@ <span style="color:#00BFFF">NO/Okl. Hornets(10-12)</span><span style="color:#00BFFF">Projected Starters: Chris Paul, Rasual Butler, Desmond Mason, Cedric Simmons, Tyson Chandler</span><span style="color:#000000">Key Bench Players: Jannero Pargo, Hilton Armstrong, Marc Jackson, Linton Johnson, Brandon Bass</span><span style="color:#0000FF">Orlando Magic(15-7)</span><span style="color:#0000FF">Jameer Nelson, Grant Hill, Trevor Ariza, Tony Battie, Dwight Howard</span><span style="color:#000000">Key Bench Players: Darko Milicic, Travis Diener Keyon Dooling, Carlos Arroyo, Pat Garrity, JJ Redick</span><span style="color:#8B0000">Injury Report:</span><span style="color:#00BFFF">NO/OKL. City Hornets:</span> Bobby Jackson-Ribs-Out Peja Stojackovic-Back-IL David West-Forearm-IL<span style="color:#0000FF">Magic:</span> Keith Bogans- Ankle- Questionable Hedo Turkoglu- Ankle- Out Jameer Nelson- Groin- Out<span style="color:#FF0000">Star Watch</span>Chris Paul: 19ppg, 9.0rpg, 2spg, 47.2fg%Dwight Howard: 17.1ppg, 12.7spg, 1.6apg, 1.9bpg, 58fg%<span style="color:#483D8B">Valo's X-Factors:</span>For the Hornets, Tyson Chandler is going to have to bring it today. The Magic love to attack the paint, and will do it early and often. He will have to play strong man defense on Dwight Howard, which is going to be a chore on it's own, while trying to keep control of the paint from the Magic who will be attacking it. If he can somewhat control the paint and Howard, it will go along way towards the Hornets winning this game.For the Magic, Travis Diener will be huge for this team. He has been awesome in a reserve role, and has been in the game at the end of games over Arroyo. We need him to continue his decent defense at the point guard spot, and offensively his shooting really helps to open up for the Magic. If he can continue his shooting, teams won't be able to just switch to zone on us when he is in the game which is a huge plus. <span style="color:#000000">Valo's predictions:</span> I think Chris Paul will again come to play, but I think the Magic will be just to long and deep, even with our injuries for the Hornets. I am thinking this will be a Magic win, in a close game. The Hornets will play well, they play most everyone tough, but in the end I think the Magic will pull it out.
After jumping out to a 23-3 lead, the Magic are now barely winning 62-61 here with 2 minutes left in the third quarter. This is a very slow paced, grind it out game right now, with neither team shooting particularly well. The Magic started out hot, running, and hitting alot of their shots. Now they are missing almost everything they put up. Howard is up to 12 points and 11 rebounds, however he got posterized by Paul earlier. It was one of the nicest dunks I have seen this year, unfortunately it was over and on Howard.edit: The refs are driving me crazy in this game. They are completely whistle happy, calling just bad fouls against both teams. Mason did a blatant flop and Milicic got called for an offensive foul. Then Jackson set a nice pick, and got called for an offensive foul. On the defensive side, Howard pushed Marc Jackson, and Jackson got called for a foul. Howard has been called for one or two stupid fouls. These refs are just retarded today.
whats the deal with Reddick...I know he was out with an injury earlier in the year, but why doesn't he get some minutes....I know watching the magic team last year he wouldve been a perfect compliment with Francis/Hill/Howard/Battie-to have that outside shot that Mobley once provided...but im not sure what's needed now and why hes not getting any minutes
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Franchise835 @ Dec 21 2006, 12:19 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>whats the deal with Reddick...I know he was out with an injury earlier in the year, but why doesn't he get some minutes....I know watching the magic team last year he wouldve been a perfect compliment with Francis/Hill/Howard/Battie-to have that outside shot that Mobley once provided...but im not sure what's needed now and why hes not getting any minutes</div>Redick is still a project, and they are working with him. We need three point shooting, but he's not hitting the three's when he is in the game, and probably has more dropped passes than shots made. His feet don't seem to be underneath him to well when he shoots, he doesn't seem to have a whole lot of agressiveness, and is very passive in the early going which is not good considering he was brought in to shoot and not much else.
Redick will never be good at the pro level--mark my words. They do have a guy by the name of Travis Diener who is a pretty darn good shooter.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (amped3 @ Dec 21 2006, 03:10 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Redick will never be good at the pro level--mark my words. They do have a guy by the name of Travis Diener who is a pretty darn good shooter.</div>Your right, Diener has stepped up for us in the three point department and showed a very good three point touch. He has also shown pretty good defense at that point guard position and should be pushing Arroyo now for minutes off the bench when Nelson comes back. I Given what the Magic want Redick's role to be with us, I think that when Redick gets more confident in his abilities and becomes stronger he will be a good player with us. Right now his legs don't seem to be under him, and he is not to used to the three point range of the NBA. He still has shown a very nice stroke and rotation on his shots. His mechanics are completly the way they should be. He still has one of the nicest head fakes around, and mixed with his shooting ability can get anyone to leave the floor on him which helsp out alot. His shots just keep coming up short, which given some more practice and some more strengthening work outs will change into being good shots. I have seen nothing that has said he won't be a good player, and fit in well with the Magic in the long run.
Dwight Howard and JJ Redick could make for a really good tag team. JJ shoots and if he misses Dwight is right there to give him another shot.
