Blazers (16-11) vs. Magic (19-7)
Time/TV: 7 p.m./FSFlorida, NBATV
Key Matchup: Brandon Roy (21.6 PPG) vs. Vince Carter (19.1 PPG)
-They may be home for a long while, but Brian Schmitz of The Orlando Sentinel writes this upcoming stretch starting tonight will be important for the Magic to keep up in the East. Not a good time to be in a mini slump. Orlando has lost three of the last five games.
-Orlando may be in that mini slump, but unlike most of the NBA the team is doing very well at the gate. The Magic have sold out the last 16 regular season games dating back to last year reports Brian Schmitz of The Orlando Sentinel.
-Brian Schmitz reported Thursday that Jameer Nelson could be back for Wednesday’s game against the Rockets. Eddy Rivera of Orlando Pinstriped Post (formerly 3rd Quarter Collapse) writes that it is a testament to Orlando’s depth and the play of Jason Williams and Anthony Johnson that his absence has been hardly noticed (at least record-wise).
-Dave of BlazersEdge previews tonight’s game and says the Blazers can’t go into this one expecting a win. Their best bet is to let Dwight Howard try to score all the points.
-OrlandoMagic.com has pregame interviews with Rashard Lewis, Vince Carter, Stan Van Gundy and Dwight Howard.
-Ben Q Rock of Orlando Pinstriped Post reports from shootaround this morning that Stan Van Gundy believes the team has lost its focus and that being second in the division (and fourth in the conference) is not where the team wants to be.
-I Am a TrailBlazers Fan talks with Dan Savage of OrlandoMagic.com in advance of tonight’s game.
-Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel begins the trade speculating season by wondering whether the Heat could make a move for Blazers point guard Steve Blake.
