Denton: Magic-Kings Notes
By John Denton
January 12, 2010
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.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Thirty-eight games into the season and the Orlando Magic have shockingly had their projected starting five on the floor together just 10 games. But what is even more troubling to coach Stan Van Gundy is how the Magic's Big Four of Dwight Howard, Vince Carter, Rashard Lewis and Jameer Nelson have coexisted on the floor.
The Magic didn't have their usual lineup on the floor Tuesday night in Sacramento because Carter is still struggling to overcome a sprained left shoulder. Not having an eight-time All-Star in the lineup is never a good thing, but strangely the Magic have played better this season when they've had one of their All-Stars injured.
For whatever reason, the Magic are just 5-5 in the 10 games that Howard, Carter, Lewis and Nelson have played together. The troubles in those games, specifically on the offensive end of the floor, have bothered Van Gundy so much that last week he brought the foursome together for a meeting to discuss the struggles.
Van Gundy said the consensus among the group was that, ``it's not a selfishness problem; it's an energy problem.''
``Our problem when we've been losing has been that our main guys haven't played well. That's the bottom line,'' Van Gundy said. ``I really don't think it's because the guys that we've put around them. But those four guys have to play with a more consistent effort and energy.
``We've all talked,'' Van Gundy said of his meeting with the four All-Stars, ``but I think we spendtoo much energy trying to talk about what's wrong instead of going out and doing what we need to do. The biggest thing is that those four need to play with more consistent energy. One of the reasons we play better is because when one is out is because we get somebody else (filling in) who isn't thinking about shots and just comes in and plays hard. Our energy went up with (Jason Williams) in place of Jameer, Ryan (Anderson) in place of Rashard or J.J. (Redick) replacing Vince. If our four would just play with more energy, everything would be just fine.''
HOMECOMING FOR ANDERSON: Tuesday's game was a homecoming of sorts for Magic forwards Ryan Anderson and Matt Barnes. Anderson grew up in El Dorado Hills, which is about 30 miles East of Sacramento. Barnes, who needed 50 tickets for friends and family Tuesday night,is from Sacramento.
Anderson, a second-year pro whom the Magic acquired last June in the trade with New Jersey that involved Carter, had 10 members of his family at the game. Because his parents had been vacationing in Orlando last week, Anderson joked that he ``had thehouse all to himself,'' Monday night after the Magic arrived in Sacramento. His parents made it back to Northern California for Tuesday's game and they were at ARCO Arena last Thanksgiving when Anderson played in Sacramento for the first time and more than 350 hometown friends and family also attended the game.
Van Gundy says he's feltbad about the way he's tinkered with Anderson's minutes after having him in the regular rotation early in the season. He didn't play at all against Toronto and Washington last week, and played 16 mop-up minutes against Atlanta.
``It is tough,'' said Anderson, who has averaged 9.6 points and 3.7 rebounds in 17.2 minutes thisseason. ``I've tried to always be ready to come out and play, but it's different and consistency is what builds confidence. Not that I've lost confidence because I have a ton of it. But I just have to be better prepared when my name is called.''
AWARD WINNERS: The Magic won two major awards at the NBA Sales and Marketing Meetings.
The Magic won the ``Most New Season Tickets Sold'' award and was honored as one of six teams to win ``10,000+ Season Tickets Sold''accolades. The Magic sold an NBA-best 5,017 new season tickets for the current season, thus eclipsing 10,000 season tickets.
The Magic did not raise season ticket prices for this season. All told, there were 7,500 seats priced $25 or less per game, as well as $10 tickets.
Orlando will open the new Amway Center in October and has already announced it will continue its practice of affordable pricing options. There will be 2,500 seats priced $15 or less, 7,000 seats priced $25 or less and 10,000 seats priced $50 or under per game. For the first time ever there will be a $5 ticket at Amway Center.
``One of our objectives is to find ways to make our games accessible toas many people as possible, while delivering more value to ticket holders than ever before,'' Magic Chief Operating Officer Alex Martins said. ``With 7,000 seats priced $25 or under and the introduction of a $5 ticket, coupled with premium amenities available to all levels of ticket buyers, we are looking forward to providing a legendary experience for all our fans.''
ETC: As it refers to Carter's shoulder injury that kept him out of a second consecutive game Tuesday night, Magic GM Otis Smith said: ``I'd be shocked if he doesn't play this week.'' The Magic play again Wednesday night in Denver and then could practice Thursday before playing Portland on Friday. Thursday could be the first time that Carter tests out the shoulder. Carter, who suffered the injury last Friday in Washington, is able to lift his arm overhead, but reaching across his body still gives him troubles. Orlando set the NBA record for 3-pointers made (23) last season in Sacramento -a memory that wasn't lost on many of the Magic's players as soon as they walked into ARCO Arena for Monday's practice. Said Rashard Lewis, who hit three 3-pointers that night: ``Everybody on the team was making them that night. The rim looked so big to us and we were shooting them. Sacramento tried to protect the rim because Dwight was drawing so much attention and we had a lot of openshots.'' . The Magic are intentionally limiting the minutes of Nelson because he is still struggling with lingering swelling in his knee. Nelson missed 16games earlier in the season after having arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. Said Nelson: ``I'm out there on the court, so that means that I'm well enough to play. I'll never make an excuse with anything.''
John Denton writes for Orlandomagic.com. His Magic ``Behind the Scenes'' segment can be heard each week on ESPN 1080 AM. Submit questions to John for his ``Ask J.D.'' mailbag feature that will appear every Friday at AskJD@orlandomagic.com.
By John DentonJanuary 12, 2010
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.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Thirty-eight games into the season and the Orlando Magic have shockingly had their projected starting five on the floor together just 10 games. But what is even more troubling to coach Stan Van Gundy is how the Magic's Big Four of Dwight Howard, Vince Carter, Rashard Lewis and Jameer Nelson have coexisted on the floor.
The Magic didn't have their usual lineup on the floor Tuesday night in Sacramento because Carter is still struggling to overcome a sprained left shoulder. Not having an eight-time All-Star in the lineup is never a good thing, but strangely the Magic have played better this season when they've had one of their All-Stars injured.
For whatever reason, the Magic are just 5-5 in the 10 games that Howard, Carter, Lewis and Nelson have played together. The troubles in those games, specifically on the offensive end of the floor, have bothered Van Gundy so much that last week he brought the foursome together for a meeting to discuss the struggles.
Van Gundy said the consensus among the group was that, ``it's not a selfishness problem; it's an energy problem.''
``Our problem when we've been losing has been that our main guys haven't played well. That's the bottom line,'' Van Gundy said. ``I really don't think it's because the guys that we've put around them. But those four guys have to play with a more consistent effort and energy.
``We've all talked,'' Van Gundy said of his meeting with the four All-Stars, ``but I think we spendtoo much energy trying to talk about what's wrong instead of going out and doing what we need to do. The biggest thing is that those four need to play with more consistent energy. One of the reasons we play better is because when one is out is because we get somebody else (filling in) who isn't thinking about shots and just comes in and plays hard. Our energy went up with (Jason Williams) in place of Jameer, Ryan (Anderson) in place of Rashard or J.J. (Redick) replacing Vince. If our four would just play with more energy, everything would be just fine.''
HOMECOMING FOR ANDERSON: Tuesday's game was a homecoming of sorts for Magic forwards Ryan Anderson and Matt Barnes. Anderson grew up in El Dorado Hills, which is about 30 miles East of Sacramento. Barnes, who needed 50 tickets for friends and family Tuesday night,is from Sacramento.
Anderson, a second-year pro whom the Magic acquired last June in the trade with New Jersey that involved Carter, had 10 members of his family at the game. Because his parents had been vacationing in Orlando last week, Anderson joked that he ``had thehouse all to himself,'' Monday night after the Magic arrived in Sacramento. His parents made it back to Northern California for Tuesday's game and they were at ARCO Arena last Thanksgiving when Anderson played in Sacramento for the first time and more than 350 hometown friends and family also attended the game.
Van Gundy says he's feltbad about the way he's tinkered with Anderson's minutes after having him in the regular rotation early in the season. He didn't play at all against Toronto and Washington last week, and played 16 mop-up minutes against Atlanta.
``It is tough,'' said Anderson, who has averaged 9.6 points and 3.7 rebounds in 17.2 minutes thisseason. ``I've tried to always be ready to come out and play, but it's different and consistency is what builds confidence. Not that I've lost confidence because I have a ton of it. But I just have to be better prepared when my name is called.''
AWARD WINNERS: The Magic won two major awards at the NBA Sales and Marketing Meetings.
The Magic won the ``Most New Season Tickets Sold'' award and was honored as one of six teams to win ``10,000+ Season Tickets Sold''accolades. The Magic sold an NBA-best 5,017 new season tickets for the current season, thus eclipsing 10,000 season tickets.
The Magic did not raise season ticket prices for this season. All told, there were 7,500 seats priced $25 or less per game, as well as $10 tickets.
Orlando will open the new Amway Center in October and has already announced it will continue its practice of affordable pricing options. There will be 2,500 seats priced $15 or less, 7,000 seats priced $25 or less and 10,000 seats priced $50 or under per game. For the first time ever there will be a $5 ticket at Amway Center.
``One of our objectives is to find ways to make our games accessible toas many people as possible, while delivering more value to ticket holders than ever before,'' Magic Chief Operating Officer Alex Martins said. ``With 7,000 seats priced $25 or under and the introduction of a $5 ticket, coupled with premium amenities available to all levels of ticket buyers, we are looking forward to providing a legendary experience for all our fans.''
ETC: As it refers to Carter's shoulder injury that kept him out of a second consecutive game Tuesday night, Magic GM Otis Smith said: ``I'd be shocked if he doesn't play this week.'' The Magic play again Wednesday night in Denver and then could practice Thursday before playing Portland on Friday. Thursday could be the first time that Carter tests out the shoulder. Carter, who suffered the injury last Friday in Washington, is able to lift his arm overhead, but reaching across his body still gives him troubles. Orlando set the NBA record for 3-pointers made (23) last season in Sacramento -a memory that wasn't lost on many of the Magic's players as soon as they walked into ARCO Arena for Monday's practice. Said Rashard Lewis, who hit three 3-pointers that night: ``Everybody on the team was making them that night. The rim looked so big to us and we were shooting them. Sacramento tried to protect the rim because Dwight was drawing so much attention and we had a lot of openshots.'' . The Magic are intentionally limiting the minutes of Nelson because he is still struggling with lingering swelling in his knee. Nelson missed 16games earlier in the season after having arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. Said Nelson: ``I'm out there on the court, so that means that I'm well enough to play. I'll never make an excuse with anything.''
John Denton writes for Orlandomagic.com. His Magic ``Behind the Scenes'' segment can be heard each week on ESPN 1080 AM. Submit questions to John for his ``Ask J.D.'' mailbag feature that will appear every Friday at AskJD@orlandomagic.com.
