The AP reports: Orlando jumped to a 31-point first quarter lead Monday night en route to a 118-80 victory over the Bobcats… Dwight Howard scored 20 points to lead the Magic. Rashard Lewis had 17 points to lead three other Orlando players in double figures. Orlando’s lead grew to as much as 44 in the fourth quarter… Gerald Wallace led Charlotte with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Jason Richardson added 15 points… Sean May, who didn’t wear a knee brace or protective sleeve, played 18 minutes and finished with seven points and two rebounds.
Category: Orlando Magic Blog
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Oct 6: Hawks 118, Magic 101
The AP reports: The Magic are looking for a starting shooting guard. On Monday night they watched the player they let go after last season help beat them. Maurice Evans, who left as a free agent last summer, scored 17 points and the Atlanta Hawks beat the Orlando Magic 118-101 in the preseason opener for both teams… Rashard Lewis led Orlando with 22 points. Olympian Dwight Howard had 17 points, five rebounds and eight blocks. The block total matches Howard’s regular-season best… J.J. Redick, the former Duke star who has yet to crack the rotation, scored six of his 12 points in the first quarter.
Brian Cook out of shape
Florida Today (John Denton) reports: Despite losing weight and getting back healthy over the summer, Orlando Magic forward Brian Cook has still managed to work his way into head coach Stan Van Gundy’s doghouse. Three days into training camp and it’s already apparent that Cook’s conditioning isn’t where the Magic would like for it to be. It certainly isn’t a serious situation this early in camp, as Van Gundy pointed out, but it could hurt Cook’s chances of getting significant minutes off the bench as the backup power forward.
No contract extension for Hedo Turkoglu
The Orlando Sentinel (Brian Schmitz) reports: Magic General Manager Otis Smith reiterated Wednesday that the club doesn’t have any plans to give forward Hedo Turkoglu a contract extension before this season plays out. Some teams offer star players extensions before they can become free agents. “You can do an extension, but wouldn’t I be negotiating against myself right now?” Smith said. “I like Turk. I like what he does for our team. It’s way too early, way premature, for this.”
InsideHoops.com editor says: No big deal. Turkoglu had a breakout season last year. If he keeps playing on that level, he’ll probably get the deal he wants.
Magic add 3 training camp players
The Orlando Magic will hold their 2008-09 training camp at the RDV Sportsplex in Orlando, beginning Tuesday, September 30. In addition, the Magic have signed free agents Dwyane Jones (F-C, 6-11, 251, 6/9/83, Saint Joseph’s), Jeremy Richardson (G-F, 6-7, 195, 3/1/84, Delta State) and Mike Wilks (G, 5-10, 180, 5/7/79, Rice). The roster currently stands at 16 players.
Orlando begins the preseason at home on October 6 vs. Atlanta. The Magic open the 2008-09 regular season at home on Wednesday, October 29, also against the Hawks.
InsideHoops.com editor says: Those are good training camp signings. Better than what most teams add. Not that training camp additions matter too much, but still.
Magic add two training camp players
The Orlando Sentinel (Brian Schmitz) reports: The Magic will take 16 players into training camp next week, adding small forward Jeremy Richardson and power forward-center Dwyane Jones to the roster… Richardson and Jones join point guard Mike Wilks, point guard Anthony Johnson and shooting guard Mikael Pietrus as the Magic’s new players.
InsideHoops.com editor says: Unlike most training camp signings, both of these guys are on the radar of a bunch of teams and could wind up with a small deal eventually.
Quick East thoughts
The season is approaching, folks. Training camps open in around one week (I’m in Prague right now, haven’t looked at a calendar in a while. Tuesday I’m off to hang out in Berlin for a week, then about 8 days in Amsterdam. I’ll be back in New York City right around the start of preseason.)
In the east, the Celtics remain the best of the conference, though I wonder if Ray Allen will drop off a bit this season. They also need to improve their bench.
The Pistons bring back last year’s team, with Rasheed Wallace and Chauncey Billups a year older.
The Magic still need to improve their backcourt.
The Cavaliers add scoring punch with the addition of point guard Mo Williams, but it’s still the LeBron James show with a supporting cast that will have to work very hard to carry their weight.
The Wizards must once again play without Gilbert Arenas for a while, though even with him they’re a lower-level playoff team.
The Raptors have to hope Jermaine O’Neal regains former All-Star form; it’ll be tough.
The 76ers added a star by signing power forward Elton Brand, and that should definitely raise them in conference standings.
The Hawks aren’t locks to return to the playoffs, but it’s good they kept Josh Smith.
The Bucks improved on paper, adding a pass-first point guard in Luke Ridnour, but more importantly, a legit good forward in SF Richard Jefferson.
The Knicks have the same talented yet flawed roster, but a new coach. Can Mike D’Antoni work miracles?
The Nets are rebuilding and aside from Vince Carter and young Devin Harris, everyone on the team who matters is young and in development.
The Bulls have the same team as the last few seasons, though Ben Gordon remains unsigned. Will they play like the good Bulls from two years ago, or the disappointing ones from last season? Flip a coin, because they’re capable of going either way.
The Bobcats have nice swingmen in Jason Richardson and Gerald Wallace, plus Emeka Okafor, but everyone else is young and in development.
The Heat could make a leap in the standings now that Dwyane Wade is healthy, plus Shawn Marion needs a new contract, and Michael Beasley doesn’t like losing. The supporting cast is still extremely weak, though.
The Pacers always do a bit better than expected. The bad news is, almost nothing is ever expected. Danny Granger, Mike Dunleavey and TJ Ford are very nice players, though. They may surprise a little, but not a lot.
I’ll share quick West thoughts tomorrow. Right now I’m off to hike up to the Prague castle. I’ll be right here in about an hour.
–Jeff
Orlando Magic to unveil new uniforms
Early Tuesday (September 23) afternoon the Orlando Magic will reveal the new team uniforms.
Magic All-Star and Olympic Gold Medalist Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis and Community Ambassadors Nick Anderson and Bo Outlaw will participate. The event is taking place at Cheyenne Saloon at Church Street Station, the same location where the Magic’s inaugural uniform was revealed in 1989. (120 W Church St .; Orlando, FL 32801).
This is the 20th Magic season in the league.
Pat Garrity retires
The Orlando Sentinel (Brian Schmitz) reports: Forward Pat Garrity, the Magic’s longest-tenured player, announced his retirement Thursday. Garrity, 32, had been with the club since 1999 after being acquired by Orlando from the Phoenix Suns as part of the Penny Hardaway trade… “After 10 wonderful years of playing in the NBA, I have decided to retire,” said Garrity. “I am so grateful for being able to play for as long as I have and to have established long lasting roots in Orlando. I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to the Orlando Magic and the great fans of Central Florida and for all of their years of support. Playing with and against the greatest basketball players in the world has been an experience which has given me some of the fondest memories of my life.”
InsideHoops.com editor says: He was tall and could make open outside shots. And so it goes. All the best, Pat.
Fan Poll Results: 8 East playoff teams
InsideHoops.com ran a poll for the last week asking fans to pick the eight Eastern conference teams they feel will make the playoffs in 2008-09.
The voting for the first four teams was pretty close, with the Celtics (592 votes), Cavaliers (588), Pistons (582) and Magic (578) taking the home-court seeds.
The Raptors (504) came in 5th, though from our experience Toronto fans, being very enthusiastic, tend to bump their team up slightly higher than tends to be expected. Though, if new Raptor Jermaine O’Neal can stay healthy and play anything like his old former All-Star self, this is a very reasonable prediction.
One vote later, coming in 6th, was the 76ers (503), who played better than expected last season and now add star power forward Elton Brand, who is returning from injury, to their mix.
The Wizards (459) came in 7th. They welcome a healthy Gilbert Arenas back.
And now, a dropoff.
Fans feel that last year’s #8 seed, the Hawks, won’t do as well in 2008-09. Rather than pick them to return to the playoffs, fans went with the Heat (294 votes). This is reasonable. Miami welcomes a healthy Dwayne Wade back, alongside Shawn Marion, who needs a contract, and superkid rookie Michael Beasley. The supporting cast is still weak, but slightly improved from last year.
The Bulls (195) finished 9th, just outside the playoff seedings. The Hawks (180) were 10th.
Here are the complete final results:
1) Celtics 592 votes
2) Cavs 588 votes
3) Pistons 582 votes
4) Magic 578 votes
5) Raptors 504 votes
6) Sixers 503 votes
7) Wizards 459 votes
8) Heat 294 votes
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9) Bulls 195 votes
10) Hawks 180 votes
11) Bucks 83 votes
12) Nets 68 votes
13) Knicks 53 votes
14) Pacers 53 votes
15) Bobcats 43 votes