Dec 07 2009
Magic Monday Week 6
A weekly look at the greatest NBA Team in world (well, okay. . .Florida. . .well, all right. . .Orlando) History, the Orlando Magic!
Record This Week: 2-0
Overall Record: 16-4 (1st Southeast Division, 1st in Eastern Conference)
Slow week but a good week. Anytime you can go undefeated for a week is a good thing. I’m not quite sure why we only played two games this week but that is the way it goes and I’m okay with it. . .it just gives me less to do on a work night. This is MY week coming up because on Friday, December 11th, I get to see my boys in person here in Phoenix. My goal is to get some pictures, some autographs and, if possible, some interviews on a digital recorder for a podcast I may have in the oven. But, it’s a long wait until then. . .at least it feels that way. . .and I’ve got part 2, 3 and 4 of a road trip to (suffer) go through. Bonus of the week: the Magic busted out their old school uniforms (black with white pinstripes) and I felt 13 again!
Game 19: Orlando 118 New York 104. Rinse and repeat. Though the Knicks were involved in a game with the Phoenix Suns (deciphering the code and making them look like chumps), it was our second crack in a row at that Knicks who are so talented on paper but so god-fucking-awful on the court that it’s embarrassing.
I’d love to talk about how great Rashard Lewis looks upon his return and how Howard is not getting in a lot of foul trouble or the fact that my boy Brandon Bass is playing again (and powering his way, like his name sake (a thundering, earth shaking bass guitar), to 17 grand, bullish points) but I’m going to stir the pot a bit here: Mike D’Antoni isn’t really that great of a coach. I live in Phoenix where D’Antoni goes from hand job to hand job due to some stellar records here in this town that have been lacking since the Barkley days. But he always fell short of the great teams (most notably the Spurs) and when given the reigns of a talented team (less talented then the Suns, admittedly) then he stinks it up. Until he gets to a Finals or can get at least a 41-41 season out of the Knicks I will not believe he is as great as the accolades and big contract say he is. Sorry to stir the pot D’Antoni fans but. . .come on. . .it needed to be said.
Game 20: Orlando 126 Golden State 118. Well, defense goes out the door in this basket extravaganza. The final score is actually low compared to what the teams were scoring in the first three quarters (the score was 100-97 at the end of the third quarter in favor of Golden State which is just silly. The half time score of 72-64 would have been close to a final in 2004). I’m pleased we got the win but our defense is so pitiful I’m wondering if it will be the reason (if it happens) we don’t make it deep in the playoffs. Boston and Cleveland are stopping teams defensively. . .we are letting teams like New York and Golden State score 100+ points a game. Ugh.
In the soccer world they say that true champions win even when they play poorly: The Magic, at least, are doing that in the basketball sense. Howard was a non-factor tonight (except the 1st quarter where he is showing a lot of offensive creativity and intensity. . .which is rare) and the stats were spread around to benefit everyone. It was a great team effort. . .on the offensive end. A better team will manage to pull this one out if we show the same defensive ineptitude. And if Monta Ellis (a great player, don’t get me wrong) can score 33 on us imagine a LeBron James, Paul Pierce or Kobe Bryant.
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