Dwight Howard is having the best offensive year of his career so far.
The Atlanta Hawks are looking to make a statement tonight against the Orlando Magic. The Hawks were embarrassingly swept by the Magic in the playoffs last season by an NBA record total victory margin of 101 points.
Then, before the team’s met this preseason, the Hawks said they were planning to prove a point and beat the Magic in the exhibition contest. The Magic won the game easily.
So, the Hawks want this game really, really badly. That will start off today’s links.
Stan Van Gundy was not happy with Charlotte's clean-up crew Saturday night.
Finally, a close game for the Orlando Magic. The Magic defeated the Charlotte Bobcats 91-88 on Saturday night, their first down-to-the-wire game in more than five months.
The win, however, was marred by an injury to Vince Carter, who slipped on a wet spot on the floor and injured his hip. The links will explain.
The Decision still resonates with Magic players. They want to put the Heat in their place tonight. (Matt Humphrey, Orlando Sentinel)
The day is finally here. Since approximately 9:30 p.m. on July 8, the Orlando Magic have been eager to knock off the Miami Heat in the Heat’s season opener. Here’s all the reading you need to do before tonight’s game.
Will the triumvirate of Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade and LeBron James lead the Heat to a title this upcoming season? Vote below (Al Diaz/MCT)
“If I look at what the Bulls did winning 72 games and I look at the Heat roster, I am going to tell you that the Heat roster is better than any roster that Michael Jordan played with with the Bulls. I don’t think that people predicting them breaking the win total and being in the 70s and the whole thing, I don’t think those are expectations that are out of line based on their roster.” –Stan Van Gundy, The Dan Le Batard Show, Aug. 17, 2010
“Those guys [in Miami] are under 30, and are they going to be able to put their egos aside trying to carve out their niche, their legacy? It looks good on paper, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to be a success on the court. . . . I don’t see them coming out of the East because they don’t have a true point and true center, because [Zydrunas] Ilgauskas is not going to get it done against Shaq, Jermaine [O'Neal] and [Orlando's] Dwight Howard.” –Robert Parish, The Boston Globe, Aug. 9, 2010
As those quotes indicate, there are no shortage of strong opinions when people start talking about the new-look Miami Heat, headed by LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.
Now, I want to know what you think about the Heat’s chances in 2010-11.
Here are the five games that I find most interesting, in chronological order:
Date/Time: Thursday, Oct. 28, 8 p.m. Opponent: Washington Wizards Location: Amway Center, Orlando The Buzz: This is the Magic’s season-opener, John Wall’s NBA debut and the first regular-season game to be played at the Amway Center.
Date/Time: Friday, Oct. 29, 8 p.m. Opponent: Miami Heat Location: AmericanAirlines Arena, Miami The Buzz: The Magic will face the Heat during the preseason, but this will be the team’s first look at the LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh triumvirate during a game that will count in the standings.
Date/Time: Saturday, Dec. 25, 2:30 p.m. Opponent: Boston Celtics Location: Amway Center, Orlando The Buzz: This will be the Magic’s first game against the team that eliminated them during the 2010 NBA playoffs.
Date/Time: Sunday, Feb. 13, 3:30 p.m. Opponent: Los Angeles Lakers Location: Amway Center, Orlando The Buzz: This will be Orlando fans’ only regular-season opportunity to see Kobe Bryant and the two-time defending NBA champs up close.
Date/Time: Thursday, March 3, 8 p.m. Opponent: Miami Heat The Buzz: This game could determine the Southeast Division title and homecourt advantage in the Eastern Conference playoffs. And, to hear ESPN analyst Jeff Van Gundy tell it, the Heat could be challenging the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls’ all-time single-season wins record of 72.
Will there be a Heat-Magic matchup during the first week of the season or a major holiday? We'll find out Tuesday (Photo by Stephen M. Dowell, Orlando Sentinel)
Parts of the Orlando Magic’s 2010-11 schedule will be released on Tuesday night. The NBA will unveil segments of its regular-season slate that evening on NBA TV.
Meanwhile, former NBA referee Tim Donaghy is in the news again — and for all the wrong reasons, apparently.
Let’s get to the links:
1. NBA to unveil marquee games on schedule Tuesday, The Associated Press
The Buzz: On Tuesday night, NBA TV will broadcast an hour-long special to unveil portions of the league’s 2010-11 regular-season schedule. The league will release its opening week schedule, as well as its games on the Christmas and Martin Luther King Jr. holidays.
2. Mark Cuban could align with lender in Rangers sale, The Dallas Morning News, Evan Grant
The Buzz: The Mavericks’ owner might be working with a private equity firm in his bid to purchase the Texas Rangers.
3. Another ugly chapter in disgraced NBA ref’s tale, St. Petersburg Times, Lorri Helfand
The Buzz: According to his article, the Largo-based publisher of Donaghy’s book says the disgraced former NBA referee threatened her, claiming connections to organized crime.
4. It took a team effort to keep Celtics together, The Boston Globe, Julian Benbow
The Buzz: The Boston Celtics will look almost the same in 2010-11 as they did last season. In this piece, Benbow explains that this “was as much a player-driven decision as it was the plan of Celtics management.”
Chris Bosh (right) on Thursday was booed as he rang the bell Thursday at the New York Stock Exchange (Photo by Brendan McDermid, Reuters)
Just how much criticism should the Big Three from this summer’s free-agent class receive?
That’s the question raised by two of the stories that appear in this morning’s NBA links.
Chris Bosh responded to comments by Toronto Raptors General Manager Bryan Colangelo, who said that Bosh basically gave up toward the end of the Raptors’ 2009-10 season. Meanwhile, the New Jersey Nets’ new owner, Mikhail Prokhorov, wrote a letter to USA Today saying that he supports LeBron James and the other major free agents.
1. Bosh refutes Colangelo claims, Rogers Sportsnet
The Buzz: In this exclusive interview, Bosh responded to Colangelo’s comments. “The Boshes are hard workers,” Bosh said. “We have a lot of pride in what we do in our jobs and in life. There was no time, at any time, that I ever stepped on the court — in my NBA career, in my life — and stop playing hard or give up.”
2. Roundup: NBA team owner backs LeBron James’ decision, USA Today, Mikhail Prokhorov
The Buzz: Prokhorov writes that he was surprised at the negative commentary directed at “the top three free agents,” especially James.
3. Eddie House to sign with Miami Heat, Sun Sentinel, Ira Winderman
The Buzz: The Heat added to their bench by agreeing to a two-year deal with House, a 3-point shooting specialist.
2. Orlando Magic could add third point guard by end of the week, Orlando Sentinel, Josh Robbins
The Buzz: This notebook addresses the Magic’s third point guard spot, the possibility of taking on an additional salary for a potential Chris Paul trade and Stan Van Gundy’s business trip to Paris earlier this month.
Otis Smith, shown here Tuesday, isn't ready to cede anything to the new-look Miami Heat (Photo by Gary W. Green, Orlando Sentinel)
In the span of one year, the Orlando Magic have gone from underdogs to favorites and back to underdogs.
The Magic can thank the Miami Heat for the latest shift.
“The NBA is faaaan-tasic,” Orlando General Manager Otis Smith said moments ago, borrowing the league’s old motto.
Smith shuns the limelight, but he seemed genuinely amused when a group of reporters asked him question after question after question about what the Heat’s signings of LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade mean for the Magic.
When asked if the NBA’s balance of power has shifted toward South Beach, Smith reminded everyone that the Los Angeles Lakers still exist and that the Lakers still have Kobe Bryant.
