Tag: Orlando Magic

All-Decade Power Rankings: Golden State Warriors rule the 2010s

The Golden State Warriors were easily the most dominant NBA team in the 2010s decade. What teams followed them? Our full rankings included.

The end of the decade is upon us, which a good time to look at the teams that thrived and those that took a nosedive over the 2010s.

For clarity, the period examined begins with the 2010-11 NBA season and ends Dec. 12, 2019, rather than bridging games that were played in the second half of 2009-10. Remember, the 2011-12 season was limited to 66 games due to a players’ strike.

30. Sacramento Kings

Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

The Kings have been consistent … as in consistently under .500. The last time the franchise had a winning season was 2005-06. It will be interesting to see if they can get over the .500 mark this go-round. The Kings are currently flirting with .500 but still under.

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In star-studded week, Jonathan Isaac puts James Harden atop list

Jonathan Isaac faced Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and James Harden this week and says Houston’s star was the hardest.

Over a five-day period this week, the Orlando Magic have faced three consecutive NBA heavyweights.

In the first two games, the Magic (11-14) lost by single digits to both the Milwaukee Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo, as well as the Los Angeles Lakers with LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

On Friday, however, they were crushed at home by the Houston Rockets (17-8) in a 23-point loss, headlined by 54 points from James Harden.

When asked postgame to compare the opponents and probable 2019-20 NBA season Most Valuable Player (MVP) candidates, Magic defensive ace Jonathan Isaac seemed to put Harden at the top of the list.

Isaac’s comments on Harden, compared to the others:

I would say he’s the toughest so far, with the way that he’s able to get everybody else involved on top of him having a great shooting night.

Even after giving up 130 points to the Rockets, Orlando still allows the second-fewest points of any NBA team. Isaac, in particular, is an athletic menace at 6-foot-10 with good instincts — giving him plenty of standing to make such an evaluation.

In Friday’s blowout, Harden scored 54 points against the Magic and became the first player in NBA history to score 50+ points with 10+ made three-pointers in consecutive games. But on top of his scoring binge, the former MVP also led the Rockets in assists with seven. That helped the Rockets connect on 22-of-39 three-point attempts (56.4%) as a team.

Isaac was far from alone in his postgame praise of Harden. Courtesy of Orlando’s official team website, here’s a sampling of what other Magic players and coaches had to say regarding Harden’s big night.

Evan Fournier, on Harden:

When a guy has 54 on you, it’s almost like embarrassing because you want to give it your all, but he’s just that great. And the fact that he does it every night is really impressive. I think he had 55 last game, and this was pretty much the same game. He’s just different and give him credit.

You know, I feel like we lost against just him tonight. He’s the MVP for a reason. We talked about it pregame that you have to contest shots and just live with the results, but he did not miss tonight, period. He’s incredible and give him credit.

Magic coach Steve Clifford, on Harden:

Listen, Evan guarded him in a similar manner to what he did last year, and both times we played him last year we defended him well, We actually went quicker this year to double him than we did last year. You’ve got to try and keep him off balance. Last year, they were playing more pick-and-roll, but tonight they just [isolated]. That’s a different world. In [isolation], he’s so good. He’s looking at the guy coming at him, and he’s got such good feel and vision. It’s just hard.

Tonight, it was just iso, which is the hardest thing [to defend]. You’ve got a great player in the middle of the floor with more room to cover… and then when he starts making… it’s just really tough.

Fortunately for the Magic, they won’t see Harden and the Rockets again until a return visit to Houston on Sunday, March 8.

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James Harden makes more history as Rockets rout Orlando

James Harden scored 54 points and again tied the franchise record with 10 made three-pointers in Houston’s blowout win Friday at Orlando.

James Harden scored 54 points on extremely efficient shooting and made all sorts of history in a dominant 130-107 road victory (box score) by the Houston Rockets on Friday against the Orlando Magic.

Harden made 10 three-pointers for a second consecutive game, with both tying the all-time Rockets record for made treys in a single game. He’s just the second player in NBA history to make 10 or more three-pointers in two straight games, joining Golden State’s Stephen Curry.

Friday’s win is the sixth in eight games for the Rockets (17-8), who are now six games better at the 25-game mark than they were in the 2018-19 season at 11-14. Orlando fell to 11-14 this season with the loss.

Between Wednesday’s win at Cleveland and Friday’s victory in Orlando, Harden has combined for 109 points in his last two games on better than 60% shooting from the field and from three-point range. In those wins, the NBA’s leading scorer has averaged just 5.5 free throw attempts per game — reflecting the diversity of his scoring prowess.

On top of his scoring, Harden made key plays defensively with three blocks and two steals — including multiple sequences late in the game where he followed up a takeaway with a bucket on the other end.

Russell Westbrook continued his recent hot stretch with 23 points on 50% shooting, along with seven rebounds and six assists. Ben McLemore had 18 points on 6-of-7 shooting (85.7%) on three-pointers, while P.J. Tucker and Clint Capela each had a team-high 11 rebounds.

Harden also contributed as a facilitator with a team-high seven assists, including this one on a McLemore trey in the fourth quarter.

The Magic were led by 27 points from guard Evan Fournier, who made six three-pointers of his own on 11 attempts.

The Rockets return to play Saturday night at home in Houston against the Detroit Pistons (10-15), with Westbrook likely unavailable due to planned maintenance on the second half of a back-to-back sequence of games.

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LeBron James believes Dwight Howard is ‘thriving’ in role with Lakers

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James was asked about the former Magic star’s role for the Lakers so far this season.

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers came out with a victory in the first game of their five-game road trip on Wednesday night, 96-87 over the Orlando Magic.

But aside from an excellent first quarter where they held the Magic to just nine points, most of the action on Wednesday was fairly forgettable except for a scuffle at the end of the game involving both teams that began with several Magic players shoving Dwight Howard. It ended an ejection for LA.’s Jared Dudley and Orlando’s Wes Iwundu, but with Howard back where his career started in Orlando, it obviously led to questions about how he’s been with the Lakers.

LeBron James couldn’t be happier with the fit, according to his postgame interview with Spectrum Sportsnet.

(H/T Christian Rivas of Silver Screen and Roll)

“He’s thriving. He’s thriving. He’s gonna have more years in his career and he’s gonna add an ingredient to our team’s success because of the role that he’s accepting. He’s just making the most of it every single night. Defending at a high level, rebounding, blocking shots, catching lobs and with zero ego.

“When his number is called he goes out there, and when he’s subbed out he cheers on his teammates every single night. We were lucky to be able to snatch him up late in the summer like that, and we’re happy to have him.”

Howard’s numbers have normalized a little bit after his monstrous start to the season, which briefly included leading the NBA in plus-minus. But he’s still been incredibly important for the Lakers, often playing crunch time for them and averaging more minutes than starting center JaVale McGee.

Another reason why Howard’s numbers have stabilized as of late is that McGee has played better as well, which is a great sign for the Lakers as a squad moving forward. Howard is averaging seven rebounds and seven points per game while shooting 72 percent from the field in just under 20 minutes per game.

 

LeBron James says Jared Dudley backed up his words in earning ejection at Magic

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James believed his teammate Jared Dudley had his heart in the right place when he ejected on Wednesday.

The Los Angeles Lakers earned yet another road victory and their fifth straight overall on Wednesday night as they began a five-game road trip with 96-87 victory over the Orlando Magic.

The Lakers led by 24 early on in the game and even held the Magic to just nine points in the first half, but the Magic clawed back the subsequent quarters to make the game a lot more interesting. They got the lead down to as few as two points before the Lakers started to regain control. But in the fourth quarter, the Magic got a little rowdy with Dwight Howard after Howard drew a loose ball foul after getting two offensive rebounds in the same position.

Orlando’s Wes Iwundu had a shove on Howard after the play, which triggered Dudley to step into the fray and shove Iwundu. The altercation would result in a double ejection for Dudley and Iwundu.

However, after the game, LeBron loved what he saw from Dudley as the veteran forward backed up his words from Lakers media day that he would defend his teammates if opponents messed with them, according to Tania Ganguli of the Los Angeles Times.

Here’s what LeBron said after the game.

That’s all it take to get ejected these day? Just a little shove? I’ve seen a lot more than that. Duds would do whatever like he said. He told you guys at media day that if someone were come in to do something crazy to to me or AD or whoever on the team, he’s going to be the muscle. Y’all forgot about that right?

…

They tried to gang up on Dwight right there so we got to try to even the numbers up a little bit, no jump sessions.

After the game, Dudley compared defending his teammates to defending his own child, according to The Athletic’s Bill Oram.

With the win, the Lakers won their 12th straight road game and managed to remain undefeated away from Los Angeles so far this season. But they will continue to face challenges throughout the rest of their current road trip, starting Friday night against the 18-6 Miami Heat.

 

 

 

 

LeBron triple-double helps Lakers hold off Magic to win fifth straight

The Los Angeles Lakers led by as many as 24 on Wednesday night and although the game got close, the Lakers handled the Orlando Magic.

The Los Angeles Lakers came out on Wednesday night with a ton of energy and held a lead of as many as 24 against the Orlando Magic but while the Magic cut their lead down to as low as two points, the Lakers never wavered as they won their fifth straight game and their 12th straight game on the road to remain undefeated away from Staples Center, 96-87.

LeBron James led the way with a triple-double of 25 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists on a night when the Lakers struggled to shoot for much of the night. Anthony Davis was again instrumental in establishing a defensive tone, especially when the Lakers surrendered a season-best nine points to the Magic in the first quarter. In addition to the two stars, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had another big night from the outside, making a team-high four 3-pointers, including some big ones in the fourth quarter.

The Magic pushed the Lakers throughout the game and did so literally in the fourth quarter. After Dwight Howard earned a loose ball foul, Orlando’s Wes Iwundu pushed Howard after a play, leading to Jared Dudley pushing Iwundu. After a review, both players were ejected.

Following the dual ejections, the Lakers were able to extend their lead and win yet another road game.

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Lakers start road trip by holding Magic to season-best nine-point quarter

LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and the Los Angeles Lakers started their next road trip on the right foot.

The Los Angeles Lakers started slowly on the offensive end as they missed eight of their first 10 field goal attempts, but as has been the case all season, their spectacular defense has helped be a guiding light during times where the offense has slipped. And their defense has not played a better quarter than they did in the first quarter on Wednesday against the Orlando Magic.

The Los Angeles Lakers held the Lakers to a nine-point first quarter, the lowest total they’ve allowed in a quarter this season. The Lakers had 26 points and held a 15-point lead after the first, despite the fact their usually good offense was struggling against an active Orlando defense.

The Lakers welcomed back guard Avery Bradley to the line-up but he came off the bench for his first game since Nov. 15. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope got the start at shooting guard but as expected, the Lakers aren’t missing a beat despite having pieces come in and out of the lineup.

Anthony Davis, once again, was a monster in the quarter as he had seven points, eight rebounds, three assists, and two steals to help lead the way for the Lakers.

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Lakers news: Kuzma (ankle) out, Bradley (leg) probable at Magic

The Los Angeles Lakers will be without one of their key contributors but they will also be getting another one back on Wednesday night.

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The Los Angeles Lakers are back on the road again as they begin a five-game road trip that will take them through five different Eastern Conference cities, including four teams that are currently in the playoff picture, starting tonight with the Orlando Magic. But as they begin their trip, they’ll be without a key piece while they’ll also be getting one back on Wednesday night.

Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma has been ruled out of Wednesday’s road-trip opener with a sprained left ankle, according to Kyle Goon of the Southern California News Group. Kuzma is day-to-day going forward, according to Lakers.com’s Mike Trudell.

Kuzma missed the start of the season recovering from a stress reaction that he suffered while playing for USA Basketball over the summer and he had been dealing with this same ankle injury for parts of this season as well.

However, the Lakers will be getting back guard Avery Bradley tonight against the Magic. Bradley has been out since November 15 with a hairline fracture in his leg but he had been slowly ramping up his workload during the team’s last road trip before being cleared for full-contact this past weekend.

 

 

Los Angeles Lakers at Orlando Magic odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Wednesday’s Los Angeles Lakers at Orlando Magic sports betting odds and lines, with NBA betting picks, tips and best bets.

The Los Angeles Lakers (21-3) visit the Orlando Magic (11-12) Wednesday at Amway Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET. We analyze the Lakers-Magic odds and lines, with NBA betting advice and tips around the matchup.

Place a legal sports bet on this NBA action or other games at BetMGM.

Lakers at Magic: Key injuries

Lakers

  • SG Avery Bradley (leg) questionable
  • C Anthony Davis (shoulder) probable
  • PF Kyle Kuzma (ankle) probable
  • PG Rajon Rondo (hamstring) questionable

Magic

  • PF Al-Farouq Aminu (knee) out
  • C Nikola Vucevic (ankle) out

Lakers at Magic: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips

NBA odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full set of today’s betting odds. Odds last updated Wednesday at 12:40 p.m. ET.

Prediction

Lakers 112, Magic 96

Moneyline (ML)

The Magic (+300) come into Wednesday off a 110-101 road loss against the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday. They’re 8-4 at home for the season but just 5-5 across their last 10 games overall. They have an even point differential with 103.0 points per game for and 103.0 PPG against.

The Lakers (-385) would be the play if it weren’t for the chalky odds which return a profit of just $2.60 on a $10 bet. L.A. is on a four-game win streak, 11-1 on the road and 9-1 over its last 10 games overall. The Lakers have been off since Sunday when they beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 142-125 at home. The visitors win, but it’s not worth the slight risk for the small return on investment.

Against the Spread (ATS)

The LAKERS (-8.5, -106) will win this handily when laying the points. Each of their last three wins was by a margin of at least 17 points. They’re 15-9 ATS on the year and 7-5 ATS on the road. The Magic are just 10-12 ATS overall and 4-7 at home. Three of Orlando’s last five losses were by margins greater than 8 points.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Lakers to win by 9 or more points returns a profit of $9.43.

Over/Under (O/U)

Take the UNDER 212.5 (-115). Both teams are dealing with several injuries and neither side is likely to be at full health Wednesday. The Lakers are just 11-13-0 against the O/U for the season while the Magic are 10-12-1 against the projected totals and fall an average of 4.3 points shy of the number.

Want some action on this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Esten’s NBA betting record: 74-63

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Lakers look to stay perfect away from L.A. against Magic

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers will look to stay rolling against the Orlando Magic as they begin a five-game road trip.

The Los Angeles Lakers are used to being road dogs these days but that mentality will be tested as they begin a five-game Eastern Conference road trip, with four of the five games coming against teams that are currently in the East playoff picture, starting Wednesday night against the Orlando Magic.

After closing last season on a tear to make the playoffs and even win a game against the World Champion Raptors in the first round of the playoffs, things haven’t gone as planned for the Magic. They lost All-Star center Nikola Vucevic for the last few weeks and free-agent acquisition Al-Farouq Aminu recently tore his meniscus.

Still, they have had some otherwise great stories that have helped them stay in the Eastern Conference playoff picture, which is, currently more competitive than the West. Markelle Fultz has been aggressive on both ends, finishing well at the rim and playing great defense, helping offset a misfiring 3-point shot. Meanwhile, third-year player Jonathan Isaac has been a monster, as he comes into Wednesday trailing only Anthony Davis in total blocks and actually leading the league in blocks per game (2.9).

The Magic are a scrappy team that will stay in the playoff picture for most of the season, but they shouldn’t be able to challenge the Lakers with the way L.A. has been playing as of late.

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