Analysis
Brandon Bass Returns to the Orlando Magic's Rotation
by Ben Q Rock on Mar 4, 2010 12:00 PM EST
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When the Orlando Magic signed burly power forward Brandon Bass to a 4-year, $16 million deal less than one month after the bigger, stronger L.A. Lakers eliminated them in the NBA Finals, conventional wisdom said that the Magic were giving in, abandoning the three-point-happy style that had brought them much success during coach Stan Van Gundy's two-year tenure. Surely Rashard Lewis, who led the league in three-pointers made and attempted last year at the power forward spot, would shift back to his natural position of small forward, and Orlando would play a more traditional game overall.
Instead, Bass has languished at the end of the bench for much of the season. Lewis continues to start at the four, while second-year man Ryan Anderson, whose combination of three-point range and solid rebounding is rare among players his age, gobbled up the backup minutes. A frustrated Bass and Tony Dutt, his agent, were rumored to have sought a trade before ultimately backing off and deciding to let the situation play out. It's important to note that throughout all this time, Bass has remained professional and continued to work on his game, and has not sulked.
It appears as though that patience has paid off, for all parties involved. With Anderson mired in an awful shooting slump since January (50.4% True Shooting, compared to 58.8% from October to December), and with Orlando's schedule featuring more athletic power forwards on the opposing side, Bass is getting a chance to prove he's a good fit with this Magic team, as he's been the first power forward off the bench in each of Orlando's last three games. Moreover, Orlando is starting to see a return on its moderately priced investment.
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The Dwight Howard Manifesto
by erivera7 on Mar 3, 2010 8:00 AM EST
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The numbers say Kevin Durant, LeBron James, and Dwyane Wade are the players who deserve to be in the mix for the NBA's Most Valuable Player Award. The mainstream media will mention other names and offer irrelevant reasons as to why Player A or Player B deserves to be in the discussion but at the end of the day, there are a variety of linear metrics that can be used as evidence to effectively decide the MVP and the stats strongly back the names above. Unfortunately, the voters who decide the award don't always choose the right person but that is neither here or there.
There's another player who deserves to be mentioned as a worthy MVP candidate and his name is Dwight Howard. Perhaps you've heard of him. Howard is one of the best players in the league, yet you wouldn't know it sometimes by how often critics target him. Especially when compared to his peers like Durant, James, and Wade, who are praised more than they are criticized. Sometimes it seems like the opposite is true for Howard. Is some of the criticism of Howard warranted? Sure, but at the same time, some of it isn't. Which brings us back to Howard and the MVP race. At times, the critics' voices have been so loud that people have overlooked the fact that Howard has taken his game to another level since the middle of January and has carried his team on his back at the same time. Yes, it'd be nice if Howard played the entire season like he has the past month and a half but it's also important to note that he has taken his game to another level since the middle of January. Howard is playing some of the best basketball of his career right now and even though he's produced like this in the past when looking at monthly splits, it's the way he's been producing that's been impressive.
56 comments | 6 recs |
Matt Barnes an Excellent Fit in the Orlando Magic's Starting Lineup
by Ben Q Rock on Feb 26, 2010 8:00 AM EST
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Six weeks ago, after the Orlando Magic dropped four straight games to sub-.500 teams, I wrote that head coach Stan Van Gundy had erred in inserting Matt Barnes into the starting lineup and moving Mickael Pietrus to the bench. The team needed a shot in the arm, sure, but that fivesome didn't work well together, and Van Gundy would do well to return Pietrus to his starting role.
I'm not sure I've ever been more mistaken, at least with regard to basketball. Usually, I'm pretty patient, and such an approach works. But man, I was way off here. Consider this post my mea culpa.
That lineup, with Jameer Nelson at point guard, Vince Carter at shooting guard, Barnes at small forward, Rashard Lewis at power forward, and Dwight Howard at center, has really jelled. As of last night's action, it had the best one-year adjusted plus-minus rating of any in the league that had played at least 400 minutes together. Dynamic on both sides of the ball, it scores 111.4 points per 100 possessions while yielding just 98.5. That lineup is still tops even if accounting for the standard error.
And to prove just how wrong I was in early January, that same lineup with Pietrus in Barnes' place is much, much worse due to its tremendous drop-off on offense: just 103.7 points per 100 possessions, with the defense virtually identical to that of the Barnes unit at 98.4.
Now, there may be other factors at play here. Barnes' starts have coincided with Carter's re-emergence, Nelson's return to health, and Howard's increased offensive role. Perhaps if Pietrus had played more alongside the four All-Stars as they're playing presently, he'd have a better showing. However, Barnes' impact is too big to ignore. We'll go in greater detail after the jump.
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Dwight Howard's Perfect Offensive Game Against the Houston Rockets
by erivera7 on Feb 25, 2010 4:00 PM EST
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Last night's performance by Dwight Howard, in which he had 30 points and 16 rebounds against the Houston Rockets, was special for a number of reasons. Howard was able to a.) amass those stats despite playing 22 seconds in the first quarter after picking up two fouls, b.) make 11 field goal attempts without missing a shot, and c.) set a franchise record by recording his 19th straight double-double, breaking a mark previously set by Shaquille O'Neal.
On offense, aside from the missed free-throws, it was a perfect performance by Howard. One of a kind, too. Via Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle:
The night could not have begun much worse for Dwight Howard. In 22 seconds, he had two fouls and a seat on the bench for the rest of the first quarter. That, however, was the only thing that stopped him. Once he returned to the game, he scored at will, making all 11 of his shots, the most ever without a miss by a Rockets opponent.
... and rare. Via John Denton of OrlandoMagic.com:
How good was Howard on Wednesday night? He became the first player with at least 30 points and 15 rebounds without missing a field goal (minimum 10 attempts) since Wilt Chamberlain did it on March 11, 1969.
How was Howard able to do it?
Click after the jump to find out.
22 comments | 0 recs |
Orlando Magic Bench Comes Up Big in Win over Cleveland Cavaliers
by Ben Q Rock on Feb 22, 2010 4:00 PM EST
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Entering a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the team with the league's best record, the Orlando Magic's bench had a tough enough task. The fact they had to provide enough support for the starters just two days after scoring a mere 6 points on 3-of-19 shooting in a loss added to the problem. But Orlando's bench indeed delivered against Cleveland, and proved instrumental in the Magic's win. Coach Stan Van Gundy was right when he said, "we got a lot more out of our bench today."
To be clear, Orlando's stars still carried it to victory. Jameer Nelson and Vince Carter scored 8 points apiece during the decisive 16-3 run Orlando made in the fourth quarter, while Rashard Lewis sank some timely baskets and Dwight Howard anchored the defense while saddling the Cavs' big men with fouls. But prior to the Nelson/Carter outburst, it was Orlando's bench keeping it afloat, with J.J. Redick and Brandon Bass scoring the Magic's only 6 points of the period prior to Nelson's and Carter's respective heroics, and defensively the reserves didn't let Cleveland get much separation.
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A Breakdown of the Pick and Roll Variation the Orlando Magic Used to Beat the Cleveland Cavaliers
by erivera7 on Feb 22, 2010 1:00 PM EST
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Catatonic.
Lifeless.
Late to the party.
These were some of the words or phrases used to describe Vince Carter, as he drifted in and out of yesterday's contest between the Orlando Magic and the Cleveland Cavaliers. For three quarters, the Magic were able to keep pace with the Cavaliers but Carter was not contributing to the cause (three points on six field goal attempts). However, from the 6:54 mark in the fourth quarter until the end of the game, Carter (and Jameer Nelson, too) scored eight points and helped lead the Magic on a crucial 16-3 run that handed the Cavaliers its third straight loss.
How did Carter, out of nowhere, awaken from his slumber?
The pick & roll.
But it wasn't the 2/5 pick & roll, Orlando's bread and butter play, with Carter and Dwight Howard involved. Instead, it was the 1/2 pick & roll manned by Carter and Nelson. An offensive set that head coach Stan Van Gundy plucked from the New Jersey Nets' playbook when Carter was a member of the team last year and used it to jumpstart him in the fourth quarter. It was a decision made by Van Gundy that, more likely than not, was one of the biggest reasons why the Magic were able to win. Mainly because the Cavaliers haven't seen the play before and were forced to adjust on the fly.
22 comments | 0 recs |
Vinsanity to the Rescue
by erivera7 on Feb 9, 2010 5:22 PM EST
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Special.
That is, perhaps, the best word that can describe Vince Carter's 48-point performance last night against the New Orleans Hornets in front of a sell-out crowd at the Amway Arena and a nationally televised audience on TNT. For a few hours, all eyes were on Carter as he brought 'Half-Man, Half-Amazing' back from the dead and reminded everyone why general manager Otis Smith made the decision to acquire him in the off-season. For a night like that.
So, how did Carter do it? How was Carter able to score, seemingly, at will?
Click after the jump to find out why.
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Addressing the John Salmons for J.J. Redick Rumor
by erivera7 on Feb 3, 2010 2:55 PM EST
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As with all rumors, they should be taken with a grain of salt but this particular one garnered some buzz around the internet before last night's game between the Orlando Magic and the Milwaukee Bucks.
Via Alex Kennedy of HOOPSWORLD:
Teams are calling about J.J. Redick but he has been playing so well lately. [...] His play has attracted suitors but Orlando may not want to move him since he's done so well as an insurance policy to Carter. I've heard that Chicago is interested in Redick and could offer John Salmons and his expiring contract for Redick and a filler (probably Bass or Johnson). If Orlando makes a move, it's going to be something smaller like this that doesn't change the face of the team but could still make an impact.
Later, Kennedy specified that the Chicago Bulls initiated the trade talks but there was little interest from the Magic. Whether or not the rumor is true is somewhat irrelevant because the move in question can be analyzed, regardless, to see whether or not it'd be the right decision - theoretically - if Orlando were to acquire Salmons in a deal.
In short, no.
But let's delve deeper.
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