Savage & Cohen: Magic-Bulls Postgame Analysis
By Dan Savage
March 11, 2010
The Magic are hitting their stride at just the right time.
Orlando put together perhaps its most dominant performance of the season, throttling the short-handed Chicago Bulls, 111-82, at home Thursday night.
Now, with just 16 games left on their regular season schedule, the Magic find themselves in the midst of a season-high seven-game winning streak.
“Right now we’re playing the best possible basketball we can,” Vince Carter explained after the game. “Hopefully it will roll into the playoffs. We’re hitting the ground running and playing at a high level each and every night.”
A huge reason for Orlando’s success during its seven-game streak has been the play of Carter, who’s been sensational since the start of February. The eight-time All-Star added another phenomenal performance to his list by erupting for 21 of his 23 points in the first half to help the Magic jump out to a 65-33 halftime lead over the Bulls.
“He’s been playing great since the first of February,” Magic Head Coach Stan Van Gundy said in his postgame press conference. “He’s been playing very good, very efficient basketball night in and night out.”
While everything continues to go right for Carter and Orlando, things keep getting worse for Chicago.
Already without their leading rebounder, Joakim Noah (left foot) and second-leading scorer, Luol Deng (strained right calf), the Bulls were dealt another blow when All-Star point guard Derrick Rose suffered a sprained left wrist in the first quarter following a mid-air collision with Magic center Dwight Howard.
It left Chicago with little hope against an overwhelmingly deep Orlando squad.
All 11 Magic players who touched the floor put up at least four points to deal the Bulls their sixth straight defeat. Chicago now finds itself one and a half games out of the Eastern Conference playoff picture.
“We were overmatched tonight,” Bulls guard Jannero Pargo explained. “You have to give that team credit. They played hard for the entire game.”
After successfully completing a three-game homestand, Orlando will now visit Washington to take on the Wizards this Saturday at 7 p.m. ET. But before they head up north, let’s have OrlandoMagic.com’s Josh Cohen take us through the good, the bad and the ugly from Thursday’s triumph:
CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING >>>
By Dan SavageMarch 11, 2010
The Magic are hitting their stride at just the right time.
Orlando put together perhaps its most dominant performance of the season, throttling the short-handed Chicago Bulls, 111-82, at home Thursday night.
Now, with just 16 games left on their regular season schedule, the Magic find themselves in the midst of a season-high seven-game winning streak.
“Right now we’re playing the best possible basketball we can,” Vince Carter explained after the game. “Hopefully it will roll into the playoffs. We’re hitting the ground running and playing at a high level each and every night.”
A huge reason for Orlando’s success during its seven-game streak has been the play of Carter, who’s been sensational since the start of February. The eight-time All-Star added another phenomenal performance to his list by erupting for 21 of his 23 points in the first half to help the Magic jump out to a 65-33 halftime lead over the Bulls.
“He’s been playing great since the first of February,” Magic Head Coach Stan Van Gundy said in his postgame press conference. “He’s been playing very good, very efficient basketball night in and night out.”
While everything continues to go right for Carter and Orlando, things keep getting worse for Chicago.
Already without their leading rebounder, Joakim Noah (left foot) and second-leading scorer, Luol Deng (strained right calf), the Bulls were dealt another blow when All-Star point guard Derrick Rose suffered a sprained left wrist in the first quarter following a mid-air collision with Magic center Dwight Howard.
It left Chicago with little hope against an overwhelmingly deep Orlando squad.
All 11 Magic players who touched the floor put up at least four points to deal the Bulls their sixth straight defeat. Chicago now finds itself one and a half games out of the Eastern Conference playoff picture.
“We were overmatched tonight,” Bulls guard Jannero Pargo explained. “You have to give that team credit. They played hard for the entire game.”
After successfully completing a three-game homestand, Orlando will now visit Washington to take on the Wizards this Saturday at 7 p.m. ET. But before they head up north, let’s have OrlandoMagic.com’s Josh Cohen take us through the good, the bad and the ugly from Thursday’s triumph:
CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING >>>
