NBA: Orlando Magic Blog

2011-09-08T02:37:00.004-04:00

Well, nothing like seeing the salaries of professional Orlando basketball players to make you appreciate your own. Or do I have that backwards? Regardless, these are big numbers. Good thing they bring us so much entertainment...

2008-11-25T14:28:00.000-05:00

Woo hoo! I don't know about you, but I'm giving thanks for 3 Magic games this week! Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday are reserved for sitting on the couch cheering the Magic on!

2008-10-30T14:36:00.000-04:00

Get out there and vote next Tuesday, November 4th, Orlando!

2008-10-20T13:40:00.001-04:00

Get your season tickets here! If Howard and Lewis keep it up, it'll be a fantastic season!

Funny Video

2008-09-23T14:55:00.003-04:00

It's the wrong team, but have you seen this on YouTube? It's kind of hilarious. Such dry humor. Enjoy!

2008-07-04T12:54:00.002-04:00

Young or old, you have to admit that Disneyworld has some badass fireworks displays. Guess where I'm headed this evening? Happy Fourth of July!

Meet and Greet contest by Papa Johns and the Orlando Magic

2008-02-14T11:07:00.003-05:00

I'm totally registering for this contest - Papa Johns is sending four people to the Orlando Magic locker room, and giving out a Meet and Greet with Dwight Howard, plus dinner for four at the Arena Club and 4 tickets to the Magic vs Warriors game on March 8th! Why on earth would they offer so much? Out of the goodness of their hearts? Who knows...

But now I want pizza.

Lewis joins the Orlando Magic

2007-07-06T16:24:00.000-04:00

Rashard Lewis says he plans to sign a max contract with Orlando on July 11th, but the team may have a hard time coming up with the funds, and they may have to release Milicic to get them (unless a sign-and-trade can be worked out with the SuperSonics). Orlando wants to bring home a title, and they're betting on Lewis and Dwight Howard to team up and deliver. So far the Magic have yet to win a championship, maybe this will be the boost the team needs.

Howard makes All-NBA Third Team

2007-05-10T18:13:00.000-04:00

Today Dwight Howard joined the likes of Shaq, Anfernee Hardaway, and Tracy McGrady as one of only a few Magic players to make an All-NBA team. Congratulations Dwight!

2007-01-16T16:00:00.000-05:00

Trevor Ariza is sidelined for the time being with a serious knee sprain--for the Orlando Magic's sake, I hope he's on the mend. They need him for the playoffs!

This is the Season for the Magic

2006-12-18T12:01:00.000-05:00

The Orlando Magic look to be coming out of their slump in most recent years. Their most recent win was a 7-point win against the Cleveland Caveliers on Saturday thanks to a poor shooting second quarter by the Cavs. They only scored 8 points in the quarter and shot only 32 percent in the final 3 quarters. That's all the Magic needed to come back from a 13 point deficit to break their 3 game losing streak. Now the Magic have a few days to rest before they meet the New Orleans Hornets on Wednesday.

Magic Making it Look Easy

2006-12-11T11:39:00.000-05:00

The Orlando Magic are proving that they are the ones to beat in the Southeast division. With the season only 22 games old, they already hold a 5 game lead in the division, and have the best record in the Eastern Conference. This quite the dramatic turnaround for a team that has been struggling to stay above .500 in recent years. With center Dwight Howard averaging a double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds it's no surprise that the Magic are shining.

Magic = "spectacular"

2006-12-02T15:58:00.000-05:00

Orlando Magic has gone from "We're an easy team to play against" (former general manager John Weisbrod) to "I thought their interior defense was spectacular," Seattle Coach Bob Hill said.

Trying to win their sixth consecutive game as Eastern Conference leaders "The biggest thing is our defense has come on," point guard Jameer Nelson said. "If you want to be a playoff team, you have to play defense."

Before Brian Hill took over as coach last season, Orlando Magic was ranked No. 28 in points allowed (101.8) in the 2004-05 season. Hill has been fighting this number by drilling defense into his team of better suited players willing to accept the concept.

TRAVIS DIENER'S IMPRESSIVE SKILLS

2006-10-30T14:39:00.000-05:00

In the recent San Antonio spurs game, Travis Diener scored 23 points, providing the Orlando Magic with a 92-87 win. It was his second time to start in place of Nelson, who was injured with a mild concussion earlier this year. Diener has been averaging 18.5 points a game. He made 7 of 11 shots. This is just the opportunity he needed to show that he can shine.

KEYON'S NEW POSITION

2006-10-25T14:39:00.000-04:00

Keyon Dooling is now a back-up shooting guard in case anything happens to Grant Hill. I sure hope nothing happens to him, but it's nice to know that Keyon can now play either guard spot. The Orlando Magic are also covered at the point with Jameer Nelson, Carlos Arroyo, and Travis Diener.

HOWARD'S IMPRESSIVE PRE-SEASON GAME

2006-10-12T14:56:00.000-04:00

Dwight Howard played a very impressive game this last Tuesday night. 18 points in 24 minutes! It was a great pre-season victory for the Orlando Magic. Last season, his inexperience caused him to struggle at times. Howard also had 10 rebounds. Keith Bogans, Kasib Powell, Darko Milicic, and Travis Diener also had impressive scores. Maybe I should get a ticket to the next preseason game this Friday. Go, Magic, Go!

Manuel and Powell join Magic

2006-10-02T19:10:00.000-04:00

The Magic begin training camp in Jacksonville on Tuesday, after signing free agents Jacki Manuel and Kasib Powell, of UNC and Texas Tech respectively. Orlando will be looking to make improvements to its free throw percentage and fill a few other gaps in an effort to go to the playoffs this year. Rebounds were a strength last season, so the Magic will be looking to capitalize there without a doubt. Expect an exciting season for the Magic – I know I’ll be watching.

If you think of how much they have changed as players and how far they have come…

2006-06-10T23:41:00.000-04:00

Well, I got my wish! The Miami Heat squashed the New Jersey Nets. They went on to finish off the Detroit Pistons in true Heat fashion and are now facing the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals. Neither team has ever won a championship, nor have they ever advanced to the NBA Finals.

As you can imagine there are all kinds of records being made on both sides and that makes it hard to decide which team should win. I’m from Florida so on the one hand I have a connection to the Heat but I am an Orlando Magic fan above all. On the other hand I have great admiration for what Avery Johnson has done with the Dallas Mavericks and who doesn’t love Dirk Nowitzki?

Somehow I am leaning toward cheering on Josh Howard, Jason Terry and Jerry Stackhouse as they fight the battle of their careers against my team’s cross-state rival I think they deserve it so I hope they get it.

I spy in my little glass ball…

2006-05-14T21:30:00.000-04:00

Well since the Orlando Magic aren’t playing I am cheering for the Miami Heat to eliminate the New Jersey Nets this week. I never though the Heat would be in the second round of the playoffs this season but they are and I can’t deny that I like watching Shaquille O’Neal beat up on the Nets. They are up 3-1 in the series and I predict we are going to see them in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Detroit Pistons.

Orlando Magic fan is spellbound.

2006-04-18T21:24:00.000-04:00

The Orlando Magic are playing like a team that is possessed. Where did this energy and drive come from? All season long I haven’t had much to say because I don’t want to be negative, and now the Magic decide to finish the season with a bang. I can’t wait to see what they do next.

March Madness winding down

2006-03-27T21:06:00.000-05:00

The Men’s Final Four are LSU, George Mason, UCLA and the Florida Gators. I am really surprised about how things turned out this March as I am sure many are. Almost everyone I knew had picked Texas to go all the way and who would have picked George Mason to get this far? I am really excited to see who will come out victorious.

Have you got your Coldplay tickets?

2006-02-28T11:39:00.000-05:00

Don’t get me wrong, I love the Orland Magic. They just aren’t doing anything to impress me. I am really happy though, because I have tickets to see Coldplay on March 4^th at TD Waterhouse Centre. I am the type that likes to get the best seats possible so I will share a link to where I always buy my tickets. Click on Orlando Concerts and you’ll see the listing for Coldplay tickets.

http://www.coasttocoasttickets.com/cities/orlando_fl.shtml

Enjoy the show! I know I will!

Kenyon Martin Implicated in Fan Trouble

2006-02-12T23:41:00.000-05:00

The Orlando Magic have only broken 100 points once in the past eight games so I’d rather talk about the Kenyon Martin issue. The Denver Nuggets player threatened a fan and got away with it. Both Martin and the NBA deny his involvement, yet the NBA offered the fan compensation for his trouble.

Don’t you care that our children are watching you?

2006-01-30T12:33:00.000-05:00

Let’s discuss something that affects the Orlando Magic as much as it does every NBA team. The Indiana Pacers have finally traded Ron Artest. Lately we are seeing more and more players do things to soil the reputation of professional athletes everywhere. The days of encouraging your children to look up to them are gone because you can’t even let them watch Sports Center without finding out their heroes are gold digging miscreants.

Win, Lose, Win, Lose

2006-01-23T17:57:00.000-05:00

The Orlando Magic beat the Sacramento Kings in overtime because of the tireless efforts of Steve Francis with his 18 points, six assists and nine rebounds. I wish I could say they are doing well, but we are half way through the season and are still plagued by extended losing streaks. We have seen no consistency from this Magic team this season.

Orlando Losing the Magic

2006-01-16T15:56:00.000-05:00

The Orlando Magic team has had some woeful road losses lately. Our last two road trips have become losing streaks and our defense is just falling apart. The last few losses have been high scoring matches; however we are consistently getting outscored by a wide margin. In our recent loss to the Sacramento Kings, Mike Bibby scored a career-high 42 points which included five three pointers. He led his team well and Kevin Martin in particular took Bibby’s lead, picking up the first double-double of his career. The Kings domination of the Magic is direct result of our deteriorating defense. We are not getting aggressive on offense either and that accounts for our poor comeback effort when facing huge deficits.

Magic Need a Little Real Magic from the Fans

2006-01-07T20:10:00.000-05:00

The Magic will be wearing their throwback jerseys for their game against the Charlotte Bobcats. They are encouraging the fans to wear stripes for the game as well because they have won four out of four games in those jerseys this season. What team couldn’t do with a little luck? Hopefully if we win this game we can turn it into a nice winning streak because we have too many losses for comfort right now. This team has the talent they just haven’t found their rhythm yet this season. Don’t forget to wear stripes on Saturday even if you aren’t going to the game. This team needs all the help they can get.

Magic Outscore the Knicks

2005-12-29T18:53:00.000-05:00

The Orlando Magic showed their talent and power in their 105-95 win over the New York Knicks. The Knicks have been on a downward spiral lately and have been outscored consistently by their opponents. They tried to put forth a last minute effort in the fourth quarter but Grant Hill and the Magic players easily fought back and won the day. Grant Hill had the Knicks only weapon covered, Jamal Crawford. Hill even stripped the ball from Crawford during the third quarter and scored on the possession contributing to a 13-4 run by the Magic. The Magic had six players score in the double figures.

Magic Up and Down and Dizzy

2005-12-23T20:34:00.000-05:00

The Orlando Magic are about to face the Lakers on the cusp of a three game losing streak and some really poor defensive showings. It seems like we have been really streaky this season losing and winning in little spurts. It is a sign of inconsistent play on the part of our starters and perhaps some poor coaching in the process. We have had some close games we haven’t been able to close and some great wins like our 105-90 victory over the New York Knicks. But they are in the midst of a seven game losing streak unlike a team like the New Jersey Nets who took us to school on Wednesday.

Magic Hopeful for Three Game Winning Streak

2005-12-16T17:59:00.000-05:00

The Orlando Magic are headed for Dallas tonight where they have lost seven straight games. With Josh Howard back for the Mavs, they are going to be tough to beat. However, Grant Hill’s return makes us a force to be reckoned with. Hill led the Magic to victory against the New York Knicks on his first night back, and we are hoping his presence will help us achieve a three game winning streak. The Magic are strong but no one can ignore that the Mavericks 16-6 record and the fact that they are 8-3 at home in the American Airlines Center.

Orlando Lost its Magic

2005-12-09T13:48:00.000-05:00

The Orlando Magic have been on a losing streak since the beginning of the season and it seems the winning streak we had in November was only a dream. This team does not look good and I don’t know who to blame. Do we call it the fault of bad coaching by Brian Hill? It can’t be all the players’ fault because Tony Battie, Steve Francis, and Grant hill are great on an individual basis. It must be that they just don’t play well as a team. Our defense needs a lot of help and I think it is time to bring in some free agents and strengthen this team so our season isn’t a total loss.

Great Team – Bad Day

2005-12-02T19:16:00.000-05:00

Our four-game win streak was broken by the Chicago bulls in a defensive battle that had us scoring 76 to their 85 points. This was the Orlando Magic’s fourth game in five days and they looked tired. The Bulls were putting up way too many uncontested shots and we weren’t getting the rebounds when we needed them. The Magic are headed to play the Memphis Grizzlies who beat us once this season. Hopefully the good fortune that we had in the past five games will outweigh the mistakes of last night. This is a good team that had a bad day.

Magic Defeat Spellbound Wizards

2005-11-25T13:45:00.000-05:00

With Steve Francis out of the game due to an accident following the Hornets defeat, the Orlando Magic beat the Washington Wizards 91-83. The main event features Hedo Turkoglu with seven rebounds and 23 points. Jameer Nelson shined brightly on offense with five assists. The whole team played more aggressive in the absence of Francis and won this crucial home game. It was an impressive effort and gives me even more faith in this year’s lineup. Brian Hill deserves some credit for firing this team up to go after all those rebounds. We have to stay serious as our next two match ups will be challenging. The Magic face Portland, the Miami Heat and then are off to Boston to battle the Celtics.

Howard, Hill, and Francis All Stars

2005-11-20T16:57:00.000-05:00

The Orlando Magic team has had some low scoring losses and high scoring wins this season. We beat the Charlotte Bobcats in an intense defensive battle right before they went on to beat the Indiana Pacers who defeated us in early November. After our overtime loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, we have to be thinking about bolstering our defense. The Cavaliers’ LeBron James may be an NBA superstar but we have Dwight Howard and that is really something. Howard, Grant Hill and Steve Francis have been chosen for this year’s All-Star game. Fans are pleased with Tony Battie’s performance this season as well. This Orlando Magic squad could be winning if we could get our defense down and start scoring like we know we can.

Just Wondering

2005-06-09T19:33:00.000-04:00

Tell me the Truth, how many of you Magic fans out there are really Magic fans?

How many of you fans jumped off the band wagon because of a poorly played season?

For those of you who followed Orlando all season, when did you become a Magic Fan?

How and why did you become a Magic fan?

Who is Better?

2005-06-01T14:22:00.000-04:00

A new debate has aroused my thoughts, a debate that will probably continue for ages to come.

The question being; who is better Shaquille O’Neal or Wilt Chamberlin?

Now before anyone decides to answer this question, one should take time to think about it. To think about all the factors that comes into play.

For one I am not a big fan of Shaq (not that it matters) but the man is very good at what he does and will some day join Wilt in the Basketball Hall of Fame.

But consider it was two different eras and two different styles. It is almost like comparing Joe Montana to Brett Favre, both great players but two different eras.

So what do you all think?

New Coach

2005-05-26T13:35:00.000-04:00

History tends to repeat itself. This is something that I have noticed through out the years. This rule, I feel, applies to all aspects of life including sports. The Orlando Magic feel the same way apparently.

The Magic dug back through history to 1995, when Brian Hill took his Magic to their only NBA Finals appearance. The Magic hired Hill as head coach who had been with the New Jersey Nets for the last two seasons. Now with a new GM and head coach things are looking up for the Orlando Magic.

B-Ball to Hockey

2005-05-23T14:51:00.000-04:00

Orlando Magic general manager and chief operating officer John Weisbrod resigned Monday after 14 months on the job to pursue openings as a head coach in hockey. Responsibility for basketball operations will be taken over by director of player personnel Dave Twardzik and director of player development Otis Smith.

Something comes to mind

2005-05-17T13:37:00.000-04:00

DeShawn Stevenson why don't you tell us how you really feel about your progression this season on the Orlando Magic...

"Coach Jent saw the things I can do in practice and I was fortunate to work with a person who I had a chance to click with as a head coach. Johnny Davis saw what I could do last year but I think he got caught up with all the new guys and kind of forgot about me. Having an opportunity with Chris and getting a chance, it's just a blessing."

Something that went RIght

2005-05-09T14:59:00.000-04:00

from the official site of the Orlando Magic

This is always subject to debate, but in the grand scheme of things, the best thing to come out of the 2004-2005 season was that the organization regained the trust of its fans. That wasn't the case a year ago when some players put their individual interests well ahead of the team and weren't even shy about admitting it. That put a bitter taste in a lot of people's mouths, but this year's group of players washed it away. There was passion in their play opening night and it was still there the final week of the season, even as the playoff berth slipped away. Steve Francis got bumped, tripped, kicked, scratched and knocked over as much as any player the Magic have had, but he never asked out of the lineup. Grant Hill bounced up from 100 spills, 99 of which looked like they might end his career right there on the spot. He played 35 minutes a game and was willing to take it right to the end, if the Magic had been in a better position in the standings. They cared and so did the rest of the team. If you're buying a ticket, obviously you want to see a victory, but win or lose, you need to walk away feeling like it mattered to the players. It mattered to these guys.

Magic Broadcaster to Join Lake Highland Preparatory School Staff

2005-04-25T15:03:00.000-04:00

from the official site of the Orlando Magic

Radio Color Analyst Jeff Turner will leave the Orlando Magic organization to join Lake Highland Preparatory School as Executive Assistant to the President for Leadership Development beginning July 1. Turner’s last Magic Radio Network game broadcast will be Wednesday night’s final game of the season against the Miami Heat, and he will continue with the organization through June 30.

Turner’s new responsibilities with Lake Highland Preparatory School will include implementing leadership programs and coaching boys’ varsity basketball.

"Our mission to prepare future leaders will be greatly enhanced by Jeff’s expertise. He brings a wealth of experience from business, sports and life and is the perfect choice to help us help young people realize their full potential as leaders,” said LHPS president Warren Hudson. “We are delighted to welcome him to Lake Highland.”

Turner's NBA career spanned 10 years, the first three in New Jersey and the last seven with Orlando. Turner appeared in 612 NBA games, averaging 6.0 ppg. and 3.3 rpg. A member of Orlando's inaugural squad in 1989, he saw action in 411 games with the Magic. Turner still ranks in Orlando’s all-time top ten in games played, minutes, field goals made and rebounds. Turner, who retired in March of 1996, made his Magic broadcasting debut during the last month of the 1995-96 regular season teaming with Dennis Neumann on the Magic Radio Network.

“For 16 years, Jeff has represented our organization with true class as a player, broadcaster and in the community. We wish him well in his new endeavor and are pleased that he will remain a part of the Central Florida community, serving as a positive influence on local students,” said Magic CEO Bob Vander Weide.

A 1984 graduate of Vanderbilt, Turner was a two-time Academic All-Southeastern Conference selection. He was a member of the 1984 Olympic Gold Medal basketball team as well.

Turner and his wife, Dee Dee, have two daughters, Aline Gipson (10) and Emma Darnell (7).

Turnovers are Costly

2005-04-12T15:39:00.000-04:00

The Orlando Magic lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers 114-106 on Monday night despite a well put effort. Yet, in any sport, turnovers will cost you every time and sometimes the game itself and 24 turnovers is not something you want.

And despite having 24 turnovers the Magic shot 55 percent which is definite positive for the team. In the loss Dwight Howard had 23 points and 10 rebounds, Steve Francis scored 23, and DeShawn Stevenson had 21 points of his own.

Rematch

2005-03-24T19:36:00.000-05:00

"It's frustrating, but we're going to get to the playoffs. We've got 15 more games left. We can't let any more slip away like this."

Words from the mouth of rookie forward Dwight Howard. Well spoken, as I am sure the rest of the Magic feel the same about there rematch against the Charlotte Bobcats. The Bobcats lead the season series against the Magic 2-1.

Revenge is in the air and the Magic have a chance to tie the series up and is true that the Magic have been two games with out without the elite Steve Francis, but if they expect to make the playoff they must learn to be teams like Charlotte with a player like Francis.

It's Magic

2005-03-06T16:08:00.000-05:00

Thanks should be given to the backcourt of the Orlando Magic who tallied up for almost half of Orlando points against the New Jersey Nets this past Saturday night.

Steve Francis led the was with scoring 26 points and rookie Jameer Nelson decided to play his best game yet posting a career-high for himself with 22 points. Another rookie, Dwight Howard, had 11 points and 11 rebounds as well. And let’s not forget Kelvin Cato contributing 16 points for his Magic.

And Magic is what they where last night in disposing of the New Jersey Nets 105 – 81. Yes fans, it was a blow out, a spanking, and beating for the Nets who where embarrassed in their own city.

Pacers 108, Magic 84

2005-02-25T12:47:00.000-05:00

from Foxsports.com

The Indiana Pacers' playoff push is off to a great start.

Barely missing a beat despite a week's layoff for the All-Star game, the Pacers routed the Orlando Magic 108-84 on Tuesday night.

"What happened for us tonight is we played really good defense and really good offense," said Jermaine O'Neal, who scored 20 points in 22 minutes. "That's a deadly combination. If we can get both sides of the court going for us, we're a tough team to beat."

The Pacers, winners of three straight and six of eight, moved percentage points ahead of Philadelphia for the East's final playoff berth.

"Orlando's a quality team, and ahead of us in the standings," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. "We've got to build on this."

Indiana shot 50 percent and had six players score in double figures en route to its largest margin of victory this season.

Fred Jones scored 18 points, Stephen Jackson had 13, and Jeff Foster added 12 points and 11 rebounds for his 13th double-double.

Jamaal Tinsley, returning from a foot injury, had 11 points and six assists. He missed all but 2 minutes of the previous eight games.

"I don't think he's 100 percent but he's giving us what he can give us," Carlisle said. "He showed that even at less than full capacity he's still a major player on our team."

Added O'Neal: "Having our floor general out there is always good."

Anthony Johnson had 10 points.

On defense, the Pacers held the Magic to 38 percent shooting by shutting down their playmakers. Orlando's leading scorers, Steve Francis and Grant Hill, combined for 20 points while missing 18 of 25 shots.

But the Magic might have bigger problems than losing five of eight, capped by their worst loss of the season.

Earlier Tuesday, the team fined Francis an undisclosed amount for missing a practice after he failed to catch his flight from Houston on Monday.

"The fact that a key player wasn't there, it was a distraction. There's no getting around that," Orlando coach Johnny Davis said.

Francis didn't blame going AWOL for his horrific game: six points on 2-of-10 shooting; four turnovers against two rebounds and an assist. An apology wasn't coming either.

"That was something that happened. It was personal reasons," said Francis, who celebrated his 28th birthday Monday. "I've been fined before."

"I'm not worried about it one bit."

The Magic opened the game 1-for-18, missing 15 straight shots, and fell behind 18-5. Only turnovers kept Indiana from further establishing control.

Orlando briefly showed some life, making five straight shots to rally with 13 consecutive points. Jameer Nelson had two baskets in the run, and he later scored nine straight points, with his jumper putting the Magic up 30-27. In that run, the Pacers missed nine consecutive tries.

Jameer finished with 15 - 13 in the first half.

That's when Indiana took over. Over the next 17{ minutes, spanning halftime, the Pacers went on a 59-20 tear.

Even more impressive, the first part of the run came without any help from O'Neal. After a third foul sent him to the bench with 6:53 left before the break, Indiana collected itself, then rolled off the half's last 17 points.

With 54 seconds left in the third quarter, Indiana held a 29-point lead and was never threatened again. The margin twice reached 31 in the fourth quarter.

"It's the first time we've had a chance to get a big win on somebody," Jackson said. "It's definitely a great way to start the second half of the season. I pray to God we can keep it up." technical foul for arguing late in the first quarter. ... Hedo Turkoglu also was hit with a technical for complaining in the third quarter.

Magic-76ers Preview

2005-02-12T17:11:00.000-05:00

from Foxsports.com

After a strong start, the Orlando Magic have had trouble maintaining any consistency. They'll try to begin showing some improvement on the road as they visit the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wachovia Center.

Orlando is coming off a 101-96 win against Atlanta on Thursday, snapping a three-game losing streak, as Steve Francis scored 11 of his 28 points in the fourth quarter - including a game-deciding 17-footer with 17 seconds to play.

It was just the Magic's second win in six games.

"A win against any team in this league is a good thing," Magic coach Johnny Davis said. "We're still basically a new team and still going through growing pains, but you can't stop. You've got to keep working at it and we are."

Against the Hawks, Orlando had a 20-point midway through the third quarter before Atlanta rallied in the fourth and cut it to 97-94 in the final minute.

"It's hard when you're up in a game for a long time like that," Francis said. "It's hard to consistently stay focused for that period of time. I'm definitely happy with the result, but we improved in some areas."

Orlando opened the season 13-6, but is just 13-17 since - including 3-13 on the road.

Philadelphia will be trying to salvage a tie of the teams' season series after dropping two of the first three meetings.

The 76ers are coming off a 106-91 win at Toronto on Friday, as Allen Iverson scored 30 points. Kenny Thomas had 21 points and eight rebounds, and rookie Andre Iguodala added 16 points and eight rebounds.

Philadelphia, coming off consecutive losses, outrebounded Toronto 47-33 and outscored the Raptors 20-0 on the fast break.

"That's what the official score had, I had them for six fast-break points by our calculations," Philadelphia coach Jim O'Brien said. "But either way it was a good effort to beat them in the open court."

Philadelphia has a chance to move within one game of the .500 mark. After splitting their first 12 games, the 76ers lost a season-high six straight and have had a losing record since.

STANDINGS:
Magic - 3rd place, 10{ GB, Southeast Division.
76ers - 2nd place, 1{ GB, Atlantic Division.

PROBABLE STARTERS:
Magic - F Grant Hill, F Dwight Howard, C Kelvin Cato, G Doug Christie, G Francis. 76ers - F Kyle Korver, F Thomas, C Samuel Dalembert, G Iverson, G Iguodala.

TEAM LEADERS:
Magic - Francis, 21.9 ppg and 7 apg; Howard, 9.7 rpg.
76ers - Iverson, 29 ppg and 7.6 apg; Dalembert, 6.9 rpg.

SEASON SERIES:
Magic, 2-1.

LAST MEETING:
Jan. 22; Magic, 115-111. At Orlando, Hedo Turkoglu scored 22 points and Howard added 21 to lead six players in double figures for the Magic.

ROAD/HOME RECORDS:
Magic - 9-17 on the road;
76ers - 13-9 at home.

INJURIES:
Magic - C Mario Kasun (knee); F Brandon Hunter (elbow).
76ers - G Kevin Ollie (knee); F-C Brian Skinner (knee); F Glenn Robinson (ankle).

Magice Time

2005-01-30T17:53:00.000-05:00

Steve Francis step up with 32 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists in Magic’s 103-97 victory Saturday against the Wizards.

"I think it's more a bigger game for our team," Francis said, "because this is one of the toughest teams in the East this year, and we're right there trying to chase them and be where they are."

Grant Hill decided to put on his working shoes as well, adding 27 as the Magic beat the Washington Wizards, which completes a sweep of the weekend series and tightens the race in the Southeast Division.

Piranhas in the Crowd

2005-01-22T14:08:00.000-05:00

It was the first time Tracy McGrady played in Orlando since his departure from his former team. Apparently the fan base wasn't too happy about him showing up to play either.

Magic could have probably won if the fans boo's didn't fuel his play.

But the Magic dropped this contest 108 to 99 which leaves them with a (21-17) record with 6 games behind the division leading Miami Heat.

The Money Game

2005-01-11T15:42:00.000-05:00

Before the season had started Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley along with Kelvin Cato where traded to our beloved Orlando Magic from the Houston Rockets for the man know as Tracy McGrady. Through the season it seems that the trade was fairly positive for both teams.

Just recently though, Cuttino Mobley with Michael Bradley where traded away to Sacramento for Doug Christie. What people don't know is that Steve Francis is not happy at all with this trade.
"They shouldn't have traded him..."
"You don't wait 30 minutes before a game to tell a guy he's traded. The way you handle relationships, for me, is going to change the way that I approach the game, more business like than anything." - Steve Francis
Apparently Francis and Mobley had been team-mates for the past six seasons, and the chemistry between players on the court is something that should not be taken away. After all, I rather have 5 guys out playing that know how to play with each other rather than a bunch of all stars fighting for the spot light.
"They messed up something that started so good, man, I don't feel there was a need to break something up just because he was going to be a free agent and you don't want to pay him at the end of the season." - Francis

Bulls 105, Magic 90

2005-01-03T13:21:00.000-05:00

It was the third straight overall loss for the Orlando Magic and fifth straight loss on the road.
"The last three games we just haven't started ballgames the way you need to start them," Orlando coach Johnny Davis said.

Dwight Howard put 10 points and had 12 rebounds for Orlando and Grant Hill scored 16 points.

But because the deficit seemed out of reach for Orlando, Hill and Francis sat both sat out the fourth quarter.

Heat 117, Magic 107

2004-12-20T14:11:00.000-05:00

Steven Wine / Associated Press, from Foxsports.com

Two nifty assists by O'Neal sparked a 13-point run late in the fourth quarter by the Heat, who won their eighth game in a row, beating the Orlando Magic 117-107 Sunday night.

"I found my shooters a couple of times," O'Neal said. "They know if they get open, I'm going to hit them for the high-percentage shot."

The Heat trailed much of the game and were down 103-102 with five minutes left before O'Neal helped them surge ahead.

On consecutive possessions, O'Neal hit a dunk, fed Eddie Jones for a 3-pointer that put Miami ahead to stay, then passed to Christian Laettner for a layup to make it 107-103. O'Neal's three-point play a minute later made it 110-103.

"At the end we just ran everything through Shaq," coach Stan Van Gundy said. "As the game goes on, the quick guys get tired and a little slower, but the big guys don't shrink."

O'Neal finished with 27 points and five assists.

"When you've got Shaq on the team, you keep feeding him," guard Keyon Dooling said. "That's a no-brainer."

Led by their new center, the Heat are on their longest winning streak since March 1998. The past four victories have come against teams above .500.

"We're getting better and putting together wins," O'Neal said. "We're not blowing people out all the time, but we'll get to that."

Playing their intrastate rivals for the first time this season, the Magic were eager to challenge Miami's supremacy atop the Southeast Division. Instead Orlando lost for the fourth time in five games and fell four games behind the Heat.

Steve Francis led Orlando with 31 points, many on acrobatic, slashing shots. He even drew a foul on a twisting attempt with his back to the basket.

But the Magic's transition game fizzled at the end, and they scored just two baskets in the final 5:16.

"That's one of the parts of the game where we have yet to grow," coach Johnny Davis said. "Down the stretch, the maturity and experience of a team show."

Cuttino Mobley had 22 points, and Grant Hill 20 for the Magic, who lost despite shooting 51 percent. Miami shot 52 percent and trailed only 36-34 on the boards against the Magic, who lead the NBA in rebounds per game.

"The most gratifying thing is Orlando came in and played well, and we won," Van Gundy said.

Jones went 8-for-10 and scored 25 points. Dwyane Wade added 22 despite missing 14 of 20 shots.

The Magic sank their first five 3-point attempts and shot 55 percent in the first half to lead 63-54. Jones' three-point play with 2.2 seconds left in the third quarter tied it at 87-all, and the Heat took the lead on a free throw to start the fourth quarter.

Francis was called for a technical for taunting the Heat bench at the end of the third period, and Laettner sank the free throw. He then converted a three-point play on the Heat's next possession to put them up 90-86.

There were four more lead changes to come - and 15 in all.

"We should have won this game," Hill said. "We have to figure out a way to steal some games, just like teams have been doing to us." scoring at least 100 point.

Magic Can't Elude Denver Avalanche

2004-12-07T14:14:00.000-05:00

from the official site of the Orlando Magic

Orlando surrendered 68 first-half points Monday en route to a 115-102 road loss to the Nuggets. Steve Francis and Dwight Howard popped in 23 points apiece to lead the Magic; Francis also recorded eight assists and Howard pulled down 10 rebounds. Orlando six-game road trip continues Wednesday in Utah.

Orlando center Kelvin Cato suffered a supplicating left shoulder during the third quarter last night @ Denver and did not return to the game. He will fly back to Orlando today and will miss the remainder of the Magics West Coast trip (five games). Cato will undergo an MRI tomorrow and his status will be re-evaluated.

Francis, Hill Lift Magic

2004-11-28T14:33:00.000-05:00

from NBA.com

ORLANDO, Fla., Nov. 27 (Ticker) -- Steve Francis certainly made up for lost time.

The foul-plagued Francis scored 15 of his 26 points in a spectacular fourth quarter as the Orlando Magic fought off the Philadelphia 76ers, 105-99, for their fourth win in five games.

Francis picked up his fourth foul early in the second half and was limited to 22 minutes through the first three quarters. He returned at the start of the final period and won his duel with fellow All-Star Allen Iverson.

Francis had a rare four-point play early in the period and did it all in the final 2 1/2 minutes as he was responsible for Orlando's last 11 points.

After sinking a free throw, Francis found Grant Hill for a pair of corner jumpers that gave the Magic a 99-97 lead with 1:25 to go.

"Whoever gets open, that's who I'm going to give the ball to," Francis said.

On the next possession, Francis sank an 18-footer over Iverson with 48 seconds left. Iverson, who had 27 points and 10 assists, responded with a driving layup.

But at the other end, Francis ran Iverson off a screen and buried another jumper for a 103-99 bulge with 23 seconds remaining. Iverson missed a 3-pointer and Francis sealed the win with two free throws.

"I wanted to put Steve in a position to come off screens and be explosive as a scorer for us in that situation," Magic coach Johnny Davis said.

"This was game we could have won," Iverson said. "We just didn't do the things we needed to do to get it done. We didn't get stops when we needed to and I had a lot to do with that on both ends."

Francis made 7-of-15 shots and 10-of-11 free throws, adding five assists and five rebounds. He and rookie teammate Jameer Nelson helped hold Iverson to only 7-of-25 shooting.

"Jameer did a great job," Francis said. "When I had foul trouble, he came in and fought with Allen. That was a good test and he was able to defend him pretty well."

Iverson had trouble against Orlando's big men, who had seven blocked shots.

"Those guys are big in there and they're a big team," he said. "We are the smallest team in the NBA, so every team we see is big to us."

Hill scored 29 points and rookie Dwight Howard added 12 and 10 rebounds for the Magic, who avenged a 96-87 loss at Philadelphia on November 14. Orlando (8-4) moved into first place in the Southeast Division, percentage points ahead of Miami.

"It doesn't mean a lot because it's early in the year," Hill said. "But just to have a winning record and to be playing good basketball, it's exciting coming off last year."

Marc Jackson had 17 points and season high 11 boards and high-flying rookie Andre Iguodala scored a season-high 15 points for the Sixers, who have lost four straight road games.

Iverson scored 17 points in the first half as Philadelphia grabbed a 56-49 lead. Three dunks by Iguodala pushed the margin to 61-51 before Orlando rallied behind Hill to pull into a 79-79 tie entering the final period.

Iverson and Kyle Korver had 3-pointers to give the Sixers a 97-94 lead with 2:28 left before Francis took over.

Bobcats Grab First Ever Win

2004-11-09T17:04:00.000-05:00

from ESPN.com

Coach Bernie Bickerstaff told the Charlotte Bobcats to settle down and relax. By doing so, they made history.

The expansion Bobcats won for the first time, defeating the Orlando Magic, 111-100 behind 20 points and 10 rebounds from Primoz Brezec.

"These young men deserve this," Bickerstaff said. "They played hard. We made plays when we had to make plays."

Guard Jason Hart, who had the best game of his career, presented the game ball to Bobcats owner Bob Johnson at the end of the game.

"I was very pleased," Johnson said. "It showed a lot of class."

Bickerstaff said his players were too excited and hyperventilating during their opening night loss to Washington and urged them to take it easy as the season progresses.

Charlotte (1-1) held Orlando without a basket for more than 4 1/2 minutes late in the second quarter to take 49-42 halftime lead. The Magic shot just 28 percent (11-of-28) from the field in the opening two periods.

"We definitely overlooked this team," Magic guard Steve Francis said. "When you overlook teams, these are the results you will get."

The Bobcats kept up the intensity with a 15-2 run to start the third quarter, highlighted by an alley-oop pass from Hart to Gerald Wallace, whose one-handed dunk made it 64-44. He scored 18 points and Hart added 14 and 11 assists, both career highs.

"Coach told me, 'As far as energy goes, how you go is how the team goes,'" Wallace said. "So I tried to come out in the second half and give it my all. I just laid my body on the line and did what I had to do to help my team win."

Emeka Okafor got the better of Dwight Howard in their first matchup as the top two picks in June's draft. Okafor, selected second after the Magic chose Howard, had 12 points and 14 rebounds while Howard managed five and 12.

"I was a little overanxious tonight," Howard said. "Our intensity wasn't there until the fourth quarter. Hopefully, we won't continue to have games like this."

"It was the Bobcats vs. the Magic, that's what it was," said Okafor, downplaying the matchup. "Dwight played an excellent game. He really impressed me out there. He's going to be an excellent player."

Guard Steve Smith added 14 points off the bench for the Bobcats and teamed with Brevin Knight to provide a calming influence on the young team.

"To be that veteran they look to and to get a chance to win it with them and get to be part of that first victory for the franchise, it was good for me," Smith said.

Francis, who hit game-winning buckets in Orlando's first two contests, fouled out with just nine points. The Magic (2-1) failed in a bid to open with three straight wins for the first time since 1993.

Orlando's Cuttino Mobley scored 17 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter before fouling out in the final minute.

Francis Leads New Team to Big V

2004-10-25T16:56:00.000-04:00

From NBA.com

ORLANDO, Fla., Oct. 23 (Ticker) -- In his first game against his former team, Steve Francis came out shooting.

Francis scored 16 of his 17 points in the first quarter, propeling the Orlando Magic to a 93-72 victory over the Houston Rockets.

Packaged by the Rockets along with Cuttino Mobley and Kelvin Cato for Tracy McGrady on June 29, Francis had nine points during an 11-2 run at the end of the first, lifting the Magic to a 29-17 lead.

Mobley, his backcourt mate, made 3-of-7 shots for 10 points and added two steals.

Hedo Turkoglu had 12 points and first-round pick Jameer Nelson added 11 and seven assists for Orlando, which took advantage of sloppy ballhandling by the Rockets, scoring 30 points off 23 turnovers.

Nelson buried his only 3-pointer of the game at the buzzer in the third, pushing Orlando's lead to 79-53.

Maurice Taylor led Houston with 18 points, while Yao Ming collected 12 points and six rebounds in 22 minutes.

Welcome!

2004-08-12T18:02:00.000-04:00

Thanks for visiting my new blog dedicated to the Orlando Magic and NBA basketball! I'll be up and running shortly, so come back and check it out!