http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/orl-bk-magic-031805,1,1540441.story?coll=orl-sports-headlines SEATTLE -- Saying the Orlando Magic need to make "dramatic changes," Coach Chris Jent didn't waste any time, changing the club's starting line-up in his debut tonight against the Seattle SuperSonics. Jent returned shooting guard Steve Francis to point guard and promoted reserve DeShawn Stevenson to shooting guard, moving rookie point guard Jameer Nelson back to the bench in the shake-up. Jent told the Sentinel that the only regulars in the starting line-up, barring injuries, would be Francis, small forward Grant Hill and power forward Dwight Howard. He said the shooting guard and center positions will be evaluated on a game-to-game basis, likely according to performance or match-ups with opponents. The genesis of the changes comes about because the Magic have been fading in the playoff chase and are running out of season. Jent said he might start Nelson against the Portland Trail Blazes on Saturday to match him up with Sebastian Telfair, a smaller, quicker player like Nelson. That would move Francis back to shooting guard. "I'm going game to game," said Jent, who replaced Johnny Davis as head coach on an interim basis Thursday. "We have 18 games left. In a traditional season, this (philosophy) would not be the case." Kelvin Cato has been starting at center, but he will now compete with Tony Battie. Stevenson's spot could be taken by Francis or veteran Stacey Augmon. Jent said he made the changes in an effort to stop a recent slide - the Magic had lost six consecutive games before facing Seattle - and help the team get off to better starts. Jent had said Thursday morning at the team hotel in Los Angeles that he would not change the line-up immediately. But he decided to switch Francis on Thursday night in Seattle after watching film of Orlando's win over Seattle Jan. 5 and considering Francis' recent struggles. Heading into Friday's game, the Magic were 3-8 since Nelson was moved to the starting point-guard spot. Francis was moved to shooting guard Feb. 26 in a game at Miami. "We're trying to free up Steve. Jammer has played great as a starter, but we're trying to get some pop off the bench since we've struggled late in quarters," Jent said. "This will allow Steve to get the ball in his hands and get him in some type of rhythm rather than funneling the ball through other players. Maybe it will ignite his game." Francis was switched the first time to improve ball movement because he tends to over-dribble and is error-prone. Stevenson made just his 11th start of the season, and played in just his 40th game. "It's no knock on any one on the floor, but we're looking for a different chemistry and we wanted to reincorporate DeShawn into our picture," Jent said. "We need another 2 or a 3 that's an active athlete and aggressive defender. "DeShawn fits that bill." Brian Schmitz can be reached at bschmitz@orlandosentinel.com.
"Reaching Francis has been a huge breakthrough for Weisbrod and Davis. The Rockets couldn't do it. They've improved the club by rocking Francis' world, moving him to shooting guard after trading his best friend, Cuttino Mobley, for Doug Christie." - Brian Schmitz, Orlando Sentinel
First, the wanted to free Francis to do more offensive things, so they took the ball out of his hands. Now they want to free him, so they are putting the ball back into his hands? This sounds like a desperation move to appease Francis, who probably wasn't happy with the original switch. I feel bad for Jameer Nelson, he's been playing great since named a starter, and is already a better passer and shooter than Francis.
Don't know why they switced him in the first place! Probably too late to save a playoff spot though, unless Francis wakes up. Looks like he did for at least a quarter in Seattle, 8-2-2 in the first quarter, Magic 22 Soncis 21.
i was going to say, i thought it was a "birdie" for weisbrod to move francis to 2 guard (and apparently making the trade to do it was a birdie as well). i guess 3-8 is a birdie for weisbrod these days.
so the 3-8 record is Francis's Fault and the record before it . . well . .that was all Hill? Rocket River is it possible the team is better with Francis at the 1 than at the 2?
I think it's more likely the team was better with Cuttino at the 2 than Francis at the 2. Jameer is a better 1 than Francis, but Francis is such a poor substitute at the 2, that they really don't win either way. The team would have been better off trading Francis and not Mobley. And the fact that Grant Hill missed 3 of their last 7 games and has become fairly banged up of late is probably a much larger factor than whatever position Francis is playing.
