03-12-2008, 11:32 AM
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#1 (permalink)
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Player
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: OC CA
Posts: 675
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GT: LA Clippers @ ORLANDO MAGIC (3/12/08)
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LA Clippers (21-41) vs. Orlando Magic (41-24)
7:00 PM EST, Amway Arena
LA Clippers
    
Knight/Maggette/Ross/Thornton/Powell
Orlando Magic
    
Nelson/Evans/Turkoglu/Lewis/Howard
Sportsline Preview
Quote:
Hedo Turkoglu is one of the major reasons the Orlando Magic have made more 3-pointers than any team in the NBA. As his team has risen into the Eastern Conference elite, however, Turkoglu is showing he can do much more than shoot.
Coming off his second triple-double in about a month, Turkoglu and the Magic look for their fifth win in six games when they host the lowly Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday.
Orlando (41-24) averages an East-leading 104.7 points per game due in large part to its NBA-high 611 3-pointers made. Magic forwards Rashard Lewis (179) and Turkoglu (133) are in the league's top 10 in made 3s.
Turkoglu's all-around game, though, is finally garnering attention. He's averaging career highs in points (19.6), rebounds (6.1) and assists (4.9), and after not posting a triple-double in his first 568 NBA games, has two in his last 16.
One came Monday, when Turkoglu had 23 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds as Orlando beat Atlanta 123-112.
"Getting another triple-double is a big deal for me," said Turkoglu, averaging 21.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 6.2 assists in his last nine games. "I think I've always had the talent to do it, I'm just getting more of an opportunity to show that this season."
Turkoglu's pair of triple-doubles ties him for third in the league with Caron Butler and Baron Davis, behind only Jason Kidd (12) and LeBron James (7).
"He's playing great for us," point guard Jameer Nelson said. "We definitely put the ball in his hands a lot and he's a facilitator out there on the court even though he's a three-man."
Turkoglu had one of his best all-around games in the Magic's first meeting with the Clippers this season. He finished with a game-high 28 points, seven assists and seven rebounds as Orlando won 113-106 at Los Angeles on Jan. 9.
While Turkoglu is among the league leaders in triple-doubles, no one in the NBA has more double-doubles than Magic center Dwight Howard. He got his 56th of the season and 10th straight Monday, finishing with 26 points and 16 rebounds. Howard also leads the league in rebounds per game (14.5).
The Clippers' season was derailed by Elton Brand's ruptured left Achilles' tendon before they played a game, and recently injuries have kept center Chris Kaman out of the lineup as well.
A left shin contusion caused Kaman, the NBA's third-leading rebounder at 13.1 per game, to miss five games at the end of January. A sore lower back kept him out for the final four contests in February, and after returning for five games, that injury forced him to sit out Monday against Miami.
Kaman likely won't face Orlando, but is listed as day-to-day.
The Clippers (21-41) didn't need their 7-foot center to beat the Heat on Monday, rallying from a seven-point deficit after three quarters to win 99-98 - just their second victory in 10 games.
Cuttino Mobley had a game-high 29 points, while Al Thornton and Corey Maggette each scored 22.
"We've got some veterans on this team that really want to make plays," said Maggette, who started his career with Orlando in 1999-2000. "Cuttino really carried the team in the second half."
Maggette is averaging 24.5 points in his last eight games.
Brand's injury has given Thornton a chance to play key minutes in his rookie season. The 6-foot-8 forward is averaging 11.8 points in 2007-08 - second-most among first-year players - and 18.4 over his last seven games.
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should be an easy win as long as the MAGIC stay focused.
GO MAGIC! |
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