Orlando Magic General Manager Otis Smith announced that Magic All-Star point-guard Jameer Nelson underwent season-ending shoulder surgery Thursday afternoon. The procedure, performed by Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Alabama, was successful and rehabilitation is estimated at four-to-six months. Nelson dislocated his right shoulder and suffered a torn labrum on Feb. 2 vs. Dallas.
Category: Orlando Magic Blog
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Satire: Nate Robinson now addicted to jumping over Dwight Howard
The Onion (satire) reports: Since leaping over Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard to claim his second NBA dunk title Saturday, 5-foot-9 New York Knicks guard Nate Robinson has apparently dedicated himself to the sole task of jumping over Howard as the 7-footer goes about his daily life. According to Howard, Robinson bounded over him roughly two dozen times on Tuesday alone, most notably while the All-Star center was putting gas in his car, as he was standing in the checkout line at the grocery store, immediately after he woke up in the morning, two minutes later when he was taking a shower, and right afterward as he began to shave. “I can’t do anything without that guy jumping over me,” said Howard, who glanced over his shoulder every few seconds during his press conference Wednesday. “He’s everywhere. When I took my mom to her doctor’s appointment last Monday, at church communion, and every time I get off my couch to put in a new DVD. And I watch a lot of DVDs.”
C-Paul amazing, Hornets beat Magic 117-85
The AP reports: Chris Paul had 36 points and 10 assists, and the New Orleans Hornets handed the Orlando Magic their worst loss of the season, 117-85 on Wednesday night. Rasual Butler added 15 points, and David West had 14 for the Hornets, who’ve won their first two games following the All-Star break. Rashard Lewis had 17 points, and J.J. Redick 14 for Orlando, which shot poorly from the field and free-throw line. Dwight Howard had 12 points and was a non-factor for most of the last three quarters, when he scored only two points… Reserves Melvin Ely and Devin Brown each finished with 11 points, Peja Stojakovic had 10 and the Hornets shot 58 percent (46-of-79).
Howard scores career-high 45 in Magic win over Bobcats
The AP reports: Dwight Howard had a career-high 45 points, to go with 19 rebounds and eight blocks, leading the Orlando Magic to a 107-102 overtime victory against the Charlotte Bobcats on Tuesday night… The Magic also got 17 points from Rashard Lewis, who joined Howard on the Eastern Conference All-Star team last weekend… The Bobcats, by contrast, were much more balanced early with no one in double-figure scoring, but seven players with four or more points.
NBA to borrow $175 million
The Sports Business Journal (Daniel Kaplan and John Lombardo) reports: The NBA is set to borrow $175 million Feb. 26, marking one of the first league financings since the implosion of the credit markets last fall. The money, which will be available to 15 teams, supplements an existing $1.7 billion leaguewide credit facility that uses the NBA’s media contracts as collateral to secure loans for the clubs. The NBA surveyed its teams, and 15 responded they would like to tap into the new borrowing. While the league said it is pleased to borrow in an extremely illiquid credit market, the deal came at a cost, with interest rates up to 8.27 percent, hammering home the notion that the era of cheap money in sports is over. The 15 teams can use the money for any purpose, but covering operating losses may be high on the list.
InsideHoops.com editor says: Loan me three fiddy. I want some ribs.
Nate Robinson talks about winning the 2009 dunk contest
Nate Robinson beat Dwight Howard to win the 2009 NBA Slam dunk contest.
After the win, Nate talked about it. Here’s what he said.
Rashard Lewis talks about being an All-Star
Here’s what Orlando Magic forward Rashard Lewis said Friday at 2009 NBA All-Star weekend.
Question: Talk about this experience, of being an All-Star.
Rashard Lewis: I didn’t expect to be here. We knew Dwight would be here. When the coaches vote, you never know what could happen. There are a lot of guys not on the All‑Star Game that really, you know, have a chance on the All‑Star team.
Question: Talk about your role on Orlando and how it changed from your Seattle days.
Rashard Lewis: They got me playing the four now, pretty much banging with the bigger guys, trying to defend the bigger guys. It works. We try to spread the floor with Dwight Howard in the middle. You shoot a lot of three‑pointers. It helps opening it up for him as well as it opens up for us.
Question: How is this season different from last?
Rashard Lewis: I think this year we gelled a lot more and we connected with the coaches and that’s why we have been successful.
Question: Does the All‑Star selection make it so now people can talk about you as one of the tops in the game?
Rashard Lewis: Hopefully. This is my second All‑Star team and I’m most definitely happy to be here. But obviously fly under the radar a little bit. It kind of keeps the fire burning in the NBA. It keeps me playing at the level because there is always something you have to go out there and prove.
Nate Robinson to be KryptoNate in dunk contest
The NY Post (Marc Berman) reports: Nate Robinson, who this week revealed he has an alter ego known as “KryptoNate,” will try to sap the powers of “Superman” tonight in the All-Star Weekend’s Slam Dunk competition. The 5-foot-7½ former Slam Dunk champ has been in hiding in Phoenix for most of the past two days, practicing a mysterious Kryptonite dunk he feels will take down Dwight Howard. The Magic’s 6-foot-11 “Man of Steel” is the reigning dunk champ who captured the world’s imagination by flying through the air like a bird, like a plane, jamming home a superhuman slam that overpowered his enemies… “It’s something new I just thought up,” said the popular Knicks guard, who already has put forth a superhero effort in winning the 2006 dunk title. “I did my homework. You have to see. I’m not giving out no secrets. I’m not telling nobody nothing. I just have a kryptonite dunk. That’s all I’ll say.”
Nuggets clamp down on Magic in 82-73 victory
The AP reports: Carmelo Anthony had 29 points and eight rebounds, and the Nuggets ended a 15-game losing streak in Orlando with an 82-73 win over the Magic on Wednesday night… Kenyon Martin scored 13 points, Nene added 12 and Billups had 11 points for Denver, which hadn’t won in Orlando since March 10, 1992. .. Dwight Howard had 16 points and Rashard Lewis scored 12 for the Magic, who finished with a season low in points, a season-high 24 turnovers and were held to a season-low 30.4 percent shooting from the floor.
Mo Williams replaces Jameer Nelson in Skills Challenge
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Mo Williams has been selected to replace injured Orlando Magic guard Jameer Nelson (torn right labrum ) in the 2009 Playstation® Skills Challenge to be held on Saturday, Feb. 14 at US Airways Center in Phoenix.
The PlayStation® Skills Challenge will be televised live nationally as part of the NBA All-Star Saturday Night, which will also feature the Foot Locker Three-Point Shootout, Sprite Slam Dunk and Haier Shooting Stars. TNT and ESPN Radio’s national coverage will begin at 8 p.m. EST from US Airways Center. The NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 15, will air live on TNT, ESPN Radio and in more than 215 countries and territories in 44 languages.