Orlando Magic play hosts to the slumping Charlotte Bobcats: NBA Preview
On Wednesday night at the Amway Center, Orlando, FL, the Orlando Magic will be playing hosts to the team with the worst record in the league, the Charlotte Bobcats.
With their big man, Dwight Howard out for the remaining of the season due to back surgery, Orlando, have been in a recent slump themselves.
In the previous eight games without Howard, Magic seems to be unable to play any kind of defence at all. They have allowed their opponents to score an average of 99.4 points per game with the three time reigning ‘Defensive Player
of the Year’ missing from their line up. So a matchup with the Bobcats could not have come at a better as the Magic would look to end their three game losing streak before they head into the playoffs.
Even Magic players themselves feel that they have been slacking on the defensive end; here is what Jason Richardson had to say on the matter.
"We didn't do our defensive assignments," swingman Jason Richardson said after they lost 101-74 to Denver.
With only two games remaining in the season, the other one against the Memphis Grizzlies, Magic would look to lock down on the number 6th spot in the Eastern Conference.
If they are able to secure their position, they would have to face the third place Indiana Pacers, an acceptable matchup considering the woeful season the Magic have had so far.
On the other hand, the Bobcats will be looking to end their 21 game losing streak while they visit the Magic. At the current rate of losses, they do look on way to set the worst winning percentage in the NBA history. In order for
that not to happen, Bobcats have a daunting task at hand to register a rare win in their remaining two games of the season. It does look highly unlikely as the current Bobcats roster have found it very hard to get a win, having won only 7 games this season
so far.
If there record as whole sounds unimpressive, their away form is not any better as Charlotte have lost 10 straight games while being away from home.
However, the Bobcats players do not want to remembered as being responsible for the worst record history and will have a lot on their mind while suiting up for these two games.
"We don't want to be the worst team in NBA history. We know that in the back of our minds going into these next two games," point guard D.J. Augustin
Charlotte did manage to get a win against the Magic this season which came back in March but that was at their home. Now they will play in Orlando's territory and to avoid the worst ever losing record, somebody has to somehow play
out of his skin.
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