Orlando Magic News for March 15th: Vince Carter's Improvement, Dwight Howard's Free-Throw Shooting, and More
by Evan Dunlap on Mar 15, 2010 6:09 PM EDT
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Print- NBA.com: Magic's Carter finding groove after rough start to 2010
David Aldridge writes about Vince Carter's rapid improvement after a horrid January this year, and asks coach Stan Van Gundy how he turned his season around.
"I really can't answer that," Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. "He's really playing well now, very efficiently. He had some injury stuff early, both his legs and his shoulder. I think he feels better. He seems very comfortable playing with everyone else. He's shooting the ball well. Everything's gone well for him. He keeps playing like that, obviously, we're pretty good."
- 4. Taking Care Of The Rock - Daily Dime - ESPN
The Elias Sports Bureau passes along this disheartening, albeit probably meaningless, note about Dwight Howard's free-throw shooting.
Dwight Howard scored 27 points and grabbed 16 rebounds, but his 3-for-10 foul shooting might have cost the Magic a victory in their 96-89 loss to the Bobcats on Sunday. It was the sixth time this season that Howard's missed free throws accounted for the margin of defeat for Orlando. That ties breaks a tie with Brook Lopez for the league lead in this category-without-a-name.
- Don't boo, Portland -- be thankful - ProBasketballTalk
Kurt Helin of ProBasketballTalk says the Portland Trail Blazers lucked out when Magic free-agent forward Hedo Turkoglu jilted them after verbally committing to sign there to instead take the Toronto Raptors' offer.
More after the jump.
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Defining Dwight Howard’s place in Orlando Magic history
UPDATE (from Eddy): Austin Burton of Dime Magazine asks the question, "is Dwight Howard already the greatest Orlando Magic player of all-time?"Dwight Howard isn’t as brand-new as you think. Though it doesn’t seem like that long ago since he took the stage on NBA Draft night ‘04 with those braces shining on his teeth, and while his persona makes him seem younger than he is, Dwight is a veteran at 24 years old and now in his sixth pro season.
In other words, it’s not too early to discuss (or at least make realistic projections for) his place in history. -
Top 15 NBA In-Game Dunkers
UPDATE 2 (from Eddy): On a lighter note, Howard is listed as the third-best in-game dunker in the NBA.
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LOL @ the Hedo situation
They should be laughing at him and not booing him. Theyre lucky the got outta that horrendous contract.
Vince Carter - Half Man, Half Retired
Matt Barnes - Half Man, Half Tattoo
I honestly don't think he would be that bad if he was still in Orlando.
He may have declined a little, but I think his poor performance has to do with missing his true team. I’m just happy we didn’t get strapped with another bad contract.
His defense would still be awful
But he would definitely be having a better season in Orlando
"It can be done, you can just crush somebody"
He'd have Dwight cleaning up for him, though
I think he’d have a better season, because he’d be on a better team with better leaders, but I still don’t rate him as a long term option. He’s already into his decline as a player – his PER was below an average NBA player last season and has only got worse.
It’s interesting looking at his numbers, though – the only thing he’s really doing worse with the Raptors is shooting less. His percentages are roughly the same – he’s actually shooting better on threes – and his assists, steals and boards are all at about the same as last year, and around his career averages. He’s just not playing as much in games – his minutes are significantly down.
by eltharion_doa on Mar 16, 2010 2:40 AM EDT up reply actions
The guy’s play is tailor made for SVG’s system. He’s catching a lot of flack in TO too for not living up to the $. Shoulda woulda coulda stayed in Orlando. Obviously his value was inflated due to the Finals run. I wish he still played for the Magic but I’m also glad we got Matt Barnes (who I doubt would be on this team if Turk stayed). And Matt Barnes gets dirty with KB8…I love that.
"Where do you go from here, Dion?" "I go to Toronto."
Spreading that Calgary Flames, Montreal Expos, The U, and Orlando Magic love.
Matt Barnes is the truth!
I love his gritty kind of play. He definitely compliments the starting unit very well. As for Turk, I also follow the raps and man, what a bonehead signing. I said it from the start and i’ll say it again: If Hedo isn’t doing crap for the raps right now, think about 3 years down the line when they still have to pay the man a couple more seasons. He will not live up to his contract. Maybe if Dwight, Rashard and Jameer somehow get traded to the raps, he may look good again.
Someone should foward that Hedo article to Jon Barry cuz he's STILL extolloing the virtues of Hedo.
I can’t figure out what’s worse, his hard-on for Hedo or his baseless contempt for the Magic!
Sigh . . . Now I need new AVATAR!
Just wondering...
Is OPP going to have any kind of a contest involving the NCAA Tournament? You guys did last year, and there was something like 17 of us who entered; it was kinda fun to see who would come out the winner.
If not, no worries, as I know both you guys are extremely busy.
"Everyone is passionate about the Magic and that's great, but the key is keeping things in perspective and staying realistic." - erivera7
by Mike from Illinois on Mar 15, 2010 7:40 PM EDT reply actions
I'll get something up later tonight.
When I do, I’ll post a FanShot.
I write for Orlando Pinstriped Post and have a Twitter account.
"The second unit is kind of crazy because the second unit is only white guys." - Marcin Gortat
nice
FEED THE BEAST!!!
Twitter Account
by Wmillion on Mar 16, 2010 12:04 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Ugh. I may not be able to organize something.
Might need Ben to do it for ya’ll.
I write for Orlando Pinstriped Post and have a Twitter account.
"The second unit is kind of crazy because the second unit is only white guys." - Marcin Gortat
No worries... I know you guys have enough on your table with everything you're involved with
"Everyone is passionate about the Magic and that's great, but the key is keeping things in perspective and staying realistic." - erivera7
by Mike from Illinois on Mar 16, 2010 6:35 PM EDT up reply actions
I would've ranked him #1 he's the best
"It can be done, you can just crush somebody"
It's not as if Dwight would've made all of his free throws anyway, if the game had been closer then it would've been worth noting.
On a positive note, following yesterdays 12-14 shooting, Dwight officially leads the league in FG% at .611 to Perkins .610
I think realistically Dwight will be the greatest Magic player.
But I grew up with Nick Anderson so he can’t be replaced for me.
The intensity has to go up, up! Not down...UP! -Stan Van Gundy
The free-throw thing is ridiculous
If Dwight had shot 90% at the line, he would have been 9-10 at the line, we’d have lost 96-95, and he’d still have had as many missed free throws as the points we lost by. Yes, his free throws are a concern, but to pin a loss on them when most of the team couldn’t buy a bucket is misattribution of a correlation as a causation.
"When you make your final stand
I'll be right there
I'll never leave
And all I ask of you is
Believe"
There are "stat-heads" and there are "brain farts"
I think this stat falls into the latter catagory.
Maybe you know Judo, maybe I know Smith and Wesson.
by NC Magic Fan on Mar 16, 2010 9:48 AM EDT up reply actions
You can look at it that way, but if they were down 1 in the waning seconds instead of down 7, strategies and play calling would be different and could have resulted in a completely different outcome.
You can’t just say we would have lost by 1 instead of 7. It’s not that simple.
NBA Championship or bust in '09-10!!!! GO MAGIC!!!!
Sure, but you might as well blame Jameer going 2-10 from the floor, or Vince going 7-13 from the floor, or Rashard going 1-7 from the floor. If any of the other starters play to their potential (except Pietrus – he played a good game offensively), the Magic don’t just tie, they win. Pinning the blame on Dwight’s free throw shooting ignores that he shot 85.7% from the field, and scored almost 1/3 of the Magic’s total points. The rest of the team shot 36.2%.
"When you make your final stand
I'll be right there
I'll never leave
And all I ask of you is
Believe"
I was just commenting on your statement...
…“If Dwight had shot 90% at the line, he would have been 9-10 at the line, we’d have lost 96-95” not on the how ridiculous the statement was that you were commenting on. I place blame for the loss on the team as a whole, not on one individual or one statistic.
NBA Championship or bust in '09-10!!!! GO MAGIC!!!!
You're right
But you can take different decisions/there is less pressure when you make your free throws if you’re Dwight, and when the score is closer because of Dwight’s made free throws for all the other players.
Still that doesn’t excuse the bad decisions they made during the game.
Scenarios for Magic clinching a playoff berth tonight:
If any of the following scenarios happens on Tuesday night, the Orlando Magic clinch their fourth straight postseason berth. If not, the Magic will have a chance to qualify for the postseason on Wednesday when they host the San Antonio Spurs.
1) Charlotte Bobcats lose to Indiana Pacers
OR
2) Miami Heat lose to San Antonio Spurs
OR
3) Chicago Bulls lose to Memphis Grizzlies
Per OrlandoMagic.com, not that a playoff berth was ever in doubt.
NBA Championship or bust in '09-10!!!! GO MAGIC!!!!
lol
Any or all of those are completely possible. With the exception of the Bobcats and Pacers. I don’t see the cats losing to the woeful Pacers, especially because they’re making a push towards their first playoff run.
nyeh... they've lost to the Nets twice
as well as beating the Cavs, Lakers and us, so I wouldn’t discount anything
Soo true...they are an up and down kind of team
And I know you’re right cause they lost to the Pacers, I am shocked.
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