The four All-Stars on the Magic’s starting lineup get a lot of attention, but the one guy that doesn’t is a huge piece of whether or not the Magic succeed.

Mickael Pietrus provides… something.


“I still think his size and athleticism gives him the best chance to go out against the best players in this league and make it hard for them defensively,” Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. “Plus he can really shoot the ball. I think he’s a huge key for us. His energy is up and down as a result he’s up and down. When he’s playing well I think he makes us significantly better.”

That inconsistency is one thing Van Gundy would like to see change. He’d rather have Pietrus base his energy on his defense rather than on how consistently his shots fall.

Pietrus said he can help the team either way. But he does have one specific goal.


Click here to read the full article – By tania ganguli of Orlando Sentinel

Already with the best record in the Eastern Conference, the Orlando Magic might be getting even better.


Rashard Lewis seems to have found his form after a season-opening suspension.

Lewis scored 13 of his season-high 26 points in the third quarter, and the Magic beat the New York Knicks 114-102 on Sunday night for their sixth straight road victory.

“He got it going in the second half. That was nice,” Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy said. “It was the first time this year that he’s really gotten it rolling and that’s a good feeling.”

Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPN.com

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Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic made sure the Atlanta Hawks don’t have illusions about their strong start.

All it took was Magic coach Stan Van Gundy challenging Howard to play smarter and harder.

“I came out in the second half and just trusted my teammates,” Howard said. “They made some open shots and I tried to dominate the paint. It doesn’t matter if we’re down 20, we’re going to continue to fight.”

Howard had 22 points and 17 rebounds, Vince Carter added 21 points and the Magic beat Atlanta 93-76 on Thursday night.

The Hawks dropped to 11-4 in a failed bid to tie Phoenix for the NBA’s best record. They also missed a chance to improve to 8-0 at home for the first time since 1993-94.

Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPN.com

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First, there was Hack-a-Shaq.

Now, there’s Smack-a-Superman.


Teams are fouling Orlando Magic C Dwight Howard when he has the basketball near the basket and looks like he’s ready to shoot. Howard concedes that he sometimes fights frustration when teams employ the tactic.

“I think I’ve just got to play through it,” Howard said. “Coach, he allows guys to do the same thing in practice, so I’ve just got to get used to it. It’s tough, because you’ve got people hanging on you, pulling at you, slapping at you, whatever, the whole game. You try to stay calm, but sometimes you just want to react. But you’ve got to do what’s best for the team.”

Howard is shooting 50.7 percent from the free-throw line this preseason.


Click here to read the full article – By Josh Robbins of orlandosentinel.com

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Orlando assistant coach Patrick Ewing stood underneath the hoop, took the ball after it swished through the net and passed it back to Dwight Howard standing at the free throw line.

The All-Star center has surprisingly hit as many as 28 straight free throws in practice during Orlando’s training camp. The work is all part of his goal to rid his free-throw woes after missing a costly pair in the waning seconds in Game 4 of the NBA finals, a blown opportunity that still haunts Howard.

“It’s not gone yet. Every day I wake up and I think about what happened,” Howard said. “Every day I get a reminder when I turn on the TV … first thing I see is Kobe (Bryant) putting up the championship sign. You think about it, and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since we lost. I put some of the moments away, but losing something when you’re so close, it hurts. So you don’t want to go through that experience again.”


Click here to read the full article – By ANTONIO GONZALEZ of newschief.com

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If you were impressed by Matt Barnes’ toughness and shooting Monday night, you weren’t alone. Barnes led the team making 66.7 percent of his field goals and all of his seven free throw attempts.

He didn’t back down from challenges (partially evidenced by his technical foul) and provided that toughness Orlando has been criticized for missing in the past.

Stan Van Gundy said today Barnes was the best player Monday night. That’s a pretty lofty statement when you’ve got four All-Stars on your team.

“I knew what he could do on the floor and I thought he’d be a good fit for us,” Dwight Howard said. “So far he’s just done everything the right way.”

Barnes will start tonight along with Brandon Bass. The two will replace Mickael Pietrus and Rashard Lewis, who started at forward on Monday night in Dallas. The other three starters will remain the same — Vince Carter, Howard and Jameer Nelson.


Click here to read the full article – By Tania Ganguli of Orlando Sentinel

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Orlando Magic forward Rashard Lewis tested positive for an elevated testosterone level and was suspended Thursday for 10 games.

Lewis said in a statement that he took an over-the-counter supplement late last season that included a substance he did not realize was banned by the NBA.

“First and foremost I take full responsibility for the situation and accept the corresponding penalty,” Lewis said. “I apologize to Magic fans, my teammates and this organization for not doing the research that should come with good judgment.”

He will be suspended without pay for the first 10 regular-season games for which he is eligible and physically able to play. He will be docked about $1.6 million of his $18 million salary for the 2009-10 season.

Click here to read the full article – By of ESPN.com

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