Hooped Up

Another van glorious season of NBA basketball is about to begin and Hooped Up does a quick and dirty preview of all 30 clubs.

The Orlando Magic made it to the top of the NBA mountain last season and in the end, they lost to a much better Los Angeles Lakers club. This year, they’ll attempt the same ascent with Vince Carter, but will that be enough for them to get past the vastly improved Celtics and Cavs this time around in the east. Read More »

One of Mickael Pietrus’ best dunks from last season lives on in an Internet video clip and in the pain he still feels in his right wrist. The highlight-reel play occurred last December against the Detroit Pistons. Pietrus dribbled across the lane, elevated off his right foot and slammed the ball home left-handed. “Check it out on YouTube!” Pietrus said recently, grinning. “It was nice.” Nice, yes. But costly, too. Pietrus collided with Detroit’s Jason Maxiell and tumbled to the floor, bracing himself with his right hand. Pietrus fractured his shooting wrist. The wrist still hurts, though you wouldn’t know it by how he’s performed this preseason. Pietrus is excelling despite the pain, just as he did in last year’s playoffs.

Refesh your memory of this dunk, after the jump.

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The NBA on Friday quickly completed its review of Mickael Pietrus’ two-handed shove into Pau Gasol’s back in the final seconds of Game 4 of the NBA Finals and ruled that no further action will be taken against the Orlando Magic swingman.

A next-day video review of the play was automatic because Pietrus’ shove was deemed a flagrant foul, with league rules mandating that all flagrants are subject to review for possible fine, suspension or reclassification.

Although it was initially believed that the Frenchman was at risk for nothing worse than a fine, Pietrus’ foul — the first flagrant foul of the NBA Finals — could have resulted in a suspension for Sunday’s Game 5 in the worst-case scenario.

ESPN

Kobe Bryant wasn’t in the mood for taking prisoners in Game 1 and the Magic had no chance with Kobe Bryant on his superstar grind. Bryant dropped 40 points, 8 assist, 8 rebounds and got up in that @ss and spray painted on the walls leading the Lakers to a 100 – 75 victory.

Pau Gasol finished with 16 points, 8 rebounds and 2 blocks. While Lamar Odom controlled the glass with 14 rebounds and 11 coming off the bench.

Life in he paint was difficult for Dwight Howard all night as the Lakers frontline helped him finish the night 1-6 from the field with 12 points, 15 rebounds and 10 – 16 from the charity stripe. Although he was abused by Bryant most of the night Mickael Pietrus finished with a team high 14 points. In a surprise move by Stan Van Gundy, fresh off injury Jameer Nelson played 23:28 minutes finishing with 6 points and 4 assist.

My prediction for the Magic in game 2 —  pain!

Game 2 happens Sunday.

Highlights after the jump.

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Orlando Magic guard Mickael Pietrus has been in Kobe Bryant’s shoes this season. But now that he’ll have to help defend the Lakers star in the NBA Finals, he’s getting out.

Pietrus, a shooting guard who also helped defend LeBron James in the Eastern Conference finals, has worn a pair of basketball sneakers endorsed by Bryant during games this season, the Orlando Sentinel reported.

But now that the Magic are facing the Lakers in the NBA Finals, which start Thursday (ABC, 8:30 p.m. ET), Pietrus is ditching his Kobe kicks for something a little more old school, according to the report.

ESPN

Mickael Pietrus was supposed to have a break out season after he left the Warriors to join the Magic, but now he’s out indefinitely with a broken wrist .

“The Orlando Magic escaped significant injuries last season, but the hits just keep coming this year. The Magic learned Tuesday that shooting guard Mickael Pietrus will be out indefinitely after an MRI revealed he has a fractured right wrist. Pietrus fell hard after making a dunk in the second quarter against the Detroit Pistons on Monday night, bracing himself with his right arm for the landing. He did not return.”

Orlando Sentinel

Wolves guard Randy Foye and assistant coach Ed Pinckney are in Turkey taking part in the NBA’s Basketball without Borders program, promoting education and health among Turkish youth.

Foye and Pinckney joined Turkish natives Mehmet Okur and Hedo Turkoglu, in addition to Bruce Bowen, David Lee and Mickael Pietrus to participate in NBA Cares events throughout Istanbul. NBA.com kept track of several days of events, which we’ll include below:

NBA Supports Turkish Youth/Family Development
Led by Turkish natives Mehmet Okur of the Utah Jazz and Hedo Turkoglu of the Orlando Magic, Basketball without Borders Europe will continue to use the platform of sport to promote education and health among youth with three NBA Cares events, the National Basketball Association (NBA), the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and Turkish Basketball Federation (TBF) announced today.

NBA

Warriors forward Mickael Pietrus spent much of this summer waiting for a trade that would deliver him from Oakland. It didn’t happen, obviously, but beginning this week, that possibility will be once again in play. After signing Pietrus to a one-year qualifying offer worth $3.47 million, the Warriors have been prohibited from dealing him for three months — a limitation that ends Tuesday.

Contra Costa Times