thud!

Unless they change their ways, the possibility of having home-court advantage in the playoffs won't be an advantage at all for the Orlando Magic.

[Rebel]

Stan is doing a great job as coach. He's got to be getting an ulcer after watching the Magic give the game away to the Nets.
One thing I would have done in that game.
I would have benched Dwight after he started playing goo-goo with Vince Carter, and had Patrick Ewing have a little talk with him re: intensity & focus.
Dwight (I love the guy) litterally poo-pooed that game over to the Nets.
Every game is a war in the NBA to be throwing one away.
These guys are being paid BIG bucks to be intense and focus for 48 minutes 3 or 4 nights a week. Is that too much to ask?
Tell Dwight to watch some of Michael Jordans old games too see what focus and intensity is all about. Do you think MJ didn't have a problem with getting up for 48 minutes every night he played. He found a way.

[T_ Bowser]

Hey tell me what you all think of this proposed trade (it worked on ESPN's Trade Machine) Charlie Villanueva from the Bucks for Pat Garrity? They have Yi and could use the cap space Garrity would give them next year, and we would get a true PF.
Let's go Otis...trade deadline coming up, and we need another move or two. GO MAGIC!!!

[Eric]

I agree with Dwight, I have been to many Magic games and even when we winning you can hear more cheering for the away team. I felt the crowd was louder for the Celtics here this year than the Magic.

I have been to many sporting events in Florida over the years and outside of college football games and Bucs games, the cheering always seems to be louder for the away team unless it's a playoff type game. I think that just has to do with Florida being a major transplant state for other fans and our fans just having more options of things to do outside than be at a game indoors. I hope with the Magic winning more of our fans will come to games and give us a home court advantage again!

[Gramps]

It seems to me that the team is not "as serious" when playing at home. They laugh and joke around during warm ups but then that carries over into the game. It should be all business when the "whistle blows". Dwight's "playing around" with Carter during the game, did not show good judgement as far as this Magic Fan is concerned. COME ON MAGIC LET'S GET SERIOUS !!

[Christian]

Someone please tell Dwight that I'll gladly boo the entire team at pre-game intro's if they play like they're on the road!!!!

[MAgic Fan]

I was actually at the New Jersey game where Dwight was supposedly"playing around" with Carter. Here is what really happened:

On the play before the Keith Bogans foul the Magic were making a fast break when Vince Carter tripped up Dwight Howard at half court, forcing Dwight to trip and fall down. After the foul Dwight brought it up to Vince at the foul line and was not "playing around" Having already received a technical foul at this point it appeared to me Dwight was being smart and not getting aggressive with Vince and stayed friendly while voicing his displeasure with Vince's dirty play

[Sixx]

Simple solution: Cheer for the opposing team.

Seriously, if the team shows more intensity they will get plenty of support.

To T_Bowser: I would definitely make that trade, but I don't think the Bucs would.

[Dan]

The players get paid to play basketball and win games regardless of whether the crowd is loud or not, so show some heart and hustle and win the crowd over, or expect to here a pretty quiet arena on a nightly basis.

[Dan]

Gramps wrote:

It seems to me that the team is not "as serious" when playing at home. They laugh and joke around during warm ups but then that carries over into the game. It should be all business when the "whistle blows". Dwight's "playing around" with Carter during the game, did not show good judgement as far as this Magic Fan is concerned. COME ON MAGIC LET'S GET SERIOUS !!

Good point Gramps! This team is young (an excuse that is getting old) and does not take things seriously enough in their own house. If I was Van Gundy I'd be tepted to put the team up in a hotel the night before home games until they can prove they are serious about playing basketball here in Orlando. Its not the fans fault for not being loud enough, its the teams fault for not giving us a whole lot to cheer about.

[Bud says]

It's the defense stupid! It's always the defense when SVG talks to the media. The facts are..there's not one decent starter that can shut anyone down. Sooooo that about finishes the Magic for this season again. Lets see them go out and have some fun, they may be in the playoffs but all that will do is get the owners some extra revenue. Then Otis can spend it getting some more OverPaid subs so he can trade them for some more D league players. PLAY REDICK.

[Interested Observer]

I agree that the team is probably embarrassed by their old little arena - especially after visiting the newer bigger ones of other teams. It's probably arena envy that's throwing their game off.

[Philip13]

Bud says wrote:

It's the defense stupid! It's always the defense when SVG talks to the media. The facts are..there's not one decent starter that can shut anyone down. Sooooo that about finishes the Magic for this season again. Lets see them go out and have some fun, they may be in the playoffs but all that will do is get the owners some extra revenue. Then Otis can spend it getting some more OverPaid subs so he can trade them for some more D league players. PLAY REDICK.

I agre.

[Philip13]

I meant to say I agree, but keyboard battery ran low and got agre. lol new battery no problem now.
Maybe that is Dwight's problem with his free throws he needs a new battery.
Better yet have JJ show him how to shoot free throws then make his shoot free throws after practice for a couple of hours after practice.
Until he gets it right and can show he can keep hitting his free throws. I mean come on 3-10 in free throws and some people wonder what is wrong with the Magic.

[Hillary Clinton]

I lost in Iowa and celebrated like it was a big win !!!!!!!

[BMS]

So Dwight thinks its the fans fault because they suck so badly at home? We don't cheer loud enuff for them and boo the opposition? PULEEEZE!

When he can grow a "pair" and quit getting pushed around in the paint by 2nd and 3rd string hacks, then maybe i will listen...

Grow up Dwight

[BMS]

When Dwight can do better than 3 of 10 at the free-throw line. When Dwight can learn to take more than one dribble without turning the ball over. When Dwight doesn't get called for a defensive 3 second violation 5 times a game, then maybe he can complain. Until then, JUST SHUT UP AND PLAY!

[Lester]

No, no, no, guys. Don't you remember the Orlando Magic/Orlando Sentinel Sports Dept. favorite fall back position on things like this?

One more time:

Whenever anything goes wrong at home for the Magic-

IT'S ALWAYS THE FAULT OF THE ARENA!!

[Hate idiots]

The Magic are finished? So play Redick? After all, we can't seem to score three pointers, and our defense is more than good enough to play the worst defender on the team.(Sigh,) Bud, you're making about as much sense as Bwahah.

Hey BMS, didja see Howard flatten that Nets player with an elbow to the head? Even the Magic broadcasters were worrying about a flagrant 1 call. Maybe you'll listen when he goes off to LA in 2011, because the fans here take him for granted.

[robertohenry]

Lets have the team sleep over in a hotel the night before and every one in the arena Boo!

[FormerFan]

WAY TO GO NETS!!! GREAT COMEBACK VICTORY!!! KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!!!