Magic SG Mickael Pietrus said Saturday before the club faced the Denver Nuggets that he expects to get his cast removed on his right hand Monday.
Pietrus has missed the past 10 games after sustaining a fractured wrist, his second major injury of the season. He said he had no idea when he would return to the court, but added, "I have no pain. I can move it and it feels fine." Pietrus missed 10 games after tearing a ligament in his right thumb in late November. He signed with the Magic as a free agent last summer, but has played just 20 games of Orlando's 41 games, starting 15.
"I feel like my career in Orlando has not really started. I want to get going," he said.
Pietrus earned the starting job heading into the season, but rookie Courtney Lee currently is in the lineup, making his seventh start against the Nuggets.
Just a crazy night
Coach Stan Van Gundy was elated that the Magic pulled out a game Friday night against the Lakers in Los Angeles, but the route Orlando took to secure the victory puzzled him. The Magic dominated the Lakers on the boards 54-40, and several hit on the floor as players watched.
"I thought there were three or four long rebounds where the ball bounced and we had a pocket of like three guys and nobody went and grabbed the ball," he said. "I mean, it was crazy. We did some crazy things on the boards.
"We don't get a [missed] free-throw rebound and Lamar [Odom] ends up with two free throws [after being fouled]."
Etc.
Magic General Manager Otis Smith left the road trip before the game against the Lakers, returning to Orlando after learning of a death of a relative. . . . C Dwight Howard's 20-rebound game against L.A. reflected poorly on Lakers C Andrew Bynum. "It doesn't make sense," L.A. Coach Phil Jackson said. "If Howard gets eight offensive rebounds and he's going to the Basketball all the time, he is going to be around the basket. Then Andrew should somewhat compete at least at that level rebounding-wise." Bynum finished with just three rebounds. . . . The Magic do not play again until their matchup with the Boston Celtics on Thursday at Amway Arena. Doc Rivers and the defending champs face the Phoenix Suns on Monday at home and the Heat in Miami on Wednesday before coming to Orlando.
