With Lee injured, J.J. is ready to take charge as Magic's starting "2" guard(link)

[ball junkie 277]

quote:

With Courtney Lee injured, J.J. Redick is ready to take charge as Orlando Magic starting shooting guard

 

J.J. ready to take charge at guard

 

By Brian Schmitz | SENTINEL STAFF WRITER

May 2, 2009

 

 

The Orlando Magic shooting guard now expected to face Ben Gordon (gulp) or Ray Allen (swallow even harder) in the second round of the playoffs is Jonathan Clay Redick.

 

That's J.J. for short, and it's a long story.

 

Makes perfect sense, though.

 

 

If you've followed the Magic's 2-guard saga all season, with its plots and subplots, fractures and failings, you merely shrug.

 

It figures that the job would re-open because of a freak injury ... one teammate laying out another.

 

Schmitz is throwing a lot of love to J.J. here...could there be a future controversy brewing over whom should be the starting "2" guard?

 

For the rest, go here:

 

http://www.orlandosentinel.com...ay02,0,5661404.story

[ball junkie 277]

quote:

With Courtney Lee injured, J.J. Redick is ready to take charge as Orlando Magic starting shooting guard

 

J.J. ready to take charge at guard

 

By Brian Schmitz | SENTINEL STAFF WRITER

May 2, 2009

 

 

The Orlando Magic shooting guard now expected to face Ben Gordon (gulp) or Ray Allen (swallow even harder) in the second round of the playoffs is Jonathan Clay Redick.

 

That's J.J. for short, and it's a long story.

 

Makes perfect sense, though.

 

 

If you've followed the Magic's 2-guard saga all season, with its plots and subplots, fractures and failings, you merely shrug.

 

It figures that the job would re-open because of a freak injury ... one teammate laying out another.

 

Schmitz is throwing a lot of love to J.J. here...could there be a future controversy brewing over whom should be the starting "2" guard?

 

For the rest, go here:

 

http://www.orlandosentinel.com...ay02,0,5661404.story

[Natmayo 0]

With Courtney injured, I dont see the big rush to get him back in there if he cant give it his best.

 

I thought JJ played well in game 6, and I think hes equipped to do the job in Lees absence.

 

We all talk about the Nelson/Alston option for next year. I think with some playoff seasoning and some confidence, Lee/Redick could be a good match up for us as well. We all know JJ can shoot with the best of them, and I think JJ has improved his defense leaps and bounds from the past.

 

Our backcourt could be very deadly next year.

[FENDI 4]

Not that I don't think JJ will struggle against Ben or Ray but I think JJ already has an idea on how to defend them.

 

Honestly, they are ALMOST similar to JJ, except that they both are both physically gifted which JJ is not.

[bravlady 0]

One advantage that JJ and the Magic should have against Ben or Ray is that they'll be dog tired and beat down by the time they get to the Magic. Doesn't Ben have hamstring problems too? I'm sure by now JJ knows what his limitations are and he'll be thinking about how to overcome them. Keep the same mindset he had in Game 6 and he'll be OK.

[Murphy13 185]

If he gets cold shooting I hope he takes it to the basket more as well. we could use the ft shooting help too.

[Mac Man 0]

Let him play. i think he goin to do a good job and also in the off season it would be nice if he learn to dribble bettter and run around like ray and ben

[Magicfanagain 0]

to answer the original question of will there be future controversy over the starting 2 spot...NO.

 

it's Lee's job until he proves otherwise, hopefully 10-15 years from now. He's there to stay, barring injuries. JJ had one good game of 15 points, and yes it helped seal out the series. How quickly we all forget Lee's 18 in game 1 and 24 in game 2 that basically won the game that only he and Dwight showed up for. JJ is either gonna be trade bait this offseason or a very very solid backup to Lee when Hedo walks/gets traded and Pietrus moves full-time to the 3. No controversy, no drama.

 

-Not bashing JJ I promise, just saying there's no way he takes Lee's starting job. He had that chance all year, even before Lee won the spot.

[avitale8 0]

Yea, big props to what JJ did the other night...but no way is Lee's job in jeopardy...

Think about this...

JJ dropped 15 and that was considered a monster game for him, if Lee woulda dropped 15, nobody would've batted an eye.

[mongoose 0]

quote:

JJ dropped 15 and that was considered a monster game for him, if Lee woulda dropped 15, nobody would've batted an eye.

 

If Lee went 5/7 from 3 hitting his first 5 in a row we'd be talking about it.

[NotByChoice 2]

The next few days of practice should be dedicated to JJ fighting through screens because he's going to be doing a lot of that if he's guarding either Allen or Gordon. I say have JJ chase Richardson around screens set by Battie and Foyle as practice, anyone but Dwight or the Warlock we don't want to kill the guy.

[ThisIsTheYear 241]

JJ defends the Allen/Gordon/Hamilton players of the NBA much better than anyone on our team because he's so accustomed to playing like them. He knows how to fight through screens and has the stamina needed to keep up with them, and hopefully make them work as well on the other end.

 

I'm not terribly worried at all.