A Magic Night, But Not For The Kings

Went to my first Kings game of the season last night, seeing first-hand for the first time the stunning sight of an Arco Arena barely 2/3 full.

The early highlight of the evening was an overheard conversation from the couple behind us, a guy who is clearly a fan and a co-worker who sounded as if she was also attending her first game of the year. It went something like this:

"We're really not that far off...all we need is a strong center, and a power forward...

...we could probably also use a better point guard...

...and a shooter, and maybe a Doug Christie type.

Well, there you have it in a nutshell - Geoff Petrie, you have your marching orders!

This edition of the Kings is obviously going nowhere, though I suspect they're better than their record (how could you not be?).

But we did witness NBA history last night, as the Orlando Magic set an NBA record for the most 3-point shots made in a game: 23. It really was amazing - they were 14/19 in the first half, and I don't think they missed one the entire third quarter.

And I haven't been paying a lot of attention to the NBA this year, so I hadn't really noticed that Orlando has suddenly become an elite team. Dwight Howard, simply put, is a stud - he's a presence in the paint, he can help guard the point, he's got a nifty little hook shot, and - news flash! - he's a big man who can make free throws. With last night's win the Magic are now 31-9, and along with Boston and Cleveland, clearly an Eastern Conference championship contender. I think I've found the team to root for once the playoffs roll along, since they're bound to be an underdog to both the Celtics and Cavaliers.

Oh, and they also have Hedo Torkoglu, a reminder of the Kings glory days, shown above shooting free throws in the second half (taken with my trusty Blackberry).