Amar'e Stoudemire could cause the Magic problems tonight (Winslow Townson/Associated Press)

UPDATE: MAGIC-KNICKS GAME POSTPONED BY “ASBESTOS-RELATED MATERIALS” AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN.

NEW YORK — The Orlando Magic have won six of their last seven games against the New York Knicks.

Circumstances have changed in New York since the teams last faced each other.

The additions of Amar’e Stoudemire, Anthony Randolph and Raymond Felton, along with the subtraction of David Lee, alter the dynamic.

Here are some keys for the Magic tonight.

1. Make it tough for Amar’e
Stoudemire has played well offensively in his first three games for the Knicks, averaging 21.3 points per game on 46.0 percent shooting. He’s a threat from anywhere on the floor, but it’s important for the Magic to limit his easy baskets. So far this season, Stoudemire has had only two dunks, and the Magic would love to keep it that way.

This could be a game in which Marcin Gortat will play some minutes at power forward to guard Stoudemire. “I wish,” said Gortat, who has longed to receive more time at the 4. “I wish to play him. That’s going to be a big challenge for me. I’m really confident about defending him, so if Coach really needs me, I’m ready. I’m definitely ready. I’m definitely going to be waiting for that.”

2. Nelson vs. Felton
Magic point guard Jameer Nelson dominated Raymond Felton during the Magic’s 2010 playoff series against the Charlotte Bobcats, averaging 23.8 points per game, making 48.4 percent of his shots and averaging 4.5 assists per game.

Magic coach Stan Van Gundy says Felton “is playing the best I’ve ever seen him play in his career.”

The best way to neutralize Felton’s offense could be to make him work on defense.

Continue reading Keys to tonight’s Orlando Magic-New York Knicks game »

Nenad Krstic throws a chair in a brawl between Serbia's and Greece's national teams on Thursday (Yiannis Liakos/Reuters/ICON)

The NBA’s regular season is two-plus months away, but there’s a basketball highlight you have to see.

A game between Serbia and Greece featured a nasty brawl in which Oklahoma City Thunder center Nenad Krstic threw  a chair at a Greek opponent.

Let’s get down to business:

1. Nenad Krstic at the center of the Serbia-Greece brawl, The Oklahoman, Jason Kersey
The Buzz: You’ve got to see this video of a fight between Serbia and Greece players. Krstic throws a chair right around the replay’s 1:08 mark.

2. Serbia center released after basketball brawl, The Associated Press, Demetris Nellas
The Buzz: Krstic spent the night in police custody.

Continue reading Top Magic and NBA news: Friday, August 20 »

Shaquille O'Neal reportedly is close to signing with the Boston Celtics (Photo by Chuck Burton, The Associated Press)

The Boston Celtics are about to fire a new salvo Eastern Conference arms race.

And it could cost the Orlando Magic dearly come playoff time.

It appears that the Celtics and Shaquille O’Neal are about to agree to a deal.

I know what many people are thinking: Shaq’s merely a shell of his own self.

Of course, Shaq at 38 isn’t as good as he was three, five or 10 years ago. But Shaq played effectively against Dwight Howard last year when the Magic faced the Cleveland Cavaliers. And even if Shaq only plays 15 to 20 minutes a game for the Celtics, he’s a big body who is tough to move off of the low block.

The Celtics-O’Neal courtship appears in the fourth spot in today’s daily links.

1. Merry Xmas, Magic: Orlando to meet Celtics on Christmas Day, Orlando Sentinel, Brian Schmitz
The Buzz: The Magic will appear on national TV twice during the season’s first week and also on Christmas and on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

2. Orlando Magic re-sign Jason Williams, Orlando Sentinel, Josh Robbins
The Buzz: “If you look at our team,” Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said, ”I don’t think there’s anybody in the league that’s deeper at that position than we are. We have three starting-caliber point guards. Clearly, Jameer’s injuries in the past two years, and especially two years ago, have made it really clear how important it is to have solid people at that position, and we have done that.” 

Continue reading Top Magic and NBA news: Wednesday, August 4 »

Dwight Howard, shown here during the 2010 playoffs, visited his hometown of Atlanta on Friday (Photo by Gary W. Green, Orlando Sentinel)

Friday was a quiet news day in the NBA.

Orlando Magic star Dwight Howard returned to his hometown of Atlanta and visited with children from Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Atlanta. He was asked about several league topics, including the new-look Miami Heat.

Howard’s annual camp at UCF, by the way, will begin on Monday. He’ll have a media availability session that morning, and the Orlando Sentinel will be there to cover the event.

Let’s get to the links:

1. Dwight Howard opens up on LeBron, Shaq and Josh’s wedding (sssh), The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Jeff Schultz
The Buzz: Schultz captured some of Howard’s thoughts on various topics. Here’s what Howard had to say about the Miami Heat: “They’ve still got to play games. It looks good on paper. It looks good playing a video game. But this is real life. We’re looking forward to playing them. They’re going to be a real good team but that doesn’t mean they’re going to win a championship.”

2. Lorenzen Wright’s mother slams Germantown police over 911 call, The Commercial Appeal, Kristina Goetz
The Buzz: On July 19, the night Wright died, a call from Wright’s cell phone came into 911. Gunfire could be heard on that call. Wright’s mother says police did not react to that call.

3. Attorney: Wright’s ex-wife got threatening visit, The Associated Press, Adrian Sainz
The Buzz: The lawyer for Wright’s ex-wife says the ex-wife received a visit from three armed men who were looking for Wright about six weeks before Wright was found shot to death.

Continue reading Top Magic and NBA news: Saturday, July 31 »

Dwayne Wade (right) said Saturday he hopes to make his decision "at the beginning of next week sometime" (Photo by Elise Amendola, Associated Press)

Now we wait.

All the teams in the LeBron James sweepstakes have completed their face-to-face meetings with the league’s reigning most valuable player, and now it’s up to James to make a decision.

Same goes with Dwyane Wade. Same goes with Chris Bosh. The ball, as they say, is in their court.

Meanwhile, everything is in place for the Magic’s AirTran Airways Pro Summer League, which begins Monday.

All that and more in this morning’s links:

1. Orlando Magic’s NBA summer league is a no-frills affair, Orlando Sentinel, Josh Robbins
The Buzz: Why do the Magic prefer to close the AirTran Airways Pro Summer League to the public? This article will tell you why.

2. The Magic face complicated free-agency decisions, Orlando Sentinel, Josh Robbins
The Buzz: This blog post breaks down the exceptions that the Magic have to work with as they try to re-sign their own free agents and attempt to add others.

3. Cavaliers, Bulls make final pitches to LeBron: Now, the wait begins, The Plain Dealer, Brian Windhorst
The Buzz: The Cavs showed James a cartoon similar to The Family Guy that included lots of inside jokes and stressed James’ familiarity with Cleveland and the franchise.

Continue reading Top Magic and NBA news: Sunday, July 4 »

Heat fans might face the prospect of Dwyane Wade's defection to the Bulls (Photo taken in Dec. 2009 by Kathy Willens, Associated Press)

Could the Miami Heat actually lose Dwyane Wade in free agency?

That possibility has creeped into South Floridians’ minds as the Chicago native had a second meeting in as many days with the Chicago Bulls on Friday.

Meanwhile, while it looks like LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Joe Johnson have not made their decisions, Amar’e Stoudemire seems to have settled on joining the New York Knicks.

And, finally, the Los Angeles Lakers are made a verbal agreement that impacts the Orlando Magic’s search for a point guard to serve as Jameer Nelson’s backup.

Let’s get to the links:

1. Bulls have Wade’s ear, but does Heat still have his heart?, South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Ira Winderman
The Buzz: Wade met with the Chicago Bulls for the second time in two days Friday, raising concerns in Miami that their superstar shooting guard might depart South Florida.

2. Meeting with LeBron just start of Heat’s Friday frenzy, South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Ira Winderman
The Buzz: The Heat met with James for three hours on Friday.

3. Bulls working hard on Wade, Chicago Tribune, K.C. Johnson
The Buzz: Word out of Chicago was that Wade was “surprisingly receptive” to the second meeting with the Bulls.

4. Cleveland Cavaliers ready for meeting with LeBron James, The Plain Dealer, Brian Windhorst
The Buzz: The Cavs will meet with James today.

Continue reading Top Magic and NBA news: Saturday, July 3 »

Paul Pierce and his Boston Celtics are preparing to face the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals (Photo by Winslow Townson, Associated Press)

This morning’s daily links examine the Orlando Magic’s and Phoenix Suns’ futures and, of course, the upcoming NBA Finals series between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Here goes:

1. Orlando Magic head into the offseason facing turnover on roster, Orlando Sentinel, Brian Schmitz
The Buzz: In this piece, Brian breaks down the Magic’s upcoming offseason.

2. Sizing up the Magic: Dwight Howard needs help, Orlando Sentinel, George Diaz
The Buzz: The headline says it all.

3. Pierce’s game is city slick, The Boston Globe, Gary Washburn
The Buzz: The Celtics’ Paul Pierce hails from Los Angeles. On Thursday, he’ll face the Lakers in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

4. All Celtics see the light on “window,” The Boston Globe, Julian Benbow
The Buzz: The Big Three have reminded Boston’s younger players that every trip to the Finals should be cherished.

5. Lakers don’t need video evidence from 2008, Los Angeles Times, Mike Bresnahan
The Buzz: The Lakers remember the 2008 Finals, in which the Celtics beat them by 39 in the clinching game.

Continue reading Top Magic and NBA news: Monday, May 31 »

Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis and the Orlando Magic face an interesting offseason (Photo by Gary W. Green, Orlando Sentinel)

The Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics will play each other in the NBA Finals for the second time in three years.

The Lakers finished off the Phoenix Suns last night, winning Game 6 of the Western Conference finals 111-103.

Meanwhile, the Orlando Magic are now in the midst of their offseason and face bunch of personnel decisions.

Hedo Turkoglu also wants out of Toronto.

We cover it all in this morning’s daily links.

1. Magic meltdown in playoffs leaves Orlando asking, “What if?,” Orlando Sentinel, Brian Schmitz
The Buzz: Brian takes a look at the Magic’s future.

2. Matt Barnes, J.J. Redick face critical offseasons, might not return to Orlando Magic, Orlando Sentinel, Josh Robbins
The Buzz: Barnes might not exercise a player option for the 2010-11 season, while Redick will be a restricted free agent.

3. Orlando Magic’s season was not a failure, Orlando Sentinel, Mike Bianchi
The Buzz: ”The Magic season was not a failure,” Mike writes. “The Magic coach is not a failure. The Magic organization is not a failure.”

4. The big man is not happy: Howard upset Magic fell apart in Game 6, Orlando Sentinel, Brian Schmitz
The Buzz: Magic center Dwight Howard didn’t like how his teammates abandoned their gameplan for their offense in Game 6.

Continue reading Top Magic and NBA news: Sunday, May 30 »