Give and Go
By Erie Times-News Sports Erie Times-New staff bloggers
The Erie Times-News sports staff delivers in-depth coverage of the Erie BayHawks and pro and college basketball   Read more about this blog.
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Posts tagged ‘Orlando Magic’
Posted: July 19th, 2010

A 2010 D-League All-Star, Aminu played both NBA summer leagues in Orlando and Vegas.

Here’s how players who was with the Erie BayHawks at some point last season fared in the two NBA summer leagues in Orlando and Las Vegas.

Players are listed in alphabetical order.

Combo guard Blake Ahearn (Finished with BayHawks after being traded from Bakersfield to Erie for Alade Aminu) played four games for the Houston Rockets in Las Vegas and scored 11 total points. Shot 14.3 percent from the field, was 2-of-11 from 3-point range and have seven assists to five turnovers.

Power forward Alade Aminu (Finished with Bakersfield after Erie traded him there for Blake Ahearn) played five games for the Atlanta Hawks in Las Vegas and four for the Charlotte Bobcats in Orlando. Aminu averaged 10 points and 4.4 rebounds for the Hawks, 5.5 points and four boards for the Bobcats. He had 14 points, five rebounds and two blocks against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday in his last game in Las Vegas.

Center John Bryant (Started and finished season with BayHawks) played two games for the Milwaukee Bucks in Las Vegas and scored two total points in 12 minutes. He attempted two shots total, made one.

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Posted: July 5th, 2010

These guys were once with the Erie BayHawks. Now they’re on NBA Summer League rosters.

Here’s a look at them heading into the summer league action in Orlando beginning today. 

PG Oliver Lafayette (Boston Celtics), PF Alade Aminu (Charlotte Bobcats), PG Donell Taylor (Orlando Magic) and C Darian Townes (Utah Jazz).

Posted: June 21st, 2010

If Kobe Bryant wins a sixth NBA championship next season, can he then be on share the same stage with Michael Jordan?

The Los Angeles Lakers did it again.

Having been out of town and off work since Thursday’s Game 7 the Lakers won to win back-to-back NBA titles, I just got back at it today.

Very interesting Game 7, but the better team won the game and the series.

The Lakers have the best player in Kobe Bryant, the best coach in Phil Jackson and had home-court advantage.

Got a little help when Pau Gasol traveled on that inside bucket late in the game, but if Ron Artest can hit a 3-pointer in the clutch after building  town homes with all those bricks he was hoisting from behind the arc in this series, the Lakers were destined to win the game anyway.

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Posted in: NBA
Posted: May 27th, 2010

The Boston Celtics are still up in this Eastern Conference finals series, 3-2, but would be wise to close it out in Friday's Game 6 at home to avoid a deciding Game 7 in Orlando against the Magic.

Uh oh.

After falling down 3-0 in a best-of-7 Eastern Conference finals series against the Boston Celtics, the Orlando Magic have won two in a row with the latest being a 113-92 win Wednesday night at home.

Now with series mojo on its side, Orlando can even the series in Game 6 Friday in Boston. The Celtics still have the advantage and history on their side as no team has ever come back from a 3-0 series deficit.

However, the Celtics have reason to be concerned.

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Posted in: NBA
Posted: May 25th, 2010

Now that Dwight Howard and Orlando Magic have won a game against the Boston Celtics in this Eastern Conference finals series, can they get another one Wednesday at home? If Howard controls the paint, the Magic will force a Game 6.

It took the Orlando Magic three games to figure it out.

The Boston Celtics made them look bad in taking a 3-0 Eastern Conference finals series lead, but the Magic won Monday night in overtime, 96-92, to force a Game 5 Wednesday in Orlando.

Now let’s be honest here.

With no NBA team having ever come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a playoff series, the odds are not in the Magic’s favor.

This is what is in their favor.

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Posted in: NBA
Posted: May 24th, 2010

The big man of Boston's Big Three, power forward Kevin Garnett remains the emotional leader of the surging Celtics.

People can blame the coaching, the lack of effort and the inability for one player to take over a game, but the Orlando Magic’s biggest problem can be narrowed down to one thing: The Boston Celtics.

Playing the best defense I’ve seen in a long, long time, Boston has had an answer for everything Orlando has thrown out, which truthfully hasn’t looked like much, but that’s beside the point.

Boston has won every match up, its bench is playing better, its coach Doc Rivers doing a number on Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy and its veterans – Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Rasheed Wallace – have raised their level of play.

They remind me of old guys at the YMCA that turn it up when stiff competition comes into the gym. Trust me, the Magic were stiff competition coming into the Eastern Conference finals after sweeping their first two playoff opponents, but the Celtics are taking care of them.

With all that being said, I think Orlando gets this game tonight even though it’s in Boston. Can’t see how a team that talented can get swept.

Pride has got to kick in at some point so they’ll get Game 4 and might get Game 5 at home, but it s not going further than six games.

Do I hear “BEAT LA” chants coming from the TD Garden?

Posted in: NBA
Posted: May 20th, 2010

Rajon Rondo and Doc Rivers are on the same page for Boston, which is bad news for everyone else in the playoffs.

Come on David Stern.

We don’t need a break this long between playoff games. We really don’t, but then again, we’re not playing the games.

However, the time between these games is pretty ridiculous. Yo Dave, you’re better than that.

After playing Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals Tuesday, the Orlando Magic and Boston Celtics won’t play Game 3 until Saturday in Boston.

Game 3 of the Western Conference finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns will be Sunday in Phoenix.

They played Game 2 Wednesday.

What amazing is after Game 3 of these two respective series, the remaining games will be played every other day as long as each series continues.

That’s even more puzzling, but I have a greater issue with the time in between Game 2 and Game 3. Each team should take advantage of the time off, though.

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Posted in: NBA
Posted: May 18th, 2010

He's not considered the game's top player today, but Kobe Bryant is hearing "MVP" chants during the playoffs. He's seven wins away from winning his fifth championship ring.

Although Kobe Bryant is only 31 years old, he’s a 13-year veteran and has played in 1021 regular-season games, 186 playoff games.

So he’s not an old man, but after the wear and tear of playing that many games not including his run with Team USA for the 2008 Summer Olympics, Bryant is no longer a young pup with no facial hair, either.

However, Bryant looked like the man teams hate to see come playoff time in putting up 40 points for the Los Angels Lakers in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals against the Phoenix Suns on Monday night.

The Lakers won, 128-107. Game 2 is Wednesday in Los Angeles.

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Posted in: NBA
Posted: May 14th, 2010

LeBron James may have played his final game for the Cleveland Cavaliers in Thursday's Game 6 loss in Boston.

It’s over.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are done for this season and if LeBron James decides to bounce and join another game, they will be done for much longer.

Just for the record, as much as I thought Cleveland had the team to win it all this season, I predicted before the season began it wouldn’t even make it to the NBA Finals.

Who did I pick: The Los Angeles Lakers to win back-to-back and beat the Orlando Magic again. They’re both still alive. Who would have thunk it?

As for the Cavaliers, they won 60-plus games in consecutive regular seasons, James won back-to-back NBA MVPs and didn’t make to the finals last season or this season.

Something is wrong with that picture?

Who is to blame?

Well, let’s start at the top. Or near the top.

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Posted in: NBA
Posted: May 9th, 2010

The Orlando Magic are the only team that hasn't lost a game in this year's NBA playoffs.

Well, let me rephrase that.

The Orlando Magic are looking very strong.

They’re 7-0 in the playoffs and just taking Atlanta to the cleaners. Hard to gauge their wins against Atlanta because the Hawks are so disoriented, but Orlando has something to do with that.

After winning Game 3 by 30 points on Saturday, Orlando will close out its Eastern Conference series against the Hawks on Monday in Game 4.

Dwight Howard seems to have adjusted to the fouls, but what’s great about the Magic is they’ve got five guys who can get 20 points at any time.

Hard to guard a team like that. The Cleveland Cavaliers are going to have their hands full with the Magic in the Eastern Conference finals.

I know. I know.

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Posted in: NBA

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