Denton: Magic-Clippers Postgame Analysis
By John Denton
December 8, 2009
Note: The contents of this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the Orlando Magic. All opinions expressed by John Denton are solely his own and do not reflect the opinions of the Orlando Magic or their Basketball Operations staff, partners or sponsors. His sources are not known to the Magic and he has no special access to information beyond the access and privileges that go along with being an NBA accredited member of the media.
LOS ANGELES – Orlando Magic superstar Dwight Howard said the only thing that he wants for his 24th birthday is a championship, a present that’s willing to wait for until June.
But apparently the NBA has other things in mind when it comes to helping Howard celebrate his birthday. For a second year in a row, Howard got the gift that keeps on giving: the lowly, sacrificial Los Angeles Clippers.
Howard was in Los Angeles to face the Clippers on his birthday for the second straight year, and again he delivered a breath-taking performance to help the Magic record a bit of history.
Riding Howard’s 25 points, 11 rebounds, seven blocked shots and five assists, Orlando thumped the Clippers 97-86 for its eighth consecutive road victory. That’s the most consecutive road games the Magic have ever won in one season, topping the previous mark set in 1997.
``I’m not satisfied, but I think we are getting better,’’ Howard said. ``That’s what we want as a team, and we’re doing that. We’re just trying to stay humble and not get complacent with how good we’re doing. Everything could change, so we want to continue to work on our game and get better.’’
The Magic got 14 3-pointers and solid contributions from Rashard Lewis (17 points) and Jason Williams (16 points) to improve to 17-4. Orlando has been 17-4 just twice before – in 1994-95 and 95-96. And they have another shot at more history on Thursday in Utah when they will attempt to go to 18-4 for the first time in franchise history.
``We feel like we have enough talent to go into any arena and get a win,’’ said veteran point guard Anthony Johnson, who helped defend Clippers standout guard Baron Davis in the second half. ``We have a team that’s built to win on the road. We did it last year and we’re doing it again. We have a dominant low-post player and so many steady players around him. We feel like if we just come with a defensive focus every night, we’re going to do OK.’’
Vince Carter had a forgettable night with five fouls and two turnovers, but he did score 13 points, grab six rebounds and hand out four assists. But the Magic had enough contributions from other players to compensate for Carter’s off night.
Here’s a look back at the good, bad an ugly from the Magic’s eighth consecutive road victory. If you went to bed early in Orlando and missed it, it certainly wasn’t a thing of beauty. But what it was was a veteran team loaded with weapons making all the plays down the stretch to win again.
THE GOOD
---- Howard was locked and loaded early in the game, aggressively seeking out shots and attacking Clippers center Chris Kaman. Howard has had some of the biggest games of his career against the Clippers and Tuesday looked to be another special night in progress after the way Howard started.
He made his first five shots, sank two free throws and blocked two of Kaman’s shots in the early going. Maybe even more impressively, Howard passed out of traps for three assists and he accounted for 14 of the team’s first 18 points.
And by the end of the night, Howard had his season-high in blocks (seven) and found shooters for baskets five times. Maybe it shouldn’t have come as a surprise that Howard was good on his birthday.
He’s played on Dec. 8 four times now and he’s compiled a double-double all four times. He had 23 points and 22 rebounds last season against the Clippers on his birthday and in his four career games on Dec. 8 he’s averaged 22.5 points and 13.5 rebounds.
``I enjoy playing on my birthday,’’ Howard said. ``Walking in the arena some people had a Happy Birthday sign and even one of the refs told me, `Happy Birthday.’ I asked him if I could get one break since it was my birthday.
``I told my parents thanks for having me 24 years ago. That’s so long ago I don’t even remember it.’’
---- Lewis and Williams were the biggest beneficiaries of all the attention that Howard commanded. Both made four of seven 3-point tries, burning the Clippers when they paid too much attention inside on Howard.
Lewis hit three in a row during one stretch of the first quarter. And Williams had three threes in the first half, quieting a crowd that booed him for retiring last summer rather than play for the Clippers.
``I never heard them,’’ Williams said of the boos. ``I guess I’m glad that I never heard them.’’
THE BAD
---- Magic coach Stan Van Gundy, a former small-college point guard years ago, playfully cocked to shoot when L.A.’s Eric Gordon mistakenly fired a pass in his direction in the second half.
Van Gundy scooped up the ball as if he were going to shoot it, causing the Magic bench to break out in simultaneous laughter.
``We talk to our guys about making passes on time and on target and that was a perfect pass,’’ Van Gundy joked. ``I had the gun loaded, but the problem was I was about 15 steps out of my range.’’
Asked if he would give himself the green light to shoot, Van Gundy said: ``I don’t know what color the light would be for me, but from there I was 30 feet out of range. The light would probably be as bright a red as it comes.’’
THE UGLY
---- The Magic were back at Staples Center for the first time since last June’s NBA Finals, triggering a flood of memories from the loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
``As soon as I walked into the building the first thing I thought about was the Finals and that was hard,’’ Lewis admitted. ``Walking through the hallways and seeing all of the upgrades they have done (around the Lakers and Clippers locker rooms), I told some of the guys that we contributed to those upgrades. We were laughing.’’
Howard said those Finals emotions hit him last summer when he attended a L.A. Sparks WNBA game. But he showed up on Tuesday focused on making a point – or for that matter 25 points.
``I came here for the ladies game and when I walked in here, I thought, `Man, this is where the Lakers beat us,’’’ Howard remembered. ``Today, I was thinking, `It’s time to go to work.’ L.A. is a fun place to play … except for when we play the Lakers.’’
The change at revenge against the Lakers comes on Jan. 18 in Los Angeles and the Magic are already eager to prove to the World Champions that they fully expect to be there at the end once again.
John Denton writes for Orlandomagic.com. His Orlando Magic ``Behind the Scenes’’ segment can be heard on ESPN 1080 AM on Thursday at 5:05 p.m. Submit questions to John for his ``Ask J.D.’’ mailbag feature that will appear every Friday at AskJD@orlandomagic.com.
By John DentonDecember 8, 2009
Note: The contents of this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the Orlando Magic. All opinions expressed by John Denton are solely his own and do not reflect the opinions of the Orlando Magic or their Basketball Operations staff, partners or sponsors. His sources are not known to the Magic and he has no special access to information beyond the access and privileges that go along with being an NBA accredited member of the media.
LOS ANGELES – Orlando Magic superstar Dwight Howard said the only thing that he wants for his 24th birthday is a championship, a present that’s willing to wait for until June.
But apparently the NBA has other things in mind when it comes to helping Howard celebrate his birthday. For a second year in a row, Howard got the gift that keeps on giving: the lowly, sacrificial Los Angeles Clippers.
Howard was in Los Angeles to face the Clippers on his birthday for the second straight year, and again he delivered a breath-taking performance to help the Magic record a bit of history.
Riding Howard’s 25 points, 11 rebounds, seven blocked shots and five assists, Orlando thumped the Clippers 97-86 for its eighth consecutive road victory. That’s the most consecutive road games the Magic have ever won in one season, topping the previous mark set in 1997.
``I’m not satisfied, but I think we are getting better,’’ Howard said. ``That’s what we want as a team, and we’re doing that. We’re just trying to stay humble and not get complacent with how good we’re doing. Everything could change, so we want to continue to work on our game and get better.’’
The Magic got 14 3-pointers and solid contributions from Rashard Lewis (17 points) and Jason Williams (16 points) to improve to 17-4. Orlando has been 17-4 just twice before – in 1994-95 and 95-96. And they have another shot at more history on Thursday in Utah when they will attempt to go to 18-4 for the first time in franchise history.
``We feel like we have enough talent to go into any arena and get a win,’’ said veteran point guard Anthony Johnson, who helped defend Clippers standout guard Baron Davis in the second half. ``We have a team that’s built to win on the road. We did it last year and we’re doing it again. We have a dominant low-post player and so many steady players around him. We feel like if we just come with a defensive focus every night, we’re going to do OK.’’
Vince Carter had a forgettable night with five fouls and two turnovers, but he did score 13 points, grab six rebounds and hand out four assists. But the Magic had enough contributions from other players to compensate for Carter’s off night.
Here’s a look back at the good, bad an ugly from the Magic’s eighth consecutive road victory. If you went to bed early in Orlando and missed it, it certainly wasn’t a thing of beauty. But what it was was a veteran team loaded with weapons making all the plays down the stretch to win again.
THE GOOD
---- Howard was locked and loaded early in the game, aggressively seeking out shots and attacking Clippers center Chris Kaman. Howard has had some of the biggest games of his career against the Clippers and Tuesday looked to be another special night in progress after the way Howard started.
He made his first five shots, sank two free throws and blocked two of Kaman’s shots in the early going. Maybe even more impressively, Howard passed out of traps for three assists and he accounted for 14 of the team’s first 18 points.
And by the end of the night, Howard had his season-high in blocks (seven) and found shooters for baskets five times. Maybe it shouldn’t have come as a surprise that Howard was good on his birthday.
He’s played on Dec. 8 four times now and he’s compiled a double-double all four times. He had 23 points and 22 rebounds last season against the Clippers on his birthday and in his four career games on Dec. 8 he’s averaged 22.5 points and 13.5 rebounds.
``I enjoy playing on my birthday,’’ Howard said. ``Walking in the arena some people had a Happy Birthday sign and even one of the refs told me, `Happy Birthday.’ I asked him if I could get one break since it was my birthday.
``I told my parents thanks for having me 24 years ago. That’s so long ago I don’t even remember it.’’
---- Lewis and Williams were the biggest beneficiaries of all the attention that Howard commanded. Both made four of seven 3-point tries, burning the Clippers when they paid too much attention inside on Howard.
Lewis hit three in a row during one stretch of the first quarter. And Williams had three threes in the first half, quieting a crowd that booed him for retiring last summer rather than play for the Clippers.
``I never heard them,’’ Williams said of the boos. ``I guess I’m glad that I never heard them.’’
THE BAD
---- Magic coach Stan Van Gundy, a former small-college point guard years ago, playfully cocked to shoot when L.A.’s Eric Gordon mistakenly fired a pass in his direction in the second half.
Van Gundy scooped up the ball as if he were going to shoot it, causing the Magic bench to break out in simultaneous laughter.
``We talk to our guys about making passes on time and on target and that was a perfect pass,’’ Van Gundy joked. ``I had the gun loaded, but the problem was I was about 15 steps out of my range.’’
Asked if he would give himself the green light to shoot, Van Gundy said: ``I don’t know what color the light would be for me, but from there I was 30 feet out of range. The light would probably be as bright a red as it comes.’’
THE UGLY
---- The Magic were back at Staples Center for the first time since last June’s NBA Finals, triggering a flood of memories from the loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
``As soon as I walked into the building the first thing I thought about was the Finals and that was hard,’’ Lewis admitted. ``Walking through the hallways and seeing all of the upgrades they have done (around the Lakers and Clippers locker rooms), I told some of the guys that we contributed to those upgrades. We were laughing.’’
Howard said those Finals emotions hit him last summer when he attended a L.A. Sparks WNBA game. But he showed up on Tuesday focused on making a point – or for that matter 25 points.
``I came here for the ladies game and when I walked in here, I thought, `Man, this is where the Lakers beat us,’’’ Howard remembered. ``Today, I was thinking, `It’s time to go to work.’ L.A. is a fun place to play … except for when we play the Lakers.’’
The change at revenge against the Lakers comes on Jan. 18 in Los Angeles and the Magic are already eager to prove to the World Champions that they fully expect to be there at the end once again.
John Denton writes for Orlandomagic.com. His Orlando Magic ``Behind the Scenes’’ segment can be heard on ESPN 1080 AM on Thursday at 5:05 p.m. Submit questions to John for his ``Ask J.D.’’ mailbag feature that will appear every Friday at AskJD@orlandomagic.com.
