Preview: Magic @ Spurs vs <font color="Blue">Orlando Magic</font> at <font color="Black"> San Antonio Spurs </font> When: Friday, December 26 Where: SBC Center Time: 8:30 ET TV: Local Records Spurs:20-10 Magic: 8-22 Previous Games <u>Orlando</u> <ul>December 25, Won 113-101 vs. Cavaliers December 22, Loss 95-73 @ Philadelphia December 21, Won 104-93 @ Toronto[/list] Last 10: 6-4 <u> San Antonio </u> <ul>December 23, Won 111-90 vs L.A. Clippers December 20, Won 101-91 @ Portland December 19, Won 87-73 @ Seattle[/list] Last 10: 10-0 Probable Starters Radoslav Nesterovic vs. Steven Hunter Tim Duncan vs. Juwan Howard Bruce Bowen vs. Gordon Giricek Emanuel Ginobili vs. Tracy McGrady Tony Parker vs. Rod Strickland Injury List <u> Orlando</u> Pat Garrity Reece Gaines Grant Hill <u> Spurs </u> Alex Garcia Sean Marks Team Updates <u>Orlando</u> Orlando is coming off a great Christmas game. McGrady and Lebron put on a show for us all, a true classic. Tmac and the Magic won the battle and he nearly scored a triple double with 41 points, 11 assists and 8 rebounds. <u>Spurs </u> The Spurs are finding ways to win, and are red hot with 10 straight victories. Tim Duncan is playing like an MVP and has the Spurs back on track. [quoteright] ?It's not out of sight.? -Johnny Davis, on the Magic still making the playoffs.[/QUOTERIGHT] Keys to the Game <u> Orlando</u> <ul>Rebound the basketball.[/list] <ul>Make the easy baskets.[/list] <ul>Bench Production. Against the Spurs, everyone needs to step up.[/list] <u> Spurs</u> <ul>Defend the 3 Point Line[/list] <ul>Contain McGrady. With Bruce Bowen, this shouldn?t be too hard.[/list] Current Team Leaders <u> Orlando</u><ul>Points: Tracy McGrady (24.6) Rebounds: Drew Gooden (8.1) Assists: Tracy McGrady (5.8) Steals: Tracy McGrady (1.3)[/list] <u>Spurs </u> <ul> Points: Tim Duncan (22.5) Rebounds: Tim Duncan (12.9) Assists: Tony Parker (6.3) Steals:Manu Ginobili (2.2)[/list] Key Bench Players <u> Orlando</u> Drew Gooden<ul>12.6 Points Per Game, 8.1 Rebounds Per Game, 1.4 Assists Per Game[/list] Zaza Pachulia<ul>2.7 Points Per Game, 2.9 Rebounds Per Game, .3 Assists Per Game[/list] Tyronn Lue <ul>12.0 Points Per Game, 3.0 Rebounds Per Game, 3.6 Assists Per Game[/list] <u> San Antonio</u> Ron Mercer <ul>5.4 Points Per Game, 1.3 Rebounds Per Game, .7 Assists Per Game[/list] Robert Horry <ul>5.1 Points Per Game, 1.8 Rebounds Per Game, 3.1 Assists Per Game[/list] Malik Rose <ul>8.5 Points Per Game, 6.4 Rebounds Per Game, 1.4 Assists Per Game[/list] Key Matchup Tracy McGrady/Bruce Bowen The 'X' Factor(s) <ul>Will the Spurs contain McGrady?[/list] Ice's Take The Magic don?t have a chance. McGrady will have an offshooting night, and the entire team will be tired from the Christmas day game. Spurs Win. <font size="1">Go to NBA.com for the official preview</font>
great job on the preview. Or will the Magic contain Duncan. I will have to say that the Magic are too thin down low to hold Duncan. But it should be a interesting game. If bowen can hold T-mac look for another upset for Mcgrady. I predict Spurs for the win.
I have a feelin that the Magic can/might win, but most likely the Spurs have the edge on this. Magic and McGrady are playin great basketball tho, so I wouldn't be surprised if they won. Don't underestimate what McGrady can do, if he has a hot game then the Magic have a good chance of winning.
I think if mcgrady is aggresive in taking it to the hole the magic win. But if he settles for the jump shot we have no chance in hell, unless he catches fire like the nugget game.I think gooden will have a big role in this one also.
I think we will come out strong and ready to play, but we need to contain Duncan only let him get 25 and 20, nothing more. I have a feeling about this game too. I'll still predict a Spurs win, but only by 4.
The only way we can win and the only way any team can get a win against the Spurs is to stop Tim Duncan.If we double team him, like we did last time, but more succesfully we should pull of a close win. It doesn't matter how Tracy plays. It matters how bad the Magic want this win.Magic by 1.
Sorry guys but Spurs are playing too good on the defensive side for this game to be close.Duncan can't be stopped inside.S.A recently knocked off a red hot Clippers team by 21...I feel it will be the same kind of scoreline again.
Last time we played Duncan straight up and I think he dropped close to 50 on us. He needs to be doubled. <div class="quote_poster">Quoting Ice Breaker:</div><div class="quote_post">Will the Spurs contain McGrady?</div>Will the Magic contain Duncan?
Tim Duncan is going to kill us... If not with points but with rebounds... the guy is just gonna be there in the game.. killing us.. truthfuly i dont think theres a chance for the magic unless everyone does what they can and stop duncan.. Plus the spurs havnt played for at least two days, they are gonna be fresh..
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting :</div><div class="quote_post">Will the Magic contain Duncan?</div> Who did you have in mind to guard him? "The Hammer?" or Zaza? The Magic don't have big men to even compete with any of the good teams in the west. The Spurs are the exact same story. Duncan will kill us. Juwan Howard guarded him and he dropped 47 points. Double teaming might help, but our big guys will just get in foul trouble. McGrady can be contained. Just look at his stat line when he's going against Ron Artest, Kenyon Martin, Kevin Garnett, Bruce Bowen, etc..I have yet to see a player who has stopped Duncan repeatedly. allnet called it. I have a feeling the Spurs will come out and bring it at the tired Magic. Their defense is too good, and the Magic will probably end up shooting jumpers rather than driving to the basket. No one can stop Duncan, especially the Magic. This game could get ugly very fast.
I think Tim Duncan will be too much to handle tonight for the Magic. The last time these two teams played he dropped 47. I think the Magic need to double Duncan any time he gets the ball and force the Spurs perimeter players to make jump shots. On offense, they just need to take the ball to the hole. Hopefully they can get Duncan in foul trouble early. Bowen and Ginnobili are good on the ball defenders. I expect both of them to switch off on T-Mac tonight. McGrady needs to show tonight that he can lead his team whether that be scoring or finding the open teammate.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Ice Breaker:</div><div class="quote_post">McGrady can be contained. Just look at his stat line when he's going against Ron Artest, Kenyon Martin, Kevin Garnett, Bruce Bowen, etc..I have yet to see a player who has stopped Duncan repeatedly.</div> The only guys that has really faired well in that list repeatledly vs t-mac is artest and kg.He might not drop 30 on them everytime.but numbers like 20 to 25 6 and 6 is not containing him repeatledly. He burns martin and nets almost all the time. But y'all are right we have no answer for td.
^ Bruce Bowen has nearly always forced T-mac to shoot a bad %.Mcgrady shot just 7-20 the last time the two met.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting allnet:</div><div class="quote_post">^ Bruce Bowen has nearly always forced T-mac to shoot a bad %.Mcgrady shot just 7-20 the last time the two met.</div> I think that has to do more with duncan than bowen. Mcgrady just doesn't drive as often as he should vs good bigmen. It would ne nice to at least to get them in foul trouble.he settles for the jumper and that favors bowen.
McGrady had one of the worst games ever... and probably the worst half in his career against the Spurs earlier this year... he had hardly any points in the first half, and i think the points he got where off foul shots.. The second half he got a little warm, but just didnt pick it up..
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting DirtySouth:</div><div class="quote_post">I think that has to do more with duncan than bowen. Mcgrady just doesn't drive as often as he should vs good bigmen. It would ne nice to at least to get them in foul trouble.he settles for the jumper and that favors bowen.</div> Not at all.Bowen even though he gets no credit is a top 5 defender in this league.He gives every player he guards big problems.One on one defending has nothing to do with Tim Duncan.It's Bowen that does alot of the work to why Mcgrady struggles.Has big problems driving past Bowen...or scoring over him.Bowen is about the same level as Artest in terms of one on one defending.But he will never been seen like that. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">McGrady had one of the worst games ever... and probably the worst half in his career against the Spurs earlier this year</div> He was facing Bruce Bowen thats why.It will be the case any time Mcgrady faces great defenders.He will get his but will struggle to do so.
No. Bowen was the one guarding him. Bowen has everyones number, including Tmac. With Bowen on Tmac, I don't expect huge numbers from Tmac. Therefore they have to rely on Gooden, who is gaurded by Duncan. Lose lose situation. Spurs by 12. Magic don't have the big men to compete.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting allnet:</div><div class="quote_post">Not at all.Bowen even though he gets no credit is a top 5 defender in this league.He gives every player he guards big problems.One on one defending has nothing to do with Tim Duncan.It's Bowen that does alot of the work to why Mcgrady struggles.Has big problems driving past Bowen...or scoring over him.Bowen is about the same level as Artest in terms of one on one defending.But he will never been seen like that. He was facing Bruce Bowen thats why.It will be the case any time Mcgrady faces great defenders.He will get his but will struggle to do so.</div> I know bowen is a top 5 defender.But what i'm saying is that mcgrady makes his job easier by just taking jumpers. I know t-mac had 38 vs the spurs in a win 2 years ago I think, but he still had a bad shooting night.Bowen should get more credit also. In the last game the game was close until mercer came and gave the spurs a big lift.But he has no d at all I know that for sure.
