jerry has done,’’ Van Gundy said. ``I can’t fathom 21 years of doing this and doing it well. It seems otherworldly to me.’’
Van Gundy, who has admittedly struggled with keeping his emotions from spilling over during long seasons, said he’s most impressed with how Sloan has been able to maintain his intense style of coaching and never wavering in his approach.
``He’s a very intense guy and for him to go out year after year and do it, I marvel at it,’’ Van Gundy said. ``I talk about it all the time with other coaches. To me it’s as big as an accomplishment as anybody has ever reached in this league, being in one place 21 years and counting. It’s phenomenal.’’
J.J.’S PUMP FAKE: J.J. Redick’s growth as a player helped make him a fixture in Van Gundy’s rotation each of the past two seasons. And Redick got to this point not only on his talent alone; he’s also become a student of other players to help grow his own game.
Redick is utilizing his pump fake more than ever this season, a move that has helped him get free for shots. And he’s also used it to get defenders off their feet and help him get to the free throw line.
Redick entered Thursday’s game in Utah averaging 2.19 free throws a game, easily the most in his career. As he’s made more 3-pointers and long jump shots, Redick has found that his pump fake has become an even bigger weapon for him.
``People are usually going to at least lean on my shot fake. I use the shot fake before and after the dribble – before the dribble to get by a guy or after the dribble to get them up in the air,’’ Redick said. ``Watching guys like Kobe (Bryant) and (Dwyane) Wade, they do it three or four times a game to get to the free throw line. And one thing that I’ve learned from them is the best time to use it is when there is already space. That’s when a guy will usually bite on (the fake) because he feels like he has to close the space. That’s when you can really draw a foul.’’
Redick said his ability to get to the free throw line might be a bigger advantage if he weren’t shooting a career-low 78.3 percent from the line. Said Redick: ``If only I were a good free throw shooter it would really be beneficial for me.’’
ETC: Former Magic small forward Matt Harpring’s career is likely over after he was unable to recover fully from an infection that developed following ankle surgery in 2008. Harpring, who is currently doing television work for the Utah Jazz, hasn’t formally announced his retirement, but has said he won’t play this season. … TNT sideline analyst Craig Sager is known for his flashy attire, but he opted for an understated brown and tan look Thursday night. When one fan asked him before the game what color he’d be wearing, Sager said: ``Warm.’’ The temperature outside Energy Solutions Arena at game time was 10 degrees. … The Magic play the Suns in Phoenix tonight at 10:30 p.m. Phoenix has easily played the NBA’s most road games (15), but it is the league’s lone unbeaten team at home (7-0). Orlando, which beat the Suns 122-100 on Nov. 4, has lost seven in a row in Phoenix.
John Denton writes for Orlandomagic.com. His Orlando Magic ``Behind the Scenes’’ segment can be heard on ESPN 1080 AM on Thursday at 5:05 p.m. Submit questions to John for his ``Ask J.D.’’ mailbag feature that will appear every Friday at AskJD@orlandomagic.com.
