@<span style="color:#33CCFF">Denver Nuggets(3-3)</span><span style="color:#33CCFF"> Andre Miller, J.R. Smith, Carmelo Anthony, Eduardo Najera, Marcus Camby, Joe Smith</span><span style="color:#000000">Key Bench Players: Earl Boykins, Reggie Evans, Joe Smith, Yakhouba Diawaro, Nene.</span><span style="color:#3333FF">Orlando Magic(5-3)</span><span style="color:#3333FF">Jameer Nelson, Grant Hill, Hedo Turkoglu, Tony Battie, Dwight Howard</span><span style="color:#000000">Key Bench Players: Carlos Arroyo, Keyon Dooling, Darko Milicic, Trevor Ariza, Keith Bogans.</span><span style="color:#990000">Injury Report:</span>Denver: Kenyon Martin out(Knee) Julius Hodge out(Infection) Nene questionable(Knee)<span style="color:#000000">Valos Key Mathcup</span>:Jameer Nelson vs Andre Miller, the battle of the point guards. Which ever one sets the tone for their team the best, and has the better game, I feel will win this game. Andre Miller should be looking to speed this game up, and get into the open court where Denver is dangerous. Jameer Nelson should be looking to slow this game down, and pick his spots to run. <span style="color:#FF0000">Valo's X-Factors:</span>For us, the X-Factor I feel will be Grant Hill. If we get a lead, and Denver starts to make a run, he will be the one to put in the next two buckets to kill momentum. He will also go along way in helping Jameer Nelson to slow down the game, and make sure we don't run with them to much. Marcus Camby will be their X-factor. The Magic are going to look to go inside to Howard early and often to get him going early. If Camby is playing strong defense keeping Howard away from the basket, out of his comfort zone and watching that right side of Howard, it will be a rough game for Howard. Also his shot blocking and shot altering will be tested very much in this game. The Magic love dribble penetration, attacking the rim, and getting high percentage shots in the paint or near the basket. If he can control the paint, and alter the Magic's shots when they get inside, it will go along way in helping this team.<span style="color:#009900">My Thoughts:</span> After a very successful three game road trip in which the Magic finished 2-1, the Magic return home where they have been very good at this season, winning 3 of their 4 games at home. Not only that, the Magic have been tremendously successful against the Nuggets at home, having not lost a home game to the Nuggets since March of 1992. The thing the Magic cannot do, is turn this into a horse race, and try to keep running with the Nuggets. They need to slow this game down, pick their spots to run, and try to establish the low post game. The Nuggets on the other hand, I don't feel should want to turn this into a half court game, and try to win like that. They should be trying to run as much as possible, and keep the tempo up for this game. Defensively if they can keep the Magic for scoring alot of points in the paint, and around the basket where the Magic are living out so far this year, then they can beat the Magic.<span style="color:#000000">My predictions:</span> With the team feeling good after a successful road trip, and our home crowd pumping up the team, I think we continue our home winning streak against the Nuggets tonight. I am expecting a good game, but I think the Magic will pull it out and win again on our way to 6-3.
Awesome preview Valo. I am not feeling very confident about this game at all. We play horrible on back to back nights.Good luck.
Hopefully Orlando wins I'm wanting to see them in the playoffs this year so they need to do what they have been.
It's the end of two and the score is 51-50, the Nuggets are winning. Dwight Howard is not having a great night, with only one rebound, and 8 points. Reggie Evans played Howard extremely well when he was in the game. He having a nice night with 7 points and 6 rebounds so far on the game. Carmelo Anthony is the one that is destroying us though, with 20 points in the first half, while shooting 6 of 10. Hill has had a pretty nice first half scoring with 12 points on the night so far, he has had a couple of good drives to the basket. Arroyo was nice off the bench for us, driving into the lane for us, and giving some much needed energy when we went down 35-26 in the beginning of the second quarter. The big thing that has killed us though, is the 13 turnovers, that has helped lead to 15 fast break points for the Nuggets. We can not keep letting them be able to get out and run, and expect to win this game. The Magic have got to cut out all of the turnovers, and play smarter. They have the same amount of points in the paint as we do, at 24 each.
Wow, J.R. Smith, just competely screwed the Nuggets. First he ruined that fast break by dropping the ball while wide open right at the basket, Then he got the technical foul that got us another point and sent us up, and then on the jump ball he didn't even jump. Trevor Ariza easily hit the ball ahead to Dooling for an easy layup. Seriously, what is up with that?
Orlando played a good game. They gave up to many turnovers but they made them turn the ball over almost as much. Dwight didn't have enough rebounds but the rest of the team helped out a little more. I hope the Magic keep winning.
