The Magic defeated the Atlanta Hawks last night. You can find out more about that game here and read what Van Gundy and the players had to say about the win here.
John Denton talked about Orlando’s win.
"“It’s a big confidence builder for us,’’ said Rashard Lewis, who had 13 points and two 3-pointers. “(Losing streaks) happen to everybody. They happen to the best teams and the worst teams. Nobody is perfect and you’re going to hit little bumps in the road where you’re not playing well. But good teams bounce back from it, and that’s what we did (on Saturday).’’And the Magic even did it without star shooting guard Vince Carter, who missed the game with a mild left shoulder separation. Carter could be back as soon as Tuesday’s game in Sacramento or he could return later in the four-game jaunt to the West Coast.“The doctor said to just let it heal. Everything’s stable,’’ Carter said before the game. “The strength is there, it’s just that basketball movement is very uncomfortable.’’"
He shares his postgame analysis here.
Tim Povtak thinks that J.J. Redick’s play could send Vince Carter to the bench.
"Redick replaced Carter Saturday and scored 17 points. He hit seven of 12 shots and three of his six from 3-point range. Role playing forward Matt Barnes had 18 points.“It (a lineup switch) is something you may have to look at, what some of the other guys bring a little bit better in terms of balance, guys who don’t need plays called for them,” Van Gundy said. “Part of it is guys in their roles and how they play. Instead of four guys who see themselves as scorers, you would get three and a couple guys who do other things.”Carter becomes the most likely choice for a role change among the four. Howard is the best center in the league. Nelson is the co-captain and floor leader. Lewis is in the midst of a $118 million contract, and still in his prime. Carter is no longer among the best at his position and moving into the twilight of his career."
Read the full story here.
Speaking of Redick, Josh Robbins talks about his performance against the Hawks.
"Redick displayed his competitive streak Saturday on a relatively meaningless play long after the game’s outcome had been decided. With just under 10 minutes remaining and Orlando ahead by 26 points, Redick missed a 3-pointer from the right wing. The ball started to go out of bounds, but Redick chased it down. The Magic retained possession, and Ryan Anderson drained a shot from beyond the arc.“If I’m out there, I’m going to try to play hard,” Redick said. “The score doesn’t matter. I’m trying to prove myself as a player, regardless of the score on the scoreboard.”"
Read more about Redick here.
Alex Kennedy grades the Magic’s performance so far this season.
"Overall Grade: B+ – While everyone in Orlando is panicking because the team lost four straight, I’m still optimistic that the Magic can turn it around. They’ve been killed by injuries and while you hate to use that as an excuse, this team has yet to play their best basketball. The fact that they sit at 25-12 amazes me with how many injuries and obstacles the team has faced. They’ve continued to win despite that they’re learning the offense as they go, still getting comfortable with one another, and missing different guys each night. It’s not where they want to be but it’s a start and they’ve performed well considering the circumstances."
Read the full story here.
For all the twitter users out there, be sure to check out Marcin Gortat’s twitter here.
(Andrew Melnick is Howard the Dunk’s lead blogger and a contributor at NFL Mocks Subscribe to his RSS feed and add him on Twitter to follow him daily.)