Orlando Magic News for January 25th: All-Star Picks, Mid-Season Awards, and More

Making the Picks
Kevin Pelton of Basketball Prospectus selects his All-Star reserves "using a combination of advanced statistics, observation and past performance." Click on the link to find out if a player from the Orlando Magic was picked.

NBA: Midseason award winners
John Hollinger of ESPN Insider hands out his mid-season awards and states his choice for the Defensive Player of the Year.

Several other players merit consideration here. Dwight Howard, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, has been no slouch, Ron Artest has quietly excelled in L.A., and Atlanta's Josh Smith and Boston's Kendrick Perkins and Rajon Rondo all are worth a look. But in my book, none has been as good as [Anderson] Varejao so far this season.

INTERVIEW: Magic Forward Ryan Anderson
Chris Littmann of The Baseline takes the time to speak with Ryan Anderson and Brandon Bass before the Magic played the Charlotte Bobcats on Saturday night.

Ryan Anderson is a former first-round pick, but was generally seen as an afterthought when Vince Carter was shipped to the Magic this offseason. Anderson turned out to be a valuable piece for the Magic, filling a void left by Rashard Lewis' suspension early this season. Anderson's ability to stretch the floor at the four spot makes him a solid fit with the Magic. Prior to Saturday's game against the Bobcats, Anderson discussed his role in his first year in Orlando and more.

Graphic Offense: A Look At Usage and PER Mid-Season
Matt Moore of Hardwood Paroxysm looks at the usage rate and PER of every player on every team in the NBA, including Orlando.