<div align="center"> <font color="Blue">Orlando Magic (8-5)</font> vs <font color="DarkOrange">New York Knicks (8-6)</font> Where : Madison Square Garden Date:Friday December 3rd 7:30 PM TV: NBALP, WRBW </div> Last Games Magic 129, Raptors 108 W Knicks 90, Grizzle 82 W Coaches Johnny Davis /Lenny Wilkens Probable Starters Steve Francis/ Stephon Marbury Cuttino Mobely/ Jamal Crawford Grant Hill/ Tim Thomas Dwight Howard/ Kurt Thomas Kelvin Cato/ Nazr Mohammed Sixth Man Hidayet Turkoglu/ Jerome Williams Key Players Why are they the Key Players This section does not need much explaining this time. These are currently the two best point guards in the eastern conference this season.Steve Francis' team has one a majority of the head to head matchups against Marbury and his teams. If you look a the stats Steve Francis is one a the few players in a league averaging 20 points, 6 assists, and 6 rebounds this season. Stephon Marbury is also very talented averaging 8 assists for the Knciks this season one of only two players who average 20 and 8 for ther ecareers the other being Oscar Robertson. Both are the vocal points of there teams offenses. Steve Francis scored a team high 23 points and had 9 asissts agains the Toronto Raptors during the Magic's last game . While the New York hero lite it up from three point range against the Memphis Grizzles. Dont Look for to much Magic from... IR 55 Andrew DeClercq IR 7 Michael Bradely IR 8 Pat Garrity Magic Keys * Hit the boards the Magic have been playing big on the boards the last few games and need to keep it up. They have had to guys averaging double doubles the last two games. They dominated the Raptors on the boards though I do not expect themto do the same to the Knicks do to Kurt Thomas I think they can still control this game in the rebounding catagory. * Get a big game from the Franchise and Hill this is going to be aon going key I make before each game last game after combining for only 25 points in a lose against Boston Hill and Francis combined for 50 points in a 129-108 win. So the key continues to be true Hill and Francis score Magics win. * Keep the game at Magic pace which is a quick high scoring game. They have broken the 100 point margen in 2 of the last 3 games and have one 2/3 games so when they score over 100 they always seem to win. I think a big key for them to get out on the break is there great rebounding they push the ball up court after every rebound which gets them easy buckets. Side Notes * Howard has only failed to reach double digit rebounding two times in the Magics first 14 games this season, and is currently ranked second amoung rookies in the power rankings. Also the Magic have only one lose at home against eastern conference apponents this year which was one against the Celtics. Howard managed 20 rebounds and 15 points during the Magics last game against the Raptors. * Mobely is finally back after missing 9 games and will probably be in the starting lineup he had double digit scoring off the bench against the Toronto Raptors during the Magic blow out win. * Cato has now had two straight double doubles for the Magic after last nights game he has finally begun to show he has a offensive game not just a defensive specialist. *Both teams are currently number one in there divisions so this game could be a huge difference in not only overall record, but standings as well. Leo's Prediction The game will be a quick game Magic pace in my mind. I do not expect Howard to have a huge game against Thomas, but do expect him to have decent rebounds if not double digit rebounding. I think that Hill will play well this game against Tim Thomas who is not the most talented defender in the league, and the Magic will pull out a win 98-87. I think that the bench will play a huge role in this game for both teams look to see some scoring coming from them.
Nice preview, Marbury/Francis will be a good matchup too watch. Propz too Marbury for being a great PG.
I think the Magic will come out with a W.They are doing something that didnt occur last year, playing like a team. The Magic as of now are just rolling, D12 is rebounding the ball very well and is not doing a bad job scoring, the kid looks great.Grant Hill is arguably the story of the year so far, he is playing great for the Magic and it seems as if he is going to make up for the past few years he missed from the ankle injury.Steve Francis is playing very well, he fits in perfect with Orlandos system.On top of this Cuttino Mobley will be returning from an injury that caused him to miss 9 games. New York, is leading the Atlantic divsion so far with a record barely over .500, if they want to win this game they are going to have to keep Orlando from running the break as much as they can, because once the Magic get on the break it opens up other things for them. When Starbury is in the lineup you can never say the Knicks are going to get beat for sure, so anything is possible, the Knicks are at home, so I could see them winning this game. This should be a close one and a good game, we'll see what happends.
I think we will win this game. Marbury against Francis is going to be awesome. I can't wait! Anyways, I expect Howard to have another monster game against Kurt Thomas. Howard has 2 inches on Thomas and has been playing better this year. My prediction is a Magic win 107-95
Should be an good game. It will be interesting to see how the Magic come out after destroying the Raptors. I'm still surprised we had 8 guys in double figures, but that just goes to show the amount of depth on this team. Hopefully Dwight Howard will have another double double and a huge game on the glass. The game is at the garden, and Orlando needs to try and improve on the road.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting OrlandoMagicFan:</div><div class="quote_post">Orlando isnt bad on the road(3-3) But there is MUCH room for improvement.</div> But their stats drop incredibly in nearly every category. Either way Orlando is having an amazing season and they have surprised the hell out of me.
Yes i agree on both of those, they do need to improve on the road statwise and especially at the garden. Orlando is having a kick butt season but they can do better and i hope they do.
Should be a great matchup between steve and step, the battle for the best PG in the east imo, hopefully we can continue the effort and progress from the game against the Raptors here in this one,Dwight will hopefully be big tonight and we may play some defense, you never know. I see the magic by 8 in this one, nice preview as well dog.
I think that the Crawford vs Mobley matchup will be the X-Factor Matchup. Crawford has been playing really well lately and Mobley just got back from injury and his first game back he shot 6-10 for 16 pts in very limited minutes. I think whoever wins this matchup will win the game. Magic 107-103.
Our road form has picked up definatly (3-1 since first 2 initial loss's) but the garden is always a hard game. The back court match up's will be tough, but if Hill and Francis combine well, the stats say the rest.
This road game will be a hard one for us, but we can take the challenge. I expect our big men doing some job again tonight. If we can control the board, and if Francis can force Starbury for more Turnovers than Starbury forces him, we have higher chance to win the game. Mobley will start the game eh? that's good to see I predict Hill will be 25, 7, 6 tonight. Magic win by 4. Go MAGIC!
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Devilz:</div><div class="quote_post">This road game will be a hard one for us, but we can take the challenge. I expect our big men doing some job again tonight. If we can control the board, and if Francis can force Starbury for more Turnovers than Starbury forces him, we have higher chance to win the game. Mobley will start the game eh? that's good to see I predict Hill will be 25, 7, 6 tonight. Magic win by 4. Go MAGIC!</div> That's not gonna happen imho, Starbury has 1.2 TO less than Francis and at the same time he has also the edge in steals. As a team, the Knicks have also 2 TO less than Orlando and 1.5 SpG more. Basically, Orlando needs to dominate the boards and some bench production not only from Hedo. By the way, I don't agree with NY's 6th man, it should either be Hardaway or Sweetney (both play more time and have better stats than Williams, I also don't think Williams will get that much playing time against us either).
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Coranor:</div><div class="quote_post">That's not gonna happen imho, Starbury has 1.2 TO less than Francis and at the same time he has also the edge in steals. As a team, the Knicks have also 2 TO less than Orlando and 1.5 SpG more.</div> yeah...that's why i said 'if' Starbury is a decent pg and he's really a good one. But since i'm a Magic fan and of course I'll pray that Starbury will turnovers a lot and Francis will win the matchup with him. I've put my money on Magic to win at moneyline at 2.35
@Devilz And what I mean with it is that we don't need that if, it should be enough if we can control the boards and get some more bench production. The if Francis has less TO than Starbury is not needed imho. We can make 2 to 3 TO more than they and should still be able to win if we can control the boards, if we commit more than 3 TO more than say, we need to dominate the boards.
Wow Mobely is liting it up. He already has 24 points in the third quarter. Steve Francis has 16, 5, and 5. We are up by one right now. Im sort of dissappointed in Howard, and Cato Howard only has 3 boards despite 10 points, and Cato has 6 boards, but 0 points.
This is a GREAT game. Been close for most of the game. Mobley has scored 29 points OFF THE BENCH. He has i think 6 3 pointers.
We have three guys who scored over 20 points this game, and Francis has gotten to his season averages almost with 22, 6 , and 6 so he is having a good game. I think NY should be really dissappointed with Jerome Williams if they lose he is playing horrible for them today. I am a little dissappointed with Stevenson's offensive out put, but he is 2/2 from the field so that is a bright side at least he made his shots. I think Mobely's great play will cost Stevenson playing time in the next few games.
This is why we needed Mobley healthy. He is playing great and now has 29 points with 6 3 pointers. Francis has 22 points 6 assists and 6 rebounds. Grant Hill has 21 points also.
Hill Francis and Mobley combined for 81 points which is 79% or something like that of the Magic's points.
