Orlando Magic News for October 25th: Horns Offense, Mickael Pietrus' Wrist, Expert Picks, and More

With video and illustration, Eddy Rivera takes a closer look at the Orlando Magic's new Horns offensive sets, which feature the two big men at the elbows extended.

Zach McCann spoke to Magic forward Mickael Pietrus about his sore right wrist after Orlando's preseason-concluding victory over the Dallas Mavericks last week:

ON IF IT AFFECTS HIS SHOT: "It does. You don’t have the same rhythm. You don’t have the same motion."

Pietrus is toughing it out--"Sometimes you have to go through pain," he told McCann--but it would not surprise me if he eventually needed to rest for a few games.

Count Peter Vecsey of the New York Post among the mainstream media types who believe the Magic are championship material. Vecsey's picking the Magic to win it all this season, "on the strength of MVP Dwight Howard's defensive domination."

John Schuhmann of NBA.com is the lone expert on its panel who picked the Magic to win the championship this season. In fact, he and former Magic forward Dennis Scott are the only experts who have Orlando advancing to the Finals.

The Magic had today off. Wondering how they spent their time? Sam Gardner asked the guys about it after yesterday's practice.

TNT announced its broadcast crew for the Magic's season opener this Thursday against the Washington Wizards will feature Marv Albert calling play-by-play; Mike Fratello and Steve Kerr providing analysis; and Craig Sager reporting from the sidelines.

Mplax, a member of the Canis Hoopus community of Minnesota Timberwolves fans on SB Nation, wrote this essay on various approaches to auditing and how they apply to basketball analysis.