Orlando Magic News for November 21st: Jameer Nelson May Come Back Sooner; Aftermath of the Chat Between Dwight Howard and Stan Van Gundy

by erivera7 on Nov 21, 2009 5:53 PM EST in News Comment 30 comments

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Orlando Magic notes: Jameer Nelson may return sooner than expected
Brian Schmitz shares the news that Jameer Nelson may be able to return to the Orlando Magic much sooner than expected. Here's the report:

The Magic said that PG Jameer Nelson could be out four to six weeks, but teammates suggest he could miss as little as three weeks.

If that's a target date, Nelson could return Dec. 2 for a home game against the New York Knicks. The more likely scenario might be Nelson coming back during the club's four-game West road trip Dec. 5-11.

Nelson underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn lateral meniscus on his left knee on Wednesday. He has proved to be a fast healer, returning for the NBA Finals last June after being ruled out for the season after injuring his shoulder in February.
Van Gundy's light touch lifts Magic
Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports comments on how Stan Van Gundy has vowed to cut down on the negativity after speaking with his superstar.

[...] part of Van Gundy’s mellowing seems directly related to Howard.

"A guy like Dwight Howard who is loose and carefree and Stan, ultimate perfectionist on the other side, are not going to see things the same," said former NBA coach Jeff Van Gundy, Stan’s brother. "What Howard might see as negative, Coach might see as telling the truth. I see it as a natural conflict. That’s what you have sometimes with different personalities. That hasn’t prevented them from being very successful."
Keeping it real and honest!!!
Dwight Howard posts on his official blog today.

Me and coach have always had a great relationship. No matter if we were fighting with one another we could always come back and talk to one another. That’s what it’s supposed to be like. We’ve grown over the years and it’s only continued to get better. Like I told Stan the first time he got here: I’ll always be his soldier and whatever he needs me to do or wants me to do I’ll do it.
Howard makes an appearance in the top ten plays for November 20th. Is it me or does Dwight's block remind me of the one he had against Ray Allen in the 2009 NBA Playoffs last year? Same angle, same result, etc.
UPDATE (from Ben): We didn’t get to the Finals for nothing!!!
Rashard Lewis' blog post about last night's victory against the Boston Celtics includes his assessment of Van Gundy's new, more relaxed, style.

On Friday, Stan was positive the whole night. He did do a good job of cutting back on the screaming and yelling. He was doing more coaching in the huddles instead of bashing. Usually he bashes us for the first two minutes of the timeouts and then he’ll coach the game. Last night he was strictly coaching.
UPDATE 2 (from Eddy): A whole lot of good in that one
Doug Smith of the Toronto Star has the particulars.

[The Toronto Raptors] will, in their own inimitable fashion, pay tribute to Brendan Malone Sunday afternoon, I’m told. [...]

I’ll never forget the day they beat the Bulls and Jordan, end of the game, 36,000 people going nuts, Brendan’s walking off the court, points up to the fans in the 500 level an area code away to say thanks.

No, in the history of this franchise, as sorry as it’s been at times, as short as it’s been, Brendan doesn’t get the credit he deserves.
Brendan Malone is currently an assistant coach for the Orlando Magic and was formerly the head coach of the Toronto Raptors in its expansion season. Hence the honor, for those that are wondering.
UPDATE 3 (from Eddy): Perhaps The Wall Has More Cracks Than We Believed: Thoughts on Magic-Celtics
Matt Moore of Hardwood Paroxysm provides his thoughts on the game last night between the Magic and the Celtics. Tons of bullet-points.

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WOW.

Giving the ball to Carter in Crunch Time and watch him do what he did makes me feel foolish over my misgivings over his 10-29 shooting and 6 turnovers.

I always got this UGH feeling when we would play the Heat Cavs Lakers Etc, because they had a player I knew in the last 2 minutes would either score or get coughed on and sent to the free throw line.

It might have been 10-29 but I remember reading somewhere that it was the most shots he has taken in quite some time.

I really think Carter will prove the best pick up BY FAR and also the ONE that makes people say “Wow did we really discuss HEDO>Vince?”

Vince will slowly show us our insanity…

No pun and intended and for those who knew from the start that Vince would be better than Hedo, Bravo, I am a victim of Hedo’s recent success…

Keep pumpin, ain't worried bout nuttin
Busters thought we was frontin, so reload and keep dumpin
Keep Sleeping on Orlando...

by BS Patrol on Nov 21, 2009 4:30 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I don't see the surprise. Vince is better than Hedo, that's a fact.

Could Carter have played better last night? Certainly, and he will, so no need to worry.

I write for Third Quarter Collapse and have a Twitter account. Like us? Please vote for 3QC in the Orbbies, Orlando's Rockin' Blogs, hosted by the Orlando Sentinel. We're nominated for the best Sports and Overall blog.

"The second unit is kind of crazy because the second unit is only white guys." - Marcin Gortat

by erivera7 on Nov 21, 2009 7:21 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

hedo vs carter is not even close in my mind.

i mean come on we are talking about vince carter here. hedo is the man but hes not even close to a vince carter. our otis knows best witch is why soon he will sign another pg unless dad comes out pissed and plays good in the next 3 or 4 games.i could be wrong tho i thought bass would have a bigger role on this team witch he may down the line.

by magicman775 on Nov 21, 2009 4:42 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Yes sir..

Starting to really enjoy having Vince here..

P.S. Please don’t rush Jameer back, we need him 100% healthy..

"No matter where you go, you are what you are playa"-Jay Z
Twitter Account

by Wmillion on Nov 22, 2009 2:03 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

as was posted in another comment on this site

hedo was a product of the system. his success was overinflated due to jameer’s injury. until jameer was injured, hedo rarely had the ball in his hand at the end of the game. nelson was the reason we beat the lakers in LA during the regular season because he had 15 points in the fourth quarter of that game.

by MagicMark on Nov 21, 2009 4:46 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I don't think it's necessary (nor accurate) to bash Hedo

While the Magic may have groomed Hedo as a player, he is not a mere product of the team’s system. If you look at Hedo’s statistics with the Raptors, he’s having a well-balanced, efficient season.

Trading for Carter was a good decision, but his performance last night was not a vindication of the trade. If anything, he left considerable room for improvement.

by gift of the magi on Nov 21, 2009 6:22 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I don't think Hedo was entirely a product of the system.

I think Stan gave him the ability to grow as a player and have trust with the basketball in his hands.

"The second unit is kind of crazy because the second unit is only white guys." - Marcin Gortat

by erivera7 on Nov 21, 2009 7:20 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Good stuff on the site erivera7, as per usual, and congrats to the team for beating us at our own game...

I was unpleasantly surprised to see the Magic’s “D” take us out of our game and freakin’ Vince Freakin’ Carter bury us. YUCK> credit where it’s due…

Glad to hear that coach SVG is coming around on the ‘affirmative approach’ front. Good news for Orlando and Bad news for the rest of the NBA.

by jyrecelts on Nov 21, 2009 6:08 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Thanks for the kind words.

It was a doozy of a game and certainly could have gone the other way.

"The second unit is kind of crazy because the second unit is only white guys." - Marcin Gortat

by erivera7 on Nov 21, 2009 7:19 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

yah - if we coulda sunka few from beyond the arc, ya never know..

by jyrecelts on Nov 21, 2009 7:46 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I love the Gortat quote... hee hee...

by jyrecelts on Nov 21, 2009 7:48 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

wow, was there actually a celtics fan showing love?

i tip my hat to you celts…
ehhh i dont know how thrilled i am to see jameer returning early… i honestly believe the magic are better on the offensive side of the ball without him, as much as i hate to say it, cuz i really like jam-rock… thoughts?
aND im sure vince will def prove better than hedo when crunch time hits…

The Problem With Our Generation, Is That Our Future Isn't What It Used To Be

by JoeyBarz on Nov 21, 2009 7:12 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

No way, the Magic are more lethal offensively with Nelson starting.

I like Williams, but he’s a game manager, not a playmaker.

"The second unit is kind of crazy because the second unit is only white guys." - Marcin Gortat

by erivera7 on Nov 21, 2009 7:18 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

We need Jameer

I like Jwill brings in his back-up role.

"No matter where you go, you are what you are playa"-Jay Z
Twitter Account

by Wmillion on Nov 22, 2009 2:05 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

indeed nelson is

a threat, and solid pg and has a very bright career ahead of him… i just have my hang ups on him.. when he is turning the ball over 10 times a game, he is costing us up to 20 points… granted last year was an excellent start of the season for him, def all star caliber, lets just not get caught up on half a season play and forget all the cons he presents… every game other than the one he dropped 30 he has been gettin ran circles around.. like i say, i like jam-rock, i just think a more poised and steady pg like we saw in skip, and what we have with jwill is really the missing link.. look at the results of how well we have been with him out of the lineup

The Problem With Our Generation, Is That Our Future Isn't What It Used To Be

by JoeyBarz on Nov 22, 2009 6:03 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

That's more because the defense has stepped up these past couple of games.

That’s not an indictment on Jameer.

Likewise, the Magic have the depth and the firepower to withstand an injury to Nelson. To say he is turning the ball over and costing the team 20 points makes no sense, whatsoever, because it’s not true. You’re calling Rafer Alston a poised and steady point guard? More like erratic and inconsistent.

"The second unit is kind of crazy because the second unit is only white guys." - Marcin Gortat

by erivera7 on Nov 22, 2009 6:20 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Just so we're clear, you prefer Rafer Alston to Jameer Nelson, yes?

The same Rafer Alston shooting 33% from the field this year? With 4.8 assists per game, to 3.0 turnovers? Who’s turned it over on 20.5% of his possessions?

Third Quarter Collapse: An Orlando Magic blog at SB Nation | Brandon Bass: "I just play hard."

by Ben Q Rock on Nov 22, 2009 7:15 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

yikes, i musta po'ed the bossed... lol

idk fellas, it just seems that the magic are a better squad when he is off the floor imo… he is a stellar scorer, but i think the team plays better with a traditional* for lank of better words* point guard at the helm… “e” i was being sarcastic when i said he cost us 20 a game.. but his turnovers have been hurtful to us over the span of his career. and (it may be because of injury) his defense has declined this season as most of the pg’s have been busting him up and down the court…i remember before the start of last season that the main position writers were saying we lacked in was at the pg slot.. ben, i also will say that using the words poised and steady were bit of a stretch to describe skip…… i just liked how he fit in to his role here
defense all around has gotten better, and clearly has at the pg spot, as stated in todays update.. that all plays into why i feel jam-rock might not be the man for the job… here at least
this is only in my humble opinion as a fan in the cheap seats.. time can only tell, and i hope to be wrong givin that this is meer’s team to run… go magic

The Problem With Our Generation, Is That Our Future Isn't What It Used To Be

by JoeyBarz on Nov 23, 2009 10:34 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

The thing that bothers me about Carter

Is that he seems to struggle with the team ball we play at times – he sometimes gets too concerned with his own shot. I’m sure that’s only a self-confidence thing but, especially earlier in games, I’d like to see him be less selfish. There’s a lot of guys on this team who can hit shots.

Won without Jameer, which is always nice.

by eltharion_doa on Nov 21, 2009 7:42 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I disagree completely. I think he struggles when they run too many pick and rolls for him at the 3 point line.

It has nothing to do with him shooting too much, its where the shots are coming from. He’s not getting great looks. Also as you saw against Boston, he’s much more comfortable running the pick and pop with Rashard. Dwight was just covered too well last night, and there were no passing lanes.

It's not a dunk unless your hand makes contact with the rim. Yeah, I'm talkin' to you, "Superman..."

by ben_gleicher on Nov 21, 2009 9:21 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs