MAGIC: 2009 Playoff Blog

Welcome to the 2009 Orlando Magic Playoff Blog. Check back throughout the postseason to read blogs from the Orlando Magic players, dancers, media personalities and the front office.

Posted by Scott Anez, Tuesday, June 16, 2009, 9:30 AM

I Have Seen the Future

"Sometimes you've got to lose to win."

That's a quote from Dwight Howard, who has grown up before our very eyes.

Superman has also transformed this franchise into a contender once again.

Now what?

We know that our core group (Dwight, Rashard and Jameer) will be back next season.

I would have loved to have seen Jameer Nelson at 100% capacity in the NBA Finals because I think he could have been a difference maker vs. the Lakers. I think it's very important for all of us to know that the scaled down version of Jameer in the Finals was not the All Star version we saw in the first half of the season.

The smattering of boos I heard when Jameer came into the game Sunday night was disappointing. Don't be hatin' on Jameer! My goodness, the kid showed so much heart and determination in returning as soon as he did. The man is a basketball player. He's paid to play. He's the leader of this team. Did it work out the way he wanted it to? No. But, don't be blaming Jameer for losing the NBA Finals. That's utterly ridiculous.

Will Hedo Turkoglu be back? My gut tells me he's not going anywhere.

Hedo will opt out of the final year of his contract and become a free agent July 1. Why not? Hedo might as well strike while the iron's hot. Coming off the NBA Finals appearance, his value is sky high. He'll have many suitors, including Detroit and Sacramento.

I am sure Hedo knows this. But I am gonna tell him anyway.

Orlando is the best place for you, Turk! You have an ideal situation. You are playing with the most dominant big in the game today. You're on a team that plays an up-tempo, three-point shooting style that fits your game perfectly. You play on a team that will contend for a championship for the length of your next contract. Trust me, the grass ain't gonna be greener on the other side of that fence, Turk.

Will restricted free agent Marcin Gortat be back?

I posed that exact question to team President and CEO Bob Vanderweide recently, and Bob said, "You don't want a young talent like that who you put so much time and effort into walk away."

Truth is, we're gonna have trouble holding onto the Polish Hammer.

For one, it doesn't make a whole lot of financial sense to shell out $5-6 mil a year for a guy who is gonna play 10-12 minutes per game behind Dwight Howard.

Secondly, how can ya blame the Hammer for wanting to spread his wings and get out from Dwight Howard's shadow. I can't blame him. He wants to play. Frankly, he has the ability to start for a number of NBA teams right now. I hope we can hold onto Marcin, but I see that as a longshot right now.

Will Rafer Alston be back?

I love Rafer. I loved what he did this year in leading us to the Eastern Conference Championship. I loved that he showed alotta class after he was benched near the end of game four of the Finals. Ideally, I would love to have Rafer back in 2009-2010, the final year of his contract.

But, know this. GM Otis Smith, who pulled off the miracle D-Day trade for Rafer, has been very protective of Jameer in becoming the unquestioned leader of this team. With Rafer here, the whispers have already started about a possible quarterback controversy next year. That's something we just don't need and want. Competition is one thing. Controversy is another. As much as I would hate to see Rafer go, it may be best for this team's chemistry to part ways.

Bob Vanderweide also told me recently that he is exploring the option of going into luxury tax land for the first time ever to re-sign Hedo and go after a power forward. That's great news.

To me, the only thing this team is missing is that rugged big who can help Dwight with the dirty work down low.

Trust me, Orlando has become a very attractive destination for free agents again.

How's this for a preliminary wish list? Brandon Bass (Dallas), Antonio McDyess (Detroit) and Joe Smith (Cleveland).

We have it all in place. We have the talent. We have the experience of being in the playoff trenches. We have the hunger after getting a little taste of the championship champagne. We have an ownership group that is willing go the extra mile.

I have seen the future, and the future is the Orlando Magic.

Anez Sez is solely the opinion of Scott Anez and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA.

Posted by David Steele, Monday, June 15, 2009, 2:30 PM

Greatest Magic Team

As the NBA regular season was winding down, probably in late March/early April, I began getting the question from fans and fellow media types, �Which is the greatest Orlando Magic team of all-time, the �95 club, or the 2009 team?� Having witnessed more Magic games than any other person, this is the kind of question I often get, along with, �do you travel with the team?� (No, I take a Greyhound Bus), and �what�s your favorite NBA city?� (Seattle. Oh yeah, they no longer have a team. How bout Chicago. Except in January or February)

But back to this �best Magic team ever� question. At the time, my inclination was to give the nod to the �95 squad, primarily because they had Shaq and Penny, two of the best players in the game at that time, and they reached the NBA Finals. This year�s team had yet to have the opportunity to prove itself in the post-season. Now that the �09 campaign is in the books, and both teams advanced to the NBA Finals, I am prepared to proclaim (in my humble opinion) the 2009 Orlando Magic to be the best team in franchise history. Here are the reasons why.

1) Superior defense- The �95 Magic were an incredible offensive machine. Averaged a league high 110.9 ppg in the regular season. But defensively they were no better than a middle of the road NBA team. (19th in scoring defense, 12th in fg% defense, 24th in three point fg% defense). The �09 Magic were one of the best defensive teams in the NBA throughout the season and post-season, while still ranking as a top ten offensive club.

2) Three point shooting- Yes, the �95 Magic were an outstanding three point shooting team. Dennis Scott, still ranks as one of the best long-range shooters in NBA history. Nick Anderson shot better than 41% from beyond the arc for the year. But the �95 Magic ranked only 7th in the league that year in made three pointers, and 9th in three-point percentage. This year�s Magic ranked 2nd in made threes and 7th in three-point percentage. And in the post season they set an NBA playoff record by making a mind blowing 201 three-point shots. Also, consider this. In 1995, and for the following two seasons, the league moved the three point line in to a uniform 22� from the basket, or 21 inches closer from the top of the key and on the wings than it is now. How many more threes would Lewis, Turkoglu, Nelson and company have made with the shorter distance?

3) Hedo cancels out Penny (to a certain extent)- My late March inclination to favor the �95 team over the �09 team centered around the fact that Penny Hardaway was a guy the �09 club had no comparison for. A 6�8� point guard who could pass and score, and post-up smaller players at his position. But, the way 6�10� Hedo Turkoglu managed the Magic half court offense at critical times in the post-season makes me reconsider the supposed Hardaway advantage. Turk may not be a top 5 player in the league that Penny was in �95, but he has many of the same skills that Hardaway possessed, and thus narrows the gap between the two teams.

4) Dwight >Shaq- The two great centers have much in common. Strong, quick, athletic. Shaq, at 23 years of age in 1995 was, like 23-year-old Dwight Howard in 2009, a raw offensive force. Let�s compare their post-season numbers. Shaq in 21 games in 1995, Dwight in 23 playoff games in 2009.

Player	Pts	Reb	Asst	FG%	FT%	BS	TO
Shaq ('95)	25.7	11.9	3.3	57.7	57.1	1.9	3.5
Howard ('09)	20.3	15.3	1.9	60.1	63.6	2.6	2.9

Dwight holds the statistical advantage in 5 of 7 key categories. Throw in the fact Howard is the league�s Defensive Player of the Year, an honor that has yet to be bestowed on Shaq, the debate clearly swings in Dwight�s favor.

5) The winning edge- The �95 team was the first Magic team to reach the NBA Finals, but the �09 squad scored the first Finals victory in franchise history. After getting swept by Houston in 1995, many (myself included) made the mistake of assuming there would be numerous more championship opportunities in the near future. One year later Shaq bolted for the west coast. Several years after that Penny�s body broke down physically, and it took Orlando 14 years to return to the NBA�s biggest stage. Regardless of the future of this current Magic incarnation, it has already earned the distinction as the greatest team in the franchise�s 20-year history.

David Steele's blog is solely the opinion of David Steele and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA. For more blogs by David Steele click here.

Posted by Scott Anez, Monday, June 15, 2009, 1:30 AM

We Can Learn From Kobe

I am in no mood so I'll make it short and sweet.

The LA Lakers celebrate at our expense after the 99-86 win in game five.

Give it up to the champs. They had an answer for most everything we threw at them.

A 16-0 run in the second quarter proved to be the catalyst. With that spurt, L-A took over the game and took our spirit at the same time.

Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson stayed on the bench to watch the post-game trophy ceremony Sunday night. Frankly, I wish more Magic players had stayed around to witness it. One year ago, these Lakers, at the expense of the Boston Celtics, stood where the Orlando Magic are standing right now.

The thing that struck me about MVP Kobe Bryant's road toward his fourth NBA title was how he wanted this one so desperately. Throughout these playoffs, Kobe had worn that now infamous scowl. He was, at times, temperamental and sometimes curt with the media. Around the house, his daughters labeled him 'Grumpy'.

Kobe wanted this championship more than words can express.

That's what I want our Magic to take out of this run to the NBA Finals. I want this team to be as hungry and as determined as Kobe was to get this one!

Hard to imagine the road to the Finals next year being even more bumpy than it was this season. The question is...How will this team react to being the hunted instead of being the hunter?

Boston's gonna be poised for another run with Garnett back. Cleveland, you know, is gonna be forced to upgrade its roster going into LeBron's free agent year. The Eastern Conference will be gunning for us. These Lakers are not going anywhere. How will we react?

While Dwight, Jameer, Hedo, Rashard and the boys are getting some well deserved R and R this summer, I'd love for each one of those guys to build the passion and the drive that we saw out of Kobe in this series.

Congrats to the Lakers, champs of the NBA.

Meanwhile, kudos to the Orlando Magic for giving us the ride of our lives this season.

Anez Sez is solely the opinion of Scott Anez and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA.

Posted by Scott Anez, Sunday, June 14, 2009, 12:30 PM

Sentinel Should Be Ashamed

Did anybody read Saturday�s Orlando Sentinel?

Judging by the newspaper�s circulation numbers, I realize that most of you did not.

I happened to take a glance at the front page in because it was staring at me from the machine over at the RDV Sportsplex.

The headline read, �Stan Van Goofy?�

I did not have to read the column associated with the headline. Headlines speak volumes.

You mean the guy who�s led this Magic team to the Eastern Conference title? The guy who has molded this team into a contender? The guy who has turned Orlando into a basketball town again? That guy? Stan Van Goofy? Wow!

You know, these pro athletes and coaches are all fair game, to a point. Take your shots at Stan Van Gundy for his decision-making. Criticize him for leaving Jameer Nelson in at the tail end of game four instead of opting for Rafer Alston. That stuff is all fair game. Go ahead. Have your fun. I certainly did.

But, come on. This kind of attack is getting way too personal and is totally unnecessary.

I realize that we were all emotional after the game four giveaway. Still, I thought the �Stan Van Goofy� headline was tasteless, classless, irresponsible tabloid journalism at its worst. It was a headline that the NY Post would have been proud of. Problem is, this isn�t New York!

Headlines like this feed into this frenzy we have in cyberspace today where anonymous bloggers can post their irrational and unstable thoughts for the entire world to see. The internet is a very good thing. But it can also be a very dangerous place, a place where whack jobs and wing nuts often times are awarded forums that used to be occupied by professionals who had some semblance of decency, decorum and experience.

I would expect such a headline from Joe blogging from his trailer in Bithlo.

I expect otherwise from a �reputable� newspaper.

Keep in mind, Stan�s kids go to school here in Central Florida. His wife has to read this nonsense. So do his parents and his in-laws.

I don�t know much about the newspaper business other than the fact that it is dying a quick death. Maybe the attention-grabbing headline was the Sentinel�s way of trying to re-capture �days gone by�. Obviously, the powers that be over there believed it was a headline that would sell papers.

But, I just thought it was outrageous.

Then again, I guess that�s why the Sentinel has the reputation it has earned over the years.

Anez Sez is solely the opinion of Scott Anez and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA.

Posted by Glass Half Full, Saturday, June 13, 2009, 10:30 PM

Finals Three-Point Play

1) Orlando will need to rebound after losing Game 4, something they have done quite well this season between the regular season and the postseason.

Best Record Following a Loss - 2008-09 (Reg Season & Postseason)

Cleveland Cavaliers: 16-3 (.842)
Los Angeles Lakers: 20-4 (.833)
Orlando Magic: 26-6 (.813)
Houston Rockets: 27-7 (.794)
Portland Trail Blazers: 24-7 (.774)

Orlando is 7-2 this postseason following a loss.

2) Since the league expanded the playoffs to 16 teams, only five champions have won the title despite posting a losing record on the road. This year�s Lakers are currently 5-5 on the road in the playoffs and could avoid the list below with a win in Game 5.

NBA Champs w/Losing Road Records in Postseason - Since 1983-84

Season	Team	Record
1983-84	Boston Celtics	3-7
1987-88	L.A. Lakers	3-7
1999-00	L.A> Lakers	4-6
2005-06	Miami Heat	5-6
2007-08	Boston Celtics	3-9

3) Dwight and Rashard....Dwight Howard set a NBA Finals record with nine blocks in Game 4. It was only the second game of his career with nine or more blocks (regular season & postseason).

Most Blocks in a NBA Finals Game - All-Time

Player	Game	Opponent	Blocks
Dwight Howard, ORL	2009 Game 4	Lakers	9
Bill Walton, POR	1977 Game 7	76ers	8
Hakeem Olajuwon, HOU	1986 Game 5	Celtics	8
Patrick Ewing, NYK	1994 Game 5	Rockets	8
Shaquille O'Neal	2001 Game 2	76ers	8
Tim Duncan	2003 Game 3	Nets	8

-- Dwight Howard has pulled down 10+ rebounds in 34 different postseason games in his career, the most by any active player before turning 24-years old.

Rashard Lewis is just the third player to register 400+ points, 125+ rebounds and 40+ three-pointers in a single postseason all-time.

Players with 400+ Pts, 125+ Rebs & 40+ 3-Pters - All-Time (Single Postseason)

Season	Player	Pts	Reb	3PM
2004-05	Manu Ginobili, SAS	479	133	42
2007-08	Paul Pierce, BOS	511	129	43
2008-09	Rashard Lewis, ORL	437	143	49

Posted by David Steele, Saturday, June 13, 2009, 11:45 AM

Defending Dwight

All right, I�ve heard enough. One of the most difficult things about following the team you work for through the NBA Finals is listening to and reading commentary from so-called experts. Fortunately, one way or the other, the series will be over soon. If it went on much longer my head might explode. Here�s the most recent drivel that has my blood pressure rising higher than Dwight Howard on a Turkoglu lob. It goes something like this, �Dwight Howard has no offensive moves.�

Or, earlier this week from hall of fame center Kareem Abdul-Jabaar, �Dwight Howard is predictable on offense.� If he�s so predictable, and so lacking in offensive skills, then why do the Lakers find it necessary to send two, sometimes three defenders at him virtually every time he goes into his offensive move? A strategy that results in leaving some of the NBA�s most dangerous outside shooters open on the perimeter?

I mean, no, Dwight is certainly not the most polished offensive center in league history, but he has developed a nice rolling hook from either block into the center of the lane, and he uses that move to set up a baseline spin from either side. Would he be even more dangerous with a 10-15 foot face up jumper? No question. And I suspect as hard as he works, that will come in time.

But, let�s be realistic here. We are already talking about one of the best centers in the history of the NBA! Consider this. Dwight Howard, at age 23, playing in his first NBA Finals, has put up numbers comparable to the other great centers that have competed deep into the playoffs over the last 25 years. Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson, Shaquille O�Neal and Patrick Ewing. Here are their playoff numbers when their teams played in the Finals or the Conference finals:

Player	Pts	Reb	Asst	BS	FG%	FT%
Ewing '94 (Finals)	21.9	11.7	2.6	3.0	43.7	75.5
O'Neal '95 (Finals)	25.7	11.9	3.3	1.9	57.7	57.1
Robinson '95 (WC Finals)	25.3	12.1	3.1	2.6	44.6	81.2
Olajuwon '95 (Finals)	33.0	10.3	4.4	2.8	53.0	68.1
Howard '09 (Finals)	20.7	15.6	1.9	2.6	60.2	64.0

Ewing was 32 years old when he led the Knicks to the Finals in �94, Robinson was at his peak at age 30 in �95 when his Spurs lost to Houston in the Western Conference Finals, and Olajuwon was a 32-year-old veteran when he carried the Rockets to the �95 title. O�Neal in �95, like Howard in �06, was 23 years old when he led the Magic to their first Finals appearance. Howard�s offensive numbers stack up favorably with them all, and we�re not even talking about defense, where arguably, Dwight may already rank at the top of the list.

So please, enough of this talk putting down Dwight Howard. We are watching the development of a great young player. Even if he makes no improvement for the rest of his career (which we know is highly unlikely), he still will rank as one of the NBA�s all-time best big men.

David Steele's blog is solely the opinion of David Steele and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA. For more blogs by David Steele click here.

By Live or Die Magic, Friday, June 12, 2009, 3:15 PM

Reflections On Pain

I had this really great write-up ready to post today. I was writing it last night as I was sitting in the media area before, and even during the game. It was this really positive piece about the O-Rena and how great it looked and how much excitement there was surrounding it. I thought the piece would be good counterprogramming to a write-up recaping the game or providing stats, etc. But as the game ended, I immediately realized that I could no longer go with that piece.

It didn�t include enough pain.

Pain, a deep numb pain, is what I felt at the end of Game 4 and is what I still feel now, many hours later. I feel the need to write about this pain for this reason: every other Magic fan is feeling this pain too. We may handle the pain differently � some of us deny it, some of us sit and wallow in it, letting it affect all aspects of their lives, some of us turn it into motivation for doing something constructive. Then there are those like me. I want to feel this pain and acknowledge it, because this pain can be just as important as the incredible joy that we have already felt so many times this season. It might even be comparable in magnitude to the joy of winning a fourth game in a Finals series. The pain means that I care, it means that I have placed value on this experience. It also means that I will feel something truly special when, hopefully one day, I get to be on the other end.

After the game, I sat in the press conference room for every interview � Phil Jackson, Stan Van Gundy, Hedo Turkoglu, Trevor Ariza, Derek Fisher, Kobe Bryant, and Dwight Howard. I didn�t speak; I barely moved. I realized that with the exception of the Magic players, and staffers, no one in the room was as crushed by the loss as I was. Media members have the need to keep themselves at arms length from these events, at least emotionally, so that they can tell their objective stories. Seem strange doesn�t it? I don�t have that problem. Being a Magic fan first and foremost, I simply need to provide my admittedly biased perspective as a Magic fan. I say �simply,� but it is times like these when it is as hard as anything I can think of doing.

On the drive home from the O-Rena, I turned the radio off and just sat in silence and reflected. Getting away from the scene didn�t help with the pain much. Perhaps if I actually owned any �emo� music, I might have listened to it, maybe.

When I walked into work at 7:30 AM this morning � bleary-eyed, shuffling in � I passed multiple co-workers, all of whom realize I�m the biggest Magic fan in the building, and they all gave me that head tilted to the side �are you going to be OK� kind of look. You�d have thought I�d lost a family member the way they were acting. But it speaks to how much this incredible Finals run has swept up the people in this city. The average person who may not have paid much attention to the team before April suddenly caught up and enjoying this experience as much as a 15 year season ticket holder. Here�s another great example. I was supposed to have a dentist appointment at 7 AM this morning. Realizing how late I�d be at the O-Rena and how difficult it would be to make that appointment, I called yesterday to reschedule. When I quickly explained what I did with the Magic and why I needed to reschedule, the dentist receptionist pulled the phone away from her ear and yelled to her co-workers �Hey, this guy writes for the Magic and says we can all come to the arena!� Cheers ensued. I mean, hell yeah! It�s that kind of excitement!

But it is that heightened excitement that carries you up that steep precipice but doesn�t prepare you for the long fall. That long fall that ends in pain. I�m going to take my pain home with me this weekend and see how long it lasts. Considering how much sleep I need, it probably won�t last long. Talk about small blessings... at least in a dead sleep, you don�t feel pain. Speaking of sleep...if the NBA is a spectator sport, why the hell do I feel so exhausted? Is anyone else dealing with this? It has been mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausting, and that�s after a win! A good Magic buddy of mine, let�s call him �John,� said to me: �I really do stress all these games more than I should... and it's been well over a month now of insanely stressful evenings. All day yesterday I was wishing there wasn't a game. And before the game started I didn't really want to watch it. It's like 3 hours of high blood pressure.�

He nailed it. I was literally shaking during the 4th period and overtime. I�m sure my blood pressure was up. As fans, we hang so much emotion on the outcome of the games � imagining the feeling of victory � �if we can just make this one free throw� � that it becomes almost a daunting task to sit comfortably through a game. I suppose this might be why spectator sports and alcohol/beer sales go hand in hand!

But as tough and as grueling as this all might be at times. I am quite sure that not one of us would trade it for the alternative. After all, we all know what the alternative is because it has been the reality of Magic Land for far too long. There have been two schools of thought for how to view where the Magic find themselves in 2009: there is the Dan Marino �take advantage of the moment, you might not ever get back� school of thought; and there is the �hey, our window opened a season or two early and we have plenty of time� school of thought. Both of them have their merits, and frankly, I don�t see how any fan who experiences any emotional anguish when watching his or her favorite sports team can fail to utilize both options. See, we have enjoyed a pretty special run this season, and while it would be great to capitalize on it by getting a title �early,� I also see a team and a coach that are primed to do even more damage next season. Questions need to be addressed during the offseason, but there is no reason to think that the players who remain cannot be an even great team next season. The point is, hope springs eternal, especially with sports, or else there wouldn�t be any Cubs fans.

So, yeah, we�ve been rooting for these guys for 8 months now, but we have at least one more game to go. I plan on enjoying a relaxing two days off, and much like the Magic players, I am going to leave everything in the O-Rena on Sunday night. At the end of Game 5, my heart will be spent. The question is whether or not a defibrillator will be needed.

This message was not subject of approval by the NBA or the Orlando Magic. The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA, but solely the writer.

Posted by Glass Half Full, Friday, June 12, 2009, 9:30 AM

Overcoming 3-1 Deficit

Although it has never happened in the Finals, here is a list of teams which have come back from 3-1 deficits to win a series.

Year	Team	Opponent	Where They Finished
1968	Boston Celtics	Philadelphia 76ers	NBA Finals (Won Title)
1970	L.A. Lakers	Phoenix Suns	NBA Finals
1979	Washington Bullets	San Antonio Spurs	NBA Finals
1981	Boston Celtics	Philadelphia 76ers	NBA Finals (Won Title)
1995	Houston Rockets	Phoenix Suns	NBA Finals (Won Title)
1997	Miami Heat	New York Knicks	Conference Finals
2003	Detroit Pistons	Orlando Magic	Conference Finals
2006	Phoenix Suns	L.A. Lakers	Conference Finals

Posted by David Steele, Friday, June 12, 2009, 3:30 AM

Game 4 Analysis

D�j� vu, part 1
Shades of 1995. Long time Magic fans have seen this before. Missed free throws late in the 4th quarter that would�ve locked up victory for the Orlando Magic in the NBA Finals. A three-point dagger (Houston�s Kenny Smith in game 1 of the�95 Finals, LA�s Derek Fisher in Thursday night�s game 4), followed by an overtime loss. The Magic were not able to overcome their game 1 misfortune in 1995. Still have a chance to bounce back in game 5 Sunday night in this year�s NBA Finals.

Unfortunate misses
Dwight Howard had been so good at the free throw line in the clutch in this year�s playoffs. Going into Thursday�s game 4, Dwight was 71.2% from the line in 4th quarters, 9 for 12 in close games late, and 5 for 6 with the game on the line. That�s why it was so surprising to see the two misses with :11.1 remaining and the Magic up by three points. Superman is human, after all.

Modern day Russell
Aside from the missed (8) free throws, Howard was spectacular in game 4. He scored 16 hard earned points, grabbed 21 rebounds and blocked an NBA Finals record 9 Laker shots. As my broadcast partner, Matty Guokas pointed out on our live post-game show on Sun Sports/Fox Sports West, it was a performance reminiscent of Hall of Famer, Bill Russell. Strong words of praise from a guy who played against one of the game�s all-time great defenders in the late 60�s.

Difference between winning and losing
Four games into the NBA Finals and we�ve already seen 2 overtime games. That hasn�t happened since 1984 when the Lakers and the Boston Celtics played a pair of overtime games in a best of 7 series won by Boston, 4 games to 3. This Magic/Lakers series is so close, Orlando could easily be on the upside of a 3 games to 1 lead instead of facing elimination in game 5. A missed lay-up at the buzzer in game 2, and missed free throws in game 4, the difference between victory and defeat.

D�j� vu, part 2
The Magic�s Hedo Turkoglu must have had a bad flashback to 2004 when he saw Derek Fisher�s three point shot go in with :04.6 to go in regulation to tie the game. In 2004, Fisher�s miraculous three point shot with four-tenths of second to play for Los Angeles beat the San Antonio Spurs in game 5 of a second round series. Turkoglu was on that San Antonio team. He�s been victimized twice now by the veteran�s late game playoff heroics.

A daunting task
Here are the cold, hard facts facing the Magic. Only 8 teams in NBA history have come from being down 3 games to 1 to win a best of 7 series. It has never happened in the Finals. Three teams have done it in the conference finals. The �68 Celtics against Philadelphia, the �79 Washington Bullets against San Antonio, and the �81 Celtics against Philadelphia. In game 5, the Magic, who have been so resilient all season long, have an opportunity to begin a journey that no NBA team has ever traveled. It is only possible with that first victory on Sunday night.

David Steele's blog is solely the opinion of David Steele and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA. For more blogs by David Steele click here.

Posted by Scott Anez, Friday, June 12, 2009, 3:30 AM

What If?

A long, hot summer may have just gotten longer and hotter.

It was a night of missed opportunities for the Orlando Magic.

What if?

What if we had hit our free throws and taken care of the ball? What if we had executed down the stretch? What if we had guarded Derek Fisher?

What if?

Lay off Dwight Howard! My goodness gracious, this kid played his heart out. He would record 16 points, 21 rebounds and an NBA Finals record for blocks (9). The guy deserved better than this.

Sure, he missed those two free throws with :11 to play in regulation. But, ya know what? We're nowhere near being in that game without Dwight's incredible energy and effort all night. The kid is a warrior!

I am trying to find an excuse as to why we allowed Derek Fisher to get that open a look at the three-pointer to tie it with 4.6 to play in regulation.

I admire Jameer Nelson for coming back in this series, but, for the life of me, I can't understand why Jameer played Fisher for the drive on that play. The three is the only shot that kills us. Crowd him. Make it tough on him. We just didn't do it.

There was some confusion after the game on whether we had a foul to give in that instance. For the record, we did not. Credit goes to Fisher, who buried us twice in this game. I know Jameer would love to have that one back.

Then, with :31 left in overtime, Fisher does it to us again after Jameer was knocked to the ground by a Kobe elbow. It left Fisher wide open, again, for another three-peat, a shot that, in effect, won the game and possibly the series for the Lakers.

I have to wonder aloud....Where was Rafer Alston in the fourth quarter and in overtime? I realize that Rafer did not have a great third quarter, but, was he hurt? Did he get into it with Stan?

I love Jameer, but, it seems like we're asking a lot from a kid who's not been himself in this series, and rightfully so after coming off shoulder surgery four months ago. Jameer played the entire fourth quarter and the overtime period. He played nearly 26 minutes. That's a tall order.

Give credit to the Lakers. They took advantage of our blunders.

But, for we who live in Magic Nation, this was the big ole fish that got away. We had this one dead to right and let it slip from our grasp.

There's no denying that there's a big difference between 2-2 and 1-3.

Am I giving up on this team? No way.

How likely is it for our Magic to win three straight? Not very. But I have seen way too many amazing feats from this Magic club this season to give up the fight just yet.

For now, I'm just gonna go home, curl up in a fetal position, and wonder...What if?

Anez Sez is solely the opinion of Scott Anez and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA.

By Live or Die Magic, Thursday, June 11, 2009, 10:45 AM

Let's Get Greedy!

The mood after the Magic�s victory in Game 3 was one of excitement and relief. Excitement that we had closed out a great game with a record-breaking display of shooting. Relief that at long last we had won a game in the Finals, we had protected our home court, and that, if nothing else, we were not going to get swept this time.

As I watched the confetti falling all over everyone in attendance, including the court where there were still two Rashard Lewis free throws to be made, the feeling I had was a bit more simple: hope. Hope that this season still has a few more games to go, and that within those games, the Magic faithful will be able to enjoy something special.

Magic fans know that we root for a tremendous, resilient team. Even if we all might agree that we did not expect a trip to the Finals this season, we knew that we were a team on the rise, and a team that would get to this point soon. But in the first two games, we collectively wondered if we were ready, if we were overmatched. I said that if the Magic team from Game 2 showed up in Orlando, we had a shot.

Sure enough, they did. Now, I�m beginning to think that this team has what it takes to extend the Lakers, get this back to LA, and maybe make this into one of the better Finals matchups in the last few years. Game One may have been a dud, but Games 2 and 3 have been extremely exciting, regardless of your rooting interest.

The Magic detractors were out in force after Game 3. Instead of marveling at our brilliant display of shooting, they wondered how we could only beat the Lakers by 4. One local Magic blogger even had the audacity to suggest that the Magic didn�t do anything special because the Lakers still had a chance to win the game in the end. I�m just curious how many of these people made the same comments after Game 2, when the Magic were a missed layup away from stealing home court advantage. Seems to me that the rhetoric labeled it a brilliant Laker victory as opposed to a close Magic loss. Whatever...I sure saw plenty of national media members eating cake in the media dining tent at the O-Rena.

But let�s get back to why I titled this piece, �Let�s Get Greedy.� Immediately after Game 3, comments on the official Orlando Magic Message Boards had a similar bent. Most of them were along the lines of �no sweep,� and �with a victory in the Finals, this is the greatest Magic team ever,� and my personal favorite, �Dwight is now the greatest Magic center ever, because Shaq couldn�t win a game in the Finals.� I agree with all of these sentiments, while also finding them humorous. After all, it is our right as fans to revel in the joy of victory (God knows that Magic Land likes to wallow in the agony of defeat!).

But then I got to thinking that as nice as one victory is, two would be even better. I said as much on the message boards. Quickly, several fellow board members responded with �No, I want four victories!� Exactly.

As I said earlier, we know this team is capable of winning this thing. If the players' reaction in the locker room is any indication, they know it too. Obviously they were happy to get the win, but it felt more like they viewed the victory as just part of the progression of getting back to their style of basketball after a horrible first game. They know they are facing a team that can defend them more effectively than any team they�ve faced yet, but they are slowing chipping away at that advantage.

It is quite possible that the Game 2 performance, followed by the Game 3 victory, is momentum in action. The Magic simply need to continue to perform better each game. Just because we need to go back to LA doesn�t mean that momentum has to be stifled. If the Magic players find that the taste of success in the Finals suits them, then greediness for that success will be a formality.

This message was not subject of approval by the NBA or the Orlando Magic. The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA, but solely the writer.

Posted by Scott Anez, Wednesday, June 10, 2009, 12:15 PM

No Ordinary Team

Kobe Bryant came out attempted to deliver his patented knockout right cross.

Any ordinary team would have buckled. Any ordinary team would have taken a standing eight count. Any ordinary team would have been out on its feet.

This is no ordinary team.

Final: Magic 108 Lakers 104.

Not only did the Orlando Magic give us our very first NBA Finals victory, they shot the ball like no team�s ever shot the ball in the Finals. The Magic�s 62.5% shooting was the best mark in the history of this great event.

There were so many outstanding performances.

Remember all that talk about Rafer Alston looking over his shoulder at Jameer Nelson? We had wondered aloud about how Jameer�s presence affected this team�s chemistry? Fuggetaboutit!

After Coach Van Gundy gave Rafer a three word pep talk Tuesday morning (�Play your game), the stationary, listless Rafer turned into the up-tempo, self-assured Skip who has sparked this team for nearly four months now.

Right from the get go, Rafer was aggressive. He was running. He was in control. He was looking for his shot. He scored 11 of his 20 points in the first quarter. Rafer�s back, baby!

As a matter of fact, all of our guards stepped up to the challenge, thank you very much.

After being M-I-A in L-A, Skip, Courtney, Jameer and Mickael Pietrus went a combined 18-28 (64%) from the field for 46 points.

How about M-P! Before the series, Air France decided to put Kobe�s shoes in his closet. Last night, he put Kobe on ice.

Pietrus finally stayed out of foul trouble and became our Mr. Fourth Quarter (no offense Turk). M-P scored 9 of his 18 points in the final quarter. To me, the biggest play of the game was his put back-dunk, when he swooped in from nowhere, rose above the rest, and dunked it home to make it 101-99 at the 2:18 mark.

Then, with :30 left, Pietrus would combine with Dwight Howard to trap Kobe and eventually steal the ball and seal the win with two clutch free throws.

For the first time in this series, M-P, outplayed the Lakers� X-factor, Lamar Odom (11 points and 2 rebounds).

Our Big Three was, once again, superb. Dwight, Rashard and Hedo combined for 60 points.

If you are the Lakers today, you�re still feeling pretty good about yourselves, aren�t ya? After all, you allow a team to shoot a Finals record percentage, and yet, ya still almost win the game. You have the game�s best closer in Kobe, who�s not going to go 4-15 from the field in the final three quarters as he did in game three. So, you�re OK. You�re still in control of this series.

Word to the wise�Don�t get too comfortable Lakers.

As we saw again Tuesday night, this Orlando Magic team is no ordinary team.

Anez Sez is solely the opinion of Scott Anez and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA.

Posted by David Steele, Wednesday, June 10, 2009, 3:30 AM

Game 3 Analysis

WHEW!
The 6,000 pound gorilla (1,000 pounds for each consecutive Finals loss) is off their backs. The Orlando Magic pulled out a thrilling 108-104 win over the Los Angeles Lakers in game 3 of the NBA Finals Tuesday night to lock up the first Finals victory in franchise history. The Lakers did their job winning at home in games 1 and 2, Orlando kept itself in the series with a home court win in game 3. That�s 5 home playoff wins in a row for the Magic. Great crowd, by the way. Consistently much louder than the folks in SoCal.

Hot night outside, and in
It took a record setting night for the Magic to hold off the Lakers. 75% shooting in the first half and 62.5% shooting for the game were both NBA Finals playoff records. Should be no surprise though to Magic fans. Orlando has already set the NBA record for made threes in a game (23 @ Sacramento), and needs just 3 more threes in the playoffs to set an NBA post-season record for total three pointers made. (Houston-�95 hit 189 threes, the Magic now have 186)

�Skip� gets it going
Rafer Alston set the tempo for game 3 for the Magic. He pushed the ball up the floor quickly from the opening tip til the end. Orlando had just 10 fast break points (that�s still 8 more than in games 1 and 2 combined), but on many possessions the Magic scored early in the shot clock because of Alston�s aggressive offensive play. And, on about a half dozen occasions, Rafer electrified the Amway Arena crowd with a patented �Skip to My Lou� maneuver. Whirling, spinning and twisting his way through the Laker defense. Playground aficionados around the world had to be delighted.

A Laker perspective
I watched the game with long-time Laker tv commentator Stu Lantz. (Lantz, Matty Guokas and I host a post-game show on Sun Sports in Florida, Fox Sports West in So Cal. Shameless plug: catch it if you can Thursday night) It was interesting to hear Stu�s observations regarding Kobe Bryant. When Bryant took over the game in the first quarter, scoring 17 points on 7 of 10 shooting, Stu pointed out that it is unusual for Kobe to take over a game like that so early. He normally likes to get his teammates involved in the first quarter, and then turn it on individually later in the game. My thought: maybe he was hoping to deflate the Magic early with his amazing offensive heroics in hopes that a discouraged Orlando team would wilt under the pressure of such a phenomenal scoring barrage. The Magic did not succumb, they did trail 31-27 at the end of the first quarter, but shot a sizzling 69% from the field and kept up that hot shooting throughout the night.

Big night for Dwight
Outstanding night for Dwight Howard. 21 points, 14 rebounds. 2 assists, 2 blocks, and perhaps the most important stat for Dwight, just 1 turnover in 43 minutes. And how many times did Howard make an easy pass out of a double team that set up the next pass to an open shooter? The Magic shared the ball beautifully in game 3. Howard�s intelligent post play was a key. Kept it simple. Didn�t try to do too much. Defensively, his play was, as usual, terrific. His pick and roll defense late in the 4th quarter on Kobe was as good you�ll see a big man play.

Welcome back MP
Mickael Pietrus, who played so well against Boston and Cleveland, was back at the top of his game for the Magic Tuesday night. 18 points on 7 of 11 shooting, and he made three huge fourth quarter plays. 1- a steal and driving layup to put the Magic up by 8 with just under 7 minutes remaining. 2-A put-back dunk off a missed Turkoglu shot with just over 2 minutes to go, and 3- what turned out to be a game clinching steal on Kobe Bryant with :28.7 to play. His subsequent free throws gave Orlando a 106-102 lead.

Yes, they could
Could Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu follow up incredible performances in game 2 with more great play in game 3? The answer is yes. These two fabulous forwards continue to make big play after big play in this post-season. Turk finished with 18 points and again a team high 7 assists. Lewis dropped in 21, including a cold-blooded, contested long range two with the shot clock at one to give the Magic a 104-101 lead with 1:06 remaining. These two guys are big time players.

Now, it�s a series
Lakers still hold the advantage, and surely still feel good about their chances to win a 15th franchise NBA title. But the Magic have been counted out before, in each and every round of the post-season, and when this team gets it rolling, it is very difficult to slow �em down.

David Steele's blog is solely the opinion of David Steele and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA. For more blogs by David Steele click here.

By Live or Die Magic, Tuesday, June 9, 2009, 3:30 PM

Nothing 'Final' Yet

The three days in between Finals Games 1 and 2 felt like forever. It didn�t even help that two of them were weekend days. I wanted to quickly forget the awful feeling I had after Game 1 and I knew that the only thing that would help would be a solid performance by the Magic in Game 2.

Countless times throughout that three day waiting period, I was asked by family members, friends, and co-workers what I thought about the Magic�s chances after the big loss in Game 1. My response was the same each time: I�d rather wait and judge their chances after I see how they respond in Game 2. I even went so far as to say that a loss in Game 2 wouldn�t be a death blow, provided it was a close loss in the final minutes. Well, this turned out to be the case, though I wasn�t expecting another heartbreaker of a play at the end of regulation.

Perhaps I should have expected it though, because this Magic team has shown us all season, and certainly in the playoffs, that they play an exciting brand of basketball that utilizes wild momentum swings, sudden disappearance (and reappearance) of players� shots, and most importantly, the ability to shake off tough breaks and come back stronger for it.

It is this last trait that the Magic team, and those of us who live or die by their actions, must grab onto with all our hearts and minds and whatever else we can throw at it. If it means sacrificing an O-Rena Chicken Tender Basket, then so be it. We are in a hole, and things aren�t as rosy as they were a few days ago, but we have three straight games at home, and the Lakers have to beat us two more times. I feel very strongly that if we play with as much fight at home the way we did in Game 2, that we can beat the Lakers two out of three here. And then, well, hey we go back to LA with a puncher�s chance, right?

In discussing Game 2 with people, reading the boards, and especially reading the national media, I�d say that Courtney Lee is taking way way too much heat for his missed layup at the end of regulation. It is actually quite upsetting that anyone would give him flack for that. Coach Stan Van Gundy deserves praise for a well designed play for the one player on the court that could make the shot and would be open to do so. Hedo Turkoglu made a tremendous inbounds pass � something he is becoming known for. If Lee had had more than .6 seconds, and if he hadn�t had to fight through a Kobe Bryant screen, he could have caught the ball closer to the rim instead of underneath the rim.

This difference would have made it a gimme shot. Don�t even bring up Pau Gasol�s defensive interference...even if it did affect the shot, we had one coming, considering Howard�s blatant through-the-rim block on Gasol earlier in the game. If Lee makes that shot, it goes down as one of the biggest, probably the biggest in Magic history. We�d all be marveling at how difficult it was. Just because he missed it, doesn�t mean the same logic no longer applies.

We had a great shot to win Game Two, both in regulation and in overtime, but it just didn�t work out. However, our effort was there. We showed that we can play with the Lakers and stay in a game with them on their court. The breaks went their way, not ours. Even so, it was great to see some dominating performances on our end. Our three biggest scorers all shot the ball well and took over the game. Turkoglu, Lewis, and Howard made 25 shots combined in Game 2. The rest of the team made 8 combined. The problem wasn�t the 8 shots, it was the fact that it took them 31 attempts to make those eight. Even though most of the team was cold, that shouldn�t carry over to the friendly, familiar rims in the Amway Arena.

So, now we just have to keep our stars hot and have everyone else show up. I expect all of the Magic players to feel an extreme sense of urgency. I expect players like Rafer Alston, Courtney Lee, and Jameer Nelson to feel the need to redeem themselves. I expect Dwight Howard to say, �enough of this!� I expect the O-Rena to be epically loud this evening. I expect it to be a madhouse. I expect the smattering of fans wearing yellow and purple jerseys to be ribbed mercilessly. Most importantly, I expect Magic Land to sleep well tonight.

And hey, if nothing else, we got Gina Marie Incandela!

This message was not subject of approval by the NBA or the Orlando Magic. The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA, but solely the writer.

Posted by Scott Anez, Tuesday, June 9, 2009, 9:30 AM

�Plastic� Jax Disses Us Again

Orlando, welcome to the NBA Finals!

Tonight, it's game three. Magic trail 0-2.

In the history of the Finals, when a team has taken a 2-0 lead, that team has gone on to win the series 94.2% of the time.

That daunting stat means nothing to the Orlando Magic. Remember, this team became the very first club to rally from a 2-3 series deficit against the vaunted Boston Celtics.

I have been amazed at the incredible resolve our guys have displayed all season long. They have been totally oblivious to history, odds and all the national media nay-saying that's gone on. I don't see that ending now.

Undoubtedly, the Lakers will want to come in and bury us tonight because they know if they win this game, the series is, in effect, over and out.

Bottom line is this: we gotta make more shots! If we do, this series is gonna turn on a dime.

Laker coach Phil Jackson, who once upon a time labeled our beloved borough a "plastic city", has made the executive decision to double and triple Dwight Howard. Jax is sending his guards down to smother Dwight. In effect, what he is doing is dissing our backcourt. He is daring our guards to beat him. Jax obviously does not believe we have any guys who can beat us back there. So far, he's been right on the money.

Rafer, Courtney, Jameer, JJ, and MP are all getting open looks galore. If the Magic are gonna get back into this series, those guys are gonna have to knock down those shots.

We all know that Dwight has not played up to his standards offensively in this series (14.5 ppg and 37.5% FG). Through two games, the Lakers have done a great job of making Dwight a glorified passer.

But, I'll bet ya dollars-to-doughnuts that Clark Kent becomes Superman again if our backcourt bucks up.

Read the numbers and weep. The Magic guards are shooting at a clip of 28.9% in this series so far. Take Mickael Pietrus (6-16) out of the equation. Rafer, Jameer, Courtney and JJ have combined to shoot a paltry 26% from the field.

If that trend continues, we're out the door in four. Our guards must step up!

If they do, just watch the Laker defense loosen up on the big guy down low. And if that happens, the Magic will become the Magic again.

It also would behoove us to try to get up and down the floor more. I know it's easier said than done this time of year, but we have scored a scant 2 fast break points in the first couple of games of this series. This team is at its best when it's in up-tempo mode. We are playing with fire if we continue to lean on a slow, half court style against this team.

I am not concerned with our defense. It was much better in game two.

We know what we're gonna get from our Big Three, which was superb Sunday.

Now, it's up to the Magic guards to do their part.

Anez Sez is solely the opinion of Scott Anez and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA.

Posted by Glass Half Full, Tuesday, June 9, 2009, 9:30 AM

It's Been Done Before

Teams Coming Back to Win NBA Finals After 0-2 Deficit, All-time


1969	Boston Celtics	Trailed Lakers 0-2	Won Series 4-3
1977	Portland Trail Blazers	Trailed 76ers 0-2	Won series 4-2
2006	Miami Heat	Trailed Mavericks 0-2	Won series 4-2

Posted by Scott Anez, Monday, June 8, 2009, 8:30 AM

Calling All Guards

Call me crazy, but I still believe the Orlando Magic are the better team in this series.

I may be saying that to our grave, but I truly believe we�re better. Now, we gotta go prove it by winning four of the next five games from these Lakers.

Final: Lakers 101 Magic 96 (OT).

Bottom line is this�It is very very difficult to win at this level when you are committing 20 turnovers in a game.

It�s also very hard to win when you�re playing three on five. We are getting virtually nothing from our backcourt positions right now.

I don�t know what�s going on with Rafer Alston. After going 2-9 from the field with just six points in game one, Skip drops a 1-8 on us with four points Sunday night. I was very surprised. Rafer usually comes back with a big game after a dud.

We�ve addressed the whole team chemistry thing with Jameer coming back. Can we assume after two games that Rafer has been the one most negatively affected? Don�t know why that would be because he has to know that if he plays well, he is going to stay on the court.

For the record, Jameer didn�t give us a whole lot in game two as well (4 points in 17 minutes). That decision by Stan to play Jameer in this series is fair game now.

Our point guard spot is a sore spot right now. Coach Stan got so desperate that he put Hedo Turkoglu in at the point forward position at the 8:59 mark of the fourth quarter. Hedo played great in the fourth, but it looked like he sorta ran outta gas at the point in overtime. Stan came back with Rafer running the show early in O.T. but Skip was a non-factor.

Courtney Lee has to be the sickest man on the face of the planet right now. Courtney would miss a bunny at the end of regulation, a shot that would have won the game. Granted, it was a more difficult shot than appeared because Courtney was under the backboard when he got the pass from Hedo. But, man, what a great play drawn up by Coach Stan!

Courtney notched two points.

Mickael Pietrus would score just two points and would foul out with 3:08 to play. MP just has not been able to get untracked in this series due to the foul trouble.

JJ Redick scored five points on 2-9 from the field.

Despite our backcourt�s struggles, I am far from discouraged.

We out-rebounded the Lakers in game two 44-35. Rashard (34 points) and Hedo (22 points) got it going offensively. We held LA to 28 points in the paint. Kobe did score 29, but he didn�t kill us. We�re getting open looks, shots that usually go down hopefully will go down in Orlando.

Look at the combined line from Dwight, Rashard, Hedo from game two: 73 points, 33 rebounds, 15 assists.

Now, read the line from our backcourt players and weep�4-17 FG for 17 points.

I truly believe that the Orlando Magic are the better basketball team in this series.

But, our Big Three needs help from our guards, ASAP!

Anez Sez is solely the opinion of Scott Anez and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA.

Posted by David Steele, Monday, June 8, 2009, 2:30 AM

Game 2 Analysis

Missed opportunity
Too many turnovers and too many missed shots. That�s what cost the Magic a victory in game 2 of the NBA Finals against the LA Lakers, a 101-96 overtime loss to Los Angeles. 20 turnovers, resulting in 28 Laker points, and just 41.8% fg shooting doomed the Magic Sunday night at the Staples Center. Amazing really, with those numbers, that they were even in the game. But, there they were, a missed Courtney Lee layup at the buzzer from tying the series at one game apiece. Brilliantly drawn up, perfectly executed, just a tough break for the rookie as his potential game winning shot trickled off the lip of the rim. To his credit, after the game, Lee stood in the lockeroom, head held high, patiently and professionally answering every reporter�s question about the blown shot.

Clamps on Kobe
It took a total team effort, but the Magic did a very good job defensively on Kobe Bryant in game 2. Courtney Lee, Mickael Pietrus, J.J. Redick and Hedo Turkoglu all took turns in trying to slow down the offensive tornado that is Kobe, and they got lots of help. When Kobe put the ball on the floor, double teams were coming. He still managed 29 points on 22 field goal attempts, and got great support from Pau Gasol (24 points) and Lamar Odom (19 points off the bench).

Strong inside
In game 1, the Lakers scored 56 points in the paint. In game 2, just 28. The Magic did a terrific job of contesting shots, particularly Dwight Howard. The league�s defensive player of the year was active and strong on the interior, grabbing 16 rebounds and blocking 4 shots. Interesting stat: When Dwight has blocked 3 shots or more in the post-season, the Magic are 7-3. The three losses: At Philadelphia, on a last second shot by Thaddeus Young. To Boston, on a last second jumper by Glen Davis, and Sunday night in overtime to the Lakers.

Offensively, another story
On the offensive end, another frustrating night for Dwight. When he makes his move, the Lakers are coming hard with double teams. Sometimes they come with a big, sometimes with a small, contstantly changing it up. The result, just 17 points on 5 of 10 shooting from the field, and 7 turnovers for Howard. In the finals, Dwight is shooting just 37% from the field against the Lakers. On the encouraging side, Howard made all five of his pressure packed free throw attempts in the 4th quarter and overtime period. Look for improved offensive play from Dwight in game three as he begins to figure out the Laker defense.

Lewis and Turk
Magic forwards were incredible in game 2. Rashard Lewis scored 16 straight points in the 2nd quarter alone and finished the night with a Magic career high 34. Turkoglu got 14 of his 22 in the 3rd quarter when the Magic overcame a 5 point halftime deficit. Lewis added 11 rebounds and 7 assists. Turkoglu ran the Magic offense for the final nine minutes of the 4th quarter, while also guarding Kobe Bryant down the stretch of a close game.

Help!
As good as Lewis and Turkoglu were in game 2, they need more help if the Magic are going to challenge the Lakers in this series. With Howard drawing double teams every time he starts an offensive move, scoring opportunities for others are there. Rashard and Hedo cannot be the only ones taking advantage. Lee, Alston, Pietrus, Redick and Nelson were a combined 6 for 26 from the field in game 2. The Laker defense is good, but it hasn�t caused the Magic to miss so many wide open shots.

It can still be done
Although they face difficult odds, down 0-2 in the best of seven series, the Magic should not be counted out. They came away from the overtime loss in game 2 to the Lakers knowing they can beat LA. There�s a saying in the NBA that a series doesn�t really begin until a visiting team wins a game. The Lakers held serve at home, now the Magic must do the same. And, for added encouragement, they need only to look back three June�s ago to south Florida. The Miami Heat, losers in games one and two at Dallas by 10 and 14 points, not only won games 3, 4 and 5 at home, but closed out the finals by beating the Mavericks in Dallas in game 6. There�s a lot of basketball still to be played between LA and Orlando as Kobe and gang head east.

David Steele's blog is solely the opinion of David Steele and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA. For more blogs by David Steele click here.

Posted by Scott Anez, Sunday, June 7, 2009, 11:25 AM

Chemistry in Question

Webster�s won�t even take a stab at defining it.

It�s not a tangible thing. There�s no manual on how to acquire it.

It�s one of those mystical things in sports.

It�s team chemistry.

Sports teams can have all the talent in the world, but if they don�t have that elusive team chemistry, they�re not worth their weight in gold.

While ya really can�t put your finger on it, we all know that the Orlando Magic�s team chemistry has been outstanding all season long.

This team is truly that, a team. These guys genuinely like one another. They have great respect for their coach and their organization. They genuinely enjoy each other�s company and it translates on the court.

Team chemistry shows in the incredible resolve this Magic club has had all season long. Nowhere has that been more evident in these 2009 NBA Playoffs. No lead has been safe against them.

You look at the Cleveland series. The Magic would trail by 16, 23 and 22 points vs. Cleveland on the road and yet, this team would rally in all three of those games. One of them they won. In another, it took a LeBron miracle three at the buzzer to temporarily ease the Cavs� misery.

Look at the Boston series. The Magic became the first team in the history of the NBA to rally from a 2-3 series deficit vs. the vaunted C�s.

Heck, even in the Philly series, this team goes into hostile territory and wipes the floor with the Sixers in Game 6 without stud Dwight Howard.

Those are just a few examples. It�s obvious that the Orlando Magic have had team chemistry on their side all season long.

But, for the first time this season, we are all wondering if that chemistry is fading at the most important time of the year.

I admire Stan Van Gundy for doing what he did in game one of The Finals. He stuck his neck, and pretty much every other body part, out and played Jameer Nelson. He played Jameer despite the fact that the little guy had been sidelined the last four months.

I like the gutsy decision. At this time of year, you want your best players on the court. As the series extends, I think you are going to see Jameer get more and more comfortable and conditioned. I also believe that you will see Jameer make more and more of a positive impact upon this series. If there�s one thing we have learned about Jameer Nelson over the last five years, it�s the fact he is at his best when the odds are greatest and when the entire world doubts him.

However, the one great unknown in making the decision to play Jameer in this series is this�.How will it affect the great team chemistry this team has enjoyed?

It�s hard to tell after the game one whoopin� we took. Does a lack of team chemistry cause us to shoot 29.9 percent from the field. Does a lack of chemistry cause us to get-rebounded 55-41? Does a lack of chemistry lead to Kobe putting up 40 on us? Does a lack of chemistry result in Dwight Howard hitting on just one field goal?

I don�t think so. I just think the Lakers were dead on Thursday night. We were flat. It happens.

But, let�s all keep our eye on this whole team chemistry thing in Game 2.

I don�t know exactly what it is. But, I'll know when we have it�and I'll know when we don�t.

Anez Sez is solely the opinion of Scott Anez and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA.

Posted by David Steele, Saturday, June 6, 2009, 11:30 AM

Three Simple Keys for Game 2

1-Dwight=Kobe
When great players play the game at their highest level of focus and intensity it rubs off on the rest of the team. We saw Kobe Bryant take his game up to that level in game one of the finals. As Stan Van Gundy says, when Bryant plays that well, he�s not only unstoppable, the game is also made easier for his teammates. Likewise for the Magic�s Dwight Howard. We�ve seen it in the playoffs. When he plays with extraordinary effort, his athleticism is a frightening force of nature, and his teammates are carried right along. Maybe he can�t do what Kobe can do with the basketball, but in his own way, Dwight is capable of impacting game 2 just as forcefully as Bryant did in game 1.

2-Pass and cut
It�s pretty simple really. All season long when the Magic are passing the ball and getting good off the ball player movement they are a terrific offensive team. In game one, Magic sharing of the ball and player movement stopped in the first half, after Kobe began to exert his will on the game. In addition, too often the Magic drove the ball into the lane, but failed to make that one extra pass that would�ve gotten them a better shot. With the length of the Laker players on the interior, that will be key in game 2.

3-Hit the open shot
This is a given. I would be shocked if Orlando misses as many open shots in game 2 as they did in game 1.

Lakers in 1
Sports talk radio in LA is no different from anywhere else. A lot of trash talk about how the home team is gonna do this or that to the visitors. I caught just enough of an afternoon show on Friday to hear a guy say on the air that they might as well give Kobe the Finals MVP trophy right now. Yeah, while they�re at it, since �Land of the Lost� is such a box office smash this opening weekend, why not just go ahead and hand the oscar to Will Ferrell? You gotta love sports talk radio.

Finally..
Neat scene outside the Magic locker-room on Friday afternoon. Dwight Howard and Celtic great, Bill Russell meeting in the hallway, heading to an interview room to shoot a piece for ABC-TV. Magic players Tyronn Lue, Mickael Pietrus and Marcin Gortat politely asking the two big men, one a rising star of the future, the other a hall of famer, for a photograph. Howard and Russell oblige. It�s always interesting to watch professionals in awe of their peers.

David Steele's blog is solely the opinion of David Steele and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA. For more blogs by David Steele click here.

Posted by David Steele, Friday, June 5, 2009, 4 AM

Game 1 Analysis

Watched game 1 of the Finals from the second row at the Staples Center, working for Sun Sports live post-game show. Here are a few observations of the Lakers 100-75 victory.

Kobe..incredible!
We have been witness to some amazing performances in the NBA playoffs, haven�t we? Three game winning shots in the Philadelphia series. Dwight Howard�s 23 point, 22 rebound effort that turned the Boston series around in game 6. LeBron James�s remarkable 4th quarter takeover of game 5. Howard�s 40 point explosion in game 6 against the Cavaliers. But, Kobe Bryant may have topped them all Thursday night in game 1 of the NBA finals at the Staples Center. With his team trailing by 5 early in the second quarter, Bryant took over the game like only the great ones can, scoring 30 points over the course of about 18 minutes. And when he wasn�t putting the ball in the basket, he was setting up his teammates with pinpoint passes off of determined drives. Bryant finished the night with 40 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists. His finest night in an NBA Finals game.

Didn�t see this one coming
Who would�ve thought game one would be a 25 point blowout? After all, the Magic had lost just once all season long by more than 20 points (a 32 point shellacking in New Orleans way back in mid-February). The team that has been remarkably resilient, but just didn�t have it on Thursday night. Fortunately for Orlando, it only counts for one loss. Perhaps that resilient factor will kick in Sunday night for game 2.

Just one field goal?
Dwight Howard hit a left-handed hook 1:58 seconds into the first quarter. Who would�ve believed that would be his last field goal of the game? After all, during the regular season the Magic�s all-star center had just one game with no field goals (a November affair at Charlotte), and no games with just one made field goal. The Lakers defended him well, with size and double teams. To counter, look for the Magic to try and get Dwight the ball on the move more in game two.

Laker length..a challenge
After the game, Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu both acknowledged: Los Angeles� long and athletic forwards game them problems in game 1. Lamar Odom, Trevor Ariza and Pau Gasol all made life difficult for the Magic�s talented forward duo. Lewis and Turkoglu were at their best when attacking the basket, something they did well early in the game. Not so much in the second half.

What happened to the dribble penetration?
For the first 16 minutes of the game, the Magic, particularly Turkoglu, Rafer Alston and Jameer Nelson were able to go just about anywhere they wanted to go on the floor with the dribble. When Kobe took the game over in the 2nd quarter, that dribble penetration and accompanying ball movement all but disappeared. The Magic are always at their best offensively when attacking the basket and moving the ball, two things that are difficult to do when you�re always taking the ball out of the net after a made Laker field goal.

Point guard controversy?
Speaking of Nelson and Alston, they pretty much split the point guard minutes in half Thursday night. While it was great to see the Magic captain back on the floor for the first time since early February, the point guard combo thing did not work out as well as Orlando would�ve liked. At times Jameer looked remarkably sharp. At times he looked rusty. Not surprising for a guy who was coming off major shoulder surgery and had not played in a game for 16 weeks. For his part, Alston seemed out of sorts. Despite their uneven play in game one, both men want desperately one thing. To win. Look for both to bounce back with better performances in game two.

The Lake Show
It is really something. The celebrity parade at the Staples Center for the NBA finals. Great place to people watch. Not that great of an NBA crowd. They just don�t make that much noise. Maybe they�re mesmerized by the likes of DiCaprio, and Kanye West, and Denzel, and Jack, and all the rest. Maybe they�re a bit spoiled with success. Maybe the Magic just didn�t give them enough reason to really get loud in a 100-75 blowout game. Hopefully we�ll find out if it�s the latter on Sunday night.

David Steele's blog is solely the opinion of David Steele and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA. For more blogs by David Steele click here.

Posted by Scott Anez, Friday, June 5, 2009, 1:45 AM

Back to the Drawing Board

The good news is that we now get a couple of days off to go back to the drawing board.

Final: Lakers 100 Magic 75.

One thing became abundantly clear early in game one�This ain�t Cleveland!

Not that the 66-win Cavs were easy pickins�. But, it�s obvious that the Lakers present some matchup issues that we did not see vs. the Cavs.

Tops on that list is Kobe.

We all knew that the guy would be a handful. But KB-24 was allowed to do anything he wanted to do. Kobe (finals career-high 40 points, 8R and 8A) is as determined as ever.. He is acting like a man on a mission, a mission to win his first title without Shaq. But, my goodness, let�s at least put up a few roadblocks. Body him up, trap him, do something different because nothing Courtney or Pietrus did worked. It was way too easy for Kobe in game one.

Not Dwight�s night.

Dwight Howard (12p and 15r) scored just one field goal on six attempts Thursday night. That ain�t gonna cut it. It looked to me as if Dwight was bothered by the Lakers length down low. L-A smothered him in the lane and made life much more difficult for him than Cleveland did.

Hit the boards.

While I believe that our pitiful performance was a bit of a fluke, I also realize that we have issues on the glass with this Laker bunch. The effort and energy must go up ten-fold if we�re gonna compete with this team in the rebounding column. L-A out-boarded us 55-41. The Lakers accounted for 15 offensive rebounds and they scored 56 points in the paint.

Our bookends bottomed out.

Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis went a combined 5-21 from the field. It�s just not good enough. Turk started quickly and fizzled late. Rashard looked as if he could really exploit Pau Gasol on the three point line, but that advantage never materialized

Jameer jumps in feet first.

Please, bloggers, don�t blame this loss on the decision to play Jameer in this game. It was not a chemistry thing as much as it was an effort and energy thing for the Magic Thursday night. I liked what I saw from #14 in the second quarter. He came in and had two points and three assists in the first 3:20 of the second. He looked a little rusty, but the silver lining was that he got 23 minutes under his belt. It�s good to see the little man out there again.

It�s widely known that if the Orlando Magic rebound, run and defend, we win.

We didn�t do any of that last night in game one.

Anez Sez is solely the opinion of Scott Anez and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA.

Posted by Glass Half Full, Friday, June 5, 2009, 1:30 AM

Some History

Largest Losses in Game 1 of NBA Finals, but Won Series - All-Time

Year	Game 1 Loser	Game 1 Winner	Lost By	Won Series
1985	Los Angeles Lakers	Boston Celtics	34 (114-148)	4-2
1972	Los Angeles Lakers	New York Knicks	22 (92-114)	4-1
1988	Los Angeles Lakers	Detroit Pistons	12 (93-105)	4-3
1948	Baltimore Bullets	Philadelphia Warriors	11 (60-71)	4-2
2006	Miami Heat	Dallas Mavericks	10 (80-90)	4-2

By Live or Die Magic, Thursday, June 4, 2009, 7:30 PM

Want Storylines? We Got You Covered!

The interwebernets are chock full of articles, columns, and blogs that offer prognostication, analysis, and breakdowns of the 2009 NBA Finals. So, in this space, I wanted to offer you something slightly different: a list of the intriguing storylines � things that aren�t necessarily about what is happening under the nets � that I feel make this Finals match up just as interesting as the one that everyone outside of Orlando wanted to happen. Let�s get started�

Trevor Ariza
Regardless of how much of an impact that Ariza has on the series, his presence will be felt by both teams. He is developing into an athletic and aggressive wing-man for Kobe Bryant and his injuries seem to be behind him. It is these past injuries, specifically his foot, that make up much of the rationale behind him being traded from the Magic in the first place. After all, it is never a good thing to mention �small forward� and �foot injury� in the same sentence around the Magic offices.

The match up will surely provide some extra motivation for Ariza. Although he only spent one full season (and small amounts of two others) in Orlando, he seemed to bond quite well with the Magic�s other young and promising players Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson. Many Magic fans are still sore about this trade, but that is it�s own discussion.

Rafer Alston
Rafer Alston and Otis Smith have both received much deserved praise during the Magic�s run to the Finals. Alston quickly acclimated to his new teammates and the Magic�s style of play, allowing the rotation to stay as it was prior to Jameer Nelson�s injury. Considering that Otis Smith gave up a player that wasn�t being used and a 1st rounder that will be one of the last two picks in the round, it was a brilliant move to get a starting point guard who has kept this team on track.

But here is where things get intriguing. I would argue that if the Magic were to win the Finals this season, the Rafer Alston trade would have a justifiable claim to the best in-season trade in NBA history, or at least in recent memory. The only recent in season trades that I remember that led to a title were the Rasheed Wallace trade from Portland to Detroit (via Atlanta) in 2004, and the Clyde Drexler trade (also from Portland) to Houston in 1995. But neither of those trades involved injuries to major starters. In Detroit�s case, they were coming off a loss in the ECF the previous year, had a brand new Hall of Fame coach, and made one final move to put them over the hump. My point is, the Pistons were expected to get to the Finals. As for Houston, they were the defending NBA Champions, so it isn�t like they came out of nowhere.

But Orlando�s run this season has been surprising. Yes, a 2nd round playoff appearance, a division title, and 52 wins were great last year. But the national audience was surprised to see the Magic hold the best record in the league (ok, it was only for one day) during the season and to have an impressive record against all the �real� contenders. Certainly the Magic were not expected to knock off both the Celtics and the Cavaliers on their way to the Finals. So, it is fair to say that had we not made the trade for Rafer Alston, the Magic wouldn�t be in this position.

I would love to hear from you guys on this one�can you think of any other in-season trades that had this great of an impact and led to a title?

Tyronn Lue
He was a key contributor off the bench for two of the Lakers three most recent titles. He is likely to see little playing time during the series, but his familiarity with Kobe Bryant, Derek Fisher, and Phil Jackson may have value throughout what is likely to be a long series. If nothing else, he could be a wise voice in the other players� ears while on the bench. I�ve heard him speaking to Dwight several times in the locker room since he arrived, and he always seems to be offering sage advice to the younger player and putting things in perspective for him. The Rafer Alston trade may have been intended to correct the Tyronn Lue trade, but if Lue�s experience ends up being put to use during a Magic series victory, then this trade will most definitely have merit of its own.

Shaquille O�Neal
Considering that this is a player no longer involved with either team, it is a shame that this is the storyline that is likely to get the most attention. We could call these Finals the �Shaw-Shaq Redemption� Finals or the �Monkey Off Our Shaq� Finals. Truly, whichever team wins, the ever-imposing presence of O�Neal will be reduced substantially. In the case of the Lakers, Kobe Bryant (and his legacy) will be the main beneficiary, as he will no doubt view a Shaq-less title as his most important and most special. Shaq has already tried to lessen this potential impact by publicly coming out with the fact that he will be rooting for Kobe to get his fourth ring. No doubt Shaq made sure to emphasize the number as a way to draw attention to the fact that he already has his fourth.

But I would argue that it will be more substantial for the Orlando Magic because it will be not only the organization but the entire city of Orlando that will breath a sigh of relief. It was bad enough that Shaq devastated this franchise 13 years ago, but since that time he has taken every opportunity to criticize the organization and the city which he still, ironically, calls home. This season, he took things up a notch when he turned his comments toward Dwight Howard and Stan Van Gundy.

If the Magic win, no Magic fan will ever again care what Shaquille O�Neal has to say.

JJ Redick vs. Adam Morrison
Just kidding.

Disneyland vs. Disney World
I�ve been to both parks and both of them are great. The fact that this is even a storyline is quite sad. But there it was, on the front cover of today�s USA Today. I suppose the nation is more fascinated with these two destinations than the locals. Feel free to gasp in amazement, for there are entire weeks that go by in which I don�t even think about Disney World! Perhaps a title by the Magic will be a small step toward being known for something besides Disney.

Tiger Woods
Many of us on the Magic Message Boards have long-questioned whether Tiger Woods was actually a true fan of the Magic. Yes, he was a season ticket holder, but only seemed to show up for the bigger-name opponents. Now, he has publicly come out with the fact that he will be rooting for the Lakers. First off, did we even need to know? It was released in his monthly newsletter, so it isn�t like an interviewer put a microphone in his face and asked the question. My guess is that this will get enough press locally that Tiger may get booed when he appears for the a Finals game here in Orlando.

This is a situation where actions trump sentimentality. I don't care where he is from or who he rooted for growing up. He made a choice to make Orlando his home and has been coming to Magic games for many seasons now. The Magic should have long ago become his team of choice. It will be weird watching him rooting for the Lakers during the games here in town and then seeing him rooting for us in a regular season game next season.

All-Time Great Big Men
Look how many of the all-time great NBA big men have a stake in who wins this match up:

Shaq (already covered).

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Lakers assistant coach).

Patrick Ewing (Magic assistant coach).

Bill Walton (Rooting for his son, Luke, forward for the Lakers)

Bill Russell (yeah, this one is a bit of a stretch, but you have to figure that he is pulling for us to keep the Lakers� total title count from creeping closer to Celtics territory, not to mention keeping Phil Jackson from passing his beloved coach Red Auerbach.)

Dwight Howard (yes, he belongs in this category, if for no other reason that he is the only one actually on the court!).

Oh, and hey, I�m just curious�.anyone wondering who Fran Vazquez is rooting for...his national teammate and countryman, Pau Gasol, or the team who owns his NBA rights? Somebody? Anybody? Didn't think so.

Enjoy the Finals Magic Fans!

This message was not subject of approval by the NBA or the Orlando Magic. The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA, but solely the writer.

Posted by Glass Half Full, Thursday, June 4, 2009, 10:50 AM

A Superman Three-Point Play

1) Dwight Howard is in select company, averaging better than 20 points and 15 rebounds per game so far this postseason.

Players to Average 20+ PPG & 15+ RPG in Single Postseason (since 1950-51; min. 15 PS games)

Season	Player	PPG	RPG
1967	Wilt Chamberlain, PHI	21.7	29.1
1970	Wilt Chamberlain, LAL	22.1	22.2
1976	Dave Cowens, BOS	21.0	16.4
1974	Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, MIL	32.2	15.8
2001	Shaquille O'Neal, LAL	30.4	15.4
2000	Shaquille O'Neal, LAL	20.7	15.4
2009	Dwight Howard, ORL	21.7	15.4
2003	Tim Duncan, SAS	24.7	15.4

2) Dwight Howard had a playoff career-high 40 points in the series-clinching win over Cleveland. He is the fourth different Magic player to have 40 points in a playoff game.

3) Most Double-Doubles - 2009 Postseason

Dwight Howard, Orl - 17
Pau Gasol, LAL - 13
Rajon Rondo, Bos - 9
LeBron James, Cle - 7
Kendrick Perkins, Bos - 6
Yao Ming, Hou - 6

Posted by Scott Anez, Thursday, June 4, 2009, 10:45 AM

Tale of the Tape

Point Guard: Rafer Alston vs. Derek Fisher

The Lakers are 5-0 in the Playoffs when Fisher scores in double figures. Fisher had 27 points vs. the Magic in the regular season. Fisher is solid, but is susceptible defensively.

Despite the news that Jameer is coming back, Rafer's our guy in this series. He will start. He will get the bulk of the time at the point guard spot because he deserves it. Skip almost single-handedly won game four vs. Cleveland with his 20 of 26 points in the second half. He's got this team playing at a peak level right now.

Edge: MAGIC

Shooting Guard: Courtney Lee vs. Kobe Bryant

Kobe smells his fourth title, and his first sans Shaq. He scored 34 points per game and shot 48% vs. Denver in the Western Conference Finals. Kobe put up 41 points against us in December. He had a triple-double (27p, 13r, 11a) vs. us in January. He is simply the best closer in the game.

When the Magic faced the Lakers in January, Kobe asked Courtney during the game if he'd like to work out with him this summer. That's high praise for the rookie from Western Kentucky.

Edge: LAKERS

Small Forward: Hedo Turkoglu vs. Trevor Ariza

Hedo is doing it all right now. Heck, he even averaged 6.7 assists vs. Cleveland. Hedo, like his Magic, is playing his best ball of the year. He is a matchup nightmare for everybody, but, if there is a team that has the ability to combat his versatility, it's the Lakers.

Ex-Magic player Trevor Ariza, who has checked Hedo many times in practice, will be tough. Ariza is starting to realize his potential. He's shooting 50% from three point range in the Playoffs. He shot 58% vs. Denver. He become the LA's defensive stopper. Hedo has his work cut out for him, but, I am siding with Hedo's veteran wherewithal.

Edge: MAGIC

Power Forward: Rashard Lewis vs. Pau Gasol

Rashard is such a huge part of what we do offensively. Sweet Lew, vs. the Cavs, was 15-31 from three-point range. He, like Turk, is a nightmarish matchup. It'll be interesting to see how long Gasol guards Rashard, because he will not be able to get out to him on that three point line. On the other side of the court, Gasol will have the advantage on the post. Gasol is shooting 57% in the Playoffs.

Edge: EVEN

Center: Dwight Howard vs. Andrew Bynum

No contest. Dwight comes off what was, in this guy's opinion, the best performance of his career in game six vs. Cleveland (40p and 14r). He shot 70% from the free throw line vs. the Cavs. Bynum has not played well in the postseason. He averaged 7.8 points per game vs. Denver. It's going to be interesting to see how much Bynum plays in this series. I would think L-A is going to go small and try to lure Superman away from the hoop defensively.

Edge: MAGIC

Bench: Jameer Nelson becomes the ultimate X-Factor here. Mickael Pietrus has been incredible in the postseason. We always seem to either extend or keep a lead when Marcin Gortat relieves Dwight. The Laker bench is strong. The inconsistent Lamar Odom leads their brigade. Luke Walton will be counted upon to come in and guard our forwards.

Edge: LAKERS

Coaches: Phil Jackson's won nine rings. Stan Van Gundy doesn't even know where his Miami Heat Championship ring is from 2006. Stan's the man, but objectively speaking, Jackson has the edge here because he's been in this position many times before.

Edge: LAKERS

PICK: I like our Magic. I like 'em in six!

Anez Sez is solely the opinion of Scott Anez and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA.

Posted by Scott Anez, Wednesday, June 3, 2009, 10:15 AM

Sez Says Jameer Plays

The smoke screen has turned into a smoke signal.

I am now convinced that Jameer Nelson is going to play in the NBA Finals.

My gut tells me that, not only will Jameer play, he will be on the court for meaningful minutes.

How about that?

As late as last week, both GM Otis Smith and Jameer told me that there was a better chance that yours truly play in the Finals. Frankly, I don't mind the little white lies, as long as those little white lies lead us to a championship. I understand how the game works.

Coach Van Gundy will have the final say after today's practice in SoCal. After Jameer worked out with the team for the first time in four months Tuesday, Stan said, "Jameer was OK. We did go up and down. We'll have to see."

Stan did not say a whole lot about Jameer's performance on day one. That's rather unusual for our outspoken, straightforward head coach. Stan's silence spoke volumes to me.

I just get the feeling that Jameer showed very well in practice number one.

So, I think Jameer is playing...Now what?

Naturally, I am concerned about Jameer's surgically repaired shoulder. But my orthopedic buddies assure me that because Jameer has rehabbed aggressively and because he is months ahead of schedule, chances are actually greater that his other shoulder dislocates than the one that was operated on Feb. 19.

The team chemistry issue has come up. How will Jameer fit in with a team that is clicking right now?

If I am Anthony Johnson, I am very happy for my buddy Jameer. I am also privately discontented. A-J has played very well off the bench at that point guard spot in these playoffs. Remember, A-J came up huge in game three vs. Boston when he filled in for the suspended Rafer Alston. He's been a rock off the pine. A-J is the guy who will most impacted by a Jameer return.

Rafer Alston cannot, and will not, lose his starting job to Jameer. Even if Jameer was 100% ready to go, you just can't move Rafer to the bench after being such an instrumental part of a core that's led us to an Eastern Conference pennant. Skip must start. Jameer will come off the bench.

Is this an ideal situation? Absolutely not. Ideally, we would have loved to get Jameer some playing time in the previous series to get his feet wet.

But in the end, you want your best players on the court. You want the guys who give you the best chance to win in your lineup. You have an All Star who has been cleared medically. You have a guy who is the leader of your team chompin' at the bit. You have a guy who whooped up on the Lakers during the regular season.

Looks like a no brainer to me.

Welcome back Jameer.

Anez Sez is solely the opinion of Scott Anez and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA.

Posted by Glass Half Full, Wednesday, June 3, 2009, 8:30 AM

Talking Points

As your Orlando Magic look to become the first team in NBA history to defeat three 60-win teams in the postseason en route to the title (only Houston in 1995 and Orlando this year beat two 60-win teams in the playoffs), here are some Glass Half Full Finals talking points to keep you busy around the water cooler.

1. The Magic have to continue to play their game in the brightest of all lights. Offensively, it's playing inside-out, attacking the basket, moving the ball for open three's, and playing its pick-and-roll game. Defensively, it's showing Kobe multiple looks (like Paul Pierce and LeBron James previously), finishing possessions with rebounds, and playing hard for 48 minutes. Remember, offense sells tickets and defense wins championships.

2. This is an extremely intriguing series with multiple match-ups to take into account. No doubt there are lots of X's and O's for coaches Stan Van Gundy and Phil Jackson to play with. You have your stars in Dwight and Kobe, no last names needed, and how each team chooses to defend and adjust. You have Pau Gasol and Rashard Lewis, both skilled, both dangerous, but in different ways. You have your X-Factors in Lamar Odom and Mickael Pietrus and Hedo Turkoglu and Trevor Ariza. You have Laker bigs (Gasol, Andrew Bynum) and Magic bigs (Marcin Gortat, Tony Battie). You have veteran point guards and relatively deep benches. Mix it all up and we could be playing for quite a while.

3. There are also many intangibles to consider.. The Lakers experienced the Finals spectacle and chaos last year, while this will be new for the Magic. Orlando, however, has been toughened up by a Game 7 in Boston and a meeting with the King in Cleveland, not to forget a six-gamer in Philly which was clinched sans Superman. L.A. undoubtedly has the taste of getting here last year and losing still in its mouth. The 2-3-2 format is another factor, as we now say so long to 2-2-1-1-1. Both teams have been strong on the road. Buckle up, here we go.

By Mickael Pietrus
June 2, 2009

Here We Come L.A.

Hi -

First off, I want to say that my heart goes out to the families of the crew and passengers on Air France Flight 447. For those of you that don't know, their plane went missing going from Rio de Janeiro to Paris on Monday. I have been following the news during my time off. I am hopeful that the plane is found and there are some answers to what happened. Please keep the families of the 228 people on board AF447 in your thoughts and prayers.

Orlando went crazy the night we beat Cleveland. I headed down to one of my favorite restaurants in downtown Orlando, Kress, after the game. We had to take back ways and avoid roadblocks because there were so many people outside celebrating. It was really cool to have all of the fans cheering and wanting their photos taken with me. Since I played on the West Coast before I came to Orlando, I don't think the fans knew me when I first got here. Now, everyone has something to say. It is great to win at home and to see the city so excited.

I am writing this before we head to Los Angeles for the NBA Finals. I am feeling very relaxed and have enjoyed a couple days away from basketball.. I have spent the last couple of days chilling out at home. I played some pool, cooked some BBQ, swam and most importantly got my play list organized for the road trip. The "On the Road to LA for the Finals" mix has Rick Ross, Run DMC, Zouk music (from Guadeloupe) and some more songs to pump me up before the game. I am sure I will keep adding to it as we go through the series. I have also been doing a lot of interviews which have been fun. The reporters are starting to get creative with the way they ask their questions. Last series it was, "something something LEBRON" and now it is "something something KOBE." It doesn't really matter how they put it, they are asking the same thing. I love my job and I am glad I don't have their job...yet...ha ha ha.

I know all of you are only watching Magic basketball right now but I wanted to congratulate Barcelona on winning the Premiere League Championships. They beat Manchester United last week 2-0. I was on a plane during the game but I caught the highlights of the match. I really like the aggressive and very offensive style of Barca. Fun to watch.

It is great that we won the Eastern Conference Championships but our work is not done. We want to win the NBA Championships...period....full stop. Thank you to all the fans for their support. We appreciate everything and we look forward to bringing the NBA Championship trophy to Orlando.

Please keep an eye out for my tribute to the passengers and crew of Air France 447.

Peace.

MP

For more information about Mickael and some MP designed gear, please check out Mickael-Pietrus.com.

Posted by Scott Anez, Tuesday, June 2, 2009, 10:30 AM

Our Ace In The Hole

Will Jameer Nelson play in the NBA Finals?

Magic GM Otis Smith says, "There's a 'smidget' of a chance he could play."

Jameer went down with the torn labrum in his shoulder vs. Dallas Feb. 3rd. He would have surgery Feb. 19, ironically, the same day that Otis would make what could be considered an NBA Finals-saving deal for point guard Rafer Alston.

Jameer has been going through four-on-four drills. Today, he's practicing for the first time with his team. We'll go from there.

Is it me or do ya just get the feeling that Jameer's teammates and coaches are a little skittish about all this comeback talk? I think everyone is more concerned about Jameer coming back and hurting himself again than anything else.

If you're a Magic fan and you're expecting Jameer to be the All Star you saw earlier this season, you're sadly mistaken. It's just not gonna happen. It can't. This is Jameer's pre-season. Running around, playing four-on-four, jogging on the treadmill, playing HORSE is all fine and good, but it's nothing like playing in the NBA Finals, the ultimate level of basketball. You just can't expect a guy who's been out for four months to come back and become the same guy he was back in early Feb.

I think you're asking a lot of Coach Stan Van Gundy as well, because, if Otis does give the long shot go-ahead for Jameer to make his comeback, you've got to find a spot in a rotation that is chock full o' mojo right now. All coaches come from a paranoid lot. You've got some great chemistry going right now with this team. You want all your guns firing going into series like this, but coaches frown upon any unknowns, especially at this time of year.

If he's good to go and Jameer does come back, does he start? Does he come off the bench? How much time does he play?

Then, there's the school of thought that says that this is all one big smoke screen. Are the Magic simply giving the Zen Master something else to chew on out there in LA LA Land? Remember, Jameer scored 55 total points in two games vs. LA this year. The Lakers can be vulnerable at the point guard spot. It couldn't hurt to have Phil Jackson lose a few hours of sleep in preparing for the possibility of guarding Jameer, could it?

What would I do? I would treat Jameer as my Ace in the Hole in this series.

If he shows well in work outs over the next few days, let's give him more practice time out in SoCal. Dress him for games one and two, but hold him out, barring any blowouts. If we happen get to get down in this series and we're struggling to find a rhythm here at home, that's when we throw Jameer into the fray to give our team and our town an emotional lift.

Even with all the unknowns surrounding Jameer Nelson right now, it's a wonderful dilemma to have if you're the Orlando Magic. After all, it cannot be a bad thing to have all your talent available against a team like the Lakers.

Anez Sez is solely the opinion of Scott Anez and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA.

Posted by David Steele, Tuesday, June 2, 2009, 10:30 AM

Ariza, Pietrus and Alston

Magic fans will be watching one Laker in particular with great interest in the NBA finals. Trevor Ariza is having an outstanding post-season with LA, and Magic some fans might be wondering what might have been.

Back in 2006, it looked like Ariza�s bright future was in Orlando. In February of �06, GM Otis Smith engineered a brilliant deal with the Knicks, bringing the young and athletic Ariza from New York in exchange for Steve Francis. Remember that? Otis pulled the greatest swap since the Louisiana Purchase, getting out from under an enormous contract obligation to Francis, a tempermental player, clearly on the decline.

Ariza played 89 games in Orlando, averaging 7.2 ppg while shooting 51% from the field. He scored most of his points on drives to the basket or offensive put-backs. Outside shooting was not his strength. Stan Van Gundy, in his first year as Magic head coach, was looking for players that would better compliment Dwight Howard. That�s primarily why, in November of 2007, Otis somewhat reluctantly traded Ariza to the Lakers for Maurice Evans and Brian Cook.

Now, follow closely the progression of what has transpired since February of �06.

Otis Smith gets Trevor Ariza in exchange for Steve Francis. Stevie-franchise�s huge salary is removed from the Magic books, and Ariza looks like a promising young player. Then, Ariza is sent to the Lakers in November of �07 for Cook and Evans, who both help the Magic win games in Stan Van Gundy�s first year as head coach. Evans, in particular is a key player in �07-�08, starting 47 games for a 52 win Orlando team. However, in the summer of �08, Otis Smith decides to let Evans go. He becomes a free agent and Smith uses those dollars to sign another free agent, Mikael Pietrus.

Now, fast-forward to February of �09. Jameer Nelson is out for the year with a shoulder injury, and Smith goes to work again. He uses Cook as a key part of a deal that brings Rafer Alston from Houston to replace Nelson. So, here�s the progression: Steve Francis turns into Trevor Ariza, who turns into Mo Evans and Brian Cook, who become Mikael Pietrus and Rafer Alston. Whew! And you thought the defensive three second rule was confusing?

The bottom line is this. Yes, Ariza is a talented young player with a bright future. He�s even shooting threes well these days. Ariza was 0 for 12 from beyond the arc in 89 games with the Magic, but in these playoffs has made and impressive 50% of his threes (30 for 60). But, where would the Magic be without Mickael Pietrus and Rafer Alston? Certainly not in the NBA finals.

David Steele's blog is solely the opinion of David Steele and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA. For more blogs by David Steele click here.

Posted by STUFF, Monday, June 1, 2009, 6:30 PM

We Want the Gold!

Simply put: WOW!

If you didn�t believe in this team before, I hope you do now. If not, you might want to get a job as a statue because you don�t have a pulse! I have never been part of such a hard-working team in my little dragon life. Our guys are focused and determined to win this entire thing, and as Mr. DeVos said following the game the other night, �We are happy, but we are not satisfied!�

As the final ticks of the clock slowly but steadily counted away to zero, I looked around the Amway Arena and focused on the people who made the difference for our team: our sixth man � the fans. I saw the pride in their eyes, heard the ownership in their cheers, felt the admiration in their hugs, tasted the sweet satisfaction of victory, and bore witness to one of the happiest moments in Orlando history. It was a beautiful site, one which I admired for several minutes before moving to the next stage of celebration.

The Eastern Conference caps, fresh off the press, were passed out amongst the staff. Everyone around me had one on their heads. Of course, there wasn�t one large enough for my huge cranium, so I simply pretended I was cool as everyone else. It was even more appropriate to see the team and coaches wearing them, crowning them the real �kings� of the court. Hats off to them� or in this case, hats on to them.

And then came the trophy presentation. A gorgeous, silver trophy, delivered and presented by NBA Legend, �The Big O� himself: Oscar Robertson. It was quite a spectacle to see the trophy handed to Mr. DeVos, then on to Mr. Vander Weide, and finally passed all throughout the team. It made its way around the team, until it finally wound up in the enormous hands of Dwight Howard, whose smile gleamed across the trophy�s reflection.

And as great as that was� it is going to get even better! If you can�t tell already, this city is already buzzing. Following the game, everyone was so proud. Our fans were proud. Our organization was proud. Our team was so proud. But as proud as the team was, they still had a sense of calmness about them. A sense of purpose and passion. A sense of unfinished business. Because there is still work left to do.

Time to put those hats aside because they really do not do us justice. We want the crown. Time to save the smiles for other times. Like maybe as we brush our teeth. Time to put that trophy back in its box because that trophy was silver. And as Otis Smith so eloquently put it, this team was not put together to be win a silver trophy. We want the gold!

Magic fans, we have four games left to win � FOUR! They may happen in Los Angeles, they may happen in Orlando, but we only have four victories remaining until the Orlando Magic � YOUR Orlando Magic � is crowned the NBA World Champions!

Dragon My Heels, But Gotta Fly�

By Live or Die Magic, Monday, June 1, 2009, 11:15 AM

The Magic Won...Deal With It

So sorry to disappoint the rest of the nation, but the Orlando Magic are going to the 2009 NBA Finals. Against the wishes of the NBA, the networks, Nike, and any NBA fan not wearing Magic blue and white, the Finals will feature a matchup of two teams, not a game of one-on-one between Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.

As I was walking out of the O-Rena after Game 6, I was thinking about how disappointed the casual NBA fan must be. Frankly, it made me chuckle and say to myself, �too bad.� I would argue that the more exciting team won. I�m probably going to lose this argument to anyone who is not a Magic fan, and that is just fine with me. As Magic fans, we have grown accustomed to a lack of consideration from anyone associated with the NBA outside of Orlando.

Was anyone else bothered by the number of times that Nike�s Kobe/LeBron puppet commercial was aired? It even aired after the Magic eliminated LeBron from the Eastern Conference Finals. Now, I realize that Nike is careful to not explicitly say that the commercial is an advertisement for their two biggest endorsers to meet on basketball�s biggest stage, but then again, they don�t need to explicitly say it, do they? I have no clue how much potential revenue was at stake for Nike, but my guess is that they stood to gain a pretty penny from a Lakers/Cavaliers matchup. Well, again, too bad!

Look, I�ve got nothing against Nike personally, but it seems that ever since Michael Jordon laced up his first pair of �Airs,� Nike has been an extremely powerful force in the NBA, and in basketball in general. I mean, since when should the manufacturer of the shoes that player�s wear have this much influence � real or perceived � on the game itself? Can you guys imagine Goodyear having this much influence over NASCAR? I mean, if anything, shouldn�t Spaulding be the company in this position? At least they make the actual ball that�s used! If LeBron or Kobe went to the local Wal-Mart and picked up a pair of off-brand hi-tops and wore them for one game, or even for one quarter, would either of them be less of a player?

The NBA�s network partners weren�t much better. They clearly wanted the more marquee matchup. TNT�s Kenny �the Jet� Smith could not face the truth and never seemed to back away from his stance that the Cavaliers were the better team. Once LeBron was eliminated, he couldn�t jump on Kobe�s back fast enough. I understand that in business, especially in a time of recession, it is important to maximize your potential revenue. This means offering the matchup that most people in the country are likely to tune in for, allowing the networks to charge top dollar for an advertising spot. But surely these things are pre-set as far as cost, right? I can�t believe that TNT or ABC can suddenly, just a couple of days before a series begins, decide to raise the price for how much they charge for an ad spot because the matchup is more attractive.

I don�t buy in to the idea of an NBA-led conspiracy. I think that as a business, the NBA has their preferences; outcomes that they deem to be more financially rewarding. But I think there is a big gap between having preferences and taking steps to turn those preferences into actual outcomes.

The NBA and the networks are hardly the only ones that seem to push for these matchups. The national media are probably as guilty as anyone in feeding the LeBron/Kobe hype machine. Even now, two days after the Magic eliminated the Cavaliers, all that the national media can talk about is LeBron James and his lack of sportsmanship. Who cares? Shouldn�t you guys be talking about the Magic and the Lakers? At this point, I�d rather see headlines and articles talking about how the Magic have zero shot against the Lakers than to hear someone�s opinion on why LeBron �dissed� Howard. Outside of Cleveland, and especially in Orlando and LA, the NBA focus should be on the Lakers vs. Magic.

What�s not to love about this matchup? The Magic are truly a balanced team. Dwight Howard may be the focus, but he is not the only weapon the Magic have at their disposal. Rashard Lewis has become a stone-cold marksman from the arc, hitting numerous big time shots, just when they were needed. Turkoglu has practically turned inconsistency into a virtue, finding ways to positively impact the game, even if his shot isn�t falling. Rafer Alston, who had been a steady facilitator, now has altered his game slightly to provide a timely scoring punch to the Magic�s offense. And Courtney Lee, I cannot say enough about this supposed �rookie!� The cat does not get fazed!

As good as our starting five are, the best reason that you shouldn�t assume the Lakers are going to win the Finals is the Magic�s bench. We have incredible depth; depth that we have particularly developed over the 2nd half of the season. Our third-string shooting guard started in a 7 game series against the defending NBA champions. Our 2nd string shooting guard just finished playing admirably against the second-best all-around player in the game. Our backup point guard has logged more playoff games than anyone on the team, and our backup center has filled in so well, the team and fans aren�t worried when Dwight has to sit for awhile.

Maybe I�m biased, but I think that NBA fans across the nation and overseas are going to be very satisfied with the quality of the entertainment in this season�s Finals. Two great teams, each featuring one marquee name but multiple marquee talents, are likely to play an extended series. In fact, I�d argue that the Magic are the East team that is most likely to take the Lakers to a Game 7, thus allowing everyone � fans, NBA, networks, and yes, even Nike � to benefit in whichever way they deem most important. I�m sure they will still figure out a way to market the individual stars, but it is the teams that will shine.

I�m pretty sure that no NBA title has ever been awarded to a single player, no matter how great he was. The Eastern Conference Finals showed us that one great player can will a team to a tremendous regular season; however, it isn�t enough to win a title. If you need another example, just look at the Magic�s opponent in the Finals. The Lakers missed the playoffs entirely the year after Shaquille O�Neal, Karl Malone, and Gary Payton left the team. The next two seasons, the Lakers were eliminated in the first round. It wasn�t until last season, when the Lakers added a legitimate low-post scorer in Pao Gasol, that they were able to take advantage of having the greatest player in the game.

So, to all the fans who are upset that they won�t see Kobe and LeBron go one-on-one, believe me, you likely wouldn�t have seen much of that anyway. Furthermore, the game is played by 5 guys on a court together, not one. If you want to see LeBron and Kobe together, go check out that puppet commercial that is probably going to air all throughout the Summer. But if you want to see an impressive display of team basketball, just tune in to ABC on June 4th.

This message was not subject of approval by the NBA or the Orlando Magic. The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA, but solely the writer.

Posted by Scott Anez, Sunday, May 31, 2009, 12:15 PM

We're Going to the Show

Stick the puppets in moth balls, Nike. The Orlando Magic are going to the NBA Finals!

Magic 103 Cavs 90.

The better team won, folks. The better team won this series.

I am gonna jump all around in this edition of Sez because I have so many things to express...

I wonder, is Dwight Howard still too goofy to win a title, Sports Illustrated? My goodness, what a performance by Superman! From the get go, Dwight played game six with an unparalleled purpose and intensity reserved for the greatest of players. He willed this team to victory with his 40 points and 14 rebounds. The man has grown up before our very eyes.

By the way, props to the referees (Steve Javie, Bennett Salvatore and Derek Stafford) last night. I thought that crew, more than any other in these Playoffs, was fair and in control of the game from the outset. They allowed Dwight to be able to play without worrying about the usual ticky-tack calls.

The Master of Panic is now the Master of the Eastern Conference! Shaq, you can call him what you want. Regardless of what happens vs. the Lakers....I call Stan Van Gundy a WINNER! The guy is so driven and such a tireless worker. He probably hasn't slept in about a month. He even lost his voice before game six. Yet, he never, ever let up.

I can't tell you how happy I am for Magic owner Rich DeVos. When Mr. D decided to think twice about his decision to sell this franchise back in 2000, he likely saved major league sports for Orlando. Thank you Mr. D for hanging in there...and thank you for never wavering in your goal to bring a championship to Orlando. We're four wins away.

I can't tell you how happy I am for this organization, especially for the folks behind the scenes who have worked so hard for so long. You know who you are.

I think it speaks volumes that GM Otis Smith did not participate in the on-court post game trophy ceremony. That's our Otis. His philosophy from the get go has been that the focus should be on his players and coaches. You won't see Otis, or for that matter Assistant GM Dave Twardzik, on any media junkets. It's never been about ego, agenda or office politics with these guys. It's always been about putting the best team out on the court and winning titles.

Nothing galvanized this town like the Orlando Magic's road to the NBA Finals back in 1995. Fourteen years later, we're united again. Central Florida is abuzz with Magic fever. It's great to see. The Magic's run toward the trophy has perhaps given some folks a much-needed respite from their every day struggles during some very trying economic times. Therefore, I would argue that this 2009 run will prove to be even more impactful than the one we had back in 1995.

Many of us have fallen in love with little Gina Marie Incandela over the last few weeks. Rightfully so. Her story is inspirational and her spirit and voice are infectious. I know we will see her singing the national anthem in games three, four and five of the Finals at Amway. Let's not forget about the Seersucker! Our Magic were 5-1 when our color analyst, Richie Adubato, wore that suit. He was undefeated at home. You combine Gina Marie with Richie's G-Q look, and we cannot be beat!

I have so many other things to express but I will save those thoughts for more Sez fodder later this week.

12 down. 4 to go.

We're going to the show, Magic fans....We're going to the show.

Anez Sez is solely the opinion of Scott Anez and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA.

Posted by David Steele, Sunday, May 31, 2009, 3:15 AM

Game 6 Analysis

Witness This
There was one great performance in the decisive Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals Saturday night. It was turned in by the Orlando Magic�s Dwight Howard. A career playoff high 40 points, 14 rebounds and four assists doesn�t even tell the whole story of this incredible performance. Dwight was double-teamed most of the night and was simply uncanny with his decision-making. When to shoot. When to pass. Who to pass to. When to sweep into the lane. When to spin baseline. And that was just on the offensive end. Defensively, he was equally as dominating. Challenging shots when appropriate. Backing off when need be to avoid committing a foul. This was the performance of a lifetime for the 23-year-old sensation. And the thing is, you know there�s a lot more still to come.

With a little from his friends
Rashard Lewis: 18 points in Game 6, an 18 ppg average in the series on 49% shooting and 48% from beyond the arc. Hedo Turkoglu: not a great shooting night in game 6, but outstanding overall play, and averaged better than 17 ppg in the series. Rafer Alston: in the playoffs Rafer is averaging 14.6 ppg when the Magic win, and only 9.6 ppg when they lose. Saturday night was a solid night for the Magic point guard. 13 points and just 1 turnover in 38 minutes. Mickael Pietrus and Courtney Lee: Both outstanding throughout the series. To steal a phrase from Celtic great Tommy Heinsohn, �I love Courtney Lee!� The rookie makes few mistakes and defends like his next paycheck depends on it. Pietrus averaged 13.8 ppg, shot 51% from the field and 47 % threes in the series while often defending LeBron James on the other end of the floor. Anthony Johnson. The stats don�t tell the story for him in Game 6, but the Magic were +10 while he was on the floor for almost the entire 2nd quarter.

Rebounding machine
As the saying goes: he may not be in a class by himself, but it doesn�t take long to take roll. Dwight Howard is averaging 15.4 rebounds per game in 32 career playoff games. Among players in NBA post-season history with a minimum 30 games played, only Bill Russell (24.9) and Wilt Chamberlain (24.5) have more rebounds per game than Howard.

Very good, but not great on this night
LeBron James looked almost human in game 6. Perhaps just plain tuckered out from carrying his team in games 1-5, the league�s MVP was just 8 for 20 from the field, 2 for 8 on threes, and 7 for 11 from the foul line for a solid, but not spectacular 25 points. He also grabbed 7 rebounds and handed out 7 assists. A frustrating end to a phenomenal series for James, who averaged 38.5 points per game against the Magic.

Let �em play!
And the referees did. Game 6 was easily just a physical as any of the previous five contests in the series, but there were fewer fouls called and free throws attempted than in any game except game one. Thank you, Mr.�s Javie, Salvatore and Stafford.

Couldn�t figure it out
The series ended just like it began in game one. Cleveland could never solve the Magic�s offensive attack. Howard in the post. Wing pick and rolls. High pick and rolls. The Cavs were one of the NBA�s best defensive teams all season long. Gave up just 91 points per game in the regular season. The Magic averaged 103.7 against the Cavaliers in the series.

Hit me with your best shot
Cleveland, down by 18 at the half, hit the Magic with all they had in the third quarter. It started with an 8-0 to cut the Orlando lead to just 11 in the first minute of the period. Quick time out by Stan Van Gundy to remind the team that they had the best player on the floor and it might be a good idea to use him. Dwight Howard responded out of the time out with a pretty assist out of a double to Courtney Lee, (are you sure he�s a rookie?) and a minute later the lead was back out to 16. Cleveland kept coming. The Cavs made several more determined runs, but never got to within single digits.

Post-game fun
Great stuff, that Eastern Conference trophy presentation after the game. When the Magic won the East in �95, I was doing radio play-by-play for the team, and was not able to take in the festivities from a fan�s perspective. Watching the team celebrate at center court Saturday night was a treat. The crowd was electric. Players and coaches soaked it all in with genuine delight. Enormous ovation for Stan Van Gundy (rightfully so!) Noticeably absent from the celebration was the architect of the team�s roster, gm Otis Smith. Typical of his low-key style, Otis elected to stand in the shadows and watch as his players and coaches took the spotlight.

Behind the scenes, a moment to remember
As the post-game celebration rocked on in the Magic locker-room after the game, outside in the hallway a quiet exchange between two great men. Magic owner, Rich DeVos, the classiest of all NBA chiefs, and Jimmy Hewitt, the Orlando city leader who, along with Pat Williams brought the NBA to central Florida in the late 80�s, shared a brief, but sincere hug, each thanking the other for a job well done.

And in the words of Mr. DeVos, circa 1995, �why not us, why not now?�

David Steele's blog is solely the opinion of David Steele and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA. For more blogs by David Steele click here.

Posted by Scott Anez, Saturday, May 30, 2009, 9:30 AM

Sez's Pre-Game Pep Talk

So, I am Stan Van Gundy. I am getting ready for the biggest game of the season. It's a game that, if we win, will advance us to face the Lakers in the NBA Finals.

If I were giving a pre-game pep talk, here's how I would go about it:

"First of all guys, I realize that there's no need for a pep talk. We all know what's on the line tonight. But I am gonna give you one anyway.

As all of you know, I am not the mushiest guy in the world. But let me say this: I am so proud of you guys.

Exactly eight months ago, I told you that if you worked hard, you would have a chance to be in this position. That's exactly what all of you, 1-14, have done. You have busted your tails this year for me and I appreciate that beyond belief.

No one, and I mean no one, outside this locker room gave us a chance to be in this position this year. But, we believed. That's all that matters.

When you go out there on that court tonight in front of over 17,000 of our fans, know this.....We are the better basketball team. And as long as we play as a team, we cannot be beaten.

The game plan is solid. All we have to do is execute it.

Don't worry about the referees. Let me handle those guys. We all know we are not gonna get the benefit of the whistle tonight. Heck, we haven't gotten any respect from those guys all year long. Yet, we've overcome. We're gonna do the same thing tonight.

LeBron is gonna do all he can to get this thing back to Cleveland, fellas. We know what to expect. The guy is phenomenal. But, as far as I know, he's not Superman. We've got that guy on OUR side! Do not genuflect. Don't be in awe. Don't give him any more respect than you would any other player out there. Challenge him. Be physical with him. Man up on him. We will be the aggressors tonight, not him. We will impose our will tonight, not him.

We've been here before. We won game six in Philly. We became the first team in the history of this league to come back from a 2-3 deficit vs. mighty Boston Celtics. Tonight, we have a chance to close out in front of our home fans for the first time. It does not get any better than this. What a privilege!

But, make no mistake about it. This will be one of the hardest things you'll ever have to do on a basketball court. It will also be one of the most rewarding experiences of your lives. Tonight, you will close out one of the best teams in NBA regular season history.

Why?

This is our house. This is our game. This is our time.

Let's go!"

Anez Sez is solely the opinion of Scott Anez and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA.

By Live or Die Magic, Friday, May 29, 2009, 10:15 AM

Bounce Back Magic

The Orlando Magic cannot point to bad officiating or a miracle shot this time. No, this time they need to look a bit more at themselves. It is one thing to allow the Cavs to once again move out to a big lead off of a fast start. But when you add poor shooting to the mix � especially from the free throw line � then any good you�ve done yourself by clawing back into the game is negated. The Magic shot 68% from the free throw line, and it was the timing of the misses that seemed to really hurt them. If the Magic make just 5 more of the 13 they missed, it might be a different ballgame.

Beyond that, we have to touch on the hero-to-goat angle. Rafer came back down to earth last night from his huge Game 4 performance, making only one of his 10 field goal attempts. The Magic�s �live by the three; die by the three� mentality was showcased in Rafer�s 1-for-7 night from behind the arc. The telling part is that only three of his attempts were from within the arc. His decision making was suspect as well. One poor decision that really stuck out for me: late in the fourth quarter, when the Magic were down by 8, but still in the game,

Dwight Howard had incredible position on Anderson Varejao in the post, and the double team wasn�t coming. Alston was on the weak side � same as Howard � but instead of throwing it into Howard, Alston elected to launch a bad three point attempt. The Cavs quickly rebounded and Varejao converted an �and 1� play at the other end for a commanding 11 point lead. Considering that Howard could have converted the basket and possibly drawn a foul, then we are looking at the classic 6-point swing right there.

But once again the Magic�s resiliency was evident. The Cavaliers are pretty much incapable of sustaining a big lead against us. This is the first time that a breakdown in the fourth quarter has cost us a game against them. As good as this win must feel for the Cavaliers players, coaches, and fans, it must be frustrating as hell to play this Magic team, especially in their building. The Q is rocking, the stars are gawking, the Cavs shots are falling, and things are amen pass the gravy.

But then here comes that pesky Magic team chipping away at that lead. Here is Dwight Howard smiling and swinging. Here�s Turk with that almost smug look on his face after burying a three. Here�s Rashard making everyone shiver cuz of how cool he is. Here�s Pietrus doing that head-bobbing thing after every made shot. And here�s Courtney Lee stealing from LeBron James, going up for breakaway dunks and getting fouled, and basically walking around forgetting he�s supposed to be affected by all this. If I were a Cavs fan, I�d be hating the Magic with every fiber of my being. And I love it! I loved watching the Cavs fans booing Howard every time he got another Cavs player upset. I loved the way Howard was eating it up, yet keeping his cool.

The Magic lost the game, and there were plenty of not-so-pretty things that led to it. But I didn�t see anything in this game that makes me think that the Cavs can do this two more times, especially considering the next one is back in the very loud, very intimidating (you listening Barkley?) Amway Arena. The Cavaliers still have not made adjustments, and have no answer for Howard. Big Z finally hit his outside shots and Mo Williams finally managed to play like the third-choice All Star player he thinks he is. Otherwise, another brilliant performance by LeBron James would have been wasted. But here I go banging on the Cavs when it was the Magic who should have done more.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, Game 6 is the biggest Magic game in more than a decade, because of what is at stake. If we lose Game 6, all the momentum goes back to Cleveland and the entire country will be delirious with renewed dreams of Kobe vs. LeBron. Sickening, yes, I know...but we are in a position to crush that dream again. I can�t wait to see it happen.

All season long, this has been a team that has bounced back from adversity and has played its best games against the best teams. They have regrouped from injuries and bad play, and have been able to win despite lineup changes. The depth of this team is as good as any team we�ve ever had. The fan base of this team seems as strong as it has ever been. Let the Cavaliers and their fans, and even Nike, the NBA, and their television partners, have their moment. Ours will come Saturday night.

This message was not subject of approval by the NBA or the Orlando Magic. The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA, but solely the writer.

Posted by Scott Anez, Friday, May 29, 2009, 1:30 AM

The Way It's Supposed to Be

We did not get to close out the first couple of playoff series at Amway. We might as well do it in front of the home folk Saturday night!

The Game 5 final: Cavs 112 Magic 102.

You knew that Cavs were gonna come out smokin' Thursday night, didn't ya? This is a 66-win team that has a whole lotta pride. As a matter of fact, they were so proud that they stormed out to a 32-10 lead in the first quarter.

In game one we trailed by 16 early. In game two, the second quarter deficit was 23. Last night, we were forced to dig out of a 22 point crater.

I love that we are coming back and showing heart and hustle in these road games. But, just in case we have to, gosh forbid, go back to the Q Monday night, it would behoove us to wipe the mud off our shoes before we start the first quarter.

The good news is that this team continues to show that no lead is safe against us. We rallied and actually took a 64-56 lead early in the third quarter.

But, to bottom line this game, here it is...The King finally got some help from his court!

LeBron James was spectacular. He scored 17 of his 37 points in the fourth quarter. The King tallied a triple double, adding 14 rebounds and 12 assists. If there was a possession in which he did not touch the ball in the final quarter, I don't remember it. The guy is as much of an unstoppable force as I have ever seen in this league.

LeBron aside, to me, game five's entire complexion changed when little used Daniel Gibson would drain his first of two fourth quarter three pointers to put the Cavs up 84-80. Gibson would come back at the 4:20 mark and nail that other three (97-93 Cavs).

Those two daggers from a guy who has struggled mightily in this series and throughout the course of this season really seemed to give that Cav team the bounce they needed to run away with this one down the stretch.

LeBron finally got some help from his friends.

That's OK. Even though Cleveland believes that it has found its stride after the impressive game five victory, this series is still the Orlando Magic's to lose.

Key number one to Saturday night's game six? We have to keep Dwight Howard on the floor and out of foul trouble. For the third time in this series, he would foul out. Granted, at least two of those foul calls were absolutely ridiculous. But, that's life in Dwight's world.

If Dwight Howard stays on the court, we will win game six.

How's that for a guarantee, Mo Williams?

Don't fret Magic fans. This is the way it's supposed to be. We're coming home for a chance to be crowned Eastern Conference champions.

Anez Sez is solely the opinion of Scott Anez and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA.

Posted by David Steele, Friday, May 29, 2009, 1:15 AM

Game 5 Analysis

Give it to the King and get out of the way
Nothing fancy for the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Magic. They have the best player in the game, and they gave him the basketball. Another incredible night for LeBron James. 37 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists. His first triple double of this post-season. His eighth triple double this season. Cleveland is a perfect 8-0 this year when LeBron racks up a triple double.

Cav shooters on target
Mo Williams and Daniel Gibson were a combined 9 for 13 from 3-point range. Coming into game 5 they were just 8 for 33 (24%) from beyond the arc. Again, credit LeBron James. On his drives to the basket, he continually drew Magic defenders, and if he didn�t score or get fouled himself, he kicked the ball to open shooters. The shots went in.

First quarter belongs to the home team
Cleveland outscored the Magic 35-18 in the first quarter Thursday night. In three games played in Ohio, the Cavs have won the first quarter by an average score of 33-18. Playing at home, Orlando outscored the Cavs 24-17 in the first quarter of game 3, and trailed by only four after one in Game 4.

Dwight all fouled up, again
A reporter asked Dwight Howard in the post-game interview room if he felt like he was able to play as physical as he wants to play in this series. Dwight�s brief response, �No.� That one word answer spoke volumes. Howard has fouled out 3 times in 5 games against Cleveland, and has been called for more fouls than any player in the post-season. It�s not like he getting his money�s worth either. Clearly, Dwight is frustrated. The officials are in his head, and he�s going to have to work real hard to get them outa there before Saturday�s Game 6.

No Magic touch
Orlando was shooting 43% from beyond the arc going into game 5. They made a paltry 32% (8 for 25) in Thursday night�s loss. Missing 13 free throws didn�t help the cause either.

Turkoglu-terrific
When Hedo Turkoglu scores 20+ points this year, the Magic usually win (27-5 going into game 5). Not the case Thursday night. Turk led the Magic with 29 points on 10 for 18 shooting, and played a fine floor game, An off shooting night by Rashard Lewis (just 4 for 13 from the field, with only 1 three), and Rafer Alston (1 for 10 shooting) helped seal the Magic�s fate.

Pressure is on whom?
The notion that Orlando has all the pressure on Saturday night in game 6 is a fallacy. Sure, the Magic don�t want to have to go back to Cleveland for a game 7, but they have won there once, almost twice already this post-season. A Cavalier loss sends the best team in the regular season home for the summer. Actually, I don�t expect either team to be affected by so-called, �pressure.� The Magic have proven to be capable of playing well under the direst of circumstances, and the Cavaliers, well they have Lebron James.

2003 all over again?
I�ve already heard this one in the national media. Orlando was up 3-1 against Detroit in 2003, and lost the series 4-3. One of 8 times in NBA history a team has been up 3-1 but failed to win a 7 game series. Let�s get this out there. There is no correlation between what happened in 2003 and this series with Cleveland. The �03 Magic starting lineup consisted of Jacque Vaughn, Gordan Giricek, Drew Gooden, Andrew DeClercq and Tracy McGrady. McGrady was a premier player in the league at that time, but still, that lineup was not exactly murderer�s row. Detroit had Chauncey Billups, Rip Hamilton, Ben Wallace in his prime, and emerging rookies Tayshaun Prince and Mehmet Okur. Detroit won the final three games of the series by 31, 15 and 15 points. They were without a doubt the better team. The �09 Orlando Magic are a far more talented and mentally tough team than that group that took the Pistons to 7 games in 2003.

David Steele's blog is solely the opinion of David Steele and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA. For more blogs by David Steele click here.

Posted by Scott Anez, Thursday, May 28, 2009, 10:30 AM

Such a Deal!

It was the afternoon of Feb. 19, 2009 when I got the call.

The Orlando Magic had made a trade. Frankly, I was stunned.

I was not expecting us to make a deal at the deadline. There were no rumors, not even any hints from Two Magic Place that anything was going on.

We had dealt Keith Bogans for Tyronn Lue earlier in the month after determining that our leader, Jameer Nelson, would likely be out for the rest of the season with the bum shoulder. The common thought was that Lue deal was the only deal we were gonna be able to pull off by the deadline.

Au contraire.

The Magic sent Brian Cook to Houston, while Adonal Foyle, Mike Wilks and a 2009 first round draft pick were shipped to Memphis. In return, we got Rafer Alston from Houston. It was a trade deadline deal literally made at 11th hour by Magic GM Otis Smith.

At the time, I remember blogging back on Feb. 20, "Let me count the ways why I like this deal...Alston is a legitimate NBA starting point guard...He's no Jameer, mind you, but he gives us a solid floor general who has a keen sense of how to play the game from the point...Rafer is accustomed to running our bread and butter, the pick and roll...Rafer is also accustomed to playing with an impactful low post player...Rafer will not shy away from hitting a big shot late in a game."

I am no soothsayer. But at the time, I thought it was a deal that at least gave us hope. Hindsight says that this was a deal that gave us more than hope. That trade has us sitting one win away from our second Eastern Conference Championship. Just as the NBA rescinded the game four technical foul on Dwight Howard, the league must now change its Executive of the Year award for 2009 to read "Mark Warkentien (Denver) and Otis Smith (Orlando), Co-Execs of the Year".

What a deal by Trader Otis! How many times has a team that's lost its starting point guard at mid-season and subsequently sat on the brink of a conference crown? Without looking it up in my trusty NBA Encyclopedia, I can tell you that number is gonna be slim to none. Rafer has been a difference-maker here in the Playoffs. He's averaging 13.3 points. His impressive assist-turnover ratio is over 4-1. Skip would come up huge in game four vs. Cleveland Tuesday night, when he tallied 20 of his 26 points after halftime. With the Magic down 58-50 at the half, Rafer set the tone for the second half when he scored his team's first ten points of the third quarter.

We believe in Rafer...but, our opponents obviously don't.

The Sixers dared Rafer to beat them. He did just that. In the clinching 114-89 game six win in Philly (sans Dwight), Rafer accounted for a double-double with 21 points and 10 assists. Rafer would drain three-three pointers in a game that sent us to the Conference Semi's. The Celtics dissed Rafer as well. In the game seven 101-82 victory in Boston, Rafer scored 15 points on three-three's.

The Cavaliers have dared Rafer to beat them as well. Guess what? We're up 3-1 with a chance to close out tonight. We all miss Jameer Nelson, but Rafer has done the job. He's proven to be a solid floor general for this Magic team. He's also proved to be a big-game player.

Such a deal, Otis Smith. Such a deal.

Anez Sez is solely the opinion of Scott Anez and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA.

By Live or Die Magic, May 28, 2009, 9:30 AM

Magic Energy Boost

Today was a rough day physically at work. It was hard to function on four hours sleep and a fitful four hours at that. It's hard to sleep after witnessing such a nerve racking, absolutely action packed basketball game like we "witnessed" (see what I did there) in last night's Magic victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals. The coffee I consumed did nothing but increase how many times I had to leave my office. My yawn-per-minute rate was at a solid .577 and by the end of the afternoon I was shuffling, not walking, around the office. But emotionally? Well, that was a completely different story!

Had I not slept at all, I think I could have made it through the day just on the energy boost from being a fan of this team right now. During Game 4, on the jumbotron, they displayed quotes from Dwight Howard and Rashard Lewis in which the players stated the importance of the home crowd and how they feed off our energy. Well, I found out today that this aspect of the team/fan relationship is reciprocal in nature. Watching the way the Magic took everything that the Cavs gave them and kept asking for more, it gave me energy to last, well, until tomorrow night's Game 5!

Anyone who was living here in 1995 is getting a familiar feeling. The city is buzzing about the Magic. People who haven't watched the team much in years are suddenly hanging on every play and find themselves with just as much righteous indignation toward Joey Crawford (or insert any other NBA refs name here) as even the most dedicated member of the official Orlando Magic Message Boards. Wives are balled up on the couch, hugging pillows and screaming at the television; DVRs are working ovetime; and although it can't be confirmed, at least one senior citizen in the Conway area proclaimed loudly "just who the hell does this Kenny Smith character think he is!?"

What it all means is that these are special times for Magic Land. The ride is far from over, and we have many more tough games ahead, but we've reached the part of our journey where we can emphatically say "Ok, we've entired new territory for this team. Everything feels different now." People throw around the word "destiny" too much - though I bet you rarely hear it from fans - but I will say that this is a team that is so single-mindedly focused on its goal, I don't see how they won't achieve it.

I wrote yesterday of the importance of winning Game 4 so that the Magic did not need to worry about taking control of the series in Game 5, 6, or 7. To trivialize that sentiment now would be insincere and unfair. But I must say that this Game 5 now becomes the biggest game of the year. Sure, we get three chances to close the Cavaliers out, but tomorrow night is the Cavs first of three possible chances to stay in this thing. Why give them any hope? I heard a fan say "wouldn't it be great if the Magic could close it out in Game 6 in front of the home crowd?" Well, sure, that would be a great outcome, but not in a million years would I take that over a chance to close it out in Game 5 in Cleveland.

But even if some fans are debating the merits of which game to win, you better believe that the Magic players are locked in on Game 5. As has been reported by basically every media outlet and the Orlando Sentinel, Coach Stan Van Gundy had his team convinced - within minutes of Game 4 ending - that this win was nothing and that they needed to focus on Game 5. In the O-Rena stands, in the tunnels, in Blue, in the media room, in the locker room, everyone that wasn't a Magic player or coach was walking around in a giddy daze. Big grins, high fives, fist bumps, a hug here or there, all was happy and merry and oh joy the wonder of being alive and a Magic fan!

At least four different times, Orlandomagic.com's Dan Savage and myself kept asking each other "are the Magic actually up 3-1 on the Cavs?!" After all, the game lasted so long, it was hard to believe it was actually over. I still kept envisioning LeBron's final three dropping. But the Magic players were calm, cool, and frankly, awe-inspiring in how matter-of-fact they were. They are living their professional dreams right now but you'd think they just punched the clock at an every day job.you know, like the ones the rest of us go to!

But that's cool, it's all good, because I took my portion of the Magic's energy and goodwill and applied it to my day. People say that sports is just a game and it isn't important in everyday life. Perhaps that's true, I won't debate that, but I will say that having your favorite sports team play this well makes all that everyday life stuff just a bit sweeter.

This message was not subject of approval by the NBA or the Orlando Magic. The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA, but solely the writer.

Posted by Glass Half Full, Wednesday, May 27, 2009, 1:15 PM

Where Amazing Happens

Here's a quick recap on Orlando's heart-pumping playoff run:

Seven of Orlando�s 2009 playoff games (three vs. Philadelphia, First Round; one vs. Boston, East Semis; three vs. Cleveland, East Finals) have been decided by three points or less, with each of those games being decided in the final seconds.

Andre Iguodala hit a game-winner with 2.2 seconds left to steal Game 1 for the Sixers on Apr. 20.

Thaddeus Young converted a layup with 2.0 seconds remaining to win Game 3 @ Philadelphia on Apr. 24.

Hedo Turkoglu�s three-pointer with 1.1 ticks left helped Orlando escape with a win in Game 4 on Apr. 26 @ Wachovia Center.

Glen Davis� buzzer beater lifted Boston over the Magic in Game 4 on May 10.

A three-pointer by Rashard Lewis with 14.7 seconds left helped Orlando win @ Cleveland in Game 1 on May 20.

LeBron James drained a three-pointer as time expired, leading the Cavs past the Magic @ Cleveland in Game 2 on May 22.

In Game 4 vs. Cleveland on May 26, Orlando won, 116-114 in overtime.

Orlando edged Cleveland in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals on May 20, 107-106...The Cavaliers then responded by nipping the Magic in Game 2 on May 22, 96-95�It marks the first time in NBA Playoff history that the first two games of a series have been decided by a single point.

Posted by Scott Anez, Wednesday, May 27, 2009, 3:30 AM

Well, So Much for the Guarantee, Mo Williams

Final: Magic 116 Cleveland 114 (OT).

Where do I begin? We saw so many outstanding performances.

...Let's start with our Head Coach. Did ya see Shaquille O'Neal sitting courtside at Amway Tuesday night? Shaq recently labeled Stan Van Gundy the Master of Panic. Well, if that's the case, Stan has this team panicked enough to be on the brink of the NBA Finals. Stan is flat out out-coaching Mike Brown in this series. The play he would draw up for Rashard Lewis to knock down that three near the end of regulation was a thing of beauty.

...The big dog ate in the overtime, didn't he? It was an MVP-like performance from Dwight Howard who tallied 10 of his team-high 27 points in the extra session. Superman even calmly knocked down two huge free throws at the :21 mark to make it 113-109. Oh by the way, Dwight is shooting 75% (21-28) from the line over the last two games.

While I am on the topic of Dwight, I sincerely hope that the NBA sees it fit to rescind the ridiculous technical foul leveled on him by referee Scott Foster at the 4:11 mark of the third quarter. Dwight, with Anderson Varejao literally hanging on his neck, scored at the basket and then, in a moment of joy and emotion, celebrated the and-one. He wasn't taunting anybody. He wasn't trash talking anyone. Yet, he gets teched? It was an atrocious call, a call that I hope will take the league office will take a mulligan on. Dwight currently has six technical fouls. One more and he will be suspended for one game.

...Rafer Madness. Rafer Alston keeps burying teams in big playoff games. He did it in Philly. He did it in Boston. He did it again Tuesday night. With the Magic down 58-50 at the half, Skip storms out of the locker room and scores the Magic's first ten points of the third quarter. He would finish with 20 of his 26 points after halftime.

...Mr. Big Shot comes up big again. Rashard Lewis's three-pointer near the end of regulation put the Magic up 100-98. Thank goodness it was a three because LeBron would make his two free throws with :00.5 left. I have seen enough of Lew over the last few years to know that he was gonna make that shot. The guy has uncanny poise those late game situations.

...Mickael Big Play Pietrus! The amazing transformation continues. MP looks so incredibly comfortable on the court. He had five-three's and 17 points. It's gotten to the point where I hate to have him on the bench. He is playing LeBron about as well as any mere mortal can.

...By the way, the aforementioned Mo Williams scored 18 points, but he went 5-15 from the field and did not score after the third quarter. I think it's safe to say that Mo will not be doing any press junkets for a while.

...It's the Seersucker! Finally, kudos to our color analyst Richie Adubato, who's gone 4-0 in the Playoffs with the now famous Seersucker suit on. Richie has promised to wear it in Cleveland Thursday night. After getting a whiff of that thing during game five, I am thinking that the suit is gonna walk itself to Cleveland and meet him at the Q. One more. Just one more win and we're headed to the NBA Finals. Hey, Mo Williams...How's this for a guarantee? I guarantee that the Orlando Magic will show up for game five Thursday night.

Anez Sez is solely the opinion of Scott Anez and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA.

Posted by David Steele, Wednesday, May 27, 2009, 2:30 AM

Game 4 Analysis

Howard�s growing legacy
The Orlando Magic�s 116-114 overtime win Tuesday night in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals will help advance Dwight Howard�s reputation as one of basketball greatest players. Ten of Dwight�s team high 27 points came in the overtime period. In addition he sank two critical free throws with :21 to play (nothing but net) to give the Magic a four point lead. It had the feel of a great player who simply would not allow his team to lose.

Stan Van Gundy-�Master of Tactic�
The Magic coach continues to make all the right moves for Orlando. Player substitutions (offense/defense), play-calling, motivation, Stan has had it all this post-season. The Magic had the look of a frustrated, out of sorts team at the end of regulation Tuesday night. Two calls had not gone their way down the stretch. Victory seemed to be slipping away. Van Gundy not only rallied his team, but he also re-focused the offensive attack, pounding the ball inside to Dwight Howard. The Magic had relied on the three point shot too heavily late in the 4th quarter, but in overtime, the ball was in Dwight�s hands, and did he ever deliver.

Lewis comes through�again
Early on it looked like it might be a tough night for Rashard Lewis. Didn�t seem to have his legs under him on jump shots. Didn�t accomplish very much in the first half. Plus, Cleveland was determined to limit his scoring opportunities. Cavalier defenders stayed with him all night long. But with the help of a tremendous Dwight Howard screen, Lewis knocked down a three point shot with 4.1 seconds remaining to give the Magic a two point lead. As it turned out, the shot was not a game winner like the one he hit in game 1 (James tied the game with 2 free throws a moment later), but the Magic don�t get to overtime without it.

The King may be the greatest..but it�s still a team sport
LeBron James posted his 3rd 40+ point game in this series with Orlando, but his supporting cast once again came up short. Meanwhile, the Magic were led by Dwight Howard�s 27 points, but had four other players with 15 points or better.

No coronation for the king on this night
James had a chance to duplicate his game 2 heroics with another last second three point attempt to win the game in overtime. This time, his shot was off the mark. A couple of important differences between this play and the end of regulation in game 2. This time, Cleveland had no time-outs left to set up a final play. In addition, the Magic double- teamed Lebron up the floor, forcing him to take a wide turn to set up his final desperation heave.

The unsung hero
The Magic were reeling at the end of the 2nd quarter. Outscored 23-7 over the final 4:49 of the 2nd period, Orlando trailed by eight at the half. A strong start to the 3rd quarter by the Cavs might�ve been enough to put the game away. But, to the rescue for the Magic comes Rafer Alston. The man brought in at mid-season to replace all-star Jameer Nelson scored 10 points in the first 3:32 of the quarter to swing momentum back in favor of the home team. Alston dropped in 16 of his career playoff high 26 points in the period. Again, it seems like for Orlando, someone is always there to pick up the slack when help is needed.

Hug of the night
Immediately after the thrilling conclusion of game, Alston was making his way over to the courtside broadcast area for a live network interview when he was momentarily delayed by one of his teammates. It was Jameer Nelson, who had tracked Rafer across the floor, offering a congratulatory hug. You know Nelson would give almost anything to be on the court, helping his team on this remarkable march through the playoffs. But there are other ways to be a leader, and Jameer demonstrated one of them by reaching out to the man who has stepped into the spotlight that could have been shining on him.

Magic bench rises again
Once again Orlando�s bench did the job scoring 26 points in game 4. And what can you say about Mikael Pietrus. He scored 17 points including 5 threes, and has now hit double figures in six consecutive games going back to game 6 against Boston. Plus, he�s Orlando�s primary defender against LeBron James. This is why gm Otis Smith signed Pietrus to a hefty free agent contract last summer. That signing is certainly paying big dividends now.

You think the Cavs were in desperation mode Tuesday??
Wait til Thursday night�s game 5 in Cleveland. With 66 wins, this team was one of the NBA�s most successful regular season clubs ever. Now, they are on the verge of elimination in the conference finals. It�s always difficult to close out any series, but against this team, and the incredibly talented LeBron James, it will be doubly problematic.

The Magic have been here before
This is not the first time Orlando has had a chance to close out a series on the road. They did it in game 6 at Philadelphia. They did it in that remarkable game 7 in Boston. They have been a great road team all year long. If they can pull it off against Cleveland Thursday night at the �Q� it will put them in the NBA finals for just the second time in franchise history.

David Steele's blog is solely the opinion of David Steele and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA. For more blogs by David Steele click here.

By Live or Die Magic, May 26, 2009, 5:30 PM

Must. Win. NOW!

Remember how we all felt at this point during the second round series against Boston? We had just finished off our first home game with a great victory over the Celtics, giving us a 2-1 series edge. We talked about how we were clearly the better team after taking Game One in Boston. We talked about how if we won Game 4, the series was pretty much over. We lost that Game 4 against Boston on a Big Baby heartbreaker and we had to sink even lower in Game 5 before finding our redemption in Games 6 and 7. If you�re starting to get vu ja de, there�s a reason for it. Because here we are again!

If we lose tonight, it doesn�t mean the series is over. It doesn�t really even mean that we have lost the upper hand. So, in this sense, we could categorize tonight�s game as the Magic having more to gain than they do to lose. And boy do they have so much to gain! A win in tonight�s Game 4 would throw the Cavs not only against the ropes but down on the mat. They might get up for one last roundhouse in Game 5, but the likelyhood of the Cavs beating us 3 games in a row would be slim-to-none with slim going and finding a nice sandwich.

The mental hit that the Cavs would take would take them out of the series and it would also finally get the national media talking about this Orlando Magic team. If we lose, it gives the Cavs, and the national media, hope for a Kobe/LeBron Finals. I still would like our chances to win the series even if it goes 2-2, because we still match up so well against the Cavs, but we would suddenly have no room for error and the Game 5 matchup in Cleveland becomes even more of a must-win than the Game 6 here against Boston.

The Magic would save themselves so much time and trouble, and save Magic Land so much mental anguish, if they just took care of business tonight.

A win tonight becomes the biggest Magic home win since Game 7 of the 1995 Eastern Conference Finals.

Nasty On the Outside, But Amazing On the Inside!
As I pulled into the O-Rena parking garage around 6:30 on Sunday night for Game 3, the storm clouds were rolling in but had yet to speak their mind. I figured I only needed 3 or 4 minutes to make my way into the building. Of course, it was silly of me to think I could predict nature. I no sooner had made my way out of the safe confines of the garage then the clouds spotted me with my umbrella and had themselves a chuckle. The wind made having the umbrella a distinct disadvantage. So, realizing that my bottom half was already soaked, I closed the umbrella and ran the rest of the way to media tunnel. If I had jumped into a pool with my clothes on, I could not have looked more drenched. I made my way to the media room and found a corner where I could drip for awhile.

Without giving too many details away about your favorite Fan Voice, let me tell you that while my outer layers had somewhat dried by the time I left the O-Rena at around 12:40 AM, my inner layers still needed some work. But if things were bad outside of the building, the outcome of the game occuring on the inside more than made up for it. I will gladly sit soaked for all future home wins.

Game 3 Observations

So, as I looked around at all the nice new #23 Cavaliers jerseys, I couldn�t help but wonder what all these people will do with them in a year�s time when LeBron is playing for New York or New Jersey.

If you think the LeBron/Kobe argument is a tough one...here is one I struggled with during the game: which player I love to hate more, Anderson Varejao or Mo Williams.

Off to my right was the raised platform set up for the TNT �studio� team. Charles Barkley was a huge hit and a large cluster of fans remained around them most of the game. I tried to figure out a way to meet Chuck but apparently the TNT green room isn�t visible on the O-Rena blueprints.

Here�s my only problem with having that little 7-year-old firecracker singing the National Anthem at Magic home games: I end up watching her instead of looking at Old Glory!

I cannot tell you how proud I was of my fellow Magic fans in attendance when they booed LeBron �King� James during player intros! They continued to boo him throughout the game as well. Apparently, Charles Barkley said that the Magic home crowd isn�t intimidating and that we basically suck as fans. I�m sure he has changed his mind after Game 3.

It was nice to see Coach Stan Van Gundy employ the Magic�s �twin towers� lineup with Gortat and Howard to start the 2nd. Hopefully, Stan Van Gundy won�t judge it�s effectiveness on how the team performed during this time. Two poor decisions by Rafer Alston led to easy transition baskets by the Cavs and a quick timeout from SVG.

I certainly love LeBron James as a player but I could not believe the stunt he pulled by walking through the Orlando Magic Dancers while they were performing a routine at half-court. The home crowd really let LeBron have it and the Magic�s emcee Scottie B took a not-so-veiled shot at LeBron when he asked for a round of applause for the �classy Orlando Magic Dancers� at the end of the routine. LeBron is lucky that Former Magic Dancer April wasn�t still part of the team...who knows what I might have done!

It shouldn�t come as any surprise why Mickael Pietrus is having great success now in the playoffs. He is giving us exactly what we expected of him when we signed him: fearless drives to the basket and strong perimeter defense.

I�ve finally figured out the key to our officiating woes: if the ref is bald, it spells bad news for the Magic.

This message was not subject of approval by the NBA or the Orlando Magic. The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA, but solely the writer.

Posted by Scott Anez, Tuesday, May 26, 2009, 9:45 AM

Let Your Play Do The Talkin' Mo

Ahhh, the sports guarantee.

It seems like we hear these declarations way too often these days.

Quite frankly, since Joe Willie Namath guaranteed his Jets would beat the Colts in Super Bowl III, the sports guarantee has become over-used, mundane, bravado-laced pregame gibberish. The meaning of these statements has become so watered down that we hardly even notice anymore.

However, when your team is the object of said guarantee, well, your temper goes up, your blood boils and your bulletin board is chock full o' great material.

In time for tonight's game four, Cleveland Cavalier point guard Mo Williams has guaranteed a Cav victory over the Orlando Magic.

"It's a must win. I have to guarantee it. That's how I feel. If we get the win, I don't see them beating us two out of three times at home."

First off, Mo might want to focus more on his shooting and less on his off-court bombast. Williams is one of the main reasons why his Cavs are in the predicament they're in. Williams has become a black hole in this series. He's shooting just 32% (18-56) from the field in three games. That ain't gonna cut it.

This isn't the first time Mo has opened mouth and inserted foot.

Earlier this year, Williams made a point to complain about getting snubbed for the All Star Team. After Jameer Nelson's injury, Mo would make it to Phoenix. But, let me say this. Mo, I know Jameer Nelson, and you are no Jameer Nelson!

Williams also said prior to game two that he did not believe that the Orlando Magic could beat his mighty Cavs four times in this series.

Now, it's one thing if our Richie Adubato guarantees a Magic victory on a given night on Inside Magic (6pm on AM 580 WDBO tonight). And by the way, Richie is 4-0 in the 2009 Playoffs after going 14-3 during the regular season. As a side note, Coach A. is 2-0 in his brand new Seersucker suit. He's been advised to keep wearing the lucky suit by GM Otis Smith until further notice.

But, I will never understand athletes who guarantee sports victories.

I cringed when Magic Assistant Coach Patrick Ewing 'guaranteed' a Magic win over the Celtics in game seven. Luckily, we escaped Boston with a victory, but Patrick's history of making these declarations was not exactly stellar. He was 0-2 as a Knick making those now infamous playoff guarantees.

Heck, back in 2003, when the underdog Magic surprisingly took a three games to one lead over Detroit in round one, I remember being in the media throng interviewing Tracy McGrady when he started talking about the second round. I cringed. Detroit won the series 4-3.

You just do not disrespect your opponent because, as Stan Van Gundy said during the Philly series, "This game will bring you to your knees."

While being in the Playoffs and having a chance to win a championship is motivation enough, these bold statements to the media give your opponent something to chew on. This late in the season with this much at stake, you don't want to do anything to rile up the other side.

My media friends in Cleveland tell me that Williams was more or less coaxed into making the 'guarantee'. Being a card-carrying member of the Fourth Estate, I understand how that can happen. We media guys can be very cunning when we want to.

But, Mo Williams has to be smarter than that. You have to avoid the "G" word at all costs this time of year.

Instead of making guarantees, Mo needs to let his play do his talking.

Anez Sez is solely the opinion of Scott Anez and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA.

Posted by David Steele, Monday, May 25, 2009, 2:45 AM

Game 3 Analysis

Orlando�s Magic over Cleveland continues
Was Sunday night�s 99-89 win in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals a surprise to anyone who follows the NBA closely? Shouldn�t have been. The Orlando Magic have won 10 of the last 14 games (regular and post-season) against the Cavaliers dating back to March of �06. In the last three meetings in Orlando, the Magic are 4-0 and have outscored Cleveland 104.5 to 88.5.

Better start..strong finish
After getting off to horrible starts in Games 1 and 2 in Cleveland, the Magic jumped on the Cavs early in Game 3. Orlando hit six of its first seven shots from the field in building a 10-point first-quarter lead. In the fourth quarter, after a LeBron James free throw cut the Magic lead to four, Orlando outscored the Cavs 9-3 over the last 2:34.

Alston set the tone
Rafer Alston played a huge role in the Magic�s fine start. He got the tempo up early and hit his first 5 shots from the field. Defensively he was great too. Did a nice job on Cleveland all-star Mo Williams, and had three steals. This was one of Rafer�s best game with the Magic. You have to wonder where this team would be without him. The mid-season pick-up by gm Otis Smith after Jameer Nelson�s shoulder injury looks better and better as this post-season progresses.

Tough night for Turk..but he keeps pluggin�
Hedo Turkoglu hit just 1 of 11 shots from the field. You would think that would spell trouble for the Magic, Hedo is such a key player and all. But consider this: The Magic are 5-2 this year when Turk shoots under 20% from the field. He went 3-16 vs. Chicago. 1-13 vs. Indiana. 1-14 vs. Miami. 3-18 vs. Boston, and now 1-11 vs. Cleveland. The Magic won them all. Sunday night, despite the poor shooting, Turkoglu finished the game just three assists shy of a triple double with 13 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists.

If you like to watch large men in shorts shoot free throws..
�you had to love this game. The Magic shot 51 free throws. Cleveland shot 35. Not exactly most basketball fans idea of good time. Lebron James shot a career playoff high 24 free throws (his previous high was 19), and Dwight Howard shot a career playoff high 19 free throws (his previous high was 17).

Dwight Howard..Orlando�s Mr. Clutch
Speaking of free throws. The Magic�s Dwight Howard, shooting 61% from the line in the playoffs before Sunday night�s game, hit 8 of 10 in the final 5:28 of the 4th quarter. Lebron James was 7 of 12 from the line in the 4th, twice missing both free throws with a chance to cut the Orlando lead to four.

Impressive numbers..for half a game
Dwight Howard finished the night with 24 points and nine rebounds. Solid game for most mortals, but for Superman, the first time this post-season he has not posted a double-double. Due to foul trouble, he only played 27 minutes and fouled out with :36 remaining. That 6th foul appeared to be a game clinching clean block of a Lebron James attempted three, but instead enabled the Cavs to cut a 9 point lead down to 6. Clearly, a frustrating night with regard to the officials for Superman. He also picked up his 5th technical foul of the post-season. Gonna have to hold his tongue now. Two more �T�s� and he�ll get hit with a one game suspension.

Gortat to the rescue
With Howard in foul trouble, another solid performance by Marcin Gortat. The Polish Hammer played 24 minutes and had 4 points, 5 rebounds and 2 blocked shots against Lebron James. Amazing but true. When Dwight gets into foul trouble, you don�t really worry too much about a serious team drop off . Gortat is that good.

One miracle shot from 3-0
Lebron James� spectacular game winning three at the buzzer in game two is the only thing that separates the Magic from a 3-0 lead in the Eastern Conference finals. But, the Magic know the league�s best team will come with everything they�ve got in Tuesday night�s game 4. Buckle up. It�s sure to be a wild ride.

David Steele's blog is solely the opinion of David Steele and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA. For more blogs by David Steele click here.

Posted by Scott Anez, Monday, May 25, 2009, 2:15 AM

A Magical Night in Orlando

Cleveland Cav point guard Mo Williams said before game two last week that he did not believe that the Orlando Magic could beat his mighty Cavs four times in this series.

Well, Mo, we're halfway there! And guess what? Mo Williams has not even come close to seeing how good this Magic team is yet.

Sunday night's game three was about the prettiest ugly game I have ever seen.

Magic win 99-89.

A couple of observations about the victory:

...Dwight Howard accounts for 24 points and nine rebounds in just 28 minutes of work. He Picked up his second foul at the 6:41 mark of the first quarter. Foul trouble is a recurring theme for Dwight in this series. Superman must understand that if he stays on the floor, we will win.

...Speaking of Dwight...He picked up his fifth technical foul of these Playoffs in game three. If and when he gets to seven techs, under NBA rules, he'll be suspended for one game. While I sincerely hope that the NBA rescinds Dwight's tech from game three (Joey Crawford t'ed him up for apparently jawing either towards a fan or toward the Cav bench), The Man of Steel has got to realize that he's now perilously close to costing this team and this town, perhaps, a shot at a trophy.

...While we're on topic...How about Sup from the free throw line? 14-19? Wow. You've got to believe that, somewhere, Cav great Mark Price was snickering.

...Give credit to Turk. On a night when he couldn't have thrown it in the ocean from the beach, Turk still made plays. He hit his one and only field goal at the 3:53 of the fourth quarter, a bucket that proved to be a back breaker for Cleveland. Turk finished with a double-double (13 points and 10 rebounds) on a night when he went 1-11 from the field.

...Rafer Alston set the tone early, when he tallied 11 of his 18 points in the first quarter. Rafer finished with 18 points and is looking like more of an All Star than his counterpart Mo Williams.

...The Cleveland Cavaliers continue to tell us that they are more than a one man band. Honestly, I believe them. You don't get to 66 wins playing one-on-five. But, I am convinced now more than ever that we are in their heads. Make that four wins in six games this season and 11 of the past 15 by Orlando over Cleveland.

...Mo Williams is shooting 32% (18-56) from the field in this series. If Williams' shooting continues its southward trend, this series is over Thursday night. Kinda looks like Mo should focus more on his game than predictions.

And finally, I have to give a shout out to you 17,461 Magic fans who showed loud and proud Sunday night at Amway. You rocked the house, and you have a profound impact upon that victory.

Let's go get another one Tuesday night!

Anez Sez is solely the opinion of Scott Anez and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA.

Posted by Scott Anez, Sunday, May 24, 2009, 10:45 AM

Thanks for the Concern, Cleveland

An emailer from Ohio wrote me yesterday, and amidst the spineless trash talk, he posed the question...."How can the Magic recover from such a crushing defeat?"

Silly question.

Gosh knows we in Magic Nation have been reminded over and over and over again during the course of the last few days of LeBron's LeShot to win game two.

ESPN has done its best, as usual, to hype the play and to kiss up to LBJ as only the World Wide Leader can do. Apparently, the higher ups in Bristol have made the decision that the Cavs are the Harlem Globetrotters of this series while we are the nameless, faceless Washington Generals.

That's OK. It's nothing new to us here in Hooterville. Eventually, they along with all the other doubters out there will be forced to give the Orlando Magic the props they deserve.

If you have been watching the Orlando Magic this season and especially here in the playoffs, you know that this team is about as tough-minded and as resilient as they come. I am not concerned one iota about their bounce-back-ability tonight.

Cases in point...

Game one vs. Philly: Andre Igoudala hits the game winning shot with 2.2 seconds left to lift the Sixers to a 100-98 win. We led by as much as 18 points in that game but couldn't hold. In game two, the Magic took care of business as they whipped Philly 96-87.

Game three in Philly: With :02 left, Thaddeus Young hits a lay-up over Dwight Howard as the Sixers pull another game out of their hats, 96-94. Two nights later, Hedo Turkoglu drains a three-pointer with 1.1 showing to lift the Magic to a vital 84-81 victory to send the series to 2-2.

Games six and seven vs. Boston: You are not gonna witness two more disheartening defeats in a row than what we saw vs. the Celtics in games 4 and 5. Big Baby beats us at the buzzer in the fourth game....and the Magic blow a 14 point fourth quarter lead as the C's took the fifth.

However, the Magic come back home for game six and gut out an 83-75 victory.

Then, in game seven, they do something no team has ever done. They not only beat the vaunted Celtics in a game seven after trailing 3 games to 2, they obliterated them.

So, Cav fans, there ain't no pity party down here in O-Town. Thanks for the concern....but this Magic team will bounce back just fine.

Anez Sez is solely the opinion of Scott Anez and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA.

By Live or Die Magic, May 24, 2009, 10:30 AM

I Know It's A Clich�, But..

As an NBA fan, I've spent the better part of the last decade or so abhorring the virulent use of clich�s by players, coaches, and commentators. After hearing phrases like "giving 110%," "taking it one game at a time," and my personal favorite, "it is what it is," over and over again, it starts to grate on you. If you add in players' liberal use of "space fillers" like "you know, um" and "that being said," among others, you begin to realize that people are capable of saying quite a bit without actually saying anything at all.

So, it must admit that I found it quite refreshing and enlightening when I saw what I would have previously categorized as a standard clich� being utilized in a real and effective manner. I'm referring to the �ber-coaching that Stan Van Gundy has done in Games 1 and 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers. It is perhaps the best in-game motivational coaching that I personally have seen from him since he joined the Magic. It is too early to tell where and how this season will end for the Magic, but it is apparent that this is a coach that knows his team and is able to guide it effectively, making the necessary vocal tweaks, when needed.

In both games, the Cavaliers have used their home court, their home crowd, and their energy to establish large early leads. Despite these leads, the each game has been decided by one point. The Magic have not despaired but instead made the necessary corrections and overcame the lead slowly and with a measure of execution and timely shots. While Stan Van Gundy is not responsible for the uncanny shooting of Rashard Lewis, Hedo Turkoglu, Mickael Pietrus, and Courtney Lee, he is responsible for reminding them of this ability and making them aware of what they need to do to make use of this ability.

During timeouts and halftime, the TNT cameras picked up a very calm, yet direct Stan Van Gundy imploring his players to take each possession one at a time and to get one stop, and then another. He talked about the players focusing more on their effort and the need to play 48 minutes. If you're reading this in a vacuum, it sounds like just a bunch of clich�s. But in viewing these statements in the context of the game, both before and after Van Gundy made these statements, I realized that they were extremely insightful and accurate, no matter how basic they sounded.

The Magic did exactly what Stan Van Gundy told them to do. They didn't have to decrease that deficit all at once, they simply did it one possession at time and one stop at a time. The players seemingly took Stan's abstract words and applied them concretely. I'm not ready to stop groaning every time I hear a clich�, but I guess there are times when the most simply observation is the only one to make.

The most glaring problem in Games 1 and 2 is that the Cavaliers have been able to storm out to big leads while the Magic start out slow. It is a testament to Stan that he has been able to adjust his team's performance during the game. Hopefully the raucous Magic home crowd can help the Magic out to big leads of their own during Games 3 and 4.

But we'll just have to take it one game at a time.

This message was not subject of approval by the NBA or the Orlando Magic. The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA, but solely the writer.

Posted by David Steele, Saturday, May 23, 2009, 1:35 AM

Game 2 Analysis

Instant Classic
Game 2 between the Magic and the Cavaliers is why we watch. Lebron James, the league�s MVP, hits a game winning three at the buzzer to tie the series at one game apiece. When you take into consideration what was at stake, the possibility of going down 0-2 and heading to Orlando for games 3 and 4 of the series, it might�ve been the biggest shot of James� meteoric career.

Turk was Mr. Clutch too
Hedo Turkoglu�s off balance 16 footer that put the Magic up 95-93 with :01 was an incredible shot too. Turk, who won game 4 of the Philadelphia series with a game winning three at the buzzer, appeared to have done it again, only to be outdone by King James. By the way, Turkoglu�s defense on the last play was text book. He denied the lob pass, and forced the play away from the basket. Sometimes great players just make great plays. If the Magic are in the same position again in this series, hopefully they�ll put more pressure on the inbounds passer.

D�j� vu all over again
Turkoglu has been there before against Lebron James. In November of �07 the Magic had a 3 point lead in Cleveland with 0.05 left in the game. The Cavs inbounded the ball to James, side out of bounds. He caught the inbound pass and lunged into Hedo, drawing a three shot foul. Made all three. Sent the game to overtime, and the Cavaliers won by a point. Considering that history, which Hedo had to have recalled, he challenged Lebron�s spectacular game-winning shot about as closely as a defender could.

If you like drama..you gotta love the Magic
Orlando has played 15 games in this post-season. Five games have been won on last second shots. Turkoglu�s aforementioned three against Philly, and Friday night Lebron James joined Andre Iguodale, Thaddeus Young, and Glen Davis as last second Magic playoff killers.

Lewis and Lee�ve em
Rashard Lewis and Courtney Lee 4th quarter pick and roll got the Magic the lead. After the Cavs went up by nine early in the quarter, Lewis and Lee went to work. Their pick and roll on the left wing netted 9 straight points, capped off by a Lee driving basket which put Orlando in the lead for the first time at 86-84.

Cavs unsung hero
Cleveland all-star point guard Mo Williams struggled shooting the ball in game one, and for three and half quarters of game two. But in the final 6 minutes Friday night, Williams hit three key baskets for the Cavs. He also assisted James on the inbounds pass for the game winning shot. A perfectly timed toss.

Cavs get physical
Cleveland played Dwight Howard much more physically in game two than in game one. Many more double teams. Much more contact. No easy baskets. Dwight has seen every kind of defense throughout the season. The Cavs will likely throw just about everything possible at him for the rest of the series.

Gortat gets teed up
When Marcin Gortat was called for a blocking foul early in the 4th quarter, he voiced his displeasure a bit too much and was called for a technical foul. It was the first tech of Gortat�s career. That flare up aside, Dwight Howard�s back up continues to play well in the post-season. The Polish Hammer had 4 points, 3 rebounds and a blocked shot in 10 minutes Friday night, and is shooting 73% from the field in the playoffs.

Welcome to the series, J.J. and Sasha
Two guys that didn�t play at all in game one, contributed nicely to their respective teams in game two. J.J. Redick scored seven points in 10 minutes off the bench for Orlando, and Sasha Pavlovic scored nine in 22 minutes for the Cavs.

Gentlemen, start your engines�sooner, please!
The Magic fell behind early in game one and trailed by 15 at the half. They followed a similar path Friday night in game two, trailing by as many as 23 points in the first half before battling back into the game. With the home crowd providing an emotional lift, it would serve the Magic well to get off to a better start in Sunday night�s game 3.

Amazing!
Four NBA playoff games, East and West, all decided by three points or less. Truly amazing!

David Steele's blog is solely the opinion of David Steele and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA. For more blogs by David Steele click here.

Posted by Scott Anez, Saturday, May 23, 2009, 1:30 AM

Beaten But Better

Remember the movie "Forever Young"? Mel Gibson ages in warp speed after being frozen for about 60 years?

I feel like Mel Gibson at the end of that movie tonight.

LeBron 96 Magic 95.

When Hedo hit that shot near the end of the game, the first thing I listened for was how much time was on the clock. I was hoping, praying, that Dennis Neumann told me that there was like 00.2 of a second. When D-Man uttered, "1 second on the clock", I reeled in my emotions and told myself not to get too excited because 'you know who' is on the other side of the court.

Give it up to LeBron. The guy pulls up and nails the three to win it.

I don't blame Hedo on that play. I don't blame Stan on that play. I don't know how we could have done more. Turk took away LeBron's first option, which was the back door lob. LeBron kinda shoved Hedo a bit, which gave him the hint of air space he needed to send this series to 1-1.

Could we have played it differently? Possibly. 'You know who' was gonna get the ball in that situation. Could we have double-teamed The King and made someone else beat us? Sure...But, what's the ole saying about hindsight? It's the type of shot that only MVP's hit. What are ya gonna do? LeBron, after the game, called it "the biggest shot I've made in my life."

I know we in Magic Nation are heartbroken right now. We had a golden opportunity to dig the mighty Cavs a 2-0 hole.

But, let not your hearts be troubled, Magic Nation. Even though the total combined score in this series is 202-202, I can tell you that I believe that the Orlando Magic are the better basketball team in this series!

I am telling you right now that, despite what LeBron said after the game, we are in the Cavaliers' heads right now. They had us down by 16 in game one...and by 23 in game two, and could not put us away. I have a sense that we feel much more comfortable against this Cav team than we did vs. Boston.

They don't have anybody on their roster, other than LeBron, who can match up with our bookend forwards, Turk and Rashard.

And I truly believe that our Magic have turned the corner. This team has developed a championship caliber will and calmness about it late in big games. I like our look right now.

So, Magic fans, I know we're all bummed. But, it's our turn. It's our turn to have an impact on this series in games three and four Sunday and Tuesday nights.

Meantime, I'm headed home where I am gonna pour me a double Geritol on the rocks.

Anez Sez is solely the opinion of Scott Anez and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA.

Posted by STUFF, Friday, May 22, 2009, 2:45 PM

Pinch Yourself

You thought you were dreaming, right? You watched the entire game (although you had to turn your eyes at certain moments in the game), screaming at the TV screen, angry at the refs, in amazement that LeBron was about to score fifty points, and possibly lead the Cavaliers to a victory in our first battle, somewhat impressed at all the "witnesses" gathered in the stands, dressed in their maroon shirts and raising the roof. Then as quick as you can say, "We'll get 'em next game," with less than fifteen seconds left, the inbound pass went to Rashard, who quickly jacked up his patented three-pointer. Then, as you held your breath, almost in disbelief that he even attempted that shot, it ripped through the net.

You went crazy. You did a celebration dance. So did Rashard. You couldn't talk for about ten minutes, still unsure if it just happened. You tried to scream but nothing came out. You stared at the TV for a minute, then realizing they had one more shot. You held your breath for what seemed like another thirty minutes, totally uncertain if LeBron would miss the last shot, but knowing he was going to shoot it, but then again wondering if anyone could stop him. He missed. You danced some more. Maybe with strangers. You check if you are still alive from holding your breath so long. You call the doctor to cancel your heart medication.

Until the next morning when you woke up. At which time you still had no idea if it was all just a dream. Did we really battle with the 76ers in a ridiculous series, only to escape a couple games by last-second shots? And also lose a couple games by last-second shots?

Did we really take on the defending World Champions and take every game to the wire, forcing them to another game after game after game? Did Dwight really call out Coach Van Gundy? Did Patrick Ewing really guarantee the win? Did we really live up to his promise and beat the Celtics in Game 7 in their own arena?

You turned on SportsCenter to recap the night. Next subject after the break: "Magic/ Cavs." You waited through the commercials with tired eyes, but never relinquished your gaze on the screen. And then it happened. First, every broadcaster, cameraman, grip, and janitor, patted LeBron on the back and expressed their admiration for him for being so beautiful, and then begged him to let them clean his bevy of cars or cut his lawn or watch his children. Once they were finished with their praise for their King, someone actually mentioned the Magic. And oh yea. reminded everyone that the Magic won!

End scene.

It is not a dream, Orlando! This is real. This is your town. This is your team. It is time to spread the word: the Magic are contenders. We have a very legit possibility to win it all.

We set out this year with one goal in mind: to win the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy. We may not win every single game from here on out, but we are planning to play for the title and we are planning to be the Champions. Anything else is not good enough, because anything less is not our goal.

Your part is vital to our goal. It is a fact - they cannot win without your support! With only a few games remaining at Amway Arena, I insist you bring your best. If you demand it out of your team, I demand it out of you. Our guys have said it in interviews before every away game: "Our goal is to take the crowd out of this game. Once they get started, it is hard to stop them." We need LeBron and his court of jesters to feel the same way. We need them to know that Orlando does not quit. Orlando will not calm down. Orlando will not go away. Orlando believes in Magic!!!

Screaming, standing, stomping, singing, jumping, high-fiving, chest-bumping, booty-shaking, shaking rally rackets, banging thunder sticks, waving towels. do you have it in you? Nothing but the best from here on out, because next time you wake up from this so-called "dream," I want to be showing you my ring!

Dragon My Heels, But Gotta Fly�

Posted by Glass Half Full, Friday, May 22, 2009, 10:15 AM

A Playoff Three-Point Play

1) The top three teams in the NBA this season were the Cavaliers, Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics. The Magic have already dispatched the Celtics, are working on the Cavaliers and could very well face the Lakers in the NBA Finals. Most teams have struggled against these top teams, but not the Magic.

Best Combined Record vs Cavaliers, Lakers and Celtics (2008-09 Regular Season and Postseason)

Orlando Magic: 11- 6 (.647)
Charlotte Bobcats: 3- 5 (.375)
Portland Trail Blazers: 3- 5 (.375)
Houston Rockets: 5-10 (.333)
Chicago Bulls: 5-11 (.313)

2) Both former number one overall picks, LeBron James and Dwight Howard have faced off four times this season now. Both players have posted huge numbers, but Howard owns a 3-1 advantage in wins.

LeBron James vs Dwight Howard - 2008-09 Head-to-Head (Regular & Postseason)

	LeBron James	Dwight Howard
Wins	1	3
FG%	.500 (52/104)	.643 (36/56)
3-Pt%	.450 (9/20)	- (0/0)
Pts/G	35.3 (141/4)	21.3 (85/4)
Reb/G	8.8 (35/4)	14.3 (57/4)
Ast/G	7.3 (29/4)	1.0 (4/4)
Blocks/G	1.3 (5/4)	2.8 (11/4)

3) In 13 games this postseason, Dwight Howard has 13 double-doubles.

Most Double-Doubles - 2009 Postseason

Dwight Howard: 13
Pau Gasol: 9
Rajon Rondo: 9
Yao Ming: 6
Kendrick Perkins: 6

Posted by David Steele, Thursday, May 21, 2009, 1:15 AM

Game 1 Analysis

Welcome to the playoffs, Cleveland!
After eight consecutive double digit wins against the Detroit Pistons and the Atlanta Hawks, the top seeded Cleveland Cavaliers finally found themselves in a close game in game one of the Eastern Conference finals against the Magic. Orlando�s 107-106 win was the Magic�s 5th post-season game decided by three points or less.

Lewis and Turkoglu�finish strong
Rashard Lewis didn�t make a field goal til 5:22 to play in the 2nd quarter. Hedo Turkoglu�s first basket came about thirty seconds later. But in the critical 4th quarter, the Magic�s fabulous forward tandem came up big, scoring Orlando�s final 17 points.

Rashard Lewis..Magic Money Man
All too often in his Magic career when �Lewis� and �money� have been mentioned in the same sentence, there has been a reference to Rashard�s sizeable salary. In this post-season, Lewis has been a money man on the floor. Time and time again, Rashard has made big plays for the Magic. None bigger than his game winning three pointer with 14.7 seconds to play on Wednesday night. Forget the dollars and cents, Lewis continues to make perfect sense for this Orlando team. An ideal compliment to Dwight Howard.

LeBron vs. Rafer?
Cleveland coach Mike Brown pulled a surprise in game one, putting Lebron James on Magic point guard, Rafer Alston. It looked like a winning ploy in the first half with Alston not much of a factor and the Cavs dominating the game. But in the second half, Alston was much more aggressive on offense. James had to work harder on the defensive end, and by the end of the game, King James appeared to be wearing down. Still, we were all witness to an incredible individual performance by Lebron James who scored a playoff career high 49 points.

It�s all about the match-ups
J.J. Redick played a key role for the Magic in the second round series against Boston, starting at the 2-guard position opposite the Celtics Ray Allen. Redick didn�t get off the bench in game one Wednesday night against Cleveland with rookie Courtney Lee getting the call. Is there any team sport in which individual matchups are as important as in the NBA?

The alley-oop is back!
Largely absent from the Boston series due to excellent post-defense by the Celtics, the Turkoglu to Howard alley-oop lob resurfaced in game one against the Cavs. Three times, Turk and Dwight caught Cleveland defenders napping with the lob above the rim. Against the Celtics Orlando had a big matchup advantage with Rashard Lewis. In this series, Dwight Howard is going to be very difficult for any one Cavalier to stop, as his 30 point/13 rebounds Wednesday night attest to.

Kudos to the bench
Mickael Pietrus, Anthony Johnson, Marcin Gortat and Tony Battie all delivered solid performances off the Orlando bench, outscoring the Cavalier bench 25-5. Pietrus, in particular deserves praise. He continues to play with composure on both ends of the floor. Sounds ridiculous when a guy gets 49 points, but Mikael�s defense on Lebron James was quite good. James is just amazing. And Anthony Johnson, what a valuable guy to have off the bench. The man with the most post-season experience on the team knocked down an early 4th quarter three to give the Magic their first lead of the night.

One miracle shot shy of victory
Cleveland�s Mo Williams hit a 65 foot hoist at the end of the 2nd quarter to give the Cavs a 15 point lead. His off balance 20 footer off a jump ball at the buzzer that would�ve won the game for Cleveland was just off the mark.

Home team loses game one? Again?
For the third consecutive playoff series the Magic have been involved in this year, the home team has lost game one. Orlando lost game one at home to Philadelphia in the first round, and won game one at Boston in round two. Now, a win in Cleveland to take home court advantage away from the Cavaliers. This series has a long way to go, but coming from 15 down at the half to hand Cleveland just their 3rd home court loss of the season is an impressive start to the Eastern Conference finals for the Magic.

David Steele's blog is solely the opinion of David Steele and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA. For more blogs by David Steele click here.

Posted by Scott Anez, Thursday, May 21, 2009, 1:15 AM

Can I Get A Witness?

I don't know how many times I have said it this season...The resilience of this Orlando Magic team boggles the mind.

Final: Magic 107 Cavs 106.

This team never, ever, ever gives in or gives up.

I wonder how the national pundits are gonna try to discredit another Magic postseason win?

The Cavs suffered from rust after the nine-day layoff? LeBron was cramping up late? The weather in Cleveland was too hot? Kevin Garnett was hurt? The Cavs were tired coming off the nine-day layoff? What will the excuse be now?

It was very evident early what Cav coach Mike Brown's defensive strategy would be. He was gonna allow Dwight (30 points and 13 rebounds) to get his. The goal was to prevent Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu from beating him.

Through three quarters, the plan was working to perfection. At that point, Rashard had 10 points while Turk had six points on 2-7 from the field. However, the resurgent Magic, who trailed by 15 at the half, would outscore the Cavs in the third quarter 30-19 as the Cavs led 82-78 going into the fourth

Then, it was all about Lew and Turk!

Kudos to Rashard. The guy is a silent assassin. Stop me if you've heard this before....Rashard scores 12 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter. He drains the big three-pointer at the :14.7 mark to make it 107-106.

Turk would score nine of his 15 points in the final period. Hedo also ends up with a career playoff-high 15 assists. Make that 27 assists in the last two games for Hedo.

Offensively, the Magic did anything they wanted to against one of the best defensive teams in the league. We shot 55% from the field and hit 9-20 from three point range. The Magic feel very confident that they can get what they want offensively against this Cav team.

Defensively, it looked as if we tried to get a little too cute early in sending Dwight to LeBron's side of the court. It just did not look like our players were not buying into the pseudo-zone. The result, a 33-19 Cleveland lead after the first quarter, was not pretty.

We were all witnesses to LeBron's 49 points. The King is unstoppable. I don't mind LeBron going off against us as long as Mo Williams goes 6-19 from the field. But we have to find a better game plan to at least make LeBron work a little harder for his points.

All in all though, we were all witnesses to another gutty performance by an Orlando Magic team that continues to amaze me with an unparalleled will to win basketball games.

Anez Sez is solely the opinion of Scott Anez and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA.

Posted by Scott Anez, Wednesday, May 20, 2009, 10:40 AM

Keys To A Pick Six

I like the Orlando Magic. I like 'em in six.

In order for that to happen, here are three very simple keys to a Magical win in this series:

1. Contain LeBron

...Sez says that's much easier said than done. Coach Stan Van Gundy says The King is actually playing better in the Playoffs than he did in the regular season when he earned the NBA's MVP Award. LeBron is averaging 32.9 points per game in the postseason. He's been unstoppable in eight consecutive Cav wins. But, recent history suggests that LeBron is going to have a much tougher time in this series. LBJ averaged 30 points per game vs. Orlando this season, including 43 in the lone Cav win on March 17.

However, in the two losses to Orlando this season, he shot just 36% from the field and averaged 24.5 points per game. Remember what we did to Paul Pierce in games 6 and 7? We doubled him and took the ball out of his hands. I get the feeling we'll keep that option in our back pocket in this series. To beat LeBron, you have to keep him out of the paint and make things difficult for him on the perimeter. The Magic defense, historically, does just that.

2. Let the Big Dog Eat

...We've got the most dominant big in the game today. Let him be dominant. Where have I heard that before? The Cavs are gonna make Dwight work in this series. They're gonna send Zydrunas Ilgauskus to the perimeter to try to lure Dwight away from the hoop. They'll give Dwight different looks on the offensive end. Doesn't matter. When Dwight Howard brings energy...When he runs the floor...When he is swatting everything in sight...When he is grabbing every rebound with authority...This team wins!

3. Hedo and Skip

...What went overlooked in game seven of the Celtic series is the fact that Skip was terrific. When he runs, his teammates follow...and when the Orlando Magic run, we're really good. Rafer had one of his best games of the regular season against this Cleveland team back on March 17 when he had 23 points. It will be up to Rafer to keep his team in an up-tempo mode against one of the best defensive teams in the league. Rafer's matchup with Mo Williams is one of the most intriguing of this series.

Hedo is, as always, is a huge key. Can we bottle his game seven performance in Boston? We need Hedo to be what we all know he can be, the 'Turkish Magic Johnson'. Hedo has his work cut out for him in guarding LeBron to start the game. But, if Turk is on top of his game, LeBron has his hands full on the other end, which takes a little steam out of LBJ come the fourth quarter.

Anez Sez is solely the opinion of Scott Anez and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA.

Posted by Glass Half Full, Wednesday, May 20, 2009,10:30 AM

Fascinating Stories

Today, two incredible stories. Read on:

Magic are the talk of the town, even for a child who rarely speaks

Mike Bianchi
Orlando Sentinel
SPORTS COMMENTARY
May 20, 2009

You turn on the radio and the gabmasters are talking about the Magic.

You drive your kid to school and the guy directing the car circle is talking about the Magic.

You go into Ace Hardware and two guys back in paint are talking about the Magic.

Even half-a-world away, they're talking about the Magic.

"This is Ahmed from Egypt," said the e-mail from Magic fan Ahmed Ismail that popped into my in-box late Sunday night after the Magic had vanquished the defending champion Boston Celtics "I think I'm the only guy within a 1,000-mile radius who stayed up for the game. I feel like I am walking on the clouds. I cannot believe it, man."

Finally, after all these years of apathy and indifference, everybody is talking about the Magic again.

Even a kid who couldn't - or wouldn't - talk just a few weeks ago.

"It's unbelievable what the Magic have done for my boy," says Izzy Rodriguez, an auto mechanic from Kissimmee.

Ryan Rodriguez is his boy.

A boy of few words.

Too few.

So few, in fact, that Izzy and his wife Karen became concerned a few months ago and put him in a special class for kids who do not socialize with others or verbalize their feelings.

Ryan is almost 4 years old - a time when most kids are babbling about the joys of having a "cimanon" bun for breakfast or "basketti" for dinner.

But not Ryan. He rarely speaks.

Until the other day when something in his brain clicked.

Do you believe in Magic?

Izzy does.

He's now the biggest Magic fan in town. Not because the Magic have infused the city with excitement heading into tonight's matchup with LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals, but because they have infused Ryan - "or Ry-Ry" as he's known to his family - with the gift of gab.

We knew Stan Van Gundy could coax sweat and swagger from his players, but who knew he could coax words and wisdom from a young boy.

"Daddy, me play basketball? Me play for the Magic?"

Those were the words that came out of Ry-Ry's mouth a couple of weeks ago as Izzy was flipping through the TV channels and happened upon an advertisement for a Magic playoff game with Philadelphia.

Ryan had always been captivated by watching sports on TV, but rarely put more than a word or two together. One speech therapist diagnosed him with selective mutism - a disorder in which otherwise normal kids become severely withdrawn and refuse to speak in social settings.

Izzy immediately went on-line and purchased two playoff tickets for $641. The family doesn't have much money, but he figured his son's words were worth the price of admission. When Ry-Ry learned he was going to the game, he immediately exclaimed, "Dad, just us going to basketball?"

Magically, Ry-Ry jabbered all the way to the game. And once inside the arena, he cheered and clapped and screamed. During timeouts, he became concerned. "No more play, Dad? No more play?" And when the game was over, he didn't want to leave. "No go home, Dad. We stay and watch the Magic.""

Ry-Ry talked all the way home," Izzy says, his voice cracking as he retells the story. "And I cried all the way home."

The Magic have given Izzy tickets to ensuing playoff games and Izzy recently sent team officials an e-mail that said, "Buying Ryan items for speech therapy - $500. ... Taking him to therapy and to doctors - $2,000. ... Seeing Ryan go wild at a Magic game - PRICELESS!!!"

This is the power and pull of sports. I've written it many times before but I'll reiterate it here: there are but two things that galvanize a community - a tragedy or a sports team. I don't know about you, but I'll take Magic over tragic any day.

Magic coach Stan Van Gundy was at a restaurant Monday night and everybody was talking about the Game 7 victory over the Celtics. Earlier, he logged onto to his computer and a military officer and Magic fan stationed in South Korea wrote to congratulate him.

"It means something when somebody in the military who is doing something so serious and so important can get some enjoyment out of what we're doing," Van Gundy says. "The fans are excited about our team and that makes you feel good.

"To me, this is why you have a pro franchise in your city. It's something everybody can rally around."

Words simply cannot describe what a championship run can do for a city.

Unless, of course, they come from the mouth of young Ryan Rodriguez.

"No go home, Dad. We stay and watch the Magic."

* * *

Local Girl Wowing Magic Crowds with Vocal Brilliance

ORLANDO, FLA. - Throughout her toddler years, doctors were not certain whether or not Gina Marie Incandela would be able to speak; A result of a stunning and silencing characteristic of pervasive development disorder, an autistic spectrum disorder (PPD NOS).

Four years removed from uncertainty, now 7-year-old Incandela stood at center court of Amway Arena and floored a sell-out crowd with a soul-warming rendition of the National Anthem before the Magic topped the Heat on Feb. 22.

Then she did it again before Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Celtics, and Orlando won.

Then again, prior to Game 6 against Boston, and again, the Magic were victorious.

In all three performances, Gina was even flanked by the same color guard: The Civil Air Patrol's Central Florida Composite Squadron.

And fittingly, the superstitious Gina even sang the National Anthem in front of her living-room television before the Magic's historic Game 7 win over the Celtics.

The seemingly veteran singer's voice is embodied in the petite frame of a first grader from Kissimmee, masked by a smile that will make the gloomiest of days seem bright. Her angelic voice is the antithesis of the boisterous Amway Arena crowd that pesters opponents for 48 minutes each game.

"I've had music executives tell me that her voice is one in a million," says Incandela's mother, Michelle, who along with husband Dwayne and daughter Lexi, 5, travels the country to watch Gina perform. "I don't know any other 7 year olds that can sing the way Gina can."

Incandela's incredible inclination to music was discovered around the age of 4, when she would carry the notes of a song before she could manage to speak the words. Michelle then had Gina enrolled in music therapy classes, which she took for four months.

Gina first broke into the spotlight by singing the National Anthem before a Houston Astro's spring-training game at Osceola County Stadium in March of 2008. Since, she's performed more than 50 times.

"It just makes people happy and it makes my own heart feel good just like everybody," explains Gina, who like many 7 year olds, enjoys swimming, science and Miley Cyrus. "The fans really like it and love it in their own hearts."

After a trio of spectacular performances, Gina has found a place in the hearts of all Magic fans.

And when the Magic take on the Cleveland Cavaliers at Amway Arena in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals, guess who will be singing the National Anthem?

Posted by Scott Anez, Monday, May 18, 2009, 1:30 AM

Party Like It's 1996!

The better team won.

That's right. The better team won the series Sunday night in Boston.

The Game 7 final: Magic 101 Celtics 82.

We wondered aloud before the game started, "How will this inexperienced Magic team react to being in such a pressure-packed game?"

We got our answer early when our Magic bolted out to a 22-9 advantage.

There no nerves, no jitters, no deer in the headlights looks. The Orlando Magic knew that they were the better team and they proved it in what was nearly a perfect performance.

Who said that ya can't win by shooting three's come playoff time? Against the best defense in the business, our guys made 13 of their 21 long range bombs.

An energetic and effective Hedo Turkoglu played his best game of the Playoffs. And by the way, if I am a pizza company, I am making Hedo my spokesman after TNT caught Turk woofin' down a slice before the game.

Turk was magnificent with 25 points and a career playoff high 12 assists. The three-bomb he hit with 3:50 to go broke the Celtics' backs (93-78).

There were so many outstanding performances:

.Dwight was a monster with 12 points, 16 boards and five blocks. The intensity Superman brought to the court in games six and seven was off the charts.

.Rafer Alston (15 points) set the tone early with his seven points and dribble penetration in the first quarter.

...Mickael Pietrus is saving his best ball for the Playoffs. MP had 17 huge points off the bench. We don't win this series without the clutch play of MP off the bench.

.Rashard's steady hand (19 points) was much needed throughout this series.

And let's not forget about our Head Coach.

Many of you, for some reason unbeknownst to yours truly, were all over Stan Van Gundy in this series. But know this. If Stan does not make the decision to double-team Paul Pierce virtually every time he touched the ball in games six and seven, we're the ones on summer vacation right now.

Look at the results. In game six, Pierce, who is the guy who makes the C's go, had 17 points on 6-14 from the field. In Sunday's game seven, Pierce was just 4-13 from the field with 16 points.

In those two final games, the Magic defense held Boston to 75 and 82 points. This Magic team may hit the three for show.but they defend for do ugh!

Finally, Magic fans, did you see the way our team celebrated like men on the Celtics' home court Sunday night? Unlike the Celtics in this series, they were true sportsmen. They raised their fists, shook their opponents' hands and called it a night. It was nothing but pure class.

So, we are off to the Eastern Conference Finals vs. LeBron.

I haven't had this much fun in 13 years!

Anez Sez is solely the opinion of Scott Anez and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA.

Posted by David Steele, Monday, May 18, 2009, 1:15 AM

Game 7 Analysis

Conventional NBA wisdom says..
..the best team wins a best of 7 series. The Orlando Magic were clearly the best team on the floor in the decisive 101-82 win in game seven Sunday night in Boston. The Magic overcame Celtic experience and tradition to advance to the Eastern Conference finals for the third time in franchise history and the first time since 1996.

Now that�s a post-game celebration
As the final seconds ticked away in game 7, and with Orlando clearly on the verge of knocking out the defending champs, I was eager to see how Magic players would react after the final horn. This was, after all, a huge victory. But, after the horn, there was no big emotional display. No public celebration on the champs home floor. Just a few hugs and hand-shakes. Like they expected to win. Like there is still more business to take care of. Nice. Very nice.

Records that are made to be broken
The Boston Celtics were 32-0 in franchise history when leading a best of 7 series 3 games to 2. That was before Sunday night�s Magic win. Boston was 17-3 in game 7�s at home in its storied history�before Sunday night.

Tough week for the Boston sports fan
One of America�s great sports cities has experienced more than its share of success in the last couple of years, but over the last few days, not so much. Celtics lose to the Magic in 7, Bruins lose in 7 to the Carolina Hurricanes, and Big Papi is benched.

Dwight Howard�s block party
The NBA�s defensive player of the year played a huge role, as always, in the Magic�s success. Dwight Howard scored 12 points, grabbed 16 rebounds and blocked 5 shots. Howard averages 16 rebounds per game in 26 post-season contests, and over the past two seasons and post-seasons, Orlando is an incredible 25-3 when he has 5 or more blocked shots in a game.

Mr. 4th quarter
He was the Magic�s Mr. clutch in the regular season, beat Philadelphia with a game winning jumper in game 4 in the first round, and Sunday night led the Magic in scoring with 25 points, including 10 in the 4th quarter. Hedo Turkoglu also hit timely baskets throughout the night, including a 3rd quarter jumper to quiet the crowd after Boston had cut the Magic lead to three. Oh yeah, Turk also handed out a post-season career high 12 assists.

Lewis shines again
In game 7, he was still the guy they could not guard. Rashard Lewis capped a terrific series with 19 points. Sweet Lew averaged a team high 20.4 ppg in the series against Boston.

The unsung hero
It has been an up and down year for Mikael Pietrus, with injuries taking their toll, but did he ever come up big in this series. Pietrus averaged 12 points and shot 51% from the field against the Celtics, including a 17 point game four. Mikael hit big momentum stopper shots throughout the night. A three at the end of the first quarter. A three after back to back Ray Allen baskets in the 2nd quarter, and a three early in the 4th to quell a Celtic rally. Pietrus had his offensive game under control, and played solid defense too.

The unsung hero..part 2
Going into game 7, J.J. Redick had hit 3 of his last 25 shots from the field. His defense and overall playmaking skills had kept him on the floor and in the starting lineup. Sunday night Redick made his mark offensively. In the 3rd quarter J.J. had a brilliant run that started with a key three after an Allen jumper had cut the Magic lead to 4. That was followed by two assists, one to Turkoglu, the other to Howard. Then, a driving layup that put the Magic up by 10. It has taken him a while, but in his third post-season season, J.J. is certainly ready for prime time.

Stan�s plan works to perfection
Remember Eddie House? The guy that torched the Magic for a career high 31 points in Boston�s game 2 blowout win? After that, Stan Van Gundy made the decision to use Courtney Lee as his House stopper, and Lee did his job. In the last four games of the series with Lee connected to him like white on rice, House scored a grand total of 16 points. His only basket in game 7 came with Lee on the bench.

Enough with the Garnett factor already! The Magic and Celtics were both missing a key player in this series. The Celtics without Kevin Garnett. The Magic without Jameer Nelson. Seems to me there is a perception out there that the Celtics, minus Garnett, were at a greater disadvantage than the Magic, minus Nelson. But consider this: Orlando with Nelson won 76.6% of their games. Without him, 63.0%. That�s a difference of 13.6%.

Boston with Garnett won 77.2% of the time. Without him, 67.6%. for a difference of 9.6%. Now I know there are many variables that come into play when you try to compare numbers like this. Opponents strength of schedule, difficulty of schedule, other player injuries to name a few. And I know you can make numbers say almost anything, but, using these percentages, if the Magic had Nelson for 82 games they would�ve won 65.2 games. Boston, with Garnett for 82 games would�ve won 65.5 games. A strong argument for Jameer�s value to the Orlando Magic.

An All-Timer
Game seven in Boston to knock out the defending champions ranks as one of the top three wins in Magic history. Winning game one in the Eastern Conference semi-finals against Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in 1995 opened the flood gates for what would be a run to the NBA finals. Winning game 7 against Indiana in the �95 Eastern Conference finals propelled Orlando into its only NBA finals appearance. Now Sunday night�s victory takes its place alongside those other two. Is there more to come in this post-season? With a great individual player like Dwight Howard, and a talented team surrounding him that believes in itself, anything is possible.

David Steele's blog is solely the opinion of David Steele and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA. For more blogs by David Steele click here.

By Live or Die Magic, May 17, 2009, 10:30 AM

Seize This Moment

If Games 4 and 5 of the Magic vs. Celtics second round series were the two most sickening games in recent memory, then Game 6 must have been the medicine. It sure didn't go down easy, but it was effective, and in the playoffs, isn't that what matters? It sure wasn't a pretty game, but it had enough pretty moments to get the job done. The Magic could have easily just laid down in Game 6 and conceded the series to the Celtics. Frankly, that is exactly what they seemed to be doing for much of the game. The Magic would make these short sudden runs at the ends of the periods to draw within a point or two of Boston, only to let Boston build back some distance at the start of the next quarter.

Sitting in the stands, it was hard to keep resignation from creeping in, especially when the Celtics finally built a larger lead in the fourth quarter. I listened as the O-rena erupted every time the Celtics scored or made a play. It was easy to imagine that we were in Boston. I looked around at the Celtics fans near me in their brand new Celtics jerseys and t-shirts and saw just how smug they looked.

But then the Magic finally put a run together and built a little lead of their own. My hope was back! But then, so was Paul Pierce! Those three straight jumpers to take the Celtics from being down five to being up one were infuriating because everyone in the building new what was coming - pull-up jumpers - and he was still able to do it! The Magic responded; they gathered themselves and kept doing what had worked. Two of the biggest shots of the night - the three pointers by Rafer Alston and Hedo Turkoglu, were the kind of shots that make you cringe - and I did - when they are going up. After all, our vaunted three point shooting has been well, not so vaunted? As the shots were going up I went from yelling "no no no" to "yes yes yes!" It was very satisfying to see the Magic continuing to attack even after they got the lead back. They didn't settle for a one point win.

So, now it all comes down to Sunday, May 17th, 2009. Either this day will be remembered as the last day of the Magic's 2009 season or it will simply be a mile marker on this team's continuing trek through the 2009 playoffs. As a fan, I'm sure as hell not ready for this to all be over. I have had just way too much fun this season. Oh sure, it has been nerve-wracking at times, but in a good way, right?

In advance of the game, I have some things that I'd like for the Orlando Magic to keep in mind...you know, just some pointers from us fans.

We don't need to launch 27 3-pointers to beat Boston. Ok, so we've set records the last two seasons. But what good are those records doing us in this series? If the shots aren't falling from the outside, maybe try getting just a bit closer!

Don't wait until your down to get aggressive. Don't wait until the end of quarters to make your run! Building a big lead doesn't mean your winning the game, it only means your leading the game.

Dwight needs to remember how much better he is than Kendrick Perkins. He sure seemed to remember in Game 6.

Rashard Lewis needs to remember that he can post up any guard Boston puts on him and drive around any big they put on him.

Turk needs to remember that a drive in the lane doesn't have to end in throwing the ball up and hoping for a whistle.

Courtney Lee needs to remember that he is just as quick as anyone that steps on the court with him, including Eddie House.

Rafer Alston needs to remember that dribble penetration is an extremely potent move and is a much more effective move for him than a spot-up 3-pointer.

JJ Redick needs to remember that the courts in the NBA are the same size at the NCAAs and that the rim is still only 10 feet tall. He should still be able to shoot lights-out at this level.

Mickael Pietrus needs to remember that his defense and his strong drives to the basket are what makes him stand out on this team...not his outside shooting.

Marcin Gortat needs to remember his training...the smallest of all the bears was still bigger than Scalabrine, Big Baby, or Perkins.

Anthony Johnson needs to remember that he has more experience than Rajon Rondo and more savvy than Stephon Marbury.

Stan Van Gundy needs to remember...wait, hold on...Stan needs to forget, Tony Battie. At least for this one day.

Finally, the entire team needs to remember that they are a better team than the Celtics!

And hey, nobody panic!

This message was not subject of approval by the NBA or the Orlando Magic. The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA, but solely the writer.

By Mickael Pietrus
May 16, 2009

Ready for Game 7

Hi -

I thought I would check in with you after that great Game 6 versus the Celtics. I am so glad we won that game and caused the series to go to Game 7.

We have had a couple fun games against the Celtics over the past couple of weeks. They are a very competitive team which makes for a tough series to play in and probably a little stressful for the fans. I wish we had played some of the games harder at the end. Either way we are where we need to be as a team heading into Boston on Sunday for Game 7. Both teams are hungry. We are expecting to bring our best playing for the last game of this series.

This time of year is so interesting. We actually have some down time to rest up that we don't have during the regular season. I have been able to watch the Lakers/Houston match up as well. Great series for Houston. I feel they never give up and they believe even with their key guys out. They have a lot of confidence and everyone has stepped up their game.

Thank you for all of your support. Have fun watching the game on Sunday. After we win this series, we will see you in Cleveland on Tuesday ;-)

Peace.

MP

P.S. We added some new Original products to my store at Mickael-Pietrus.com. Please check it out.

For more information about Mickael, please check out Mickael-Pietrus.com.

Posted by Scott Anez, Saturday, May 16, 2009, 11:37 AM

Why not us�Why not now?

Those are the now famous words of Magic owner Rich DeVos from 1995.

Fourteen years ago, the entire NBA world was telling the Orlando Magic that they were too young, too green, too immature, too wet behind the ears.

After all, champions had to experience a rite of passage. This Magic franchise had only been official for six years at that point. This was, for all intents and purposes, still an expansion team in many people�s eyes. We were the nouveau riche, the new kids on the block. We were the outsiders, threats to the good ole boy network.

The Orlando Magic were not supposed to be ready for prime time.

We all know what happened back in �95. The Magic came up short in The Finals vs. Houston.

However, Mr. DeVos, in that one simple but brilliant statement to the world, crystallized a belief that his team deserved to be where it was. In other words, the heck with the establishment!

Cut to 2009, and Mr. D�s statement applies once again.

Is it me, or do you too get the sense that it�s us against the world again?

Perhaps I am wearing my blue and white colored glasses, but the national media�s treatment of this team has become laughable.

All year, this team was an afterthought. All season, it was all about the Cavs, Lakers and Celtics�.nary a word about our hometown team.

Despite being the only franchise to put three players in the NBA All-Star Game, and despite this team racking up a total of 59 wins, our Magic got very little attention on a nationwide basis.

And then, after Game 5 vs. Boston, Dwight Howard makes some ill-advised comments about his head coach, and there it was! We were finally getting that attention that somehow eluded us all season long. But, it was for all the wrong reasons.

Dwight was vilified, ripped, roasted and toasted in this wild and whacky 24-hour news cycle that we now live in. I thought for a moment that ESPN had debuted a new channel: ESPN-DWIGHT.

There�s an old expression in this business. If it bleeds, it leads. The Orlando Magic were hemorrhaging at that point and it seemed that the national media was only too happy to re-open our wounds every half-hour on the half-hour.

And now, here we are, going into Game 7 against the vaunted Boston Celtics, the NBA�s showcase franchise, the team that has won more championships than any other.

We�ve all heard the numbers. The Celtics are 17-3 in game sevens at home...We small ponders, are just 1-1 in game sevens in our 20 years of existence.

Over the course of the next two days, the NBA world will list all the reasons why the Orlando Magic cannot win Sunday night. They�ll talk about the ghosts, the leprechauns, Red Auerbach, Larry Bird, John Havlicek and the dead spots on the mystical parquet floor.

They will give absolutely no respect to the Orlando Magic, which, quite frankly, is nothing new.

Orlando Magic, ignore what the world tells you and pay attention to the phrase your owner uttered not that long ago.

WHY NOT US�WHY NOT NOW?

Anez Sez is solely the opinion of Scott Anez and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA.

Posted by David Steele, Friday, May 15, 2009, 1:45 AM

Game 6 Analysis

Reports of their death were greatly exaggerated
Mark Twain said it. The Orlando Magic lived it Thursday night. The Magic survived to fight another night with their gutsy 83-75 win in Game 6 against the Boston Celtics. It�s only fitting. The Magic and Celtics have played six times in this series. There have been four down to the final minute finishes and each team has one double-digit win.

Defense wins it
In the first half Boston lead 46-45 and shot 48 percent from the field. In the second half the Magic held the Celtics to just 29 points on 34 percent shooting. Magic team defense was outstanding down the stretch holding Boston to just two points in the final 4:48.

Dwight sees 20/20
The monster game for Dwight Howard was to be expected. His comments after Game 5 put him in the spotlight, and not in a positive way. Dwight is an honorable, fiercely competitive young guy who wants to help his team win in the worst way. 23 points and 22 rebounds were his way of responding to the challenge. It was Howard�s 5th career postseason 20-point, 20-rebound game. The Magic are 5-0 in those games, which have all been played at Amway Arena.

Dwight�in good company
With 22 rebounds in Game 6, Dwight Howard now has 400 career postseason boards in 25 games. That�s an average of 16 rebounds per game. Only Bill Russell (24.9) and Wilt Chamberlain (24.5) averaged more rebounds per game than Howard in NBA playoff history.

Slip slidin� away? Not this time
When Boston�s Paul Pierce, last year�s Finals MVP, hit three fourth-quarter jumpers in a row, Boston erased a five-point Orlando lead. After losing leads late in Games 4 and 5, Magic fans everywhere had to be thinking, �here we go again.� But after two Dwight Howard missed free throws, Rafer Alston got a big steal and three-point basket and the Magic took the lead for good. Alston also hit one of his driving floaters in the lane after the Celtics cut the lead to one with about 3:00 remaining.

Sweet Lew strikes again
Another solid game for Rashard Lewis. Twenty points and six rebounds in Game 6, including six big fourth-quarter points. Lewis has consistently been a player the Celtics cannot defend. In 10 games against Boston, regular season and playoffs, Rashard is averaging 21 points on 48 percent shooting.

That�s our Turk!
How many times in the last two seasons have Magic fans seen Hedo Turkoglu struggle offensively for almost an entire game, only to make big shots down the stretch. It happened again Thursday night. Turk was 2-for-12 from the field and just moments earlier had missed the entire basket on a three-point attempt when he raised up from behind the arc and knocked down a huge triple. The shot gave the Magic a six point cushion with a minute and a half left in the game. Amazing. Hedo never loses confidence in himself and perhaps even more incredible, Stan Van Gundy never loses confidence in Hedo.

A kiss is better than a slap
From the �things you don�t often see� department�Alston�s finest performance in this series was punctuated by a kiss on the back of the head to referee Marc Davis. A slap to back of Eddie House�s head in Game two earned Rafer a one-game suspension. Thursday night we saw the kinder, gentler side of Alston.

Game 7
Sunday night in Boston the Celtics will play in their fourth Game 7 in the past two postseasons. Orlando will be playing in its third Game 7 in franchise history. The Celtics will have a boisterous home crowd and the NBA�s greatest tradition behind them, but don�t count out the Magic. They have won twice in Boston this season including once in this series, and they do not fear the defending champs. Buckle up. It should fun.

David Steele's blog is solely the opinion of David Steele and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA. For more blogs by David Steele click here.

Posted by STUFF, Thursday, May 14, 2009, 12:30 PM

It Is Not Over!

Listen, World o� Magic! There have been a lot mixed feelings - doubt, anger, skepticism, and all-around negativity - about our team in recent days. Obviously, we should not be content with the way some of these Playoff games have swung, but this team needs our support now more than ever!!

I must admit that I allowed some of this negativity to fester within myself. That lucky fade-away Iguodala threw over Hedo during the last round had us all in shock. The odds would have been just as good if he had closed his eyes, and shot it from California.

Then came the crazy, spinning, out-of-control layup by Thaddeus Young around Dwight Howard. Who, you say? Exactly! He threw it up in absolute fear. Any other time, D12 would have swatted that lob into Tiger Woods� lap, as if it had been intentionally set for him in a volleyball match.

And then there was the heartbreaking shot from Big Baby. Did you see his face when he realized he made it? He was in more shock than anyone! He knows he should not have made that shot, let alone shoot it. That kid he pushed has a better chance against him in an arm-wrestling match than Davis has of repeating that shot.

But here�s the reality check� it is NOT over! The last time I checked, to win a series, a team has to win four games, not three. That means we must win only ONE more before de-throning the defending world champs. And as far as I am concerned, we only have NINE games to win before I get my first championship ring and I get to Grand Marshall a ticker tape parade down Orange Avenue!

And get this: Charles Barkley has thrown down the gauntlet. He said (while live on national TV, by the way), that Orlando has the worst arena in the NBA, as well as the lamest fans. Although I strongly disagree, I really want to make him eat his words at the remaining games. I have noticed some other teams create a riot from tipoff to 0:00, while we sometimes let up when it becomes too comfortable. For instance, even when we were beating Boston by 19 points in their city, their fans still erupted every time they made a shot, as if they had won the series. We need to do even more.

So� do whatever you have to do to blow the roof off the Amway Arena in the upcoming games. Bring your rally rackets, rally towels, thundersticks, sirens, blowhorns, pet elephants, tugboats, screaming babies, whatever! And please, please, please, react to EVERYTHING throughout the entire game with all the mojo you can muster. Our Boys In Blue need it. And I guarantee if the noise is as intense as it was during last game�s fourth quarter, the Cavaliers will sweat in fear, because they know that they are next.

I promise it ain�t over until the fat dragon sings� and in case you haven�t noticed, I don�t have a mouth!

Dragon My Heels, But Gotta Fly�

Posted by Scott Anez, Thursday, May 14, 2009, 10:45 AM

Can't We All Get Along

Things can change on a dime in the NBA.

I had a caller ask me before game five Tuesday night if Stan Van Gundy is in trouble?

My response?

"No way. Stan is gonna be the coach of the Orlando Magic for a long, long time."

After game five, I wasn't quite so sure.

Dwight Howard made a very un-Dwight-like decision after the collapse Tuesday night. He decided to question his head coach publicly.

In this league, when a superstar player questions a coach in the press, it is customarily the beginning of the end for that head coach. Remember what the late-great Chuck Daly said about coaching in the NBA?

"Players allow you to coach them in this league."

We've seen it time and time again. We saw it up close with Shaq during the 1996 Eastern Conference Finals. We saw it with Penny in 1997.

Superstars rule this league. Shouldn't be that way. But it is. So when the superstar player publicly questions a head coach, our radar goes up.

Wednesday, Dwight came out and apologized for his post-game comments. I was happy and somewhat relieved to hear that. Dwight admitted that he was frustrated and let loose of his emotions. The post-game criticism was certainly out of character. Dwight has been a model citizen here in Orlando. The guy has always been about class, respect and decorum.

But, after the game Tuesday night, it was almost as if Superman transformed into Lex Luthor, alias Shaquille O'Neal. I wonder if someone planted a bug in his ear. I wonder aloud if some of his buddies filled his inbox with texts about his ten field goal attempts? It was just a very un-Dwight-like press conference.

Frankly, if Dwight wants the ball more, it's up to him to go get it. It's up to Dwight to tell Stan during the game to give him the ball.

Eventually, he is going to have to diversify his offensive game to become a true offensive force and go-to-guy. He's going to have to take it upon himself to develop a 10-12 foot jumper to keep suffocating defenses like Boston's from bottling him up.

I agree. Dwight Howard must get more than ten shots in a game of that magnitude. The guy is the most dominant big man in the game today. I don't blame him for being frustrated after such a crushing defeat.

But, he's got to keep that stuff in-house!

When I say on the air or in this blog that Stan's got to get Dwight more touches, that's one thing. It's talk show fodder. It's the hot topic of the day.

But, when Dwight comes out and questions his coach publicly. it would seem that he is starting the process of nudging a snowball down a very slippery snow-covered mountain. I hope that's not the case here.

Winning cures all ills. If the Magic come back and somehow take this series, it's very possible that all will be forgotten and Dwight and Stan will live happily ever after. I believe that Stan is the perfect coach for Dwight because Stan never lets up. He will keep pushing Dwight.

I just hope Dwight realizes that and stops pushing back.

Anez Sez is solely the opinion of Scott Anez and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA.

Posted by Scott Anez, Wednesday, May 13, 2009, 1:33 AM

UGGHHH

If I didn�t see it, I wouldn�t have believed it.

Celtics 92 Magic 88.

I guess it all depends upon your perspective.

In Boston, they are celebrating yet another monumental come-from-behind victory in the playoffs.

Here in Hooterville, we are lamenting a collapse of colossal proportions.

How many lessons do we have to be taught in order for it to sink in? We allowed Philly to come back on us after leading by 18. We almost choked on a whopping 28-point cushion in Game 1 in Boston.

After the Game 4 loss Sunday night, though, I sensed that our Magic had turned the corner in establishing a will to win in the postseason. I sensed that this Magic team was ready to develop a tournament-toughness about them late in crunch time. I thought that this team�s mindset was in the process of becoming championship-quality.

I sit here in our RDV studios stunned, baffled and flabbergasted.

We dominated this game for about 42 minutes. Those final six minutes may haunt us all summer long.

Our Magic led 77-63 at the 8:49 mark of the fourth quarter after a Mickael Pietrus bucket.

It was 85-75 Orlando after a Hedo bucket at the 5:39 mark.

Circle that field goal right there because that was our final one of the game. We went 0-7 from that point on.

We flat out just stopped playing our game and started playing not to lose. Where was the poise? Where was the confidence? It was all on the Celtics� side of the court.

Like I stated, if I didn�t see it, I wouldn�t have believed that Stephon Marbury, alias �Dead Man Walking�, would, in effect, win this game for the Celtics because he kept them within striking distance. Marbury came off the bench for a foul-plagued Rajon Rondo and scored all 12 of his points in the final quarter.

Boston goes on an 18-5 run in the final 6:07 to shock our world.

We in Magic Nation can cry all we want about not getting foul calls late. We can moan about the ridiculous call on the late 3-pointer that never even came close to the rim. We can whine about Dwight not getting enough touches throughout the entire game.

We can do all that stuff, but there�s no crying in basketball. The bottom line is that the Cetlics are one win away from an all-expense paid trip to Cleveland.

Call me crazy, but there�s a part of me that still believes the Orlando Magic are the better team in this series.

The problem, though, is becoming more evident as this gut-wrenching series plays on.

The Boston Celtics have go-to-guys who raise their levels of play when the goin� gets tough.

The Magic are still in the process of trying to figure it all out.

Anez Sez is solely the opinion of Scott Anez and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA.

Posted by David Steele, Wednesday, May 13, 2009, 12:47 AM

Look at Game 5 in Boston

Medical alert in Central Florida:
An ulcer outbreak hits the Magic Kingdom. Another heartbreaking postseason loss for the Orlando Magic. An 11-point lead halfway through the fourth quarter turns into a 92-88 loss to the Boston Celtics in Game 5 of the best-of-seven series. Building big leads has not been particularly difficult for the Magic throughout the playoffs, holding them has been another matter.

Another unlikely hero for the Celtics
Glen Davis, who hit the game winner in Game 4, had another big night in Game 5, leading the Celtics in scoring with 22 points. Boston is 4-1 in the playoffs when �Big Baby� scores 20+, but the Celtics don�t win Game five without the fourth quarter play of Stephon Marbury. The 32 year old veteran scored 12 points in just over six minutes to keep the Celtics in the game before they made their big late game run.

Alston wins battle..loses war
Magic point guard Rafer Alston, who had struggled in this series in prior games, outplayed his Boston counterpart, Rajon Rondo. Alston scored 16 points, had six assists and five rebounds with just one turnover, while Rondo had eight, nine, five and three turnovers for the Celtics. You would�ve thought that if Alston could get the upper hand against Rondo, the Magic would win the game, but the terrific fourth quarter play of Marbury made up for Rondo�s rough night.

You knew it was good before it left his hand
Boston�s Ray Allen had struggled shooting the basketball throughout the series, but when the veteran sharp-shooter came off a screen to catch and shoot a three late in the game, you just knew it was going to go in. The shot gave the Celtics their first lead since early in the first quarter. Allen was 4-for-28 from beyond the arc in the series before the big three.

No field goals..no breaks
The Magic�s last field goal in the game was on a drive by Hedo Turkoglu with 5:39 remaining to put Orlando up by 10. Not only did the Magic miss their last eight shots from the field, they also couldn�t come up with a big defensive rebound after two Celtic misses in the final :37. It looked like the Magic were going to get the ball with :36.9 to play trailing by one. They played terrific defense and forced a Rondo air ball at the end of the shot clock. Officials originally called a :24 violation, but after a brief conference, ruled the shot grazed the rim, thus giving the Celtics another possession. Tough break for the Magic, as TV replays showed Rondo�s shot hit net, not iron.

Celtics get defensive against Superman
Boston once again was able to contain Dwight Howard without using a lot of double teams. Dwight had just 12 points on five of 10 shooting and got to the free throw line just three times, two of them in the closing seconds of the game after an intentional foul. The NBA�s regular season leader in free throw attempts per game with almost 11, is averaging about half that many in this series.

Bucking the odds
Conventional wisdom says the Magic have little hope to pull out the series with Boston. The Game 5 winner in a 2-2 series historically goes on to win a best of seven 84 percent of the time. If you thought the so-called experts were negative about Orlando�s chances against the defending NBA champs before Game 5, brace yourself. It�s going to get ugly for the next couple of days. By tip-off time for Game 6 Thursday night there will be few Magic believers, but if those 12 guys in the home team huddle are among them, we�ll be looking forward to a Game 7 on Saturday night.

David Steele's blog is solely the opinion of David Steele and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA. For more blogs by David Steele click here.

Posted by Glass Half Full, Tuesday, May 12, 2009, 11:30 AM

Every Moment Matters

So, your Magic are 10 games into the 2009 NBA Playoffs and five of the games have been decided by a total of 13 points, four of the games have been decided by a cumulative eight points and three of Orlando's four losses are by a combined total of five points.

Yes, every possession counts.

It's nail-biting time again tonight as the Magic look for their fourth road win of these playoffs.

Of note over these 10 postseason games, Orlando has followed every playoff loss with a win.

By Live or Die Magic, May 11, 2009, 6:45 PM

Heartbreaker

Well, talk about going to emotional extremes in the span of just a few seconds. I was standing in front of my seat, speaking with two other media members about what an exciting finish this was (last night�s Game 4 loss to the Celtics), and how amazing it was to see Dwight and Rashard both hit free throws late to put us in the lead.

I also commented on how scary it was that the Celtics had 11 seconds to try to get the ball into Paul Pierce�s or Ray Allen�s hands. I was already envisioning how I was going to react if the Celtics didn�t make the shock. In that moment, I just couldn�t even fathom the impact that going up 3-1 on Boston would have for the team, the town, and the fans. While it would hardly mean that the series was over, it would be such a huge step mentally for basketball in Orlando.

Watching Glen �Big Baby� Davis hit that shot and then immediately seeing that red border of death surrounding the backboard, sent a wave of numbness all throughout my body. The absolute worst part of it all was being able to hear a surprisingly loud roar from the pro-Boston fans in the building. We had quieted them for much of the fourth quarter only to have them go home happy, boisterous, and in my opinion, after watching them file out, belligerent. Seeing Davis celebrate his incredible play by getting into it (at least verbally) with Magic fans certainly didn�t help. I couldn�t speak, I couldn�t even move from the spot where I was standing.

All I could do was take it all in, feel that awful feeling, I mean really feel it and appreciate it. I�ve spoken with several fellow Magic fans today who woke up this morning from a nice dream only to have the reality of last night�s events hit them again like a Rajon Rondo backhand. But I think it is important for fans to feel awful, to feel like they�ve lost something important. Don�t get me wrong, I hate the feeling. Orlando fans have to struggle with the constant sense that we are underdogs because of our smaller market, our smaller arena, our lack of a title, and our lack of respect. But by realizing what we are missing, and recognizing how bad it feels after games like Game 4, we can appreciate how wonderful it will feel when we are the team that has overcome a grueling playoffs and finished on top. More and more I feel like the it is a case of �when, not if.�

I know that the players are feeling it too, and they are responding accordingly. The players that are supposed to be our best players all stepped up last night. Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis, Hedo Turkoglu, and Courtney Lee. Sure, neither Turkoglu or Lee shot particularly well, but both of them ramped up their games late and made plays in the third and fourth quarters, respectively. Frankly, had it not been for the poor play (i.e., shooting) of the complementary players on the roster, we might have had a different outcome.

Coach Stan Van Gundy did his usual falling on his sword routine after the game, but it was matchups that seemed to be the problem, not the defense on the final play. It is my personal opinion that any minutes slotted for Tony Battie should instead go to Marcin Gortat. Battie has missed all four of his shot attempts in the past two games. They weren�t even good shots, and they didn�t even come close. Gortat gets inside, where he should be, and does damage. So long as Rafer Alston and JJ Redick are struggling (each shot 1 for 7), then I think Courtney Lee and Gortat need to see more court time together. To Redick�s credit, he did lead the team in assists with 7.

As awful as I feel and as bad a night it was for our guys are us fans, I still feel pretty good about the series. Sure, Boston may be riding some momentum, and yeah, they got their home court advantage back. But Boston shot over 52% from the field in a game that we shot 40 percent (including 18% from 3-point land) and yet they still needed a miracle shot at the buzzer from their 5th best player on the court to beat us! You can call that a homer statement if you want, but we stunk up the place last night and still almost won. I can guarantee you that this is what the players are thinking, and if it is good enough for those actually playing the game, then it is good enough for those of us that are watching it!

Can�t wait until tomorrow night.

This message was not subject of approval by the NBA or the Orlando Magic. The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA, but solely the writer.

Posted by Scott Anez, Monday, May 11, 2009, 11:30 AM

Maturing Magic are Tough Enough

Sunday night�s Baby Boom broke our hearts. We�re all still a little emotional after such a debilitating loss, our third buzzer-beating defeat of these playoffs.

But, let not your hearts be troubled, Magic Nation. Our team is growing up before our very eyes.

There we were, in prime position to dig the champs a 1-3 series disadvantage. But, as they are prone to do, the Boston Celtics climbed out of the hole and climbed back into the driver�s seat in this series with the 95-94 win in game four.

I am not buying Coach Stan Van Gundy�s post game mea culpa. The Magic defense did exactly what it should have done as the clock was winding down. Stan did not blow that game. Big Baby won it.

The two guys you just don�t want beating you in that instance are Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. How many big late game shots have we seen those guys nail?

Hedo guarded Allen to perfection by denying him the ball.

We trapped Pierce coming off the Davis screen at the top of the key.

Hindsight is 20/20, but, I still think it was the right play. Even though the foul-plagued Pierce had not scored in the fourth quarter, he�s the guy we needed to contain. We did just that.

Dwight forced Pierce to delegate. Unfortunately for us, Pierce made a perfect pass. Rashard may have been a fraction of a second late in getting back to Big Baby. But ya can�t fault the defensive strategy. Perfect offense beat a nearly perfect defense in that instance.

While Baby�s shot buried us, there are many aspects of our anemic offense you can also fault in the loss. Our starting backcourt�s shooting (2-14), our overall field goal percentage (40%) and our three point shooting going south (5-27) all were contributing factors.

But, even with all the problems we had from the field Sunday night, we were right there! We were right there because this team is learning how to play playoff-tough! They are developing a will to win in the playoffs, something the Celtics already have.

The critics say this Magic team is soft. They say they cannot beat you if they�re not shooting the three-ball. Well, despite the paltry 18.5%, the Magic went toe to toe with the champs in game four.

The critics say this Magic team is not tough enough. Coulda fooled me!

We trailed 79-71 going into the fourth quarter, but we kept chipping away. Dwight Howard nails two free throws at the :49 mark to make it 92-91. Rashard comes back and hits his two free throws with :11 to play to make it 94-93. That�s about as tough as ya get in this league

On a night when the ball wasn�t going in the hole, we shot more free throws than Boston�.We scored more points in the paint�.We tallied more second chance points�We scored more fast break points than the Celtics and our bench outscored theirs 31-2. We wanted that game every bit as much as Boston!

Look, we all knew the Celtics would be loaded for bare Sunday night. They�ve been there before. They showed alotta grit in pulling out that victory.

In defeat, the Orlando Magic showed me a little somethin� somethin� in game four.

They showed me they are developing a championship-like toughness to win this series.

Anez Sez is solely the opinion of Scott Anez and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA.

Posted by David Steele, Monday, May 11, 2009, 10:16 AM

Thoughts on Game 4 Against the Celtics

This one really hurts
Game 4 between the Magic and the Celtics Sunday night at Amway Arena was no doubt a fan pleaser for 99 percent of the country, but in the Magic Kingdom it was nothing but a heart break. Orlando has lost four games in this postseason, three of the four losses have come on last second shots. Games 2 and 4 against Philadelphia, and now Game 4 against the Celtics. Glen �Big Baby� Davis joins Andre Iguodala and Thaddeus Young as postseason Magic Killers.

White Knuckler
Game 4 was the first down to the wire game in this series. Games 1-3 provided a grand total of only four lead changes. Sunday night�s thriller featured four lead changes in the final 3:30.

Couldn�t have played it any better
It was a gallant gesture by Stan Van Gundy to take the blame for the Magic�s defense on the last play of the game, but really, how could Orlando have played it better? You take the ball out of the hands of Paul Pierce, deny a pass to big shot maker Ray Allen, and contest the Glen Davis� 18-foot jumper at the buzzer. Sometimes the other guy just makes a great play.

Blame it on the rain(ing) of errant threes
A key reason for the loss was Orlando�s wayward three-point shooting. The Magic have relied heavily on the three-point shot throughout the last two seasons, mostly with favorable results. On this night the long ball let them down. 22 misses on 27 attempts were just too many to overcome. Boston�s defense on Dwight Howard in the post was outstanding, but the Celtics gave the Magic a lot of good three-point looks. Unforturnately for Orlando, the shots weren�t falling. When your starting backcourt goes 1-for-11 from beyond the arc you are probably in trouble.

Twice Burned
Rashard Lewis must�ve been talking to himself after the game. It was Lewis who contested both Big Baby jumpers in the final :32. At 6�10�, Rashard had his long right arm raised in the face of Davis on both big shots, only to turn and helplessly watch the ball float through the net. Davis hit a playoff career high 64 percent (9-for-14) from the field.

Young but fearless
With both teams playing lock-down defense for the final 4:00 of the tight fourth quarter, only two players managed to make a field goal. One was the Celtics' Davis, the other was the Magic�s Courtney Lee, whose second of two back-to-back jumpers gave Orlando the lead for the first time in the quarter. Davis, a second round pick from LSU, and Lee, a late first round pick last June out of Western Kentucky are invaluable assets to their teams.

Late game straight shooter
Dwight Howard has been a clutch free throw shooter in these playoffs. In Game 3 vs. Philadelphia, he hit two to give the Magic the lead with :31 to play, then hit two more to tie the game at 94. Sunday night in Game 4 vs. Boston, Howard stepped to the line in another pressure packed situation and knocked down two free throws with :50 to go to put the Magic up 92-91. Unfortunately, and ironically for the Magic, Orlando lost both games on subsequent game winning shots by the opponent.

What home-court advantage
The bad news for Orlando- they�ve lost home-court advantage. The good news- the home team in this series doesn�t seem to have an advantage. Both the Magic and the Celtics have won games on the other team�s home floor. In order to win this series, the Magic will have to do it again.

David Steele's blog is solely the opinion of David Steele and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA. For more blogs by David Steele click here.

Posted by Scott Anez, Sunday, May 10, 2009, 1:30 PM

Makes No Sense to Me

I will say this once again. The NBA has serious problem on its hands.

Where is the uniformity? Where is the fairness? There�s no rhyme or reason here�

In this 2009 postseason, the Orlando Magic have been burnt twice by these ridiculously inconsistent on-court violence rules. Luckily for the league, we won both games after Dwight Howard and Rafer Alston were docked for their on-court transgressions. But, can you imagine the outcry from little, Podunk Orlando if we had lost those games?

Said the NBA, a rule is a rule.

That is, until Friday night, when the NBA�s Director of Basketball Ops Stu Jackson ruled that Celtic Kendrick Perkins� elbow/forearm shiver to the throat/chin of Orlando�s Mickael Pietrus during did not fit the criteria of a �suspendable offense�.

Wait a minute. Hold on just a second here�

What IS the criteria for a suspendable offense?

The rule clearly states, �Strike an opposing player above the shoulders with an elbow foul, and it's an automatic ejection.�

Why is Kendrick Perkins going to be allowed into Amway Arena for tonight�s game four? Did our eyes deceive us? It was right there for the whole world to see.

Jackson went on to say, �Certainly, in this case had he made contact in the head area, we'd be evaluating it on a different level,"

Wait a minute. Doesn�t the rule clearly state, �above the shoulders�?

I, unlike my wife and some of you, am not a conspiracy theorist. I�ve been covering this league way too long to believe that Commissioner Stern is up there in his NYC office controlling the league�s referees as if he were a puppeteer.

I don�t believe that Stu Jackson says to himself, �I am gonna dock the Orlando Magic because they�re the up-and-comers�.and I am gonna let the Celtics off easy because they�re the defending champs and they get TV ratings.�

But, it seems that now, with the league office receiving rightful criticism for the rash of postseason suspensions, the NBA is trying to make an about face and attempting to bring some common sense to the equation.

How can that be? Stu Jackson cannot change the rules midway through the game, can he? But, that�s exactly what he�s doing by allowing Perkins on the court tonight. All of a sudden, there are a new set of rules?

Frankly, all the suspensions and flagrants and so forth are a joke. This is the NBA Playoffs. The intensity, energy and stakes are through the roof. That�s why we love this time of year. Every possession is critical. Every call is monumental. Players get caught up in the emotion. Tempers flare. It's physical.

But, because of these pie-in-the-sky on-court violence rules we started out with, we are now using them as excuses to suspend players here in the postseason. I don�t think that�s healthy for the league. Let the players play, I say!

With that stated, you cannot start the playoffs with one set of rules, and all of a sudden bring common sense to the equation and changes those rules halfway in.

Under the rules, Dwight and Rafer were suspended. Under the same rules, Kendrick Perkins is playing tonight.

Makes no sense to me.

Anez Sez is solely the opinion of Scott Anez and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA.

Posted by Glass Half Full, Sunday, May 10, 2009, 12:45 PM

A Playoff Three-Point Play

1) You have to love 23-year-old Dwight Howard's approach to being coached. Says Howard, "I've told Coach Van Gundy, I want him to coach me; I want him to teach me as much as he can about the game of basketball and about life."

2) Orlando set a franchise postseason record by shooting 59.1% in its Game 3 win over Boston. This is also the highest opponent field goal percentage against the Celtics in a postseason game in more than 15 years.

Highest Opponent Field Goal % in Playoff Game vs. Celtics (since 1991-92)

DATE	TEAM	FG%
05/03/03	Hornets	.614
05/08/09	Magic	.591 (39-66)
05/17/92	Cavaliers	.590
05/08/92	Cavaliers	.573
05/13/92	Cavaliers	.556

Speaking of shooting percentages, prior to this year, Dwight Howard had shot 57.3% in his home playoff contests. He has upped that mark significantly so far this postseason.

Highest Field Goal % in Home Games, Single Postseason (since 1991-92; min. 4 G & 10 FGA/G)

YEAR	PLAYER	FG%
2009	Dwight Howard, Orl	.732 (30-41)
2006	Shaquille O'Neal, Mia	.676
1998	Anthony Mason, Cha	.650
1996	Shaquille O'Neal, Orl	.638
1997	Patrick Ewing, NY	.636

3) Rashard Lewis has increased his production over the last few postseason games.

Rashard Lewis -- 2009 Postseason

	First 4 Games	Last 5
PPG	15.5	23.2 (116/5)
RPG	.6.3	6.8 (34/5)
APG	3.5	3.0 (15/5)
FG%	.377	.489 (43-88)

Posted by David Steele, Friday, May 8, 2009, 11:59 PM

Look at Game 3 Against the Celtics

That blowout loss in Game 2 doesn�t hurt so bad anymore, does it? The Celtics 18-point win on Wednesday night was let down for the Magic after a five-point win in Game 1. But the 117-96 win in Game 3 renders the game two blowout defeat inconsequential. Orlando keeps home court advantage.

Is this tough enough for you? I hope critics who have referred to the Magic as a �soft� team paid attention to this game. It was a physical contest from the opening tip and the Magic didn�t back down. After a flagrant foul by Kendrick Perkins followed by a hard foul by Stephon Marbury early in the fourth quarter, the Magic went on a 31-16 run.

Superman sets the tone. The Magic�s caped crusader came out with a vengeance in this game. Blocking shots, changing many others, clogging the lane. No question that when the NBA�s Defensive Player of the Year is this active, the Magic are difficult to beat. Orlando is 24-3 over the past two years (regular season and postseason) when Superman blocks five or more shots in a game.

Lewis in the post�was terrific. I don�t know what the percentage of Magic offensive success is in the playoffs with Rashard catching the ball in the low post, but it has to be extremely high.

Hedo Turkoglu..jack of all trades. Hedo�s ability to handle the basketball in the half-court was critical without Alston. This was Turk�s best overall game of the postseason, Game 4 against Philly included. The Magic were +28 with him on the floor.

Who is that masked man? Let�s see. Courtney Lee gets his face smashed in by the �people�s elbow� 10 days ago. Misses game six against Philadelphia. Has surgery to repair a fractured sinus on May 1. Sits out Games 1 and 2 against Boston. Takes part in a couple of individual workouts and shootarounds, then suits up for Game 3 against the Celtics. One minute after checking into the game the rookie stole the ball and raced down the floor for a layup. Lee played the rest of the first half, unaffected by a new protective mask. The fabulous rookie showed how important he is to the team on both ends of the floor. Lee is one tough customer.

Old Man River, he just keeps rollin�.. Anthony Johnson filled in beautifully for the suspended Rafer Alston. He used good screens to get into the lane, and repeatedly tossed in floaters over the Celtic front line. AJ also did a nice job defensively on Rajon Rondo, for the most part staying in front of him. Don�t forget, this is a guy that scored 40 points in a playoff game with Indiana three years ago.

Tyronn Lue..how bout you! The Magic�s third point guard played for the first time in the postseason, checking into the game for the final minute of the second quarter. After an Eddie House three cut the Magic�s lead to 10, Lue knocked down a 20 footer to beat the halftime buzzer. It was Lue�s first postseason points since June 13, 2001 in Game 4 of the NBA Finals. Lue�s Lakers beat Philadelphia in five games.

Put out that House fire, please! The Celtics Eddie House is in a zone that few players ever occupy. The long range bomber hit 6-of-7 shots from the field, including 3-of-4 threes. Over the last two games the Hot House is 17-of-21 from the field and 7-for-8 from behind the arc.

Look out..their backs are against the wall! The Celtics are 4-0 in the postseason following a loss.

David Steele's blog is solely the opinion of David Steele and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA. For more blogs by David Steele click here.

Posted by Scott Anez, Friday, May 8, 2009, 10:50 AM

Time to Revisit the Rulebook

After the Playoffs end, the NBA needs to take a long hard look at its penalties for fighting.

Thursday night, the league suspended Magic point guard Rafer Alston for the slap to the back of Eddie House's inflated head.

I know...I know...The rule is clear: "When a player intentionally swings his hand, whether open or closed, if the hand connects, it is an automatic one game suspension."

But, come on...It was a love tap for crying out loud! Intent was obvious. Rafer wasn't out to injure House. He merely wanted to warn him about the elbow he just got to the sternum after the loquacious House had drained yet another three pointer in our face.

Now, Rafer shouldn't have reacted the way he did. But, come on...A suspension? The punishment certainly does not fit the crime here.

While we're at it, how about nailing House with a technical foul every time he taunts the opposing bench? Eddie had the gumption to say after game two, "If I hit shots, I might yell at my teammates or stuff like that. I never disrespect the game by talking crazy to the other team." Eddie, your nose is growin'. Eddie House is one of the biggest trash-talkers and taunters in the game today. He, his coach and his teammates justify Fast Eddie's act as 'emotional'. I call it classless.

With that stated, the stakes are so huge and the play is so intense this time of year that I just have a hard time with all these suspensions we are seeing in the Playoffs. The NBA game is a very physical game. Intensity is through the roof.

I also have a problem with lack of equity here.

For example, how in the world has Celtic point guard Rajon Rondo avoided suspension this postseason?

In the first round series with the Bulls', not only does Rondo not get suspended for knocking Brad Miller into yesterday with a haymaker right to Miller's choppers, he also gets off scot-free for dragging Bull Kirk Hinrich into the scorer's table in game six. Where's the equity?

This summer, the league needs to revisit the rulebook. There is no place in the game for on-court violence.

What I have a problem with is the lack of a uniform nature of these penalties.

Anez Sez is solely the opinion of Scott Anez and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA.

Posted by Scott Anez, Thursday, May 7, 2009, 1:14 AM

Mama Said Nothing About Nights Like This

I am no basketball genius.

But, I know this much�When your team cannot score, and your team is unable to prevent the opponent from scoring, your team is going to lose.

Such was the case Wednesday night in Boston where the Celtics blitzed our Magic in Game 2.

First off, give credit where it is due. The Boston Celtics showed why they are the champions. They played with more energy, more fire, more purpose and more desire.

Rajon Rondo�s star is rising. Rondo authored his third triple-double of these playoffs in Game 2 with 15 points, 11 rebounds and 18 assists. The 18 assists set a playoff opponent record vs. Orlando. Rondo is too speedy, heady and quick for our point guards, and if we don�t find an answer on how to subdue this guy, the Celtics will be marching onto the Eastern Conference Finals soon.

By the way, if the NBA suspends Rafer Alston for that love tap to Eddie House in the fourth quarter, it would be a travesty. Where�s the equity? Rondo pummels Brad Miller and gets a slap on the wrist? No way. The NBA cannot suspend Rafer for Game 3.

Kendrick Perkins (16 and 9 ) outscored and outplayed Dwight Howard (12 and 12). Ray Allen showed up (22 points). House did what he does best off the Celtic bench. He punked us. Everything he threw up went in (31 points, 11-14, 4-4). But Eddie, beware, don�t go bringin� that punk-talk to Orlando!

The Boston Celtics did anything they wanted on both ends of the floor. They had 34 assists.

And keep in mind, Paul Pierce played a total of 15 minutes and scored just three points.

Reports of the Boston Celtics� demise were greatly exaggerated.

Now, for our Magic�.It was a very disappointing performance by a Magic team that apparently gave lip service to the fact that they were not happy with a mere split of the first two games of this series after the Game 1 win.

We knew what was coming. We knew that the Cetlics were in a sour mood after the Game 1 loss. We knew that the champs would be out to bury us. We were not ready for the onslaught

The most disappointing aspect of Game 2 was the fact that we just did not compete until the game was well in hand. Usually, this team will stay in a game with sound defense when their offense goes south. That was not the case Wednesday.

Offensively, the only guy who showed any sort of mettle was J.J. Redick, who kept us in the game, temporarily, in the first quarter with 11 points on 3 threes.

Overall, it was an awful night for the Orlando Magic.

But, I have some good news. This game is only worth one win for the Boston Cetlics.

We went to Boston and got our split. We come home where we�ve sold out Games 3 and 4 Friday and Sunday.

Magic fans, get fired up. We�re gonna need you to bring the House down!

Anez Sez is solely the opinion of Scott Anez and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA.

Posted by David Steele, Thursday, May 7, 2009, 1:05 AM

Thoughts on Game 2 in Boston

-Had a feeling about this one when the Magic turned the ball over on their first possession.

-Boston was sharper, quicker, more alert and more aggressive than the Magic. My guess: a combination of Magic satisfaction with a win in Game 1, and great focus and sense of urgency on the part of the Celtics.

-When Rajon Rondo is this good, Boston is very difficult to beat. The 22 year point guard recorded a triple-double late in the third quarter on a play that typified the game. Good ball movement by the Celtics, finished off by a Rondo tomahawk jam.

-Rondo now has as many triple doubles in a postseason (3) as any player in Celtic history. He shares the record with a fellow by the name of Bird.

-Kendrick Perkins did an outstanding job defensively against Dwight Howard, pushing Dwight off of his preferred spots on the floor. It�ll be up to Dwight to work extra hard in Game 3 to regain the upper hand.

-House on fire. Eddie House could�ve worn a blind-fold and shot better than 50 percent from the field. With eyes open he got 31 points on 11-of-14 shots from the field, matching his career high set back in 2005 in a regular season game with the Phoenix Suns.

-Boston finished the game with 34 assists on 41 field goals. During the regular season they were 12-0 with 30 or more assists.

-Nice shooting night for J.J. Redick. 15 points, including 4-of-6 threes in 25 minutes. J.J. also fouled out of the game. His first disqualification in 148 career NBA games.

-Brian Scalabrine hit two threes, his second one from just this side of the Central Square subway station. Scalabrine is 4-of-6 from beyond the arc in the series.

-All in all, a disappointing effort by the Magic in Game 2, however they come home for Game 3 with the series tied at one game apiece. A sellout crowd and the embarrassment of getting badly out-played by the Celtics in Game 2 should bring out the best in the Magic on Friday night.

David Steele's blog is solely the opinion of David Steele and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA. For more blogs by David Steele click here.

By Live or Die Magic, May 6, 2009, 5:15 PM

Victory Rant

Rarely have I been this upset after a major victory, and a major playoff victory at that! But this is where I find myself in the aftermath of the Game 1 victory over the Boston Celtics in the EC Semifinals.

I wasn't expecting the Magic to receive much respect on a national scale in this series. Frankly, in the NBA playoffs, respect has to be earned and we have yet to achieve anything worthy of respect. I'm also not one of these fans that is angered when we fail to get respect, even if it is earned. Because as Magic fans, we are biased and will always assume we are deserving before the rest of the league will say the same.

However, I will say this, and I hope you will take it to heart: there is a difference between a lack or absence of respect and disrespect. To me, the former implies a passive stance while the latter implies an aggressive stance, possibly with intent. In other words, you almost have to consciously attempt to disrespect someone in order to actually achieve it.

And this is where we find ourselves. I felt that we were disrespected in the national media when the primary story coming out of Game 1 was how the Celtics almost won the game not how the Magic did win the game. The sentiment was that the Celtics were suffering from the fatigue of the epic first round series with the Bulls. I found this particularly funny because another sentiment expressed how the Celtics came away with a moral victory in part because they were the more aggressive team! So, they were suffering from fatigue but were also the more aggressive team? So which is it?

Stan Van Gundy was not permitted to even enjoy the victory during his post-game press conference. He was on the defensive from the start, having to justify why the victory was still meaningful despite barely holding on to the lead. See, this is where the typical fan just doesn't understand the mentality of the media. The goal is to win! We won! If a team wins Game 7 of the NBA Finals by one point after blowing a 20 point lead in the fourth quarter, does the team hang their heads? No way!

They are rejoicing and celebrating! The city plans parades and the local papers make headlines in 120 point font! So, why should any playoff victory be viewed differently? Especially when the winning team holds a lead and gains home court advantage. Apparently, Orlando doesn't qualify for this consideration. In fact, our very own local paper, the Orlando Sentinel, piled on the team as well. Here was the headline referencing Game 1: "Orlando Magic Nearly Blow 28 Point Lead, Hold On to Beat Celtics." Pathetic. Would it have killed them to say something like "Magic Deflect Celtics Rally, Hold On To Win Nailbiter."

I realize that the Magic players themselves aren't happy about the way they played in the 2nd half, nor do I want them to be happy about it. But I do want them to be happy about the outcome!

I also read where we will only get partial credit for any victory over the Celtics because Kevin Garnett is out. Well, we are out two starters ourselves! I won't argue that Courtney Lee and Jameer Nelson are the equivalent in stature of Kevin Garnett, even combined. But I will say that these players are just as important to our team and to what we do as a team as KG is to the Celtics. Also, I'm going to step out on a limb and suggest that Jameer Nelson has just a bit more competitive professionalism than Kevin Garnett does.

Garnett's actions on the sidelines of the Celtics/Bulls series have made the rounds. He has even started it in this series. Not sure if anyone else noticed it, and I haven't bothered to look to see if it has been written about, but just as SVG was calling the time out when the Celtics cut it to 10 points in Game 1, the TNT cameras showed KG doing some funky thing with this right hand fingers against his left hand palm in the direction of the Magic.

My guess is that it was directed specifically toward Howard and that it was KG's way of gesturing that Howard should "Twitter about that!" This is a player that Howard looks up to and is a player that has claimed he enjoys mentoring Howard and yet he thought it was fine to openly taunt Howard like that in such a malicious way, especially considering that KG isn't even playing.

These are just a few examples of the disrespect that has been directed toward the Magic despite the Game 1 victory. It may turn out that we had this coming. Surely, if we don't win the series, it will be well-earned, and this series is not over, not remotely. But it seems to me that the only way the Magic can swing the meter from disrespect all the way over to respect is to beat Boston and then win the Eastern Conference Finals as well. Looking at it objectively (I'll try anyway!), that is the only way that it should happen.

This message was not subject of approval by the NBA or the Orlando Magic. The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA, but solely the writer.

Posted by Glass Half Full, Wednesday, May 6, 2009, 11:45 AM

A Playoff Three-Point Play

1) Dwight Howard's 22 rebounds on Monday marked the fifth time he's grabbed at least 20 in a playoff game since last postseason. That's more than all other players combined.

Games with 20+ Rebounds - Since 2008 Postseason

Dwight Howard, ORL	5
Carlos Boozer, UTA	2
Tim Duncan, SA	2

2) Howard also has recorded as many dunks this postseason as the entire Celtics team.

Dunks in 2009 Postseason

Dwight Howard	15 (T-most in 2009 postseason)
Celtics Team	15

3) Having started the last two games, J.J. Redick suddenly has emerged as a scoring threat after totaling just 11 points in the first six games of his playoff career.

J.J. Redick - Postseason Career

	First 6 Games	Last 2
PPG	1.8	13.5 (27/2)
FG%	.200	.571 (8-14)
3-Pt FG%	.182	.636 (7-11)

Posted by David Steele, Tuesday, May 5, 2009, 10:24 AM

Look at Game 1 in Boston

-One thing for sure, the Magic will not be over confident in Game 2 after Monday�s 95-90 victory over the Celtics in Game 1. A 28-point early third-quarter lead turned into a down to the wire cliffhanger in the closing minutes.

-The Magic were the more aggressive team in the first half. In the second half, roles were reversed. Point guard Rajon Rondo provided the impetus for the second-half Celtic rally. Orlando�s Rafer Alston must be prepared to handle Rondo�s on the ball quickness from the opening tip in Game 2. You can be certain, it is coming.

-Rondo deserves credit for disrupting the Magic�s offense in the second half, but Alston also made life miserable for Rondo in Game 1. The Celtic point guard turned the ball over seven times, just the sixth time in his career he has had seven or more turnovers.

-The Magic might have avoided the late game drama if not for an unfortunate play with about three minutes remaining. Alston made a great play against Rondo, diving to the floor to snatch the ball away, only to have Rondo regain possession, and from a sitting position, throw a 40-foot pass to a wide open Brian Scalabrine for three. Scalabrine�s shot cut the lead to six. The play was a possible five-point swing.

-Alston hit a very big shot late in the game. After the Celtics cut the lead to four, Rafer tossed in one of his patented floaters to give Orlando a 91-85 lead with 1:45 to go.

-I can�t recall an eight second back court violation called against the Magic this season. Committing that mistake with less than a minute to play in a four-point game against the defending NBA champions is baffling.

-Dwight Howard showed why he is the league�s Defensive Player of the Year. After the turnover on the eight second count, he closed the door on a driving Paul Pierce without committing a foul. A Pierce score would�ve cut the lead to two.

-Nice to have J.J. Redick in there to hit big fourth quarter free throws. He is cold blooded at the line regardless of time and score.

J.J.�s defense on Ray Allen was also more than acceptable. Having said that, J.J. should brace himself for an Allen onslaught in Game 2. He will not go 2-for-12 from the field again.

-Redick and Mickael Pietrus picked up the slack for starting two guard Courtney Lee very nicely. With the Magic struggling to score, Pietrus hit a fourth-quarter three, and scored on an offensive rebound with about four minutes remaining. Still, the Magic miss Lee�s solid and consistent play on both ends of the floor, and his overall toughness. Quite a compliment for a rookie.

-Rashard Lewis will be a key for the Magic in this series. Boston has difficulty guarding him on the perimeter and in the low post. The Celtics outstanding ball pressure made it difficult to get the ball to Lewis in the second half, but I expect to see a lot of Lewis on the left block for the rest of the series.

-Magic team defense was outstanding in Game 1. If Orlando can turn Glen Davis (12 points) and Brian Scalabrine (10 points) into primary offensive weapons for the Celtics, well, they�ll lets just say they�ll take their chances. Pierce, Allen and Rondo, Boston�s top three scorers were a combined 11-for-32 from the field.

-Winning Game 1 was big for the Magic, but look for Boston to bring incredible effort in Game 2. The Celtics also lost Game 1 to Chicago in their first round series, but came back to win Game 2 and 3.

David Steele's blog is solely the opinion of David Steele and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA. For more blogs by David Steele click here.

Posted by Glass Half Full, Tuesday, May 5, 2009, 1:31 AM

Takeaways From Game 1

Here are the Glass Half Full takeaways from Game 1:

1) Despite a frantic finish, Orlando leads the best-of-seven series with Boston 1-0 and have stolen the home court advantage.

2) The Magic played 32 minutes of great, balanced, ball-moving, determined-defensively basketball.

3) It's always great to learn lessons -- in this case how to play a full 48 minutes and closeout games -- while you win. You know you learn lessons from losses, but learning and winning, well, that's glass half full. The Magic will enter Game 2 knowing what to expect from the defending champions, as they experienced over the last 16 minutes of Game 1.

Posted by Scott Anez, Tuesday, May 5, 2009, 12:46 AM

Bottom Line: 1-0!

The game just ended.

I don�t know whether to laugh or cry?

The first 27 minutes were a thing of beauty. The final 21 minutes reminded me why beauty is only skin deep.

Final in Game 1: Magic 95 - Celtics 90.

Who am I to complain about stealing home court advantage from the NBA champions in Game 1?

Point�The Magic outscored the Celtics 54-36 in the first half.
Counterpoint�The Celtics outscored the Magic in the second 54-41.

Point�The Magic played with poise, confidence and desire in the first half.
Counterpoint�The Celtics played with poise, confidence and desire in the second half.

Point�Rashard Lewis set the tone in the first quarter with 12 of his team-high 18 points.
Counterpoint�Rashard scored zero points in a shaky fourth quarter.

Point�Boston shot zero free throws in the first half.
Counterpoint�Boston made 22 of 26 free throws in the second half.

Point�Hedo Turkoglu scored 14 points through three quarters.
Counterpoint�Hedo scored just one point in the final period.

But, come on Scott! Look at the big picture here...

Dwight Howard came back from suspension with a vengeance. Dwight had 16 points, 22 rebounds and three blocks. The Celtics took a whole half to figure out that playing vs. Superman is a wee bit different than going up against Brad Miller.

This was, by far and away, the best game I have ever seen Mickael Pietrus play in a Magic uniform. M-P scored 17 big ones off the Magic bench and he had two big second half three�s to temporarily stem the Boston tide.

What about the play of our shooing guards, M-P and J.J. Redick. Our two two�s would outscore Ray Allen 29-9. Unbelievable!

Let�s not forget about the late game heroics provided by J.J., who calmly drained four clutch free throws in the final :14 to ice the victory.

The more time goes by in these wee hours of Tuesday morning, the less and less I think about the gaffes of the final 21 minutes of Game 1�.and the more I think of how important a win this was.

Bottom line is this: Magic 1, Celtics 0.

Anez Sez is solely the opinion of Scott Anez and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA.

Posted by Glass Half Full, Sunday, May 3, 2009, 6:34 PM

Keys to the Series

1) Points in the Paint.... When you talk paint, you are talking about Dwight Howard. Superman will look to flat out dominate inside. This will put pressure on Celtics' bigs and continue to open up the Magic's perimeter shooters, as Orlando looks for an effective and balanced offensive attack. Look for Dwight to run the floor and post-up deep, while moving the ball from the inside out. Easy baskets, if their is such a thing in the playoffs, will be important.

2) Defend Allen & Pierce... When all is said and done, this ultimately will be a team responsibility. Like Reggie Miller (who is calling the game for TNT) did, Allen will be running off screens right and left. Pierce will get his isolation looks in the middle and at the elbows. This translates into the Orlando tapping into its individual defensive pride, while everyone in blue will need to help challenge their constant green light looks. Orlando's versatility will be a key here, as the mentally tough and experienced Celtic duo will undoubtedly face multiple looks.

3) Rondo vs. Rafer... It's roadrunner vs. Skip 2 My Lou. Here we have two tremendously quick point guards who you have to keep from penetrating and creating opportunities. Both have also shot the ball well in the postseason. It should be quite a show.

Posted by Glass Half Full, Sunday, May 3, 2009, 2:23 PM

Preparing for Boston

The Orlando Magic coaching staff, led by head coach Stan Van Gundy, dots all the I's and crosses all the T's when it comes to game preparation and working to put the team in position to win.

The Magic depth of preparation Sunday was obviously no exception, so much so that the game tape showed to the team included clips of injured Celtics star Kevin Garnett.

The Eastern Conference Semifinals series will be hardfought, despite both teams missing their respective inspirational leaders, as Jameer Nelson will join Garnett in a suit...or will he?

Posted by Scott Anez, Sunday, May 3, 2009, 2:07 PM

This Is The Way It Must Be

In the back of our minds, I think we all knew that this is the way it had to be.

In order for us to get where we want to go, we have to get by the defending champs.

Saturday night, the battered and bruised Boston Celtics ended their epic first round series by beating the Bulls 109-99 to advance to the Eastern Conference Semifinals vs. Orlando.

Don�t give me that gobbledygook that the champs are worn out after playing such an incredibly draining series. Everyone�s tired. Everyone�s beaten up.

The thing is, adrenaline takes over this time of year, and, sometimes after such a grueling series, teams find that extra shot of get-up-and-go. The Shamrocks will be so glad to be done with the Bulls that they will come out with fire in their eyes in game one. That is a guarantee!

Coach Doc Rivers has proclaimed Kevin Garnett out for �these playoffs�. As strong-willed as Garnett is, I have trouble believing that we�re not gonna see KG at some point in time this postseason.

With or without Garnett, this Cetlic team has the heart and the will of a champion, not to mention their new Big Three (Pierce, Allen and Rondo).

So, how do we topple the kings? Here are my five keys to Magic victory in this series�.

1�OFFENSE
Typically, this time of year, teams are focused on the defensive end of the court, and well we should be. But, the Boston Celtics have done as solid a job as any team in the league of crippling our offense. In four games this season, the Celtics held Orlando to an average of 84 points and 40 percent FG. Boston is as good as any in running out to our three point shooters while clogging up the lane for Dwight to operate. To beat the Celtics in this series, we must keep the ball moving. We play right into their hands if we�re stagnant.

2�STOP DRIBBLE PENETRATION
Rajon Rondo is the guy who straws the Celtics� drinks. He�s the guy who makes them go. Rondo has transformed into a key player on this team because he�s become an offensive force. Not only does he see the whole court, but he can now knock down that 15-18 foot jumper consistently now. He�s cat quick and can make ya look silly. Our point guards, Rafer and AJ, must stay in front of him and challenge him. If not, this series will be shorter than expected. Our transition defense has to be better than it was in the first round vs. Philly.

3�RASHARD
� In the close out game in Philly, Rashard Lewis carried us with his game-high 29 points. I�d love to see Coach Van Gundy find a way to plop Rashard on that low left block in this series again. This is where not having Garnett really stings for the Celtics because I don�t see anyone on that Boston roster that can handle Sweet Lew defensively. Rashard scored 30 points in Boston this season. He averaged 21.5 ppg vs. them in all four games. Sweet Lew is a huge key in this series.

4�RAY ALLEN
�The Celtics don�t have anybody who can check Rashard�.but do we have anyone who can contain Rashard�s former Sonic teammate, Ray Allen? With Courtney Lee sidelined at least the first two games of this series, it�s gonna be up to J.J. Redick and Mickael Pietrus to try stay with Ray Ray. Allen had 17 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter in a Magic win in Boston back on March 8. Allen lit up the Bulls for 51 points on nine three�s in game six vs. Chicago. With our defensive issues at the shooting guard spot, Allen scares me to no end in this series,

5�PLAY LOOSE!
...For some reason, through the first five games of the Sixer series, we played not to lose. The Orlando Magic cannot win this series if they play tight and bothered. We�ve got to come out and play our game. Defend, rebound, run up and down the court, move the ball and just play as you did in the regular season. Have fun!

Anez Sez is solely the opinion of Scott Anez and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA.

Posted by Glass Half Full, Saturday, May 2, 2009, 4:02 PM

Superman's Super Friends

As the Orlando Magic arrived at their charter jet following its series-clinching, Game 6 win at Philadelphia, the team was greeted by a larger-than-life figure.

Yes, Dwight Howard, suspended for the contest, shook each of his teammates' hands on the tarmac at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the plane.

Superman says he has a team of superheroes, a group which used Game 6 to gain confidence as it now heads to the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

As for the Magic superheroes, here's Dwight's take: He says Rafer "Skip 2 My Lou" Alston is our playground legend, J.J. is "Better Basketball" in reference to the famed shooting video, Hedo Turkoglu is the Turkish Magic Johnson, Rashard Lewis is our Eagle Eye and then there's Marcin Gortat, the Polish Hammer. He also affectionately calls veteran Anthony Johnson "Dad." and raves how he has taken rookie Courtney Lee under his wing, "even though he's older than me."

Posted by David Steele, Friday, May 1, 2009, 2:11 PM

Thoughts on Game 6

The way this series played out couldn�t have been better for the Magic. Winning Game 6 in Philadelphia, convincingly, and without Dwight Howard and Courtney Lee is a big confidence boost. The swagger is back.

The Magic had 31 assists in the game, a season and playoff high. Don�t think Dwight Howard didn�t notice. Watching the game from his downtown Philadelphia hotel room with family and friends, Dwight was bursting with pride for the way his teammates played. Dwight�s a smart guy, and a great teammate. I�m sure he took notice of how well the basketball moved. He can score in the low post at almost any time, but after watching from afar the dismantling of the Sixers in Game 6, I wouldn�t be surprised if he mixes things up a little big more from here on out.

Dwight was giddy on the plane ride home. He took the mic on the plane pa system for his customary comedy routine, but also took a few moments to sincerely thank and congratulate his teammates for a job well done. This young man is a class act. He�s also very funny. His impressions of teammates are spot on, his timing is exceptional, and his material is better than a lot of guys you see on Comedy Central.

Dwight told J.J. Redick before the game he was going to have a big night. He was right. J.J. had previously played a grand total of 43 playoff minutes before Thursday night. In his first playoff start he gave the Magic 31 solid minutes which included five three-point field goals for a career playoff-high 15 points. A confident J.J. Redick could be a mighty weapon for Orlando in coming games.

Rashard Lewis in the post. How many times did we see that in Game 6? And did Philly ever stop it? Lewis, doing his best Bernard King, scored or made the right pass on just about every play. Five different Magic players hit threes in the game. Lewis, the NBA�s regular season three point-leader, had none. He was too busy tuning up Philly defenders in the post.

Rafer Alston saved his best for last in this series. Alston recorded his first career playoff double-double in 39 postseason games with 21 points and 10 assists. Oh, and only one turnover.

Who would you rather have, The Polish Hammer or the Haitian Hacker?

Stan Van Gundy is out of the first round, again. Four playoff appearances. No first round exits. Took a Miami team with rookie Dwyane Wade to the second round in �04. Took the Heat with Wade and Shaq to the Eastern Conference Finals in �05. The Magic made the second round last spring, and now this club moves on. Stan the Man can coach.

It could�ve been a comment made out of frustation, or it could�ve been misunderstood, but I have to address Andre Miller�s assertion that the Magic are better without Dwight Howard. Do you really think Orlando could win 59 regular season games and contend for a title without Superman? Andre�s a terrific point guard, but I wouldn�t expect to him sitting next to Ernie, Charles and Kenny any time soon.

David Steele's blog is solely the opinion of David Steele and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA. For more blogs by David Steele click here.

By Live or Die Magic, May 1, 2009, 10:22 AM

Instant Grit

Greetings from Anaheim, California!

I may be far away from my version of Magic Land but my thoughts are close to home after tonight's incredible Game 6 close out of the pesky Sixers.

Tonight's game was by far one of the most rewarding games I've watched in quite some time. I must have stuck out amongst the other patrons at the lobby bar of the Anaheim Hilton (a large 1600 room convention hotel) as I wore my blue "Blue and White Ignite" t-shirt and yelled loudly for every great play. But I didn't care...

...I was having too much fun watching players like Rashard Lewis step up and play like an all-star and a leader. It would appear that four games of mediocrity is the limit for Lewis. He shed his lethargy from Games 1 through 4 and took over the series in Games 5 and 6. He went from missing shots to making them. He went from being passive to being assertive. And the Magic went from losing to winning.

I'm not certain how much of it was Lewis showing grit at last and how much was a shift in strategy by Stan Van Gundy...likely a bit of both. But watching Lewis score 17 points in the first half tonight took my apprehensions for the Game 6 outcome and transformed them into a fun and carefree game filled with great plays from nearly ever Magic player that got in the game.

And just in time for Rasheed Wallace to vacate the position, Samuel Dalembert has completed a very convincing audition for the role of most hated Magic playoff opponent. His exchanges with Dwight and Turk this season have been, well, troublesome. But considering that we came out on the positive side of the matchup, I'll leave some of my hate on the court (or is that the couch?).

The grit and determination that Lewis has shown these past two games will be even more crucial in the next round against the winner of the Boston/Chicago marathon. We will need him to demand the ball more - even with Dwight back in the game - and we will need him to continue to shoulder a heavier offensive load with Courtney Lee likely to miss much of the series and with Turk in and out of a shooting slump. The great two-man game that he and Rafer Alston demonstrated at times last night would be a great start!

I apologize for the short post, but even though my watch is on Pacific time, my body thinks it's well past midnight. I'll see you guys for the 2nd round!

How great is it to be a Magic fan now!!

This message was not subject of approval by the NBA or the Orlando Magic. The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA, but solely the writer.

Posted by Scott Anez, Friday, May 1, 2009, 12:17 AM

Welcome Back Orlando Magic

Be honest�How many of you gave the Orlando Magic a chance to win Game 6 in Philly? OK�I see a number of hands. Now, how many of you thought we would romp by 25 points? Anyone?

What a performance! The Orlando Magic, for the second consecutive season, are headed for the Eastern Conference Semifinals after the impressive 114-89 pummeling of the Sixers in Game 6.

�It�s one of the best games I�ve ever been a part of�, said Magic Head Coach Stan Van Gundy after handing the Sixers their worst playoff loss since 1970.

An 11-0 run coupled with an 8-0 spurt in the first quarter gave Orlando a 30-19 lead after one. It was a quarter that set the tone for the rest of the game.

For the first time in four weeks, the Orlando Magic played like the Orlando Magic! I am certainly no t stupid enough to suggest that this team is better off without Dwight and Courtney. But, for one game, for this Game 6, they turned into our Magic again.

This was by far and away the best offensive game this team has played since leveling Cleveland back on April 3. The Magic, for the first time in this series, played loose. They played with passion. They just looked like they were having fun. The ball was moving�The three�s were dropping. It was a thing of beauty.

--For the first time since April 3, the Magic scored over 100 points.

--They tallied a whopping 31 assists, three off the franchise playoff record.

--Rashard Lewis was clutch. On a night when we needed someone to step up big, Lew was Sweet with his game-high 29 points. When Dwight returns for the next series, I think Coach Stan is gonna have to find a way to get Rashard on that left block to work his low post magic.

--Rafer Alston was huge. Rafter had a double-double (21p and 10a). He was aggressive from the get go on both ends and was responsible for getting his team in a good rhythm.

--Marcin Who? I guarantee you there were 20,000 Sixer fans muttering Marcin�s name as they dejectedly exited the Wachovia Center. The Polish Hammer comes up with 11 points and 15 rebounds. What a clutch performance!

--JJ was outstanding. He was 5-for-7 from three-point range with a career playoff-high 15 points. Magic GM Otis Smith told JJ to just go out and have fun. That�s exactly what he did.

Man, there will be so many terrific performances to talk about over the next few days. Tony Battie played big with his seven points and six rebounds. Mickael Pietrus adds 14 points off the bench.

Be proud of your ballclub, Magic fans. In the face of nothing but adversity, this team banded together and came up with one of the best performances of the season.

Welcome back Orlando Magic!

Anez Sez is solely the opinion of Scott Anez and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA.

Posted by Scott Anez, Thursday, April 30, 2009, 11:22 AM

I Get It, But I'm Not Happy

OK...I have now seen the elbow to Sammy Dalembert's melon. I have seen it over, and over, and over again.

I will admit that, under the NBA rules, the punishment fits the crime. I understand why Dwight Howard was suspended for game five in Philly.

Am I comfortable, or happy, with the ruling? No. Frustrated. You bet.

Why did Dwight react the way he did? Because Dalembert was trying to shove him out of the lane with two hands. Was there a foul called on Sammy? Nope. Such is life in Dwight Howard's world. Everyone is allowed to beat him up, yet when he reacts, he is the one who has to pay. Welcome to Dwight's world.

The Sixers have beaten Dwight silly in this series. Any other mere mortal would have succumbed long ago. Not Superman. I don't blame Dwight for reacting the way he did. Put yourself in his shoes. The guy is being mugged for over 40 minutes a night.

I don't want to excuse the elbow in any way, but I can certainly understand his reaction.

As the Sixers and the Magic were playing game five in Orlando Tuesday, the Celtics and Bulls were playing another instant classic in Boston. Late in the game, as Chicago's Brad Miller was going up for a potential game-tying layup, he was absolutely flattened by Celtic guard Rajon Rondo.

No one can tell me that Rondo went for the ball. He aimed squarely for Miller's noggin. Not only did he go for his head, Rondo wound up and swung a haymaker right at Miller's mouth.

The refs whistled Rondo for a foul. It was just a regular personal foul. No flagrant? Surely, the NBA would suspend Rondo for Game 6 after going to the videotape, right?

Nope. No fine. No suspension. Not even an after-the-fact flagrant!

Where's the fairness? Where's the equity? If the NBA was gonna suspend Dwight, didn't the league have to do the same with Rondo?

Whatever...

After Game 5, Philly Head Coach Tony DiLeo moaned and groaned about Dwight allegedly camping out in the lane.

Has Dwight, Stan or anyone on our team cried about the Sixers' going UFC on Dwight in this series? You have not heard word one from our side.

You know what I would love? I'd love to see our team rally around our fallen heroes, Dwight and Courtney Lee, and come out with a vengence tonight. I'd love to see Marcin Gortat and Tony Battie dominate the Sixer frontline. I'd love to see JJ Redick hit three after three. I'd love to see Rashard and Hedo bury Philly in the fourth quarter.

And I'd love to see Tony DiLeo cry his way right into the offseason.

Anez Sez is solely the opinion of Scott Anez and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA.

Posted by Glass Half Full, Thursday, April 30, 2009, 10:57 AM

A Playoff Three-Point Play

1) The Orlando Magic are holding the Philadelphia 76ers to 88.4 points per game this series, one of the best playoff performances by the Magic in franchise history.

Magic, Fewest Opponent PPG in Playoff Series - All-Time

1995 First Round vs Boston Celtics 86.3 (Won 3-1)
2009 First Round vs Philadelphia 76ers 88.4 (Lead 3-2)
1996 First Round vs Detroit Pistons 89.0 (Won 3-0)
2008 Semifinals vs Detroit Pistons 91.6 (Lost 1-4)
1997 First Round vs Miami Heat 92.0 (Lost 2-3)

2) Dwight Howard posted 24 points and collected 24 rebounds in Game 5. It was only the sixth 24+ point, 24+ rebound game in the playoffs since 1992.

Players with 24+ Pts and 24+ Reb in Playoff Game - Since 1992

PLAYER	Game Date	vs Opp	Pts	Reb
Charles Barkley, Pho	06/05/1993	vs Sea	44	24
Charles Oakley, NY	05/01/1994	vs NJ	25	24
Shaquille O'Neal, LAL	06/09/2000	vs Ind	40	24
Tim Duncan, SA	05/14/2002	vs LAL	34	25
Tim Duncan, SA	05/23/2003	vs Dal	34	24
Dwight Howard, Orl	04/28/2009	vs Phi	24	24

3) Rashard Lewis and Andre Iguodala are two of only six players averaging at least 17 points, five rebounds, three assists and one steal per game over the last two postseasons.

Players Avg 17+ PPG, 5+ RPG, 3+ APG & 1+ SPG in Playoffs - Since 2008 (Minimum 10 Games)

PLAYER	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG
Kobe Bryant	29.6	5.5	5.6	1.8
Kevin Garnett	20.4	10.5	3.3	1.3
Andre Iguodala	17.1	5.8	5.8	1.9
LeBron James	29.1	8.6	7.6	1.7
Rashard Lewis	18.7	6.7	3.3	1.1
Paul Pierce	20.4	5.1	4.1	1.1

Posted by Scott Anez, Wednesday, April 29, 2009, 12:05 PM

Free Dwight!

Will the NBA suspend Dwight Howard for the elbow thrown at Sixer Samuel Dalembert in the first quarter of the Magic�s Game 5 91-78 beat down of Philly?

I certainly hope not.

The rule states: "Officials have been instructed to eject a player who throws a punch, whether or not it connects, or an elbow which makes contact above shoulder level. If elbow contact is shoulder level or below, it shall be left to the discretion of the official as to whether the player is ejected. Even if a punch or an elbow goes undetected by the officials during the game, but is detected during a review of a videotape, that player will be penalized."

So, NBA, the ball is in your court. What will the penalty be? Will Dwight get suspended, fined, or both?

Star player or not, the NBA has a history of zero tolerance when it comes to violence, or potential violence on the court.

Phoenix Sun fans, to this day, say their road to the title was derailed thanks to Commissioner Stern�s edict that Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw be suspended for one game for leaving the bench area and stepping on the court after a scrum between Robert Horry and Steve Nash back in the 2007 Playoffs.

It happened to us here in Orlando back in the 2001 NBA Playoffs. The NBA office suspended Magic guard Dee Brown vs. Milwaukee. Dee had taken on step onto the court from the sideline area during an on-court disagreement in Game 3. Brown was suspended for the next game and the Magic eventually lost that series.

This is a bit of a different scenario, but I think those two cases illustrate that the NBA has no grey area when it comes to on-court violence, especially in this post Basket-Brawl era (2004 Auburn Hills melee).

What�s your opinion? Obviously, that depends on perspective.

If you�re a whiny Philly fan following in coach Tony DiLeo�s footsteps, you are claiming that Dwight should have been ejected from the game immediately after the play. You want him gone for Game 6. You are also crying about Dwight camping in the lane too long in this series? What a crock! Someone give DiLeo some cheddar with his whine. There�s no crying�There�s no crying in basketball!

If you�re like me, you are hoping that common sense and perspective enters the picture.

Dwight Howard is no Ron Artest. There is no history whatsoever of Dwight wanting to hurt anyone on the basketball court. Heck, almighty Sports Illustrated recently labeled the smiley Superman as being too nice, too easygoing. The article implied that Dwight is too much of a goofball to lead a team to a title.

We Magic fans who have watched this kid mature into the most dominant big in the game today know that article�s premise was totally off base. But, those fun loving characteristics described by SI were on target. Dwight�s just a good kid.

Keep this in mind too. Dwight has been clawed, bitten and mauled in this series. By my score, Dalembert, Ratliff and Evans have fouled Superman some 47 times through five games. That�s not counting the hack job the Sixer guards have done on him in double teams.

Through it all, Dwight has kept his cool and has dominated.

With that stated, I realize that there�s a real possibility that the NBA suspends Dwight for Game 6. We don�t have a very long history of playing sans our star since he came into the league in 2004.

Earlier this season, Dwight�s string of 351 straight played came to an end on a December trip to the left coast when a balky knee sidelined him for a couple of games.

In the first game, the Magic beat the Jazz 103-94 as Rashard Lewis had 27 points.

Two nights later, Marcin Gortat tallied 16 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks in a 109-98 victory at Golden State.

The Prince of Poland is more than capable.

But, I hope the NBA sees the light. I hope the league office sees it fit to bring perspective to this ruling and not suspend Dwight Howard.

Philly, as Coach Van Gundy said so eloquently last night, "Just play the game!"

Anez Sez is solely the opinion of Scott Anez and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA.

Posted by David Steele, Monday, April 27, 2009, 11:47 AM

Thoughts on Game 4

- Really? The Magic have a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter of a playoff game and can�t put the 76er�s away, again? Really? Philly hits eight threes in Game 4 and continues to out shoot the Magic from beyond the arc? Really? The Sixers are shooting 42.1 percent threes in the playoffs, better than Cleveland, San Antonio, Portland and Orlando who all ranked in the top 7 during the regular season. Really? You gotta give this Philadelphia team a lot of credit. They are a tough-minded and resilient bunch, and have given the Magic all they can handle.

- Good for Hedo Turkoglu. The object of great criticism for Games 1 through 3 reverted to Mr. Fourth Quarter in Game 4. The game-winning shot was sweet redemption for a good guy and terrific player who had been struggling. Kudos to Stan Van Gundy for not losing faith in him.

- Scoring balance is good for the Magic. Twice in the series Orlando�s five starters have been in double figures scoring. Guess which two games? The Magic lost the two games that Dwight Howard scored 30+ points.

- Dwight is wearing down the Sixer bigs. Think about it. Would you want to do battle with this Magic Monster possession after possession, game after game? D12 is a physical, fierce competitor, and he never lets up. I went back and looked at that dunk again in Game 3 over Theo Ratliff. Nasty.

- Rashard Lewis� seven points in the first five minutes of the third quarter in Game 4 were critical. The Magic took control of the game in the third by hitting their first seven shots of the quarter. Lewis and Rafer Alston combined for 19 the Magic�s 28 points in the period.

- Everyone league-wide is talking about Chicago�s Derrick Rose, the NBA�s rookie of the year, and certainly he�s a great young player. But, can the Magic�s fine rookie Courtney Lee get a little love? Let�s compare Rose and Lee through four postseason games:

PLAYER	Pts.	Reb	Asst	FG%	3FG%	Steals	MPG
Derrick Rose	19.5	6	7.2	50.8	0-2	1	41.5
Courtney Lee	15.8	2.5	2.5	48.1	4-14	8	40.0

No other rookie in the playoffs comes anywhere near Rose and Lee in terms of performance. Not Rudy Fernandez and former No. 1 pick Greg Oden of Portland. Not Michael Beasley and Mario Chalmers of Miami. And by the way, he�s the Magic�s best perimeter defender. And he�s arguably the team�s best finisher at the basket. The Magic have something special in Lee, the 22nd pick in last June�s draft out of Western Kentucky University.

David Steele's blog is solely the opinion of David Steele and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA. For more blogs by David Steele click here.

Posted by Scott Anez, Monday, April 27, 2009, 12:10 AM

Hedo Turns the Tables

Prior to this series, my blood pressure was normal, my cholesterol was down, my hair was brown, my hand was steady and I didn�t have to worry about this nervous twitch in my right eye.

So much for good health!

We�ve had four dramatic games in this series so far�three of them have gone right down to the nub, and one (Game 2) went into the final minute before being decided.

Sunday night, Hedo the Hero showed up as the Orlando Magic withstood a furious Philly fourth-quarter rally to upend the Sixers 84-81.

The Magic led 79-69 with just over 4:00 to play. That�s when Philly decided to go on a 12-2 run to knot the score at 81 after a Dalembert bucket at the 14.8 mark.

So, what do ya do if you�re Stan Van Gundy in the huddle? Hedo was playing well in game four (7-10, 14 points to that point), but overall in this series, he had been M-I-A. Hedo was shooting just 23 percent from the field through three games and had become Andre Igoudala�s personal punching bag.

But, do you recall what Coach Stan said after the tough game Game 3? Stan expressed confidence in Hedo when he said that he was gonna keep going to Hedo in clutch situations. I must admit, I cringed when I heard that. But, Stan stuck to his word and Hedo repaid his coach�s confidence with the biggest shot of the year!

Prior to this game, many of us in Magic Nation had wondered aloud, where did Hedo go? What�s wrong with him? Is the ankle bothering him more than he�s leading on? Is he thinking too much about his contract and not enough about a championship?

Wonder no more.

Turk stepped up nailed the three over Thaddeus Young. Game over!

The thing ya loved about the play was that Hedo got his feet set and got a good look. At the end of Game 2, Turk was criticized for being a little too hasty and not getting a better shot with 2.2 left. Sunday night, he got that look and knocked it down.

Thank goodness he did, too, because, I am not quite sure we had the energy to challenge the hard-chargin� Sixers in overtime (Dwight 44 mins, Rashard 42 and Courtney 41).

Going into Game 4, I was looking for our playmakers to make a difference. We had seen Andre Igoudala and Thaddeus Young win games in the closing seconds.

Sunday night, it was our turn as Turk turned the tables.

Anez Sez is solely the opinion of Scott Anez and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA.

Posted by Glass Half Full, Saturday, April 25, 2009, 12:18 PM

A Positive Three-Point Play

Down 2-1, heading to Game 4, in true Glass Half Full fashion, let's look at the positives in three-point play fashion:

Positive Number 1: It's a best-of-seven series. With a win in Game 4, Orlando will even the series and steal back home court advantage. As well and as hard as Philadelphia has played (shooting 50 percent for the series from the floor overall and 42 percent from three-point land), and as poorly as Orlando has played (allowing Philly to shoot 50 percent from the floor, while going 19-for-61 from beyond the arc), your Magic can still take back control of the series. In fact, take away four seconds (Philly's two, buzzer-beating, game-winning shots ) and you might have a different series. Four seconds. But, despite not being able to play "Back To The Future", Orlando still has an opportunity for some real Magic. A win and it's two-out-of-three with Orlando have two homes games in that scenario.

Postive Number 2: Rookie Courtney Lee continues to come of age. Following its morning shoot-around Friday, man-child Dwight Howard was chanting "Lee is the Key...Lee is the Key" as Courtney, the 22nd pick in the draft, was doing his media interviews. The Western Kentucky University product is Orlando's second-leading scorer in the first round, averaging 16.0 ppg., 2.3 rpg., 2.3 apg., 2.0 stlpg. and just 1.0 turnover per game. You can just peek into the future and see Orlando's starting backcourt next year which will feature Lee and Jameer Nelson, who the the Magic have certainly missed.

Positive Number 3: If Lee is the key, Dwight Howard is the lock, the door, the house, the sub-division, the nighborhood...He has been awesome. He's averaging a series-high 26.0 ppg., 12.3 rpg. and 3.0 blkpg. He's shot 77 percent from the floor and 73 percent from the line, including two huge free throws to tie up Game 3 with less than 8 ticks to play. Superman (let's not forget he is just 23 years old, younger than Lee) continues to soar. Orlando has shown great resolve all season and DH12 will continue to lead the fight.

Did I mention it's a best-of-seven series?

Posted by David Steele, Saturday, April 25, 2009, 12:11 PM

Close Look at Game 3

-For the second time in three games, the Orlando Magic have suffered a heart-breaking loss to the Philadephia 76ers in the best-of-seven first-round series. If Andre Iguodala�s game winning fadeaway jumper in game one felt like a slap to the face, Thaddeus Young�s lefty bank shot over Dwight Howard was more like a punch to the stomach in Game 2.

-A key stretch in the game. After a three-point shot by Rashard Lewis tied it up at 86 with 6:00 to play the Magic had the Sixers on their heels. The next five Magic possessions went like this: Alston missed 3. Howard called for traveling. Lewis misses a layup, and a follow-up attempt. Lewis turnover. Lee missed 3. The Magic subsequently had many more opportunities to the win the game, but could�ve put Philly away during this 3:20 stretch.

- First quarters are killing the Magic. Philly has shot better than 50 percent in each of the three first quarters, for a combined 55 percent. If the Magic defend better early, they might not be in a position to lose another game on Sixer last-second heroics.

-Regular season games are usually some sort of indicator of how you can expect teams to perform in the postseason. The Magic and the Sixers show little resemblance to the two teams that slogged their way through the grueling 82-game NBA regular season. Good for the Sixers. Not so much for the Magic.

-Philly�s regular season FG percentage- 46.2�postseason- 50.0
-Orlando�s regular season FG percentage defense- 43.3�postseason- 50

-Philly�s regular season 3pt FG percentage - 31.8...postseason- 42.1
-Orlando�s regular season 3pt FG percentage -34.2�postseason- 42.1

-Orlando�s regular season 3pt FG percentage defense - 38.1�postseason- 31.1
-Philly�s regular season 3pt FG percentage defense -36.7�postseason- 31.1

-In addition, the Sixers have shot better than 50 percent from the field in two of the three playoff games. In the regular season they bettered 50 percent field goals in 29 percentof their games.

-Interesting, though I�m not sure how significant stat..Orlando�s top two +/- players in the series are Courtney Lee and Mikael Pietrus at +5. Biggest minus player is Hedo Turkoglu at -3. Philly�s top +/- player is Theo Ratliff at +6. Their biggest minus player is, get this, Andre Miller at -5.3. Again, take it for what it�s worth. Miller has been terrific.

-Look for the Magic to bounce up off the canvas in Sunday�s Game 4. This team has accomplished too much, and has too much heart and pride to throw in the towel. Philly has played outstanding basketball thus far in the series, but have yet to take Orlando�s best shot.

David Steele's blog is solely the opinion of David Steele and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA. For more blogs by David Steele click here.

Posted by Scott Anez, Saturday, April 25, 2009, 12:45 AM

I am Amazed, Dazed and Confused

I've never seen a more unlikely game winning shot in all my years of covering this league.

Thaddeus Young goes baseline with the clock winding down. He is stripped by Dwight Howard in the lane. Young gathers himself and the ball. It appeared that Dwight was surprised that Young sprung up with his left, his strong hand, he puts it off glass with :02 left and the Sixers win, 96-94.

What a way to lose a game!

A closer look, though, tells you that this game was lost in the first two and a half quarters of game three.

I am as stunned as many of you Magic fans at the play of our team for the first 30 or so minutes of game three. Granted, Philly's playing out of its mind right now. But, for the first two and a half quarters, we showed no intensity, no drive and no passion.

How is that possible? Here is a team that has made us all proud because they've been so impressive all season long in outworking its opponents. Effort has never been an issue.

Now, all of a sudden, in the postseason, we lack intensity? For some reason, this team has played tight for most of this series. It is truly a Jekyll and Hyde transformation that baffles and dismays. I just don't understand the lack of passion we have seen from this Magic team in this series. It's almost as if they are playing not to lose.

With that stated, our Magic did awaken midway through the third quarter when, down by 17 points, they went on a 17-2 run to get back into it.

We saw some good signs in that final 18 minutes of game three:

--Dwight Howard ( a playoff career-high 36 points) carried his team with posterizing dunks and big free throws. I hope the national media caught a glimpse of the two free throws hit with 6.9 to play. Perhaps they'll get of his back now? Superman scored 11 points in the fourth quarter.

--Rashard Lewis showed up. We finally saw those vintage late game three's from Sweet Lew, who had three treys in the second half, two of them coming in the fourth quarter.

--This team finally showed the intensity, the want, and the desire that we have grown accustomed to seeing out of this Magic team.

On the dark side:

--Hedo Turkoglu continues to be a liability. I hate to write that because Turk is such an extreme talent, but he's being abused by Andre Igoudala defensively. Offensively, he goes 2-12 from the field with 11 points in game three. He continues to turn it over (5 TO's) . I am not quite sure how ironic it is that the Magic made their 17-2 third quarter run with Hedo on the bench. We have to get something positive from Turk, or this series is over on Tuesday.

--Where's the defense? This was the third best defensive team in the league this year? Coulda fooled me! The Sixers are shooting over 50% FG in this series. The disturbing thing about that is that they are not killing us on the boards....They not killing us on the fast break...They're not beating us on turnovers. They are just flat out out-shooting us in this series by getting anything they want for the two Andre's.

--Where's the bench? Pietrus did get us six points. Tony Battie had four. That's it. The Magic reserves were outscored by the Sixer bench 21-10. Overall, our bench has been very disappointing in this series.

--Will somebody, other than Dwight, step up and make a play? Philly's play makers are doing their thing. The Sixers have gotten two game wining shots in this series. Where are our playmakers?

I'm ticked. I'm tired. I'm out.

Anez Sez is solely the opinion of Scott Anez and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA. For more blogs by Scott Anez click here.

Posted by Glass Half Full, Friday, April 24, 2009, 11:30 AM

Kid on the Court

Just four days after NBA Rookie of the Year Derrick Rose put on a show in Boston, rookie Courtney Lee led your Orlando Magic with 24 points. He becomes the first rookie to lead the Magic in points in a playoff game since Anfernee Hardaway nearly 15 years ago when he racked up 31 against the Indiana Pacers during the 1994 Playoffs.

Here are some recent notable rookie team-high scoring playoff performances:

PLAYER	DATE	OPPONENT	POINTS
Derrick Rose	04/18/2009	Celtics	36
Courtney Lee	04/22/2009	76ers	24
Al Horford	04/20/2008	Celtics	20
Thaddeus Young	04/27/2008	Pistons	15

By Dwight Howard
April 23, 2009

Whew! That Was a Tough One

I�m not sure which was more difficult to deal with last night in Game 2: Being in foul trouble all night on those flops or having to sit and watch my teammates close out that win against Philly.

It was killing me not being able to be out there on the court down the stretch, but I�ve got a lot of confidence in my team to get the job done when we needed it. That�s what it�s going to take for us to keep winning in the playoffs � dudes are going to have to pick each other up when we�re missing shots or in foul trouble.

I�m so proud of my guy, Courtney Lee, who I predicted was going to be a big key in this series. I knew that we were going to need him to play well in this series to win. Philly is leaving him open and daring him to shoot and he�s really making them pay.

A lot of rookies would be scared in this situation, but he�s so cool out there. He�s still under my wing � even though he�s a few months older than me.

Philly is going to be crazy playing up there, but we�ve got to weather that storm. We�ve been really good on the road for two seasons and we have to keep that up if we�re going to be championship contenders. We�ll be ready. We all know that it�s a series now.

Peace out. � D-12

For more information about Dwight, please check out DwightHoward.com.

Posted by Scott Anez, Thursday, April 23, 2009, 2:30 PM

We Gotta Get Turk and Lew Going

Wednesday night, the Orlando Magic knotted their first round playoff series with Philly with the 96-87 win.

After two games in this series, it's become painfully obvious that these Sixers are not gonna cooperate and make this easy.

Philly's execution of its defensive gameplan has been outstanding in the first two games.

Coach DiLeo and his staff have obviously decided that they are not going to allow Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis to beat them. Apparently, he got his fill during the regular season when Turk and Sweet Lew drained a total of 21 three-pointers on Philly in three matchups.

Through the first two games of this series, the Sixer defense has smothered Hedo. The numbers are not pretty. Turk's averaging 10 points per game. He's shot just 27.8% from the field and is just 1-3 on his three point attempts. You read that right: 3-three pointers attempted by Turk in two games. Keep in mind that this guy averaged nearly five three point attempts per game in the regular season.

Turk is not alone in his offensive struggles. Philly is holding Rashard to just 36% from the field through games one and two. He's averaging 15.5 points, but, Lew is just 2-10 from the arc. This is a guy who led the NBA in both three-pointers made and three's attempted this season.

Are Rashard and Turk 100% healthy? No, they're not. Are they still a bit rusty after missing some action at the end of the regular season? Sure, they're still trying to get into a flow.

But, I believe that our bookends' struggles early in this series have much more to do with Philly's stifling defense than anything else.

One of the strengths of this Magic team over the last two seasons has been the rather unconventional route we take at the small forward and power forward positions. Very few teams can match our versatility at those spots. But, through two games, Philly is doing as good a job as any team has this year in shutting down Hedo and Lew.

In double teaming Dwight Howard, Philly is coming with either one of their guards, which enables the likes of Thaddeus Young and Andre Igoudala to stay home. Other teams have attempted such a strategy, but very few clubs are long enough, quick enough and athletic enough to succeed.

Young and Igoudala are two incredible athletes. Turk and Lew are having issues trying to shoot over them. They are having problems going around them. They are having trouble finishing at the basket.

If this trend continues, we are in for a long and grueling series. I love the fact that our unflappable rookie Courtney Lee is stepping up and leading this team in scoring right now (along with Dwight). I love the fact that our point guards, Rafer and A-J, are knocking down shots. But, it's obvious that Coach DiLeo does not think those guys can do that on a consistent basis.

The Orlando Magic had the third best defense (FG%) in the league this year for a reason. If need be, we can win with heart and hustle. This team can win ugly.

But, I get the feeling that in order for us to close out this stubborn Philly team, we're gonna have to figure out a way to unleash Turk and Rashard.

Anez Sez is solely the opinion of Scott Anez and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA. For more blogs by Scott Anez click here.

Posted by David Steele, Thursday, April 23, 2009, 1:15 PM

Thoughts on Game 2

-Derrick Rose is, without question, the NBA�s best rookie, but after Rose, is there a finer first year player than the Magic�s Courtney Lee? In his second playoff game he scores 24 points and is called on to defend the hottest player on the opposing team, Sixer point guard, Andre Miller.

-Lee made two huge fourth quarter shots. A two-pointer off the dribble, after the Sixers had cut the lead to five early in the quarter, and a three-pointer one minute later to give the Magic a 10 point cushion. He is so solid you hate to see him come off the floor. In fact, after two playoff games, Lee leads the team in minutes played. Philly�s strategy thus far has been to focus more defensively on Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu. It will be interesting to see if the Sixers give Lee more attention in game 3.

-Back up point guard Anthony Johnson played a key role for the Magic in the 4th quarter. After the Sixers had cut the Magic lead to five with 2:56 to play, AJ hit a runner in the lane to push the lead back out to seven. Philly would get no closer.

- Johnson has more playoff experience than anyone in the series. In 2002 he played an important role coming off the bench for the eastern conference champion New Jersey Nets, and three years ago, with Indiana, he scored 40 points in a playoff game. Johnson played the entire fourth quarter against Philly in game 2.

- The Magic are due a bust-out game from Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu. After two playoff games, the Magic�s talented forward tandem is shooting 32% from the field, and 23% from beyond the arc. Philly�s defense has been good, but not that good.

- Even though they are struggling offensively, Lewis and Turkoglu both made key plays for the Magic in game two. Turkoglu�s three after a missed free throw rebound late in the third quarter was a huge four point play, and Lewis, who had eight rebounds, grabbed his most important one with :29 to play on a key put back to give the Magic an eight point lead.

-Dwight Howard was clearly frustrated with the officiating in game two. Still, his ability to get Philly�s big men in foul trouble and control the paint on the defensive end is vital in this series. And, after Dwight fouled out of the game with 3:11 to play, Marcin Gortat finished out strong with a couple of key rebounds.

-Andre Miller is having an outstanding series for the Sixers. In game one the Magic double team him on isolation plays and he gets seven assists and still manages to score 15 points on 50% shooting. In game two the Magic play Miller straight up and he scores 30.

-Thaddeus Young is scary good for a young guy. Only 20 years old, the second year forward, like the Magic�s Courtney Lee, handles himself like a season vet on the court. Young�s matchup with Rashard Lewis is an interesting and important side-story in this series.

David Steele's blog is solely the opinion of David Steele and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA. For more blogs by David Steele click here.

By Live or Die Magic, April 22, 2009, 4:25 PM

No Pistons, No Problem??

The people are saying that the Orlando Magic should still win the first round series with the Philadelphia 76ers. And by people I mean me. Just now.

But I still find it humorous that Magic Land breathed a collective sigh of relief when it became certain that we wouldn't face the supposedly "tougher" Detroit Pistons and instead got the Sixers, a team known more for its athletic wing players. See, while it can be debated that the Pistons are tougher than us - our team defense is solid - it apparently can also be debated that the Sixers are more athletic than us. Right? No, not really.

It can't be denied that the Sixers caught all of us off guard in Game One. Call it karma or call it the aftermath of a bad O-Rena Hot Dog, but when a fan base is so excited to take on one team instead of another, it isn't surprising that this is the outcome. Had we won Game One in a match with Detroit, we'd be as giddy as WPMagic at a Ryan Adams concert, because it wouldn't have been expected. Instead, we go from what should have been a ho-hum Game One victory over the Sixers to a wha-WHAT opening game loss that has us scratching our heads like we've just read a Jareth Cutestory post.

In Game One, the Magic took a fourth quarter beating from a team not known for its shooting. We took a class in wide open three point shooting from a player, Donyell Marshall, who was probably only in the game because his team was down by 18! The Sixers are a solid team to be sure.

The point guard position is more than solid with Andre Miller. The center position is also solid with Samuel Dalembert. The small forward position is in tremendous shape with Andre Iguodala. Assuming that Elton Brand returns healthy and integrates himself successfully with the rest of the Sixers starters, then they have a very solid core amongst those four. Then, you have dynamic, young wing players like Louis Williams and Thaddeus Young that can play several positions and are only getting better. It should not be surprising that the Sixers were able to catch the Magic off guard both in the first half and certainly in the fourth quarter.

But the Magic have a clear, unmistakeable advantage over the Sixers with Dwight Howard. Until he was swiped in the eye, he was having his way with the Sixers. We lost our momentum after that, and lapses on defense led to wide open shots for the Sixers. In what logic-based universe should Donyell Marshall shoot 3 for 4 from beyond the arc? Was Robert Horry in the house or something? The likelyhood of that happening again are slim to none, with slim being fed an O-Rena Chicken Tender Basket for good measure. Stan Van Gundy would have to be catatonic in an O-rena janitor's closet for Marshall to see two feet of space in any further games in this series.

Dwight Howard had a monster game...with that still being an understatement. Rafer Alston shot poorly but otherwise was solid and was our only threat from downtown. After slow starts, Courtney Lee and Rashard Lewis heated up, with Lee scoring 13 points in the 2nd quarter!

Anthony Johnson, of all people, had the play of the game, going inside on noted shot blocker Theo Ratliff and laying a near-buzzer beater throw down. Since there has to be something negative to say after a loss of such magnitude, I will single out the bench, and Hedo Turkoglu. Outside of Johnson, the bench gave the Magic 43 surprisingly ineffectual minutes. Starters always play more in the playoffs, but I still would have expected the bench players to have some impact while they are in the game.

As for Turkoglu, it was almost as if he wasn't there! He only took 8 shots and only made two of them. He only took two 3 pointers, with one being a one-winged duck of a shot at the end of the game. It was so bad a shot that Coach Van Gundy called Turk out in his post-game press conference, implying that the team still needs to work with Turk on when to take shots with a short clock.

Someone only looking at the Magic's box score would wonder how we lost. We shot more free throws than the Sixers, and for a good percentage. We shot nearly 49% from the field, which is excellent. We only had 10 turnovers, which is acceptable. The rebounding, assists, blocks, and steals totals for both teams were extremely even.

However, we allowed the Sixers to shoot over 51 percent from the field. More shocking, we allowed them to shoot 58% from beyond the arc, while making two more 3's than us. We shot a very poor 28 percent from 3-land, making only 5. Truly, the game was won by them and lost by us during the crucial moments at the beginning of the fourth.

So what happens tonight and for the rest of the series? First off, I think that Howard will try to assert himself even more tonight. The reigning 2009 NBA Defensive Player of the Year will likely take off early and often. As for Hedo, I wouldn't be surprised if he takes 8 shots (his Game One total) in the first quarter alone. Personally, I would rather him take his risky shots early in the game as opposed to later. I know he has the reputation of "Mr. Fourth Quarter," but personally, I'd rather that the Magic not have to rely on his heroics and instead feed the big man down low and then ride him to an early and definitive lead.

Look for Alston to at least keep up with Miller, if not totally take him out of the game. Look for Courtney Lee to do anything he wants with the basketball. Look for Rashard Lewis to take at least 8 three pointers and make at least four. And look for the Magic fans to go home happy tonight.

This message was not subject of approval by the NBA or the Orlando Magic. The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA, but solely the writer. For more blogs by Live or Die Magic click here.

Posted by Scott Anez, Wednesday, April 22, 2009, 12:45 PM

Get Off Stan's Back

Stan Van Gundy won 59 games during the regular season. He finished third in the balloting for the NBA's Coach of the Year Award (given to Cleveland's Mike Brown).

Now, all of sudden, he's lost respect and control of his team? What a crock!

Criticism has come Stan's way in the wake of his team blowing that 18 point late third quarter lead of game one. Some of the criticisms are valid. Any time your team gags on that large a lead in an NBA Playoff game, you open yourself up to be panned.

Did Stan leave his reserves on the court too long late in the third and early in the fourth as the Sixers were gaining confidence and whittling down the deficit? Perhaps.

Could Stan have gone in another direction in drawing up that last second play for a struggling Hedo Turkoglu? Maybe.

Hindsight is 20-20, especially come playoff time when the stakes heighten and the lens magnifies. Of course, it doesn't help that we in the media have to fill space any way we can due to there being three full days of fluff between games.

All of a sudden, Stan is the "Prince of Panic"?

Earlier this year, Orlando backup center Marcin Gortat gave an interview to a Polish newspaper. Marcin was quoted as saying "He (Stan) often panics during games. He's got some behavior which is not good for us. With his gestures, he makes us nervous on the floor."

Is this a troubling statement? Somewhat. Frankly, it would be more troubling if it were uttered by Dwight, Rashard or Hedo. Marcin commented on the quote Tuesday, saying, "I don't know anything about this. Thanks to Coach Van Gundy, I made my dream came true. He made my name and I am happy I can play for him."

Whether he made the comment or not, Marcin has rekindled some old flames. Shaquille O'Neal recently labeled Stan the "Master of Panic" after Stan needled the Shaq for taking a dive vs. Dwight Howard after the game back in early March.

To know me is to know that I put zero credence in what "The Big Flopper" has to say. The man is unable to get any attention by his play on the court now--so he opens his mouth and shows his ignorance every time he shoves his foot into it.

Is Stan a perfect head coach? Quite frankly, I don't know of any of us who are perfect (except my lovely wife, of course). If you put the truth serum to some of our players, they'd probably tell you that they wish he'd be a little less demonstrative and a little more nurturing.

But, you know what? This is the NBA (No-Boys-Allowed). This is the 'show'. I don't want my team babied. I don't want my team comfortable. I want my players on edge. I want my coach on edge. I want my coach poking and prodding his players to get the very best out of them.

That coach is Stan Van Gundy.

Anez Sez is solely the opinion of Scott Anez and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA. For more blogs by Scott Anez click here.

Posted by David Steele, Monday, April 20, 2009, 5:34 PM

Thoughts on Game 1

-You knew the Magic were in deep trouble when Donyell Marshall banked in a running one handed backboard-rattler with 2:11 remaining to put the Sixers up 95-93. Iguodala attempted only 18 two-point field goals during the regular season. Seventy-five percent of his shots came from behind the arc.

-Donyell Marshall finished the regular season hitting 3-of-14 three-point shots. He makes three of four from beyond the arc in game one, including two huge fourth-quarter shots. One answered a Rashard Lewis three after the Magic had taken a five-point lead with about 4:30 to play, the other tied the game at 98 with 34 seconds to go.

-Ask the Lakers about Marshall. He hit three threes in LA on March 27th, including a key fourth-quarter bucket. By the way, Philly won that game on a long, last second jumper by Andre Iguodala. Sound familiar?

-Iguodala was more than a handful for the Magic. Obviously, the Sixers believe they have an advantage at the 3-spot, with Marshall matched up against Hedo Turkoglu. Iguodala was in attack mode from the opening tip til the final buzzer. For whatever reason, Turk was back on his heels. The Magic must find a way to slow Iggy down, or we�re in for more of the same for the rest of the series.

-The Magic backcourt acquitted itself well in Game 1. After a shaky start, rookie Courtney Lee was solid at the 2 position, although he must defend Louis Williams better, and Rafer Alston, despite a poor shooting night, held his own with Andre Miller.

-Philly�s defensive strategy against Dwight Howard was a success. A determined Howard got his 31 points, but the Sixers held the Magic�s best 3-pointer shooters (Lewis, Turkoglu and Lee) to a combined 2-for-10 from beyond the arc. The Magic are now 6-4 this season when Dwight scores 30 points or more.

-Anthony Johnson will continue to be a key figure in this series. His end of first quarter throw-down was a highlight of Game 1. Johnson is fearless in pressure situations. Reminds me of what Brian Shaw provided the Magic off the bench behind Penny Hardaway back in the mid-90�s.

-If Philly makes better than 50 percent of their threes in the series, the Magic are in trouble. It only happened 10 times in the regular season, and the Sixers won 8 of those 10 games.

-Don�t start that again. The Magic began the regular season with two consecutive losses, but recovered to record the second best record in franchise history. Here�s hoping the second season losing streak ends at one.

David Steele's blog is solely the opinion of David Steele and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA. For more blogs by David Steele click here.

Posted by Scott Anez, Monday, April 20, 2009, 10:02 AM

A Philly Fluke in Game 1?

Now we know why Stan Van Gundy is not a flip-the-switch guy.

Sunday night, we saw something we had not seen all season. The Orlando Magic gave away a late third quarter 18-point lead only to fall to the Sixers in Game 1, 100-98. The 18-point lead was the largest Orlando had blown all year.

The Sixers flat out turned the tables on the Magic in Game 1. Remember, back on February 28th, we went up to Philly and blitzed them 36-20 in the fourth quarter to rally for a 106-100 win.

Sunday night, Philly put on their rally caps, as they outscored Orlando 35-19 in the fourth.

The NBA game has a way of humbling the exalted, doesn�t it?

There were some disturbing signs in game one�

Our team came out flat. For whatever reason, the Magic just did not play with that razor�s edge intensity and focus that clubs must have this time of year to win.

While Dwight Howard and Courtney Lee were outstanding and Anthony Johnson was our only reserve to give us anything substantive, Hedo Turkoglu, Rashard Lewis and our bench were, for the most part, non-factors.

Turk�s performance, to me, was the biggest disappointment of the day. I don�t know if it was rust, whether he was bothered by the sprained ankle, or whether his head was buried in the low lying cumulus clouds hovering over Amway Arena. Turk just looked lost.

I know Hedo has been our Mr. Fourth Quarter over the last few seasons, but, the way he played Sunday, I'd think twice about drawing up a play for him with 2.2 seconds left. He had plenty of time to get a decent shot there, yet, he heaves a desperation fadeaway three as the buzzer sounds? Heck, give me any other option besides that one. I�d rather see Dwight get the ball on the low post and take my chances with Superman on the free throw line with a chance to tie!

And why, for the love of Donyell Marshall, is Turk leaving him wide open on the three-point arc in the fourth quarter? The 35 year old Marshall is out there to do one thing and one thing only.

Now, to Turk�s credit, he played outstanding defense on Andre Igoudala in the closing seconds. On that play, you have to tip your cap to the guy. Andre made an incredible shot to win it with 2.2 to play.

If you�re a Magic fan, it�s even more painful to realize that the team that takes game one of seven game NBA Playoff series wins that series 79 percent of the time.

No one said this was gonna be easy. The Sixers are a pesky bunch.

But, come on. Think objectively here. As lackluster as the Magic were Sunday, the Sixers played out of their minds in the fourth quarter.

They nailed five 3-pointers in the fourth quarter. Keep in mind that Philly is the worst three-point shooting team in the league.

The Sixers shot 74 percent (14-19) in the fourth quarter. That�s just not gonna happen again.

The Sixer bench outscores out bench 42-13? I realize that Lou Williams is instant offense, but to allow greybeards Marshall and Theo Ratliff to have that much of an impact on the outcome is ridiculous. Marshall played in just 25 games this season, while Ratliff saw scant action in 46 games.

Overall, we did what we wanted to in terms of limiting their fast break and taking care of the ball.

I am still keeping the faith and sticking to my prediction of the Magic in five.

But, if we�re gonna sweep from here on out, our Magic must turn up the intensity�We gotta get better play from our bookend forwards, Hedo and Rashard�Our bench has to rise to the occasion�.And the Philadelphia 76ers have to come back down to earth.

Anez Sez is solely the opinion of Scott Anez and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA. For more blogs by Scott Anez click here.

Posted by Scott Anez, Sunday, April 19, 2009, 11:55 AM

Magic in Five!

I believe that the Orlando Magic are gonna win this first round series with Philly.

The bottom line is that the Magic are the better basketball team. Customarily, in a seven-game NBA Playoff series, the better team wins.

Question is�how quickly do we want to dispose of these pesky Sixers?

The season series, on the surface, was dominated by Orlando, 3-0. It was our first season sweep of Philly since 1997-98.

But, a closer look tells you that the season sweep could very well have favored Philly 2-1. For the most part, the Sixers controlled games two and three, until the fourth quarter.

On November 26, it took a Rashard Lewis clutch 3-pointer with 4.8 seconds left to put us up for good, 96-94. On February 28, the Magic trailed by 12 at the half and by 10 after three. But, then Orlando outscored Philly 36-20 in the final stanza to run away, 106-100.

Truth is that the Sixers have the ability to bother the Orlando Magic in this series because their strengths are our weaknesses.

The Sixers finished the year in the top five in points in the paint, points off turnovers, fast-break points and second-chance points.

--The Magic must cut down on miscues or Philly will make us sweat.

To know the Orlando Magic is to know that, while they only averaged 13.9 turnovers-per-game, they have a tendency to throw the ball all over the yard when they get flustered. Remember back to last year�s second round series with Detroit, when, in the deciding game five, we had seven turnovers in the first 8:45 of the first quarter. Dwight Howard leads the team in turnovers. Superman (3.0 TO) and Hedo Turkoglu (2.6 TO) must protect the ball against this team or this series could linger.

--Orlando must get back on defense.

The Sixers were third in the NBA in fast break points this season. Philly fuels itself by capitalizing on its opponents mistakes and jetting into the open court. Andre Igoudala, Lou Williams and Willie Green are at their best when they�re running. They�re very athletic. We gotta sprint back on defense on makes and misses or they�ll make us pay.

--We must keep the Sixers off the offensive glass.

That�s easier said than done. Sure, we have the league�s leading rebounder in Dwight Howard. But overall, this Magic team is far from being a great rebounding club. We struggle against clubs like Philly, teams that do the dirty work and crash the offensive glass. The Sixers were second in the NBA in offensive rebounding this year (12.7 per game). They were also fourth in the league in second chance points. Looking at the three matchups between these teams this season: the Sixers collected 17 OR�s in game one, 14 in game two and 14 in game three. We must keep Philly offensive glass or things could get dicey in this series for us.

So, while the Sixers have the ability to make things very uncomfortable for the Orlando Magic in this series, I do believe that our Magic will rise to the challenge and keep Philly at bay.

Magic in five!

Anez Sez is solely the opinion of Scott Anez and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA. For more blogs by Scott Anez click here.

By Mickael Pietrus
April 19, 2009

Ready for Philly

Hello -

We just finished our regular season. It feels awesome to end on a win. I got a lot of time on the court and that felt good.

The next couple days before we begin playoffs mean a lot to me and my teammates. We had such a great regular season but all of know we all have to bring up our game to the next level. Now that the season is over, we can now focus on our first opponent Philadelphia. I have been thinking a lot about the game on Sunday and the entire series. I think they have played very well the second part of the season. They are a great team. We are expecting their team to come out with a lot of energy, talented players and a fast tempo game.

I am really happy with our attitude at this point. We are all very focused on winning and it will be our year. It is going to be a long and at times not an easy ride. As long as we stay together we will succeed as a team like we did in the regular season.

FANS, WE NEED YOU!! Fans get ready to support your Magic. We get so energized when are fans are behind us.

rendez vous Sunday 5:30 p.m. ET.

Peace.

MP

For more information about Mickael, please check out Mickael-Pietrus.com.

Posted by Glass Half Full, Thursday, April 16, 2009, 6:12 PM

Keys to the Series

While offensively the Orlando Magic will rely on its inside-outside, move-the-ball attack, the actual key to winning its first-round series vs. Philadelphia resides on the defensive end of the floor.

Having said that, here are the Glass Half Full keys to the series for your Orlando Magic:

1. Transition Defense � Philadelphia likes to push the ball. Getting back and limiting easy baskets will be important.

2. Block out and Rebound � Orlando has to limit Sixer second-chance opportunities. The way to do this is rebound, rebound and rebound. This way, Orlando can get out and get into its potent offensive attack.

3. Limit Penetration � The 76ers like to take the ball right to the rim. Again, you have to make their easy scoring opportunities hard.

While many point to Orlando�s three-point attack en route to winning 59 games (second-most in franchise history and fourth-most in the league), and going 6-3 against the Big Three (Cleveland, L.A. Lakers and Boston), and winning a franchise-tying 27 road games, the Magic actually won because of its defensive mindset this season. Orlando ranked sixth in the league in opponent points per game (94.4 ppg.), third in field goal percentage defense (.433) and second in opponent three-point percentage (.342).

For more blogs by Glass Half Full click here.

Posted by David Steele, Thursday, April 16, 2009, 11:22 AM

A Promising Postseason

Nice finish to the regular season for the Magic. Nothing like a 25-point win over Charlotte to remove the foul taste of the season�s only three-game losing streak.

If this was a meaningless game, don�t tell that to Rafer Alston or Stan Van Gundy.

Alston and the Bobcats' Gerald Wallace had to be separated during a third-quarter scuffle, and the Magic�s passionate head coach picked up a technical foul for lashing out at an official with his team up 22 points and about three minutes to go in the game.

Now, Van Gundy and his excellent staff have three days to finalize preparations for the first round playoff series against the 76ers. A few thoughts about Orlando�s outlook for the postseason. This team is far better prepared for the playoffs than last year�s club, which was also third-seeded in the East. Here are a few reasons why:

-Dwight Howard has made a big jump from last season. Not just talking about statistics, which are mostly up from last year. Dwight�s maturity as a player, his improvement as a team defender, and as a decision maker on offense, make the Magic a more dangerous team than a year ago. His ability to make free throws, especially in close late game situations, will be key.

-Tony Battie and Marcin Gortat provide solid front line support for Howard. Last spring, Battie was watching the games in a suit, and Gortat had played 40 minutes of regular season basketball. Tony provides a veteran big-man presence backing up either Howard or Rashard Lewis. Gortat�s game has traveled light years from a season ago. If Dwight gets into foul trouble, the Polish Hammer will be ready to step in.

-Courtney Lee brings a defensive toughness to the two-guard position. Yes, Lee will be playing in his first postseason, but the 23-year-old rookie has had the look of an NBA veteran since moving into the starting lineup in mid-February. He also is a capable 3-point shooter, helping spread the floor for Dwight Howard.

-The Magic bench is stronger than a year ago. The aforementioned Battie and Gortat provide quality depth to the frontcourt, and Mickael Pietrus, J.J. Redick and Anthony Johnson all are playoff minute worthy contributors as well. Johnson�s playoff experience, he has played in 80 postseason games, will be especially helpful. This is a guy who, three years ago, scored 40 points in a playoff game for Indiana against the New Jersey Nets.

Last year�s Magic team beat Toronto 4-1 in the first round of a best-of-seven series before falling to Detroit in round two. An improved Dwight Howard, and a stronger supporting cast should pave the way for an even deeper run into the postseason this spring.

David Steele's blog is solely the opinion of David Steele and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA. For more blogs by David Steele click here.

Posted by Scott Anez, Wednesday, April 15, 2009, 1:22 PM

What a Season!

It started way back on October 29. Tonight, the NBA�s regular season ends for the Orlando Magic.

It is amazing how quickly this season has flown. But, the old expression, �time flies when you�re having fun�, certainly applies this year. Believe me, we�ve been through some long and grueling seasons like the Washington Wizards, Sacramento Kings, and the LA Clippers have experienced. This is much more fun!

What will I remember most about this season? Where do I start?

�Dwight Howard�s progression. Remember, the guy is just 23 years old! He, right now, is the most dominant big in the game. Can you imagine where he�s gonna be in a couple of seasons? Superman had NINE 20-20 games this season.

�Defense! In order for this team to take that next step this season, we had to get stingier on the defensive side of the court. Numbers don�t lie: 94.6 ppg vs. (seventh in the NBA) and 43.55% vs.(good enough for the third best defensive mark in the league).

�I will remember the emergence of Jameer Nelson as this team�s catalyst and leader. Jameer, I can�t wait to see what�s in store for you next year.

�I will also remember the incredible 11th hour deal GM Otis Smith and his staff put together in getting Rafer Alston from Houston. Without that deal, this is a good team that likely disappears early in the playoffs. With Rafer, we now have a chance to do some damage come playoff time.

�Road warriors! For the second consecutive season under Stan Van Gundy, this team just refused to lose on the road. This season�s road record was identical to last year�s: 27-14. It�s the second-best road record in the NBA.

�I will remember the 2009 NBA All Star Game, when the Orlando Magic were the only team in the league represented by three players (Dwight, Rashard, Jameer).

�I will remember Dwight�s big night: Feb. 17 vs. Charlotte. Superman tallied 45 points, 19 rebounds and eight blocks in an overtime victory over the Bobcats.

Man, what a season it was�

We had two-seven game win streaks. We swept the Lakers and Spurs for the very first time. We nailed an NBA-record 23-three pointers in a 139-107 win at Sacramento on January 13. We went 12-2 in the month of March. We won the Southeast Division for the second straight year.

Wednesday night is Fan Appreciate Night at Amway Arena. It is a night when the Orlando Magic will rightfully take the opportunity to thank you, the fans, for your support this season.

May I take this opportunity now to thank you, Magic, for a fantastic regular season.

Anez Sez is solely the opinion of Scott Anez and does not reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA. For more blogs by Scott Anez click here.