The Essentials:
Magic (24-11) vs. Wizards (11-22)
7 p.m.
Verizon Center
TV: CSN
Radio: 106.7 The Fan
Notable Magic numbers this season
6th in expected winning percentage (.673)
13th in pace (93 possessions per game)
9th in offensive efficiency/offensive rating (109)
6th in defensive efficiency/defensive rating (103.5)
Pre-game links
Third Quarter Collapse Orlando Pinstriped Post, SB Nation's Magic Blog
Orlando Magic Daily, a Magic blog
Howard The Dunk, a Magic blog
Magic BasketBlog, the Orlando Sentinel's basketball blog
Wizards Insider: Wizards ban gambling on team flights
John Hollinger: A Wizards/Magic trade idea to get the Wizards under the tax this year (though we give up some good players)
GameDay Magic
| Tonight's Projected Starters | ||
|---|---|---|
| Magic | vs. | Wizards |
| Jameer Nelson | PG | Randy Foye |
| Vince Carter | SG | Mike Miller |
| Matt Barnes | SF | Caron Butler |
| Rashard Lewis | PF | Antawn Jamison |
| Dwight Howard | C | Brendan Haywood |
UPDATE: Mike Miller, who has cut his long locks and now sports a buzz cut, is back in the lineup and will start. Randy Foye will be alongside him. Also, Flip Saunders said he met with the grand jury today and several players did as well. Flip said the meeting took "hours."
I mean no ill harm toward Magic fans when I say this. In fact, it's mostly jealously. It's also a testament to the unbelievable work Third Quarter Collapse Orlando Pinstriped Post does. But taking a look at some of the stuff on that site (by the users, not the front-page guys), it's weird how everyone is panicking and going crazy. Sure, Orlando has lost their last three games, and sure, there are great expectations, but at least they're still a championship contender with a completely likeable superstar, a top-notch coach and a front office willing to spend to build a winner. Appreciate your blessings guys, because you could turn out like us.
Anyway, this will be an interesting test for our vaunted zone defense (sarcasm alert). Orlando loves to shoot threes and is among the most patient offenses in the league. They get into trouble when they're stagnant on offense (which has happened a lot recently), and the threes stop falling, so hopefully that happens again tonight.
Not sure yet whether Earl Boykins or Randy Foye starts. I'll update once I'm there. Section 104 if you all want to say hi.
GO WIZARDS!