khandor’s sports blog

Prior to the recent transaction between the Raptors [Bryan Colangelo], Mavericks [Donnie Nelson], Magic [Otis Smith & Dave Twardzik] and Grizzlies [Chris Wallace], this is what each of those team’s rosters looked like:

Coming out the other side, today, this is what they look like now, respectively:

Legend:
UFA – Unrestricted Free Agent; RFA – Restricted Free Agent; R – Rookie Player; TPE – Traded Player Exception; DP – Draft Pick; CC - Cash Considerations

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The Perspective From This Corner

The fact is, however, that the Cleveland Cavaliers [Danny Ferry] MAY have benefitted most of all from this specific transaction, as they subsequently gained unfettered access to Anthony Parker, the exact sort of complementary wing player they were searching for … to augment LeBron James & Co., in an effort to win their 1st NBA Championship. 

Your feedback is welcome in the “Comments” section.

No one likes to see an NBA player sustain a serious injury of any kind.

Magic PG Nelson has torn labrum in right shoulder

However … with Mikael Pietrus [G-F] and Keith Bogans [G-F] now healthy, Orlando should use:

* JJ Redick, as their Starting PG 
* Anthony Johnson, as their primary Back-up PG [in his current role], and
* Courtney Lee, as their 3rd-string PG

since the following line-up is still plenty good enough to get the Magic to, at least, the Eastern Conference semi-finals this season.

STARTERS

1 – JJ Redick
2 – Mikael Pietrus
3 – Hedo Turkoglu
4 – Rashard Lewis
5 – Dwight Howard

KEY BENCH SUBS

1 – Anthony Johnson
2 – Courtney Lee
3 – Keith Bogans
4 – Tony Battie
5 – Marcin Gortat

RESERVES

4 – Brian Cook
5 – Adonal Foyle

EXTRAS

Jameer Nelson [injured]
Mike Wilks [injured]
Jeremy Richardson

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If he’s ever going to become a truly serviceable player in the NBA, at some point in his career, JJ Redick [6-4, 190] will need to adapt successfully to the Point Guard position … and, there’s no time like the present for him to accomplish this specific goal.

Otis Smith, Dave Twardzik, Stan Van Gundy and JJ Redick … the ball is your hands and the shot clock is ticking.

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NOTE: Option B - The Magic could always try to acquire a player like Blake Ahearn from the San Antonio Spurs or a veteran like Troy Hudson.

Stan Van Gundy is a coach’s son, and a coach’s brother … who’s worked with and for Pat Riley [i.e. "No Rebounds; No Rings."], in the NBA, for a number of years.

In this League, SVG is a solid head coach, who understands the contribution of Rebounding & Defense to a top notch team.

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Hudson a possible replacement for Mike Wilks at PG
Boston model for defense

There have been improvements this preseason, but the Magic’s defense is a work in progress now, according to Van Gundy.

And the reigning NBA champion Boston Celtics are to be his team’s model as it moves forward. The Celtics’ three chief offensive weapons might have gotten the headlines, but he wants his guys to emulate the mean green’s defensive attitude.

“That’s a great model for the rest of the players and teams in the league,” he said. “That’s eventually what’s going to get you over the top and get you through the tough moments.

“I don’t care how good you are offensively; you’re going to have nights when the ball won’t go in. Our guys have worked like they want to make a commitment to that; it’s just a matter of getting the job done.”

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While certain outfits over the years have found success in the regular season, by focusing their efforts at the Offensive end of the floor, exclusively, the eventual NBA Titleist is not a team which fits readily into this mold, on an annual basis.

It says here that … those expecting the Magic to slide back to the rest of the pack in the Eastern Conference this season, after the jump forward they took last season, will end up being sorely disappointed.

LOST – Maurice Evans, Keyon Dooling, Carlos Arroyo, Pat Garrity

ADDED – Mickael Pietrus, Anthony Johnson, Troy Hudson-?, Courtney Lee, Tony Battie

This team, as is, is gearing up for an extended run in the upper echelon of the East.

If the Magic sign a solid, veteran PG, like Troy Hudson, they will have a roster with both good High End Talent and QUALITY DEPTH … well-balanced between Rebounding, Defense & Offense … which is what’s needed in order to advance in the NBA Playoffs.

Easily the most impressive performance last night on the docket in the NBA was put forth by the Magic:

Magic 118, Bobcats 80
Full Play-By-Play
Box Score
Recap

If you look at that 1st Quarter demolition Orlando laid on Charlotte [an improved squad, in their own right], it’s apparent that the Magic mean business this year.

The most impressive individual lines from the perspective of this corner?

The three highlighted in bold and italicized below.

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Field Goals			Rebounds
	pos	min	fgm-a	3pm-a	ftm-a	off	def	tot	ast	pf	st	to	bs	pts
M.Pietrus	G	24:50	5-8	1-3	2-2	0	4	4	2	4	1	4	2	13
J.Nelson	G	20:38	2-5	0-1	6-6	0	5	5	1	4	0	1	0	10
H.Turkoglu	F	24:10	2-5	1-3	4-4	1	1	2	1	6	0	1	0	9
R.Lewis	F	22:05	5-8	0-2	7-8	2	1	3	4	4	1	2	1	17
D.Howard	C	25:05	6-9	0-0	8-10	3	5	8	1	2	0	5	5	20
B.Cook		18:20	1-10	1-3	6-6	1	3	4	0	2	1	1	0	9
T.Battie		18:18	3-3	0-0	2-2	1	6	7	0	0	1	0	0	8
C.Lee		17:54	4-8	0-1	1-2	0	4	4	1	2	1	1	0	9
A.Johnson		17:14	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	7	4	0	2	0	0
A.Foyle		15:20	2-4	0-0	3-4	3	3	6	1	3	1	1	2	7
J.Redick		13:58	3-4	1-2	5-5	0	2	2	0	1	0	1	0	12
J.Richardson		12:00	0-4	0-0	2-2	1	1	2	0	0	0	0	0	2
M.Wilks		10:08	0-2	0-0	2-2	0	2	2	0	1	1	0	0	2
K.Bogans			-	-	-
M.Gortat			-	-	-
D.Jones			-	-	-
Total		240	33-70	4-15	48-53	12	37	49	18	33	7	19	10	118
			47.1%	26.7%	90.6%	Team Rebs: 5				Total TO: 19

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If Orlando can get consistent production from their three main new additions to the line-up, like this …

* Pietrus, with a solid all-around game;
* Johnson-A, with 0 shot attempts, 7 assists and 2 turnovers; and,
* Battie, with a solid all-around game;

they are going to join the Celtics and the Pistons, as a legitimate 3rd team, in the fight for the No. 1 Seed (overall) in the Eastern Conference Playoffs this season.

[Note 1: With Keith Bogans and a healthy JJ Redick ... i.e. two improving 3PT-shooters ... coming off the bench for the Magic, there will be few, if any, gaping holes remaining in Orlando's line-up.]