Orlando
Philip Maymin
Basketball News Services
Q: How do you get eight players in double-figures? A: By scoring the most points of any team in the league this season. The Magic embarrassed the Raptors 129-108last night as every Magic player who was on the court for more than one quarter got at least ten points. Steve Francis also had a game-high nine assists and Dwight Howard had a game-high, season-high, and career-high 20 rebounds.
Cuttino Mobley, recovering from a groin strain, returned to action after missing nine straight games and it was as if he never left. He scored 16 points in 14 minutes off the bench and had an incredible behind-the-back fast-break assist to Mario Kasun.
What was unusual was Johnny Davis's decision to continue to hammer the Raptors at a time when Red Auerbach would be lighting up a victory cigar. Even with a 32-point lead, coach Davis kept four of his five starters out on the floor. Either he didn't want to let this one slip away, or he just wanted to see how high they could push the total. On the other hand, other than Dwight Howard's 38 minutes, no player logged more than 27 minutes, so it's not as if Davis were riding his stars the whole night.
It wasn't just in total points that Tracy McGrady's former team destroyed what will soon be Vince Carter's former team: the Magic also outrebounded the Raptors 61-32. This fact alone reportedly led Toronto head coach Sam Mitchell to lay into Jerome Moiso heavily after the game for his lackadaisical attitude in practice. Moiso played six minutes in the contest, logging five points and four rebounds, so it's a little strange that the Toronto coach would point to him as the scapegoat.
But we know what's going on here. Toronto was embarrassed. This might have been the game that sinks the franchise.
NEXT GAME
The Magic (9-5, first in the Southeast) head to the Big Apple to face the Knicks (8-6, first in the Atlantic) on Friday, December 3rd. The game will be broadcast on WRBW, MSG, and NBA League Pass. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30pm and tickets are still available at Madison Square Garden.
TEAM NOTES
The Magic got 51 field goals, also an NBA season high.
The last Magic player to grab 20 rebounds was Ben Wallace in April, 2000.
The NBA announced that Steve Francis, Grant Hill, Dwight Howard, Cuttino Mobley and Tony Battie will represent the Orlando Magic in All-Star Balloting, giving fans around the globe the opportunity to vote for their favorite players as starters in the 54th NBA All-Star Game to be played in Denver on Sunday, February 20, 2005. All-Star balloting continues through January 23.
INJURY UPDATE
Pat Garrity(sprained left foot) joinsMichael Bradley(knee) andAndrew DeClercq(knee) on the injured list.
Jerry Greene ofThe Orlando Sentinelwrites: There's a certain sense of empowerment from pulling the strings of a NBA star and potential Rookie of the Year, but I must admit that I thought Dwight Howard would be a little bit bigger.Actually, that's a Dwight Howard marionette. You can have one of your own if you are among the first 5,000 to go through the doors of TD Waterhouse Centre on Saturday night to watch the Orlando Magic clash with the Memphis Grizzlies.
Sean Deveney ofThe Sporting Newswrites: If you're looking to remind yourself why, exactly, you ever liked sports, catch up with Hill for a while.He was averaging 20.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 3.9 assists entering the week and was the player most responsible for the quick climb of the rebuilt Magic. His shooting skill has returned, and his passing and ball-handling ability from the small forward spot make him a perfect complement to Steve Francis, a scoring point guard.
Steve Simmons ofThe Toronto Sunwrites: Instead, there was Grant Hill, no longer a punchline, no longer a victim, no longer an argument against the rules of a salary cap, playing for the Orlando Magic against your Toronto Raptors.There was Grant Hill and it doesn't matter who you cheer for, or who you care about, or what you might think of Ron Artest, but at a time the league needs him most an NBA star has been reborn.
Steve Buffery ofThe Toronto Sunwrites: The toughest slam by a member of the Raptors last night was the one head coach Sam Mitchell laid on Toronto centre Jerome Moiso.Minutes after the Raptors recorded an embarrassing 129-108 loss against the Orlando Magic here in Orlando, Mitchell laid into Moiso for what he said is a lackadaisical attitude during practice.
Dick Scanlon ofThe Ledgerwrites: The Magic moved into first place Wednesday night by lighting up the scoreboard in a 129-108 rout of the Toronto Raptors.It was the most points scored by an NBA team this season, and that was just one of the big numbers the Magic put up before a crowd of 12,175. Rookie Dwight Howard grabbed 20 rebounds, leading the Magic to an overwhelming 61-32 advantage on the boards.