Dwight Howard (photo. Mannion)

For a team that’s already locked up homecourt advantage for at least the first round of the playoffs and can’t move up or down in the seeding, you wouldn’t think the Orlando Magic consider any of these last two regular season games a must-win; especially tonight’s game in Milwaukee against the Lottery-bound Bucks.

But after dropping three of their last four — with that lone win being a down-to-the-wire effort against the Grizzlies — Dwight Howard is worried about his team stumbling into the playoffs. Especially when it’s possible Orlando could draw the surging Bulls, who have won 11 of their last 14. (Chicago is currently tied with Philly for the sixth seed.) Orlando Sentinel writer Brian Schmitz describes the Magic as “worn mentally and physically,” and notes the team’s sense of desperation in today’s paper:

“I don’t know what to call this,” center Dwight Howard said of the team’s play before labeling it “a little funk. I just know we have to get out of it soon or we are going to be in trouble come playoff time. We have to do something about this.”

Howard didn’t do much about it in New Jersey, scoring just seven points and adding eight rebounds. He played only 26 minutes, however, as (Stan) Van Gundy tried to give key players a breather.

Van Gundy is in a tough spot. He wants his club to recapture its mojo — not to mention its offensive and defensive prowess — while also trying to monitor his starters’ minutes.

Asked after the loss to the Nets how he could accomplish both tasks, he said, “It doesn’t matter. We didn’t have a single guy play well. They’re doing a terrible job. I’m doing a terrible job.”

It doesn’t help that Hedo Turkoglu turned his ankle in the New Jersey game, or that Rashard Lewis has been nursing a knee injury.

Howard is healthy, but he’s been off in this four-game stretch, which started the game after he’d posted 21 points and 23 boards in a win over Atlanta. Including a loss to Houston where he got outplayed by Yao Ming, Howard has averaged 12.5 points and 11.2 boards in the last four games, shooting 45 percent from the field and 41 percent from the line.

I think Orlando could knock off Boston in a second-round series, but they could just as likely get upset in the first round. It’s been well covered that the Magic’s over-reliance on threes makes them vulnerable if their shots aren’t falling, but just as significant is that everybody seems to forget that this team lost its All-Star point guard (Jameer Nelson) a couple months ago. And so far, Dwight’s playoff resume has been more disappointing than dominant.

As strong as they’ve looked against the League’s top contenders (season sweep of the Lakers, two blowout wins against Cleveland, two wins against Boston), they’re about to go into the playoffs as one of the weaker top seeds.

Source: Orlando Sentinel