Finals Notebook
Turkoglu Maintains He Isn't Slumping
Orlando's Hedo Turkoglu has scored just 23 points on 6-of-23 shooting in his past two games, well below expectations.
(By Scott Audette -- Associated Press)
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Sunday, June 7, 2009
EL SEGUNDO, Calif., June 6 -- Orlando Magic forward Hedo Turkoglu doesn't always have to score big to play big for his team, but in the past two playoff games, the versatile, 6-foot-10 swingman from Turkey has done neither. In Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals and Game 1 of the NBA Finals, Turkoglu has combined to score just 23 points on 6-of-23 shooting from the field.
Turkoglu denied that he is in a slump after missing 8 of 11 shots on Thursday. "I'm not worried about my shooting at all," Turkoglu said. "I have a lot of confidence in myself, and I know I'm going to respond better in the second game."
Turkoglu had some huge performances for Orlando in the second round against Boston, when he scored 25 points with 12 assists in the Game 7 victory, but the Magic lost the last two games in which he scored at least 20 points, in the conference finals against Cleveland. In Game 3 of that series, Turkoglu missed 10 of 11 shots but also grabbed 10 rebounds with seven assists. "As long as I'm playing my game, be the facilitator, look for my shot, look for my teammates, I think I'll find my rhythm, so I'm just going to go from there," Turkoglu said.
Turkoglu credited Lakers forward Trevor Ariza for playing him well in Game 1. "He's been a great defender all his career. He's long and he's athletic," he said. "He's just trying to give me a hard time, and he was trying to deny me not to get the ball easy and trying to put a lot of pressure."
Ariza said on Saturday that his midseason trade to his hometown Lakers from Orlando last season was a blessing because it provided him an opportunity to earn more playing time. "You can't have no hard feelings against people because they're trying to make their team better. Their team did get better and I got put in a situation where I can help the team out, too," he said.
Ariza never fit into Magic Coach Stan Van Gundy's system, mostly because he couldn't shoot. But he has blossomed into a consistent three-point shooter this postseason. The UCLA alum has made 31 of 62 (50 percent) from beyond the three-point line in the playoffs, including 1 for 2 in Game 1. Ariza credited working out with Lakers shooting coach Craig Hodges, a former three-point shooting champion. "He talks about just watching the ball go in, building confidence," Ariza said.
