Archive for April, 2010

Here is the official word from the Orlando Magic ORLANDO MAGIC EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS PLAYOFF SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED The National Basketball Association has announced the schedule for the Orlando Magic’s Eastern Conference Semifinals best-of-seven playoff series vs. either Atlanta or Milwaukee. Atlanta and Milwaukee are tied 3-3 in its best-of-seven first round series with Game 7 scheduled for Sunday. The winner will meet the Magic beginning Tuesday night (8 p.m.), May 4, in Orlando. Orlando vs. Atlanta or Milwaukee Eastern Conference Semifinals Series Schedule Game 1  -  Tuesday, May 4, 8 p.m., at Orlando (Amway Arena), TNT TV Game 2 – Thursday, [...]

The Atlanta Hawks, powered by a 19-0 third quarter run, defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 83-69, forcing a game 7 in Atlanta on Sunday. The Hawks were left for dead by many after blowing a 10-point lead in game 5, but the Hawks battled back to even up the series led by Jamal Crawford’s 24 points. This means the Magic will have to wait even longer to play and still won’t know their opponent until Sunday. Since the Magic don’t play until Tuesday, Head Coach Stan Van Gundy is giving the team the day off Saturday. For more on the Bucks, [...]

The Orlando Magic practiced for the second consecutive day on Friday. Magic Head Coach Stan Van Gundy was very happy with Thursday’s practice but was not as impressed on Friday. “I thought yesterday was really good,” Van Gundy said. “Not as good today.” Van Gundy thinks once the Magic know who their opponent is and when they will play, their focus will be better. On Friday, Orlando’s focus was on the Milwaukee Bucks because that is the only team the Magic have a chance to play on Sunday. The Bucks will host the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night at 7:00 [...]

The Magic are preparing as if they will play the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday. The Magic don’t know who they’ll face in the next round. But since the Milwaukee Bucks have a 3-2 lead, and are the only team the Magic could possibly face on Sunday, Orlando are preparing as if they were playing Milwaukee on Sunday. If the Bucks win the series in six, they’ll face Orlando on Sunday. If the Hawks make it a seven-game series and win, Atlanta won’t face Orlando until Tuesday. “The tough day is if it goes seven games, the tough day is Sunday,” [...]

Tania Ganguli of the Orlando Sentinel has a great Q&A with Otis Smith posted on the Orlando Sentinel’s website. Q: What advice did you give Dwight about avoiding foul trouble? A: None. He’s not going to avoid foul trouble. I don’t give him any advice heading into the second series other than the first series is over and let’s move to the next one. You need your best player on the floor more than 28 minutes a game. From that standpoint you have to do whatever it takes. I strongly recommend you check out the entire Q&A here. (Andrew Melnick [...]

The main topic of conversation at Orlando’s practice today was Dwight Howard and his foul trouble. Howard, who picked up 22 fouls in four games against the Bobcats, was fined $35,000 for comments he made regarding the way he is officiated on his blog. “His frustration level rose,” Van Gundy said of Howard’s foul trouble. “That’s my concern.” Van Gundy said he didn’t discuss the foul situation with Howard, saying that he “just wants him to get away from the frustration a little bit,”  he “looked good today” and wanted him to go into the next series with a “fresh [...]

Here is the official word from the Orlando Magic: BLUE & WHITE IGNITE – SPECIAL FAN ACTIVITIES ANNOUNCED FOR EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS – 2010 Orlando Magic Playoffs presented by Bright House Networks – Orlando, Fla. –It’s time for Magic fans and the community to jump into the excitement as Blue & White Ignite for the 2010 Eastern Conference Semifinals. The Magic encourage their fans to show their spirit and wear Blue and White to ignite the team in the 2010 NBA Playoffs. Some highlights of the fan activities surrounding the 2010 Orlando Magic Playoffs, presented by Bright House Networks, will [...]

Dwight Howard was fine $35,000 for comments that he made on his blog. Blogging is getting expensive for Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard in his running battle with NBA referees. Howard was fined $35,000 by the NBA on Wednesday for comments he made in his blog on DwightHoward.com about officiating and calls made against him in the Magic’s first-round series against the Charlotte Bobcats. Howard fouled out of the last two games, but he was limited to about 26 minutes in the four games and averaged just 9.8. points and 9 3 rebounds per game. Brian Schmitz has that story [...]

The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Atlanta Hawks for the third consecutive time to take a 3-2 lead in the series. Brandon Jennings scored 25 points, leading the Bucks back from a 10-point fourth quarter deficit. The Bucks now have a chance to close the series out on Friday at home in the Bradley Center. Should the Bucks be successful, game 1 between Orlando and Milwaukee will be Sunday at 1:00 pm EST and will be televised by ABC. Should the series go seven games, the Magic will host the winner on Tuesday night. For more on the Hawks, check out [...]

Here is the official word from the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association: ORLANDO MAGIC’S DAVID STEELE NAMED NSSA FLORIDA SPORTSCASTER OF THE YEAR Orlando, Fla. – Orlando Magic Television Play-by-Play Announcer David Steele was named the Florida Sportscaster of the Year by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association (NSSA), Executive Director Dave Goren announced today. The award marks the first of Steele’s broadcasting career. Steele is in his 21st season with Orlando Magic basketball and his 12th as the television play-by-play announcer, calling the action for Sun Sports and FOX Sports Florida. He was named as the television play-by-play voice [...]