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Phoenix Suns agree to Blockbuster deal with Orlando Magic
2011-02-08
Aiming to bolster their chances this season, the Phoenix Suns made their first big move this year when they struck a deal with the re-tooling Orlando Magic squad on Sunday 18 December.
The Suns, who are still in the process of adjusting after losing Amar’e Stoudemire during the offseason, acquired eight-time all-star guard Vince Carter, defensive specialist Mickael Pietrus, center Marcin Gortat, and a first-round draft pick in exchange for Hedo Turkoglu, Jason Richardson, and second-year forward Earl Clark.
“This transaction helps us now and in the future,” Suns President of Basketball Operations Lon Babby said in the team’s official statement. “While it is difficult to see players like Jason, Hedo and Earl depart; we are excited to welcome Vince Carter, Marcin Gortat and Mickael Pietrus. Marcin addresses our need for more size, rebounding and defensive presence. Vince and Mickael will be dynamic in our offense and improve our perimeter defense.”
Although he admitted that trading away Richardson, Turkoglu, and Clark was a difficult decision, Babby believes that the deal would benefit the team and will greatly address their lack of size and their poor defense, which has caused some struggles for them this season.
“Carter and Pietrus give us a great defensive presence on the perimeter and they should be extremely dynamic offensively,” Babby said. “And, of course, I think we all recognize that we had a need here for an increased interior presence, size and rebounding. And Gortat is really someone that we've had our eye on since we got here.”
The deal, which was the first major move made by the Suns new front office tandem of Babby and general manager Lance Blanks, also produced speculations that Phoenix will start revamping their roster and dealing two-time Most Valuable Player Steve Nash would be the next big move that the Suns will look for.
However, Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver reiterated that they have no plans of dealing Nash and they would not even entertain trade proposals for their backcourt general, who is averaging MVP-like numbers this season: 17.5 points and 10.2 assists in 23 games this season.
“This deal has nothing to do with trading Nash,” Sarver said in an ESPN interview. “We have no intention to trade him.”
Orlando Magic general manager Otis Smith, on the other hand, said that the deal would improve their team after struggling this month, dropping six of their last 10 games, while witnessing their Eastern Conference rivals, Miami Heat and Boston Celtics, racked up 12 consecutive wins each.
“We’re very excited to welcome these three players to our family,” Smith said. “Richardson is a tremendous athlete who runs the floor, can shoot the ball and loves to compete. We’re obviously familiar with Hedo. He is a great shooter and is a player that has flourished in our system. We liked Clark in the draft a few years ago, and he will help fortify our frontcourt.”
The Magic also acquired Gilbert Arenas in a separate deal that sent sharp-shooting forward Rashard Lewis to the Washington Wizards, proving that they are dead serious in contending for a title this season.
“We needed a little bit more punch,” general manager Smith said. “All those guys coming in have an ability to move the ball. After looking at our team through 25 games, we were missing a little something. I thought change was needed.”
The Suns and the Magic, who both sit in the middle of the standings of their respective conferences, are expected to improve with the deals that they have made, providing a serious threat to their conference rivals.
After this deal the Magic are +700 to win the Eastern Conference championship according to Sportsbook.com. Are you betting on them? Get over to sportsbook.com and get into the betting action today.
New York Knicks still needs some more firepower2011-02-08The New York Knicks have
Football Live Betting Odds Online Bingo NFL Odds earned respect this season with the arrival and stellar play of Amar’e Stoudemire, but former Knicks superstar John Starks believes that the team needs to add a few more pieces in order to contend for an NBA title.
Starks, who have been a constant follower of the Knicks since he retired, said that the sky is the limit for the team, but the Knicks would be more formidable if they would be able to add two or more solid players in their fold.
“We definitely need a couple more players,” Starks said. “I know there's been talk about certain players coming here and Donnie Walsh understands what it takes in order to put together a championship squad. He did it when he was in Indiana and he's doing a masterful job here in New York.”
Starks, who have been a crowd favorite during his eight seasons with the Knicks from 1990 to 1998, remains confident that Walsh is the right man for the job and he believes that the veteran general manager would be able to build a championship contender like what he did when he was still with the Indiana Pacers. Walsh had a successful stint with the Pacers, putting together a team that reached the 2000 NBA Finals, although they vowed to the Shaquille O’Neal-led Los Angeles Lakers.
“You always have to continue to improve. You can't just sit still in this league and hope for the best,” Starks said. “And what Donnie is trying to do is he's trying to put together that team can definitely get us back to the Finals.”
The Knicks have the ability to add another marquee player in their fold because they are expected to be a huge player when the trade deadline approaches. New York was reportedly Carmelo Anthony’s preferred destination.
The Denver Nuggets forward has been involved in a lot of trade rumors since the off-season, and the Knicks are one of the most aggressive suitors for the superstar forward. The Knicks are willing to unload players other than Stoudemire plus first-round draft picks on order to acquire Anthony.
Although Starks did not directly talked about acquiring Carmelo Anthony, Starks said that acquiring an elite player, while giving up a hefty package of players would be a good gamble depending on the quality of player the Knicks would acquire.
“It's happened before in the past and it worked out,” Starks said. “Depending on what player you're going after and what you have to give up. That's the business that's we're in. You sometimes have to give up a little bit more to get the type of player that you want.”
Starks, who was a member of the Knicks that reached the 1993-94 NBA Finals, also expressed excitement about the renewed hope and energy of the Knicks fans. Starks said that the recent decent showing from the Knicks have brought Madison Square Garden to its status of being the best basketball arena in the World.
“You can see the intensity, the energy that's in the building again and it's just exciting to see the city lit up right now,” Starks said. “Walking down the street yesterday and you can hear the rhetoric about the Knicks now, and you haven't heard that in some years.”
After being a regular cellar-dweller in past few years, the Knicks are on pace to return to the playoffs this season and adding another marquee player like Carmelo Anthony would make them an instant title-contender this season. The Knicks are +900 to win the Eastern Conference championship according to the Basketball Odds at Sportsbook.com the home of NBA betting.
ATLANTA HAWKS (13-8) at ORLANDO MAGIC (15-5)2010-12-06Sportsbook.com using Orlando -6.5 &188
Only eight players were active for the Magic in their 96-85 loss in Milwaukee, as Dwight Howard, Jameer Nelson, J.J. Redick and Mickael Pietrus were home with a stomach virus. Ryan Anderson was also out with a sprained foot. The 11-point loss to the Bucks snapped a six-game winning streak for the Magic.
Howard, Nelson and Pietrus also missed Friday's 104-91 win at Detroit, and they remain day-to-day. Redick missed Friday's game and Tuesday's win over Chicago. Anderson is listed as doubtful for Monday.
Howard won't want to miss his third straight game, especially given his success against the Hawks. He's averaged 22.0 points and 16.8 rebounds against Atlanta the past six meetings and is at 21.3 PPG, 12.1 RPG and 2.4 BPG for the season. In a Nov. 8 home win over the Hawks, 93-89, he scored 27 points and pulled down 11 boards.
The Magic have five players who are scoring in double-digits this season. Vince Carter is second on the team in scoring (15.4 PPG), while Jameer Nelson is third with 14.9 PPG and a team-best 7.1 APG.
Carter scored 19 points against Atlanta in the season's first meeting, hitting 8-of-12 from the field.
The Hawks are having their own health problems as Joe Johnson will remain out for at least a month. Johnson (17.1 PPG, 5.2 APG) is sidelined four-to-six weeks after undergoing arthroscopic elbow surgery this past Thursday. He scored 23 in the early-November loss at Orlando.
The Hawks lost at Miami on Saturday, 89-77, which ended a five-game winning streak and gave them their third road loss in 10 games (7-3 SU and ATS).
Al Horford (16.7 PPG, 9.4 RPG) scored 22 points on 10-of-11 shooting, but the rest of the team was held to 31.9% FG. Horford had 16 points, five rebou*nds and five assists in the first meeting between the two teams.
Johnson and Horford are two of six players who are averaging double-figures in scoring for Atlanta. Josh Smith (14.9 PPG, 8.9 RPG), Jamal Crawford (14.0 PPG), Mike Bibby (10.3 PPG) and Marvin Williams (10.1 PPG) are the other.
The November loss marked Atlanta's sixth straight defeat in Orlando. The Hawks haven't won on the road against the Magic since a 99-85 victory on Oct. 29, 2008. The Magic swept four games from the Hawks in the 2010 playoffs, winning by an average of 25.3 points.
Including this postseason matchup, the Magic are 11-2 SU (10-3 ATS) against the Hawks over the past three seasons.
79% of action at Sportsbook.com is banking that Orlando will continue their success against the Hawks by winning and covering the spread.
Play On - Favorites of 3.5 to 9.5 points (ORLANDO) - off a road loss by 10 points or more, good team, winning 60-75% or more of their games on the season. (239-157 since 1996.) (60.4%, +66.3 units. Rating = 2*).
Ten of the past 13 meetings have finished Under the Total, but this trend thinks the Over.
Play Over - Any team (ORLANDO) - off a road loss against opponent off an embarrassing road loss scoring less than 80 points. (74-36 over the last 5 seasons.) (67.3%, +34.4 units. Rating = 2*).
