Florida Today ORLANDO - Keyon Dooling pulled hot-shot rookie Chris Paul out to the top of the key, stutter-stepped the way a running back would in the open field and turned on the jets down the lane. He launched himself high into the air, and just as it looked as if he might finish off a highlight-worthy play between two defenders, Dooling coolly flipped the ball behind his back to a waiting Dwight Howard, who hammered home a dunk. The play in Saturday night's exhibition game against New Orleans caused Dooling's Orlando Magic teammates to simultaneously leap off the bench in excitement. It was significant not only because it showed just how athletic and dynamic Dooling can be, but also that he is more of the well-rounded player than most perceive him to be. "I'm known primarily as a defensive player, but it's basically because I've never had that opportunity to show the offensive side of my game," Dooling said. "I'm still trying to find my niche and do whatever it takes to get minutes on the floor, but I hope people know I can put the ball in the hole, too." Dooling returns to Miami tonight after leaving the Heat in July to sign a three-year, $9 million free-agent deal. Leaving was especially difficult for Dooling, 25, considering that he is a Fort Lauderdale native and the Heat have evolved into championship contenders. But his decision was based on getting more of an opportunity -- one he knew would be hard to come by if he remained in the shadow of Heat star Dwyane Wade. He said he harbors no ill will toward a Heat team that didn't exactly go out of its way to sign him last summer. Miami's best offer approached $1 million a season, while the Magic, New Jersey Nets and others frantically jockeyed to land the 6-foot-3, 195-pound playmaker. "I'm just thankful for the opportunity down there, to learn about what the NBA game was about," Dooling said of the Heat. "I learned more down there last year than I learned my first four years in the league." Dooling has been one of the Magic's first players off the bench in two of the three exhibition games, but could well be in the starting lineup tonight. Steve Francis suffered a mild ankle sprain in practice Sunday and didn't work out Monday. He'll likely rest the ankle tonight and could play Wednesday when the Magic host European power Maccabi Tel Aviv in the home opener. In Dooling, the Magic have another versatile athlete capable of playing both guard slots and a long-armed defensive stopper. So far his primary role has been at shooting guard alongside of point guard Jameer Nelson. He can also run the point, something that will allow Francis to shift to shooting guard periodically. To get himself better equipped to play shooting guard, Dooling had the Magic's video crew burn him a compact disc of Richard Hamilton's best moves. The Detroit Pistons guard is one of the league's best at moving without the ball and using screens to his advantage. "It's a new position for me because I've never played this much shooting guard," Dooling admitted. "I'm a big point guard, but kind of small for a shooting guard. But whatever this team needs to do, I'll do it because I just want to play." Source
Dooling looks indeed better in preseason than I expected. The bad side of this is that there's just not enough playing time for all our guards.
