The Orlando Sentinel (Brian Schmitz) reports: Center Marcin Gortat represented significant progress, hardly resembling the player that the Magic sent home after just three summer-league games for more seasoning in 2005. Friday at RDV Sportsplex, Gortat finished as the leading rebounder and shot-blocker in the six-team developmental league. Gortat, 6-feet-11, 240 pounds, has continued to impress since he surprisingly took veteran Adonal Foyle’s job during the playoffs last season as Dwight Howard’s backup. He averaged 12.8 points, 8.6 rebounds and 2.4 blocks, sharing the starring role this summer with Courtney Lee. Lee scored 101 points in five games for a 20.2 average, justifying his reputation as a marquee shooter. He hit 31 of 71 3-pointers for 44 percent and made 31 of 34 free-throw attempts.
Category: Orlando Magic Blog
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Magic sign Mickael Pietrus
The Orlando Magic have signed free agent guard-forward Mickael Pietrus (MY-kel PEET-rus), General Manager Otis Smith announced today. Per team policy, terms of the deal are not disclosed.
“Mickael brings versatility and athleticism to our roster,” said Smith. “He is a solid defender who will fit in very well with our team. We are excited to add Mickael and feel he can help us reach our ultimate goal.”
Pietrus (6”6”, 215, 2/7/82) played in 66 games (16 starts) last season with Golden State, averaging 7.2 ppg., 3.7 rpg. and 1.00 stlpg. in 20.0 minpg. He also shot .361 (66-183) from three-point range. Pietrus scored in double figures 22 times, including a season-high 23 points on Feb. 29 vs. Philadelphia, and recorded three double-doubles.
Selected in the first round (11th overall) of the 2003 NBA Draft by Golden State, Pietrus has appeared in 310 career NBA regular season games, all with the Warriors, averaging 8.6 ppg. and 3.4 rpg. in 21.0 minpg. He has also played in 11 career playoff games, averaging 6.0 ppg. and 3.8 rpg. in 19.0 minpg.
Prior to competing in the NBA, Pietrus played professionally in France for four seasons with Pau Orthez (PO OR-tez), making his pro debut at the age of 17. He played in 130 career games in both the French Pro-A League and the Euroleague, he averaged 8.6 ppg., 3.0 rpg. and 1.7 apg. Pietrus played for the French National Team at the 2006 FIBA World Championships.
2008-09 Salary Cap set to $58.680 million
The National Basketball Association today announced that the Salary Cap for the 2008-09 season will be $58.680 million. The new Cap goes into effect immediately as the league’s “moratorium period” has ended and teams can begin signing free agents and making trades.
The tax level for the 2008-09 season has been set at $71.150 million. Any team whose team salary exceeds that figure will pay a $1 tax for each $1 by which it exceeds $71.150 million.
The mid-level exception is $5.585 million for the 2008-09 season and the minimum team salary, which is set at 75% of the Salary Cap, is $44.010 million.
For the 2007-08 season, the Salary Cap was set at $55.630 million, the tax level was $67.865 million and the mid-level exception was $5.356 million.
Doc Rivers made some mistakes with Orlando
The Orlando Sentinel (Mike Bianchi) reports: But when faced with tough situations in Orlando, Doc Rivers didn’t fare nearly as well. He, perhaps more than anyone, allowed Tracy McGrady to turn into a prima donna. And, consequently, when McGrady’s play became inconsistent and his work ethic non-existent at the end of Doc’s tenure in 2003, there was nothing Doc could do to save his job. Grant Hill may have been the biggest reason Doc failed here, but not the only one. With Hill’s massive contract tying up much of the salary cap, Doc and former GM John Gabriel needed to work together and work miracles in the draft. Instead, they became engaged in a power struggle. Gabriel rightfully gets blamed for some poor draft picks, but Magic insiders will tell you Doc was just as responsible and pushed for such first-round busts as Jeryl Sasser and Steven Hunter. And although Doc refutes it, former Magic exec John Weisbrod said Doc made one of the most monumental miscalculations in Magic history. “When given the choice between [keeping] Ben Wallace or John Amaechi, Doc chose John Amaechi,” Weisbrod said. “Most every personnel decision that was made was because Doc was in favor of it.”
Magic extend contract of GM Otis Smith
The Orlando Sentinel (Brian Schmitz) reports in a blog: General Manager Otis Smith has signed a contract extension with the Magic, a deal that should run for at least another three seasons. The deal was expected. Smith, a former forward on the Magic’s 1989-90 expansion team, had one more year remaining on his contract after this season.
InsideHoops.com says: Smith has done well for the Magic, though it was sort of lucky (or was it brilliant insight?) that Hedo Turkoglu emerged and had a career season like he did last season. And, they still did overpay for Rashard Lewis. Now there’s more work to be done. Do they want to keep Lewis, a small forward who isn’t particularly muscular or big, playing out of position at power forward? Also, the backcourt needs to be upgraded if the team wants to really compete to reach the Finals someday. With all that said, the Magic are clearly headed in the right direction.
No one trying to take Pat Ewing from Magic
The Orlando Sentinel (Brian Schmitz) reports: Unless circumstances change, Magic assistant coach and Howard’s big-man guru Patrick Ewing will return next season. Magic Chief Operating Officer Alex Martins told the Sentinel that no team has asked the club for permission to talk to Ewing, including his former team, the New York Knicks. When Mike D’Antoni took over the Knicks as coach last week, he said he would be interested in handing one of his assistant spots to Ewing, who has another year on his contract with the Magic.
May 13: Pistons 91, Magic 86
The AP reports: Detroit set an NBA playoff record with just three turnovers and made just enough shots and stops to advance to their sixth straight Eastern Conference final with a 91-86 win Tuesday night over the Orlando Magic in Game 5 of the second-round series. Richard Hamilton scored 31 points, made victory-sealing free throws late in the game and Tayshaun Prince had a key block to help Detroit eliminate Orlando. The Pistons are the first franchise to play in six conference finals in a row since the Los Angeles Lakers went to eight straight in the 1980s… The Pistons were 28-of-32 at the line and didn’t turn the ball over once after the first quarter even though Rodney Stuckey was filling in for Billups. Orlando made just 16 of 28 free throws and had a playoff-high 21 turnovers, which turned into 34 points for Detroit… Detroit led by 10 with 3:49 left, but was clung to a 85-84 lead with just under a minute left after Hedo Turkoglu made back-to-back shots.
InsideHoops.com Stat Notes: The Magic shot 48.4%, the Pistons just 36.1%. But Detroit took 83 shots, Orlando just 64. Orlando was better from three-point range. But Detroit made 28-of-32 free throws, Orlando just 16-of-28 (Dwight Howard’s free throws were a miserable 6-of-15). But the big story was turnover: Detroit had an amazing 3 for the entire game, while Orlando had 21.
For the Pistons, Richard Hamilton (just 7-of-20, but 16-of-16 free throws) had 31 points and 4 steals. Antonio McDyess (6-of-9) had 17 points and 11 rebounds. Rodney Stuckey (5-of-10) had 15 points and 6 assists. Rasheed Wallace (just 7-of-20, 0-of-6 threes, no free throw attempts) had 14 points, 7 rebounds and 3 steals. Tayshaun Prince (just 4-of-13) had 10.
Fo the Magic, Hedo Turkoglu on 15 shots had 18 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists, but 5 turnovers. Dwight Howard (4-of-8, awful free throw shooting) had 14 points, 17 rebounds and 3 blocks. Rashard Lewis (awful 4-of-13) had 14 points, 7 rebounds, just 1 assist with 6 turnovers. Jameer Nelson (6-of-7) had 14 points and 4 assists. Maurice Evans scored 11.
Magic coach asks league for explanation of no-call
The Detroit Free Press (Krista Jahnke) reports: Magic coach Stan Van Gundy told the Orlando media Monday that he’s asked the league for an explanation of the no-call on the final play of Game 4. As he took a shot in the lane with 2.5 seconds left, forward Hedo Turkoglu collided with Pistons forward Jason Maxiell, who was set and said afterward he thought he’d drawn a charge on the play. Examining video, though, and you can see that Maxiell’s left foot was on the line of the restricted circle under the basket.
May 10: Pistons 90, Magic 89
The AP reports: There is a reason the Detroit Pistons have been to five consecutive Eastern Conference finals. They proved it on Saturday, even without their All-Star point guard to hold things together in front of a hostile crowd. Richard Hamilton scored 32 points and Hedo Turkoglu missed a layup with time running out as the Pistons beat the Orlando Magic 90-89 to take a 3-1 lead in their Eastern Conference semifinal series. The Pistons became the first team to win on the road in the second round this postseason, and can clinch their sixth consecutive conference finals appearance when this series returns to Detroit on Tuesday. All of it happened with Chauncey Billups watching in a sport coat on the bench after straining a hamstring in Game 3… Tayshaun Prince scored 17 for Detroit, including an 11-foot runner for the go-ahead basket with 8.9 seconds left. Antonio McDyess added eight points and 14 boards. The Pistons controlled the tempo in the second half after falling behind by 15 in the third quarter, deflated the Magic transition game that gassed up its Game 3 win and pounded Dwight Howard in the paint.
InsideHoops.com Stat Notes: Both teams shot a similar FG% (46%, give or take a percent) but the Magic nailed 10-of-18 three-pointers, the Pistons just 4-of-13. But the Pistons got a few more shot attempts, and made a few more free throws. The Pistons had a slight rebounding edge and an 18 to 13 assists edge. And Detroit barely turned the ball over, though Orlando controlled it pretty well, too.
For the Pistons, Hamilton had 32 points, 6 rebounds and 2 steals. Tayshaun Prince had 17 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists (but 4 turnovers). Rasheed Wallace needed 15 shots to get 16 points, 8 rebounds and 3 steals. Antonio McDyess had 8 points and 14 rebounds as a starter. Jason Maxiell was surprisingly quiet off the bench.
For the Magic, Hedo Turkoglu had 20 points but just 2 rebounds and one more turnover than assist. Jameer Nelson, Maurice Evans and Rashard Lewis each scored 15. Dwight Howard (3-of-12, only 2 free throw attempts) had a miserable 8 points, 12 rebounds and little else.
Second round playoffs notes
Nineteen teams have recovered from 2-0 deficits to win a best-of-seven series, including two last postseason.
The Utah Jazz defeated the Houston Rockets 4-3 in their first round series after dropping the first two games, and the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Detroit Pistons 4-2 in the Eastern Conference Finals after falling behind 2-0.
New Orleans, which owns a 2-0 lead in its Western Conference semifinals series against San Antonio, is out-rebounding the Spurs by an average of six rebounds (50-44) and is shooting .491 from the field, while San Antonio is at .417. Game 3 is tonight in San Antonio (9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN).
New Orleans’ Chris Paul has recorded a points/assists double-double in six of his first seven playoff games, including three 30-point, 10-assist games.
The Celtics own a 1-0 lead in its best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinals series against Cleveland, with Game 2 tonight in Boston (7 p.m. ET, ESPN). In their 76-72 Game 1 victory, the Celtics held LeBron James to only 12 points on 2-of-18 shooting. James, however, fell one rebound and one assist shy of a triple-double, finishing with 12 points, nine rebounds and nine assists. James has made fewer than two baskets once, on Dec. 29, 2004, when he shot 0-of-5 against Houston.
The Los Angeles Lakers took a 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven Western Conference semifinals series against Utah, defeating the Jazz 120-110. One of the reasons the Lakers are in control of the series is the defensive effort their frontcourt has made against All-Star Carlos Boozer. Boozer, who led Utah in scoring during the regular season (21.1), was limited to 15 points in Game 1 on 6-of-14 shooting. In Game 2, he was held to just 10 points on 3-of-10 shooting.
The Lakers are averaging a playoff-high 114.7 points, out-distancing the next closest team, New Orleans (102.4 ppg) by 12.3 points. L.A. also is shooting a postseason-best .491 from the field and averaging a playoff-off 26.5 assists.
The postseason’s best defense belongs to Boston, which is allowing only 85.3 ppg on .397 shooting from the field.
Orlando scored a 111-86 home victory in their best-of-seven Western Conference semifinals series against Detroit to avoid going down 3-0. Rashard Lewis recorded a playoff career-high 33 points, shooting 11-of-15 from the floor and 5-of-6 from three. In the first two games of the series, played in Detroit, Lewis scored a combined 38 points, shooting 15-of-41 from the floor and 2-of-12 from three. During the regular season, Lewis shot .483 in home games compared with .429 on the road.
– NBA News