Orlando Magic Dwight Howard

The NBA has announced that Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard is this year’s leading vote-getter in the 2012 NBA All-Star Balloting program, with a league-best 1,600,390 votes. Howard will start in the 2012 NBA All-Star Game, marking his fifth consecutive NBA All-Star Game start and sixth NBA All-Star Game appearance overall.

The 2012 NBA All-Star Game, which will air live at 8 p.m. ET on TNT and ESPN Radio in the U.S., and reach fans in more than 200 countries and territories in more than 40 languages, will be played at Amway Center in Orlando on Sunday, Feb. 26.

Joining Howard in the Eastern Conference starting lineup at the forward position are the Miami Heat’s LeBron James (1,360,680), the 2006 and 2008 All-Star Game MVP, and the New York Knicks’ Carmelo Anthony (1,041,290). The starters for the East at guard are the Chicago Bulls’ Derrick Rose (1,514,723) and the Heat’s Dwyane Wade (1,334,223), the 2010 All-Star Game MVP.

Kobe Bryant, who joins Hall of Famer Bob Pettit (1956, 1958, 1959 and 1962) as the only four-time All-Star Game MVPs in NBA history, is joined in the Western Conference starting backcourt by the Los Angeles Clippers’ Chris Paul (1,138,743). The Oklahoma City Thunder’s Kevin Durant (1,345,566) and the Clippers’ Blake Griffin (876,451), making his first All-Star Game start, are the starting forwards. The Lakers’ Andrew Bynum, a first-time All-Star, gets the nod at center (1,051,945). This marks the first time since 1997 (Houston’s Hakeem Olajuwon and Charles Barkley, and Seattle’s Shawn Kemp and Gary Payton) that two pair of teammates have been voted to start for one conference.

The 2012 NBA All-Star Balloting presented by Sprint, allowed fans around the world the opportunity to vote daily for their favorite players as starters for the 2012 NBA All-Star Game.

Orlando Magic Dwight Howard (Photo: Fernando Medina/OM)

Ryan Anderson and Dwight Howard led the Magic (13-9) with 23 points. Howard also snagged 18 rebounds, collecting his 17th double double on the season.

“I think we need to look to the next game and bring the same effort and energy,” Anderson said. “We didn’t want to focus too much on that streak because that’s a week we’d all like to forget. Those games we’d all like to forget about and we can move forward and get a win next game and just start a little run.”

J.J Redick added 21 points for the Magic off the bench.

Orlando is struggling to get into their offensive sets and head coach Stan Van Gundy isn’t sure how to fix it.

“It’s frustrating to me as a coach because I can’t figure out what we’re doing wrong,” he said. “That’s a hard thing. Tonight was we couldn’t run anything. We couldn’t get into our offense with their pressure.”

Washington was led by Nick Young’s 24 points; forward Rashad Lewis chipped in 20.

The Wizards shot the ball extremely well from beyond the arc connecting on 12 3′s, shooting 52%.

Orlando’s turnovers kept the Wizards close for most of the game, but a huge 40 point Magic effort in the fourth was too much for Washington to over come.

Orlando needs to use the next few games to build up confidence but it can’t just be on the offensive end, giving up 35 points to the Wizards in the fourth quarter should be alarming.

The Magic have what it takes to contend in the east but, they must improve on both ends of the floor.

The Magic will get a night off before hosting the Cleveland Cavaliers Friday night. Tip off is set for 7pm.

Orlando Magic Ryan Anderson (Photo: Fernando Medina/OM)

So, it finally happened. No, the Orlando Magic didn’t trade Dwight Howard yet (despite his best efforts), but they did finally win a game after their horrendous four-game losing skid. The Magic managed to overcome the woeful Washington Wizards despite some late scares, 109-103.

Ryan Anderson managed to get out of his funk with some impressive shooting on the night. He scored 23 points with six three-pointers; however, as Anderson pointed out after the game, not every Magic player has overcome their individual slumps.

“I think we need to look to the next game and bring the same effort and energy,” Ryan pointed out. “This started our confidence, but we need to follow through with it.”

Let’s be honest though, the Magic’s lack of confidence isn’t from offensive or defensive performances, it’s from the Dwight Howard trade drama that is now threatening to eclipse the Lebron and Melo escapades single-handedly.

You see, it’s during hard times like these that the leader of a team steps up to motivate his team to get back on track. Howard, possessing the maturity of a high school athlete at best, is not a leader for many reasons–one major reason being that his foot is already halfway out of Orlando’s door.

After the game, however, Howard was quick to point out just the opposite.

“It happens to everybody in the league and we just have to continue to remind ourselves that we’re a good team and we’re going to have rough patches. We just have to stay together and remember we can’t allow anything to separate us,” said Howard.

The guy who requested a trade from his team before the season even began, is talking about staying together… the irony.

It’s easy to see how fragile a state the Magic are in at the moment. With concussion-like symptoms, All-Star point guard, Jameer Nelson, is now going to miss several of the next games; in fact, after the game’s end it was announced the Magic waived veteran point guard, Larry Hughes, to sign a new point guard from the D-league.

This means Chris Duhon (hint: he’s no Chris Paul) will have to start games while receiving backup from a D-league point guard (hint: he’s definitely not Chris Paul). Combine that with Howard’s sixth Technical Foul (see: high school maturity level) and the injuries that seem to keep piling up for the Magic and there’s little to actually take away from tonight’s game.

To put it into persepective, the Wizards are now 1-9 on the road. The Magic couldn’t contain Nick Young or former Magic player, Rashard Lewis–both of whom are hardly shot creators. They both scored 24 and 20 points, respectively.

So, yes, Magic fans, you did get a win tonight. But why does it still feel like a loss?

Written by Brandon Hayhurst
Education Career Services

Orlando Magic Ryan Anderson (Photo credit: Fernando Medina/OM)

Offense was M.I.A in this game. For the third time this season the Magic scored under 70 points.

Orlando shot just 33% from the field but Indiana allowed the Magic to stick around shooting 37% themselves.

Dwight Howard led the Magic with 17 points and 11 rebounds followed by Ryan Anderson’s 14 points and 20 rebounds.

The 76ers (15-6) are now 11-2 at home on the season will now get to show the NBA what they are made of with games against the Bulls, Heat, Lakers, Spurs and Hawks all within the next 8 days.

“That was a much needed win for us here with what we have ahead of is this week,” coach Doug Collins said.

Much was made of Dwight calling out his teammates following an ugly loss to a bad Hornets team the other night but watching how this team has played in the past 4 games you can’t really blame him.

“It’s not the first time I’ve called them out,” Howard said following the Pacers loss. “As a leader, you’ve got to do things people don’t like. My teammates understand why I said that.”

The up side for the Magic is their next game is home against the Washington Wizards Wednesday night. If they can’t get the offense going against that team…well it could get ugly. Tip off set for 7pm.

Orlando Magic Dwight Howard (Photo: Fernando Medina/OM)

George Hill and new addition David West both chipped in 16 points.

With this win the Pacers now have eight road victories on the season, tied with the Oklahoma City Thunder and Chicago Bulls for best in the NBA.

Indiana also broke a six game losing streak to the Magic.

“It is a lot of fun to win and be one of the top teams right now,” Granger said. “We are playing together and that is the biggest thing. We have so much talent now. We are in position to really contend for the East.”

Orlando, losers of their last three are looking for answers.

“We’re in a real tough stretch and guys are playing poorly,” Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. “I don’t know what else we can do. … It’s easy to find the reasons. The hard part is to make it better. That’s frustrating to me as a coach.”

The Magic took a 51-48 lead going into the intermission.

The second half would be all Pacers, out scoring the Magic 58-34 and leading by as many as 23 points in the fourth quarter.

Dwight Howard led the Magic with 24 points and 13 rebounds along with Chis Duhon’s 14 points filling in for a hurt Jameer Nelson.

The Magic get no rest as they travel to play against the Philadelphia 76ers tonight. Tip off is set for 7pm.

It’s been two months since the Orlando Magic General Manager Otis Smith removed Dwight Howard off the trading block in hopes of keeping his All-Star center long term.

Since then it seems that every loss (even though the Magic have a winning record 12-7) the question reignites as to when and where Howard will go.

It’s been documented that Smith and Howard aren’t on the same page at times. Following the removal from the trading block, Dwight still suggested he wanted out, drawing a response from Smith, “he wants to play in a larger market, nothing I can do about that.”

If that’s the case, it seems to me the only logical thing to do is trade the three time defensive player of the year, rather then embracing this challenge and working together on making the Magic a championship team. Otis and Howard seem more interested in not being in the “wrong.”

The question has been raised as to whether or not “Superman” is the kind of leader that can carry a franchise to a title.  Shooting 40% from the foul line and coming up small in big moments shows his lack of mental toughness with his silly fourth courter technicals. It’s all proof in the pudding Dwight may not be that guy, YET.

For me, what’s baffling is you have a once in a decade center in an NBA where “true” centers are disappearing faster then LeBron’s hair line, yet Howard is the one demanding to go to Dallas, New Jersey or LA. Why aren’t the premiere point guards BEGGING at a chance to lob passes and play pick and roll 20 miles away from Disney World. What is it that they know we don’t?

Large market my behind. The scapegoat excuse that Dwight needs a large market is asinine and an insult to intelligent basketball fan. Dwight leads all NBA players with 754,737 All-Star votes and he is one of the highest marketing athletes in the league now, grossing $12 million in 2011.

Following Friday night’s embarrassing loss to a Hornets team that was on a 9-game skid, you could feel the frustration and lack of pride in the Magic locker room. With every miss, game blown and sub par Magic performance, the patience of Dwight will shorten.

“I told them at halftime, `If you don’t want to play, just stay in the locker room, because it don’t make sense for a team who we should beat to just demolish us,” Howard said post game.

I know I’m young and have only been around the game a little over a decade but I do my homework. Professional basketball and life are linked in more ways than people think. The game teaches you about life, team work and what it takes to succeed. However in a society now where kids want it NOW, everything has to be given instead of earned. That has translated into the NBA.

There was a time when Michael Jordan went through tough losses to the Pistons and Celtics. Took MJ 7 long years to win a championship. Bird and Magic carried two of the most storied franchises and almost killed each other for a chance to be the best. Guys like Reggie Miller and Charles Barkely never tasted a ring but didn’t run in their prime to join alliances in hopes to win one. But today, it’s about making it easy, joining forces so the journey may be a tad bit less bumpy.

I support Dwight in whatever he decides, but as a fan of the game I pray he stays in Orlando and accomplishes something Penny, Nick Anderson and the great Shaq couldn’t. Winning a championship for the 407.

Orlando Magic Dwight Howard (Photo: Fernando Medina/OM)

Dwight Howard led the Magic with 28 points and 16 rebounds in a 97-63 road loss to the New Orleans Hornets.

The loss isn’t what stands out as much, though it was pathetic. Dwight was more upset by the lack of effort his team gave.

“I look at guys and they don’t look like they want to play,” Howard said following the lopsided loss. “I told them at halftime, ‘If you don’t want to play, just stay in the locker room, because it don’t make sense for a team who we should beat to just demolish us.’ ”

The Hornets snapped a 9 game losing streak Friday night behind Carl Landry’s 17 points.

The Magic shot 39% from the field while the Hornets shot 51%.

A collision at the basket limited Jameer Nelson to just 11 minutes on the night, leaving the Magic thin at point guard.

Hornets closed the second quarter on a 21-8 run, taking a 47-34 lead at intermission.

Second half wasn’t any better for Orlando, scoring only 33 points.

“They killed us because they just played hard and they wanted it,” Howard said. “Look at their roster, but they play hard every night. … They kicked our butts tonight, not because they’re a way better team than us, but because they play harder than us.”

The Magic will look to end their 2 game losing streak Sunday at home against the Indiana Pacers, tip off set for 6pm.

Orlando Magic Jason Richardson (Photo: Fernando Medina via Orlando Magic)

If the Boston Celtics meet up with the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference playoffs they should bench Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen, seems to work for them.

For the second time in less then 10 days the Celtics have been able to make the Magic look like a junior varsity team.

Paul Pierce led a depleted Celtics team to a stunning 91-83 win with 24 points and 10 assists.

“Everybody was big,” Pierce said. “Obviously, when you got a rookie (Moore) who hasn’t played too much to come in and do the things he did — that’s big for us.”

Orlando lead 58-37 at half time pushing the lead to 27 at one point. However the Celtics out scored the Magic 27-17 in the third period and opened the fourth on a 15-1 run.

“That was a character builder for our team, it really was,” Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. “It’s all that we talked about at halftime. Not a big game plan, we didn’t make any big changes. We just kept talking about it being a character builder for this basketball team.”

Due to the lack of personnel Doc Rivers matched veteran Kevin Garnett with Dwight Howard. This move forced Howard away from the basket to defend KG, getting Howard in foul trouble.

Dwight led the Magic with 16 points and 16 rebounds, Jason Richardon added 13 followed by Ryan Anderson’s 12 all coming in the first quarter.

Frustration set in for Orlando in the second half. Both Anderson and Howard would pick up technical fouls.

“Their pressure, again, really pushed us sideways,” Magic head coach, Stan Van Gundy said. “We got frustrated with the officials and we got totally off our game.”

The Magic (12-6) will play in New Orleans tonight against the new look Hornets, tip off set for 8pm.

Orlando Magic Ryan Anderson (Photo credit: Fernando Medina/Orlando Magic)

With his 14 point game Tuesday night against the Pacers, Howard became the Magic’s all time leading scorer.

“It’s a humbling experience,” said Howard, who began the game needing just eight points to break Nick Anderson’s mark. “It does mean a lot. Not too many players in this league can say that they were their franchise’s leading scorer.”

Ryan Anderson’s 24 points and 8 rebounds led the visiting Magic to a 102-83 victory handing Indiana their first home loss of the season.

“I just wanted to come in with a lot of energy tonight,” Anderson said. “We just took open shots. Getting key rebounds and being physical and getting fast break points, those are big for us.”

After leading 29-22 following the first quarter the Pacers offense became stagnant.

“We had poor offensive execution the whole game,” Pacers coach Frank Vogel said. “We know how to play. We’ve played good basketball all year and we didn’t tonight.”

Roy Hibbert and Danny Granger lead the Pacers (11-5) with 16 points a piece and Hibbert would also snag 12 rebounds.

Dwight picked up his third foul 24 seconds into the second period, sending him to the bench.

The score was tied 45-45 at intermission.

The second half was all Magic, out scoring the Pacers 57-38. The funny part is Orlando scored more in that half then they did all game against the Celtics this past Monday (56).

“Our effort was great,” Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. “Our energy was good and a lot of guys had a lot to do with us winning.”

Orlando (12-5) will get Thursday off before hosting the Boston Celtics Friday night, tip off set at 8pm.

Sprint NBA All-Star Celebrity Game (on sale Jan. 25) – Watch some of the hottest celebrities from film, TV and music, along with some of your favorite NBA Legends take their skills to Center Court for a fun and entertaining basketball game. The Celebrity Game takes place Friday, Feb. 24 at 6:30 p.m. EST at NBA All-Star Jam Session, inside the Orange County Convention Center. Tickets are offered in the following price range: $50 for upper bowl and $75 for lower bowl. Beginning at 10:00 a.m. EST on Jan 25, fans can visit NBA.com/allstar2012, the official web site for NBA All-Star 2012, to purchase tickets.

NBA All-Star Practice (on sale Jan. 26) – The 2012 NBA All-Star Players and Coaches from the Eastern and Western Conference hold the official All-Star practice session on Jam Session’s Center Court. The All-Star Practice takes place Saturday, Feb. 25 at 10:45 a.m. EST at NBA All-Star Jam Session, inside the Orange County Convention Center. This is your chance to get up close and personal with the 2012 All-Stars. Tickets are offered in the following price range: $50 for upper bowl and $75 for lower bowl. Beginning at 10:00 a.m. EST on Jan. 26, fans can visit NBA.com/allstar2012 to purchase tickets.

NBA Rising Stars Challenge (on sale Jan. 27) – NBA Rising Stars Challenge provides fans with an opportunity to watch the brightest young stars from the Rookie and Sophomore classes in action. This game will take place Friday, Feb. 24 at 9:00 p.m. EST at the Amway Center. Tickets are offered in the following price range: $35 for upper bowl and $50 for lower bowl. Beginning at 10:00 a.m. EST on Jan. 27 fans can visit NBA.com/allstar2012 to purchase tickets.

NBA All-Star Jam Session (on sale Jan. 31) – NBA All-Star Jam Session, the premier fan event of NBA All-Star, is nonstop basketball excitement for all ages! Fans can shoot, slam, dribble and drive all day, compete against their friends in skills challenges, and collect FREE autographs from NBA players and legends. Young fans can hang out in the Kids Zone, with hoops and interactive activities that are the perfect size for kids’ slam dunks, three-pointers and jump shots. Jam Session tips off at the Orange County Convention Center Thursday, Feb. 23 and goes through Sunday, Feb. 26. Tickets are offered in the following price ranges: Thursday, Feb.23 and Friday, Feb. 24 Adults $20, Kids (3-12) $12, Seniors/Military (with valid ID) $12, and Kids (2 and under) free. Saturday, Feb. 25 and Sunday Feb. 26 Adults $30, Kids (3-12) $20, Senior/ Military $20, Kids (2 and under) free. Tickets for Jam Session are sold on a timed-entry basis.