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Francis > Parker
Magic moment
A revamped Magic team opens the season with a thrilling home victory over visiting Milwaukee.
By Brian Schmitz | Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted November 4, 2004
The ending was fitting for a franchise that is trying to erase all the losing of last season: The Orlando Magic got to celebrate their first victory twice.
They had already beaten the buzzer and the Milwaukee Bucks 93-92 Wednesday night on Steve Francis' driving lay-up and had merrily sprinted to the locker room to celebrate.
But it was determined that Francis had been fouled with .02 seconds left. With the mournful Bucks still on the court, the Magic returned to cheers after several minutes. Coach Johnny Davis came back without his suit coat.
Francis hit the rim on purpose with his free-throw attempt to eat up the remaining time, and the Magic once again celebrated in front of 15,138 at TD Waterhouse Centre.
You couldn't blame them for not wanting to come back out to finish the game properly after what the franchise went through last season.
They didn't want to take a chance that this marvelous opening night might somehow be snatched away.
"That's why I told the guys, 'We'll celebrate in here, not out there again,'ƒ|" center Kelvin Cato said. "But, heck, what a great way to get Game 1."
Francis debuted with a game-high 26 points and one-upped Michael Redd's 19-foot bank-ď shot with 3.5 seconds left that gave the Bucks a 92-91 lead.
Aside from some frequent defensive lapses, it couldn't have started much better for the Magic, whomever they are. Few folks really know them after General Manager John Weisbrod imploded a 21-61 eyesore and brought aboard 11 new players.
Fans hadn't seen this Grant Hill in a while. Playing in his first regular-season game in 21 months, he scored 20 points on 10-of-21 shooting. Hill nearly became the storybook hero, hitting a go-ahead jumper with 19.3 seconds left.
Hill was feeling so good on his rebuilt left ankle that he tried a shake-and-bake, no-look pass. "I tried not to get too excited all day because when I get overly excited, I don't play well," said Hill, who has played just 47 games since signing in the summer of 2000. "But that was fun. I really felt good."
Rookie Dwight Howard, 18, resembled the NBA's No. 1 draft pick after shaking butterflies. He finished with 12 points, 10 rebounds and four blocked shots.
Francis, Cato and Cuttino Mobley were playing their first game since arriving from Houston in the blockbuster trade for Tracy McGrady.
Cato had six points and three blocks and Mobley struggled with his shot but scored 12 points.
Francis took a mild swipe at T-Mac, whose Rockets are 0-2, saying, "I think both teams got what they wanted. If [the Rockets] want guys to walk up the court and shoot fade-away jump shots, they got what they want. If the Magic want a team of players who get up and down the court, then they got what they wanted."
For a dwindling fan base deprived of much hope, patrons saw the Magic crawl back after blowing a 15-point third-quarter lead, showing character traits missing in 2003-04.
The Magic ran, as promised, outscoring the Bucks in fast-break points 34-22. The Bucks rekindled ghastly memories of last season's porous defense, waltzing to the basket for 15 layups and five dunks.
But Orlando buckled down in the third quarter, forcing six turnovers for 10 points. They finished with 10 blocked shots, but allowed the Bucks to creep back, thanks to former Magic center Zaza Pachulia.
Pachulia, exposed in the expansion draft by Orlando last season, scored 11 points and grabbed six rebounds.
After making the game-winning layup, Francis paraded around the court, pulling at his jersey to show everybody the team's name. It was to let everyone know that we're back," Francis said.
Said Davis, "Last year is gone."
Francis > Parker
I have not found it yet...But I have been looking for the emoticon of a guy holding a giant spoon stirring a big pot of soup....I know I could use it....
The only question remains...how'd Hedo do?
See for yourself:
ORLANDO MAGIC
STARTERS MIN FGM-A 3PM-A FTM-A OFF REB AST STL BLK TO PF PTS
Grant Hill, F 33 10-21 0-1 0-0 0 4 2 1 1 4 0 20
Dwight Howard, F 38 6-11 0-0 0-6 3 10 2 3 4 1 3 12
Kelvin Cato, C 26 3-6 0-0 0-0 2 7 2 0 3 0 4 6
Cuttino Mobley, G 33 4-12 1-6 3-3 0 1 2 1 0 2 2 12
Steve Francis, G 40 11-23 0-2 4-5 1 9 7 1 0 2 4 26
BENCH MIN FGM-A 3PM-A FTM-A OFF REB AST STL BLK TO PF PTS
Tony Battie, C 21 2-3 0-0 2-4 0 5 0 0 2 1 3 6
Jameer Nelson, G 8 0-2 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Hidayet Turkoglu, G 19 2-7 0-1 0-0 1 3 4 1 0 1 2 4
Pat Garrity, F 11 3-6 1-3 0-0 0 2 1 0 0 1 1 7
Stacey Augmon, F 11 0-1 0-0 0-0 1 3 0 0 0 1 2 0
DeShawn Stevenson, G DNP COACH'S DECISION
Michael Bradley, F DNP COACH'S DECISION
TOTALS FGM-A 3PM-A FTM-A OFF REB AST STL BLK TO PF PTS
41-92 2-13 9-18 8 44 20 7 10 13 22 93
44.6% 15.4% 50.0% Team TO (pts off): 13 (14)
Flagrant Fouls: None
Technicals: 1 ORLANDO ( S Francis 1 )
Officials: James Capers , Mike Callahan , Phil Robinson
Attendance: 15,138
Time: 02:22
dude give houston time to gel
and if houston could trade for like speedy they would be set
holy christ, hes not gonna bring up the Francis > Parker BS again.....
Check out their box scores, TPark. Stevie:9 rebs, 7 assists and 26 pts....that is strong, strong indeed.
Steve's always had great statlines. Leading his team to victory, or even contributing to playoff runs in anyway, is where the difference lies.
AHF, yeah TP was awesome in the playoffs. I forgot.
BTW, look for Orlando to go from one of the worst records in NBA last year to 4 seed this year...
Mobley and Francis will make the difference there, as well as having a healthy Hill.
Grant Hill is the key. If he can stay healthy, and have a solid season, I can see the Magic making the playoffs. (although lack of size inside will definitely hurt them)
Cato might give them enough size and strength in the defensive post to make a pretty good run out East. Not a top 4 seed, but perhaps a 6-8. I think the fans in O-town would be pretty pleased with that.
hmmm 6 good playoff games compared to Francis's 2?yeah TP was awesome in the playoffs
Yeahhhh Id say Parker had the better playoffs.
Keep trying to suck up to that selfish head.
Selfish??? Check out his career assists to shot ratio, compare it to Tony's and get back to me.
steve is going to be fine for little bit it was opening night
they start lossing things can get ugly
hey Jimcs50 why dont you tell us what they're pass to shoot ratios are since its your position, prove it.
I agree though, i also think that right now, Francis is th better passer and scorer and def rebounder
I didn't even notice that Hedo wasn't starting...
I have not found it yet...But I have been looking for the emoticon of a guy holding a giant spoon stirring a big pot of soup....I know I could use it....
Here's one.
I'm not a huge Francis fan but I think this team is so much better off with the current group than they were with T-Mac.
Crazy prediction (made before the season, not after this game): Orlando will be the foruth seed in the East.
You can feel free to quote this and throw it back in my face when it doesn't happen.
While I think that Orlando needed to make that trade, it really comes down to this:
- A Francis-led team will never win a championship. That is, Francis will never win a le on a team when he is the franchise player.
- A McGrady-led team could possibly win a championship if everything fell into place.
McGrady is a solid franchise player. Francis is one of the worst franchise players in the league.
Because there are so many other factors at stake, it isn't appropriate to judge Francis' performace this season solely on his team's record. The same goes with McGrady. It was a good trade for both teams, but McGrady is clearly the better player.
Well, yes when you consider:
Last year's Magic...TMac, Juwan, Gooden, and crap
vs.
This year's Magic...Francis, GRANT HILL, HOWARD(#1 pick), Mobley, Cato, Hedo, Battie, Jameer, etc
This team IS much better than last year's. Funny how TMac had been asking for better support around him and didn't get it. Now when they trade him, they bring in others besides the Rocket trio and Weisbrod and some in the media make it sound like this team is much better because TMac is gone, as though he ever had a support group in Orlando like the one Francis has now.
Think TMac would've appreciated having that kind of support when he was there? Instead he's criticized for finally snapping from frustration after four years of waiting for some decent help.
In all fairness to the Orlando leadership, it was very difficult for them to get McGrady help. Tracy and Grant are both max players. Grant Hill was a max player contributing exactly nothing. It's hard to put a talented team out on the floor when that happens.Well, yes when you consider:
Last year's Magic...TMac, Juwan, Gooden, and crap
vs.
This year's Magic...Francis, GRANT HILL, HOWARD(#1 pick), Mobley, Cato, Hedo, Battie, Jameer, etc
This team IS much better than last year's. Funny how TMac had been asking for better support around him and didn't get it. Now when they trade him, they bring in others besides the Rocket trio and Weisbrod and some in the media make it sound like this team is much better because TMac is gone, as though he ever had a support group in Orlando like the one Francis has now.
Think TMac would've appreciated having that kind of support when he was there? Instead he's criticized for finally snapping from frustration after four years of waiting for some decent help.
McGrady was disgruntled and he let it show in his performance. He's a better player than Francis, but the trade was a good one for Orlando. It was time for a change and everyone will benefit from the trade.
actually a health grant hill is better than francis, but francis is more valuble, he can pass and shoot and he fills a tougher position, then this team is loaded. Honestly Grant Hill in his prime (mr. triple double) was better than Tracy McGrady will ever be
Compared to Francis, he was.AHF, yeah TP was awesome in the playoffs. I forgot.
The sad thing (for him) is that Stevie never will win a ring or even make the NBA Finals, even being in the weak ass east now.
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