Orlando (5-1) at Oklahoma City (2-3)

Partly Cloudy Currently: Oklahoma City, OK
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  • Game info: 7:00 pm EST Sun Nov 8, 2009
  • TV: SS, FSOK

By BRETT HUSTON, STATS Writer Nov 7, 3:08 pm EST

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Stan Van Gundy isn’t satisfied with the Orlando Magic’s defense, but that hasn’t kept the defending Eastern Conference champions from getting off to an impressive start.

Dwight Howard(notes) and Orlando’s hot shooting have helped offset a suspension to Rashard Lewis(notes), and the high-scoring Magic may get Vince Carter(notes) back Sunday at the Ford Center as they seek an eighth straight victory over the Oklahoma Thunder franchise.

The Magic (5-1) are without Lewis, suspended 10 games for an elevated testosterone level, and have only had Carter available for three games as he deals with a sprained left ankle, but they’re still scoring 108.7 points per game.

That effective offense has been largely thanks to the NBA’s reigning defensive player of the year. Howard leads the East in field-goal percentage (67.8) and he’s helped draw plenty of defenders to kick the ball out to Orlando’s shooters, who connect on a league-high 11.5 3-pointers per game.

Howard and his coach, though, have been less than thrilled with the team’s defense. The Magic are among the worst in the league in forcing turnovers at 12.2 per game, they’ve already allowed four opponents to score 100 points and they rank among the bottom third in the NBA in opponents’ field-goal percentage at 46.0.

“We haven’t played good enough defense to be a great team,” Howard said. “We have to try and be great every night, and that’s just not happening yet.”

Orlando allowed Detroit to shoot 51.4 percent and score 35 fourth-quarter points Friday but held on for a 110-103 win.

“We’re not playing smart enough. We didn’t play enough defense and for too many minutes we were just hanging on to win a regular-season game,” Van Gundy said. “We aren’t making the push to be great. I don’t know if we will. We’ll have to see.”

Ryan Anderson(notes), considered a throw-in piece to the deal that sent Carter to the Magic from New Jersey, has connected on 43.6 percent of his 3-point attempts but sprained his ankle against Detroit and is due to have an MRI. Carter, averaging 15.3 points, is expected to return after missing the last two games.

It’s Howard, though, that Oklahoma City (2-3) is likely most concerned with slowing down. He’s averaged 30.0 points, 19.3 rebounds and 7.0 blocks in his last three games against the Thunder, who haven’t beaten the Magic since Jan. 11, 2006, while still in Seattle.

The only triple-double of Howard’s career came in Orlando’s first visit to Oklahoma City as he finished with 30 points, 19 rebounds and 10 blocks in a 109-92 win Nov. 12.

The Thunder are among the league’s lowest-scoring teams at 91.8 points per game and haven’t scored 100 since a win on opening night. Russell Westbrook(notes) had 33 points and Kevin Durant(notes) added 27 on Friday at Houston, but the rest of the team was 15 of 45 from the field in a 105-94 loss.

“They both had good offensive games, but we are all about team,” Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks said. “We didn’t get the job done.”

The Thunder don’t figure to have an answer for Howard considering Nenad Krstic(notes) (8.6 points) is their only big man that averages more than five points.

Krstic averaged 4.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and four fouls in his two most recent games against Howard while with New Jersey in the 2007-08 season.

Updated Nov 7, 3:08 pm EST
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Team Comparison

Team Record Standings PF PA Road/Home Streak L10
Orlando 12-4 1st Southeast / 1st East 98.9 92.9 Road 6-2 Won 1 7-3
Oklahoma City 9-7 3rd Northwest / 7th West 97.1 93.9 Home 4-3 Won 2 6-4

Notes

April 22 C Dwight Howard's previous playoff high was 29 points against the Raptors in the first round last year. He had 31 points and 16 rebounds in his 15th career playoff game. ... Central Florida resident and the Magic's most famous fan, Tiger Woods, was sitting at his courtside seat across from Philadelphia's bench. ... F Rashard Lewis had missed the last three games with right knee tendinitis. F Hedo Turkoglu had been sidelined for the last two games with a sprained left ankle.

Apr 19, 10:33 pm EDT

F Kevin Durant graded himself as OK for the season even though he raised his average in both points (by five) and rebounds (plus-2.2). "I need to get better on defense and finding my teammates for open shots," the second pick of the 2007 draft said. ... Six players scored in double figures for Oklahoma City. ... The Thunder claimed a 62-42 advantage on points in the paint against the Clippers.

Apr 16, 1:30 am EDT
NBA

60 Comments

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  1. Steven
    59. Posted by Steven Mon Nov 9 9:52pm EST

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    Number 58 stop smoking crack.
  2. M-$HEA
    58. Posted by M-$HEA Mon Nov 9 8:16pm EST

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    What the @#$% ever, we started off 0-2 last year and it seemed like all had been lost and we went onto the NBA Finals. This team has many veterans that will begin to gel together as the season progresses and the defense will then improve significantly. Look out for the Magic with our lineup as Jameer Nelson, Vince Carter, Rashard Lewis, Ryan Anderson, and Dwight. We will be killin people when our best veterans get on the floor. As for the Thunder, get ready to get mobbed when you come to Orlando with all our starters ready next wednesday. NEVER underestimate the heart of the Eastern Conference Champs! GO MAGIC!
  3. Steven
    57. Posted by Steven Mon Nov 9 6:19pm EST

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    no i got a better one you could play stan van gundy's lover .
  4. Steven
    56. Posted by Steven Mon Nov 9 6:16pm EST

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    paching is ok that your magic will never win a championship but don't cry because i just got a call from the director of brokeback mountain and he said you would be perfect for part 2 to play tom cruise's lover.
  5. SteveJ
    55. Posted by SteveJ Mon Nov 9 5:56pm EST

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    As a huge Thunder fan, that game was a new feeling altogether. That was the first game since the move here that felt like we could be a really good team. Last year, we would build a big lead only to give it all back. That never even felt like it was gonna happen last night. It was a total team effort and really showed what these guys can do as they mature. Thunder Up!
  6. LAallday
    54. Posted by LAallday Mon Nov 9 5:47pm EST

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    hahaha who's this joke tryin to talk up the cavs???
  7. MartzMimic
    53. Posted by MartzMimic Mon Nov 9 4:20pm EST

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    When the Magic kicked the Thunder last year when they were without Durant, nobody seemed to make a big deal of it. Would the game last night have been closer with Carter and Lewis in the lineup? Sure. Might the Magic have won? Sure. The thing is, injuries and suspensions are part of the game. You play with what you've got and let the chips fall where they may. What's lost in all the talk about who's not playing is that the Thunder has become a much better team defensively. And that's not based solely on last night. They will lose some games they shouldn't, but they're going to win some that they shouldn't too. Last night was one of those cases, and Oklahoma City was simply a buzz saw on the court.
  8. <i>cavslandrocks</i>
    52. Posted by cavslandrocks Mon Nov 9 2:54pm EST

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    oh and BTW paching chronological order would be a timeline, NOT a best to worst or worst to best ranking
  9. <i>cavslandrocks</i>
    51. Posted by cavslandrocks Mon Nov 9 2:51pm EST

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    @paching....ORL defense=25th..CLE=14th...Offense..ORL=8th...CLE=23...your team scores 9 points /game more than CLE and gives up 10 points more than CLE....we'll see on Wed which team is better...and NO EXCUSES about injuries and officiating....you play the hand you're dealt....win or lose I'll be here to comment....How many ORL "fans" will show up if the Magic lose?
  10. Smokin Joe Fraze
    50. Posted by Smokin Joe Fraze Mon Nov 9 2:11pm EST

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    @cavslandrocks, Pietrus is better than Lee right now, maybe in a a few more years that will change but that's not the point because right now Pietrus is the better overall player and by a pretty decent margin. Alston is a better defender than Jameer but that's it. Alston is an awful shooter, takes way too many shots and is always looking to shoot first pass second. That may work on a team that needs scorers but he Magic don't need anymore scorers especially not Rafer. Jameer is easily better than Alston. Hedo I would've liked to keep however not for a 5 year $56-$58 mill deal. We have Rashard for 4 more years so adding a 30 year old Hedo for 5 years when he only has 2-3 great years left would absolutely cripple the Magic. VC's 2 year contract was a much better fit and if not for Devon Harris and his out of control style of basketball VC's ankle would be fine right now. I find it odd that you would bring up VC's injuries considering he's missed a TOTAL of 11 games in the past 4 years. He's been anything but injury prone.

    Magic's front office did a sign and trade for Hedo which brought us a $9 mill trade exception. A trade for DVC and Anderson for Lee, Alston and Battie. Waited for Dallas to make an offer on Gortat, knowing they wouldn't be able to match our offer on Bass and then we turned around and matched their offer on Gortat. Signed Barnes and J. Williams. It's been widely said that the Magic made BY FAR the best aquisitions this off season. The Cavs on the other hand... 37 year old Shaq, 34 year old Parker and J. Moon? Cavs need a new head coach and to fix that roster. Anderson and Shaq are both backups that are starting.
  11. JShay
    49. Posted by JShay Mon Nov 9 2:09pm EST

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    Turk was gone the minute the playoffs were over. He said as much in the interview room right after the final game with the Lakers. The Magic will be fine. Long season... don't get your panties in a wad people. Geez.
  12. Paching
    48. Posted by Paching Mon Nov 9 2:01pm EST

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    I'm already over it steve, and the worst teams in cronological order (that means worse to least worse) are New Jersey, Memphis, Minnesota..o and Cleveland. "Empire state of mind" steve,watch and weep! Haha
  13. Philosopher Jay
    47. Posted by Philosopher Jay Mon Nov 9 2:01pm EST

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    It's really nothing to worry about. The Magic were missing two of their three all-star players and the third one had an off-night. When two of their three all-stars are playing, they can beat everyone except for Boston, Phoenix and L.A. When all three play, no team can touch them.
    Look for them to win 72 games this year.
  14. ise
    46. Posted by ise Mon Nov 9 1:56pm EST

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    where is VC? hahahahaha. You trade Turk right?
  15. <i>cavslandrocks</i>
    45. Posted by cavslandrocks Mon Nov 9 1:50pm EST

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    @ Smokin Joe...the morons are in the Magic front office...after all they are the ones who traded Turk, Lee, Rafer...right?...they would have done much better keeping Turk and picking up Bass...I'm willing to say that Carter misses at least 25 games this year...NOT a good deal
  16. <i>cavslandrocks</i>
    44. Posted by cavslandrocks Mon Nov 9 1:43pm EST

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    ORL fans..your team is 25th of thirty teams on defense...you are being out shot (% wise) by the league everywhere except the FT line...when SVG says your defense sucks he isn't kidding...your rebounding is dead even and your blocks (+.85) and steals (-.71)per game basically cancel each other out.
  17. Smokin Joe Fraze
    43. Posted by Smokin Joe Fraze Mon Nov 9 1:10pm EST

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    Missing 3 starters, 2 of them All-Stars, 2 of them play the same position (PF) and are of the Magic's best shooters. Not having Rashard or Anderson at the 4 spot completely eliminates the threat of the 3 ball. Not to mention the defense Rashard brings. Not having a PF that can shoot the 3 is a huge hinderence for Orlando because it eliminates the 4-out-1-in offensive set they run.

    Remove Kobe, Pau and Artest from the Lakers and see if they defeat a full strength Thunder. Oh wait that matchup already happened and the Thunder took the Lakers to overtime and LA was only missing Pau. You already know the outcome of that game if LA was missing even 1 more of their stars in either Kobe, Odom or Artest.

    Have Boston play the Thunder without KG, Sheed and Pierce. Outcome is the same. Some of you people are morons.
  18. <i>adrian_coria787</i>
    42. Posted by adrian_coria787 Mon Nov 9 12:44pm EST

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    how does such a good and deep team lose to the thunder? i know the thunder are getting better but the magic should've been able to beat them even though there short handed
  19. Jose
    41. Posted by Jose Mon Nov 9 11:19am EST

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    DAAAAAAMN! this aint right.
  20. Mike
    40. Posted by Mike Mon Nov 9 11:16am EST

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    I Agree, Dont sleep on the THUNDER. I was at the THUNDER/LAKER game tuesday @ the FORD Center in OKC and me being a long time LAKER fan, I will say the LAKERS had there hands full. they won only by 3 in overtime. yeah a W is a W and the THUNDER had many chance to win. They are a young team and are building, the LAKERS how ever are very seasoned and barely hang on to that win. give them some time and I see Big things for the OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER!!!

    Fulker out...........
  21. Steven
    39. Posted by Steven Mon Nov 9 9:26am EST

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    get over it paching and all the magic fans they lost to the worst team in the nba by 30 points.i think now they are the worst team in the nba, you actually think they are gonna win a championship this year? yeah right and cleveland would never lose to a team like this. just face it the magic will never be good enough to win a championship because they suck.
  22. BrOncoz
    38. Posted by BrOncoz Mon Nov 9 8:56am EST

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    no big deal. it was sunday and magic were without vince..when rashard comes back theyll be fine
  23. Smitty
    37. Posted by Smitty Mon Nov 9 7:41am EST

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    That is pathetic. How many millions of dollars do these guys make and they score 74 points. Sure hope this isn't going to be a common occurence. My Bucs and Noles suck I need something to be proud of. Hoping the MAGIC will be my sports savior.
  24. Derrick R
    36. Posted by Derrick R Mon Nov 9 7:40am EST

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    LAst time I checked, Dwight HOward is the franchise player of the Orlando Magic. Saying that, there's no excuse in the world that they got humiliated by the OKC Thunders. When will Magics fans realize that Howard is overrated. He's got a lot of improving to do. Offensively that is. The guy just doesn't have a low post move besides a dunk. No jumpshots, no free throws. You guys will sure miss Hedo in the playoffs. He was the guy who beat the Cavs. And Alston too.
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