ducks
01-12-2005, 09:55 AM
The Orlando Magic were in need of a stronger defense, improved ball movement and a little veteran leadership -- despite what Steve Francis thinks.
The team hopes to have filled those needs by adding Doug Christie.
Christie, acquired in a trade with Sacramento on Monday, makes his debut for the Magic when they visit the Minnesota Timberwolves.
In a swap of starting shooting guards, the Magic sent Cuttino Mobley -- along with forward Michael Bradley -- to the Kings for Christie, a 13-year veteran and tenacious defender who helped Sacramento reach the playoffs the last four seasons and win two Pacific division titles.
Magic point guard Steve Francis was very vocal about losing Mobley as a teammate after spending the past six seasons with him, the previous five in Houston.
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``I can't put it into words,'' he said. ``Playing with a guy, living with a guy, just knowing that every day when I wake up that's something I can count on, that I'm going to be in practice or in a game with Cuttino.
``Him not being here is going to be tough for me. I don't know what I'm going to wake up for.''
Christie entered this season with a career average of 11.7 points, but is scoring just 7.3 per game in 2004-05 -- his lowest average in a decade. However, he has handed out 4.9 assists a game while still drawing defensive assignments against opponents' top perimeter players.
Orlando has allowed a league-high 101.5 points per game this season, so Christie's defensive presence was a key factor in the trade. The Magic, even without Mobley's 16 points per game, have four players with double-digit scoring averages -- Francis, Grant Hill, Hedo Turkoglu and Dwight Howard.
``We felt that Doug was a perfect fit for the chemistry of our team right now,'' Orlando general manager John Weisbrod said. ``He's a tremendous passer and defender, he's accustomed to playing in an up-tempo offense and he brings valuable playoff experience.''
Francis appeared distracted after news of the trade Monday, scoring 18 points in just 27 minutes as the Magic had a three-game win streak snapped with a 119-101 loss at Boston.
``For us, not just myself but everybody, we were pretty much just emotionally drained,'' Francis said. ``You don't wait 30 minutes before a game to tell a guy he's traded.''
Francis and Mobley joined the Magic in an offseason trade that sent Tracy McGrady to the Rockets.
``It was hard for me to play. He is my brother,'' Francis said. ``I've played my whole career with him.''
Christie gets his first taste of Orlando's system -- and his new point guard -- against a Minnesota squad reeling from 10 losses in its last 14 games.
Kevin Garnett had 23 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists Monday as the Timberwolves lost 105-96 to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Garnett started the fourth quarter on the bench and watched the Lakers take over with an 11-3 run. Minnesota, which led by nine entering the fourth, never recovered and was outscored 38-20 in the final 12 minutes.
``I think we have to try to find a rhythm when he's (Garnett) not in the game,'' said Troy Hudson, who had 18 points. ``He can't be out there for 48 minutes.''
STANDINGS (through Jan. 10): Magic - 3rd place, 7 1/2 GB, Southeast Division. Timberwolves - 2nd place, 7 1/2 GB, Northwest Division.
PROBABLE STARTERS: Magic - F Howard, F Hill, C Tony Battie, G Christie, G Francis. Timberwolves - F Garnett, F Wally Szczerbiak, C Michael Olowokandi, G Latrell Sprewell, G Hudson.
TEAM LEADERS: Magic - Francis, 21.4 ppg and 7 apg; Howard, 10 rpg. Timberwolves - Garnett, 23.7 ppg, 14.9 rpg and 6.3 apg.
2003-04 SEASON SERIES: Timberwolves, 2-0.
LAST MEETING: Feb. 3; Timberwolves, 113-100. At Minneapolis, Garnett had 30 points and 14 rebounds, Sprewell scored 25 points and Sam Cassell added 20 points and 10 assists to lead the Timberwolves to their sixth victory in the last nine meetings with the Magic.
ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Magic - 6-11 on the road; Timberwolves - 9-6 at home.
INJURIES: Magic - C Andrew DeClercq (knee); F Brandon Hunter (elbow). Timberwolves - G Cassell (hamstring); F Ndudi Ebi (knee); F Mark Madsen (thumb).
The team hopes to have filled those needs by adding Doug Christie.
Christie, acquired in a trade with Sacramento on Monday, makes his debut for the Magic when they visit the Minnesota Timberwolves.
In a swap of starting shooting guards, the Magic sent Cuttino Mobley -- along with forward Michael Bradley -- to the Kings for Christie, a 13-year veteran and tenacious defender who helped Sacramento reach the playoffs the last four seasons and win two Pacific division titles.
Magic point guard Steve Francis was very vocal about losing Mobley as a teammate after spending the past six seasons with him, the previous five in Houston.
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``I can't put it into words,'' he said. ``Playing with a guy, living with a guy, just knowing that every day when I wake up that's something I can count on, that I'm going to be in practice or in a game with Cuttino.
``Him not being here is going to be tough for me. I don't know what I'm going to wake up for.''
Christie entered this season with a career average of 11.7 points, but is scoring just 7.3 per game in 2004-05 -- his lowest average in a decade. However, he has handed out 4.9 assists a game while still drawing defensive assignments against opponents' top perimeter players.
Orlando has allowed a league-high 101.5 points per game this season, so Christie's defensive presence was a key factor in the trade. The Magic, even without Mobley's 16 points per game, have four players with double-digit scoring averages -- Francis, Grant Hill, Hedo Turkoglu and Dwight Howard.
``We felt that Doug was a perfect fit for the chemistry of our team right now,'' Orlando general manager John Weisbrod said. ``He's a tremendous passer and defender, he's accustomed to playing in an up-tempo offense and he brings valuable playoff experience.''
Francis appeared distracted after news of the trade Monday, scoring 18 points in just 27 minutes as the Magic had a three-game win streak snapped with a 119-101 loss at Boston.
``For us, not just myself but everybody, we were pretty much just emotionally drained,'' Francis said. ``You don't wait 30 minutes before a game to tell a guy he's traded.''
Francis and Mobley joined the Magic in an offseason trade that sent Tracy McGrady to the Rockets.
``It was hard for me to play. He is my brother,'' Francis said. ``I've played my whole career with him.''
Christie gets his first taste of Orlando's system -- and his new point guard -- against a Minnesota squad reeling from 10 losses in its last 14 games.
Kevin Garnett had 23 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists Monday as the Timberwolves lost 105-96 to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Garnett started the fourth quarter on the bench and watched the Lakers take over with an 11-3 run. Minnesota, which led by nine entering the fourth, never recovered and was outscored 38-20 in the final 12 minutes.
``I think we have to try to find a rhythm when he's (Garnett) not in the game,'' said Troy Hudson, who had 18 points. ``He can't be out there for 48 minutes.''
STANDINGS (through Jan. 10): Magic - 3rd place, 7 1/2 GB, Southeast Division. Timberwolves - 2nd place, 7 1/2 GB, Northwest Division.
PROBABLE STARTERS: Magic - F Howard, F Hill, C Tony Battie, G Christie, G Francis. Timberwolves - F Garnett, F Wally Szczerbiak, C Michael Olowokandi, G Latrell Sprewell, G Hudson.
TEAM LEADERS: Magic - Francis, 21.4 ppg and 7 apg; Howard, 10 rpg. Timberwolves - Garnett, 23.7 ppg, 14.9 rpg and 6.3 apg.
2003-04 SEASON SERIES: Timberwolves, 2-0.
LAST MEETING: Feb. 3; Timberwolves, 113-100. At Minneapolis, Garnett had 30 points and 14 rebounds, Sprewell scored 25 points and Sam Cassell added 20 points and 10 assists to lead the Timberwolves to their sixth victory in the last nine meetings with the Magic.
ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Magic - 6-11 on the road; Timberwolves - 9-6 at home.
INJURIES: Magic - C Andrew DeClercq (knee); F Brandon Hunter (elbow). Timberwolves - G Cassell (hamstring); F Ndudi Ebi (knee); F Mark Madsen (thumb).