Open thread: Regular season game 67

by Mike Prada on Mar 19, 2008 6:21 PM EDT in Game Threads

The essentials:
Wizards (33-33) at Magic (45-24)
7 p.m.
Amway Arena
Comcast Sports Net

This year:
November 3: Magic 94, Wizards 82.
March 2: Magic 122, Wizards 92.

Notable Magic numbers this season:
T8th in expected winning percentage (.684), third in the East.
10th in pace factor (92 possessions per game), second in the East.
3rd in offensive efficiency/offensive rating (113.8), first in the East.
11th in defensive efficiency/defensive rating (107.8), fifth in the East.

Key links
Third Quarter Collapse.
Believing in Magic.
Truth's game preview.
Magic BasketBlog writer Brian Schmitz tears into Billy Donovan. Wow, vicious stuff.
Corey Maggette in Orlando?
3QC game preview.
Third Quarter Collapse blog preview.
Believing in Magic blog preview.
Competition discussion: Orlando

Starting lineups:
Magic
PG: Jameer Nelson.
SG: Maurice Evans
SF: Hedo Turkoglu.
PF: Rashard Lewis.
C: Dwight Howard.

Wizards
PG: Antonio Daniels
SG: DeShawn Stevenson
SF: Caron Butler
PF: Antawn Jamison
C: Brendan Haywood

Tonight's lines:
Magic at Wizards: Magic by 7
Over/Under on total scoring: 212 points.

Sans Gilbert Arenas, the Wizards march into Orlando, for a date with the formidable Orlando Magic.

He's not the only injured one: It's stuff like this that makes me wonder whether this franchise is snakebitten. One game after returning from a hip injury, Caron Butler hurt his wrist, and while he will play through it, it clearly affected him against Atlanta, when he shot 4 for 13 and only grabbed three defensive boards. Antonio Daniels is also nursing a left wrist problem, which also manifested itself Monday in a 27-minute, 8 point, 3 assist, -15 performance. I assume both will play through the pain, and I'm confident Butler will recover like he did in 2006, but it sure would be nice if we had a healthy crew more often.

That said, I found AD's comments really interesting. It almost seemed like he was taking a shot at a certain injured someone (emphasis mine).

"It is what it is," Daniels said. "If you can play, you go out and play. You do what you have to do to help the team win basketball games."

One can only hope he was, in fact, talking to Gilbert.

The missing kid: Once again, we're seeing a disturbing trend emerge with Eddie Jordan and his handling of Andray Blatche.

Look, I know Blatche is not playing all that well right now. After averaging 10.6 points and 7.5 rebounds on 48 percent shooting in about 29 minutes a game in February, he's down to just 6.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 39 percent shooting in 19 minutes a game in eight games this month. Fine. But for him to get just five minutes against an Atlanta team he dominated in a key win earlier in the year is just absurd. I know there's more to a player than what he does in a game, but with so many guys banged up, Blatche needs a chance to show his skills. The young bench, of which Blatche has been a big part, has made great strides since earlier in the year, so it must be used.

On Gilbert, again: I figured this post would generate more discussion, but since it didn't, thoughts related to Gilbert's potential return and impending free agency can go here too.

Let's not mince words, they're a contender: The Magic officially scare me.

They've won eight of their last nine, all in blowout fashion. Sure, none of those wins were against a good team (except Cleveland), but they have been blowouts, which is how good teams are separated from mediocre teams. They've improved their defense, surrendering over 100 points only three times during the stretch. That officially makes them tough, because offensively, they're easily the best team in the Eastern Conference, and as the best shooting team, they can burn you no matter how well you guard them.

I'd rather face Cleveland at this point, to be honest. Cleveland has the playoff experience, but they're still getting acquainted to each other, and they haven't been the same defensively all year. Toronto is fading, so the 5 spot is in reach. We just have to find a way to win the games we should win.

This is an open game thread, so reflect on the nondescript career of former Magic and Bullet Scott Skiles. Did you know he never made it out of the first round of the playoffs as a player? Damn.

GO WIZARDS!

Tweet Comment 10 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Woohoo!

Feelin' the love from the Bullets Forever crew. Faaaantastic. I hope this praise isn't just an elaborate attempt to jinx us:

Let's not mince words, they're a contender: The Magic officially scare me.

They've won eight of their last nine, all in blowout fashion. Sure, none of those wins were against a good team (except Cleveland), but they have been blowouts, which is how good teams are separated from mediocre teams. They've improved their defense, surrendering over 100 points only three times during the stretch. That officially makes them tough, because offensively, they're easily the best team in the Eastern Conference, and as the best shooting team, they can burn you no matter how well you guard them.

See you guys at the tip.

P.S. - Schmitz really tore into Donovan, didn't he? That was something else. Usually, he's reserved.

Third Quarter Collapse: An SB Nation Blog for Orlando Magic Fans

by Evan Dunlap on Mar 19, 2008 6:29 PM EDT reply actions

Wiz - Under

Magic getting 7 and 212 O/U seems like a lot.

Great call on O-Town vs. Mistake by the Lake in the playoffs by the way.

As I was watching the Wiz pre-game, they talked about the 3 point shooting prowess of the Magic....and I also started to think, might the Wiz match-up better against the Cavs?

I gotta think on that one, definitely worth a discussion.

Good post on Gil too....my thoughts are on well, you know.

www.truthaboutit.net

by Kyle Weidie on Mar 19, 2008 6:59 PM EDT reply actions

About time

Eddie waits so long to put Blatche in, and when he does get in the game, he makes a major difference.

Hopefully Eddie doesn't continue to yank his minutes around.

Predicting how this squad is going to perform is like trying to solve trig problems with pen and paper. -sierradave.

by Mike Prada on Mar 19, 2008 9:02 PM EDT reply actions

Argh

At least C-But took the ball to the rim.

Come on defense!

Predicting how this squad is going to perform is like trying to solve trig problems with pen and paper. -sierradave.

by Mike Prada on Mar 19, 2008 9:31 PM EDT reply actions

YES!!!

Got a little lucky, but damn, a win at Orlando is huge for this time of year.

Let's have a curfew every night.

Predicting how this squad is going to perform is like trying to solve trig problems with pen and paper. -sierradave.

by Mike Prada on Mar 19, 2008 9:35 PM EDT reply actions

what just happened

I honestly never felt the Wiz were going to win that one. Great win. Completely shutting down Howard, by getting him in foul trouble, the whole game is very impressive.

by Aldo on Mar 19, 2008 9:35 PM EDT reply actions

awesome

I mean OF COURSE we were going to lose to Atlanta and the beat Orlando. Wasn't it obvious?

Oy. And the Sixers won again. While shooting like 66%. Crazy.

by sierradave on Mar 19, 2008 9:41 PM EDT reply actions

Satisfying win

I really thought the Wiz had no shot coming into this one. Disappointing to see it get that close in the end, but a clutch effort to close it out. Hopefully this will give the Wiz some momentum to finish down the stretch.

by MikeMid on Mar 19, 2008 10:09 PM EDT reply actions

Hmm

I hope Gilbert Arenas could come back as soon as possible. I think he is so important for the whole team. And I am planning to get a new jersey of Gilbert that I found online: http://dealstudio.com/searchdeals.php?deal_id=91629&ru=279 , then I will wear it to watch his games, every player has his bad time, just like McGrady. Who knows when he will break out?

by hoyymmnn on Mar 19, 2008 11:45 PM EDT reply actions

The Missing Kid - Ivan Carter Says it Best

Andray played only 5:29 last night. The only two Wizards to play less than that were Gil and Etan. I think Ivan summed up the reason why this is happening perfectly in his online discussion yesterday.

Gaithersburg, Md.: Will there be an Andray Blatche sighting tonight - meaning will he actually play more than 10 minutes?

Ivan Carter: NBA coaches are funny. When a talented guy comes out, plays with energy and rebounds and plays defense, they tend to play a lot of minutes.

When they don't do that and they aren't a particularly great outside shooter or provide a great post presence, they tend to be asked to sit on the bench next to their coach.

"It's OK for the Bullets to trade baskets, as long as they can score on their end." -- Words of wisdom from Phil Chenier

by cuppettcj on Mar 20, 2008 8:20 AM EDT reply actions