Artest for Peja. Boston unloads their problems for Wally Szczerbiak. Teams are starting the trading frenzy right before the trading deadline. Will the Magic make a move? If you were a Magic GM, would you make move? Which players would be on your short list to move or acquire?
5, count em, 5 in a row. Steve Francis dishes a career high 15 assists. Pat Garrity scores 24 points off the bench. Hedo Turkoglu drops another 25 points on the stat column tonight. What more can I say about this Magic team? We still need another 5 wins or so before I will believe this is for real, but the team is making progress. Everyone is playing well and helping each other out. I heard Francis shouting instruction and encouragement to Howard on two different occasions. Both times Howard avoided fouls that he picked up on the previous, very similar play.
The Orlando Magic with their fourth game in a row as they beat the Phoenix Suns, 111-102. The Magic look a lot more comfortable on the floor lately. Winning tends to do that. However, I think we are seeing a different Steve Francis. Something that should have been done long ago with Tracy McGrady, the Magic benched a superstar. The result was an improvement in the Franchise's attitude. I think Francis realizes that leading a team has nothing to do with what you say but how you act.
Steve Francis returns to action in a backup role as the Magic defeat the Washington Wizards, 106-98. Francis finished the game playing the entire fourth quarter. He ended up with 12 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists. Jammer Nelson, starting at the point guard position, was the high-scorer with 22 points. Nelson also contributed 5 rebounds and 5 assists.
Steve Francis met with the Magic coaching staff today. During the meeting a decision was made to allow Francis to return to the team. He is expected to practice with the team on Tuesday and be in action for Wednesdays game. Francis was suspended on the Magic's West coast road trip for conduct detrimental to the team. The speculation is that Francis refused to re-enter the game in Seattle.
