Archive for April, 2011

I traded questions with William Sevida of Soaring Down South, an excellent Atlanta Hawks blog. You can read my answers to his questions tomorrow. 1.  The Hawks have defended Dwight Howard as well, if not better, than any other team in the league this season. What have Jason Collins and the other Atlanta bigs been able to do against Howard? Honestly, I’m not really sure. Jason Collins nor Zaza Pachulia aren’t physically gifted players and they are certainly not the most athletic players, but they find a way somehow. I think one reason that they’re successful is that they’re not intimated [...]

As we continue the series preview here at HtD, I take a look at the matchup between Jason Collins and Dwight Howard. Is Jason Collins manlier than Dwight Howard? I poured through stats for the last two days trying to find numbers that put the Jason Collins myth to bed. I kept telling myself that there is NO way that Jason Effing Collins could be really pulling a Kendrick Perkins and manhandling Orlando’s MVP darling.  Certainly only 4 games this season is a small sample size and even within those games, all had unique circumstances which I won’t get into [...]

Courtesy of BoDog: NBA Championship and Conference Odds Odds to win 2011 NBA Championship Los Angeles Lakers                   11/4 Miami Heat                                13/4 Chicago Bulls                            7/2 San Antonio Spurs                     7/1 Boston Celtics                           15/2 Oklahoma City Thunder              12/1 Dallas Mavericks                        18/1 Orlando Magic                           18/1 Denver Nuggets                         35/1 New York Knicks                       45/1 Portland Trailblazers                   50/1 Memphis Grizzlies                     100/1 Atlanta Hawks                           125/1 Philadelphia 76ers                      150/1 New Orleans Hornets                 175/1 Indiana Pacers                           250/1 Odds to win 2011 Eastern Conference Miami Heat                                8/5 Chicago Bulls                            7/4 Boston Celtics                           7/2 Orlando Magic                           9/1 New York Knicks                       25/1 Atlanta Hawks                           60/1 Philadelphia 76ers                      65/1 Indiana Pacers                           100/1 NBA Series Odds Orlando Magic                            -500     (1/5) Atlanta Hawks                           +400     (4/1) Chicago Bulls                            -3500  (1/35) Indiana Pacers                           +2000  (20/1) Miami Heat                                -1800   (1/18) Philadelphia 76ers                      +1000   (10/1) Boston Celtics                           -375     (4/15) New York Knicks                       +300     (3/1)

The first round series between the Orlando Magic and Atlanta Hawks will get underway Saturday at 7:00 pm EST at the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. Starters: Atlanta Hawks Jason Collins Al Horford Josh Smith Joe Johnson Kirk Hinrich Orlando Magic Dwight Howard Brandon Bass Hedo Turkoglu Jason Richardson Jameer Nelson For the second straight year, the Orlando Magic will take on the Atlanta Hawks in the postseason. Last year, the Magic swept the Hawks during the second round of the playoffs in the most one-way playoff series of all time. Orlando won the four games by 101 total points, [...]

Here is the official word from the Magic: ORLANDO MAGIC FIRST ROUND PLAYOFF SCHEDULE Below is the Orlando Magic’s first round, best-of-seven playoff series schedule against the Atlanta Hawks: Game 1 – Saturday, April 16, 7:00 p.m., Sun Sports/ESPN (Orlando, Amway Center) Game 2 – Tuesday, April 19, 7:30 p.m.,  FOX Sports Florida/NBA TV (Orlando, Amway Center) Game 3 – Friday, April 22, 8:00 p.m., FOX Sports Florida/ESPN 2 and ESPN 3D (Atlanta) Game 4 – Sunday, April 24,  7:00 p.m., Sun Sports/TNT (Atlanta) Game 5 – Tuesday, April 26, Time TBD, FOX Sports Florida/National TV TBD, (Orlando, Amway Center), If necessary Game 6 [...]

Here is the official word from the Magic: BLUE & WHITE IGNITE – SPECIAL FAN ACTIVITIES ANNOUNCED FOR 2011 PLAYOFFS Orlando, Fla. – It’s time for Blue and White Ignite as the 2011 NBA playoffs tip off this weekend.  There are many opportunities for fans and the community to show their spirit as the Magic’s sixth man by wearing Blue and White to ignite the team on all game days during the 2011 playoffs. Some highlights of the fan activities surrounding the 2011 Orlando Magic Playoffs will include the following: For Game 1 in the First Round, 20,000 cheer cards [...]

Dwight Howard had 13 points, 13 rebounds, four steals, two assists and a block in Orlando’s victory. (Andrew Melnick is Howard the Dunk’s lead blogger and ESPN 1080′s Magic Insider (http://espn1080.com). Subscribe to his RSS feed, add him on Facebook and follow him on Twitter to follow him daily. You can download the HTD app here).

Jameer Nelson collected six points, three rebounds and three assists in Orlando’s victory. (Andrew Melnick is Howard the Dunk’s lead blogger and ESPN 1080′s Magic Insider (http://espn1080.com). Subscribe to his RSS feed, add him on Facebook and follow him on Twitter to follow him daily. You can download the HTD app here).

After 52 wins, 30 losses, 22 Dwight Howard technical fouls, 13 beards, 2 trades and 1 Stan Van Gundy/Stern battle, the Orlando Magic regular season has ended. Orlando defeated the Indiana Pacers xx-xx on Wednesday night and will have two days off before the first round playoff series with Atlanta begins. There isn’t anything real deep to say about tonight’s game.  Orlando dribbled the ball up and down the court a lot and often put it through an orange cylinder at a higher rate than Indiana did. The result was the 52nd Magic win. Brian Serra is the Sr. Fajita [...]

Here is the official schedule: COMPLETE ORLANDO MAGIC FIRST ROUND PLAYOFF SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED The National Basketball Association has announced the complete schedule for the Orlando Magic’s first round, best-of-seven playoff series against the Atlanta Hawks: Game 1 – Saturday, April 16, 7:00 p.m., Sun Sports/ESPN (Orlando, Amway Center) Game 2 – Tuesday, April 19, 7:30 p.m.,  Local TV TBD/NBA TV (Orlando, Amway Center) Game 3 – Friday, April 22, Time TBD, Local TV TBD/ESPN 2 and ESPN 3D (Atlanta) Game 4 – Sunday, April 24,  7:00 p.m., Local TV TBD/TNT (Atlanta) Game 5 – Tuesday, April 26, Time TBD, Local [...]