Denton: Magic-Jazz Postgame Analysis
By John Denton
December 21, 2009
Note: The contents of this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the Orlando Magic. All opinions expressed by John Denton are solely his own and do not reflect the opinions of the Orlando Magic or their Basketball Operations staff, partners or sponsors. His sources are not known to the Magic and he has no special access to information beyond the access and privileges that go along with being an NBA accredited member of the media.
ORLANDO – With the return of a healthy Jameer Nelson on Monday night, the Orlando Magic had their five projected starters together on the floor for just the second time in 28 games. But on Monday, it was a reserve that made some of the biggest plays in a thrilling Magic come-from-behind defeat of the Utah Jazz.
J.J. Redick, playing the best basketball of his four-year NBA career, scored 11 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter of Orlando’s 104-99 defeat of the Jazz before 17,461 fans at Amway Arena.
Redick had two moments early in the game when he tumbled into the crowd chasing loose balls, but it was the final period when Redick made his biggest mark on the night. His left-handed layup in traffic jump-started a 14-5 run that won the game, and in that run he had a go-ahead 3-pointer and a game-sealing layup off a feed from Dwight Howard.
On a night when the Magic had several players play well, Redick just might have been the best of the bunch. And his former coach at Duke University, Mike Krzyzewski, might deserve an assist for giving Redick a boost.
``The thing that we talked about is that it’s a continual process with your career,’’ said Redick, who noted that he called Coach K to wish him a Merry Christmas. ``Not that I’m comparing myself to him by any means, but Kobe Bryant is constantly working to master his craft. What I’ve come to understand is that you have to work all the time. It’s a continual process and I there’s a lot of things I have to do better.’’
Orlando (21-7) overcame a five-point deficit to defeat a Jazz team that had won in Utah two weeks ago. The Magic got 21 points, nine rebounds and five blocks from Howard, who made 11 of 15 from the free throw line. Rashard Lewis had 18 points and four 3-pointers, while Vince Carter added 18 points despite another poor shooting night (five of 15).
``We’re still struggling and you’re not seeing smooth, easy play, but we’re playing very good teams,’’ Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. ``I think it’s good that we get in these games because our guys know against the good teams it’s not going to be easy and it’s going to be a fight all the time. Our guys are stepping up to the fight and we’re engaging in the fight. We’re playing extremely hard.’’
Here’s a recap of the good, the bad and the ugly from one o fthe better games at Amway Arena of the season:
THE GOOD
---- Redick made seven of nine shots, hit both of his 3-pointers and got to the line for four free throws (all makes) in 24 minutes. He was playing so well that when it came time for Carter to re-enter the game in the fourth quarter, Van Gundy re-tooled the lineup to keep Redick on the floor.
Redick’s rhythm has never been better as to knowing when to shoot and when to pass. He’s surprisingly one of the team’s best passers out of pick-and-roll sets and he’s shown a knack for making the right play on drives to the hoop. On Monday, he converted four shots in the lane when defenders stayed with Howard fearing the pocket pass or lob.
``I think I’ve gotten better at understanding the aggression level that you have to play with, balancing it with taking good shots, making plays and not forcing things,’’ Redick said.
---- Howard, named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week on Monday, was as good as he’s been defensively in some time – and he’s been really good of late. Howard’s had bigger block nights than Monday’s five swats, but it’s the entire impact that his presence had that was most important.
Howard was so menacing in the lane that Utah, one of the top teams in the league at scoring points in the paint, stopping driving and hoisted more jump shots. Orlando actually outscored Utah in the paint 34-28 and Utah’s shooting percentage dipped to 40.4 percent when it had to settle for longer tries.
``I know for our team to be successful I have to protect the basket,’’ Howard said. ``So even if I’m not getting blocks, just being there, being a presence helps our team win.’’
Howard has been on such a defensive roll that he’s blocked 23 shots in the past five games. That’s allowed him to move up to 2.43 blocks a game and first in the NBA once again.
THE BAD
---- Nelson was back after missing 16 games following arthroscopic surgery to his left knee to repair torn meniscus. He played seven minutes in the second quarter and seven more in the third quarter.
Nelson missed all six of his shots, but it wasn’t that he played that bad. He passed up some shots that he’d normally take, got trapped with the ball in his hands at the end of the shot clock a couple of times and missed some easy ones.
While Nelson was frustrated about his shooting, he was floored by the reaction he got from the sellout crowd when he checked into the game with 3:56 to play in the first quarter.
``I was amazed because it was like a standing ovation,’’ Nelson said. ``I got chills going through my body.’’
THE UGLY
---- Orlando’s Jason Williams, who likely started his last game at point guard, clearly said the magic word to referee Sean Corbin, who tossed him with two technical fouls at once.
Williams was arguing a foul on a Deron Williams postup, and with the made basket and the subsequent three free throws, the play turned into a five-point swing for the Jazz.
Orlando’s Williams finished with four points, four assists and three rebounds in 22 minutes.
---- Anthony Johnson, who was pressed into duty when Williams was tossed and Nelson returned to action, had a bad turnover midway through the fourth period. Lewis in-bounded the ball poorly, but Johnson was credited with the turnover on the play.
Seconds after Mehmet Okur hit a 3-pointer to give Utah the lead, the in-bounds pass from Lewis to Johnson was picked off by Ronnie Brewer and he fed the ball to Andrei Kirilenko, who buried another 3-pointer to briefly put the Jazz up 84-79.
John Denton writes for Orlandomagic.com. His Orlando Magic ``Behind the Scenes’’ segment can be heard on ESPN 1080 AM on Thursday at 5:05 p.m. Submit questions to John for his ``Ask J.D.’’ mailbag feature that will appear every Friday at AskJD@orlandomagic.com.
By John DentonDecember 21, 2009
Note: The contents of this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the Orlando Magic. All opinions expressed by John Denton are solely his own and do not reflect the opinions of the Orlando Magic or their Basketball Operations staff, partners or sponsors. His sources are not known to the Magic and he has no special access to information beyond the access and privileges that go along with being an NBA accredited member of the media.
ORLANDO – With the return of a healthy Jameer Nelson on Monday night, the Orlando Magic had their five projected starters together on the floor for just the second time in 28 games. But on Monday, it was a reserve that made some of the biggest plays in a thrilling Magic come-from-behind defeat of the Utah Jazz.
J.J. Redick, playing the best basketball of his four-year NBA career, scored 11 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter of Orlando’s 104-99 defeat of the Jazz before 17,461 fans at Amway Arena.
Redick had two moments early in the game when he tumbled into the crowd chasing loose balls, but it was the final period when Redick made his biggest mark on the night. His left-handed layup in traffic jump-started a 14-5 run that won the game, and in that run he had a go-ahead 3-pointer and a game-sealing layup off a feed from Dwight Howard.
On a night when the Magic had several players play well, Redick just might have been the best of the bunch. And his former coach at Duke University, Mike Krzyzewski, might deserve an assist for giving Redick a boost.
``The thing that we talked about is that it’s a continual process with your career,’’ said Redick, who noted that he called Coach K to wish him a Merry Christmas. ``Not that I’m comparing myself to him by any means, but Kobe Bryant is constantly working to master his craft. What I’ve come to understand is that you have to work all the time. It’s a continual process and I there’s a lot of things I have to do better.’’
Orlando (21-7) overcame a five-point deficit to defeat a Jazz team that had won in Utah two weeks ago. The Magic got 21 points, nine rebounds and five blocks from Howard, who made 11 of 15 from the free throw line. Rashard Lewis had 18 points and four 3-pointers, while Vince Carter added 18 points despite another poor shooting night (five of 15).
``We’re still struggling and you’re not seeing smooth, easy play, but we’re playing very good teams,’’ Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. ``I think it’s good that we get in these games because our guys know against the good teams it’s not going to be easy and it’s going to be a fight all the time. Our guys are stepping up to the fight and we’re engaging in the fight. We’re playing extremely hard.’’
Here’s a recap of the good, the bad and the ugly from one o fthe better games at Amway Arena of the season:
THE GOOD
---- Redick made seven of nine shots, hit both of his 3-pointers and got to the line for four free throws (all makes) in 24 minutes. He was playing so well that when it came time for Carter to re-enter the game in the fourth quarter, Van Gundy re-tooled the lineup to keep Redick on the floor.
Redick’s rhythm has never been better as to knowing when to shoot and when to pass. He’s surprisingly one of the team’s best passers out of pick-and-roll sets and he’s shown a knack for making the right play on drives to the hoop. On Monday, he converted four shots in the lane when defenders stayed with Howard fearing the pocket pass or lob.
``I think I’ve gotten better at understanding the aggression level that you have to play with, balancing it with taking good shots, making plays and not forcing things,’’ Redick said.
---- Howard, named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week on Monday, was as good as he’s been defensively in some time – and he’s been really good of late. Howard’s had bigger block nights than Monday’s five swats, but it’s the entire impact that his presence had that was most important.
Howard was so menacing in the lane that Utah, one of the top teams in the league at scoring points in the paint, stopping driving and hoisted more jump shots. Orlando actually outscored Utah in the paint 34-28 and Utah’s shooting percentage dipped to 40.4 percent when it had to settle for longer tries.
``I know for our team to be successful I have to protect the basket,’’ Howard said. ``So even if I’m not getting blocks, just being there, being a presence helps our team win.’’
Howard has been on such a defensive roll that he’s blocked 23 shots in the past five games. That’s allowed him to move up to 2.43 blocks a game and first in the NBA once again.
THE BAD
---- Nelson was back after missing 16 games following arthroscopic surgery to his left knee to repair torn meniscus. He played seven minutes in the second quarter and seven more in the third quarter.
Nelson missed all six of his shots, but it wasn’t that he played that bad. He passed up some shots that he’d normally take, got trapped with the ball in his hands at the end of the shot clock a couple of times and missed some easy ones.
While Nelson was frustrated about his shooting, he was floored by the reaction he got from the sellout crowd when he checked into the game with 3:56 to play in the first quarter.
``I was amazed because it was like a standing ovation,’’ Nelson said. ``I got chills going through my body.’’
THE UGLY
---- Orlando’s Jason Williams, who likely started his last game at point guard, clearly said the magic word to referee Sean Corbin, who tossed him with two technical fouls at once.
Williams was arguing a foul on a Deron Williams postup, and with the made basket and the subsequent three free throws, the play turned into a five-point swing for the Jazz.
Orlando’s Williams finished with four points, four assists and three rebounds in 22 minutes.
---- Anthony Johnson, who was pressed into duty when Williams was tossed and Nelson returned to action, had a bad turnover midway through the fourth period. Lewis in-bounded the ball poorly, but Johnson was credited with the turnover on the play.
Seconds after Mehmet Okur hit a 3-pointer to give Utah the lead, the in-bounds pass from Lewis to Johnson was picked off by Ronnie Brewer and he fed the ball to Andrei Kirilenko, who buried another 3-pointer to briefly put the Jazz up 84-79.
John Denton writes for Orlandomagic.com. His Orlando Magic ``Behind the Scenes’’ segment can be heard on ESPN 1080 AM on Thursday at 5:05 p.m. Submit questions to John for his ``Ask J.D.’’ mailbag feature that will appear every Friday at AskJD@orlandomagic.com.
