Vucevic faces tough test against Hibbert
Magic center Nik Vucevic won’t have achance to ease into the 2013-14 season.
Vucevic faces Indiana Pacers all-star center Roy Hibbert in Indianapolis tonight in the opener.
“I like going against the best in the league,” Vucevic said before Monday’s practice at Amway Center. “It’s more fun, and youcanseewhereyouare right away.”
Hibbert, 7-feet-2 and 290 pounds, also is a big man who has a height advantage over Vucevic. Vucevic says he is 6-11 but adds with a laugh, “I’m 7 feet with my hair standing straight up.”
Vucevic is coming off a break-out season last year after the Magic acquired him from the Philadelphia 76ers as part of the Dwight Howard trade. He wants to play more physical this season.
Vucevic and Hibbert met three times last season. They were fairly even in two of the games — foul trouble plaguing both players — but in the other game, Vucevic had an edge.
He scored 16 points and grabbed 15 rebounds while Hibbert had 11 points, seven rebounds and five fouls.
Hibbert, however, had a solid postseason. He averaged 17 points and 9.9 rebounds — up from his regular-season averages of 11.9 points and 8.3 rebounds.
Vucevic averaged 13.1 points, 11.7 rebounds and 1.0 blocks last season, finishing second to Howard for the rebounding title.
Against Hibbert, Vucevic said, “I have to make him catch the ball as far away from the basket as possible. If not, hecanjust shoot over me, that’s the thing.”
It’s a secret
Coach Vaughnsays
Jacque he’s selected a starting power forward but refused to divulge the player’s name when asked.
Apparently, Vaughn is seeking a competitive advantage, making the Pacers guess about which player will be facing David West.
Vaughn has several candidates, but one of them will not be Tobias Harris. Vaughn said Harris will not play against the Pacers because of a sore left ankle.
Second-year forwardcenter Kyle O’Quinn received the most starts during the preseason at power forward. Another second-year player, Andrew Nicholson, could also get the call, as could Solomon Jones, a veteran who made the team as a camp invitee.
But perhaps the veteran who makes the most sense to start is Jason Maxiell. Maxiell can play physical without fouling too much and has more experience than the rest of the options.
The Magic also might need O’Quinn’s size in reserve at center, especially if Vucevic gets into foul trouble facing Hibbert.
Small forward Maurice Harkless said he wouldn’t mindpatterning his NBAclimb after counterpart Paul George, the Pacers’ rising star. “He’s another guy who came into the league and started — I wouldn’t say slow, but he’s done a great job elevating his game. He’s turned into a player who can pretty much do it all,” Harkless said.
Be like George