Magic coach Steve Clifford was at practice with his team yesterday after a health scare Friday night in Minnesota, writes Jenny Dial Creech of The Athletic. Clifford had to leave the game against the Timberwolves in the third quarter after feeling dizzy. He was taken to a local hospital and diagnosed with dehydration.
“I’ve been sick for a few days and I realize now that I didn’t eat at all (Friday),” Clifford explained. “I started to get busy with the game and then when it was going on, I was OK. Then it just got really bad and I knew I needed to leave. Once I got on an IV at the hospital, I started to feel better.”
Health is a constant concern for the 58-year-old, who underwent heart surgery in 2013 and took a leave from coaching in 2017, citing severe exhaustion. He said he got plenty of messages from players and coaches Friday night, including a “stern lecture” from Stan Van Gundy.
There’s more from the Southeast Division:
- Vince Carter is receiving farewells around the league during his final NBA season, but the Hawks‘ veteran said last night’s tribute in Memphis was special, relays Evan Barnes of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. Carter spent three seasons with the Grizzlies and reached the playoffs each year. “It was a great time in my career. This city is different than a lot of places that I’ve been” he said. “They really embrace the players and what they tried to do with the Grit and Grind mentality is a staple not just on the floor but in the city.”
- Heat forward Jae Crowder has been placed in the NBA’s concussion protocol after colliding with Zion Williamson during Friday’s game with the Pelicans, tweets Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. Crowder has been a valuable addition to Miami since being acquired at the trade deadline, averaging 12.3 points and 5.5 rebounds in 12 games.
- Wizards coach Scott Brooks wants newly acquired guard Jerome Robinson to be more aggressive in getting shots up, writes Fred Katz of The Athletic. Robinson has started the past two games and Brooks believes he will make better decisions as he gets more minutes. “(The Clippers) are a playoff team last year and a championship (contending) team this year,” Brooks said. “So he wasn’t getting a lot of playing time. … They’re a veteran team, so they probably weren’t practicing a lot. So he’s just getting some rhythm now. I don’t know where it’s gonna end up. I’m looking forward to keeping working with him and seeing where he gets to the rest of the season.”
Magic are an odd team. They aren’t exactly rebuilding well and aren’t exactly competing much in an easier Western Conference.
Steve Clifford is a below average coach, he loses more than he wins, and in his 6 now 7 seasons in the league as a head coach he’s made the playoffs three times and never made it out of the first round.
They have young players like Bamba (stuck behind Vuve), Issacs and Fultz who look alright and then decent players like Vuve and Gordon but neither are really all stars (yes Vuve was 1 year but who cares).
They have Aminu who is injured and plays as what a 3rd option PF? And Terrance Ross who is hot and cold as a nice sixth man.
What are they doing and where are they going?
Either go for commitment win mode and get someone like DeMare DeRozan and trade out Aaron Gordon for a real SF. Or commit to a rebuild in which case trade Vuve and Gordon and bring in some scorers
They looked pretty good against Houston tonight, but it’s probably more a case of the Rockets just sucking. As in Houston, we have a problem….
IMO Houston’s 2 problems are that Harden has drop massively since Xmas, Houston can’t win consistently if Harden is not playing great night in night out, he was averaging almost 40 a night, what happened to him?
The second is they really missing a healthy Capela, without him or any center you can’t win regularly in the league.
Would actually like to see the Rockets just get a couple three point shooting bigs. Just to stand in the corner on offence and hopefully help rebound and block shots on defence.
Dwayne Dedmon, Aaron Baynes, Myles Turner, Serge Ibaka and Myers Leonard would all be fine.
Even Kennith Faried off the bench would be nice.
What I believe would be ideal and achievable is Olynyk. Pj type contract, same role, high energy, shooting, rebounds, passing, general glue guy.
They might have to start green and move house to the bench.
I might be wrong, but vs Boston Harden wound up playing a lot of interior defense, and he did not look enthusiastic about it. He calculates, and may prefer a bigman be present if/when he bails out of a drive. No 5, no drive; Bottleneck, discouragement. But that was 4 losses ago, and Harden’s shooting has declined for longer.
Magic stifled both Rocket guards and Aaron Gordon was said to be confident with no 5 and he did a job on Russ.
Not all the teams can win or tank, you need middle class teams too, Vucevic is a phenomenal center, hence why Bamba hasn’t got more playing time, Gordon is below average that’s true.
I wouldn’t say phenomenal. He’s above average but not all star level.
What is the point in being middle class?
Look at the other middle class ish teams the Spurs, Pelicans, Blazers, Bulls, Hawks and so on. They are either going places or have consistently been competing in the past.
Being happy with no all stars, a first round exit if your lucky and not going anywhere isn’t a good situation.
Just look at the players they have let leave, Dwight, Oladipo, Tobias Harris, Damontas Sabonis and JJ Reddick come to mind.
What I believe would be ideal and achievable is Olynyk. Pj type contract, same role, high energy, shooting, rebounds, passing, general glue guy.