SBNation.com - Magic Vs. Warriors: Dwight Howard Sets Free Throw Record In 117-109 Winhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/46737/sbn-fave.png2012-01-13T10:30:21-05:00http://www.sbnation.com/rss/stream/24682332012-01-13T10:30:21-05:002012-01-13T10:30:21-05:00Mark Jackson Clings To Dwight Howard Foul Strategy Despite Evidence It Was Awful
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/DZVeAriPWccCRFErxceBxV0sPWY=/0x27:400x294/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47828145/large_sb_nation_final.0.png" />
</figure>
<p>We know empirically that <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2012/1/13/2704414/nba-scores-dwight-howard-grizzlies-knicks">Mark Jackson's strategy to foul Dwight Howard incessantly</a> during the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/">Golden State Warriors</a>' hosting of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.orlandopinstripedpost.com/">Orlando Magic</a> on Thursday didn't work: the center scored 43 points, and Orlando won. We know that <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2012/1/13/2704368/dwight-howard-free-throws-mark-jackson-magic-warriors">by the numbers</a>, fouling Dwight made Howard more efficient than he'd been from the floor, and that if the effort intended to discourage the Magic from feeding Howard, it would have meant more possessions for the more efficient Orlando supporting cast.</p>
<p>Jackson doesn't care. <a href="http://blog.sfgate.com/warriors/2012/01/13/gs-warriors-coach-mark-jackson-defends-hack-a-howard-plan/">From the <i>San Francisco Chronicle</i></a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>"I can understand people thinking, 'Why?' But don't get caught up in the free throws. Think about the times we didn't foul him. It was dunks, hooks, plays at the rim. He's a great player and a bad free-throw shooter. We were giving ourselves the best possible chance by messing up their rhythm."</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The Warriors were leading by eight when the team began hacking Howard in the second quarter. Orlando almost immediately caught up.</p>
<p>Golden State employed the strategy for basically the full second half; Dwight was 5-12 from the floor in the first half, and 7-10 in the second half.</p>
<p>Mess up the Magic's rhythm? In the fourth quarter, when Golden State fouled Dwight the most, Orlando scored 37 points in 24 possessions, or 1.54 points per possession, which is like Max Roach-level rhythm.</p>
<p>It failed, Coach. There's no need to defend it; there's only one Dwight in the league, and it's unlikely we'll see Golden State trot out the strategy again. Just walk away and leave that steaming mess on Thursday night.</p>
https://www.sbnation.com/nba/2012/1/13/2704578/mark-jackson-dwight-howard-free-throws-record-warriors-magicTom Ziller2012-01-13T09:01:32-05:002012-01-13T09:01:32-05:00Dwight Howard Free Throw Extravaganza 2012 Draws Rave Reviews From Stan Van Gundy
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/DZVeAriPWccCRFErxceBxV0sPWY=/0x27:400x294/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47828145/large_sb_nation_final.0.png" />
</figure>
<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/">Golden State Warriors</a> sent <span>Dwight Howard</span> to the line for a record 39 free throw attempts in the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.orlandopinstripedpost.com/">Orlando Magic's</a> eventual win on Thursday during the second game of TNT's traditional Thursday double-header. Magic coach <span>Stan Van Gundy</span> reacted exactly as you'd expect him to. From <a href="http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/orlando-magic/os-orlando-magic-warriors-0112-20120112,0,4114783.story" target="_blank">Josh Robbins of the <i>Orlando Sentinel</i></a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>"I don't know, it was an interesting game. A long game. I'm sure a great national TV game for the NBA. I'm sure everybody there loved it. You get to turn on TNT and watch Dwight Howard shoot free throws."</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Van Gundy also said he told his assistant coaches to stop bothering to suggest plays in the fourth quarter as Mark Jackson's commitment to Hack-A-Dwight became apparent.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Magic assistant coaches Ahmad Ajami, <span>Bob Beyer</span>, <span>Steve Clifford</span>, <span>Patrick Ewing</span> and <span>Brendan Malone</span> would recommend plays to Stan Van Gundy. But Van Gundy eventually turned to them and said something like, "What's the point of calling a play? The Warriors are just going to foul Dwight anyway."</p>
</blockquote>
https://www.sbnation.com/nba/2012/1/13/2704407/dwight-howard-free-throws-stan-van-gundy-orlando-magicTom Ziller2012-01-13T08:18:09-05:002012-01-13T08:18:09-05:00Jason Richardson Injury: X-Rays On Knee Negative, As Magic Hope Guard Suffered Only A Sprain
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/AUXf3CE46xu4pJ-MgxtAvVdAitY=/0x183:500x516/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/5075545/136109723.jpg" />
<figcaption>Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Jason Richardson will have an MRI on his injured left knee on Friday.</p> <p>X-rays on <span>Jason Richardson's</span> sore knee came back negative Thursday night, <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/SpearsNBAYahoo/statuses/157714814527995905" target="_blank">according to Yahoo!'s Marc J. Spears</a>, but the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.orlandopinstripedpost.com/">Orlando Magic</a> guard will undergo an MRI on Friday so that the team can assess the injury. In <a href="http://www.orlandosentinel.com/videogallery/67350231/Sports/Video-Jason-Richardson-talks-about-his-injury-against-Golden-State" target="_blank">comments to Josh Robbin's of the <i>Orlando Sentinel</i></a> after the Magic's Thursday win at the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/">Golden State Warriors</a>, Richardson said he's having trouble pushing off on his left leg. </p>
<p>Richardson injured the knee in the second quarter against Golden State, but came back to play three minutes and change after halftime before sitting for good. Orlando ended up coming back to take a lead late in the first half as the Warriors executed a strategy of intentionally fouling <span>Dwight Howard</span>; the Magic eventually won 117-109.</p>
<p>Richardson, who spent the first six seasons of his career with the Warriors, is averaging 11.1 points on 43.2 percent shooting for the Magic this season. He signed a multi-year deal with the club in the offseason.</p>
<p><i>For more on J-Rich and the Magic, visit <a href="http://www.orlandopinstripedpost.com" target="_blank">Orlando Pinstriped Post</a>.</i></p>
https://www.sbnation.com/nba/2012/1/13/2704405/jason-richardson-injury-mri-knee-orlando-magicTom Ziller2012-01-13T08:01:58-05:002012-01-13T08:01:58-05:00Mark Jackson's Dwight Howard Failure: By The Numbers
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/DZVeAriPWccCRFErxceBxV0sPWY=/0x27:400x294/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47828145/large_sb_nation_final.0.png" />
</figure>
<p>Excluding three and-1 opportunities, <span>Dwight Howard</span> was sent to the line for a pair on 18 possessions during the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/">Golden State Warriors</a>' loss to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.orlandopinstripedpost.com/">Orlando Magic</a> on Thursday. On those trips, Dwight converted 20 free throws, giving him 1.11 points per possession.</p>
<p>Dwight shot 11-21 from the floor and converted one and-1 for 23 points. On those attempts, then, he scored 1.09 points per possession.</p>
<p>The rest of the Magic scored 72 points on 57 possessions, or 1.26 points per possession.</p>
<p>There are three reasons to hack Dwight to the tune of a new free throw attempt record: to force <span>Stan Van Gundy</span> to pull him (Howard played 44 minutes, fail), to lead him to be less effective on the court (Howard scored more efficiently from the line than the floor, fail) and to force the Magic to play keep-away from Dwight and rely on the less talented supporting cast (which was much more effective than Dwight in any way in this game, fail).</p>
<p>Kudos for trying something different; boo for trying something that in no way, shape or form worked.</p>
https://www.sbnation.com/nba/2012/1/13/2704368/dwight-howard-free-throws-mark-jackson-magic-warriorsTom Ziller2012-01-13T01:35:38-05:002012-01-13T01:35:38-05:00Magic Vs. Warriors Final Score: Dwight Howard Shoots 39 Free Throws In 117-109 Win
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/DZVeAriPWccCRFErxceBxV0sPWY=/0x27:400x294/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47828145/large_sb_nation_final.0.png" />
</figure>
<p>Mark Jackson devised some kind of a plan to stop Dwight Howard, and his attempt resulted in a record. Howard broke Wilt Chamberlin's single-game regular season record for free throw attempts with 39 on Thursday night*. Those 39 attempts easily surpassed Chamberlin's previous regular season record of 34 as the Orlando Magic held on for a 117-109 win over the Golden State Warriors.</p>
<p>*Shaquille O'Neal <a target="_blank" href="http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200006090LAL.html">shot 39 free throws in a playoff game in 2000</a>. O'Neal made 18 of those attempts.</p>
<p>The Magic finished on an 8-0 run after the Warriors tied the game at 119 with just under a minute and a half to go. Howard got the scoring barrage started with a lay-in plus the foul, with Von Wafer adding a three and Hedo Turkoglu adding two free throws for good measure to cap the win.</p>
<p>Free throw record or not, Howard had a heck of a game, finishing with a game-high 45 points and 23 rebounds. Following the game, Howard called the fouling strategy "disrespectful," but had no idea how many free throws he'd shot or that he'd set a record. Howard finished shooting 12-21 from the field and 21-39 -- let that sink in one more time: 39 attempts -- from the line. His 23 rebounds nearly doubled the 12 of David Lee, who finished with the second-most in the game.</p>
<p>Monta Ellis led the Warriors with 30 points, followed closely by David Lee's 26. Nate Robinson and Klay Thompson came off the bench to add 14 points apiece in the loss.</p>
<p> </p>
<div class="commentable-body" style="border-image: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: bottom; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; color: #333333; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">
<p style="margin-bottom: 12px; border-image: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: bottom; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; padding: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><i style="border-image: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">For updates and fan analysis of these two teams, visit Magic blog <a href="http://orlandopinstripedpost.com/" style="border-image: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Orlando Pinstriped Post</a> and Warriors blog <a href="http://goldenstateofmind.com/" style="border-image: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;">Golden State of Mind</a>.</i></p>
</div>
<p class="byline" style="border-image: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; vertical-align: bottom; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; color: #777777; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'Liberation Sans', FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: -webkit-auto; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; border: 0px initial initial;"><span style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 8px;"><br></span></p>
https://www.sbnation.com/nba/2012/1/13/2704198/magic-vs-warriors-final-score-dwight-howard-free-throwsBrian Floyd2012-01-12T20:08:43-05:002012-01-12T20:08:43-05:00Magic Vs. Warriors: TV Time, Schedule And More
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/jPQ0vL94x1fvt8sfPCKk31JN3Zo=/0x1:1000x668/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/photo_images/4996680/110255707.jpg" />
<figcaption>Getty Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The 7-3 Magic visit Oakland and the 3-6 Warriors </p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.orlandopinstripedpost.com/">Orlando Magic</a> continue their West Coast swing Thursday night on national television Thursday night as they visit the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/">Golden State Warriors</a>. Fresh off an all-too-close win against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.blazersedge.com/">Portland Trail Blazers</a> in the Rose Garden, the Magic remain one of the hottest teams in the league, despite the trade rumors swirling around their best player, <span>Dwight Howard</span>.</p>
<p>Howard was far from his best against the Blazers last night, scoring only 13 points thanks to 3-12 free throw shooting, but his typically stout defense frustrated the Blazers. He was saved by his teammates' dynamite three-point shooting; they made 16-27, good for a 59.1 percentage.</p>
<p>The Warriors are 3-6, but are fresh off beating the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.hothothoops.com/">Miami Heat</a> in their house Tuesday night, snapping a five-game losing streak after starting the season 2-1. They'll need <span>Andris Biedrins</span> to step up defensively to stop Howard if they're going to start a winning streak.</p>
<p><b>Game Date/Time</b>: Thursday, Jan. 12, 10:30 p.m. ET</p>
<p><b>TV</b>: TNT (National)</p>
<p><i>For updates and fan analysis of these two teams, visit Magic blog <a href="http://orlandopinstripedpost.com">Orlando Pinstriped Post</a> and Warriors blog <a href="http://goldenstateofmind.com">Golden State of Mind</a>.</i></p>
https://www.sbnation.com/nba/2012/1/12/2703508/magic-vs-warriors-2012-schedule-tv-timeEthan Rothstein