Orlando

Can the Magic Beat the Sonics?


Philip Maymin
Basketball News Services 

The Sonics play small ball with a lot of deadly three-point shooters on the court at the same time, a lineup most opponents are unwilling to match, but one which the Magic can easily counter. The Magic have the ability to go small with any opponent but it means either sitting Dwight Howard or playing him at center. Is that a decision the Magic can live with?

Hedo Turkoglu can play the power forward position in a match-up requirement to stop the three-point shooters. It doesn't even require playing Jameer Nelson at point; Steve Francis can stay there, with Cuttino Mobley at the other guard and Grant Hill at small forward, and Kelvin Cato the banger and stopper in the paint.

It's a strategy that worked well for the Boston Celtics, and the Celtics were able to beat the Sonics twice. The difference is that the Celtics don't have a marquee rookie power forward drawing crowds. Would the Magic be comfortable sitting Howard for long periods if the small ball defense works?

Would they be more comfortable shifting him to the center spot to be the defensive stopper?

The final alternative is to try to play regular Orlando Magic ball and hope the Sonics need to change their lineup to matchup with them.

NEXT GAME
The Magic (15-14, third in the Southeast) have a three-day homestand now, first facing the Seattle SuperSonics (23-6, first in the Northwest) coming off a win over the other Florida team. That game is TONIGHT, Wednesday, January 5th, 2005. The game starts at 7:00pm Eastern and will be broadcast on the Sunshine Network and NBA League Pass.

TEAM NOTES
Want the perfect gift for the Magic fanatic in your life? Want to shop easy and hassle free? Shop by phone, online or at TD Waterhouse this season and choose a Magic gift on your Magic fanatic’s wish list.

INJURY UPDATE
Michael Bradley(hamstring),Brandon Hunter(elbow) and Andrew DeClercq(knee) are on the Magic's injured list. 

NEWSLINES

Tim Povtak ofThe Orlando Sentinelwrites: This is getting close to a free fall.They have lost four consecutive games and eight of their past 10. They haven't even been competitive lately against bad teams. The good news tonight is that they have played better against Western Conference teams (9-5) than against Eastern Conference teams (6-9). Kelvin Cato might miss the game after spraining his left ankle Monday in Toronto.

John Denton ofFlorida Todaywrites: The slumping Orlando Magic seem to have more questions than answers right now, but one particular query hovers overhead like a black cloud. Is this team the one that started 13-6 and became the feel-good story of the season early or the one that has dropped four in a row, eight of 10 and looks nothing like a playoff contender?

Ken Hornack ofThe Daytona Beach Newswrites: Johnny Davis used analogies about lifeboats and ice patches. Steve Francis refused to point a finger, at least publicly, at the coach's defensive schemes.And all of the members of the Orlando Magic spent a good part of practice Tuesday watching tapes of what has gone wrong of late for a team that was one of the NBA's most pleasant surprises for the first month of the season. "When you're winning, you can walk on water," Davis said. "When you're losing, there's a hole in the lifeboat. That's just how it goes."

SportsLine.com writes: NBA star Grant Hill spent a lot of time in art museums as a child. Unfortunately, he says, "It was always under duress."... All those demands paid off -- in a big way. Grant Hill, now 32 and playing basketball for the Orlando Magic, came to appreciate art and eventually used his considerable NBA salary to buy lots of it.Now, 46 pieces from his personal collection -- all by African-American artists -- are on exhibit at the Dallas Museum of Art.