Orlando

Christie Out for the Season?


Philip Maymin
Basketball News Services 

The bad news keeps on coming but the Magic keep on winning. Doug Christie's "bone spurs" have parked him on Orlando's injured list but we all know that is a smokescreen to hide what seems to be the league's worst-kept secret: Christie will likely not play again this season because of frustration and disappointment with his role on the team. Meanwhile, Grant Hill's bruised left shin is inches away from his surgically repaired left ankle. Hill will sit for two games.

Yet despite all this, and despite having two rookies in the starting lineup, the Magic have been surging recently and are riding a three-game win streak into tonight's matchup with the despondent Cavaliers to determine who will be the sole possessor of the fifth seed of the playoffs.

If Christie is really gone for good, then critics will have to wait until the summer when Christie is either traded or head coach Johnny Davis is fired to determine the final value of the Cuttino Mobley trade. If the Magic are able to squeeze a draft pick or some other talent out of the equation, would that have made it worthwhile? It's hard to tell.

One can't help but wonder that if the Magic were instead floundering and out of the playoffs at this point how long John Weisbrod would wait before yanking Johnny Davis and replacing him with another couch, one who would play Christie. But Davis has been successful, and in the end, that's far more important to Weisbrod than trying to dictate playing time merely to make the trade look less harmful.

More as it develops, as always.

NEXT GAME
The Magic (31-27, third in the Southwest) play the first of a back-to-back set on the road as they visit LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers (31-27, second in the Central) TONIGHT in what will be a matchup of the two latest first overall picks. Cleveland is trying to snap a six game losing skid while the Magic are looking to extend their three game winning streak. The result of both streaks is that these two teams are tied for the 5th seed in the playoffs: the winner of tonight's game gets lone possession of that lofty spot. The game starts at 7:00pm Eastern and will be broadcast on WRBW and NBA League Pass.

TEAM NOTES
Check out the Orlando Magic Ask-A-Player archive! Here is a sample:

Q: Steve, what is that tattoo on your arm?
A: “It is a tattoo of my mom, in memory of her.â€

Q: Hedo, which NBA player is the hardest to defend?
A: For me, it was always Jamal Mashburn.

INJURY UPDATE
Doug Christie("bone spurs") andAndrew DeClercq(knee) are on the injured list.

NEWSLINES

Tim Povtak ofThe Orlando Sentinelwrites: Just when things were starting to look so right, something else went wrong. Grant Hill, who has returned to all-star form after missing most of the last four seasons, is expected to skip the next two games because of a bruised left shin, dampening the Ortando Magic's recent quest to strengthen their playoff position... Hill missed one game earlier this season with a bruised right shin. He was kicked in the left shin against the Sacramento Kings six days ago, and has been receiving treatment for it ever since. The Magic are insisting that his latest injury is not related to the serious left ankle injury that almost ended his career. They want to make sure it doesn't become part of that previous problem. He sat out Monday's practice. 

Jerry Greene ofThe Orlando Sentinelwrites: Maybe I'm wrong, but the Orlando Magic seem a little testy, you know what I'm saying?Not irate. Not enraged. Certainly not suicidal considering how well they've been playing in the last week. Just a littletesty, if you get my drift. Players disappearing, coaches and GMs glaring, that sort of thing. Alas, we may have something to do with it.

Tim Povtak ofThe Orlando Sentinelwrites: They will try to win a season-high fourth consecutive game, coming off easy, back-to-back victories against New York and New Jersey.The will have to do it without Grant Hill, who will miss at least one game with a bruised left shin. Earlier this season he missed one game with a bruised right shin. Hedo Turkoglu is expected to start in his spot.