Netz @ teh Magix 7p.m. @ the Spamway Arena

[HMFFL]

Pretty bad night for the entire division. I was watching the Orlando game closely tonight and hoped for Atlanta to get closer to you guys.

[theTHIEF]

so who is this Darrell Armstrong guy? why did he torch us? why were all the fans clapping for him?


also, Malik Allen...c'mon!!!! Malik Allen?? i called it before the game...he would be the killer...he was darn close...

[SD2042]

So much for starting off the new year with a win.

[lovehoops01]

The Magic played good, the Nets played like crap the officials gave them the game. No big deal it's one in 82. I just hope they don't continue to scew us like this all year. They feel we need a tough contest every night.

It wouldn't be a big deal if it didn't happen on a regular basis. Not every game. But it's definitely not the first time this season. It's bad enough that the league gave the Magic such a busy early-season schedule and put them on the road for the first two and a half months of the season after sending them to China in the preseason. But when they do come home, they can't even get a game officiated fairly, much less giving them a little benefit of the doubt on their own home court. They have to play most of their games at home after mid-January. If the refs continue to put them at such a disadvantage on their own home court, then they are going to end up in the 7th or 8th playoff seeding again -- if they put up a decent result on the upcoming trip West.

Don't get me wrong....Officiating is not the only reason that the Magic don't have a good home record. I don't know why they don't play better at home. They either aren't as focused at home or they press too much.

Or maybe they just don't put the same importance on winning in Orlando as guys like Darrell did, or even Tracy when he still cared. They had a postgame interview with Darrell tonight on NBA TV, and he said he still loves the folks back here and that he always used to get goosebumps when the announcer would say, "And now fans, it's the fourth quarter. Stand and cheer your Orlando Magic.'' And he said when it was said tonight, he felt the same way and it just got him going. (Note to Darrell: How can you love us so much and stick it to us like that so many times? WE didn't want them to let you go either. Note to Magic.....maybe you shouldn't let him say it when Darrell is in the building.) Maybe as long as they get enough wins, it doesn't matter to the current guys where they get them.

All I know is that I don't think I've ever seen a Magic team with talent struggle so much at home or get so little respect from the refs at home. And they say, "we have to understand that we are a team to beat and teams bring their best against us.'' Yes, that's true. So everyone on the team needs to DO that. Usually, they just suck on the road and play well at home. I'm happy for the road wins; don't get me wrong, and it definitely shows a stronger team mentally than they have been. And they clearly are a better team than they have been. But it's depressing to walk out of that building after watching a loss at least half the time. Maybe they would prefer if the home fans just sell their tickets to as many of the visitors' fans as possible so it seems more like they are playing on the road. Or maybe they'd like it if we just stayed home so it would seem as if they are playing in New Orleans. I am just out of answers.

Tonight, though, I am mad at the refs because the Magic should have won that game. The officiating is contributing to them not being able to hold off some teams in close losses, especially like in tonight's game where Vince gets the call and Hedo can barely get one all night even though he was fouled about 50 times.

[Wayland The Smith]

it seems refs won the game for njn.. i didn't watch the game but i can imagine how did refs screw? saw it many times...

Dwight and Hedo were getting mauled all night. On that shot he missed at the end of the game, Jason Kidd literally threw his arm down on Hedo's arm and the ball when he drove to the basket. Earlier in that game, Kidd and R.J. trapped him in the corner and kept smacking him and the ball so Hedo had to call a timeout to prevent a turnover because the refs would not call a foul.

Jason Kidd comes running up the court and pushes Jameer Nelson to the ground. No foul.

Richard Jefferson and Malik Allen literally wrap their arms around the waists of Carlos Arroyo and Hedo Turkoglu at the top of the key. Apparently, that is not a foul in the NBA now either. Every time Dwight went up for a rebound, either Jason Collins or Sean Williams or one of their forward had their hands all over Dwight's hips trying to keep him from jumping. He should have had a lot more free throws.

Lawrence Frank crossed the halfcourt line to yell out game instructions, clearly out of the coaching box, and the officials don't do anything about it.

The refs were yucking it up with Jason Kidd all night.

these are really annoying

[damo[23]]

I hate to blame the ref's since I felt we've used that card to many times, but seems it was pretty bad.

Still sick of losing at home :/

[Adam1221]

Ive seen some guys that cant accept defeat but this is absurd.
The Nets won this game fair and square that last play was not a foul, they missed plenty of foul's made by the Magic and its not the ref's fault you guys allowed D.A and Jason Collins to get double digit scores.

[lovehoops01]

I'm sure that the Nets fans do think that.


Oh, and by the way, Magic fans, apparently it wasn't enough that Jason Kidd was yucking it up with the refs all night. According to the Daytona Beach News Journal, one of the officials -- Eric Lewis -- went to Mainland High School in Daytona, the same one that Vince Carter went to and donated a lot of money to so the athletic facilities could be renovated.

[Adam1221]

I'm sure that the Nets fans do think that.


Oh, and by the way, Magic fans, apparently it wasn't enough that Jason Kidd was yucking it up with the refs all night. According to the Daytona Beach News Journal, one of the officials -- Eric Lewis -- went to Mainland High School in Daytona, the same one that Vince Carter went to and donated a lot of money to so the athletic facilities could be renovated.

Wow............

[MagicStarwipe]

We need to find more ways to get Dwight the ball. He looked unstoppable at times. Of course he has to hit his free throws too.

As much as I like Rashard, that guy should just give back half of his contract to the Magic. He's not even close to being worth anywhere near that money. Not even nearly close.

[whocares]

1. the refs did not give the game to the nets.
2. the beginning of the fourth quarter was terrible.
3. all the momentum shifted when armstrong made his presence felt.
4. van gundy is not good at drawing particular plays for particular times.
5. that is probably his only defect compared to the mule.
6. the last play, since kidd was guarding hedo, should not have been called like that.
7. hedo should have posted kidd up.
8. the ball handling should have been done by arroyo.
9. rashard should also have been on the other side, posting up.
10. arroyo is capable of doing the pick and roll with dwight and the other player on the floor should have been jj.
11. hedo, as great as he is playing, should not be the only guy carrying the team in crunch time.
12. this game, actually, rashard had two very good short range shots towards the end.
13. the magic should not play like hedo is the only option late in the game.
14. they have to have more variations and that is stan's job to set these plays.
15. the game of the magic is still broken but the defense is picking up and once the offensive ball movement and confidence issues are left behind which will be hopefully around april, they will be quite the team.

[magictreat]

We need to find more ways to get Dwight the ball. He looked unstoppable at times. Of course he has to hit his free throws too.

As much as I like Rashard, that guy should just give back half of his contract to the Magic. He's not even close to being worth anywhere near that money. Not even nearly close.

Wait!!!!!!!! that one is on Otis, for bidding against himself, and being a Moron!!!! , Battie's contract, and Jameer extension are two more that will comeback to bite us in the a$$ too.

[Netsultimatefan63]

The only thing I keep wondering is why the hell didn't Hedo just pull up on Kidd like he was doing the WHOLE fourth quarter? He completely had him WOBBLING in the first possession before he lost it with 12 seconds left. When someone like Hedo is having a career season, a clutch season, and is making shots all day, he has to take advantage. You do NOT drive to the basket when you are a player who makes his money shooting the J and ESPECIALLY when you know that most refs, as unfair as it may be, do not call ticky-tact fouls in the final seconds.

[whocares]

The only thing I keep wondering is why the hell didn't Hedo just pull up on Kidd like he was doing the WHOLE fourth quarter? He completely had him WOBBLING in the first possession before he lost it with 12 seconds left. When someone like Hedo is having a career season, a clutch season, and is making shots all day, he has to take advantage. You do NOT drive to the basket when you are a player who makes his money shooting the J and ESPECIALLY when you know that most refs, as unfair as it may be, do not call ticky-tact fouls in the final seconds.

1. hedo is new to all this mr. go-to-guy stuff.
2. he is still learning.
3. here is to hoping that he is a quick learner.

[drsd]

.... me no happy ........