vs.
49-29		19-59
Amway Arena
7:00 PM
Sun Sports
Probable starters:
Jameer Nelson	PG	Randy Foye
Maurice Evans	SG	Marko Jaric
Hedo Turkoglu	SF	Kirk Snyder
Rashard Lewis	PF	Ryan Gomes
Dwight Howard	C	Al Jefferson
Season series:
6 Nov 2007: Magic 111, Timberwolves 103

We should have no trouble with Minnesota at all. The Timberwolves are a decent rebounding team (12th in offensive rebound rate, 15th in defensive rebound rate), but don't do anything else well. They have Al Jefferson, who'd be an All-Star if he played for a team anywhere close to .500. He's one of only four players in the league this year averaging 20 points and 10 rebounds; Dwight Howard, Antawn Jamison, and Carlos Boozer are the others.

Jefferson is a poor defender, though. In an improbable victory over the Suns earlier this year, Jefferson scored 39 points, but allowed Amare Stoudemire to score 33.... on 14-of-16 from the field. Dwight Howard will destroy Jefferson tonight, provided that his teammates do a good enough job of getting him the ball.

They also have free-agent-to-be Ryan Gomes, who can play either forward position and is a solid "glue guy," the kind of role-player I'd like to see us sign this summer. But he told Hoopsworld he wants to stay in Minnesota. What a shame.

I get a feeling like we'll get to see plenty of J.J. Redick, Carlos Arroyo, Pat Garrity, and James Augustine tonight. It's our last game against a Western team, so if there's ever a time to rest the starters, it's tonight.

Go Magic. Get that 50th win, and we can all celebrate with free Dunkin' Donuts Saturday morning.

The Magic appointed Otis Smith and Dave Twardzik co-general managers of the team on June 27th, 2005. Smith was later promoted to general manager, while Twardzik remains in charge of scouting. 3QC examines their draft history.

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Note: The Magic also bought the rights to Marcin Gortat, whom the Phoenix Suns selected with the 57th overall pick in this draft.

Essentially, the Magic spent four draft picks on four players who have played a combined 49 games over two-plus seasons. Only one -- Gortat -- is still with the team, although it still has the rights to Vazquez. This draft probably could not have been worse for Orlando. Grade: F

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Redick at least practices hard, but his poor defense has kept him on the bench behind Keith Bogans, Keyon Dooling, and Maurice Evans. Augustine had value last week as an expiring contract, but the Magic didn't trade him. Still, the fact that Redick at least has potential makes this draft look a little better than the previous one. Grade: D

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Note: The Magic were without their first-round pick because they sent it to Detroit as part of the trade that brought Carlos Arroyo and Darko Milicic to Orlando; Detroit used that pick on Rodney Stuckey. Additionally, the Magic sold another second-round pick, 54th overall, to Houston, which drafted Brad Newley.

The Magic have literally nothing to show from this draft, but that's actually not so bad. Otis Smith knew his team would be strapped for cash after signing a premiere free-agent, which Smith did just days later, when he reached a sign-and-trade agreement with the Seattle SuperSonics, who sent Rashard Lewis to Orlando. Still, the other teams in the division got an infusion of young talent (Atlanta: Al Horford; Charlotte: Brandan Wright, used to obtain Jason Richardson; Miami: Daequan Cook; Washington: Nick Young), while the Magic stayed the same. Still, the view from atop the Southeast sure is nice... Grade: C-

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Smith and Twardzik have presided over three drafts for the Magic, yet have have not improved the team at all. Imagine Monta Ellis throwing lobs to Dwight Howard on fast-breaks, or Paul Millsap hauling down some much-needed offensive boards. To be fair, plenty of teams passed on those players, but the fact remains: the draft is a viable way for teams to acquire young talent. For Smith and Twardzik to fail this miserably, year-after-year, is unacceptable.

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Stay tuned for more evaluations of Otis Smith's tenure as Orlando Magic general manager.

• Scoop of the Day goes to John Denton, who reports that Otis Smith has denied, and will continue to deny, requests from J.J. Redick's representatives to trade him. Here's my favorite part of the piece:

  "We know that he can play, but as with a lot of young guys he just has to be patient," said Smith, who drafted Redick 11th overall in the 2006 NBA Draft. "If I trade him and he goes somewhere else and plays well, then what?"

  Then, Otis, you'll look like a moron. Smith points out that Redick could move up on the depth chart this summer, and Keyon Dooling's and Maurice Evans' contracts will expire and Keith Bogans' will have a player option. I can't imagine the Magic letting Dooling go, and Bogans would be foolish to opt-out -- there's no way he'd get better money than the $2.9 million he's slated to earn next year -- so J.J. is probably stuck.

• Up in the diaries today: my Eastern Conference All-Star Reserve ballot. Spoiler alert: Hedo didn't make the cut. Sorry, Turk.
• John Hollinger has his All-Sleeper team roster up at ESPN Insider - click over there now, because it's only free to view today. No Magic players are mentioned, but there is someone on there who could help us: Ryan Gomes. Hollinger notes that he's averaged 15.5 points and 6.4 rebounds in 2008. I'd take that -- Hell, I'd take 10-and-5 -- from a backup power forward, wouldn't you? He'll be a restricted free agent this summer. If the Timberwolves are nuts about him, they'll match almost any offer another team makes to Gomes. I'd say he's worth the mid-level exception.
• UPDATE: Brian Schmitz reports the Magic are not interested in signing Damon Stoudamire. An ESPN.com report late last night stated the Magic were one of several teams who had contacted the recently bought-out, veteran point guard.

	vs.
0-2		2-1
Target Center
8:00 PM
Probable starters:
Sebastian Telfair	PG	Jameer Nelson
Rashad McCants	SG	Keith Bogans
Ryan Gomes	SF	Hedo Turkoglu
Al Jefferson	PF	Rashard Lewis
Theo Ratliff	C	Dwight Howard

25 words or fewer:The Magic travel to Minnesota to face a Timberwolves team that has yet to win a game this season.

Know your enemy: The 'Wolves remained competitive with the Knicks on Sunday, but wound up losing 97-93. Newly-acquired Antoine Walker missed what would have been the game-tying three-pointer for Minnesota. Zach Randolph hit a free throw to secure the final margin.

Useless information: Only five players from last year's Wolves team -- Randy Foye, Marko Jaric, Rashad McCants, Mark Madsen, and Craig Smith -- remain on this year's squad.

Bullet points:

• Tonight's game is on Sun Sports, so Bright House customers in Orlando should be able to see it.
• Here's an old Bill Simmons column in which the Sports Guy argues that Al Jefferson is better than Dwight Howard. Question: had Jefferson played for Minnesota last season, instead of for Simmons' native Boston, would Simmons have taken up this fight?
• Rumor has it that Michael Doleac, whom the Timberwolves recently acquired from Miami in the Ricky Davis trade, may end up playing for the Magic this season.
• I'd like to forget this overtime loss to the Timberwolves from last season, but I just cant. Trailing by one point in the last few seconds of overtime, Jameer Nelson drives into the lane, floats up a shot... and has it swatted by Kevin Garnett. Hey, I like Jameer, but shouldn't he have known that Ticket was gonna be there to reject that shot? Ugly.
• In two games against Minnesota last season, Rashard Lewis averaged 28.5 points on 37.5% shooting. He's been a dead-eye shooter so far this season -- 56% shooting from a wing player?! -- so let's hope he doesn't revert back to his less-than-accurate ways.
• I really dig this Timberwolves blog. How the heck did they get the 'Wolves' jersey font onto their computer? As the late Mitch Hedberg might have said, "That's f---in' magical." No pun intended

Pre-game, in-game, and post-game comments go here. As usual, I'll have a wrap-up posted shortly after the conclusion of the game.