Savage & Cohen: Magic-Bulls Postgame Analysis
By Josh Cohen
March 11, 2010
THE GOOD
--- The Magic’s thrashing of the Bulls allowed Orlando’s starters to earn significant rest. Dwight Howard, for instance, played just 19 minutes and Rashard Lewis joined the action for 26 minutes. J.J. Redick spent the longest time on the floor for the Magic (35 minutes).
--- Orlando secured its season-best seventh straight victory. Its average margin of victory during this stretch is nearly 19 points. It’s the longest stretch of wins since it won seven in a row between Jan. 6-17 of last season.
--- Vince Carter continues to be extremely efficient and productive since the beginning of February. He has scored in double figures in all but one game since Feb. 1 and has buried 34 3-pointers during this stretch.
--- “I’ve done this so I know what it’s like,” he said. “I know what it takes. It’s still patience, doing what we have to do to take the necessary steps getting there."
--- Brandon Bass racked up 13 points, his highest scoring total since Dec. 2 when he posted 17 points against the Knicks, and added a season-high eight rebounds.
--- “I just want to bring energy,” he said. “I don’t mind this role at all.”
--- The Magic out-rebounded the Bulls by 17. Marcin Gortat, who played 24 minutes, accumulated 11 boards, one shy of his season high. Orlando also registered a season-best eight blocks.
THE BAD
--- Up until the 2:15 mark of the third quarter, the Magic had recorded just four total points in the period. Their lead, nevertheless, was so sizeable that it never caused any major concern. Orlando did manage to finish the quarter with 14 points.
--- Mickael Pietrus missed Thursday’s game due to a strained neck. He is day-to-day.
--- Already minus Joakim Noah (plantar fasciitis) and Luol Deng (calf), the Bulls lost All-Star Derrick Rose with a sprained left wrist after he collided with Dwight Howard in the first quarter. It was the second time this season Rose had to leave the game against the Magic. In their last meeting, he hurt his hip after bumping into Howard.
--- “We’re a different team than what we were,” Bulls Head Coach Vinny Del Negro said. “From our injuries, to the trade, to everything involved, we’re without a lot of our guys.”
THE UGLY
--- The Bulls have lost six straight after winning six of seven. If the playoffs had started a week ago, Chicago would have been the No. 6 seed. If it started today, it would be on summer vacation.
--- Joe Alexander was the eighth overall selection by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2008 NBA Draft. Nearly two years later, the former West Virginia standout is almost non-existent in this league. After being traded by the Bucks at the February deadline, Alexander has been delegated to an extremely insignificant role with the Bulls. He scored two points on 1-of-3 shooting in 12 minutes of action on Thursday.
--- Although not exactly related to the Bulls-Magic game, but the Washington Wizards are wishing now more than ever they never had to deal with that blizzard that battered the D.C. area last month. Due to a postponement at that time, the Wizards had to play a makeup game against the Hawks on Thursday and then resume there normal schedule which includes a trip to Detroit on Friday and a home game against Orlando on Saturday. Brutal!
CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL ARTICLE >>>
By Josh CohenMarch 11, 2010
THE GOOD
--- The Magic’s thrashing of the Bulls allowed Orlando’s starters to earn significant rest. Dwight Howard, for instance, played just 19 minutes and Rashard Lewis joined the action for 26 minutes. J.J. Redick spent the longest time on the floor for the Magic (35 minutes).
--- Orlando secured its season-best seventh straight victory. Its average margin of victory during this stretch is nearly 19 points. It’s the longest stretch of wins since it won seven in a row between Jan. 6-17 of last season.
--- Vince Carter continues to be extremely efficient and productive since the beginning of February. He has scored in double figures in all but one game since Feb. 1 and has buried 34 3-pointers during this stretch.
--- “I’ve done this so I know what it’s like,” he said. “I know what it takes. It’s still patience, doing what we have to do to take the necessary steps getting there."
--- Brandon Bass racked up 13 points, his highest scoring total since Dec. 2 when he posted 17 points against the Knicks, and added a season-high eight rebounds.
--- “I just want to bring energy,” he said. “I don’t mind this role at all.”
--- The Magic out-rebounded the Bulls by 17. Marcin Gortat, who played 24 minutes, accumulated 11 boards, one shy of his season high. Orlando also registered a season-best eight blocks.
THE BAD
--- Up until the 2:15 mark of the third quarter, the Magic had recorded just four total points in the period. Their lead, nevertheless, was so sizeable that it never caused any major concern. Orlando did manage to finish the quarter with 14 points.
--- Mickael Pietrus missed Thursday’s game due to a strained neck. He is day-to-day.
--- Already minus Joakim Noah (plantar fasciitis) and Luol Deng (calf), the Bulls lost All-Star Derrick Rose with a sprained left wrist after he collided with Dwight Howard in the first quarter. It was the second time this season Rose had to leave the game against the Magic. In their last meeting, he hurt his hip after bumping into Howard.
--- “We’re a different team than what we were,” Bulls Head Coach Vinny Del Negro said. “From our injuries, to the trade, to everything involved, we’re without a lot of our guys.”
THE UGLY
--- The Bulls have lost six straight after winning six of seven. If the playoffs had started a week ago, Chicago would have been the No. 6 seed. If it started today, it would be on summer vacation.
--- Joe Alexander was the eighth overall selection by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2008 NBA Draft. Nearly two years later, the former West Virginia standout is almost non-existent in this league. After being traded by the Bucks at the February deadline, Alexander has been delegated to an extremely insignificant role with the Bulls. He scored two points on 1-of-3 shooting in 12 minutes of action on Thursday.
--- Although not exactly related to the Bulls-Magic game, but the Washington Wizards are wishing now more than ever they never had to deal with that blizzard that battered the D.C. area last month. Due to a postponement at that time, the Wizards had to play a makeup game against the Hawks on Thursday and then resume there normal schedule which includes a trip to Detroit on Friday and a home game against Orlando on Saturday. Brutal!
CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL ARTICLE >>>
