Magic Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)
Magic Team Report (Yahoo! Sports)
This is a sure sign that expectations are rising rapidly this season.
The Orlando Magic are back playing on Christmas Day against New Orleans, a national television date reserved only for the league’s most attractive teams.
They also are scheduled for a Thanksgiving Day game, again on national television, at Washington.
The Magic were regulars on Christmas Day during the Shaquille O’Neal era, and they haven’t played on Christmas Day since 2003, when Tracy McGrady was still attracting attention in Orlando.
The Magic (52-30) reached the second round of the playoffs and won 50 games for the first time in 12 years last season, which is a big reason they have grown into one of the league’s marquee teams.
Another reason is Dwight Howard, who has become…
Report: Gordon refuses to sign Bulls’ offer
Chicago Bulls guard Ben Gordon won’t sign the club’s one-year qualifying offer of $6.4 million, setting the stage for a possible departure from the team, The Chicago Tribune reported Saturday.NBA/~4/366613339″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>
U.S. routs Spain, stays unbeaten in Beijing
Four down, four to go. The U.S. men’s Olympic team is halfway back to the top of the basketball world. And not even the world champions - on paper anyway - could give the Americans a game. Unleashing a lethal 3-point barrage for the first time in Beijing, the Americans turned the marquee matchup of the preliminary round into another romp, beating Spain 119-82 Saturday night to clinch the top seed in their group.NBA/~4/366680746″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>
Team USA looking like a gold medal bunch
Team USA played its best game to date in a 119-82 drubbing of Spain. Charley Rosen says that’s bad news for the competition.NBA/~4/366752403″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>
Top five overrated NBA players
Too much media attention or one great shot can make a player bigger than he should be. Yardbarker lists five overhyped players.NBA/~4/366803486″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>
Williams might be the difference in Cleveland
Cleveland is overstocked at guard, but Mike Kahn says Mo Williams is the shooter LeBron needs to get back to the Finals.NBA/~4/365835382″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>
The Orlando Magic will open the 2008-2009 preseason at home Monday, Oct. 6, at 7 p.m. against Atlanta.
Hornets’ Pargo signs with Moscow Dynamo
New Orleans Hornets guard Jannero Pargo is the latest player to turn his back on the NBA for Europe. Pargo signed a one-year deal with Dynamo Moscow of the Russian League, agent Mark Bartelstein told The Associated Press in a phone interview Friday. The one-year deal is worth nearly $4 million and is about twice what Pargo made for the Hornets last season, Bartelstein said. Pargo joins a growing defection of NBA players lured overseas by higher salaries.NBA/~4/366066539″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>
