Enough said in this article.
November 2003 Archives
We lost, 87-86. The crowd was really into this game. They wanted the win more than the players did. Our team played great in the fourth quarter. They played great for one reason, Tracy McGrady. He stepped up his game and so did the players around him. When he plays tough defense, the rest of the team gets tough. The only thing that ruined McGrady's perfect game - he did not want to take the last shot. This is the second game lost because he was afraid to put the game on his back and call bank.
Steven Hunter - you suck. Sit your ass on the bench or go crawl under a rock.
I was really glad to see the Big 'Z' get some minutes finally. Zaza was very active when he was in the game. I hope he gets more minutes. Donnell Harvey played another good, solid game with a lot of energy. In fact, outside of a few plays - he was the only one that had consistent energy. You can tell that he is tired of losing. I just hope the rest of the team catches up before he loses interest.
Rod Strickland and Keith Bogans needed more minutes in this game. Strickland showed a little rust tonight, but it was expected. He still played better than Tyronn Lue. Drew Gooden hardly played at all. He was on the bench sulking most of the game. We really need this guy to get out of his funk and pull a solid 20-15 game for us. If he does that, we will win. Gooden is not blocking out, not rebounding and not posting up. For whatever reason, he is content on shooting jumpers. Not going to work. We have guards already. I think Hunter work ethic is affecting the rest of the team, minus Harvey.
Well, as you can see - same things over and over again. Energy, Hunter sucks, Gooden's Funk, McGrady's lack of leadership, inconsistent point guard position. These are the reasons we are losing. At least our rebounding, defense (though far from good) and substitution patterns are better. If you think I am making this all up, just read the post game quotes from the coach. Everything is in there, just worded better. I bet they work on 30 second game situations in practice over the weekend.
The Orlando Magic have a new assistant coach, Paul Westhead. I know everyone is as excited as I am about this move. Wait, who the hell is this guy? Exactly. Another no name assistant to go along with a no name coach and a few no name players. By the end of the year, we should be back to our heart and hustle minus Doc. Though, who really thought Doc was going to be a good coach.
The Magic are on the edge of tying the second longest losing streak in franchise history. Magic face Vince Carter and the Toronto Raptors tonight at 8pm. If the Magic play as well as they did on Wednesday and show a little more enthusiasm - then this will our breakout game. With Carter coming home though, this could still be a dangerous game.
Personally, I would expect a lineup change - Donnel Harvey replacing Gordan Giricek and Rod Strickland replacing Tyronn Lue. But, then again - I expected a lot of things this year.
Let's go Magic!!!
Rod Strickland is a professional basketball player. For him to come into Orlando and play as well as he did with no practice was beyond belief. We have guys running around on the court that cannot play basketball as good as this guy does. He can see the floor really well. I think Keith Bogans can learn a lot from Strickland. They are similar in size (eh, a couple inches) and build.
For whatever reason, the team moved without the ball better (read: as opposed to not at all) when Strickland was running the show. There were plenty of easy baskets and dunks when our players moved without the ball. When Tyronn Lue runs the offense, there is more standing around and time running off the clock.
I expected our new players to be professionals and play the way Strickland has. Eventually they would pick up the defensive and offensive sets - and everything would gel. Unfortunately - no one is really playing like they belong in the NBA. NBA players are the greatest basketball players available. There should be no reason one could not assemble a team of 5 players and in 7 days have them playing like professional basketball players. For whatever reason, our guys are playing at a level less than NBA caliber.
Another loss but not for a lack of effort. The crowd was almost fully into the game and most of the players played hard tonight. Rod Strickland was awesome. The players reacted very well to him. I think the team played harder when he ran the offense. He forced the ball up the court and could see the floor very well. It is not unreasonable to expect him to take over the starting point guard slot within the next week.
With good, there is bad. Stephen Hunter played another horrible game. Outside of one monster block, he sucked. everytime the crowd was ready to truly get into the game, he would do something stupid or nothing at all. You can hear the frustration in the crowd when this guy is on the floor. The Big 'Z' still did not get any minutes tonight. I cannot believe it.
Finally, we end with Tracy McGrady. I don't know if his heart is in the game anymore. He has a few good moments but he is hardly noticeable on the court for the majority of the game. McGrady did drive to the basket more tonight than he has this season. If he would show one ounce of emotion after nailing a big shot or when someone else does something good - the fans would go crazy.
Overall there was a good effort from the team. We are still lacking the energy needed to pull out these close games. The fans are ready to get excited but the players still look a little lost out there on the court. Strickland definitely made the team look better- I hope to see more of this guy.
The Orlando Sentinel had an interesting article regarding Grant Hill. He is currently doing lightweight exercises and checking in frequently with doctors. According to Hill, he is conducting his own mini camp in hopes of returning to action by February.
We have all heard this before with Hill. For me, I hope that he does return. Hill has solid basketball knowledge and leadership skills that our team is lacking in its current state. Even if it is the last 5 games of the year, I would like to see some progress and see this guy get back on the court. Hill has looked good in the little time that he has been able to play for us. He has put so much hard work into coming back - I really hope that he makes it. Not because we need him - but for the reason he is a person that contributes to the community, the team and has worked so hard.
The Magic have released guard Derrick Dial and signed Rod Strickland. The move to sign Strickland should shore up any problems at point guard until Shammond Williams comes off the injured list. If things go well, we might see a couple new faces in the next few months.
Starting Five
The year is still young, but I am starting to see where our starting 5 is headed. Tyronn Lue at point, Tracy McGrady at shooting guard, Donnell Harvey at small forward, Juwan Howard at power foward and Steven Hunter (ugh) at center. This brings Gordan Giricek and Drew Gooden off of the bench for now.
Rotation
Johnny Davis is doing a better job spreading minutes around. I thought Reece Gaines and Keith Bogans played fairly well this past game. Bogans has been pretty solid all year though and I really think he deserves 20+ minutes a game. He really needs to find his shot to secure his spot though. Big 'Z' is missing from the rotation. Pachulia is itching for some playing time. He has shown a lot of energy when he is out on the floor. When Giricek went down last night, Z jumped up off the bench and was ready to go in. I think we need this guy in there banging around a little bit. Andrew DeClercq is playing well off of the bench. He brings instant energy to the boards and our defense.
Fans
We are still here. We are waiting to turn the corner to cheer for heart and hustle. I wouldn't care if we lost another 13 games, but it would be different if the players came out with energy and played hard. The fans are ready to rock the house and go through this growing pain with the team, but we need a reason.
Management
Fire Gabriel. Actually, we need someone to buy this team who wants to keep it in Orlando. Then bring in their own staff and start from the ground up. My feeling is that Rich DeVos is trying to move the team. Where? My guess is Tampa. Comments have been made about the Orlando small market. With the NBA realignment - it only makes sense to move down I-4 to Tampa. This has been mentioned before, and also as a temporary home if the O-rena is ever remodeled.
In closing - we are here. We are not going anywhere. We are waiting for the heart and hustle that we are used to seeing from our team. Central Florida is looking for something to cheer and be excited about. The Mayor of Orlando is a big sports fan - and could do some great things once this team changes its attitude.
Orlando dropped another game tonight, extending the losing streak to 13 games. Indiana out hustled the Magic to an 89-78 win. The Magic played a good first half. While most of the crowd cheered - there was a few points where you could almost hear the breaking point. The breaking point is where the fans are cheering because they know the players are doing their best and would cheer until the end. A certain energy comes from that. But the players could not keep that energy up long enough for the crowd to turn the corner. Everyone was still cheering, but it was more out of support than true belief.
I have spent many games in the O-rena and I can firsthand tell you the difference in feeling when the fans cheer for the sake of cheering and when they cheer for hustle. We wanted so badly to turn the corner and erupt - but something would happen and the energy would die down.
Postgame quotes are essentially the same thing we have been hearing all year. They gave everything they had - we're just lacking a little something. I really do not think the players are playing hard enough, at least not for 48 minutes. Donnell Harvey played a lot better tonight. Harvey played like he should have all year long. He was hustling, grabbing rebounds and loose balls. The only problem was that he was obviously winded during stretches.
Everyone wants to jump on you when things are down. The media is looking for someone to blame for the Magic's poor record this year. Monday morning quarterbacks are looking for the one thing that is going to turn this franchise around. News flash, these problems have been around for years. Fortunately for us, we had two good things going for the team. Doc Rivers and Tracy McGrady. Doc is gone, and if we are not careful - McGrady will be too.
Now, don't get me wrong - I am not making excuses for anyone. I think it is time for McGrady to stand up to the critics and show why he deserves to be the leader of this team or any other team. We forget this guy is still a kid. We are watching one of the greatest players in basketball grow up right before our eyes. I truly believe this team can win tonight against the Pacers. I will be at the game tonight, cheering just as loud as every past game. All that I am asking for, is for our team to play as hard as they have in the past. Not the past 12 games, but the past few years.
Individually, we have a group of good players. For whatever reason, they have not played well together. After two days off, and no doubt some tough practices - I expect the Magic to come out fired up.
Let's go Magic!
The Magic bring the worst record in the NBA home to face the team with the best record. The Pacers are 10-2, and a 6-0 away from home. The Magic are looking to rebound from a 12 game losing streak including the recent 5 game west coast road trip.
Pat Garrity is scheduled for surgery on his injured knee. He is expected to miss the rest of the season. We are really going to miss this guy on our team.
“I thought we gave in a little bit tonight.'' - Johnny Davis
Hell, I would hate to see a lot.
"It's the last day of the trip, and everybody pretty much wants to go home and get the show over with.” - Tracy McGrady
No shit, but that does not give you the right to not play basketball. And, yes it a show. A show that 17,317 paid to see you play in - not to mention the hundreds of thousands of others who pay for cable to see you play. The Orlando Magic is the ONLY reason that I have cable TV. Oh, and can we consider all of us who pay hundreds of dollars a year in merchandise to make your pockets fat. It is a show - one that I expect performers to perform.
My dad moved down here a little less than a year ago. I convinced him to go watch the Magic and that he would be amazed at how awesome McGrady is. It only took a few games and he was hooked. So much so, that we got season tickets this year. I can remember a day when I could brag about something McGrady would do in every game. This year, I am struggling to come up with 2.
This is your team McGrady - it starts and ends with you. You have got to light a fire under this group.
You know what is great about the battle of good versus evil? I have a website and no image to uphold. So I can sit here at night and bitch about anything I want. It is up to the readers if they want to read any of this mess. But know this, I will have this bad boy at #1 in Google soon enough - and it is going to suck.
Please stop giving me a reason to post negative comments about the staff. Oh, before I forget - I welcome all of your comments. Unlike the Magic website, I expect some to get pissed at something I have to say. Super - I want to hear and talk about it. I promise to not to make you feel like an idiot or call anything you say 'Unreal'.
I am disgusted with some of the stuff I am reading coming back from the “Fan Relations” of the Orlando Magic. I will be posting full text of email correspondence of how they are treating a fan that has season tickets.
I will be attending the game on Monday vs. Indiana with my father. I will stick with the team throughout everything like I always have - but I am to the point that the executives and staff of the Magic and RDV are making me sick. This has by far, been the worst year I have ever seen in the form of customer relations and retention than any other season. Our record has nothing to do with the way people are treated.
Ah, who am I kidding. I fell asleep about 4 times during this game. This was a horrible display of effort. In fact, the equivalent of none. Stephen Hunter did pull down 9 boards and block 3 shots, but the game was a wash. Any player on the Magic bench could have put up those numbers in 28 minutes in this game. I will say it again, I am amazed that Keith Bogans continues to have limited minutes and the Big 'Z' is spending the entire game on the bench with a few minutes in garbage time.
Announce Jack Givens said it best last night, “Knock someone down, not to hurt them - but to make them think twice.” I have said this for a long time. It seems that every player that comes into Orlando becomes a pansy and is scared to use their fouls. Hunter gets 4-5 fouls per game - but not a damn person hits the floor. Did anyone else see Bobby Jackson dribble down the court, do a 180 while pushing off and knock down to of our players? Was it a foul? Maybe, maybe not. But, he will not get called for that because our team is soft and Sacramento is not. We need players with some backbone - or the ones we have to start playng with one.
Orlando plays Sacramento tonight at 10pm. This is going to be a tough game for the Magic to win for two reasons. Sacramento is a good team and it will be the second game of a back-to-back. We might see some of the younger players play some extra minutes just to get some floor experience.
ESPN has another great article on why Gabriel should be out of a job. If you're holding hands in the trenches and a grenade gets thrown in there - you all go together. That grenade will not choose who gets to stay in this world and who does not. 1-2-3 Kaboom. Goodbye Gabriel.
I have to be honest, I really expected the Magic to come out and win this game. I thought Tracy McGrady would come out with a little more fire and pull this team through to a victory. Here are the things I noticed differently from Doc's team. The first, rebounding and boxing out. I'm not sure if it was the players on the floor or they were just better - but the team did a great job rebounding. The second, and most important - the defense had their arms up and filling the lane. This is the first time that I have see the team bring their arms up and outward. They made the floor harder to see and making passes a little more difficult. I thought this was a huge improvement in our defense. One last thing, I thought Drew Gooden actually played in the post a little bit tonight. I saw at least two of those little jump hooks that I like to see him shoot. Scoring, rebounding and minutes were well balanced throughout the team. If we can get this kind of production every night, McGrady should be able to pick up the 8 points to will us a win.
One thing that I did not care for was the team we had on the floor at the end of the game. I know JD thought he had the best offensive team on the floor - but I really think that Keith Bogans has earned his shot at more minutes and minutes in the crunch. Stephen Hunter, 1 block and two rebounds in 18 minutes. Pitiful.
The Magic are ready to break through. I liked seeing a team that was composed and focused on the fundamentals. We are lacking a true leader on the court right now. McGrady does not appear to have the fire to be a team leader just yet. We have all seen how vocal Michael Jordan was with his teammates and I really think McGrady needs to step up to the plate here. With the even production from the team tonight, this was McGrady's game to win or lose.
Johnny Davis will coach his first game as the head coach of the Orlando Magic tonight at 10pm against Phoenix. I expect to see a few changes in the substitution pattern and possibly a little different defense.
Let them know how you feel about all of this. If Doc is going to be cut - then Gabriel has got to go with him.
A recent article on ESPN has John Weisbrod patting John Gabriel on the back for all the hard work he has put into this team. Basically, it sounds as if they blame Doc for everything and Gabriel is going to make it out of this without a scratch. I was going to comment that I wish they did this during the summer so that I would not have put forth the idea of buying season tickets. Then, I realized something. This was the plan all along. With already declining ticket sales, there is no way they could have fired Doc before the season started.
So, another season will pass. A less than desirable starting lineup, non productful bench and another coach thrown into the mix to attempt a .500 season. And, Gabriel gets richer by each day that passes.
The Orlando Magic website has a poll setup - the numbers do not lie - over 50% think that there are more changes needed. Now, ask the question where the changes needed to be made. Players? Ticket prices? Coaching staff? Executives?
My money is on all four.
The reports are that Johnny Davis is not an interim coach, but has been signed to a two year deal. Where the hell are we going with this?
So, Doc is gone. Davis is our coach for the next two years. Gabriel still has his job. I guess the management team can stand around in a circle now - pat each other on the ass and yell “Good Job.”
Next thing you know, Derrick Dial will be in the game in a clutch situation and Keith Bogans will only play 12 minutes.
After numerous rumors, the Orlando Magic have decided to part ways with Doc Rivers. It was noted that John Gabriel was the one who informed Doc of the team's decision. Personally, I think Gabriel should have gone long before Doc. Dave Wohl was also released.
Johnny Davis will be taking over as the interim coach. Paul Pressey should be taking over as his assistant.
Personally, I think this is a bit of a knee jerk on the executive level. The execs felt that a change was necessary, I just think they looked to far down the chain. The middle management and the blundering decision making is where the Magic should really focus their attention.
I have said in the past that we would need to part ways with Darrell Armstrong and Doc Rivers in order to go any further in the playoffs - looks like we get both this year. Too bad neither were on better terms.
Bring in Bill Lambier as head coach/defensive end coach and Dennis Rodman as the special teams/rebounding coach.
Ah, you may be laughing - but you provide me a legitimate scenario that is any better. At least next time someone comes driving down the lane - their ass will be on a stretcher or sitting on the bench the rest of the game.
Let me get this straight, a guy gives you a double-double (12 points, 12 rebounds) - and you reward him by playing him only 12 minutes while letting unproven Reece Gaines and Derrick Dial play a combined 32 minutes. I'm confused. Why is Keith Bogans not on the floor? I know Tyronn Lue needed a break, but Bogans or T-Mac (practically does anyhow)?can run the point. Oh, and stop playing Bogans at forward. The reason for acquiring the rights to him was because he was a tall (6'5?) guard. Why was the Big Z not on the floor at all tonight?
Continue reading Game Notes - Utah.
Orlando Sentinel is reporting a few comments being traded back and forth between Doc and management. Like I have said before, I think Doc is a good coach - just not the right coach for this team. I agree we need someone new to bring this team to life and make a few changes. However, nothing will change much unless the management is overhauled along with this change. We have been sitting idle for too long now watching a bunch of blundering idiots get rich off our hard earned money. Gabriel should be the first to go - if nothing more than to show that the blame is not entirely on Doc.
ESPN is reporting that sources close to the Magic may be considering Johnny Davis or Dave Wohl next in line to replace Doc. Woah, wait a minute - let's not overreact here. I agree that Doc's time is up - but to just handout positions to persons next in line is not the solution. Does anyone remember the Brian Hill fiasco? At the very least, postpone the firing and look at all options before jumping the gun. I think Doc is a better coach than either of those two. If were just going to go handing out positions, then I'm starting a petition for GM.
Britton Johnsen was released from his contract and Derek Dial has been added to the roster. I sure hope this was not just to provide a quick fix for the injury to Shammond Williams. Williams was placed on the injury list and Gordan Giricek has been activated.
The Magic look to end their losing skid tonight at Utah, game time is 9:00pm. I like the idea of having Keith Bogans in the starting lineup, now we just need an adjustment to the forward/center positions. Personally, I want to see the Big Z out there banging around for a little bit. If it does not happen today and the Magic lose tonight - you can expect Doc to catch an early flight home. I say to cut him and Gabriel lose - and let Stuff run the team.
Oh me. I am not sure if it is harder to get up for work, or watch these games. The last two have been really painful. I was extremely glad to see Keith Bogans in the starting lineup. I am not sure if he will stay there long - but they guy has been busting his ass since he was activated. Bogans pulled in a team high 12 rebounds. This kind of effort deserves to rewarded - and the poor performers deserved to be benched. Speaking of, Juwan Howard came off the bench to score 22 points.
In the end, I thought the difference in this game was Drew Gooden at the end. I really don't think he is ready to be in close game situations. He made two bad decisions, which I think cost us the game. His numbers for the game were good thought, 11 rebounds and three blocks.
Steven Hunter - we'll nothing new. Eighteen minutes, 3 rebounds and another poor performance for a starting center. Can we just try DeClerq or the Big Z for one game? I promise to stop brining it up if Doc does this for me.
Magic play the LA Clippers tonight at 10:30pm. I really hate these late games when they are during the week, but on the weekends - they fit into my schedule nicely. Although not confirmed, I think Shammond Williams will not be available tonight because of a knee injury - but I overheard that. Both teams are playing the second game of a back-to-back but the Clippers should be in better condition at this point.
Tracy McGrady finally showed a little fire tonight and dropped 51 on the Nuggets. Overall, I thought this was a good game and the Magic finally showed some life. Can we please do something with Steven Hunter? Twenty five minutes and one rebound? He did block 3 shots - but one rebound? Zaza Pachulia only played 13 minutes and he pulled in five rebounds. Rookie Keith Bogans had another outstanding game - and here is a shocker, the guard from Kentucky pulled in six rebounds, 5 more than Hunter. Juwan Howard has a monster rebounding game, pulling in 13 rebounds. His offense still looks to be slightly off.
Doc - please start the Big Z or Andrew DeClerg. The Hunter situation is getting entirely out of hand.
Juwan Howard returns to Denver for the first to play his old team. Howard and the Magic face the nuggets tonight at 10:30 in Denver. Tracy McGrady is expected to play. There could be a change in the starting lineup with Keith Bogans taking over one of the starting spots. I don't know if he is ready to start - but this guy has been providing really numbers and minutes off of the bench. I've said it numerous times, Bogans is going to be a good player in the NBA.
Do not expect to see Pat Garrity in this game or any game in the next few weeks. It appears that he will need surgery to repair any damage done to the recently surgically repaird knee. I had a feeling that he was rushed back into action too soon.
Tracy McGrady is listed as day-to-day and is questionable for Fridays game in Denver. Pat Garrity is expected to miss the next several games as he is experiencing pain in the recently repaired knee. I was afraid this would happen as the Magic were sliding and looking for a way to end the losing streak. So, we are down another player and possibly two. Gordan Giricek might be available as early as the beginning of next week.
Doc Rivers mentioned in his post game news conference that this team is two things away from being a good team, er better team. However, they are not the two things he mentioned. We are a good center and a great coach away from having a good team. We officially have no starting center now. Tracy McGrady played a good first half and a decent second half. He lacked a little of the intensity in the second half that he had from the first. Drew Gooden is playing well but not up to his potential. He needs to get deeper into the post and stop settling for the outside shot so much.
Keith Bogans - what more can I say about this guy. He is earning good minutes on the floor - and rightfully so. Bogans comes every night to play hard and it shows. I like having this guy on the floor for the majority of the game.
Will the real Steven Hunter please stand up? I really hope we can get a little more consistent play for this guy - so that we can trade his ass for the Raptor's mascot. I would really hate to give up another future draft pick.
Oh, we are three things short - we are also missing a decent general manager. Can I get a Pat Riley?
Mike Miller returns to Orlando tonight for the first time this season as he faces his old team. The Magic have had a few days of rest and no doubt a few hard practices. I expect Tracy McGrady to have a big game tonight. Also, watch Steven Hunter to live up to my expectations and take my challenge on to pull down 10 rebounds tonight.
According to an article in the Orlando Sentinel, Steven Hunter has averaged 6.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.5 blocked shots in his four starts. The starting centers he played againsts have averaged 7.2 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocked shots. Now, those are not amazing numbers - but they are decent and better than any other Magic center in the last 3 years - unless you consider Drew Gooden as a starting center last year.
The thing that is interesting to me is the attitude of the quotes from Hunter in the article. Personally, I don't think he has done jack schitt to warrant making any comments of that nature. So, I am calling him out - right now, right here. Back it up! If you are going to talk the talk - you had better walk the walk. I expect nothing less than 10 boards on Wednesday. I don't care if the Magic do get blown out by 40 points - Steven Hunter had better pull down 10 rebounds.
If you don't, then my only suggestion (and sign I am bringing to the game) is that we trade you for one of the Laker cheerleaders. Though, we might have to give up a draft pick for it. No, that would be the Wizards that we trade draft picks for nothing.
According to an article in the Orlando Sentinel, Steven Hunter has averaged 6.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.5 blocked shots in his four starts. The starting centers he played againsts have averaged 7.2 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocked shots. Now, those are not amazing numbers - but they are decent and better than any other Magic center in the last 3 years - unless you consider Drew Gooden as a starting center last year.
The thing that is interesting to me is the attitude of the quotes from Hunter in the article. Personally, I don't think he has done jack schitt to warrant making any comments of that nature. So, I am calling him out - right now, right here. Back it up! If you are going to talk the talk - you had better walk the walk. I expect nothing less than 10 boards on Wednesday. I don't care if the Magic do get blown out by 40 points - Steven Hunter had better pull down 10 rebounds.
If you don't, then my only suggestion (and sign I am bringing to the game) is that we trade you for one of the Laker cheerleaders. Though, we might have to give up a draft pick for it. No, that would be the Wizards that we trade draft picks for nothing.
Tonight the Magic showed a better all around effort but came up short in the end. I suppose fatigue could have been a factor, but I think the Magic could have pulled this out if McGrady was having the big night that I had expected him to. Who was the guy that started in place of Steven Hunter tonight? Man, that guy was all over the place - pulling down rebounds and changing up shots. I thought Drew Gooden played one of his worst games tonight. He is not catching the ball close enough to the rim and he is forcing a lot of outside shots. Gooden's entire game right now looks rushed - almost like he is trying to prove something instead of just playing. Lue had another great game and Shammond had a sub par performance. What about this Bogans character? I told you he was going to be good. You give this guy another half season - and he will providing solid minutes off the bench. The 'Big Z' did not have great numbers tonight - but his effort was good. Juwan played a much better game tonight and showed some of the energy that I have been expecting to see for a few games now.
Magic face the Houston Rockets tonight at 8:30pm. Look for Tracy McGrady to have a big game tonight. Historically, he has played poorly against Kevin Garnett but then bounced back huge in that next game. With Tracy McGrady's big game and being away from home without the pressure of having to win, Magic by 6.
An all around awful game for the Magic. Our rebounding and energy sucked. Surprisingly, Hunter probably had the most energy of anyone on the floor for the Magic. Two big things to mention. The first is the sportsmanship of the Timberwolves. When you are up by 29 points in the fourth quarter and the opposing team has pulled their starters, it is time to bench your starters. I lost a lot of respect for this team by not doing so. The second, I am glad to get these bad games out of the way early in the season. If there is a bright spot in all of this, it is the extra time some of the younger players are getting on the court. I was pleased to see Keith Bogans play as much as he did. Like I have said, I think this guy is going to be good player.
Here are a few more quotes from last nights performance. Mind you, I mostly do this for my entertainment - but maybe some of you will enjoy what I think about when I hear these things.
“We stopped competing. I take that extremely personally.” - Doc Rivers
Doc, you should take it personally. For whatever reason unknown to the fans, the team is not playing for you.
"If you want to jump off the bandwagon now, fine." - Tracy McGrady
We have been with this team far before you came here buddy. And we will be here long after. You are the best player in the NBA, in my mind. Now prove me right and get us out of this slump. I have seen you pull off some of the greatest performances on the court. Now I am asking you to pull off one away from the court. Get this team fired up and through this poor performance. Doc does not have the ability to pull this team out. It is your team, do something about it.
There is an article on ESPN providing an analysis on the Magic and the problems they are faced with. In the end, the opinions are similar to what I have posted over and over again. It all boils down to coaching and preparation for the games.
Pat Garrity and Keith Bogans have been activated off the injury list. Britton Johnsen (patella tendinitis) and Gordan Giricek (foot/arch) have been placed on the injury list.
Both Garrity and Bogans will be available to play tonight. With the recent rumors about Doc's job security, I just hope that bringing Garrity back is not a move to help cure any of the problems before he is ready. Last year Garrity took a beating and played his heart out. I would rather have him 100% in the last 70 games rather than coming back too soon. I am glad to see Bogans on the active roster - hopefully Doc gets this guy into the rotation soon.
Tonight is the night - I can feel it - Go MAGIC!
There is a great photo over on Scott's NBA Weblog. Personally, Kobe seems more likely to take it than give it - still, the photo is funny as hell.
"This team plays too cool, we need to get some attack dog in us." - Steven Hunter
Really? This has got to be the funniest thing I have ever heard. Since when did Hunter do anything to deserve media attention for commenting on how the team is performing. Buddy, when you pull down more than 5 rebounds in a game in under 20 minutes - then you can have your quotes.
“There's no way this team should beat us" - Steven Hunter referring to the Chicago Bulls.
Hey Steven - they beat the Lakers, twice I believe.
"It can't get any worse, it really can't." - Tracy McGrady
Wanna bet on that? If a trade or Doc's removal does not happen soon (or we sign Dennis Rodman) - this team is in serious trouble.
"I don't know too much about zones because I didn't go to college" - Tracy McGrady
Well, I went to college - but I have not finished yet. I did not learn about zones from there either - but I did learn by watching basketball. You beat a zone by penetrating and dishing to the open man on the perimeter. And in the Magic's case - pray Garrity is back and knocks down the open shot.
Late game tonight (Friday) for the Magic. They play the Minnesota Timberwolves at 8pm. We should have kept Troy Hudson and traded the rights for Steven Hunter to some bottom feeding team to keep our cap space clean. Oh well, we have what we have. Go Magic!
By the way, stop me if you have heard this one before. Two NBA teams walk out onto the court to play a game of basketball, one team plays the zone and the other loses the game.
Blogging is becoming huge on the Net. Back in the day, it was cool to have tiling backgrounds and midi files all over your homepage. In fact, almost everyone I knew was trying to find a way to get a homepage. Ok, maybe it was not cool - but blogging is cool now, or at least it is cool right now. So, as I find yet another way to stay up past midnight, I travel the endless Blog Rolls and notice this site is linked to from all over the place. I am trying to add reciprocal links as I come across them - but if I miss one, please email me. Yeah, blogs are cool and everyone has one. I guess arguing with your buddies at work over who the best shooting guard in the NBA was not good enough. No, we had to take it to all the other sleep deprived basketball junkies out there. Here we are, up late and reading useless opinions on what we would do if we ruled the world and our team won 60 games a year. Ok, not you Scott - not everyone roots for the Lakers.
So, snap back to reality - my 5 minutes of fame and glory (and bitching) is over. We still have Doc Rivers, John Gabriel, Grant Hill and Steven Hunter. Next thing I know, the Bucs are going to win a Super Bowl.
Oh yeah, check out those links.
Ok, I am tired of yelling out Zaza everytime he pulls down a monster rebound or outhustles someone for a loose ball. So, from here on out - he is now known as the 'Big Z'. I have made comments in the past - but this guy is a great ball player. The energy and skill he brings to the court for such a young player is awesome. He consistently rebounds and plays hard on every single play. I can't see how he does not get more playing time. He is easily a better player than Steven Hunter in only 3 weeks into his NBA career and not 3 years. The rest of my opinion is clearly stated on the rest of this site.
I think the game started out pretty well. The difference early on was McGrady came out playing and the rest of the team fed off of his energy and enthusiasm. All the other players were playing well, even Steven Hunter. I know, I was just as shocked as you were to see him pull down a rebound. Actually, he got 3 rebounds in 24 minutes. However, my man - the Big Z (Zaza) pulled down 6 in 18 minutes. And he was busting his ass all over the court. If Doc doesn't give this guy another 6-10 minutes per game - there is something seriously wrong with our coaching staff.
The end of the game, the Magic just stopped playing defense and Gooden took a couple bad shots. The defense up to this point in the season has been a huge improvement over last year. When Pat Garrity and Gordie are back in the line up, we will see a different Magic team. I still expect Hunter to be traded soon.
The Magic play the Chicago Bulls tonight at 7pm. Steven Hunter should still be in the starting lineup, although I think Zaza should be in his position.
Think about it - this is a perfect fit for the Magic. In my opinion, two of the major problems in Orlando are Doc Rivers and John Gabriel. Now, don't think I am saying either are not any good. They are both good in their position - but I do not believe they are on the same page nor do they agree on a daily basis. Doc is a great coach - I just don't think he is the right coach for Orlando.
What does Orlando lack that Pat Riley can bring? Defense and focus. Pat Riley is the perfect fit as a coach and general manager. He is best known for his defensive minded teams and the mental toughness his teams have shown every year. To have him as a coach would be a great move for our soft, often out-rebounded, team. Then, give him the general manager position to allow some freedom with the roster. Pat Riley as coach with T-Mac, Howard and Gooden - we are in prime position to land a few other top name players.
It's just a thought - but not an outrageous one. If it happens - you heard it here first.
The rebounding was much better this game. Players were boxing out and the bigs were pulling down rebounds. I think there was only two plays were we got out-hustled on the defensive glass. It was nice to finally see some energy from Steven Hunter. A lot of people have said that this kid just needs playing time in order to develop. The only problem that I have with him is that he typically has not made the best of the minutes he was given - so it is hard to give him more. The second thing is his inside game. He needs to slow down a little and go up with more strength. If I see one more dunk attempt by him with one hand - I am going to scream. Two hands - dunk the ball with two hands. Hunter definitely changed up a couple of shots and made a few think about putting the ball up. Either he needs more time on the floor - or we need Zaza to play a few minutes here and there.
Overall, I like the defensive effort when they play. This is going to be a good team once Gordie and Garrity are back in the lineup. If this group can put together a more solid game, I like the chances of this team advancing. They are better defensively and more consistent on the offensive end (though, they have yet to show it).
The Magic play the New York Knicks tonight for the second time this season. Early reports are that Steven Hunter will be in the starting lineup. I hope he has a good game and can provide some type of defensive presence. I really think he is on his way out of the organization and any starts he gets is basically to improve his stock in a trade deal.
