After the Orlando Magic’s shameful performance Thursday night vs. Boston, in which they blew a 27-point lead, scored 25 points in the second half and lost to a severely shorthanded team, Jason Richardson said the team was developing a soft reputation.
After Friday night’s debacle in New Orleans, coach Stan Van Gundy said it all.
From Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel: “If this isn’t rock bottom, what is? The Orlando Magic completed a forgettable week Friday night, falling to the hapless New Orleans Hornets 93-67 on Friday night at New Orleans Arena. Continuing to have trouble scoring even when not playing against the Boston Celtics, the Magic (12-7) are suddenly, desperately looking for answers after losing three of their last four games. After two devastating losses during the week to the Celtics — one an offensive brown-out, the other a monumental collapse — the Magic expected an easier time against the Hornets. They came in at 3-15 and lugging a nine-game losing streak. “It’s the whole thing. We were awful … three worst losses we’ve had since I’ve been here over a matter of five days. It’s tough to take,” Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said.
The Magic had been able to play through the Dwight Howard circus, winning 11 of their first 15 games to make it appear as if they doing more than going through the motions while GM Otis Smith explored trade possibilities for his big man.
But they scored a franchise-low 56 points Monday in Boston, lost their composure in Thursday’s loss and simply didn’t show up Friday vs. New Orleans, one of the NBA’s worst teams. The Hornets were unable to sign Eric Gordon to a contract extension, announced they would be trading Chris Kaman and had lost 15 of 16 since a 2-0 start.
From John Reid of the New Orleans Times-Picayune: “New Orleans Hornets backup center-forward Chris Kaman is not with the team right now because of an organizational decision, team officials said Friday night. The Hornets are expected to pursue trade offers for Kaman, who has an expiring contract that pays him about $14 million this season. Although he is not injured, Kaman was put on the inactive list for Wednesday night’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder for the first time this season.”
Here’s Orlando’s scoring in its last six quarters: 17-8-19-15-18-15. The Magic have 92 points in their last 72 minutes. Howard still hasn’t ruled out remaining with Orlando, but he may be joining Kaman on the waiting-to-be-traded list if the Magic continue to play like this.
However, it is unlikely Van Gundy will find himself on a hotter seat than Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni, who reached into the way-back machine in an effort to stop his team from skidding downhill.
Taking on the loaded Miami Heat without banged-up Carmelo Anthony, the Knicks hoisted 43 3-pointers, making 18. Unfortunately, they managed just 35 points inside the arc and took a 99-89 loss, their eighth in nine games.
From Frank Isola of the New York Daily News: “It was unconventional, risky and just about the only chance the Knicks, minus Carmelo Anthony, had against the Miami Heat. It was also classic Mike D’Antoni circa 2005. And it almost worked. The Knicks went 3-point crazy. The more they shot, the more they seemed to make. But ultimately, the Knicks’ Phoenix Suns-inspired offense was no match for LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. The superstar duo scored a combined 59 points as Miami survived New York’s long-range attack and escaped with a 99-89 victory Friday night. With former team president and head coach Isiah Thomas sitting a few feet from the Knicks’ bench, D’Antoni’s club lost for the eighth time in nine games and fell to 7-12. “We tried to exploit what they gave us,” D’Antoni said. “I thought we did that for a long time. We just couldn’t sustain it.”
Unlike the Magic, the Knicks showed some fight. They tried to break up the Welcome Back Party for Dwyane Wade, treating him and BFF LeBron James rather rudely.
From Howard Beck of the New York Times: “It was the Knicks’ eighth loss in nine games, but they may have reclaimed a little confidence along the way. Walker wrestled with James and led the Knicks with 21 points. Amar’e Stoudemire barked at Wade and pounced on loose balls. They battled the Heat deep into the fourth quarter when James went on a scoring binge to put the game away. “I thought we fought our tails off,” Tyson Chandler said, almost beaming. “As far as effort, we gave it everything we had. And we ran things the way that we’re supposed to.”
Wade sat out six games with a bum ankle, and the Heat didn’t exactly miss him, going 5-1 in that stretch. That led some to make the preposterous suggestion that they were better without Wade.
From Ethan Skolnick of the Palm Beach Post: “Slights stir him. Doubts drive him. So it was a given that, if he returned healthy after such criticism, he would put on a show. So that’s what he did, from the start of a game that SportsCenter erroneously reported he would sit. “We talked about it quite a bit as a staff, even with the training staff and doctors,” Spoelstra said, 90 minutes before the game. “He is healthy and ready to go.” So that’s what Wade showed. He showed it on defense during the Knicks’ first few possessions, pressuring Amare Stoudemire on the perimeter, hassling Landry Fields underneath. He showed it in transition, shot-putting a lob for a LeBron James jam, Euro-stepping for his own vicious slam. “We hadn’t seen that this year, during the regular season,” Spoelstra said. “Maybe the first couple of days of training camp.” He showed it in the halfcourt offense, consistently creating space, for a reverse flush on the baseline, a floater out of the post, a stepback jumper that required him to torque that right ankle. Then, in the second half, he showed he had a second wind that eluded him during the season’s first month. He showed he had that extra inch, every time he elevated. He was the most electric, elastic player on the floor, tipping in an offensive rebound, busting loose on the break to convert a James lob, and streaking back to swat away a Toney Douglas shot.”
Also managing to remain afloat without their stars were the Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks.
The Celtics may be turning a corner. A week ago, they were reeling with six losses in seven games and All-Star point guard Rajon Rondo sidelined with a sprained wrist. BUt they have won four in a row without their floor general, including a 94-87 win over Indiana in which Paul Pierce had 28 points, 10 boards and eight assists.
The Celts also were without Ray Allen for a third straight game and Jermaine O’Neal for a second straight contest
It’s been a while since the Celtics have played this well, and apparently Boston Globe writer Michael Vega had lost track. His blog post began, “The Boston Celtics finally reached the .500 mark for the first time this season, evening their record at 9-9, after scoring a 94-87 victory over the Indiana Pacers tonight before a sellout crowd at TD Garden.”
Uh, not really. But the Celtics did beat the Pacers, who had taken them out twice already this season and had the Lakers and Bulls as belt notches this week. They also did it without injured starters Ray Allen and Jermaine O’Neal. Rondo may be back Sunday vs. Cleveland, when the Celtics can move above .500 for the first time since, oh, never mind.
The Mavericks improved to 3-1 without Dirk Nowitzki with a 116-101 home win over the suddenly tepid Utah Jazz. They were also without Delonte West and lost Jason Kidd to a calf strain in the first quarter.
Starting for Nowitzki was Lamar Odom, who came in making less than one-third of his shots. But Odom may have turned a corner as well with 19 points in a solid all-around game.
From Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News: “Odom has been struggling since his departure from the Los Angeles Lakers, entering the game averaging 7.7 points with and hitting 33 percent of his field goal attempts. Making the transition from Phil Jackson’s Triangle offense with the Lakers to a Dallas attack that takes more of a fastbreak approach has been a tough adjustment for Odom. This time, Odom was more aggressive on offense, converting three 3-pointers and going 7 for 12 from the floor to help the Mavs to a season-high for points. Odom was more eager to talk about his defense, however. “It’s not all about making shots,” Odom said. “It’s about making the right play, making stops, making defensive plays. Tonight I played a better all-around game.”
Nowitzki, who basically was given a week off to get in shape, could be back Sunday vs. San Antonio. Owner Mark Cuban explained his superstar’s situation to KESN 103.3 FM in Dallas, saying, “His knee’s hurt because he didn’t have the time to prepare. And when you don’t have the time to prepare you’re not conditioned to play the way you’re accustomed to. So it’s not like he was a fat slob.”
Elsewhere …
The Thunder relocated their offense in a 120-109 win at Golden State, improving to a league-best 16-3 with their fourth straight victory. Kevin Durant had 37 points and 14 rebounds and Russell Westbrook had 28 with 11 assists. And if you were watching the game on NBA TV, then you know that Vince is back.
The Bulls (17-4) maintained the top spot in the East with a 107-100 home win over the Bucks as Derrick Rose scored a season-high 34 points. Their showdown with Miami on Sunday starts a nine-game road trip. AS if the East didn’t have enough bad teams already, Milwaukee’s Andrew Bogut is out two to three months with an ankle fracture.
The Timberwolves beat the Spurs, riding rookie Ricky Rubio’s 18 points and 10 assists to an 87-79 victory. Minnesota already has beaten San Antonio twice and Dallas twice. On Sunday, the Wolves host the Lakers. On Monday, the LA newspapers will have 16 stories about why the Lakers should trade for Rubio.
With actor Will Smith at his first game since buying a minority stake in the team, the Sixers defeated the Bobcats, 89-72. Smith and his wife left in the second half. Charlotte coach Paul Silas left with two technicals in the first half. The line was 16 points, and in the final 30 seconds, Andres Nocioni made a free throw to complete the scoring and newly acquired Francisco Elson blocked a shot by Bismack Biyombo.
The Trail Blazers pummeled the Suns, 109-71, avenging a 102-77 loss at Phoenix three weeks ago. Marcus Camby had 20 rebounds and zero points.
And here’s a sneak preview of the bottom of Chris Sheridan’s latest Power Rankings, coming Sunday:
The Nets won at Cleveland, 99-96. There was quite a duel at point guard as Deron Williams had 27 points and 10 assists and Kyrie Irving scored a season-high 32 points.
The Pistons dropped a 107-101 home overtime decision to the Hawks and have lost at least three in a row for the fourth time this season. Detroit led by six with less than 40 seconds left in regulation but gave up a pair of 3-pointers, then surrendered 20 points in overtime.
The Wizards had their winning streak stopped at one with a 103-76 loss at Houston. Washington shot just 36 percent and committed 24 turnovers against 12 assists. Apparently, Flip Saunders wasn’t the only problem.
The Raptors absorbed their seventh loss in nine games, a 96-81 setback at Denver. All seven losses have come without Andrea Bargnani, who is back on the sidelines with a recurrence of his calf injury, which he says is worse this time. Toronto forward Linas Kleiza, who threw Rondo on the floor last week, scuffled with Al Harrington in the closing minutes.