The AP reports: Playing fewer minutes and sitting out key stretches, Dwight Howard had 30 points and 16 rebounds to lift the Orlando Magic to a 101-84 victory over the New Jersey Nets on Sunday night. Howard played a little more than 35 minutes, about seven fewer than he’d been playing over the past few weeks… Mickael Pietrus added 17 points, and Hedo Turkoglu scored 15 for the Magic, who rebounded from an ugly loss to Indiana on Friday and improved to 2-1 since All-Star point guard Jameer Nelson suffered a shoulder injury. Devin Harris had 28 points and 12 assists, and Brook Lopez added 19 points and 12 rebounds for the Nets, who had their four-game winning streak snapped a day after beating Denver 114-70 in maybe their most impressive performance of the season.
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Cavs make words up to describe Mo Williams snub
Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Mo Williams is having an excellent season for his 39-win, 9-loss team, but wasn’t picked by coaches as a reserve for the East All-Star team. Then, Jameer Nelson, who was selected, suffered an injury, though Mo Williams again wasn’t named, with the spot instead going to Boston Celtics shooting guard Ray Allen.
The AP reports:
The Cavs found the second rejection of Williams so absurd that they’re making up words to describe their feelings. “Ben Wallace was right when he called Mo originally being passed over for the all-star game a shamockery,” Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert said in a tongue-in-cheek e-mail to the Associated Press on Friday. “But not naming him as the natural and obvious replacement for the unfortunately injured Jameer Nelson is stupidiculous, idillogical and preposterageous.” Cleveland will be represented by James, who was selected in fan voting, and by coach Mike Brown and his assistants, who will coach the East squad.
If passing on Mo Williams instead of selecting him means the Cavs are going to continue making up fun words, then I’m all in favor of it.
Ray Allen replaces Jameer Nelson in All-Star game
Boston Celtics guard Ray Allen has been named by NBA Commissioner David Stern to replace injured East All-Star guard Jameer Nelson (torn labrum, right shoulder) of the Orlando Magic in the 2009 NBA All-Star Game in Phoenix. Allen will be making his ninth All-Star appearance.
The NBA All-Star Game will air live on TNT, ESPN Radio and in 215 countries and territories, and in 44 languages worldwide at 8 p.m. ET on Sunday, Feb. 15.
Read basketball fan reaction and discuss your own opinion in this forum topic.
Bucks trade Tyronn Lue to Magic for Keith Bogans
The Orlando Magic have acquired guard Tyronn Lue from the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for guard-forward Keith Bogans and cash considerations, General Manager Otis Smith announced today.
“Tyronn is a veteran point guard who fits in well with our style of play,” said Smith. “He shoots well from three-point range and adds needed depth at that position. We thank Keith for everything he gave to us and wish him all the best.”
Lue (6’0”, 175, 5/3/77) has played in 30 games this season for Milwaukee, averaging 4.7 ppg., 1.5 apg. and 1.2 rpg. in 13.1 minpg. He is shooting .467 (21-of-45) from three-point range and has scored in double figures three times, including a season-high 14 points on Nov. 24 @ Orlando. Lue led (or tied) the Bucks in assists three times.
Lue returns for a second stint with Orlando. He played in 76 games (69 starts) for the Magic in 2003-04, averaging 10.5 ppg., 4.2 apg. and 2.5 rpg. in 30.7 minpg. Lue was a member of the Los Angeles Lakers when they won back-to-back NBA Championships in 1999-2000 and 2000-01.
Lue was originally selected in the first round (23rd overall) of the 1998 NBA Draft by Denver. He has appeared in 540 career NBA regular season games with eight different teams (the L.A. Lakers, Washington, Orlando, Houston, Atlanta, Sacramento, Dallas and Milwaukee), averaging 8.6 ppg., 3.2 apg. and 1.7 rpg. in 23.0 minpg. Lue has also shot .392 (454-of-1,158) from beyond the three-point arc during his career.
Bogans, 28, has appeared in 35 games this season for the Orlando Magic and averaged 5.4 points and 3.1 rebounds in 22.3 minutes per game. Last season, Bogans played in all 82 games for the Magic and tallied 8.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 26.8 minutes. He shot a career-high 41.1 percent from the field, including 36.2 percent from the three-point arc, connecting on a career-high 148-of-409 attempts. Bogans appeared in all 10 of Orlando’s post-season contests in 2008 and averaged 7.3 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 29.3 minutes.
Originally drafted by Milwaukee in the second round of the 2003 NBA Draft (43rd overall), Bogans was traded to Orlando on draft night for cash considerations. His resume spans five-plus NBA seasons and includes time spent with Orlando, Charlotte and Houston. In 395 career games, he has averaged 7.7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game.
Read fan reaction and discuss your own opinion in this forum topic.
Melo scores 32, Nuggets beat Thunder 114-113
The AP reports: For the second time in two trips to Oklahoma City, Carmelo Anthony made the winning shot, this time a driving runner in the lane with 5.3 seconds left that gave the Nuggets a 114-113 victory Wednesday night… Anthony finished with 32 points and also had 11 assists… Kevin Durant finished with 31 points and eight rebounds. J.R. Smith had 22 points, Nene had 20 and Chris Andersen finished with 12 to help the Nuggets improve to 32-16. The Thunder got 24 points from Jeff Green and 20 from Russell Westbrook, but dropped their third game in a row.
Anthony Johnson steps up, Magic beat Clippers 125-96
The AP reports: Starting for the first time since All-Star point guard Jameer Nelson was injured, Anthony Johnson wanted to set a high standard. He may have set it too high. Johnson had a season-best 25 points in place of Nelson, and the Orlando Magic routed the Los Angeles Clippers 125-96 on Wednesday night. Johnson was quick to point out he won’t score big every game, especially against tougher competition… Al Thornton had 27 points, and Eric Gordon added 14 for the Clippers, losers of seven straight and 21 of their last 23 games. They could do little to stop Johnson, who nearly matched his regular-season career high of 27 points against Washington on Jan. 18, 2006, when he was with Indiana.
Jameer Nelson health update
Orlando Magic guard Jameer Nelson underwent an MRI on Tuesday morning, which revealed a torn right labrum.
Nelson dislocated his right shoulder with 9:11 remaining during the third quarter of the Magic’s loss vs. Dallas on February 2. The course of treatment for the injury will be determined during the next week. At that point, his playing status will be evaluated.
The information above is from 12:15 p.m. ET on Tuesday, February 3.
Nowitzki scores 29, Mavericks beat Magic 105-95
The AP reports: The Dallas Mavericks are slowly creeping back up the Western Conference standings. Dirk Nowitzki had 29 points and six rebounds, Jason Terry had 23 points and the Dallas Mavericks beat the Orlando Magic 105-95 Monday night for their third straight win… Josh Howard and Jason Kidd added 13 apiece for the Mavericks, who held Orlando to 3-for-20 shooting from 3-point range. Dwight Howard had 35 points and 11 rebounds, and Hedo Turkoglu scored 18 as the Magic ended their three-game winning streak. But that wasn’t the worst news of the night for Orlando.
Jameer Nelson dislocates right shoulder
The Orlando Sentinel reports: Magic all-star point guard Jameer Nelson dislocated his right shoulder playing against the Dallas Mavs on Monday night. Nelson left the game with nine minutes, 11 seconds left in the third period, either fell or ran into Mavs center Erick Dampier. He ran off the floor in a bent-over fashion after appearing to injure his right shoulder.
2009 All-Star Skills Challenge participants
A new PlayStation Skills Challenge champion will be crowned as the New Jersey Nets’ Devin Harris, the Orlando Magic’s Jameer Nelson, the San Antonio Spurs’ Tony Parker and the Chicago Bulls’ Derrick Rose will take the floor on Feb. 14, as part of NBA All-Star Saturday Night at US Airways Center in Phoenix.
My initial prediction is that Jameer Nelson will win it.
Why? Because he has the most to prove.
This is the season that Nelson put himself on the map. He has faced years of doubt and was often considered to be more suitable as a backup than a starter.
Devin Harris is having a breakout season too. But he hasn’t faced years orf criticism and doubt like Nelson has.
Rose and Parker can win it, too. If they want.
Anyone can take it. But even though it’s a minor event I bet Nelson wants it the most.