@<span style="color:#FF6600">Charlotte Bobcats(2-6)</span><span style="color:#FF6600">Brevin Knight, Raymond Felton, Gerald Wallace, Adam Morrison, Emeka Okafor</span><span style="color:#000000">Key Bench Players: Sean May, Othella Harrington, Bernard Robinson</span><span style="color:#3333FF">Orlando Magic(6-3)</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, Trevor Ariza, Keith Bogans, Darko Milicic</span><span style="color:#000000">Injury Report</span>: Primo Brezec-Out(exhaustion) Walter Herrmann- Questionable(foot)<span style="color:#FF0000">Valo's X-Factors:</span>For the Magic, it's our entire bench is the X-Factor. Going against a team with a very small, and much less talented bench the Magic will have talented depth on our side. Anyone on the bench is capable for going off for alot of points, we get good energy from our bench, and our bench plays very good defense when they are in the game. We will need this to continue today for our team to keep winning.For the Bobcats it will be Adam Morrison. He has put up 20 plus points in his last two games, starting to display the scoring touch the Bobcats needed when they picked Morrison. The Bobcats will need another strong showing from him scoring wise, for this team to have a good chance to win tonight. He will be guarded by Tony Battie to start the game which is going to be rough for us, but should be good for him. <span style="color:#006600">Valo's Key Matchup</span>:Dwight Howard vs Emeka Okafor, the first and second pick in the 2004 draft class, this in my opinion is one of the most interesting matchups of any team so far this year. This will be a physical and fun matchup down low, with both bringing alot of intensity to the game. Whoever can control the other, and control the paint the best for their team on defense, their team will be on a good track to win this game. I personally am more excited about this matchup, than I am any other matchup Howard will be in this year.<span style="color:#990000">Valo's thoughts</span>: This should be a good game with alot of interesting and conflicting matchups. Grant Hill and Raymond Felton should be a fun matchup. On offense Hill's size and height should cause alot of problems for Felton. On the flip side, Feltons speed and point guard skills on defense will cause Hill problems. At the four spot, Battie vs Morrison will be a fun battle early on, as his size will cause Morrison problems on defense. Morrison's ability to move around the perimeter, shoot, and create off the dribble from the four spot will give the Magic problems this game, in much the same way Al Harrington caused us problems. We should be able to go small alot this game, have Hedo slide over to the four spot, Ariza and Hill at the 3 spot, and having two point guards in for alot of the game. I really think this could become a good game today.<span style="color:#330000">Valo's predictions</span>: I think our bench will once again come up huge this game, maybe even outscore the starters like they did against Denver, and continue our winning streak at four straight games.
I dont think there is anyway I will miss this game. The Dwight and Emeka matchup is going to be amazing. Two solid young athletes AND great basketball players going head to head...WOW, this is going to be an exciting one. I am going to go with the Magic. They have more depth obviously which will come up huge. I love the Startin line up from Charlotte however. They are so young(outside of Brevin) and with young age, comes young legs which means they can play forever...If somehow Felton ends up guaring Jameer, I think that would be a great matchup. I would give the edge to Nelson however. Better shooter, smarter player, and is a better defender as well. This should be a great game.
So the news from this game, is Sean May is in the starting lineup now, Felton is the starting point guard. Brevin Knight is sitting on the bench, unable to play tonight. Good move I think by Bernie, not having a point guard face Grant Hill for a matchup. Brezec is apparently not out, because he is in the game right now.
nice pre game Valo. I'd do one for the Sonics, but No-one will read it. I create a lot of topics there- lucky if I get a reply on most
If that's what you are worried about, don't worry about that. I will talk Sonics basketball with you all day, I'm not a huge fan of the Sonics, but I am a basketball and watch anyone that comes on. I fully expect to watch the Sonics and Warriors tonight.As for the game, the Magic are up 57-43 at half time and looking good. They are running on the break, having 14 points from fast breaks so far. They are attacking the rim, and scoring alot inside as usual with 26 points in the paint, and many more from right around the basket. Our bench is once again playing with energy, and doing good with 23 points in the first half. As for the Emeka Okafor against Dwight Howard matchup, Emeka was busting Howards ass in the first parts of the game, scoring a good 6 or so points early on. The Magic responded by switching Battie and Milicic onto Emeka defensively for a while, and keep rotating defenders at him. They did draw him into foul trouble though. So far both are playing good ball though, Howard is playing agressive right now, attacking the rim and displaying what I have been wanting to see from him all season. He has shown a jump hook, and a sky hook type move that I have not seen from him this season. He leads Orlando with 13 points and 9 rebounds in the first half. Emeka Okafor is doing good offensively with 14 points, but has only 3 rebounds.The Magic need to come out in the second half, keep attacking, and not give up this lead. This is our game to win.
So a game I was completely pumped about ended in a blow out. The Magic thumped the Bobcats 97-83 tonight on their way to 7-3, and a four game win steak right now. The Emeka Okafor vs Dwight Howard matchup was a complete joy to watch. Emeka finished with 26 points and 9 rebounds. He displayed nice touch around the basket, had his mid range shot working pretty well, and had nice moves around the basket. He was really taking it at Howard during this game. Dwight Howard finished with 24 points and 21 rebounds, and completely controlled the boards for this game. He showed moves I have not seen him use alot of this season, or in his career.As for the rest of the team, the Magic just layed it on the Bobcats. We was getting points in the paint, having 46 on the night, and living in the paint like we have all season. We had 39 points from our bench, compared to 19 bench points from the Bobcats. Defensively we did a very nice job of not giving up any easy buckets. Milicic had a big hand in that, as he was very good down low defensively, and caused alot of problems for the Bobcats. Wallace had to settle for alot of jumpers, that did not go in, shooting 1 of 10, on alot of ill advised outside shots. Morrison had a bad night thanks to Magic defense, shooting 5 of 15, for 10 points. I felt they would need a big showing from him to be competitive, and he had a good showing in the first quarter when the game was close. Unfortunately he became a non factor after that.I was impressed with the Magic this game, and very happy with them. We shot worse than we usually do, but still overcame and thumped the Bobcats. Next game we will be at Memphis, which I feel should be another win for us.
Orlando is leading there division and the conference after the last few seasons there improving with there young players getting better every year. Darko Milicic wasnt doing much for Detroit but once he came to Orlando he started improving and coming a good player to have. Darko had a good game last night and hopefully will put up those numbers consistantly.
