Ouch. The Magic lose a very winable game tonight against the Philadelphia 76ers, 112-99. The Magic fell behind early in the game and it cost them in the end. Allen Iverson dropped a career-high 60 points on a lackluster defense.
Iverson's 60 overshadows the great game Steve Francis had. Francis finished with 32 points, 8 assists and 13 rebounds. Dwight Howard dropped another double-double with 11 points and 13 rebounds. I don't know where Kelvin Cato is lately, but 3 points and 6 rebounds from a starting center won't cut it with me. Not when you have a 19 year old rookie grabbing twice that.
Jameer Nelson gained extended playing time tonight, dishing out 8 assists. Nelson played a very good game and almost brought the Magic back late in the game. DeShawn Stevenson also earned some playing time tonight. I like that Stevenson is getting more time on the court and I would hope that coach works him in more consistenly. I think Stevenson provides a touch of athleticism this team can use. However, with the increased playing time, one has to wonder if the Magic don't have a trade in the works.
