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Magic go for 7 against Clippers, 9:30

WHERE: Staples Center, Los Angeles

RECORDS: Magic 13-4, Clippers 7-7 (heading into Saturday night's late game against the L.A. Lakers)

BROADCASTS: TV -- WRBW-Ch. 65. Radio -- 580 AM (WDBO); Spanish-language radio: 1030 AM (WONQ)

MAGIC UPDATE: Orlando has won its past six games and leads the Eastern Conference and Southeast Division. . . . The Magic have won their first three games on this West swing, coming off a thriller against the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night. . . . The Magic are the healthiest they have been since training camp opened. There are no significant injuries. F Pat Garrity (right knee strain) is back. . . . The Magic have dropped five of their past six to the Clippers.

CLIPPERS UPDATE: Los Angeles won 47 games last season and made the Western Conference playoffs as a No. 6 seed, stealing much of the Lakers' thunder in Hollywood. . . . The club just extended Coach Mike Dunleavy's contract. . . . PF Elton Brand is among the top 10 rebounders in the league. . . . SG Cuttino Mobley and SF Corey Maggette are former Magic players. Maggette's name has been linked recently to trade rumors.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: The Clippers have a lot of weapons, but the Magic have to control Brand around the basket first. The Clippers were 7-1 at home before facing the Lakers on Saturday night.

Magic show something extra so far

LOS ANGELES -- At the end of each Orlando Magic practice, Dwight Howard sticks his head in the huddle and touches hands with his teammates.They play along, knowing what's coming from their imaginative 20-year-old star: An inspirational, albeit paraphrased, message from, uh, a cartoon character.

Howard is doing his best impersonation of Captain Planet, the ringleader in a group of superheroes (The Planeteers).

"With our powers combined, we are the Magic!" Howard says.

Well, boys and girls, it's as good an explanation as any if you're wondering how the Magic suddenly have joined the powers that be in the NBA.

Something is going on.

Call it chemistry, kismet or karma. The way they're playing, they soon might be able to transmute matter, just like Captain Planet does.

All Coach Brian Hill could do was smile sheepishly and shake his head after the Magic edged the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night on a last-second shot for the club's sixth consecutive victory.

"What can I say?" Hill began, seemingly as lost as anybody else who has witnessed the franchise's warp-speed transformation from laughingstock to contender.

The Magic are carving an identity: A deep, hard-nosed team that no longer plays like a homecoming patsy on the road or shrinks in close games. Oh, and in Howard, they also might have the next best thing since Shaquille O'Neal.

Out of the playoff picture the past three seasons -- and the NBA's worst team of 2003-04 -- the Magic are 13-4 heading into tonight's game against the Los Angeles Clippers.

That's good enough to stand atop the Southeast Division and the Eastern Conference. Last season after 17 games, they were 7-10 en route to their second consecutive 36-46 finish. The Magic have won 10 of their past 11 games.

"This team's confidence just keeps growing with winning," General Manager Otis Smith said.

The Magic have been even more of a pleasant surprise on the road, posting a 6-3 record, including three consecutive victories during what was billed largely as a defining six-game trip West.

"Nobody gave us a chance out here," power forward Tony Battie said.

Last season, they won just 10 road games and set a club record with 16 consecutive road defeats.

The victory against the Trail Blazers just about capsulated what this resurgence -- dating to last season's 16-6 closing run -- has been about. The Magic not only won away from home -- they won a close game.

Last season, they lost 17 games by six points or less -- and 13 of those losses came on the road. The Magic lost nine games overall by four points or fewer. This season, they are 6-1 in games decided by six points or less. They won by three in Boston and Miami and by two in Portland.

"I think, for the most part, we've kept our composure instead of panicking," guard Grant Hill said.

The Magic were tied with the Blazers at 89-all with 1.2 seconds left. Brian Hill drew up a play that the club executed to perfection on a less-than-perfect performance Friday night.

Grant Hill was to cut toward the basket and receive a lob pass from Hedo Turkoglu. Bingo. Hill scored with .3 seconds left for the game-winner.

It showed the confidence the team is playing with -- and the confidence they have in Brian Hill.

"This is the kind of game for the future . . . that helps you at the end of the season, making you believe you can win," Turkoglu said.

Hill got open because Jameer Nelson, all 5 feet 10 of him, set a pick. Nelson's play largely went unnoticed, but it said more about the Magic. They do more of the little things and do it unselfishly, which is a direct reflection of their coach, a demanding detail man.

What's more, Nelson was having a bad game (one point), but he kept making plays.

And again, just as in the victory at Seattle, the second team came through in Portland. With Nelson providing little offense, the bench scored 37 points.

Defense has been Brian Hill's pet project since he took over the job, and the Magic have improved dramatically. They entered the game against Portland No. 1 in defensive field-goal percentage and No. 2 in points allowed.

While Howard and Battie anchor the starting unit defensively, the Magic might have the NBA's best defensive bench with shot blocker Darko Milicic and on-the-ball defenders Trevor Ariza, Keyon Dooling and Keith Bogans.

Howard's awe-inspiring progress has the Magic on an uptick. But the healthy return of Grant Hill cannot be overlooked. He essentially also won the Miami game, and -- knock on wood -- you wonder what might happen if he gets hurt again.

But maybe the power of Captain Planet will stay with him.

Addititional articles that recap the Magical month of November in Orlando.

Howard: Conference Player of the Month

Hill, Howard earn NBA monthly honors

USA Today: Howard Makes Magic

Sentinel: How Wrong Experts Can Be

GAME 1 2006-07 Postgame Quotes

Orlando Magic 109, Chicago Bulls 94

Orlando Magic Head Coach Brian Hill:
“This is obviously a really good way for us to start the season against what I think is an excellent basketball team. I was just really proud of the way the guys played tonight. I thought we came out with really good focus, really good energy and a high concentration level with our offensive execution and our defense playing people off the dribble. It’s a tough team to defend, especially when they put three or four small guys out there at a time. (I am) just extremely happy with the performance of everybody.”

On Dwight being inside…
“That’s going to be our team every night. We want to play inside-out and we want to try to establish Dwight’s presence at the post and see how the teams are going to try to defend him, whether they are going to double team him, whatever the case may be. That was our game plan tonight, trying play inside-out as much as possible.”

On the difference in how Dwight has played…
“I thought our guys did a fantastic job of finding him all night and finding him deep in the paint or at the rim in transition. When you do that, it makes it especially hard to double team him. When you get him the ball deep in the paint or right at the front of the rim it’s almost impossible to double team him and there are just not a lot of guys who can take him one-on-one in that situation. He made good, quick moves and really asserted himself right from the beginning.”

On the Magic’s Defense…
“I was very pleased with our defense. With the Bulls, it’s all about playing people off the dribble and keeping the ball out of the middle of the floor. I’ll be honest with you, I watched them play last night and I didn’t know how we could win the game watching them play Miami They just drove the ball wherever they wanted to go against Miami last night. Our whole objective was trying to keep the ball out of middle of the floor as much as possible and not let their guys get off. Obviously they have some really good guards in Gordon and Hinrich in particular who put a (lot) of pressure on you, but all in all I think we did a good job.”

On the team’s chemistry last season to this season…
“I won’t lie to you, I sensed it after the game began but I didn’t know going in to the game. I told you guys the last couple days the first game you never know what you’re going to get, how your guys are going to react to the first game of the year. A lot of times the things (you) fear the most work out well and the things you think are going to go great fall apart on you in the first game of the year. Tonight I thought we were pretty well rounded – we were pretty good in most areas of the game other than our turnovers.”

Orlando Magic Forward/Center Dwight Howard:
“I was just trying to have fun.”

(On Grant Hill) “It makes us feel great. That’s what we need out of him. I was just glad he was out on the floor with us. Grant came out on fire. I think he always starts the game like that since last year. It was great to have him on the floor. I just love playing with Grant.”

“We’ve been really bonding with each other during the off-season, and also every day in practice. The more we gel as team, the better we’re going to be on the floor.”

Orlando Magic Guard Jameer Nelson:
“We had something to prove, it wasn’t just making shots, we had something to prove on the defensive end. You know teams hear that we’re suspect on the defensive end, but you see, we have three shot blockers, you know. And that allows the guards to pressure up and we actually did a better job tonight of taking their transition, it’s what Chicago likes to do.”

“This is just the first game. We have a lot to accomplish for ourselves; we have a lot of practice to do things we have to work on. There were a lot of mistakes out there.”

Orlando Magic Guard Carlos Arroyo:
“They had their run during the game. We stayed positive, we stayed poised, we stayed under control which is the main thing when a team makes a run like that. They did and we made our run too so we kept battling and a great thing happened.”

“Dwight is going out of his way of his way to help the guards and blocking shots like that, it’s going to make you think you know when you’ve got guys that are committed to helping each other, great things are going ton happen.”

Magic Season Preview 2006

For now, Magic need to take baby steps, get into playoffs
Dwight Howard predicts the Orlando Magic can "go all the way to the championship" this season.

Play Time
Magic fans, it's now safe to invest in a Dwight Howard memorabilia collection and for Junior to permanently affix that Jameer Nelson poster to his bedroom wall.

Here's where to find the Orlando Magic
You can follow the Magic all season in the Orlando Sentinel and on OrlandoSentinel.com.

Plenty of changes in store off court
The really good seats got significantly better this season, but those sitting there aren't the only ones who will benefit from changes at TD Waterhouse Centre.

Parking isn't as simple as it used to be
If you haven't already reserved your spot and expect to drive up to one of the garages near TD Waterhouse Centre and find a parking space on an Orlando Magic game night, you're in for a big surprise.

ORLANDO MAGIC
LAST SEASON: 36-46 (Third in Southeast Division)

Picking favorite is no slam-dunk
Racing down the floor last season against the Boston Celtics, he was ready to receive an alley-oop from Magic teammate Jameer Nelson. Trouble was, Nelson's delivery was more oops than alley, as the ball drifted directly behind Dwight Howard on the break.

THE COACHES
Brian Hill, Head Coach
CARLOS ARROYO
THE SKINNY
THE OTHERS
James Augustine
TREVOR ARIZA
THE SKINNY
JAMEER NELSON
THE SKINNY Position
DARKO MILICIC
THE SKINNY
KEYON DOOLING
THE SKINNY
TONY BATTIE
THE SKINNY
KEITH BOGANS
THE SKINNY
HEDO TURKOGLU
THE SKINNY
GRANT HILL
THE SKINNY
PAT GARRITY
THE SKINNY
J.J. REDICK
THE SKINNY

TORONTO RAPTORS
LAST SEASON: 27-55 (Fourth in Atlantic)
HOUSTON ROCKETS
LAST YEAR: 34-48 (Fifth in Southwest Division)
MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES
LAST YEAR: 33-49 (Fourth in Northwest Division)
ATLANTA HAWKS
LAST SEASON: 26-56 (Tie-fourth in Southeast Division)
MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES
LAST YEAR: 49-33 (Third in Southwest Division)
MILWAUKEE BUCKS
LAST SEASON: 40-42 (Fifth in Central Division)
BOSTON CELTICS
LAST SEASON: 33-49 (Third in Atlantic Division)
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
LAST YEAR: 21-61 (Fifth in Northwest Division)
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS
LAST SEASON: 50-32 (Second in Central Division)
SACRAMENTO KINGS
LAST YEAR: 44-38 (Fourth in Pacific Division)
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
LAST YEAR: 47-35 (Second in Pacific Division)
N.O./OKLA. CITY HORNETS
LAST YEAR: 38-44 (fourth in Southwest Division)
LOS ANGELES LAKERS
LAST YEAR: 45-37 (Third in Pacific Division)
DENVER NUGGETS
LAST YEAR: 44-38 (First in Northwest Division)
CHARLOTTE BOBCATS
LAST SEASON: 26-56 (Tie-fourth in Southeast Division)
WASHINGTON WIZARDS
LAST SEASON: 42-40 (Second in Southeast Division)
SAN ANTONIO SPURS
LAST YEAR: 63-19 (First in Southwest Division)
NEW YORK KNICKS
LAST SEASON: 23-59 (Fifth in Atlantic Division)
MIAMI HEAT
LAST SEASON: 52-30 (First in Southeast Division, NBA champions)
GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
LAST YEAR: 34-48 (Fifth in Pacific Division)
PHILADELPHIA 76ERS
LAST SEASON: 38-44 (Second in Atlantic Division)
DALLAS MAVERICKS
LAST YEAR: 60-22 (Second in Southwest Division, reached NBA Finals)
SEATTLE SUPERSONICS
LAST YEAR: 35-47 (Third in Northwest Division)
DETROIT PISTONS
LAST SEASON: 64-18 (First in Central Division)
UTAH JAZZ
LAST YEAR: 41-41 (Second in Northwest Division)
PHOENIX SUNS
LAST YEAR: 54-28 (First in Pacific Division)
CHICAGO BULLS
LAST SEASON: 41-41 (Tie-third in Central Division)
NEW JERSEY NETS
LAST SEASON: 49-33 (First in Atlantic Division)
INDIANA PACERS
LAST SEASON: 41-41 (Tie-third in Central Division)

Magic Ready For Big Stage

If you care to know what the pro analysts over at ESPN think about the Magic, click the link below.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime?page=dailydime-OrlandoPreview0607

On the Spot

By John Schuhmann

You could call them question marks. Or maybe X-factors. Call them whatever you want. These guys have something to prove this season. NBA.com gives you 10 players (in alphabetical order) who will be under the microscope in 2006-07. For various reasons, all eyes are on them.

Next up is Darko Milicic.

On the Spot Index

Darko Milicic, F-C, Magic

With Dwyane Wade and LeBron James arguably the two best players in the league right now and with Carmelo Anthony having a strong summer, the pressure increases on Darko Milicic to validate his No. 2 selection in the 2003 Draft. He certainly showed signs of life after last February's trade to Orlando and in this summer's World Championships.

With Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson coming into their own as well, the future is bright for the Magic, but they need Darko to become much more than just a role player. The time has come to prove that he's no longer the comic relief of the 2003 draft class.

What the Papers Say

"Sentenced to the pine in Detroit and mentally beaten, Milicic wowed the NBA with his 30-game rebirth with the Magic last season, playing behind veteran Tony Battie.

"But when Milicic reported to training camp, motivated and muscled up, fresh off an impressive FIBA World Championship run, he found himself on the second team again ...

"Do the Magic try to sign him to an extension now at perhaps a relatively reduced rate? Or do they let Milicic prove himself and likely increase his value this summer to near-maximum salary status?

"The Magic are leaning toward waiting it out, figuring if Milcic is good enough to earn big money then they have a player at best or an asset at worst."-- Brian Schmitz, Orlando Sentinel

"Although talented teammate Darko Milicic has shown only flashes of what he can do, Battie has seen the whole package in practice daily.

"He wants to see star forward Dwight Howard, 20, and Milicic, 21, blossom together on the front line.

"'I don't know exactly what the plan here is, but that's a pretty nice combination those two, power and finesse, right and lefty. They could play and grow together for 10 years or more,' Battie said. 'I'd have no problem being a backup for both of them.'"-- Tim Povtak, Orlando Sentinel

What the Blogs Say

"Darko is a twenty-two year-old seven footer whose shot-blocking could soon become the stuff of jazzy narco-ballads. He’s coming off a delightful run at the Worlds, where a storied Serbian program looked to him for late-game assurance. And the older he gets, the more we’re seeing that “mean streak in the post” that was his surname in June 2003."-- Free Darko via SLAM Online

NBA.com: Darko On the Spot

A master candidate

Shaquille O'Neal named Orlando's Dwight Howard, Houston's Yao Ming and Phoenix's Amare Stoudemire as the most likely candidates to succeed him as the NBA's most dominating player. "When age does its thing, one of them will become the new master," O'Neal said.

NBA.COM SEASON OUTLOOK

Though they play in the backyard of the Happiest Place on Earth, the Orlando Magic haven't had a lot to smile about since blowing a 3-1 series lead over Detroit in the 2003 NBA Playoffs.

Three coaching changes, the trade of Tracy McGrady, the ill-fated John Weisbrod era, the wasted Fran Vazquez pick, Grant Hill continuing to limp through his contract. Faster than Pat Williams can write a book, the Magic had undone 11 consecutive .500 or better seasons with three straight trips to the lottery.

Only last February was the Magic kingdom finally infused with a little pixie dust, when Orlando made two deadline deals, one of which jettisoned Steve Francis to New York and put the franchise squarely on the broad shoulders of 20-year-old Dwight Howard.

Suddenly, Magic fans were turning their frowns upside down. Orlando was 17-13 after the trades, benefiting from addition by the subtraction of Francis as well as the arrival of Trevor Ariza, Carlos Arroyo and even the enigmatic Darko Milicic.

With Jameer Nelson handling starting point guard duties and Howard dominating inside, Orlando won 16 of its final 22 games to salvage a 36-46 season. An offense that averaged only 92.8 points and shot 45.7 percent with Francis, exploded for 98.5 ppg and .498 shooting on Nelson's watch.

"It feels now a little like it did when I took over the first time [in 1993-94]," Coach Brian Hill told the Orlando Sentinel in September. "Shaq was going into his second season. We had just drafted Penny [Hardaway], and people knew we were on the verge of something."

Howard is on the verge of being one of the NBA's best players. He was the NBA's second leading rebounder (12.5 rpg) and a member of the FIBA World Championship team. The league's most proficient dunker (214), Howard was also among the NBA leaders in field goal percentage (.531), blocks (1.4) and double-doubles (60).

Orlando has a good mix of young and old. They have 11 players 27 or younger, but benefit from the veteran presence of Hill, Bo Outlaw, Tony Battie and Pat Garrity. The only significant hit to their roster this summer was the loss of starting shooting guard DeShawn Stevenson, who signed with Washington.

Stevenson's defense will be missed. Certainly, the Magic don't expect first-rounder J.J. Redick to fill that void, but he does quench Orlando's need for perimeter shooting. A prolific scorer at Duke (26.8 ppg last season), Redick's job will be to keep defenses from collapsing on Howard.

If he can do that and if Milicic can continue to develop, the Magic become dangerous enough to contend for a playoff spot.-- Bill Evans

Link to the complete article: NBA.com: Magic Preview

In his last five (meaningless) games, Garrity has hit 18-of-36 shots (50 percent), including 8 of 17 3-pointers (47 percent). What can be said of this? Sentinel: Success for Garrity

Magic's future depends on progress of Dwight, Darko

ORLANDO -- Otis Smith can't stop smiling, and it's not just because his Orlando Magic are one of the chic picks to make some playoff noise this season.

Instead, the Magic's general manager is beaming like a proud papa these days over the way three of Orlando's youngsters -- namely Dwight Howard, Jameer Nelson and Darko Milicic -- have matured almost overnight and taken control of the fate of the franchise.

First, it was Howard who guaranteed that a Magic squad that hasn't been to the playoffs in three years could go all the way this season. OK, guaranteed might be a little strong, but the 20-year-old didn't bat an eye when backed into a corner in the days before training camp was set to open.

"Our team has a chance to go all the way," Howard crowed, seemingly unaware of what he was saying. Pressed on whether he meant all the way to the playoffs, Howard didn't miss a beat. "All the way to the championship," he said.

Normally, such a proclamation would cause a head coach to break out in cold sweats and a GM to put a "For Sale" sign up in his front yard. Not Smith, who was delighted to hear that Howard was exuding confidence out of virtually his every pore.

"I like the fact the kid was willing to make that kind of investment," Smith said. "That's an investment. He said this team is good enough to win a championship, and you know what, we are. Winning a championship doesn't mean having the best five players at each spot. It's every player having a role and playing that role. This team is good enough to do that.

"I'd be disappointed if one through 15 on our team said that the goal was to win 40 games. To me, all Dwight did was say what 480 players in the NBA should be saying. We want to win a championship, or why are we playing?"

If the Magic truly are in the infant stages of building a championship contender, the first steps were taken this summer in, of all places, Philadelphia.

In August, point guard Jameer Nelson arranged for the team to meet in Philly for a week of basketball, bowling, paintball and bonding. Nelson picked up the tab for the whole thing and even arranged each player's travel schedule and the activities while in the City of Brotherly Love.

Smith and the coaching staff might not have gotten an invitation to the players-only retreat, but he couldn't have been happier upon hearing about Nelson's organizing the offseason get-together.

Grant Hill and Howard are the stars of this team, but Nelson is the unquestioned leader. And Smith was delighted to see the player who was passed over by major colleges and then passed over by 19 other teams on draft night coming of age as an NBA leader.

"Jameer's leadership has always been there, but you see him taking it to a whole different level now," Smith said. "You'll see it more and more as he matures. You're talking about a third-year guy who took it upon himself to unite his teammates and pick up the tab in Philly. To me, that's a big deal."

Then, there's the 21-year-old Milicic, who seems more determined than ever now to shed the label of being one of the biggest busts in the history of the NBA draft.

Out of Detroit, where he was buried on the bench for two-plus seasons, Milicic finally has a legitimate shot at meaningful minutes in Orlando. And the Serbian 7-footer, who has had everything from his toughness to his love for the game questioned since he was taken ahead of Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade in the 2003 NBA draft, seems determined to make the most of this chance.

Told he had to become bigger and meaner if he was ever going to reach his potential, Milicic spent four days a week lifting weights this summer. He not only bulked up from 260 pounds to 278 pounds but also had his way with Spain's Pau Gasol and China's Yao Ming in the World Championship.

Smith and Magic head coach Brian Hill needed little time to see that with Milicic's newfound dedication, combined with his overflowing arsenal of skills, it was time to promote him to the starting lineup. There, he will combine with Howard to give the Magic 14 feet of shot blockers on the front line.

Smith, an everyday man who still eats breakfast at the same Waffle House every morning and lives in a working class-sized home, was promoted to GM this past spring after altering the course of the franchise with two trades. He swiped Milicic and Arroyo from Detroit and got rid of Kelvin Cato in the process. And, remarkably, he somehow unloaded Steve Francis and the $47 million left on his contract on the New York Knicks.

Last season, fans got a taste of just how good the Magic could be. Orlando won 16 of 20 down the stretch, and expectations haven't been this high since Tracy McGrady and Grant Hill signed matching $92.88 million free-agent contracts in 2000. The season-ticket renewal rate and base sales were as high as they have been in 10 years. A new $485 million area in downtown Orlando is close to being approved by the city and county governments. All that is left now is for the Magic to fulfill their vast promise.

So what does Smith tell folks when they ask him if they can believe in Magic again? He puts the load on the shoulders of the Magic's kids.

"I tell people we'll be as good as those two 20-something-year-old kids take us," Smith said, referring to Howard and Milicic. "And we need Jameer to continue to grow as a leader for us. We'll be as good as those guys are this season."

If the preseason is any indication, the Magic have a good chance of being pretty good because of the development of Howard's game. Magic coaches want Howard -- a devout Christian and a sometimes goofy, class-clown-type off the floor -- to be a tougher, rougher physical force this season. Howard is already one of the league's top rebounders; he just missed out on becoming the youngest rebounding champion in the history of the league last season, averaging 12.5 per game. And the Magic feel there is no reason Howard can't become a dominant scorer and an intimidating shot-blocker as well.

He's taken that message to heart, and so far this preseason, he's demolishing all those players in his path. Against Charlotte's Emeka Okafor, the player chosen just behind Howard in the 2004 draft, he scored 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds while fouling Okafor out in just nine minutes. And against Atlanta's smallish frontline, Howard was at his do-it-all best with 27 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and three blocked shots.

"I'm just trying to work on playing hard every single night and being a great leader for this team," said Howard, who is hoping to make the playoffs in his third NBA season just as fellow No. 1 pick LeBron James did in Cleveland. "I'm still young, but there's a high standard that I expect myself to live up to. If I do that, everyone can do it too."

Howard's relentless aggression has seemed to rub off on Milicic, and at times the possibilities seem limitless for the Magic when the two are on the court together. Because their skills are so different -- Howard brings the powerful low-post game, while Milicic has a feathery-soft shooting touch and the passing skills of a guard -- they seem like a match made in heaven. In a preseason game this week against Atlanta, the two displayed their blossoming chemistry by assisting one another on five different baskets.

Much like when Milicic emerged after he was traded from Detroit to Orlando, another trade opened the door for Nelson to step into a leadership position with the Magic. Steve Francis not only dominated the ball on the court, but he also had a domineering presence in the locker room. It was no coincidence that the Magic's hot streak last season coincided with the enigmatic Francis' being shipped to New York and Nelson's taking the reigns.

Barely 6-feet tall, Nelson morphed into a giant killer last season. He averaged 15.7 points over his final 25 games, topping 20 points seven times. What was most impressive was his willingness to take any shot and take on any teammate and challenge him to do more. The next step, naturally, was one in which he became the Magic's unofficial captain.

"I want to be kind of a chameleon for this team," Nelson said. "I want to be able to change, do whatever this team needs for us to win. If it's making the extra pass or hitting the big shot or being a good leader, I'll do it."

The wild card for the Magic, of course, is the oft-injured Grant Hill. For six years, Orlando has been hoping Hill could find a way to somehow stay healthy enough to return to the form that made him a seven-time All-Star. But rarely has that happened as he's missed a staggering 70.5 percent of the games since signing with Orlando.

Hill spent most of his summer working with abdominal guru Alex McKechnie in hopes of healing the sports hernia that limited him to just 21 games last season. Hill's troublesome left ankle, the one he's had operated on five times, was ultimately blamed for the abdominal troubles with the thinking that his changed gait resulted in undue stress on his midsection. But as it turns out, working this past summer to strengthen his abdominal muscles has given him more range of motion in the ankle. Hill says he feels as good physically as he has in years, but does so of course with his fingers crossed.

Smith has discounted the notion of potentially trading Hill and his expiring contract for an unhappy superstar such as Kevin Garnett or Ray Allen. He knows the value of having a veteran such as Hill around when the Magic are leaning so heavily on youngsters. Hill will play at least 78 games and be a difference-maker this season, Smith predicts.

"When we talk about going to the next level, Grant's health is a big key in that," Smith said. "Because when he is on the floor -- and I don't care if he's missed two years or 20 games -- he's still one of the best players out there. I think we're going to have a great year and Grant is, too."

Denton: Magic power

Day 3 Complete in Jacksonville

Thoughts Through Day 3
Posted by Glass Half Full, October 5, 2006, 3:56PM

Through five practices - including two sets of two-a-days - here are three thoughts:

* Attention to detail has been emphasized in every single drill. Bottom line: when on the floor, whether setting a screen, taking care of the ball, or being in the correct defensive position, do things the right way. The little things make a difference.

* Like last year, the focus of camp has been on defense. It's what separates the good teams from the bad. Glass Half Full goes back to a key defensive stat from a season ago: Orlando was 1-19 when allowing its opponent to shoot 50 percent or better from the floor.

* With essentially the same group returning, cleaning up offensive execution, limiting turnovers and player and ball movement has also been a point of emphasis.

* Bonus: Camp MVP to date: Keyon Dooling. He brings energy and has shot the ball extremely well.

For a detailed breakdown of Day 3 click the link below:
Day 3 Recap

These podcasts can be pretty cool and informative.
Daily Podcasts

Today's Stories

Here are today's Magic stories. They range from O-rena talk to thoughts on Darko and his contract situation. Another interesting comment came out of Denton's NBA Dish where he said when Darko stepped off the scale after Tuesday's practice he now weighs 276 lbs.

Magic prepared to gamble on Milicic

Tms Union: Redick Plays Hungry

Sentinel: Nelson Accepts Leadership

Redick, Battie sit out practice with injuries

Name change for 'Orlando's Arena' imminent

New arena similar to FedEx Forum

Denton's NBA Dish

Still Going Strong on Day 2

DAY 2 RECAP STANDOUTS
If there were any signs of fatigue after Day 1, they weren't too visible in the early stages of practice as the intensity and hustle of the first practice seemed to carry over well to Day 2. In fact, in the first hour, Trevor Ariza and Carlos Arroyo went through a couple intense battles during one-on-one drills, Darko Milicic and J.J. Redick both went to the floor hustling after the ball and Grant Hill had to be treated for a bloody nose after taking a hard hit to the face.

But for each player that went to the floor after hustling for the ball, there were three teammates at his feet ready to pick him up. And while some are challenging for a spot in the starting rotation and everyone is competing for playing time, it's those little things that demonstrate this team's desire to win and play as one.

Dwight Finishing Strong: One of the most impressive things I've seen in the first couple days of training camp is how well Dwight is playing close to the basket. Perhaps all that summer training against Elton Brand, Chris Bosh and company really paid off. There doesn't seem to be any hesitation from Dwight on putting the ball on the floor, making a quick move and then getting to the rim. Dwight has had some stellar post moves against Darko Milcic, Tony Battie and Bo Outlaw in the first couple of days.

Trevor Ariza: Apparently Ariza spend his summer vacation practicing a variety of jump shots, from set to off-the-dribble-mid-range and has been displaying his new-found shooting touch. He has also been a defensive stand out. It could be a major plus to have a 6-8 athletic player such as himself step up big. The coaching staff loves the positional flexibility and depth he provides. It's no wonder that ESPN.com named his re-signing as one of the 10 most underrated moves of this past off-season.

Grant Hill: Not to jinx the guy, but he's supposed to be looking better than ever. He hasn't wasted any time and showing it either. Hill seldom dunks, but he raced down the floor for breakaway slams on successive possessions during a controlled scrimmage -- and trainer Tom Smith didn't flinch. Or faint.

J.J. Redick: He says he's rusty, yet that didn't stop him from making 12 consecutive shots from 3-point range in drill. Just imagine what the guy can do when he isn't rusty.

Glass Half Full: It's Trevor Time

Milicic looks to play his way into starting role

Sentinel: Perfect Liftoff

N-J: Redick Practices

FL Today: Back By Design

SIDE NOTE: Fran Vazquez, whom NBA fans remember as the guy who ditched Orlando a month after the Magic made him their first-round draft pick in 2005. "I wasn't prepared," the 23-year-old Vazquez said through a translator. "I'd prefer to stay here for two years and improve as a player. In a couple or three years I can go to the NBA and get a key role. But I wasn't prepared when they drafted me." The 6-foot-10 forward looked prepared. He flew to New York and was introduced by commissioner David Stern after he was drafted. He went to Orlando and appeared excited, even snapping photos of Grant Hill's locker. But he got cold feet, and a reported four-year, $8.3 million contract convinced him to stay in Spain. "I knew [the Magic] were disappointed," he said. "I talked to them, and they understood what I was thinking. Right now, my relationship with Orlando is good."

On J.J. Redick

I should thanks my friends over at Orlando Magic Blog for the find. The following is quoted from Whit Watson's blog on J.J. Redick:

On a basketball note - met J.J. Redick for the first time today. We shot an interview on the Magic's practice court for the upcoming Magic season preview show on Sun Sports. Nice guy. The idea behind the interview, which you'll see on that preview show next month, was to get him talking about shooting, and the mentality of a "gunner."

At one point, I asked if he considered himself the "most hated player in the ACC" while at Duke. He replied that he was probably the most hated player in America while at Duke, which was a good point. The look on his face when he said it, however, gave me pause.

Redick went on to say that he's a different person off the floor than on it, and that the venom directed at him over the course of his Duke career snowballed, took on a life of its own. I got the sense that he wouldn't mind being liked, for a change. I almost felt sorry for him, and immediately regretted asking the question.

The point of the question, by the way, was to get him to this one: "Would you mind being hated in the NBA, if it meant being hated the way Reggie Miller was hated - despised by opposing fans, but adored by home fans for his willingness and unprecedented skill at making big shots at key moments?"

That prompted a smile. "If I get the ball in that situation, sure," he said, "but I'm just a rookie. I'm not sure how many chances I'll get as a rookie."

They grow 'em pretty smart up at Duke. Defer to the veterans, play it cool, wait your turn. I'm starting to like him already.

And in case you're wondering - Redick's range extends a good five feet beyond the three-point line. It's all about the lift, people.

Shaq: 'Whoever [changed ball] needs to be fired'

'Cheap, toy store balls': Shaq detests NBA's new balls

Guess whose pissed about the new NBA ball? Talk about a guy who has no reason to talk about a new ball being introduced. You'd think, Shaq, of all players, might actually benefit from the change of the ball. He's been in the league since 92, and since 92 he hasn't been able to make anything outside 5 feet from the basket. Hell, maybe a different ball could help his FT% which has blown his whole career.

Wade also complains... Another one, what does he have to worry about. He has no jumper anyway? If he can palm the ball better, that'll help his game. The only thing he has to worry about is his famous 15 footer. I myself have used every type of POS basketball around, and I'm sure this new ball will not hurt his free throw shooting. Shaq and Wade need to stop bitching and just start playing.

The NBA is full of a bunch of freaking pampered babies. Drop your balls, and quit being a bunch of hoes. I guess the new ball is this years version of the dress code. Remember last year, when the players found out they couldn't dress like bums or thugs and they complained about not being able to dress however they want. Some even said they couldn't afford to spend the money on some respectable clothes?

No further comments.

Training Camp Underway

Posted by Glass Half Full, October 3, 2006, 11:22AM

Day 1 Training Camp Impressions
Here are some early impressions from Day One of training camp:

* Head Coach Brian Hill's attention to detail is alive and well. Employing a little-things-make-a-difference philosophy, Hill's constant chatter during practice encourages his team. "Contest every shot"..."Stay in your defensive stance"..."Move your feet, don't reach."..."In 2-on-1 you need a layup"..."Take good shots."

* During one three minute stretch during this morning's two-plus hour workout, Keyon Dooling, Grant Hill and Trevor Ariza all took charges. It's one of the most selfless plays in a basketball game, nevermind a practice. It's as if I asked you to stand straight up and then I slugged you in the stomach.

* Jameer Nelson and Carlos Arroyo are going to be fun to watch. They are battling each other, and making each other better.

* Darko Milicic has an air of confidence about him, no doubt a byproduct of his success in this past summer's World Championships. I love the way Darko and Dwight Howard complement each other, and it's even better with a little Tony Battie, blue collar, veteran leadership sprinkled in.

* J.J. Redick's back is just fine.

* Grant Hill and Hedo Turkoglu on the floor at the same time will provide a headache for opponents. They are just so versatile and really know how to play.

Training Camp Underway

FL Today: Recapture Magic

Sentinel: Magic Eager to Prove

N-J: New Faces Rare

Hill wants Magic to be more hard-nosed

Toughing it out

The Sentinel released a pre-camp article today. The link to the article is above. Listed below are some of the comments that stood out.

Hill was brought back to help change the team's country-club culture, making players accountable.

"That's not going to change," Hill said.

That's why Francis and Kelvin Cato were traded, and why Hill won't hand out starting jobs as if they were honorary degrees.

"Guys have to earn their positions out there and maintain them," he said.

Hill said he hopes that some toughness can be forged, beginning this week with training camp at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville. He expects a "very, very competitive camp" from the Magic, who will field one of their deeper clubs.

Ideally, the opening-night starting lineup would look like this: Jameer Nelson at point guard, Grant Hill at shooting guard, Hedo Turkoglu at small forward, Milicic at power forward and Howard at center.

Some interesting camp battles, however, will ensue:

Battie vs. Milicic. Can Darko build on his post-trade coming-out party and wrest the power-forward spot from Battie?

Grant Hill vs. all comers. The Magic want Hill to move from small forward and fill their shooting-guard vacancy. He's nearly 34 and recovering from another injury. Dooling, Keith Bogans and rookie J.J. Redick also want some action.

Trevor Ariza vs. his jump shot. The Magic made it a point to retain the defensive-minded Ariza. If his offense evolves, he can back up Turkoglu and provide much-needed depth at small forward.

Nelson vs. Carlos Arroyo. Nelson is the incumbent at point guard. But the way the fiery Arroyo played in the FIBA World Championship, he isn't likely to concede.

He's pretty tough.

Training camp

WHEN: Tuesday-Saturday.

WHERE: University of North Florida, Jacksonville.THE BUZZ: Practices are closed, but a free public scrimmage is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Saturday at the UNF Arena. The first exhibition game is Oct. 10 in Charlotte, N.C.

Deal reached on new arena

City and county officials announced a deal to build a new arena, performing-arts center and renovated Citrus Bowl -- with a pared-down price tag, ensuring the Orlando Magic will keep playing downtown.

City, county announce deal on new facilities

Deal reached on new arena

In arena deal, mayors need to take control

Magic Rumor

As camp nears, speculation abounds about Vince Carter's future. Rumors persist that he might opt out of his Nets contract after this season and sign with Orlando, where he already owns a massive home. ... The reasons for moving to Orlando are numerous, beginning with the fact that Carter really wouldn't be moving. He already has family there. Orlando also has the allure of blossoming big man Dwight Howard and cap space. Then again, the Magic can't match the $16.3 million Carter already is due in 2007-08. "Orlando will have about $9.5million of cap room if they stay the way they are and they keep their big kid, Darko Milicic," Thorn said. "They'll have $9.5 million in cap room."

Howard BELIEVES in Magic

Forget what I said in regards to keeping the expectations low. Dwight's a young guy, but you got to love his attitude, along with the rest of his teammates. If any of his "talk" translates on the court, we might have a 1995 flashback with people saying: "why not us, why not now"?

FL Today: Howard Believes in Magic

Sentinel: Howard Predicts NBA Title

Catching Up With...Dwight Howard

NOTES: Coach Brian Hill says four of the starting jobs heading into camp will go to incumbents: Howard at center, Jameer Nelson at point guard, Tony Battie at power forward and Hedo Turkoglu at small forward. Returnee Keyon Dooling likely will be the shooting guard.

Magic hope they have right ingredients for playoff run

IS IT SOUP YET?

The last stand for Grant Hill

By: Brian Schmitz

Orlando Magic forward Grant Hill was on the road Wednesday morning, gladly battling rush-hour traffic. Yes, gladly.

While other motorists might have been impatient and cursing the gridlock, Hill was pleasantly excited to be able to get to work so early, even bumper to bumper.

He was heading to the Magic's practice court at RDV Sportsplex in Maitland, his injury-riddled career apparently revived once again.

Hill's destination was an indication that his offseason recovery from yet another physical ailment -- this time, a sports hernia that limited him to 21 games last season -- was on schedule.

He contends that rest and rehabilitation since March did the trick, allowing him to stiff-arm thoughts of retirement if more surgery had been his only option. He was pain-free by June and started to test-drive his once-sore abdominal area at full speed late last month in pick-up games.

So far, so healthy.

"I feel really good," Hill told the Sentinel, in his first extensive interview since the Magic's season ended in April.

"I've been playing some pick-up ball. I don't have any pain. I don't even think about it. I played against [New Jersey Nets forward] Vince Carter the other day, and although neither of us are in midseason form, I held my own.

"I've done things that if I tried to do them last year, I couldn't have done them. I'm ready to ramp it back up."

Hill was driving on I-4, but he also is at a metaphorical crossroads.

When he joins the Magic for the opening of training camp Oct. 3 in Jacksonville, he will begin the final year of his seven-year, $92.88 million contract.

The Magic anticipated that the additions of Hill and Tracy McGrady in the summer of 2000 would restore the franchise's glory lost in the post-Shaquille O'Neal era. But McGrady eventually was traded, and Hill was never healthy enough -- largely because of five surgeries on his left ankle -- to play a full season.

Hill was saluted for his 67-game comeback in 2004-05 and was voted by fans as a starter in the all-star game. Still, a sore shin ended that season prematurely. In all, he has played in just 135 of a possible 492 regular-season games for the Magic.

Hill, who turns 34 two days after camp opens, says he wants to keep playing as long as he can -- and the Magic say they want him back.

"That would be nice. I have roots here. I don't want to go anywhere else," Hill said. "I'd love to be part of things here, but this is the NBA. I've learned through the years that anything can happen."

For Hill, robbed of some prime years, the past six seasons have crawled by at an agonizing pace.

The stop-and-start injuries have been a mental strain, often leaving the athlete universally known for his cheery public demeanor depressed and broken behind closed doors.

"By no means has it been easy," he said. "That's life. You get knocked down, you get back up. A lot of other people out there got it worse than me.

"I haven't looked at it as my last year. I'm still trying to play. People say, 'Are you going to hang it up?' No. Shoot, I've come this far."

After five lost seasons, essentially, and a salary that has hamstrung the Magic, Hill realizes some fans might be welcoming his exit. "I understand people's frustrations," he said. "I've been frustrated, too."

Magic General Manager Otis Smith said Wednesday that the club's door will be open for Hill to re-sign.

Hill indicated last season that he would even play for the veteran's minimum -- a little over $1 million per season -- after his mammoth deal ends. But Smith said, given Hill's medical history, it was way too early to speculate about Hill's future.

"We've got to get Grant through the year," Smith said. "We'll figure it out as we go. I can't sit here in September and say what's going to happen. With Grant, it's one game at a time.

"Hill's expiring contract might be attractive to teams looking for salary-cap room. Smith is adamant about not trading Hill in exchange for, say, a disgruntled star.

"I can't see that happening. He's an Orlando Magic as long as he wants to be an Orlando Magic," Smith said. "I'm a Grant Hill fan whether he plays 82 games or two games. I'd like him around our team for his leadership and the depth he provides.

"I'd rather have that than some disgruntled superstar. Grant's too valuable for me. To me, it would be like trading Dwight [Howard]."

To perhaps increase Hill's chances of playing a full season, Smith said Hill's workload will be monitored closely in camp. He added that rookie J.J. Redick, recovering from a herniated disk in his back, also will be restricted.

"It's not because Grant can't do it; physically, he's as good as I've ever seen him," Smith said. "We're not going to treat him like he's a place-kicker on a football team. We have to see where he's at [in preseason games], what we can rely on. But we have to be smart as it relates to Grant."

Said Hill, "If there's pain, there's a problem."

Hill, in something of a gamble, opted to try to repair his sports hernia this summer through nonsurgical means. He had surgery in an attempt to correct the problem before the start of last season, but continued to experience pain after he returned six weeks later. He shut it down in early March.

Vowing he would rather retire than subject his body to a seventh operation, Hill called upon noted Vancouver-based physiotherapist Alex McKechnie, a specialist in abdominal injuries.

Hill said he began working with McKechnie in late May in his intensive "Hard Core Strength Program." Hill said he spent so much time in Vancouver this summer "that I may have to pay taxes there."

McKechnie's techniques often require athletes to pull on rubber bands and mount balance boards, among other things, to promote flexibility and agility. He also thought Hill's hernia was brought on by his left ankle and addressed its range of motion.

"Some of the stuff Alex does sounds weird, the exercises . . . like having me balancing on one foot. But it's pretty amazing," Hill said. "It's nothing like I've ever done before. I thought to myself, 'Is this going to work?' It did."

If he stays healthy, Grant Hill plans to play on -- and happily battle more early-morning rush-hour traffic in Orlando next summer.

Freethrows in Bowling?

By: Craig Kwasniewski

Dwyane Wade even flops while bowling?
Hoping that Dick Bavetta's in the house, Wade flops while bowling. I guess he's looking for the 10th frame Bowling And-1. Sorry Wade, but Stern's not there to save you this time.




By : introvert316

I know it's all fun and games. I know it's for a good cause being that this was being done at Chris Paul's charity bowling event. But I'm sorry; this guy is the biggest hoe in the league. Everyone knows he flops. David Stern backs it and the officials who continue to call the BS as he talks about his "new NBA". In the meantime, all the TV analysts and NBA related types continue to shove down our throats that we're seeing "great basketball" and things we've never seen before. I guess it's true, I've never seen a guy less deserving put on the free throw line more than Wade. I thought it was bad when with Jordan, but at least Jordan was great. Jordan could do it all, he played on both ends, and he understood TEAM BASKETBALL. Wade is the complete opposite. He doesn't defend. He doesn't play team ball. He has no range beyond 15 feet. This guy scores half of his points from the free throw line night in and out. I mean really, am I watching the NBA, or the WWE? He makes the best floppers in the history of a league like Miller, Divac, Rodman, Laimbeer, look on the up and up. Ginobili is another guy that flops all the time, the difference between the two is that Ginobili doesn't sell merchandise like Wade does, so he doesn't get nearly as many phantom calls, because the league is trying their hardest to make Wade look like a "next Jordan" which is a total slap in the face to any basketball fan. This is wrong for me to say, but my only hope with this guy is that eventually one of these days one of his many falls will catch up with him and I won't have to listen to the crap about how this guy is such a warrior. Until he starts doing the majority of his scoring on the court, and not the free throw line, I won't buy into this guy being legit. He needs to learn the basics. He needs to play defense. He needs to play team basketball. And he's going to have to develop a shot beyond 15 feet before I'll buy it. There is also another Shaq factor; Wade should be thanking Shaq everyday for his fame, because if Shaq wasn't there, he'd be just another young "star" on the rise in the league. Rant over.

Offseason review: Rating the West from Mavs to Griz

By Marc Stein

Fear not, West types. It's your turn.
The natural follow-up to our review of Eastern Conference summer business is evaluating the offseason machinations for everyone in the West, starting with the surprising New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets and a level of activity (and success) no one saw coming.
The following is a team-by-team ranking for the Western Conference based on who has done the best summer shopping and tweaking. Just to be clear: These are offseason assessments, not my predicted order of finish for the coming season … and we obviously have to say that louder judging by the number of Detroit-based e-mails I received bemoaning the Pistons' No. 11 slot.
That means they had the 11th-best summer in the East, folks. (For the record, I'm not picking the Hornets to win the West, either.) Yet since some of my Michigan friends are clearly edgy, I'll spoil the suspense and tell you now that Detroit will indeed still be the second-highest Eastern team in the new season's first batch of Power Rankings.
Are we clear? Let's proceed:

1. NEW ORLEANS/OKLAHOMA CITY HORNETS
The greatest summer in Hornets history? OK, OK. There obviously isn't a backlog of happy summers to compare with this one. Yet that's precisely why their maneuvering was so stunning. Spending like George Shinn has never spent before, they were the talk of the league in July and suddenly look like legit playoff material.
Now did the Hornets overpay Peja Stojakovic? At $62.6 million over five years, most certainly. But just like the Bulls with Ben Wallace, New Orleans/Oklahoma City can handle the over-the-top commitment to Peja, trading for Tyson Chandler and maybe even guaranteeing $17 million over three years to Bobby Jackson at 33.
I have to laugh when I hear folks say that the Hornets (who also signed Byron Scott to a contract extension) wasted their cap room on marginal upgrades. Huh? First of all, Stojakovic is the first marquee free agent from another team who has ever shown an interest in the Hornets' cap room. What were they saving it for? Second … New Orleans is projected to have some cap room next summer as well. If this wasn't a one-summer hobby, Shinn could actually have more in store.

2. DALLAS MAVERICKS
June was as torturous as it gets, but the Mavs had quite a July. Without a lot to work with when it came to tweaking the roster, they managed to turn their mid-level exception and one trade asset who had fallen out of favor with coach Avery Johnson -- swingman Marquis Daniels -- into four players who can help them: Austin Croshere, Anthony Johnson, Devean George and ex-Mav Greg Buckner. They came out deeper than they would've been had they landed Mike James.
They also re-signed Jason Terry without any trouble and are likely to have Dirk Nowitzki's signature on a three-year contract extension by the start of training camp. Negotiations on Josh Howard's extension have been predictably slow, but the Mavs achieved almost everything they could have wished for since blowing that 2-0 lead in the Finals to Miami. Now to see if the three months they've had to grieve and rebound from the deepest of disappointments were sufficient.

3. SAN ANTONIO SPURS
I heard this one a bunch when Nazr Mohammed signed with Detroit after Rasho Nesterovic had been traded to Toronto: What are the Spurs going to do now? Answer: What they always seem to do. Instead of matching the offer Mohammed got from the Pistons, San Antonio hatched a wiser plan, splitting its mid-level exception on a couple of restricted free agents and coming away with two younger, more athletic bigs: Francisco Elson and Jackie Butler.
With a coach like Gregg Popovich and a mentor like Tim Duncan, you have to figure at least one of the new centers will develop into a dependable member of Pop's rotation, which is probably all the Spurs need given their increasing reliance on smaller lineups in the playoffs. It's less certain that fellow newcomers Matt Bonner, Eric Williams and Jacque Vaughn will make a significant impact, but file this away: Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili are the only Spurs under contract two seasons from now, meaning they'll soon have a chance to reload yet again.

4. LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
Sam Cassell, after all the panic, was re-signed for two more years. Vladimir Radmanovic bolted to the other locker room at Staples Center but was quickly replaced by another long-limbed shooter in Tim Thomas. Corey Maggette is still here, too, when many presumed Donald Sterling would not bring back Cassell or spend on Radmanovic or Thomas without dumping Maggette's salary first.
The Clips, in other words, have confounded the skeptics again. Call it a very good summer. Not a great summer, which only could've happened had they signed Mike Dunleavy to a contract extension. Sterling is taking a needless risk with his coach if that doesn't happen soon, but it's impossible to quibble otherwise. The best team this franchise has seen for three decades, going all the way back to the glory days of my Buffalo Braves, went one round farther in the playoffs than the Lakers and will be back almost intact.

5. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
I think you already know where I stand on these guys. Derek Fisher leaving is the only significant roster change, after several Warriors admitted they were expecting an overhaul, but Chris Mullin still managed to make his team eight to 10 wins better.
At least that's the bump I expect from Don Nelson's return as coach, similar to what Phil Jackson's return did for last season's Lakers, which is why I'm betting on the Warriors to halt the league's longest playoff drought even without a drastic personnel makeover. Don't get me wrong. I realize these guys have plenty of holes and obviously won't be getting better defensively under the new coach. But there's talent in the Bay Area, far more talent than Nelson started with in Dallas and plenty of pieces to mix and match with lineups and run, run, run. As Nellie himself said the other day: "There's a lot of positives here and many of them happen to be smaller players."

6. HOUSTON ROCKETS
You know me. There's no way Bruce Bowen would have been left off my Team USA. But I'm a big Shane Battier guy, too, which means I would have had both of them on my Japan roster -- sayonara, Antawn Jamison or Brad Miller -- and which should explain why I loved Houston's draft-day deal for Battier, even if it meant sacrificing the high promise of Rudy Gay.
Battier's a glue guy and a winner and the Rockets need all the dirty work he does. Of course, Houston needs good health more than anything after Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming only played in 31 games together last season.
So it's probably wise not to get too worked up about the newcomers until we see how sturdy T-Mac and Yao are, even if we're talking about one of the league's most coveted role players, that Greek guard everyone knows about now (Vassilis Spanoulis), and my favorite American rookie (sharpshooting Steve Novak).

7. DENVER NUGGETS
It was a good summer for Carmelo Anthony's rep and a busy one back in Denver, where a pretty limited reserve of assets (Ruben Patterson, Howard Eisley and a couple second-round picks) didn't stop the Nuggets from acquiring two Smiths who should contribute: Joe Smith and J.R. Smith.
Of greater significance, Denver owner Stan Kroenke finally ended the tug of war in his divided front office by promoting Mark Warkentien and hiring Rex Chapman to share the duties vacated by Kiki Vandeweghe, while also giving Bret Bearup an overdue official role after all the whispers about Bearup wielding more sway than Vandeweghe. Yet plenty of work remains for the new team of decision-makers, with the Nuggets still in dire need of dependable shooting and having been foiled in their attempts to move Kenyon Martin. K-Mart might be back on speaking terms with George Karl, but that's as far as it goes. Rest assured he wants to play elsewhere and that the Nuggets, having spent so much ($60 million) to bring Nene back, want to oblige Martin.

8. MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES
As an unabashed Mike James fan, I'm naturally moved to applaud the team that beat out Dallas and Houston to get one of the league's great motor mouths. Minnesota has a zillion guards, true, but no one with James' edge and swagger. Kevin McHale is hoping (OK, praying) that James can replicate some of the gusto Sam Cassell gave Kevin Garnett in the Wolves' best-ever season in 2003-04.
McHale actually added two guards who can score -- don't forget rookie Randy Foye -- and those are the best kind to put next to the unselfish KG. However … none of the above offsets the reality that the Wolves have serious, serious issues in the frontcourt and precious few assets to get Garnett some rebounding and defensive help. Even if it goes small and deploys KG as a crunch-time center, a role he doesn't enjoy, Minnesota sorely needs another quality big to compete in the West.

9. PHOENIX SUNS
After some big summer scores -- Steve Nash two years ago, Boris Diaw and Raja Bell last summer -- this wasn't the hottest July in the desert. The Suns' fast-escalating payroll forced them to let playoff hero Tim Thomas walk, and in the greater indignity, John Salmons chose Toronto over Phoenix in free agency before making a U-turn out of Canada to sign with Sacramento.
I actually see fallback signing Marcus Banks as a better fit than Salmons -- and Jumaine Jones, Eric Piatkowski and Sean Marks are good bargain newcomers -- but the real debate naturally involves the Suns' marquee addition: Amare Stoudemire. Mike D'Antoni sounds more realistic than most about the bumps ahead when he noted this week that the inevitable ups and downs on Amare's comeback trail can lead to "some hard patches" and even "wreck a team" in the worst-case scenario. Of course, that didn't stop the ever-confident D'Antoni from talking championship in the same conversation with the Arizona Republic … and doesn't change the fact that any team in this league would gladly take its chances with Amare at 80 percent. It's simply too soon to know if the ups will outnumber the downs, which is why Phoenix is down here.

10. LOS ANGELES LAKERS
The Lakers need as many shooters as they can find to flank Kobe Bryant and got a proven bomber when they lured Vladimir Radmanovic away from their co-tenants at Staples Center. They also added a rotation player on draft night (Maurice Evans) in exchange for a second-round pick. That's the good news.
The flip side is that using their full mid-level exception on Radmanovic, after clinging to future cap space until now, amounts to an admission that L.A.'s dreams of signing a marquee free agent to pair with Bryant and Lamar Odom were just that. That was the original plan after Shaquille O'Neal was exiled to Miami, but the Lakers have finally conceded that they'll have to rebuild piece by piece and keep looking for trade gambles, as I've maintained they would since Shaq left, while also sweating out some nagging unknowns. No. 1: Will Kobe be ready to model his new No. 24 on opening night after minor knee surgery? No. 2: Will there be growth, or a hangover, from the 3-1 blown lead in the Phoenix series?

11. UTAH JAZZ
The Jazz are (sort of) like Orlando in the East. They're hoping that they didn't need to change too much after a 9-4 finishing kick in which Deron Williams played extensively alongside four forwards: Andrei Kirilenko, Carlos Boozer, Mehmet Okur and Matt Harpring.
So they re-signed Harpring and reserve center Jarron Collins, took on some salary by trading for the championship savvy of Derek Fisher and convinced themselves that those last 13 games were an accurate reflection of the squad's capabilities at full strength. It's definitely dicey to buy in, after a hard-to-believe three straight seasons out of the playoffs for Jerry Sloan and given that such late-season surges are often misleading. (Orlando's, by comparison, at least covered one-fourth of the season.)
But it would be easier to share the optimism if you could promise that the Jazz will have good health, which regularly eludes Boozer, Harpring and the multi-talented Russian with the NBA's most progressive marriage.

12. SACRAMENTO KINGS
Bonzi Wells has been pilloried for his decision to turn down Sacramento's $7-million-a-season offer and understandably so. Word is he wanted $10 million annually and he's not going to come close to recouping any of that money anytime soon.
But Bonzi isn't the only loser here. For all his ills, Wells was Sacto's playoff difference-maker, abusing mighty San Antonio inside and giving the Kings what suddenly seemed like a three-man core to build on alongside Mike Bibby and the mercurial Ron Artest. There was also a decent chance he would have continued to be the good Bonzi with the Kings, since Wells was super-tight with the late Bill Musselman and thus eager to play for Eric Musselman and give the new coach some momentum from the start.
I certainly can't blame Geoff Petrie for refusing to offer Wells more than $35-ish million over five years, but I suspect Wells (with prodding from Artest, who loves him) eventually would have taken it. The Kings will naturally counter by saying they couldn't wait around to find out, but Salmons -- another non-shooter who lacks Bonzi's power-game gifts -- doesn't move me as a $25 million Wells replacement.

13. PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
The list of teams that absolutely, positively have no hope of making the playoffs in the West only goes one deep … and it's the Blazers. Yet at a time when simply snagging a No. 8 seed is so tough -- don't forget Garnett has missed the playoffs for two seasons running -- maybe plunging deeper into a youth movement isn't the worst thing. The Blazers undoubtedly believe at least a few of the kiddies will develop into players -- LaMarcus Aldridge and Brandon Roy are merely the newest additions to a long line of first-rounders -- and that perhaps the West landscape might have changed by the time they do.
Of course, asking for more patience from long-suffering Blazer Maniacs is more than pushing it, especially since speculation that owner Paul Allen would prefer to be in Seattle won't seem to go away. For that matter, neither will the two vets who continue to turn fans off: Darius Miles and Zach Randolph.

14. SEATTLE SUPERSONICS
The Sonics could have guaranteed themselves a favorable review here by offering a one-year guarantee to second-round pick Yotam Halperin, who's almost considered family at Stein Line HQ. But angry as I am that it hasn't happened yet -- an appropriate mood with so many Sonics fans fearing their team is headed to Oklahoma City at season's end -- I can't totally dismiss the Sonics' summer.
You figured they weren't going to spend any significant money this offseason because A) they've been non-spenders for years and B) the club, as we now know, was in the process of being sold when the free-agent buzzer sounded. Yet Seattle still managed to retain its top free agent, re-signing Chris Wilcox to a three-year deal worth $24 million, and resisted the urge to cut costs further by, say, shipping out Rashard Lewis. So it looks like the Sonics will at least field a decent team for the angry diehards in what could be their farewell to the Emerald City.

15. MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES
Let's face it. The West is so brutally deep (again), with at least 13 teams that can claim to have visions of the postseason, that injuries will inevitably decide who makes and misses the playoffs.
But the Grizzlies don't need me to tell them. They already know Pau Gasol's foot injury from the World Championship, which threatens to keep him sidelined until December and could prevent him from hitting peak form for who knows how long after that, is a killer. Rudy Gay would have to be spectacular from the start to lift the gloom … and none of the draft experts touting him as the potential star of the 2006 draft is projecting that sort of instant impact. The Grizz were a great story last season, but Pau's plight is bound to put them at the top of most Who's Gonna Slip lists in the West.
The consolation: Memphis will be on the short list of teams with cap room in July 2007, so next summer should be, well, worlds better

Offseason review: Rating the East from Heat to Sixers

By Marc Stein

Add an unofficial conference championship to the shiny gold trophy they won in June.
That's right. The Miami Heat had the best summer of any team in the East.
Better, even, than the Chicago Bulls had.
Just by getting Pat Riley's commitment to coach another year -- and with an assist from the Bulls, who weakened the Heat's chief rivals by signing away Ben Wallace -- Miami will begin the new season as a heavy favorite to get back to the NBA Finals. It doesn't matter that a clutch of East teams were far more active than the Heat this offseason. No move will have a bigger impact on the title race than Riley's decision to come back to the bench.
With training camps scheduled to open in a little more than two weeks, it's a good time to review everyone's summer dealings. The following is a 1-15, team-by-team ranking of the Eastern Conference based on who has done the best business. (Just to be clear: These are offseason assessments, not predicted order of finish for the coming season.)

1. MIAMI HEAT
Who says you have to bring in new blood to have a big summer? The Heat eventually will need a healthy dose of youth and athleticism around Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O'Neal, but that's a longer-term issue. This was a momentous offseason even without significant changes.
First, Wade signed a contract extension. Then, Alonzo Mourning agreed to play another season when he had every reason to retire. Then Riley, who had even greater justification to go out on a championship high after suffering through nearly two decades without winning a ring, heeded his players' pleas to come back at 61. Good thing, too, because the Heat wouldn't feel nearly as hot about their repeat chances with any other coach. Believe it.

2. CHICAGO BULLS
Did the Bulls overpay by committing $60 million to Wallace over the next four seasons? Of course. Yet as we've said numerous times, overpaying is the only way to persuade a good player to leave a good situation. The Bulls, furthermore, can handle the expense because they needed a title-tested veteran and because the outlay -- for all the concern about Wallace's offensive limitations -- doesn't immediately take away John Paxson's flexibility to keep improving the roster. Paxson eventually must address the Bulls' lack of dependable scorers, but he still has several trade chips to keep tweaking and should even have some decent cap room to burn next summer.
In the short term, meanwhile, Wallace and fellow newcomer P.J. Brown will lend size and savvy to complement the Bulls' young drive-and-kick stalwarts. As one GM told me recently: "Imagine what kind of [coaching] job Scott Skiles will do now that he actually has a couple bigs."

3. INDIANA PACERS
Donnie Walsh has always been good. But you know the saying: Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good ... and this summer was that time. New Orleans/Oklahoma City could have signed Peja Stojakovic outright, leaving Indy with no compensation for the sharpshooter who replaced Ron Artest in January. The Hornets instead consented -- for a mere cash payment of roughly $250,000 -- to absorb Stojakovic via sign-and-trade, creating the trade exception that (eventually) enabled the Pacers to reacquire Al Harrington for a bargain $35.3 million over four years.
Without that fortuitous trade exception, Indy had no shot at Harrington. With it, Indy became the only team Atlanta wanted to work with on a sign-and-trade because it enabled the Hawks to move Harrington without taking back any salary. Without that trade exception, Indy's summer is a disaster. With the Hornets willing to help keep Harrington away from Golden State, either to help their own playoff odds or to spite Baron Davis, Harrington's return reenergizes Jermaine O'Neal more than Indiana's other 10 new faces combined.

4. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS
What's better than winning a championship? For the Cavs, it's getting LeBron James' signature on a contract extension. That alone made it a celebratory offseason in Cleveland, even if James signed for only three extra years as opposed to the maximum five ... and even though Cleveland lacks the financial flexibility to chase more glamorous free-agent help for LBJ than Scot Pollard and David Wesley.
The flip side to the glee, of course, is that pretty much everyone signed by the Cavs in their summer of 2005 spending spree -- Larry Hughes, Donyell Marshall, Damon Jones and Zydrunas Ilgauskas -- faces an uncertain future with the club because Cleveland is pressed right against the luxury-tax threshold. The Cavs are thus forced to trade their way into roster upgrades between now and LeBron's free-agent summer of 2010, meaning everyone not named James is at risk for possible relocation.

5. MILWAUKEE BUCKS
The two big Bucks questions: Where would Jamaal Magloire finally go? And how much would Team USA miss Michael Redd's shooting? The answers: Portland and a lot. In the biggest nonsurprise of the offseason, Milwaukee finally parted with Magloire, choosing to ship him to the Blazers for two reserves with favorable contracts: Steve Blake and Brian Skinner. The surprise is that Milwaukee actually made two bigger trades to sandwich the Magloire move.
The follow-up trade sent Joe Smith to Denver for Ruben Patterson. But the biggie came just moments before the free-agent buzzer sounded July 1, sending T.J. Ford to Toronto for Charlie Villanueva in a widely praised small-for-big swap that (A) established Andrew Bogut as the unquestioned starting center, (B) anointed Bogut and Villanueva as the frontcourt of the future and (C) guaranteed a favorable summer report card.

6. TORONTO RAPTORS
The best word to describe the first Bryan Colangelo offseason in Toronto? Decisive. Colangelo knew exactly how he wanted to remake the Raptors and did it quickly, bringing in nine new players. Five of them (No. 1 overall pick Andrea Bargnani, swingman Jorge Garbajosa, Maccabi Tel Aviv star Anthony Parker, veteran center Rasho Nesterovic and 2005 second-round selection Uros Slokar) were either born in Europe or starred there, with Colangelo convinced that players accustomed to more cosmopolitan surroundings will adapt better to Canada than young Americans would.
Will it work?
I definitely wouldn't expect a playoff berth in Year 1, after so many changes and given the inevitable struggles awaiting the NBA newcomers, but the plan already has won Chris Bosh over. The Raps' franchise forward signed a three-year contract extension in July and actually applauded that risky big-for-small trade because Ford is one of his best friends.

7. BOSTON CELTICS
The good news: Paul Pierce was signed to a three-year contract extension that will keep him off next summer's free-agent market. The better news: Danny Ainge didn't pull a Brian Scalabrine and needlessly bestow $15 million over five years to a marginal reserve.
Ainge also just locked up Stein Line favorite Kendrick Perkins on reasonable extension terms ... and I'll even sanction the notion that Theo Ratliff occasionally might provide a much-needed defensive presence. But let's not get carried away.
Even after Ainge acquired Rajon Rondo's draft rights and traded for Sebastian Telfair to join holdover point guard Delonte West, not much has changed for the Celts. They still have a slew of interesting youngsters around Pierce, but we've been saying that for a while now. Unless a few of them graduate from interesting to something, starting with Al Jefferson, it won't be long before the Pierce trade chatter fires up again.

8. ORLANDO MAGIC
The Magic have been quiet lately, but that's fairly understandable. February's ambitious trade swoop for Darko Milicic -- and the knowledge that they'll be major free-agent players next summer, with Vince Carter believed to be their top target -- explains any recent silence. Strong play at the World Championship by Dwight Howard, Carlos Arroyo and Milicic, furthermore, makes it a productive summer for the Magic even though they didn't make any significant roster upgrades ... and even though we can't forget last summer's Fran Vazquez fiasco.
Now to see whether last season's 16-6 finish, with Jameer Nelson at the controls, actually means something. We'll also find out whether the Dukies old and young, Grant Hill and J.J. Redick, can add anything to that promising young nucleus. (One warning, though: Orlando is going to seriously regret not signing Milicic to an extension this summer. The way he's progressing, Darko's price is bound to keep rising.)

9. WASHINGTON WIZARDS
On the surface, it looks as though the Wiz absorbed a significant free-agent defection for the second successive offseason.
On this scorecard, they've responded to Jared Jeffries' exit smartly, reminiscent of their counter to Hughes' big-money move to Cleveland. The Wiz decided they were better off replacing Hughes with two more affordable players (Caron Butler and Antonio Daniels) and have swung a similar two-for-one by using some of the money earmarked for Jeffries to bring in forward Darius Songaila (a good fit for Eddie Jordan's offense) and swingman DeShawn Stevenson.
They also extended Jordan's contract and, in perhaps the biggest development, should benefit from a Team USA snub that figures to have Gilbert Arenas starting the season at his chip-on-the-shoulder best. The Wiz still have to get bigger up front and drastically improve their defense -- chores that likely will require some creative (and lucky) trading -- but I see a better team than the one that lost three playoff games to the Cavs at the buzzer.

10. NEW YORK KNICKS
Knicks fans who blame Isiah Thomas for everything can't lose now. Larry Brown's ouster and Isiah's, uh, promotion to team president/coach will either spark a drastic improvement in the standings or lead to Thomas' dismissal at season's end. What a deal.
The growing consensus seems to be that Thomas can indeed coax a playoff-contending 40 wins out of these misfits by playing a lot of guards and going up-tempo. That's still the way I'm betting, too, figuring that Stephon Marbury and Steve Francis are so desperate to spruce up their reputations that they'll find a way to coexist. For 82 games, anyway.
(As for the only roster newcomer of note: New York definitely didn't need to add Jeffries to a group already teeming with swingmen, given that Thomas also just drafted Renaldo Balkman, but what's a little more payroll overkill for a better defender than anyone else on the books?)

11. DETROIT PISTONS
I'd love to join the Better Off Without Ben chorus. But I can't. If the Pistons still had Milicic, perhaps. If the Pistons had signed Bonzi Wells as their Wallace replacement instead of Nazr Mohammed, maybe. But they don't and they couldn't, thanks to an unlikely chain of events.
The Pistons knew it eventually would be too expensive to re-sign Milicic and Wallace but only consented to trading Darko in February because they believed Big Ben was staying. Yet worse, in my view, was to follow Wallace's exodus: The Pistons quickly signed Mohammed as Big Ben's replacement, only for Wells -- a free agent they loved -- to fall unexpectedly into Mohammed's price range. When Sacramento withdrew its $7 million-a-season offer, Wells was suddenly available for the $5.2 million midlevel exception. But by then, Detroit's emergency fund was gone, robbing the Pistons of an ideal addition to their new 'Sheed-at-center plans.

12. NEW JERSEY NETS
They haven't done a lot, but they weren't expected to. Bringing back Clifford Robinson, after Uncle Cliffy's drug suspension in the playoffs, shows just how limited the Nets' flexibility is. They simply won't be able to do anything drastic to the roster unless Rod Thorn decides to move Richard Jefferson, and I concur with Thorn's sense that it's not quite time to break up the three-man core of Jason Kidd, Carter and R.J.
So I can understand why the Nets went for pedestrian tweaks, such as signing Eddie House and trading for Mikki Moore, while maintaining hope that Nenad Krstic continues to develop and that rookie center Mile Ilic (another Serbian big man) and rookie point guard Marcus Williams (to lessen the toll on Kidd) have a bigger-than-expected impact.

13. CHARLOTTE BOBCATS
If you're itching to see what Michael Jordan does in his reincarnation as a chief of staff, you'll have to be patient.
The Bobcats continue to spend as little as they have to, preferring to focus on the development of their youngsters as opposed to splashing out on a so-so class of free agents. The immediate goal is integrating Adam Morrison and Argentinean forward Walter Herrmann with Raymond Felton, Gerald Wallace and a back-from-injury Emeka Okafor.
And then next summer (assuming he sticks that long) is when we'll get a better read on MJ's ability to get penurious owner Bob Johnson to finally spend. Jordan keeps saying he can and the 2007 free-agent pool is much deeper, with whispers already circulating about the Bobs joining Orlando in the free-agent chase for another UNC high flier of some renown: Vince Carter.

14. ATLANTA HAWKS
Billy Knight bashing is one of the NBA's most popular pastimes, but the Hawks actually have added a few players who might make them marginally better. Speedy Claxton is a legit NBA point guard; Lorenzen Wright was signed to back up Zaza Pachulia; and No. 5 overall pick Shelden Williams joins the Hawks' long line of frontcourt lottery picks.
You certainly can't call it a great summer, especially after the Hawks decided they didn't want anything more than a future first-round pick for Harrington, but at least it wasn't as nightmarish as last summer. That's when Knight bypassed Chris Paul in the draft -- you might have heard here once or twice that Paul wanted Atlanta to take him -- and happily banished Boris Diaw to Phoenix in the Joe Johnson trade ... only for Diaw to blossom into a multipositional wonder the Hawks never knew they had.

15. PHILADELPHIA 76ERS
It has been what you might call a Seinfeldian summer in Philly. A summer, in other words, about nothing. How else to describe what the Sixers have done to change a team environment that, when we last saw them, couldn't have been more toxic.
Philly has consummated zero trades and signed zero free agents -- unless you count Alan Henderson -- amid suspicions that Allen Iverson was yanked off the trading block only because the team is now up for sale. It can't be too surprising that a team has gone quiet on the personnel front while looking for new ownership, but the inactivity means Iverson, after bracing himself for a new start, soon must return to work knowing he was shopped harder than he ever has been shopped before.
Nearly getting traded to Detroit in 2000 sparked Iverson into an MVP-worthy fury in the 2000-01 season, but you're expecting a ton if you think he'll respond like that again. Don't forget that those Sixers had an idyllic blend of role players to bring out Iverson's best. These Sixers, remember, don't like each other, can't guard anyone and are coming back with the same group that ended last season so unhappily.