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Welcome to The Day After, when the irony level is at its highest. This was supposed to a day of awkward celebration, when the Nets new center would play his first game against his old teammates in an arena he helped build. Well,it's still awkward but there's no celebration. Dwight Howard ruined the Nets' season and now he's looking to make it worse. Expect the snark factor to be as high as the irony should the Nets fall behind.
The Nets, rightly or wrongly, did everything they could to welcome the five-time All-Star, refusing to sign players to long-term contracts that might interfere with their plan to find room for him, slyly using him in promotional material for Barclays Center, basically placing all their hope and faith in him. Then at the last minute, they watched helplessly as he backed out of a planned partnership...jilted, abandoned, same old Nets.
The Nets go into Orlando ill-equipped to battle Howard and the Magic Friday. Deron Williams is day-to-day. Brook Lopez is a week away from re-evaluation of his sprained ankle and Gerald Wallace, the tough, no-nonsense forward who became the Nets consolation prize, won't be available until Saturday vs. the Hornets. The Magic, of course, have been on a roll, winning three of their last four, with wins against the Pacers, Bulls, Heat as well as the Nets front office.
- New Jersey Nets Game Notes - New Jersey Nets
- Orlando Magic Game Notes - Orlando Magic
- Getting Inside - New Jersey Nets - Sports Xchange
- Getting Inside - Orlando Magic - Sports Xchange
- Nets-Magic Preview - Jeff Bartl - Stats LLC
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Wallace deal could cost Nets in the long run - John Schuhmann - NBA.com
- In Dwight Howard fiasco, everyone comes out a loser - Dave D'Alessandro - Star-Ledger
- Nets lose out on Howard, deal for Blazers’ Wallace - Fred Kerber - New York Post
- Dwight Howard’s magic act with Orlando Magic - Peter Vecsey - New York Post
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Nets Get 'The Indecision" from Dwight Coward - Stefan Bondy - New York Daily News
- Nets up next: at Magic - Andy Vasquez - The Record
- Howard's loyalty to Magic debatable, but at least he stands up for himself - Ken Berger - CBS Sports
- Dwight Howard's wishy-washy action show he's far from a Man of Steel - Mark Kriegel - FOX Sports
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Gerald Wallace Acquisition Risky for Nets? - HoopsWorld
- Dwight Howard keeping his talents in Orlando - Mike Bianchi - Orlando Sentinel
- Dwight Howard staying - Josh Robbins - Orlando Sentinel
- Dwight Howard too 'loyal' to leave now - Brian Schmitz - Orlando Sentinel
- Schmitz’ Take: Dwight called “Dwight Coward” in New York - - Brian Schmitz - Orlando Sentinel