Marcin Gortat News

Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard has been fined $15,000 by the NBA for publicly criticizing officials on his blog.

Jonas Jerebko made some hustle plays in his first-ever start. Well, that was a relief .

Ryan Anderson wore a boot on his right foot today and said an MRI this morning showed his injury isn't especially serious -- no tear or break.

Phoenix Suns forward Alando Tucker drives to the basket past Orlando Magic guard Jason Williams, lower left, as Magic center Marcin Gortat , of Poland, and Suns forward Louis Amundson look on during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Orlando, Fla., Wednesday, Nov.

Detroit came into the game missing two of their best players, Richard Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince , which broke Prince's string of 496 straight games played.

Dwight Howard was a preseason favorite for Most Valuable Player in the league. Tuesday night, in Detroit, Howard looked like the most vulnerable player on the court.

Ryan Anderson had 20 and 10 rebounds, Dwight Howard scored 25 and the short-handed Orlando Magic defeated the previously unbeaten Phoenix Suns 122-100 on Wednesday night.

The Detroit Pistons live inside the Orlando Magic's collective head. This was very apparent in Detroit's 85-80 win onA TuesdayA night at the Palace.

The Detroit Pistons in no way looked like the same team that bedeviled the Orlando Magic for years and years.

It wasn't a misprint. Magic C Dwight Howard really was 14-of-16 from the free-throw line on Sunday against the Toronto Raptors .

I'll blogthe Magic-Raptors game live. In the interest of full disclosure, I'm watching this game on TV in Orlando, while my colleague Brian Schmitz is on the ground in Toronto.

The Orlando Magic may not reach the NBA Finals this season as they did last year but they are a genuine title contender.

Yes, sports fans, there was another Game 1 last night as the 76ers and the defending Eastern Conference champion Orlando Magic opened their seasons at the Amway Arena.

Published: Wednesday, October 28, 2009 at 11:38 p.m. Last Modified: Wednesday, October 28, 2009 at 11:38 p.m. ORLANDO Dwight Howard had 21 points and 15 rebounds, Vince Carter scored 15 points and the new-look Orlando Magic rolled to a 120-106 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night in the season opener for both teams.

You'll forgive the Magic if they didn't come wearing their party clothes. To them, there's nothing to celebrate.

Orlando center Marcin Gortat, left, dunks over Philadelphia Sixers center Jason Smith during the first half of Magic's 120-106 victory.

Has there ever been an NBA Finalist that has had to live up to not what it did in the previous season, but in the PRESEASON ? The Magic closed out their first unbeaten preseason in franchise history at 8-0 on Friday night, demolishing the Atlanta Hawks 123-86 at Amway Arena .

The Vince Carter acquired by the Magic this summer is a mellowed 32-year-old who would just as soon spin a layup deftly off the glass or, better still, set one up for a teammate.

Vince Carter, left, is the biggest addition to the Magic for the 2009-10 season.

The Magic made serious waves the night before the draft by trading Courtney Lee, Tony Battie, and their interim point guard, Rafer Alston, for Vince Carter and Ryan Anderson.