Beware: Big Mac can heartburn ya
Opponent File
Orlando Magic
The Magic play in the TD Waterhouse Center
in Orlando, Florida. Here's the Orlando
Magic Roster.
Local Paper:
Orlando
Sentinel | Magic
Team Pages:
CNNSI.com
| Magic
ESPN.com
| Magic
NBA.com | Magic
The
Sporting News | Magic
Sportsline.com
| Magic
Head Coach:
Glenn "Doc" Rivers.
2002 Draft:
Ryan Humphrey, PF (Notre Dame), selected at #19. Mario Kasun, C (Opel
Skyliners, Germany), selected at #41.
New Players:
Shawn Kemp, F (Portland, waivers). Olumide Oyedeji,
C (Seattle, Free Agency). Jacque Vaughn, G (Atlanta, Free Agency).
Season Slogan: "McGrady and Hill together forever!"
Record vs. Nets: 0 - 2
Game 20 – Nets
121, Orlando 88
Game 34 - Nets
88, Magic 83
Other Opponent Files
Projected Atlantic Division Standing:
Chris Carrino: 2
Champagne: 3
Frank DiGraci: 5
Ian Eagle: 3
Joe Netsfan: 2
Where's The Beef?
Sure, you could argue that it's in Shawn Kemp's beefy hands. But like Tracy McGrady and the rest of the league, the wonder is where is the supporting cast that was supposed to help McGrady get further in the playoffs? Well, Orlando's lost 3 straight and 11 of 17 since the first of the year and help isn't coming any time soon. Grant Hill, needed to take some of the pressure (and double-teams) off T-Mac, is likely done with the season because of his ever-balky ankle. Mike Miller, needed to step up as the number two gun, is up and down, and in any case not a reliable option. Pat Garrity? Darrel Armstrong? C'mon, 10 minute role players at best. The last three draft picks (Ryan Humphrey, Steven Hunter and Jeryl Sasser) have done nothing. What does it say that McGrady leads Orlando is every significant offensive category except for free throw and three point percentage? There's very little beef sandwiched between that stale bread, and Orlando's in jeopardy of even making the playoffs. Can McGrady single-handedly take a bite out of the Nets in this first post All-Star game dine-around? Or will the Nets take everything off the table with a gorging of the ground-into-chopmeat Magic?
See You in Hell, Dolans: 39 games will have been lost to the Cablevision/YES Mess after tonight. Here's hoping the NJ State Legislature can get Cablevision fans their YES network. Keep up the pressure and tell your elected representative that you need them to support Bill A-3281. What else can you do? Click here.
-Joe
Orlando Magic Cheat Sheet
The Story From Orlando: Get to the playoffs at all costs? In their quest to make the playoffs every season, the Magic have not allowed themselves to rebuild, instead picking up spare parts (and broken ones at that) to support Tracy McGrady. McGrady, for one, is tired of it. Jerry Brewer (Orlando Sentinel) quotes T-Mac: "I'm tired of just making the playoffs. I want to get there and advance to the next round."
ESPN Flower Child Bill Walton sums up McGrady's, and Orlando's, predicament thusly: "I'm concerned that it's just Tracy and, really, nothing else. He has to be looking around, saying, 'Where's the rebounding, the power, the intimidation in the middle, the help?' "
Pain Game: Grant Hill, F, (ankle tendinitis) is on the injured reserve list.
Controversy: Shawn Kemp's weight remains scandalous. He's listed at 280, the heaviest on the Magic roster. Kemp is a forward, mind you, not a center. Bad signing, even considering how cheap he came? (Kemp effectively ripped up his original gigantic contract this summer in order to get signed by a halfway sane team and restart his career. He's off the cocaine too). In the future, Grant Hill's signing could also loom as one of the Magic's worst moves, as he has had his ankle surgically repaired 3 times in 19 months and has only played 18 games for Orlando in 2 seasons. No other controversies in the Kingdom of note.
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