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The Neighborhood Bully

GAME THREAD: DALLAS MAVERICKS @ ORLANDO MAGIC

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About the Mavs: This is the fourth game in five nights for the Mavs. ... They return home Monday to play Minnesota before opening a two-game road trip Wednesday night in Oakland against the Golden State Warriors. … Friday in Miami, the Mavericks limited the Heat to 15 or fewer points in three of the four quarters during a 93-72 win. ... The win was the 600th in the coaching career of Rick Carlisle, making him the 24th coach in NBA history to hit that plateau. ... Entering Friday, Monta Ellis led the Mavs in scoring (20.5 points) and steals (1.7). Dirk Nowitzki was averaging 18.6 points and 6.0 rebounds with Tyson Chandler at 10.5 points and 12 rebounds. ... Small forward Chandler Parsons missed Friday’s game in Miami with an illness. Parsons is from the Orlando area. Richard Jefferson started in Parsons’ place Friday against Miami.

About the Magic: Coach Jacque Vaughn is on a serious hot seat with Orlando in the midst of another bad season. The Magic, 43-121 in Vaughn’s first two seasons, is 15-34 this season and 13th in the East, including a 5-16 record at home. Orlando has lost seven in a row. ... The Magic is 5-12 against the West. ... Orlando is 23rd in the NBA in points per game (95.8), 24th in points allowed (102), 25th in assists (20.3) and 28th in rebounds (40.6). ... Orlando’s last win was Jan. 14 against Houston, 120-113, behind 32 points from Victor Oladipo. ... Nikola Vucevic leads Orlando in scoring (19.5) and rebounding (11.3) while Tobias Harris averages 17.1 points and 6.6 rebounds. Oladipo averages 16.6 points.

 

http://www.star-tele...cle8845853.html

 

Storyline to watch

Orlando has the look of a team that already has checked out for the All-Star break, but lately, it hasn’t mattered who the Mavericks have gone against. They all look hard to beat. Stepping on the Magic early will be critical. The longer they get to hang around, the longer bad things can happen to the Mavericks at crunch time.

 

Matchup to watch

Nikola Vucevic has had some huge games against the Mavericks in the past, and he’s averaging better than 19 points and 11 rebounds. He had 17 and 14 against the Bucks. Tyson Chandler has been facing a long, strong run of top centers, although he got a reprieve when Dwight Howard missed the game in Houston. The Mavericks need to get at least a push on the boards, which means Chandler must match Vucevic’s rebounding work.

 

Scouting the Magic

Orlando has lost seven in a row, including a 15-point setback to Milwaukee on Thursday at home. … During the losing streak, they have surrendered an average of 114 points. … Tobias Harris is one of the league’s most underrated players, averaging 17.4 points and 6.6 rebounds. … Second-year guard Victor Oladipo is perhaps their key building block for the future, averaging 16.5 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists.

 

Scouting the Mavericks

This is one of the friendliest places in the NBA for them. They have won their last eight trips to Orlando … They played one of their best recent games on the second night of a back to back Wednesday in Houston. And they are 6-4 for the season on the back end of those situations. … Going into the Miami game, they were 17-4 when hitting 10 or more 3-pointers this season.

 

http://mavsblog.dall...a-vucevic.html/

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Do we know starting lineups yet?

 

If Jacque is really on the hot seat I can't imagine he'd keep Tobias on the bench.

 

I have a feeling this will go one of two ways, we get embarrassed or we somehow win to try and save Vaughn's job.

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Magic forward Tobias Harris' status is uncertain after he injured his knee Thursday. Second on the team in scoring at 17.1 per game, Harris is averaging 10.8 points on 33.9 percent shooting in his last five contests after missing the previous five with a sprained left ankle. The Magic are 1-17 in games when he plays and scores less than 17.

http://scores.espn.g...ameId=400578998

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These injuries better not be used as an excuse to not fire JV. Having said that, hoping for a 30+ point loss and for the axe to fall tomorrow.

 

I think the ax falls regardless. I just want the guys to play like they care

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The Magic can't stay healthy for a span of two weeks. They could at least have consistent health which isn't really probable when it comes to any nba team.

 

I honestly believe our inconsistent health played a major role in not ever getting into the flow of the season. If Jacque Vaughn firing doesn't benefit anyone other than our impatience and annoyance with this process, then they may as well keep him. That is tough to say given the circumstances of major tension that is within the organization and fan base.

 

With the knowledge of knowing simple injury occurrences in Tobias' history, his ankle more than likely will become a career nagging injury sort of like McGrady's back spasms and knees. It'll slow him down eventually late in his career and he'll most likely never play 82 games in his entire career.

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Well I'm 2 for 2 on exciting games today so far. NC State @ Georgia Tech went to OT and ended with a buzzer beating 3 and North Carolina @ Louisville had Louisville coming from an 18 point deficit to force OT and eventually win (it also had a sick Harrell dunk) so here's hoping my good fortune continues and we get a great game here... I'm not holding my breath though.

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