In support of my Orlando Magic teammates, I will be Tweeting through tonight’s game. You can follow my tweets and talk about game 6 in my blog’s first official live blog. Go Magic!
Archive for April, 2009
GAME SIX LIVE BLOG
Thursday, April 30th, 2009
THOUGHTS ABOUT THE SUSPENSION
Thursday, April 30th, 2009Well, I’m out of Game 6 tonight in Philly and there’s nothing I can do now but respect the NBA’s decision. I didn’t intend to hurt anyone, but there is a lot more pushing, grabbing and holding and elbowing that goes on down there in the paint than people realize.
It’s going to kill me tonight to not be able to be out there with my teammates for a big game like this. But I have complete faith in them that they can come out and get the job done without me.
When I missed those two games back in December (the first two I had ever missed in my NBA career, I might add), we won in Utah and in Golden State. Our other bigs, like Marcin and Tony, will step up tonight. They can get the job done for us in the middle. They will protect the paint, grab some rebounds and score when they get their chances.
As for me, since I’m not allowed to be at the game, I’ll be watching the game at the hotel. I have a lot of family and friends in town, so we’re going to have a little viewing party. I’m going to hate not being there with my guys, but I will be rooting hard for the team.
I’ll learn from this incident and be a better player because of it. I know that the Philly big men are trying to get into my head and make me do something stupid. I just have to keep my cool and play through it. I’ll learn from this.
Go Magic!!!
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IT’S BEEN A PHYSICAL SERIES
Wednesday, April 29th, 2009I sure hope there isn’t a suspension after what happened between me and Sam Dalembert in the first quarter of Tuesday’s game. It isn’t like I’m out there trying to hurt anybody. I think everybody knows how I play basketball. I’m just out there trying to win. That’s got to be taken into consideration.
I think when the league looks at the total picture of what’s happened throughout this series that they will understand it’s a physical game down in the paint. Really, it’s been a dogfight down there the whole series. All I can do now is hope for the best, but I think it will be all good.
Philly big man Reggie Evans even came up to me at the end of the game and said he was going to ask his G.M. to not go to the league about trying to get me suspended. I appreciate that from Reggie. Hopefully it will all work out for the best and I’ll be out there ballin’ for Game 6 on Thursday in Philly.
As for the Sixers complaining about me being in the lane too long on both ends of the floor, why are they just now bringing that up?
Before last night’s Game 5, the series was tied 2-2, so I don’t think there’s been an advantage of me being in the paint. I’ve been doing the same thing the whole series. I’m not going out there and complaining about anything, so I don’t think they should be complaining. Truthfully, I don’t think I’ve been in the paint too long and I’m not going to change anything now.
What upset me the most on Tuesday was accidentally hurting my man, C-Lee. I just went up for the block and when I came down I guess my elbow got Courtney across the face. I heard the whole thing happen and it really upset me because we need Courtney out there and he’s been playing so well.
I went and saw him in the hospital after the game and he’s doing OK. We don’t know if he will be able to play on Thursday, but we just want him to get back healthy.
More coming later today or tomorrow from Philly. I’m out. Go Magic!
D-12
Fans: Be sure to check out Dwight on Twitter and Facebook.
YOU GOTTA PUT IN THE WORK
Tuesday, April 28th, 2009Parents and young ballers ask me all the time to give them advice on how to get to the NBA, and I always tell them the same thing: As a basketball player who wants to be great, you have to live in the gym.
Every since the playoffs started, I’ve been going back to the gym at night to work on my free throws and get up some extra shots. And so far, I’ve been able to see the benefits of putting in all the extra work.
My percentage on my free throws is pretty good through the first four games of this series against Philly. In the playoffs, one or two points can make all the difference in winning or losing and that’s why I’m so locked in on trying to hit all of my free throws.
Hitting those two free throws at the end of Game 3 to tie it up was like a dream come true for me. Every athlete, especially big men like me, dream of going up there and winning a game at the line and quieting the crowd. To me, it’s actually easier to shoot free throws on the road than at home where it’s quiet.
On the nights that we have off I’ve been going to the gym, working on shooting 300 free throws and trying to build my confidence. Me and my friends go up there and somebody takes a count of how many I make. I’m really locked in on what I need to do to get better. I turn the music on and just shoot free throws for a couple of hours.
Even when I’m missing now, my shot looks the same, and that’s important. I’m not changing my shot, I’m not rushing at all. It’s been so unbelievable seeing myself shoot them better and I’ve been hitting them most of them. I’m getting a lot of reps and it’s paying off for me.
So let this be a lesson to all of you kids out there who are dreaming of someday playing in the NBA. You have to live in the gym and work on your game if you want to be the best. I know that has helped me in these playoffs.
Peace out. — DWIGHT
Fans: Be sure to check out Dwight on Twitter and Facebook.
NOW IT’S A NEW SERIES
Monday, April 27th, 2009I gotta admit that I closed my eyes when Hedo Turkoglu got the ball and I was just praying that he made that shot at the end Sunday night. I trusted Hedo with the ball and he made an unbelievable play.
Coach Van Gundy drew up a great play. He thought about it for about a minute and I said, `Yo, coach we need a great play.’ He thought about it, thought about it and drew up a play for Turk. We all had confidence in Turk. After Dalembert had that tip-in our spirits didn’t get down. Coach drew up a great play and Turk made a great play.
You look at the numbers on the stat sheet and some of the guys who haven’t been playing so well for us had big games. We never lost faith in guys and that’s just going to build our confide nce through the rest of the series.
I’ve been telling everybody for a while now that Philly ain’t now joke. It’s been tough for us and we’ve had to fight the whole series. Philly won’t go away, but I feel good about our chances now. In Game 5, we’re going home, and we have to play with great effort and get another win.
The three days in Philadelphia were tough ones for us. My mind is always on the series – as soon as I wake up, all throughout the day and when I go to bed at night. In my downtime, when I’m not sleeping, I’m thinking about how can I score and make my free throws and about being aggressive.
My thing is the 76ers are trying to end our series, end our season and want us to go home early and I just don’t want that. Sometimes we don’t play as well as we need to, but if we’ll step it up I like our chances. We have to understand that every moment it counts.
–D 12
Fans: Be sure to check out Dwight on Twitter and Facebook.
