jack daniel 999 Posted March 17, 2007 Author Report Posted March 17, 2007 Scouting report; WHERE: Amway Arena, Orlando. RECORDS: Magic 30-36; Kings 28-37. TV: Sun Sports; Radio: WDBO AM 580; Spanish language: WONQ AM 1030. MAGIC UPDATE: Orlando is coming off a big victory over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night, breaking a three-game losing streak. . . . PF Darko Milicic (lower back) is expected to be back but will come off the bench behind Tony Battie. Battie returned against Utah after missing 16 games with a fractured thumb. . . . SG Keyon Dooling has been switched to playing back-up point guard, relieving Jameer Nelson. . . . The Magic will fly out after the game to South Florida for a game Sunday against the Heat in Miami. KINGS UPDATE: Sacramento faced the Heat Friday night in Miami. . . . The Kings, knocked out in the first round of the playoffs by the San Antonio Spurs last season, are no longer one of the Western Conference powers. They won 44 games last season but will struggle to come close to 40 this season and are facing arena issues in Sacramento. . . . The Kings fell to the Magic 92-89 on Dec. 4 at Arco Arena as Jameer Nelson hit a 3-pointer with 1.7 seconds left. . . . .F Ron Artest recently returned after his arrest on domestic-violence charges. WHAT TO WATCH FOR: The Magic don't want to get into a late-game shoot-out with the Kings, who can still score with Mike Bibby, Shareef Abdur-Rahim and Kevin Martin. Grant Hill vs. Martin and Hedo Turkoglu vs. Artest are key matchups. B. Schmitz...Orlando Sentinel http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/basketball/magic/...story?coll=orl-magic Quote
jack daniel 999 Posted March 17, 2007 Author Report Posted March 17, 2007 Kings-Magic Preview By KATE HEDLIN, STATS Writer= Posted Mar 17 2007 12:10AM The Orlando Magic haven't won consecutive games in nearly two months. They have a good chance of ending that stretch as they host the struggling Sacramento Kings on Saturday. Neither Orlando (30-36) nor Sacramento (28-37) has played particularly well recently, with the Magic just 3-10 since the All-Star break and the Kings having lost five straight. Both teams are still in the playoff picture, although the Magic have a much better chance of making the postseason playing in the weaker Eastern Confernce. Orlando is tied for the eighth playoff spot in that conference, while the Kings have three teams ahead of them. The Magic snapped a three-game losing streak with a 101-90 win over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday. Dwight Howard had 31 points and 15 rebounds, while Hedo Turkoglu added 22 points, eight rebounds and four steals. Orlando shot 55.7 percent from the field - its best shooting night since the All-Star break. "Everybody stepped up and did something great for us tonight," Howard said. "We've got to have it to finish the season on the right note. "If we play like we did tonight, we should make the playoffs." After finishing the first month of the season with one of the league's best records, the Magic are just 8-22 since Jan. 12. Coach Brian Hill said despite the slump, that it isn't time to panic about missing the playoffs. "Like I said to the guys tonight, it only takes one or two nights to change this whole thing around and get you back in the hunt," Hill said. "Now it's about staying there and not losing any more ground." Although the team is struggling, Howard has done well since the break. He's averaging 20.7 points in the last 13 games - up from 17.6 in his first 53 games. He was 13-of-16 from the field on Wednesday after going 8-of-11 for 26 points in a loss to Charlotte on Monday. This is the second meeting between Orlando and Sacramento this season. The Magic won 92-89 on Dec. 4 thanks to a 3-pointer by Jameer Nelson with 1.7 seconds left. Howard had 18 points to lead the Magic, who won their first game in Sacramento in nearly 13 years. Orlando last won consecutive games on Jan. 31 and Feb. 2, defeating Milwaukee and New Jersey, respectively. Sacramento is experiencing similar struggles after an impressive stretch put the team in the playoff hunt. The Kings went 11-6 from Jan. 31-March 6, but their current losing streak has tied the team's second-longest of the season. The Kings dropped a 103-97 decision to the Miami Heat on Friday. Ron Artest scored 32 points and added 11 rebounds for his first double-double in over a month, and Mike Bibby added 21 points, but Sacramento scored just 17 first-quarter points and allowed Miami to make 13-of-21 shots from 3-point range. "They spaced the floor with their 3-point shooting and put us in a tough position early," Kings coach Eric Musselman said. The Kings also had a five-game skid from Dec. 1-7, and their longest this season is a seven-game slump from Jan. 4-17. Artest is averaging 22.3 points in the four games since a two-game absence following his arrest on suspicion of domestic violence - nearly four points more than his season average of 18.9 points. Artest is averaging 14.5 points in 17 games against the Magic. After missing the first meeting between the teams this year, Saturday will be just the second time he's faced Orlando in the last three years. The Magic have won four of their last five home games against the Kings. Copyright 2006 by STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited http://www.nba.com/games/20070317/SACORL/preview.html Quote
Secretly Space Jesus Posted March 17, 2007 Report Posted March 17, 2007 I'm going tonight. I'll post later if I notice anything interesting. Quote
royce59 Posted March 17, 2007 Report Posted March 17, 2007 There are various factors affecting the outcome of this game, firstly if we play dooling at the point for major minutes we will recieve hustle and defensive plays to compliment ariza on the defensive end, play jj for 20+ minutes, giving him some of grant and bogans time, not playing the slow veterans who cannot keep up with our successful run and gun style of play, and finally slowing down the motivated ron artest who will come and play for his life after promising to take the kings to the playoffs. (I want jj to play because i have him in my pick one challenge tonight lol) Quote
chosen12 Posted March 17, 2007 Report Posted March 17, 2007 After watching Miami and Sac town last night, these guy's are playing hard, and Ron Artest is a nut job, but he was playing like a madman (pun intended) last night. BHill better have our boys prepared, these guys are hungry!!!!! Quote
ThisIsTheYear Posted March 17, 2007 Report Posted March 17, 2007 Another must win game. I would put Trevor on Ron Ron, and Dooling on Bibby, obviously. Who's going to guard Kevin Martin, though? Interesting. Quote
CaseyMullen928 Posted March 17, 2007 Report Posted March 17, 2007 Let the luck of the Irish be with the Magic tonight! Quote
CaseyMullen928 Posted March 17, 2007 Report Posted March 17, 2007 why arent they wearing the green unis?!? Quote
mainemagicfan Posted March 17, 2007 Report Posted March 17, 2007 anyone got a link? I thought HEDOOOO was suppose to hook us up every game. any wasys if anyone can help it would be much appreciated. thanks Quote
DarkoHero Posted March 17, 2007 Report Posted March 17, 2007 quote: Originally posted by mainemagicfan:anyone got a link? I thought HEDOOOO was suppose to hook us up every game. any wasys if anyone can help it would be much appreciated. thanks I got one! mms://a1575.l2035344255.c20353.n.lm.akamaistream.net/D/1575/20353/v0001/reflector:44253 Quote
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