RealGM Wiretap
In what proved to be their third consecutive loss, the Orlando Magic were manhandled on the glass by the smallish Indiana Pacers, exposed defensively time and again and shot the basketball with all the precision of a Civil War musket.
So take a wild guess what the reeling Magic did Thursday in the wake of another deflating defeat. Practice for three hours? Predict that the sky is falling and rule this season is a total wash? Ask the NBA for a refund on the $20-plus million paid to injured superstar Grant Hill the past two seasons?
No, rather than preparing for tonight's home game against the Detroit Pistons with a grueling practice, the Magic instead held a clear-the-air meeting and reviewed film for more than two hours.
Surely, somewhere Pat Riley is gnashing his teeth at the thought that one of his former students, Magic coach Doc Rivers, was letting his team off so lightly. But Magic emerged from Thursday's skull session confident that the season is still salvageable despite the woeful 13-17 record and Hill's seemingly cursed fate.
"Nobody was crying and there was no yelling or people saying, 'You (stink),' but it was a meeting that we really needed to have," Magic point guard Darrell Armstrong said. Sometimes you just go through things like this and we're still trying to find ourselves."
Along the lines of Armstrong's trying to find "themselves" assessment would be the fact that the Magic are a lost basketball team right now. Pick an area and the Magic are a mess. They have fallen from first to fifth in scoring after putting up 75, 80 and 82 points the past three games. No team in the NBA has given up more offensive rebounds, a weakness accentuated Wednesday night when Indiana formed a layup line while grabbing caroms off its own glass. And again this season the Magic frontline is but a rumor -- a scary thought with do-everything power forward Ben Wallace dead ahead tonight.
"Until you win a couple of games and feel good about yourself again there will continue to be a cloud over you," Rivers admitted. "I just think the timing of the Grant injury and the roadtrips really hit us hard. When you're out on the road and you keep hearing Grant is coming back and then you get the news he's out for the season it takes a toll on you. All of that played into this start. All we can do now is keep fighting."
That, and continue looking for help from the trade market. The Magic covet centers such as Michael Olowokandi, Raef LaFrentz and Marc Jackson, but have little of value to offer up as trade bait. More than likely, they'll have to settle for a veteran point guard (Matt Maloney?) to back up a beat up and broken down Armstrong.
How bad have things gotten with the injuries? Not only have the Magic lost Tracy McGrady, Mike Miller and Hill at times to injuries this season, but Rivers is scheduled to go under the knife soon for a third time for an ingrown toenail. Ever the optimist, Rivers keeps pointing out Orlando dug its way out of a 14-20 hole last season to make the playoffs. And anything is still possible in an Eastern Conference that is as weak as water.
"You know guys around here are thinking the same stuff happened around here last year (with the injuries) and now we've got to go through this agan?" Rivers said. But we can't keep using the injuries and the schedule as crutches. I want to know what you're going to do about it now."
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Maybe only Magic fans can truly appreciate one of the latest gems to come from Penny Hardaway's mouth.
Following a recent loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, Hardaway implied that he was sluggish in the fourth quarter because the 6 p.m. start to the game cut into his afternoon naptime. It seems as though Hardaway, who is in the third year of a seven-year, $86 million contract, can't function properly without getting his three-hour nap on game days.
Only Hardaway would utter such garbage.
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The NBA season is just a third of the way over and already three coaches have resigned. Tim Floyd, Jeff Van Gundy and Dan Issel jumped ship on their teams before they were pushed. Another, Dave Cowens was fired from Golden State.
Now, it's looking more and more like the coaching career of Larry Brown in Philadelphia should be on suicide watch. Brown's Sixers have underachieved badly after getting to the Finals last summer. And Brown's shaky relationship with star Allen Iverson seems to be on the rocks again. He recently questioned everything from his star's shot selection to his practice habits.
We could have Michael Jordan out there, and if he just spotted up, I doubt he'd get the ball," Brown said of Iverson's ball-hogging ways.
And then there was this: Everybody tells me we need a shooter. But we don't have anybody that will pass it to a shooter. It hasn't happened. Yeah, we had Timmy Thomas and Toni Kukoc. The only guy who flourished was George (Lynch), because George was rebounding and defending. He wanted to shoot the ball, but he realized, Hell, I'm never going to get it, so I'm going to rebound, defend and run on the break.' So anybody we get there who wants to shoot the ball, they never get the ball."
Sound like a burned-out coach?
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Denton's top 10 (previous week): 1. Lakers (1), 2. Spurs (2), 3. Mavericks (7), 4. Kings (3), 5. Timberwolves (4), 6. Nets (5), 7. Bucks (8), 8. Pistons (7), 9. Clippers (10), 10. Pacers (NR).