JANUARY 29 SHAQ VS. KD
NBA and Magic legend Shaquille O’Neal fumes at Nets superstar Kevin Durant on Twitter, part of an ongoing mini-feud, this time over whether Shaq “knows basketball.”
O’Neal tweeted the following message on Durant: “I don’t know a ball, but I know how to comb my hair or cut myself when I’m bald. I always love THE BUS DRIVER.”
O’Neal’s post is likely in response to Durant recently saying, “Shaquille doesn’t know Ball?” …which probably has to do with Shaq admitting he has no idea who Rui Hachimura is.
durant answered“Damn, I got cooked for asking a simple question.”
Durant and O’Neal have clashed in the past.
And the “bus driver” comment? This comes from Shaq ripping KD up for joining a pre-made Warriors championship team in 2017 and 2018.
It’s weird stuff. But the truth? Shaq “knows ball.” But along with his TNT pal Charles Barkley, that doesn’t mean he bothers even watching the game being shown on his network that night.
JANUARY 26 NBA ALL-STAR STARTERS
Western Conference: LeBron James (Captain), Stephen Curry, Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic, Zion Williamson
Eastern Conference: Giannis Antetokounmpo (Captain), Jayson Tatum, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Donovan Mitchell
23 JAN JONATHAN ISAAC RETURNS
Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac returned to the court Monday night after a 904-day absence.
In front of his home fans, the No. 6 pick in the 2017 draft was greeted with a standing ovation after being sidelined for over two and a half years.
23 JAN RUI HACHIMURA ISSUED TO LAKERS
The NBA trading season has officially started.
Sources say the Washington Wizards are set to sell Rui Hachimura to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Kendrick Nunn and three second-round picks.
In his last game with the Wizards, Hachimura scored 30 points in a win against the Orlando Magic.
JAN 17 CALEB HOUSTAN LEADS LAKELAND MAGIC TO VICTORY
Magic rookie Caleb Houston was reassigned to the G League on Monday to pick up some replays and minutes while Orlando enjoyed a four-day hiatus.
Houston came off the bench and scored 24 points in the team’s 104-100 win over the Sioux Falls Skyforce.
Houston and the Lakeland Magic play again in a rematch with the Skyforce on Thursday.
12 JAN PAOLO AMONG TOP EASTERN FRONT COURT PLAYERS IN ALL-STAR VOTES
Orlando Magic rookie Paolo Banchero is still in the top 10 frontcourt players in the Eastern Conference All-Star voting announced today.
With 341,390 votes, Banchero ranks 8th in the East, just behind Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma.
The NBA will add six frontcourt players to the Eastern Conference, meaning Banchero is poised to make the team. Voting determines only the starters, while coaches and players determine who forms the reserve.
Banchero is averaging 21.2 points and 6.9 rebounds per game this season and is hoping to become the first All-Star rookie since Blake Griffin in 2011.
11 JAN ISAAC RETURNS TO LAKELAND
After missing more than two years through injury, Jonathan Isaac played in a warm-up game with the G-League partner in Lakeland on Wednesday night.
In 24 minutes, Isaac scored 15 points while catching five rebounds.
Isaac will be playing again in Lakeland on Friday and will soon be returning to Orlando.
9 JAN KD SUPPLIES MCL
The Brooklyn Nets will be without their best player for a while.
According to The Athletic, Kevin Durant has sprained his MCL and will be re-examined in two weeks.
According to ESPN, Durant is not expected to be out for more than six weeks.
The Nets currently hold the second-best record in the NBA at 27-13, but that may not be the case if Durant returns.
8 JAN KJ MARTIN TO DUNK COMPETITION
The NBA Dunk Contest field got a little more athletic on Sunday morning.
According to The Athletic, Houston Rockets forward KJ Martin will compete in this year’s dunk contest at All-Star Weekend in Salt Lake City on February 18.
The third-year pro joins Portland Trail Blazers rookie Shaedon Sharpe in the field. The final two candidates should be announced in the coming weeks.
JANUARY 6 WARRIORS BRING BACK ANDRE IGUODALA
The Golden State Warriors are getting a little healthier this weekend. Veteran winger and four-time NBA champion Andre Iguodala will make his season debut against the Orlando Magic on Saturday night.
Iguodala revealed the information on his Point Forward podcast with Evan Turner.
Iguodala is hoping to help the mediocre Warriors, who are just 20-19 after winning the NBA Finals in June.
5. JAN PAOLO AMONG THE BEST ALL-STAR VOICES AT THE EASTERN CONFERENCE
The NBA released its first All-Star voting returns Thursday, and Orlando Magic rookie Paolo Banchero ranks eighth among Eastern Conference frontcourt players.
Banchero’s 212,417 votes rank highest among rookies, but there’s likely no chance he’ll be able to chase down a top four, all of which have over two million votes.
LeBron James and Kevin Durant led their respective conferences as the only players with over three million votes.
3 JAN BOL BOL TO H&S PROTOCOLS
Orlando Magic big man Bol Bol will be away from the team for a period of time after stepping into the league’s health and safety protocols. according to Khobi Price of the Orlando Sentinel.
Bol, 23, is enjoying a breakout season with the Magic, averaging a career-best 12 points per game.
There’s reason to believe this will keep Bol out of Wednesday night’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
2 JAN DONOVAN MITCHELL SCORES 71
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell became the seventh player in NBA history to score more than 70 points in a game as he led his team to an overtime win against the Chicago Bulls.
The last time a player scored 71 points in a game was in 1994, when San Antonio Spurs Hall-of-Famer David Robinson accomplished the feat.
DECEMBER 28 MOE WAGNER, KILLIAN HAYES DISCLAIMED AFTER RABELLE
Just before halftime between the Orlando Magic and Detroit Pistons game on Wednesday night, an argument broke out that resulted in two ejections.
Pistons guard Killian Hayes tried to chase a ball that went into backcourt, but magic center Moe Wagner tried to use his elbow to block it from reaching it.
Wagner moved towards the Pistons bench where words were exchanged and Hayes delivered a punch.
DEC 26 FRANZ WAGNER NOMINATED AS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Orlando Magic winger Franz Wagner received another Eastern Conference Player of the Week nomination.
While the award was eventually presented to Toronto Raptors’ Pascal Siakam and Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic, Wagner was among the finalists for the honor each week.
Wagner was averaging 21.7 points per game this week as the team went 2-1.
DECEMBER 25 LAKERS LOSE ON CHRISTMAS BEFORE MAGIC MATCHUP
The Los Angeles Lakers will travel to Central Florida with a furrowed brow after their fourth straight loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Christmas Day.
The team is struggling tremendously without Anthony Davis in the lineup, and players outside of LeBron James are struggling to produce anything.
The Lakers meet Magic Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Amway Center.
DEC 24 DWIGHT HOWARD JOINS ‘SPECIAL FORCES’
Former Orlando Magic Big Man Dwight Howard is among the celebrities cast in a new show titled Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test.
According to the show’s website, celebrities undergo rigorous training led by an elite team of former Special Forces agents.
The show premieres Wednesday, January 4 at 8 p.m. on FOX.
DECEMBER 19 JOHN COLLINS PLANS TO RETURN VS. MAGIC
The Orlando Magic’s task of continuing their winning streak against the Atlanta Hawks might get a little tougher tonight.
According to ESPN, John Collins is expected to return after spraining his ankle on Nov. 30 against — also against the Magic.
Collins is averaging 12.3 points and 7.5 rebounds per game this season.
18 DEC ANTHONY DAVIS WILL BE OUT FOR A MONTH
According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the Los Angeles Lakers will have to go at least a month without All-Star Anthony Davis.
Davis is enjoying arguably the best season of his career, averaging 27.4 points and 12.1 rebounds for the Lakers this season.
The Lakers are visiting Orlando to play Magic on Tuesday, December 27th.
DEC 17 JAYSON TATUM FROM VS. MAGIC
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Boston Celtics star and MVP candidate Jayson Tatum will not play the Orlando Magic on Sunday due to personal reasons.
Tatum had 31 points and seven rebounds in Friday’s loss to the Magic. He’s averaged 30.2 points per game this season.
DEC 15 STEPHEN CURRY OUT “A FEW WEEKS”
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Golden State Warriors are expected to go “a couple of weeks” without reigning Finals MVP Stephen Curry.
Curry ended Wednesday night’s loss to the Indiana Pacers.
The Orlando Magic take on the Warriors on January 7 in San Francisco, where Curry’s status is up in the air.
DECEMBER 14 RJ HAMPTON TO LAKELAND
Orlando Magic guard RJ Hampton has requested a G League call-up and the team has approved it.
Hampton struggled to see minutes in Orlando, particularly following the return of Markelle Fultz and Cole Anthony from injury.
Hampton is expected to rejoin the team on the road against the Boston Celtics on Sunday.
DEC 4 TRAE YOUNG, NATE MCMILLAN FEET FORMATION?
All-star point guard Trae Young developed a shoulder pain after the Atlanta Hawks defeated the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night.
According to The Athletic, Young and head coach Nate McMillan had an exchange during Friday’s shootaround that resulted in the All-Star missing that night’s game against the Denver Nuggets.
McMillan said Young didn’t play on Friday due to a “misunderstanding” but the two reached an agreement before practice on Sunday. Young attended practice and will play the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday.
Want the latest news and inside information about Magic? Click here.
Follow The Magic Insider on Facebook.
Follow The Magic Insider on Twitter.
Want more Orlando Magic news? Check out the SI.com team page here.