“My Life as an NBA Rookie,” a special that gives audiences an inside look at some of today’s biggest NBA stars in their first year in the league, premieres Monday, October 29 (7:00-7:30 p.m., ET/PT) on Disney XD as part of “Nothing But Net Marathon,” a sports-themed marathon featuring episodes of “Kickin’ It,” “Lab Rats” and “Crash & Bernstein” beginning at 5:00 p.m., ET/PT.

Hosted by Billy Unger, star of Disney XD’s “Lab Rats,” the special features exclusive footage of New Orleans Hornets’ power forward Anthony Davis practicing with the 2012 USA Basketball Men’s National Team; takes fans behind the scenes at the NBA Draft Combine and NBA Draft; looks at how players mentally and physically prepare for training camp and opening night; and reveals entertaining rookie duties.

“My Life as an NBA Rookie” includes Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard of the Los Angeles Lakers, LeBron James of the Miami Heat, Blake Griffin and Chris Paul of the Los Angeles Clippers, Carmelo Anthony and Tyson Chandler of the New York Knicks, Kyrie Irving of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Kevin Love of the Minnesota Timberwolves, Deron Williams of the Brooklyn Nets, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder, among others.

About Disney XD

Disney XD is a basic cable channel and multi-platform brand showcasing a compelling mix of live-action and animated programming for Kids 6-14, hyper-targeting boys and their quest for discovery, accomplishment, sports, adventure and humor. Disney XD branded content spans television, online, mobile and VOD platforms and includes series, movies and short-form, as well as sports-themed programming developed with ESPN. In the US, Disney XD is seen on a 24-hour, advertiser supported network that reaches over 78 million households via basic cable and satellite affiliates.

Image Courtesy of  Keith Allison

The article “My Life as an NBA Rookie” Features NBA Superstars appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Even the defending world champion, Miami Heat, cannot comprehend what the Los Angeles Lakers’ front office has been able to accomplish this offseason with their acquisitions of All Stars, Steve Nash and Dwight Howard. This is the same team that became the league’s ultimate villain after adding LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to their roster only two summers ago.

That’s just how the Lakers are. One would have a significantly better chance of convincing a child that Santa Claus and the Easter bunny really don’t exist than somehow persuading Lakers general manager, Mitch Kupchak, that patience is a virtue.

If there were any fans out there who actually had some outrageous fantasy that the Lakers weren’t going to land Howard for at least half of a season – which may be the case if they’re unable to sway him into signing a long-term extension before this upcoming season’s trade deadline – shame on them.

His acquisition is a complete leap of faith by the Lakers, considering that he can book a flight to Brooklyn or Dallas as soon as next season ends and there’s literally nothing they can do about it. Usually, that would seem like an unwise move on their part, but in reality, it actually warrants the utmost amount of respect.

Here were the Lakers, inexplicably bounced prematurely in the semifinals for the second straight year after having just won back-to-back NBA titles. Their response? Go out and get Steve Nash, who, at 38 years of age, was still able to lead the league in total assists yet again last season.

That wasn’t enough, though. Even with a core of Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Pau Gasol, Metta World Peace and Andrew Bynum they still felt the need to make one last splash – a splash that would set off an unstoppable tidal wave that could actually give problems to teams stacked with star power like Miami and Oklahoma City. That splash came in the form of Howard.

In professional sports, teams often tend to invest an excessive amount of concern into their long-term futures, and don’t grab the bull by the horns with what they currently have to compete with. As Bryant approached the end of one of the greatest careers of all time, the Lakers refused to take this route. Using that same savvy that has won them 16 titles – only one behind the Boston Celtics for the most in league history – they gave up essentially nothing in the process of snagging the guaranteed number one center in the league.

By doing so, and also adding quality veteran reserves such as forward Antawn Jamison, guard Chris Duhon, forward Earl Clark and guard Jodie Meeks as well, they’ve assured themselves of the best possible opportunity to win it all right now.

It’s common knowledge that championships have never been won on paper; however, if this grouping of superstars, consistent All Stars, and reserves can live up to their potential on both ends of the floor and remain relatively healthy, you can comfortably presume that a 17^th Larry O’Brien trophy is headed to Los Angeles by next June.

As far as the starting unit is concerned, Nash, despite being the oldest of the five, is the most important component. He’ll be the type of floor general that the Lakers haven’t had the privilege of calling one of their own since the greatness that was Magic Johnson back in the good old Showtime days. When you combine his uncanny vision, ability to pass the ball with either hand, having excellent scorers like Bryant, Gasol, and Howard and the new Princeton offense that Los Angeles is implementing, scoring will not be much of a concern.

Bryant, who recruited Nash this summer, will be the biggest beneficiary of the transaction, as he will no longer have to constantly isolate and take a beating in order to create his own shot. A Lakers team where Kobe doesn’t have to always have the ball in his hands? Watch out.

Former Lakers center Andrew Bynum was beginning to blossom into an outstanding young player, and even made his first All Star team last season, but he’s still no Dwight Howard.

Howard’s physique and athleticism was something that Bynum would never be able to match because of his dauntingly wide seven-foot frame. While Bynum was one of the most ineffective pick-and-roll centers in the league during his seven years in Los Angeles, Howard has always been regarded as one of the best in that set since he broke into the league in 2004.

With Nash being the master of the pick-and-roll, Howard’s going to be in heaven.

That athletic ability also makes Howard a significantly better defender than Bynum. Unless Bynum also has three Defensive Player of the Year awards just lying around somewhere, but hasn’t told anyone.

Passion is the one trait that might’ve been the difference between the Lakers having a very good chance with Bynum to becoming the overall favorite with Howard. Bynum’s immaturity on the court occasionally cost the Lakers games, and off the court it continuously left people scratching their heads. Howard may have earned a reputation as being an indecisive brat off the court over the last couple of years, but on the court he’s always given his last ounce of energy.

The Lakers have rolled the dice, now expect them to hit the jackpot.

Image Courtesy of   Ira Bostic / Shutterstock.com

The article Lakers Do It Again, Become Instant Favorites With Howard appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

There are two possible words to describe the NBA offseason thus far: player movement.

Since last season’s trade, deadline rumors of Dwight Howard leaving Orlando took NBA movement headlines. Although he has made it clear that he wants to join the Brooklyn Nets, the Orlando Magic have not found the right deal to send their superstar packing. It seems talks between the Magic and Nets are over for now after Brooklyn inked current center Brook Lopez to a four-year, $61 million deal. The longer the Magic continues to hold onto Howard, the less leverage they will have when it comes to deals. Orlando doesn’t want history to repeat itself when they lost Shaquille O’Neal for nothing.

The Brooklyn Nets did not let the “Dwight-mare” affect them when it came to making other deals. One of the biggest moves this offseason included the addition of ex-Atlanta Hawks guard, Joe Johnson, to Brooklyn. The Nets sent Jordan Farmar, Anthony Morrow, Johan Petro, DeShawn Stevenson, Jordan Williams, and two draft picks in exchange for the six-time all-star. The addition of Joe Johnson definitely helped Deron Williams make his decision to come back with the Nets, signing a five-year $98 million deal. The Nets also agreed to terms with veteran point guard, C.J. Watson.

The Nets possible starting line-up for next season could be: Brook Lopez, newly signed forward Mirza Teletovic, Gerald Wallace, Joe Johnson, and Deron Williams. Let’s not forget MarShon Brooks, who will make a great impact off the bench for the Nets. It seems the Nets have made a jump from possible lottery winners to playoff contenders in a few months.

With the Nets making all these moves and improving, their New York rival Knicks had to start doing something. In a sign-and-trade, the Knicks welcomed back Marcus Camby and sent Toney Douglas, Josh Harrellson, Jerome Jordan, and two future second-round picks to the Rockets. The 38 year old will help back up Tyson Chandler and Amare Stoudemire, as well as help the Knicks improve defensively.

Knicks brought in another veteran signing point guard, Jason Kidd. Kidd is coming off his worst career year, averaging only 6.2 points per game and 5.5 assists per game. Signing Kidd made Knick fans assume they would re-sign Jeremy Lin; however, that does not seem to be the case after the Knicks’ latest move. The Knicks are bringing back Raymond Felton and Kurt Thomas for Jared Jeffries and Dan Gadzuric.

Bringing back Felton likely closes the idea that the Knicks will match the Houston Rockets three-year $25 million deal for Lin. The Knicks have also re-signed Steve Novak and J.R Smith. Felton back in New York may be the only good move so far for the Knicks. Looking at everything else they seem to have just gotten older, not better.

However, the Knicks have parted ways with guard Landry Fields after not matching the Raptors three year $19 million deal. Toronto also added guard Kyle Lowry in exchange for Gary Forbes and a future first-round pick.

When everyone thought the Heat couldn’t get any better, the NBA champions did. The Heat added veteran sharp shooter, Ray Allen, in a three-year deal. Also, the Heat added veteran, Rashard Lewis, to a two-year deal.

After losing one veteran, the Celtics locked up Kevin Garnett to a 3-year $34 million deal. The 36-year old will definitely help improve Boston’s rookie big men Jared Sullinger and Fab Melo’s skills in order to be effective in the NBA. The Celtics also brought in another veteran guard, Jason Terry. Terry will likely start due to guard Avery Bradley undergoing shoulder surgery; however, once Bradley returns, Terry will take the duty as sixth man.

Philadelphia 76ers added guard Nick Young, who averaged 14.2 points per game last season. Young will be a good replacement for Lou Williams, who has reached an agreement with the Atlanta Hawks. In addition, Young may have the edge to earn the starting job over Evan Turner.

The Detroit Pistons traded away guard Ben Gordon and a first-round pick to the Charlotte Bobcats in exchange for Corey Maggette. The Bobcats also added free agents Ramon Sessions and Brendan Haywood.

Indiana Pacers re-signed guard George Hill as well as center Roy Hibbert. In addition, the Pacers added Gerald Green and D.J Augustin. However, the Pacers traded guard Darren Collison and Dahntay Jones for Ian Mahinmi.

The Milwaukee Bucks were able to re-sign probably one of the most underrated free agents this offseason, Ersan Ilyasova. Ilyasova signed a four-year, $45 million contract after having the best season of his career averaging 13 points per game and 8.8 rebounds per game.

Although the only news coming from Orlando is about Dwight Howard trade rumors, they were able to re-sign guard Jameer Nelson and add Gustavo Ayon via trade for three-point specialist Ryan Anderson.

There is still tons of time and room for more deals to be done in the East and it will be exciting to see what will happen next.

For More Eastern Conference Moves/Deals 

Image Courtesy of   Domenic Gareri / Shutterstock.com

The article Same Face, New Place: Eastern Conference  appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Now that the Brooklyn Nets are reportedly bringing back center Brook Lopez with a max contract of four years and $60 million, Orlando Magic All Star center Dwight Howard has to be feeling like that painfully adorable puppy at the pet store that everyone instantly falls in love with, but unfortunately cannot afford.

Even when the Nets attempted to involve other teams like the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Clippers in the trade discussions with Orlando, nothing seemed to completely satisfy the Magic’s desires.

It’s hard to fathom how things suddenly came to an abrupt halt for the Nets once they agreed to terms with Lopez. The consensus throughout the majority of this process was that they would eventually get the Howard deal done one way or another due to the combination of his vehement demand to be traded to Brooklyn before an upcoming contract season and his reported refusal to sign a long-term extension with any other team the Magic might trade him to.

If Howard really wasn’t going to give a verbal agreement to interested teams such as the Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets and Atlanta Hawks, there was no way the Nets transaction wasn’t going to go down at some point this offseason. However, now enters the collective bargaining agreement, which prohibits Brooklyn from trading Lopez after signing this deal until January 15^th.

If Howard isn’t headed to a different city before then, then the rumors will likely re-surface once again somewhere around the holiday season. And to think, that’s supposed to be the happiest time of year!

But what if Howard is shipped off somewhere else beforehand, thus ending any possibility of him opening up the brand new Barclays Center in Brooklyn?

Well, Nets fans need not lose sleep over such a scenario taking place, because it really wouldn’t be as heartbreaking as it would initially seem. As insane as it may sound, this team would instead be better off without trading for him.

Heat stars LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh aren’t the only ones to prove that great players like themselves are capable of winning a world championship if they decide to join forces the way they did in the Summer of 2010. Nope. We can’t forget that Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce – all future Hall of Famers – were the original “Big Three” back in 2007, and that they also won it all during their era.

That’s where the NBA is headed, whether you’re in favor of it or not; which is exactly why the star-studded Lakers added Steve Nash this offseason, why the New York Knicks brought in Carmelo Anthony to join Amar’e Stoudemire a little over a season ago, and why adding Dwight Howard to a starting lineup that has two of the league’s most skilled players in Deron Williams and Joe Johnson would have sounded like Heaven for the people of Brooklyn.

On paper, the idea of putting the only three-time Defensive Player of the Year award winner in league history, and arguably best center in the game today, in Howard, alongside Williams and Johnson, who have combined for eight All Star appearances, sounds like an absolutely unstoppable force. There’s nothing far-fetched about that belief whatsoever.

The issue, however, lies in Howard’s market value. Rumors had the Nets trading pieces such as Lopez, Marshon Brooks, Kris Humphries and several first round draft picks in exchange for Howard’s services.

These assets aren’t worth dealing when the foundation of the Nets is already built on stars such as Williams and Johnson. The organization can also use the truckload of money they were going to give Howard to sign quality veterans that will comprise the bench.

Last year’s injuries have turned Lopez into a forgotten man, and wrongfully so. Until the 2011-2012 season – where he was only able to compete in five games as a result of serious foot and ankle ailments – Lopez had not missed a single game during his first three years as a pro. Standing seven feet tall and only 24-years-old, he essentially has the skill-set of Pau Gasol, minus the superb vision and passing ability. He’s averaged a very healthy 17.4 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game for his career. Good health and Williams at the point could propel him into one of the top three centers in the league.

Kim Kardashian may be the reason that Humphries is globally famous, but his performance on the court should be turning NBA fans’ heads even more. Last year he was one of the few players in the league to average a double-double, with 13.8 points and 11 rebounds per game. He’s earned a reputation as a solid player who doesn’t hold anything back on either end. Currently a free agent, he expects a big payday in the near future, and the Nets almost certainly wouldn’t mind signing that check if they are financially capable.

In his rookie season last year, Brooks at times displayed an ability to score at will. He posted an average of 12.6 points and nearly a steal per game in about 29 minutes a night. Bringing in Johnson and Gerald Wallace will probably reduce him to a sixth man role, but having a growing scorer like him in that spot could turn out great for a team with a thin bench like Brooklyn.

Howard may be one cute puppy, but not worth giving up all your other cool pets for.

Image Courtesy of  Keith Allison

The article Nets Keeping Assets Helps More than Acquiring Howard appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

On the brink of likely becoming an unrestricted free agent this Sunday, three-time All Star point guard Deron Williams’ uncertainty over what team he will join this summer hasn’t been commanding quite the amount of non-stop attention that Magic center Dwight Howard did this past season.

But Williams’ ability to maintain a relatively low profile throughout the year and up to this point doesn’t mean that his final decision won’t be felt throughout the league for years to come. Which is exactly why many are attempting to decode any potential significance behind him openly revealing through Instagram and Twitter that he was spending some quality time with Dallas Mavericks – not to mention former Nets – point guard Jason Kidd.

The two were out playing golf on Long Island that morning, and Williams thought it wouldn’t hurt to stir the pot just a little bit.

“Just finished playing East Hampton Golf Club w/ @RealJasonKidd let the speculation begin?????” tweeted Williams shortly after posting the picture.

Earlier in the week it was reported that Williams has narrowed his destination options down to two – either choosing to remain with the newly relocated Brooklyn Nets, or to make his way to Texas to become a part of his hometown Dallas Mavericks. If this holds true it would knock teams like the Los Angeles Lakers and New York Knicks – who were rumored to have a great deal of interest – out of contention for acquiring his services.

It would be easy to assume that the golf outing was Kidd’s method of recruiting Williams to sign with Dallas, but considering the fact that over the past few weeks he has expressed open mindedness to the idea of backing up Williams on either of the two squads he’s contemplating, Williams might just be doing the same with Kidd and Brooklyn.

With a depleted roster that currently has only four players under contract – forward Jordan Williams, center Johan Petro and guards Anthony Morrow and Marshon Brooks – the Nets are more than desperate to hold onto their star point guard, as they hope that he can eventually get them to the same place Kidd got them back in 2002 and 2003: the Finals.

Throw in a brand new arena in New York City and an even greater need to compete with the vastly improved Knicks on top of that as well and the Nets are outright praying for Williams to sign a long-term deal with them.

Brooklyn hopes to have its prayers answered by sometime next week. Until then, let the fun continue.

Image Courtesy of  Deron Williams

The article With Free Agency Looming, Williams Hangs with Kidd appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Brothers are always willing to fight for each other. ESPN broadcaster and former New York Knicks and Houston Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy demonstrated on Friday that that sense of loyalty certainly does not have an age limit, as he publicly criticized Orlando Magic CEO Alex Martins for the manner in which he handled his brother’s firing.

Van Gundy’s brother, Stan, was dismissed as the team’s coach on Monday following five seasons with the organization, despite leading them to the postseason in each of those years. Following an obvious and much-prolonged rift between his all-star center Dwight Howard and him, management apparently felt pressure to choose between the two. Van Gundy stated earlier in the season that front office personnel had informed him of a request by Howard to have him fired. Howard vehemently denied that report and echoed that same sentiment following Van Gundy’s termination.

After Martins officially fired Van Gundy and complimented him on his brilliance and knowledge of the game, Jeff Van Gundy expressed fury to 98.7 ESPN Radio’s Stephen A. Smith about Martins’ dishonesty in the role Dwight Howard played in the decision.

“To hide behind the fact or to try to make everyone believe that Dwight Howard didn’t have a part in this is absurd,” said Van Gundy. “’Say, listen, we fired this guy because we know this is our best chance to keep Dwight Howard. Dwight Howard and I decided to fire him.’ To do anything else is playing a game of semantics. And this is the biggest one to me –  he said that my brother is the finest ‘x and o’ coach he has been around in his 25 years in the business.”

It didn’t end there. He had a powerful message to send to Martins about his overall basketball I.Q., as well.

“Okay, listen, all you (CEO Alex Martins) have done in your 25 years in the business is release press releases and run the business side,” continued Van Gundy. “You don’t know if a ball is blown up or stuffed. You don’t know if the pick and roll coverage on the side is right or wrong. Just say that I have no knowledge about basketball. He doesn’t know one thing about basketball, so please hold off your comments on my brother’s expertise since you know nothing about basketball.”

Van Gundy also called Martins “unprofessional” for breaking the news to his brother by phone shortly after he left the Magic’s facilities on Monday instead of telling him face-to-face.

In 2009, Stan Van Gundy’s Magic made it all the way to the NBA Finals, where they would put up a great fight against the Los Angeles Lakers, but only to fall short in five games. His final record with Orlando was 259-135.

Image Courtesy of   Keith Allison

The article Jeff Van Gundy Calls Out Magic’s CEO, Sticks Up for Brother appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

According to both his agent and team officials on Thursday night, Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard will miss the remainder of the regular season, the entire post-season, and also, the 2012 Summer Olympics because of surgery to repair a herniated disk in his lower back, scheduled for Friday. Back issues had been nagging Howard, dating back to early March, but the herniated disk was not discovered until last week by Los Angeles spinal surgeon Dr. Robert Watkins.

“Dwight went in for an MRI Thursday morning,” said Howard’s agent, Dan Fegan. “When the results of that MRI came back, it appeared from that MRI that the problem had worsened the tear. The doctors got on the phone. They consulted together, and they both reached the same conclusion: that he was no longer a candidate for rehab, that surgery was required.”

Howard had been absent from the Magic line-up for the past six consecutive games with the injury and a total of eight this season. Without his presence, the Magic has gone just 3-5, and opponents have taken advantage on the offensive end, shooting 50 percent from the floor in 6 of the 8 contests.

“It hurts (emotionally),” said Howard. “That’s the first thing — it hurts. And then with people saying and thinking I’m quitting on my team. This is a real issue. I tried to play through it and it just made my back worse.”

In a season where Howard made almost non-stop headlines for all of the wrong reasons and had his mental commitment to the organization vigorously questioned, he now finds himself missing in action and in the news for health issues – something that, ironically enough, is completely out of his control this time around.

Howard’s indecisiveness concerning his future with the Magic was one of the major storylines around the entire league until he decided to waive his early termination option on the day of the trade deadline. Although an extension was not signed, waiving the option meant that Howard would remain under contract with Orlando through next season. However, this would only bring a temporary end to the drama surrounding the Magic big man.

On April 5, only hours before a game with the New York Knicks, Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy told reporters that he had been informed by the team’s front office that Howard asked them to fire him. Moments later, Howard put his arm around Van Gundy and insisted that this was not their main concern. He has denied the reports ever since, and many believe that Van Gundy is nothing more than a dead man walking.

It was also reported just days ago by WKMG in Orlando that Howard personally called Magic owner Rich DeVos during an April 13game against the Atlanta Hawks and told him he would not play for Van Gundy anymore. Sources told WKMG that Howard’s reasoning behind this was that he was still upset about Van Gundy’s comments to the media concerning his desire for a coaching change. However, other sources claim that no such phone call was ever made.

Nonetheless, the Magic is left with two options – either lay down in the post-season because their star will not be out there to lead them, or fight through it, and make a run that no one will see coming. Howard has faith in the latter.

“If the guys come together, we still have a chance,” Howard said. “I know what we have in that locker room. I’ve seen it in spurts this season. I’ve told them, ‘We don’t have to be the biggest or the strongest; we just have to believe.’”

Image Courtesy of   Keith Allison

The article Dwight Howard to Miss Rest of Season, Playoffs, and Olympics appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

After one of the more brutally honest and awkward interviews in recent sports history on Thursday afternoon, involving Orlando Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy and All Star Center Dwight Howard, the last thing their team needed that night was their fifth consecutive loss – let alone another beatdown courtesy of the New York Knicks.

Unfortunately for Orlando, that’s exactly what they got, 96-80; their second uninspired effort against New York in just a little over a week after getting absolutely schooled by them last Wednesday, 108-86.

When speaking with reporters just minutes past noon, Van Gundy openly admitted that he was well aware of Howard’s previous request for the coach’s dismissal to management.

Van Gundy also added immediately after that one of those front office members was the one who had actually informed him of the situation.

Upon hearing Van Gundy’s remarks about how his future with the team would be management’s decision and that he “ain’t worried about that,” Howard made his way next to him, put his arm around his shoulder and replied with a “Yeah, Stan, we’re not worried about that, right?”

Van Gundy agreed with his star big man, reiterated that their main focus at that moment was dealing with the Knicks that night and quickly a few seconds later.

Howard was then asked about the story, but vehemently denied its validity.

“My job security is not what is important right now,” repeated Van Gundy once again following the loss. “What Dwight wants is not what’s important right now. What’s important is we focus on getting better as a team. It’s not like we’ve played five awful games in a row.”

All of the hoopla that took place just hours earlier did not appear to distract the rest of the Magic roster early on in the game, like many feared, as they finished the first quarter down just two, 23-21. In fact, they led throughout most of the opening quarter until the closing minutes.

Howard was a different story, however. He clearly was not emotionally invested, as he went scoreless in the first half and scored just eight points on the night with makes on half of his eight field goal attempts. He posted eight rebounds, as well.

After the Magic tied the game at 23 to start the second quarter, an 8-0 Knicks run put them ahead 31-23 with 9:27 remaining in the half.

New York outscored Orlando 33-23 in the second, and entered the locker room with a comfortable 56-44 lead.

With 3.5 seconds left in the third quarter Howard contributed his first two points of the game with a dunk, but the Knicks were able to extend to a 15 point lead entering the fourth, 76-61.

At that point, everyone in the building knew the Magic weren’t going to make any sort of late comeback that would result in their first victory since March 26 in Toronto.

A J.R. Smith jumper gave the Knicks their biggest lead of the night at 21 with 6:34 left in the contest, 87-66. Smith and rookie Josh Harrelson were the Knicks’ second leading scorers with 15 each. Carmelo Anthony led not only the Knicks, but all scorers with 19 points of his own.

Jason Richardson was Orlando’s high scorer with 15.

The Knicks decided to use the Magic’s strength against them – the three pointer – and it worked out perfectly for them. New York shot 13/25 from beyond the arc, while Orlando, who leads the league in both makes and attempts, went just 9/24.

At an overall clip of 48.7%, the Knicks had a very efficient shooting night. The Magic, though, shot just 41.7% from the field in total.

Howard did not want to get back into what was or wasn’t said to front office officials when asked again after the game.

“I’m not gonna talk about that,” Howard insisted.

What is even more concerning for the Magic right now is the fact that they’ve fallen down to the number six seed in the East at 32-23, after having control of the third seed for the majority of the season.

Orlando will look to get back on track on Saturday night when they visit the Philadelphia 76ers.

Image Courtesy of  Ira Bostic / Shutterstock.com

The article Howard Checks Out in Orlando’s 96-80 Loss to Knicks appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Missing their three best players on Tuesday night in the Motor City- center Dwight Howard, point guard Jameer Nelson and forward Ryan Anderson- the Orlando Magic was unable to snap its three-game losing streak, as the Detroit Pistons took care of business at home, 102-95.

Howard missed his second consecutive game with back spasms, while Nelson and Anderson were inactive due to a sore left calf and sprained right ankle suffered in Sunday night’s loss to the Denver Nuggets, respectively. Jason Richardson, Orlando’s starting shooting guard, who scored 10 points in this game, refused to use Howard’s absence as an excuse for allowing Detroit to shoot 57% from the field on the night.

“We’ve got to do a better job,” said Richardson. “We know we’re missing Dwight, who is our leader down there on that end of the floor. But there’s going to be times where he might be in foul trouble the rest of the season or the playoffs, and we’ve got to learn to play without him.”

Head coach Stan Van Gundy was a little more honest and critical of his team’s defensive effort.

“We don’t play any defense,” Van Gundy said afterward.

The Magic entered the game as the third seed in the Eastern Conference with a 32-21 record, but were knocked down to the fifth slot after a Pacers win over the Knicks combined with their own loss caused the two to trade spots in the standings. Meanwhile, idle Boston maintained its grasp on the number four seed.

With the score even at 74, following a missed lay-up on a difficult attempt by Magic guard J.J. Redick, this was anyone’s game entering the fourth quarter. But before the Magic could blink, Pistons guard Brandon Knight had just knocked down a long jumper near the right wing with 9:41 remaining in the fourth to complete a 7-0 Detroit run.

Detroit would start 8/10 in the final quarter, and a 17-4 run extended their lead to 91-78 with 5:58 left to go in the ball game. Orlando simply could not get stops when they needed them in the game’s most crucial moments. “We won’t contend for nothing if we don’t play defense,” said reserve forward Glen Davis.

Davis really picked up the scoring slack with the big guns missing from the lineup, as he recorded 31 points and 10 rebounds.

A 9-2 Magic run made it a two possession game, 93-87 Pistons with 2:44 on the clock, but it was too little, too late at that point. The Magic scored eight points over that final stretch, but gave up nine points of their own.

Six Detroit players contributed double figures in scoring. They may only have a 20-33 record, but they’ve now won four out of their last five. Pistons coach Lawrence Frank certainly didn’t have any sympathy for the depleted Magic roster.

“Obviously, Dwight is one of the elite paint protectors,” said Frank. “But you play with the guys you have.” The Pistons play their next game against the Wizards at home on Thursday night, while the Magic will host the New York Knicks that same night on a nationally televised stage.

Image Courtesy of   https://www.facebook.com/OrlandoMagic

The article Short-Handed Magic Can’t Handle Pistons in 4th, Fall 102-95 appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

If the Orlando Magic (32-19) came to Wednesday night’s game with the mentality that the New York Knicks (26-25) wouldn’t come to play due to the absence of both forward Amare Stoudemire and point guard Jeremy Lin from their lineup, then their 108-86 defeat might have been well deserved.

Despite sporting the third best record in the Eastern Conference, and also fifth in the league, this was not the first or even second time this season that the Magic were the victims of an old-fashioned beatdown where they were simply just run out of the gym. New Orleans, Boston, and Chicago have also embarrassed Orlando this season, and they looked nothing like a team who had won three straight entering the contest.

“We got behind, they hit a lot of shots, they got us down,” said Magic coach Stan Van Gundy. “And then we just sort of died. We didn’t do anything we had talked about doing. We played with no energy. We were very individual at the offensive end. And not much effort.”

Lin and Stoudemire were both inactive for a second consecutive game with a sore left knee and bulging back disk, respectively. While Lin’s injury has been classified as minor, it was announced earlier in the day that Stoudemire would miss the next two to four weeks, with surgery unnecessary.

Carmelo Anthony knew he would have to step up for New York, even though he was dealing with a minor groin injury of his own. He had no problem doing so, scoring a game high 25 points on 9/15 shooting. Anthony had a solid all-around game, adding six rebounds and five assists as well.

With 25 of his own, rookie teammate Iman Shumpert equaled Anthony’s point outpoint and also recorded a new career high in doing so. “Right now, with the coaching change, we’ve been playing extremely well,” said Anthony. “Guys seem to be responding pretty well. We’ve been really locked in on our mission right now.”

A thrashing by the Knicks did not seem likely early on, as Magic point guard Jameer Nelson’s 11 first quarter points, which led both sides, helped his team attain a 29-25 lead going into the second.

Nelson went 7/14 overall and was the Magic’s top scorer with 17. Steve Novak’s jumper with 9:41 remaining in the second would conclude a 6-0 Knicks run to open the second, giving them their first lead of the night at 31-29. After Orlando tied the game with a bucket on the next possession, New York went on a 7-0 run, establishing a 47-38 lead thanks to a lay-in by Anthony at the 2:26 mark.

Two free throws from Magic center Dwight Howard ended the run at 12-0 with 38.5 seconds remaining in the half, but a Novak three at the buzzer – his third of the half – gave the Knicks a commanding 57-41 lead entering the locker room. Howard was essentially a non-factor in the ball game, scoring 12 points and bringing down just five boards.

Novak made four of eight three’s in almost 23 and a half minutes of play, putting up 16 points. They may lead the league in both three pointers attempted and made, but the Magic were shut down in this one, going 9/26 from behind the arc. After making eight three’s in Orlando’s last game, forward Ryan Anderson hit just one in this one, scoring a mere three points.

When everyone thought that the Knicks could not outdo a 32-12 second quarter, they did. It started with 8:45 shown on the third quarter clock. The Knicks went ahead 69-49 on a floater by backup point guard Baron Davis. Between that time and Shumpert’s jumper with 2:58 left they ripped off 21 unanswered.

Shell-shocked, the Magic found themselves trailing 90-59 before taking the floor for the final quarter. They were able to cut the deficit down to 15 with 2:10 left to play, but the Knicks held on easily, 108-86. Orlando shot just 44.8% from the field, and allowed New York to shoot 50.9%.

“It should be frustrating for everybody,” said Howard. “We just have to step up and play the right way, and when we don’t, we have games like this.”

The article Magic Get it Handed to Them in New York, 108-86 appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Orlando Magic forward Ryan Anderson was on absolute fire Monday night, making a career-high eight three-pointers and leading all scorers with 28 points as the Magic (32-18) made their way just north of the border and rolled over the Toronto Raptors (16-34), 117-101.

“I had a lot of open looks,” said Anderson, “I think everybody did a good job finding me.”

Anderson, who continues to have by far the best season of his brief four-year career, with averages of 16.2 points and 7.6 rebounds per game, certainly aided the powerful case that he’s been making for this year’s Most Improved Player Award, with his lights out shooting performance from beyond the arc.

At 29 consecutive games, with at least one made three pointer, Anderson has the longest streak in the league. Not to mention he leads all players in the long range department, with 143 made this season.

“I’m happy for him,” said Magic center Dwight Howard, who was the game’s second-highest scorer, after posting 23 points and 10 rebounds. “I just want him to continue all the things that he’s been doing. We all love the way he’s been playing. He just has to keep it up, and we’re going to need that same effort and energy from him every night. We know he can do it.”

The Magic came out of the gate in a dominant fashion, scoring the game’s first 10 points. One might have gotten the feeling that this game would be over before halftime, after an alley-oop slam by Howard made it a 24-8 Orlando lead with about five minutes remaining in the first.

However, a nice push by the Raptors bench, that concluded with a fastbreak dunk by Ed Davis with 2.4 seconds left in the quarter cut the Magic’s lead all the way down to two, entering the second, 28-26.

Toronto’s second unit completely outplayed Orlando’s, which was non-existent over the first 12 minutes, outscoring them 16-0 and keeping them in the game at least for the time being.

The Raptors evened the score at 28 on the opening possession of the second quarter, but that would end up being the closest they ever came to winning.

Orlando never surrendered the lead, and combatted the Raptors’ 23 point quarter with 33 of their own, giving them a 61-49 lead at the half.

Six threes accounted for each one of Anderson’s 18 first half points. The Magic as a team went 9/19 from distance during that half, and went 15/34 in the entire contest, 44.1%.

Their overall field goal shooting percentage of 54.3% was even more efficient.

Reserve forward for the Magic, Glen Davis, was forced to exit the game with 7:49 left to go in the half, after a hit taken across the forehead from a Raptor opened a cut that would require five stitches.

Davis was able to return to the action in the second half, and finished the game with 13 points and seven rebounds.

After the Raptors fell behind by 20 early in the third, 75-55, they trimmed the deficit down to 12, 80-68, with a Jose Calderon three about eight minutes left.

But by the time the buzzer signaled the expiration of the third quarter, the Magic had regained their 20 point advantage, 93-73.

Failing to reduce the lead to less than 15, the Raptors posed no threat in the final period, and the Magic eased their way to a blowout victory, 117-101.

Orlando point guard Jameer Nelson did a solid job of keeping his teammates involved with seven total assists, and also did his fair share of scoring with 18 points.

The Magic made a concerted effort to stop Toronto’s lethal center, Andrea Bargnani, and definitely succeeded in doing so. Bargnani shot just 3/11 from the floor, with eight points and three rebounds.

Orlando also took better care of the basketball than they had been doing in recent games, turning it over just nine times.

The next stop for the Magic will be in the Big Apple on Wednesday night, as they visit the resurgent and suddenly defensive-minded New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden, who are 7-1 since Mike Woodson took over as coach.

Image Courtesy of   https://www.facebook.com/OrlandoMagic

The article Magic Blow Out Raptors Behind Anderson’s Eight 3-Pointers appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

After back-to-back losses to the best two teams the East has to offer – the Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls – the Orlando Magic got off the snide in a convincing fashion on Wednesday night with a 103-93 home victory over the Phoenix Suns.

A ten point margin of victory may not be much in today’s NBA, but in reality the final score did not tell the proper story of how lopsided the game truly was in the second half.

The Magic extended their lead to as many as 22 in the fourth quarter before the Suns were able to cut the lead in half with four and a half minutes remaining in the game. Orlando would not allow them to get any closer from that point on. The win improves the Magic’s record to30-18, putting them three and a half games in front of the Philadelphia 76ers for the number three seed in the conference.

“We just wanted to play our game, no matter what the situation was or what we scored,” said Jameer Nelson, the Magic’s starting point guard. “Whoever’s out there, just go out and play to our capabilities so we could be good collectively.”

Entering the game at an even 23-23, the Suns dropped back under .500 with the loss. However, the Magic were well aware that this team was not to be taken lightly because of their record. Despite losing a road game to Florida’s other team the previous night, the Heat, Phoenix stepped onto the Amway Center floor as one of the hottest teams in the league, having gone 9-3 since the All Star break and coming out victorious in 11 of their last 15 overall.

Magic forward Ryan Anderson, who had one of his best performances of the season and finished with a game high 29 points, had nine in the opening quarter on three-three pointers. The usual leading scorer for the Magic, center Dwight Howard, had yet another monster night with 28 points and 16 rebounds, giving him his 39th double-double of the season.

Thirteen first quarter points from Suns guard Jared Dudley kept Phoenix within striking distance after one, as the Magic held a slim 27-21 lead. Dudley only scored four additional points over the next three quarters, but still managed to be the Suns leading scorer with 17. The Magic began opening up the game in the second quarter, outscoring the Suns 30-23 and taking a 57-44 lead at the half.

In fact, it should have been a 59-44 lead, but backup point guard Chris Duhon inexplicably missed an open breakaway layup as the final buzzer of the first half sounded. Luckily for the Magic, that didn’t come back to haunt them.

Suns’ point guard Steve Nash was responsible for 12 of his team’s first half points, but was held scoreless in the second half. He also had just two assists on the night. Orlando kept its foot on the gas pedal in the third, and by quarter’s end they had acquired a 19 point lead, 81-62.

The game appeared to be in hand until Phoenix went on a late run to make it a 96-85 game, however Anderson’s career high-tying seventh three pointer following a Magic timeout killed the Suns’ momentum. The Magic would not surrender their double digit lead and made their way across the finish line with ease.

As a team, the Magic made 11 of their 23 three point attempts. Just as important, they limited the lethal shooters of the Suns to just 4/12 from beyond the arc. Fans kept their eye on Suns’ center Marcin Gortat, who was traded by the Magic last season and is currently having his best season by far, averaging 15.9 points and exactly 10 rebounds per game.

Gortat was Howard’s backup from 2007 until he was dealt in 2011. Although he was able to rip down nine boards, the Magic held him to just four points altogether. “Dwight played extremely well, and I thought we defended Marcin’s offense very, very well,” said Magic coach Stan Van Gundy.

Both teams play their next games on Friday night. The Magic will play host to the Cleveland Cavaliers, while the Suns will visit the Indiana Pacers.

Image Courtesy of   https://www.facebook.com/OrlandoMagic

The article Magic Snap Two Game Losing Streak With 103-93 Win Over Suns appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

The trade deadline has come and gone and not a single meaningful shot was fired. In fact, the shot not heard meant the most to the league and to those who followed every word anticipating big changes in Orlando.

Dwight Howard, the big fish in the small pond chose to stay and opt-in the early termination clause of his contract. The process says more about the perennial all-star than the eventual outcome but what matters more is the impact his decision will have on free agency after the 12-13 season.

The team that Howard had been linked to for the last two years had been the New Jersey Nets, soon to be the Brooklyn Nets. A lot was expected from the Nets but things have not gone according to plan since the Russian billionaire took over — Mikhail Prokhorov came in and raised expectations for the franchise but it was clear things wouldn’t be as easy as he might have expected.

From Carmelo to Lebron, the Nets have swung and missed and now with Dwight choosing to stay because of his loyalty (as he puts it), the Nets are wandering through the NBA without a great amount of options.

Derron Williams will not follow Howard and sign his early termination clause, instead opting to test free agency in the off season and most likely leave to another franchise. The biggest competition at this early stage in the process is the Dallas Mavericks.

The Mavericks will be without Jason Kidd who at this point is keeping the seat warm for a younger more dynamic guard in the mold of Williams. They will be in a great position given their cap situation to acquire the 26-year-old guard leaving the Nets without a marque star in Brooklyn.

The Nets will have the financial advantage in that they will be in the position to offer Williams twenty eight million more than any other team can offer. However; something tells me money won’t be the determining factor in his decision. The Nets can add pieces via free agency and the draft but it remains to be seen if it will match a potential Dirk Nowitzki/Williams combo. Not to mention the many other teams who will throw their hats in the ring for his services.

There was much excitement early on but that feeling has been replaced by disappointment and maybe even panic. The stadium is already making its presence felt in downtown Brooklyn and the people of Brooklyn are excited about having a team again but things are not looking good in terms of star power in the big city.

With the Knicks struggling at times, the opportunity is there or at least was there for the Nets to make an impact and at least become part of the conversation. The names are drying up and all that money won’t mean nothing if no one wants to come and play.

At this point it doesn’t really matter what Howard does two years from now in free agency — if it even gets to that point, chances are Williams will be gone and coming to Brooklyn to play by himself for Howard wouldn’t make much sense. Sure other big names will become available but given the track record of the Nets under Prokhorov, fans of the team should prepare for a lot more swings with many more misses.

Image Courtesy of    https://www.facebook.com/NetsBasketball

The article NBA Trade Deadline Leaves Nets In Limbo appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

The Orlando Magic (29-18) suffered one of their worst losses of the season on Monday night, as the league’s best team record-wise, the Chicago Bulls (38-10), handed them a disappointing 85-59 home loss despite the absence of reigning MVP Derrick Rose. Rose sat out his fourth straight contest with a groin injury that he suffered last week.

“Tonight, they sent a team out there that played without their star player and did what they needed to do to win the ballgame,” said Magic reserve Glen Davis. “And they beat us. They beat us with no problem. I wish they would have had Derrick Rose, in a sense.”

Oddly enough, the Magic defeated the Bulls in Chicago with Rose on the floor on March 8, 99-94. But playing their third game in four nights and a back-to-back after falling short in Miami last night may have had the Magic players overly fatigued coming into this matchup with Chicago 11 days later.

Carlos Boozer led the way for the Bulls with a 24 point, 13 rebound effort. Backup guard John Lucas 20 point game, which consisted of nine points in both the first and fourth quarters, was a solid compliment. Dwight Howard was the high scorer on the night for the Magic with 18 points. He also pulled down 12 rebounds.

Ryan Anderson’s 10 points made him the only other Magic player in double figures. Howard shot 8/12 from the field, but the Bulls – who are second in the league in points, allowed with just 89.3 per game – did an excellent job of ball denial on him with Boozer, Joakim Noah, and Omer Asik.

Orlando was also unable to score 20 points in any quarter last night, and has actually failed to do so over their last six quarters of action. The Bulls converted 19 Orlando turnovers into 25 points, and held the Magic to just 35.3% shooting.

“Our offense was pathetic,” said Magic coach Stan Van Gundy. “And that’s something that I’ve got to take a look at because we’ve got better players than that. I’ve got to take a look at what we’re doing because it’s really two games in a row now where we’ve been very, very bad offensively.”

With the score 22-14 in favor of Chicago at the completion of the opening quarter, it was still a single digit ball game. However, after the Bulls outscored the Magic 26-19 in the second, they had extended their halftime lead to a comfortable 15, 48-33. Both teams struggled mightily in the third quarter, as they combined for just 27 points. The Magic were able to outscore their opponent by three and cut the deficit to 60-48 entering the fourth quarter.

The Bulls were not by any means extraordinary scoring the ball in the final period. They put up 25, but the fact that they only gave up 11 is what allowed them to cruise toward their fifth win in six games.

The win was Chicago’s third during the current four game stretch without Rose. He’s missed 14 overall due to back issues that he fought earlier in the season, but that hasn’t prevented the Bulls and their smothering defense from going 10-4 during those games.

For the Magic, it was their third loss in their last four games. Van Gundy did not shy away from taking the blame for his team’s recent struggles.

“When you play the way we played tonight, this is a team-wide thing,” said Van Gundy. “I’ve got to take responsibility.”

The Bulls will make their way up to Toronto on Wednesday for a game against the Raptors, while the Magic will play host to the Phoenix Suns that same night.

Image Courtesy of   Chicago Bulls

The article Magic Unable to Handle Bulls, 85-59, Despite Rose’s Absence appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

With just a 34 point output in the second half and a huge fourth quarter by Dwyane Wade, the Orlando Magic – who hold the third-best record in the Eastern Conference (29-17) – fell to the current second seed in the East, the Miami Heat (33-11), in south Florida on Sunday night, 91-81.

“We have to do a better job of not turning the ball over,” said Magic center Dwight Howard, who led the team with 18 points and 11 rebounds. “That’s what gave them a chance to get out early, get the lead and keep the lead. We’ve just got to do a better job. It’s the small things that are going to matter in a game like this.”

Orlando turned the ball over 20 times against a Heat team that has proven to be one of the best defensive units in the league over the past two seasons.

Along with being less than thrilled about the extraordinary amount of turnovers his team committed, Magic coach Stan Van Gundy also took the defensive intensity of his players at the outset of the game into question.

“Our effort defensively early in the game was not there,” said Van Gundy. “We did not come to play. That’s inexcusable particularly playing on the road against a team this good and then the 20 turnovers.”

Miami came out smoking in the first quarter with 31 points, and had totaled 50 before halftime. Forward Chris Bosh’s team high 18 points in the first half on 7/9 shooting was a key component in the Heat’s 53% first half shooting percentage.

Despite shooting only 41% over the first 24 minutes, Orlando found themselves only down by three entering the locker room after a difficult three point play down the right baseline by Wade untied the game with 48 seconds left in the second quarter.

Wade led all Miami scorers at the game’s conclusion with 31 points. He tallied six rebounds and four assists, as well.

Forward Quentin Richardson, guard Jason Richardson, and Nelson all finished in double-figured scoring for the Magic.

After playing from behind since losing an early 7-6 lead, Orlando finally found themselves in the driver’s seat, 57-54, with 8:26 remaining in the third when an interception of a ball Bosh saved from going out of bounds, turned into a fastbreak opportunity and a three point play on the other end for guard Jason Richardson.

Orlando scored just nine points on the break, but did a quality job of limiting Miami’s transition game, which they excel at with athletes like James and Wade. The Heat had only 13 points in the open court.

But Miami made sure to take away Orlando’s strength as well – the three pointer. The Magic, who attempt and make more three’s than any other team in basketball, shot just 9/25, 36% from behind the arc.

The teams were abysmal in the third quarter, shooting a combined 13/40 from the floor. A LeBron James bank shot, with .8 left in the period, gave the Heat a 67-63 lead entering the fourth.

With just 14 points overall, James had a relatively quiet night as far as scoring was concerned. However, he still had a major impact with 12 boards and seven assists.

The Heat went on an 11-2 run that ended around the four minute mark and outscored the Magic 24-18 in the final quarter to hold on rather comfortably for their 13th consecutive home win. Only the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 14 game home winning streak has bettered Miami’s current run this season.

Wade was unstoppable over the final minutes, dropping 12 in a row at one point, and 14 of his 31.

“I don’t think (Wade) ever had a bad game against us,” said Van Gundy. “Every game he’s played it’s been a great game. We never do a decent job on him.”

Miami and Orlando split the season series two games apiece.

The Heat will look to continue their winning ways at home when they host the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night.

The Magic are right back at it on Monday night, as the team with the best record in the league, the 37-10 Chicago Bulls, pay a visit.

Image Courtesy of   http://www.flickr.com/photos/keithallison/

The article Magic Fall to Heat as Wade Has Huge Fourth Quarter appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

For most of the season it seemed like there was a fairly strong possibility that Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard would actually be wearing a red New Jersey Nets uniform, playing the role of villain when the teams met on March 16 at the Amway Center – one day after the trade deadline – as opposed to continuing on as the Magic’s star, leading them to a comfortable 86-70 victory.

Howard shocked the basketball world on Thursday with his decision to remain under contract with Orlando through next season, and proceeded to follow it up with an 18 point, 6 rebound effort against New Jersey, the team many believed to be the frontrunner in acquiring his services before the deadline.

“I don’t think anyone asked me any questions about trades, so that part is over with,” said Howard about the season-long situation after the win.

Forward Glen Davis and point guard Jameer Nelson each chipped in 13 points as Orlando’s second leading scorers behind Howard. Forward Ryan Anderson’s 12 point night made him the team’s next highest point man, followed by forward Hedo Turkoglu and shooting guard Jason Richardson, who both added 10.

Howard scored 10 of his 18 in the first quarter on a perfect 5/5 from the field. He would then only take two shots in the second quarter, missing both and going scoreless for the remainder of the half.

A 3/3 second half with two made free throws gave him his final 8 points on 8/10 shooting.

New Jersey was considerably banged up, as All Star point guard Deron Williams sat out for the fourth straight game with a sore right calf, along with backup guard Jordan Farmar, suffering from a strained right groin, and center Brook Lopez, who has been unavailable since March 4 with a sprained right ankle.

The Magic certainly took advantage of New Jersey’s health issues, never trailing the rest of the way after falling behind 2-0 in the early moments.

Orlando took an 11-4 lead with a 7-0 run that concluded with 7:41 remaining in the first quarter. They ended the quarter with a 22-18 lead. A 12-2 run extended the lead to double digits, 43-29, with 2:57 left in the half.

Jameer Nelson’s three pointer with 2.1 to go in the half ended a 7-0 Nets run, making it a 46-36 score in favor of Orlando at halftime.

Nets guard/forward Gerald Green, who is on his second 10-day contract with the team, went 6/9 from the floor and led them with 14 points total, half of which came on 3/3 shooting in the first quarter.

A 21-11 scoring stretch by the Magic in the third quarter stretched their lead all the way out to 20 at 67-47, their largest of the night.

The Nets were able to make the score manageable when a long alley-oop pass from forward Deshaun Stevenson accidentally banked into the basket for a three pointer during the final seconds of the third and cut the lead to 72-60 entering the fourth. It was easily one of the most bizarre three pointers ever witnessed.

But the Magic never allowed the Nets to creep any closer than 12 points in the final period, and they coasted toward an 86-70 win.

“I was happy,” said Magic coach Stan Van Gundy about his team’s overall performance. “I thought we did a good job on their starters. Their bench guys, Gerald Green got going, but I was fairly happy with our defense. The only thing I was unhappy with honestly was the 20 turnovers … again, just mindless.”

The Nets now sit at 15-30 following the loss, but just a reasonable five and a half games behind the Milwaukee Bucks for the eighth and final playoff seed in the East. They will host the New Orleans Hornets on Saturday night.

As for The Magic, they are now third in the East with a 29-16 record. They will make their way to Miami for a Sunday night matchup against the Heat, who they have beaten two out of three times this season, including this past Tuesday, 104-98, and trail by only four games in the standings.

Image Courtesy of    http://www.flickr.com/photos/keithallison/

The article Howard and Magic Roll Past Nets in First Game After Deadline appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Dwight Howard will not be wearing a different uniform this season, as the NBA’s most prolific center decided just hours before Thursday’s 3 p.m. trade deadline to remain under contract with the Orlando Magic, at least through next season, after waiving the early termination option in his contract that would have made him a free agent this summer.

“I’m glad this is finally over,” said Howard at a news conference to announce the decision. “… It’s not as easy as some people think. It’s been very hard. We’re talking a career-changing event. Most people don’t see that.

“I’m very loyal and I’ve always put loyalty above anything.”

Howard, a six time All Star, demanded a trade in the preseason that would send him to the New Jersey Nets, Dallas Mavericks, or Los Angeles Lakers. He kept that sentiment rather consistent until just recently, and his openness in speaking about the situation only increased the level of speculation around the league.

Having played his entire career in Orlando since being drafted out of high school in 2004, Howard had wanted out due to the belief that the organization was not doing enough to build around him, giving the impression of a non-commitment to winning.

Questionmarks continuously arose about what route the Magic’s front office would take. They admitted to a strong desire to keep him onboard, but the last thing they and their fans wanted to see was him walking away and leave the team with no assets in exchange, similar to the way Shaquille O’Neal left it in 1996 when he signed with the Lakers.

The Magic denied ESPN’s report earlier in the week that they were so desperate to keep Howard that they would grant him the final say on the fates of coach Stan Van Gundy and general manager Otis Smith.

After an embarrassing three out of four game stretch in late January in which the Magic lost to the Boston Celtics by 31, and 91-83 three days later after blowing a 27 point lead, and 93-67 to the New Orleans Hornets the following night, Howard expressed passionate frustration with the effort of his teammates, as well.

“It hurts me to get out there and play your hardest,” said Howard. “I expect everybody to play the same. I’m not calling anybody out by no means because we all have to get better … but if you don’t want to be out there, don’t dress up.

“If you don’t want to play, stay home. People work too hard. I want to win a championship. I work too hard every night for anybody to not want to go out there and play hard. … None of the — whatever, trade stuff — none of that stuff matters. Play basketball. That’s why we all get paid to do this, because we love the game and it’s basketball, so why not give it your all.”

After hearing these comments the rest of the roster certainly responded, having a potential impact on Howard’s decision to stay. The Magic are third in the East at 28-16 going into a game with the New Jersey Nets on Friday night.

And despite doing a great amount of talking, Howard never skipped a beat, averaging a staggering 21.2 points and a career high 15.2 rebounds per game.

Things suddenly changed when Howard stated that he wanted to remain with the team after a win over the Miami Heat on Tuesday night, only to confirm it somewhere between the flight back from San Antonio the next night and Thursday morning.

Smith made everyone aware in a statement before Howard’s final decision that the team was fully prepared to deal him.

Signing the early termination option waiver makes Howard incapable of signing a long-term deal with the Magic this offseason, but he can still sign a two or three year extension before then. As of this moment he is due $19 million next season and the door is still open for the potential of this entire fiasco occurring again next year.

However, that was not Howard’s main focus.

“Now we can get back to playing basketball and having some peace and trying to win a championship,” said Howard.

Image Courtesey of Ira Bostic / Shutterstock.com

The article Howard Not Dealt, Remains With Magic Through Next Season appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

It’s no secret that the Los Angeles Lakers have had their eye on Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard for quite a while now. But according to multiple sources, Howard’s agent, Donald Fegan, has told the Lakers organization this week that his client would not sign a contract extension with them if they were to land him in a deal before the March 15^th trade deadline.

No specific reason has been given regarding this, but the overwhelming consensus is that Howard has no desire to play second-fiddle to Kobe Bryant out in L.A. Howard has established himself as the league’s best center for several years now, and has always been the number one offensive option in Orlando.

Howard’s unwillingness to sign an extension with Los Angeles might have knocked the wheels right off a rumored trade between the Lakers and Magic, that John Cherwa of the L.A. Times reported earlier this week. In the article, Cherwa states that the Lakers, Magic, and Toronto Raptors were constructing a three-way deal, which would ship Howard to the Lakers on March 1^st.

In return, the Magic would receive the two Laker All Star big men, center Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol, along with point guard Jose Calderon from the Raptors. In addition to Howard, the Lakers would also get Magic point guard Jameer Nelson and forward Hedo Turkoglu. It had not been determined what the Raptors would get out of the deal.

Howard’s indecisiveness concerning the idea of either leaving or staying in Orlando before 2013 arrives has been one of the major storylines throughout this shortened NBA season.

If he were to leave central Florida, it is well-known that the teams appearing to be contenders for his services are the Lakers, Dallas Mavericks, and soon-to-be Brooklyn Nets.

Upon hearing the latest from Howard’s agent, Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak is now left with one of the most difficult decisions that he will ever have to make if Howard and the Magic ultimately decide to split ways before the deadline.

He will have to decide – if the Magic and Howard do decide to go in different directions – whether or not he is willing to risk giving up excellent assets such as Bynum and Gasol, in hopes that the front office could convince Howard to change his mind once again and sign a long-term deal with the Lakers.

The reward, if the Lakers are able to acquire Howard and successfully lock him up, could be the presence of a similar matchup problem that teams faced against Los Angeles during the Kobe-Shaq days of the early 2000’s. O’Neal was also the league’s dominant center during that era, and alongside Bryant the two were able to win three consecutive titles from 2000-2002, establishing a powerful dynasty.

Laker fans could certainly envision their team making this type of run with Howard at center.

But the risk might be far too great. Kupchak’s biggest fear is putting his team in the same position that the Nets have now found themselves in, with All Star point guard Deron Williams.

New Jersey gave up a multitude of young pieces and draft picks in order to bring in Williams, despite not receiving confirmation that he would sign a contract extension that would keep him with them past the 2012 season. If Williams chooses to leave the currently non-contending Nets this summer in free agency, the trade would have essentially been for nothing.

That’s exactly the situation that might keep Kupchak from pulling the trigger on a Howard deal.

If Kupchak has an opportunity to get Howard into a Laker uniform, his final decision will either turn him into one of the most loved men in all of southern California, or one of the most hated and unemployed in the area.

Let’s see if Howard and the Magic give him that chance.

Image Courtesy  of    http://www.flickr.com/photos/keithallison/

The article Howard Won’t Sign Extension with Lakers, Sides Were Reportedly on Verge of Deal appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

What was originally viewed as a great deal for Nets fans could ironically become their worst nightmare by season’s end. Deron Williams, acquired last year in a deal with the Jazz, stated Thursday that he will not sign an extension with New Jersey and will go elsewhere following this year according to ESPN. Williams has a player option at the end of 2012 that he will reportedly exercise.

New Jersey traded for Williams in 2011 in exchange for rookie forward Derrick Favors, point guard Devin Harris and their upcoming first round draft pick. The rest of the league did not see it coming, but as one of the league’s elite point guards they depended on him to be the first major piece in hopefully a new era of winning.

However, it was certainly viewed around the league as a risky move by new owner Mikhail Prokhorov and general manager Billy King, knowing that Williams could walk away without even playing two full seasons with the club. And if he were to do so the team would suffer a major setback.

The Nets have been painfully irrelevant the last few years, as most NBA fans can recall following a 12-70 season just two years ago. They’ve appeared even worse to fans in the northeast recently due to the Knicks recent success.

New York has become an elite contender since acquiring Amar’e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony, and New Jersey’s front office hoped to achieve the same by trading for Williams with their move to Brooklyn less than a calendar year away.

The Nets made the move despite awareness of potentially jeopardizing their future. Derrick Favors was not performing like the lottery pick that he was, averaging only 6.3 points and 5.3 rebounds per game in 56 games with the team. But giving up on a rookie who could still grow for a player who controls his own future is a transaction most teams wouldn’t have made. They also gave Utah what turned out to be the number three pick in the draft.

Meanwhile, Harris posted solid numbers for a starting point guard, averaging 15 points and nearly eight assists per game for New Jersey last year. The acquisition of Williams will be detrimental to the team’s development if he really does leave, but many believe that it could also just be his way of forcing the team to make a more aggressive push at potential free agents such as Dwight Howard.

Howard will be on the open market this summer and the popular sentiment is that the Magic will be unable to retain him. Most are going with the notion that he will sign with a team in a big market to join other superstars in a similar fashion to the great players that went to the Heat and Knicks.

The Magic would be forced to trade Howard in order to avoid being left empty-handed. Recent rumors discuss a deal between they and the Nets that would involve Brook Lopez and draft picks. A deal like that could produce a powerful Eastern Conference contender for years to come.

Williams knows this and would love to team up with a force like Howard. It is possible that he could already be discussing his future so the Nets won’t waste any time in pursuit of players like him. New Jersey knows that the likelihood of him re-signing would almost be a given if they make a huge splash within the upcoming months.

For Nets fans acquiring Deron Williams has gone from a sign of hope to potentially many more years of misery. But no matter what happens they will certainly undergo some sort of emotional extreme once a decision is finally made.

The article Deron Williams Says He Will Not Re-sign appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

As NBA teams finish their final jockeying for seeding position, the ongoing race for league MVP has reached its crescendo. Several players have put forth worthy efforts this season, but only a handful will be legitimate contenders come voting time. Here is a breakdown of the likely candidates:

1. Derrick Rose: This point guard for the Bulls is averaging 25.1 points in just his third year as a pro. He has the Bulls in the East’s top spot, and the team has already clinched their conference. Rose has done it all this year, scoring, passing, and putting the Bulls on his back. He averages just under eight assists per game, and he has kept the Bulls on top even though big men Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah have missed a combined 57 games. The Bulls have really caught fire as of late. Rose won Player of the Month, after leading the Bulls to a 13-3 record. Some statisticians have been critical of Rose, citing his low shooting percentage, and measuring his stats against past MVP winners. According to their numbers, he would be the worst MVP winner of all time. But that hasn’t stopped big names like Michael Jordan to give Rose his endorsement.

2. Dwight Howard: Averaging 23.2 points, Howard has taken his game to another level this season. Howard has been the league’s Defensive Player of the Year twice, and leads the league in double-doubles. He is clearly the league’s best player down low, and with his improved scoring he has become even more dangerous. He is second in the league in rebounding, third in field goal percentage, and fifth in blocks. Howard has the Magic poised for the playoffs sitting as the four seed in the East. Howard has been the only constant on this suddenly revamped team, giving them a shot to go deeper into the playoffs. At the age of 25, Howard is soaring past all-time greats in all sorts of categories. This season he became the youngest player to reach 7,000 career rebounds, the fifth youngest player to reach 10,000 career points, and he had a season high eight blocks in a game against the Timberwolves. To add to these numbers he has recorded 64 double-doubles earning himself the endorsement and a legitimate shot at the MVP.

3. Dirk Nowitzki: After Rose and Howard there is some controversy as to who comes next. It seems a lock that one of the top two will win the MVP but there is not a huge disparity in numbers or significance between some of the other candidates. Nowitzki is seeking his second MVP and has had another solid year leading the Mavericks to the three seed in the West. He averages around 23 points, and seven boards, while shooting over 52 percent from the field. Nowitzki has also shot over 41 percent from behind the three-point line. Nowitzki is invaluable to his team, and without him the Mavericks would find it difficult to even make the playoffs in the competitive West.

4. Amare Stoudemire: Stoudemire has the Knicks back in the playoffs for the first time since 2004. For most of the season, Stoudemire did it himself, only surrounded by good role players to stay competitive in the East. The Knicks added Carmelo Anthony late in the year, cementing the team’s spot in the playoffs. Stoudemire is averaging more than 25 points, over eight boards, and is shooting just over 50 percent from the field. His numbers have vaulted him into the MVP race, but putting the Knicks, one of the most storied NBA franchises, back on the map makes him that much more of a candidate.

5. LeBron James: The reigning NBA MVP winner has continued to put up numbers even after being surrounded by two other stars. Averaging more than 26 points, 7.5 rebounds, and almost seven assists, he is still the favorite of many experts even if he has thrown his own support behind leading candidate Rose. James has also shot well, shooting just over 50 percent from the field and 33 percent from three-point land. With All-stars, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh on his team, his numbers have not dipped significantly, but having this many stars on one team has taken a hit on his MVP candidacy.

6. Kobe Bryant: Kobe will always be in the discussion for MVP, and as the No. 2 seed in the West, the Lakers are poised to win another championship. This is one area where Bryant trails LeBron James, and he would love to even the score at two each, but it will be difficult for him to win this year. He averages just more than 25 points, more than 5 boards and just under 5 assists, but is shooting only 45 percent from the field for the season. The Lakers have a legitimate shot at a three-peat, but Kobe’s chances as the MVP winner leading them there are slim.

7. Kevin Durant: Leading the Thunder to the four seed in the West, Durant is averaging more than 27 points, and nearly seven boards. His teammate, Russell Westbrook is also having a fantastic year, detracting somewhat from Durant’s candidacy. Other knocks on Durant have been his struggles on defense, and against the top teams in the West. The Thunder are 0-2 vs. the Lakers, 0-3 vs. San Antonio, 1-2 vs. Dallas, 1-1 vs. Bulls, 1-1 vs. Boston, and 1-1 vs. Miami. To be the best in the NBA you have to beat the best, and Durant simply hasn’t proven he can do that yet.

League MVP voters are instructed to make their decision before the start of the postseason. The likelihood of this plan is doubtful, so the bottom line is that the team’s performance in the playoffs may ultimately determine the outcome. At this point, though, the MVP trophy looks headed to Chicago.

The article NBA MVP: The Trophy has a Rosy Tint to it this Year appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.