Orlando
Philip Maymin
Basketball News Services
When the Magic get the jumbotron to flash that all-important triple digit to the left of the score, they tend to win ballgames. But when their opposition scores 100 or more points, they tend to lose. So what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immoveable object? Or in the words of Homer Simpson, "Could Jesus microwave a burrito so hot that he himself could not eat it?" The religious imagery, while possibly sacrilegious to Dwight Howard, is illuminating, as last night Howard and the Magic had the age-old question answered in the form of a 121-100drubbing at the hands of the team with the league's best record, the Phoenix Suns. As Milhouse/Moses proclaims in a different episode when encountering the unforgiving Red Sea, "Screw this! I'm converting. Save us, oh mighty Ra!"
The Egyptian Sungod Ra was nowhere to be seen late at night while the game was playing but it seems the power of the Suns was felt and the Phoenix rose from the ashes of, well, there are no ashes. The Suns haven't lost in five games. Orlando kept it reasonably close throughout three quarters, though they did not win even a single quarter, but in the last stanza the Suns outscored the Magic 33-21 to make it a complete blowout.
The Magic again got good performances from Steve Francis and Grant Hill (a combined 41 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists, 4 steals, and a block) and an astonishing 18 rebounds from Dwight Howard to go with his 7 points (he missed 80% of his field goal attempts). But they were no match for Steve Nash's 10 assists, Shawn Marion's 10 rebounds, or Quentin Richardson's 26 points on 6-of-12 shooting from beyond the three-point arc.
The Magic, in contrast, hit just two three pointer out of fourteen attempts, with both Hedo Turkoglu and Pat Garrity each going 0-for-6 from downtown. Had they hit just two of those shots in the first three quarters, the Magic would have been within three points to start the fourth quarter.
DeShawn Stevenson Wants Out
The 23-year-old guard is frustrated with his 17.2 minutes per game average and wants out. He can be traded starting tomorrow, Wednesday, December 15th, though he did sign on with the Magic as a free agent just this summer, so it is a bit surprising he is tanking his value now. GM John Weisbrod is not going to be happy about his attitude, and he certainly won't reward it. If Stevenson does get traded, it won't be to a contender, and it might not even be to a place where he can get major minutes. Weisbrod toldThe Orlando Sentinelthat he has "no plans" to trade the disgruntled guard.
NEXT GAME
The Magic (13-8, tied for second in the Southeast) finish their six-game Western Conference road trip hoping for a third win to bring this excursion back into .500 territory. They play the San Antonio Spurs (17-5, first in the Southwest) on Wednesday, December 15th. The game starts at 8:30pm Eastern and will be broadcast on WRBW and NBA League Pass. Tony Parker is questionable for the game.
TEAM NOTES
DeShawn Stevenson...According to Others: Who is DeShawn Stevenson? What's his story? Is he a player that can step up when called upon? Is he a good teammate? Or is he simply one of few players from last year’s team who managed to survive this summer’s reconstruction?
INJURY UPDATE
Pat Garrity(foot),Michael Bradley(hamstring), andAndrew DeClercq(knee) are all on the injured list.
Brian Schmitz ofThe Orlando Sentinelwrites: Frustrated by a disappearance of playing time, Orlando Magic guard DeShawn Stevenson said he wants the club to trade him as soon as possible."I want out of here. Get me out," Stevenson angrily told the Sentinel before the Magic faced the Phoenix Suns on Monday night at America West Arena. General Manager John Weisbrod said he had "no plans" to trade Stevenson.
Christopher Boyd ofThe Orlando Sentinelwrites: When Orlando Magic coaches prep for a game, they rely on a digital-video system that allows them to deconstruct their adversary's game and isolate flaws that could prove valuable in developing a plan.XOS Technologies Inc. of Sanford developed what has become an important tool in the high-stakes arenas of college and professional sports. Its digital system is a quantum leap from the old-fashioned techniques of scouting, which relied on grainy films and oftenunreliable reports to size up an opponent's strengths and weaknesses.
Brian Schmitz ofThe Orlando Sentinelwrites: The Orlando Magic fancy themselves as a highly entertaining, highly potent NBA team. The Phoenix Suns are an even better version. The Magic were severely beaten at their own game Monday night in the Suns' 121-100 victory at America West Airlines Arena. "We play uptempo, too," center Tony Battie said. "Just not enough tonight."The Suns have run and gun their way to a league-best 18-3 record, their best start in franchise history. The Magic fell to 13-8, losing back-to-back games for the first time this season.