AFTERSHOCK !!! POST-GAME REACTION THREAD**Pacers vs Magic

[richnba]

This was a great win, but I have reached the conclusion that Dooling needs to start over NElson, NElson stagnates the offense, and we will get no wehre with him.

[jack daniel 999]

POSTGAME QUOTES

 

Orlando Magic Head Coach Brian Hill:

 

[richnba]

A nyone else notice Dwight has taken a tremendous nose dive in points the last couple of games he just isnt scoring.

[jack daniel 999]

Grant Hill wouldn't call it "vintage Grant Hill," but he recalled enough of his old form just in time.

 

"I don't know about vintage," Hill laughed. "Drop the 'vint' . . . and that's 'age.' "

 

Hill threw his 34-year-old bones at the Indiana Pacers on Friday night, steadying the Orlando Magic when they wobbled in a 95-87 victory.

 

The Magic (34-39) picked a game on the New Jersey Nets (33-39) -- who fell to the Detroit Pistons -- to move to No. 7 in the Eastern Conference playoff race. The loss was a big blow to the Pacers (31-41), who have lost 17 of their past 19 games and slipped two games behind the No. 8 Nets.

 

Hill brought back a little of the old days, when his prime-time signature was a quick first step and a drive to the basket, resulting in a layup or a ref's whistle.

 

He restored order at several junctures after the offense again short-circuited by taking the ball to the hoop like a running back, like his father, former NFL tailback Calvin Hill.

 

Hill made just 4 of 10 shots -- which inspired the "vint-age" remark -- but he lived at the free-throw line, making 14 of 16 free-throw attempts to finish with 22 points.

 

"I just tried to go to the basket," Hill said. "I didn't really have anything else going. The offense stalled, and I kept attacking."

 

Coming off a disheartening loss to the lowly Boston Celtics on Wednesday night -- a perfect example of their up-and-down play -- the Magic had to fight again through their usual bugaboos in front of an announced sellout crowd of 17,451 at Amway Arena.

 

They won despite 24 turnovers (21 points) -- seven by center Dwight Howard -- and committed various sins against basketball fundamentals. They walked more than Barry Bonds, and threw in some shot-clock violations and three-second calls. Fast breaks were undermined by passes into the stands.

 

"The turnovers have to stop. Otherwise, we are not going to get where we want to go," Coach Brian Hill said.

 

They fortunately received big-play help from Hill and Trevor Ariza, who led a bench effort that produced 37 points.

 

Ariza replaced a slumping Hedo Turkoglu (10 points, 3-of-13 shooting) and scored 17 points, hitting 6 of 7 shots, including a monster dunk over Jermaine O'Neal.

 

Point guard Carlos Arroyo, who was erased from the rotation several weeks ago, provided a leadership lift after starter Jameer Nelson and Keyon Dooling got into early foul trouble. He finished with eight points and no turnovers in 12-plus minutes of relief work.

 

Howard wasn't much of a factor offensively (10 points), but turned in one of his better defensive performances against O'Neal. Three of his five blocks were against O'Neal, who missed 14 of 18 shots for just 10 points and, incredibly, topped Howard in turnovers with eight.

 

The Magic have been on the bottom or near the bottom in turnovers and free-throw shooting, but they had a terrific night at the line, making 35-of-45. Crucial to the success was the fact that Howard -- a 59 percent free-throw shooter -- hardly made an appearance. He shot just four free throws, making two.

 

"That's a good win for us, obviously, with the situation in the standings," Brian Hill said. "It gives us a two-game lead in the loss column, which is a tiny bit of breathing room."

 

Grant Hill has yet to finish a season since being acquired by Orlando, much less the postseason. But he rolled back the years in the third quarter with the Magic leaking oil. After the Pacers had cut their deficit to 55-51, he attacked the basket to get foul calls, making 5 of 6 free throws in a stretch in which he helped push the margin to 10 at 66-56.

 

And when Indiana rallied again in the fourth, Hill added a drive and a steal to make it 84-75. "Really," Hill said, "it wasn't vintage."

 

For Grant's age, it was.

 

Brian Schmitz can be reached at bschmitz@orlandosentinel.com.

 

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/basketball/magic/...story?coll=orl-magic

[ibonedteribell]

quote:

Originally posted by bravlady:

I don't know what game some of you were watching to say that Carlos was playing well. He was playing his "me" game as usual. I was glad to see him sitting. He's unpredictable and it's all about him.

 

On the other hand, the players are doing a lot more talking on the floor than they did a few games ago. Communication is a good thing.

You must have used the Braille system to watch this game. <true sarcasm>

[ibonedteribell]

quote:

Originally posted by richnba:

This was a great win, but I have reached the conclusion that Dooling needs to start over NElson, NElson stagnates the offense, and we will get no wehre with him.

Otis,the great Zeus of olympus will not allow it.