Orlando Magic News & Notes: Otis Smith Is Confident, Howard Back To The Olympics

Yardbarker.com

Magic General Manager Otis Smith remains confident in his team, saying the Magic can make the finals.

The Magic haven’t taken part in a competitive game since camp began, all their games lopsided one way or the other, speaking of the Miami Heat.

“I’m not overly concerned about that loss,” Magic General Manager Otis Smith said.

Strangely, Smith said he could see it coming, given the Magic were on a back-to-back, had rolled through the preseason and were the Heat’s guest on an emotional opening night.

Smith went on to say that the Magic have never had a guy who could consistently create his own shot.

Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel has that story here.

This dog has Dwight Howard’s superman skill.

Dwight Howard is heading back to the olympics in 2012.

Jack Jensen of Dime Magazine has an interesting story on Howard.

It’s something that Howard has continually developed and improved upon since coming into the NBA as a rookie. Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy, often Dwight’s toughest critic, also sees his potential to captain the ship.

“I thought particularly the last three games in the Boston series (2010 conference finals), I thought he grew in terms of understanding even more fully what he needs to do as a leader in terms of setting the example and trying to bring other people up,” says Van Gundy. “I thought that was probably the most promising thing.”

Dwight averaged 27 points, 12.6 rebounds and 3.3 blocks while hitting over 60 percent from the field in those three games. Orlando won the first two to avoid elimination, but lost Game Six on Boston’s floor to end their season.

“I just think it’s going to all fall on me, you know, fall on my shoulders,” says Howard. “We can win multiple championships. Like I said, it all starts and finishes with the leader and I’m the leader of the team and I have to take responsibility for everything that happens.”

You can read that story here.

(Andrew Melnick is Howard the Dunk’s lead blogger, a contributor on the Fansided Front Page, and co-host of CB Sports Radio from 5-7 pm week days (1420sports.com). Subscribe to his RSS feed, add him on Facebook and follow him on Twitter to follow him daily. You can download the HTD app here).