MIAMI -- Florida pro basketball is bad right now -- really bad.On the eve of Tuesdays game between the Orlando Magic (12-17) and the Miami Heat (9-19) at AmericanAirlines Arena, lets take stock in the fortunes of these two organizations.First, though, some perspective: Of the four states with multiple NBA teams -- a list that also includes California, Texas and New York -- only Florida lacks at least one team with a winning record.In addition, there are only two teams worse than the Magic and Heat in the 15-team Eastern Conference -- the Brooklyn Nets and the Philadelphia 76ers.The Magic havent been to the playoffs since 2012 and havent won a postseason series since 2010 -- both feats accomplished during the tenure of coach Stan Van Gundy.Orlando fired Van Gundy in May of 2012 despite the fact that he had made the playoffs in each of his five seasons. Since he was terminated, the Magic have dismissed three coaches -- including one interim -- in four years.New coach Frank Vogel is in his first year in the land of Mickey Mouse.But whats really troublesome to Orlando fans is the fact that despite four straight losing years -- all with 35 or less wins -- the Magic has failed to capitalize in the draft. Of the 16 selections they have made in the past decade, only one -- Aaron Gordon -- is producing even modest numbers for Orlando.Gordon, taken with the fourth pick in the 2014 draft, is a 6-9 forward averaging 10.4 points and 4.3 rebounds.Worse yet for Orlando, the Magic are coming off a horrible home loss, falling 100-79 to the Toronto Raptors on Sunday.We have guys who are not giving us enough and are selfish, Magic center Bismack Biyombo told the media after that game in a very telling statement. We are playing selfish basketball, and that is not going to get us anywhere.Bad drafts, unstable management and a lack of effort is a putrid mix for Orlando.But even with all that, the Magic still has a better record than the Heat, and that has to really bother a Miami franchise that had been among the best in all of pro sports during their four-year run with LeBron James.The Heat do have stable management with team president Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra, a proven winner now in his ninth season as the head coach, including two NBA titles.A lot of Miamis problems have to do with injuries. They started the season with shooting guards Josh Richardson and Wayne Ellington injured for numerous games. Shooting guard Dion Waiters got hurt, and so did forward Justise Winslow.Ellington, perhaps Miamis purest shooter, came back and is now hurt again with a hamstring injury. Waiters has missed 12 straight games, although he could be back soon.Im running as hard as I can -- as close to game speed as possible, Waiters said. Its up to (the Heat) whenever they think Im ready.But heres the thing with the Heat: Even if they were to get healthy and remain that way for the rest of the season, its doubtful they have enough talent to make a run for the playoffs, especially considering the hole they have dug.The Heat have two upper-echelon talents, and both are still in the primes of their careers: 27-year-old center Hassan Whiteside, who is averaging 17.6 points, 14.8 rebounds and 2.3 blocks; and 30-year-old point guard Goran Dragic, who is averaging 19.1 points and 6.7 assists.But where the decline of the Heat is truly evident is on the wings. Gone are Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and LeBron, who have been replaced by the likes of players such as Rodney McGruder and Josh McRoberts.If you compile a list of Heat players who have made at least nine starts this season and yet shoot less than 40 percent from the floor, it will be lengthy, with names such as Waiters, Winslow, Luke Babbitt, McGruder, McRoberts, Richardson and Derrick Williams.Winslow, a lottery pick last season who plays terrific defense, is a keeper. He should still be a junior at Duke and is only 20 years old.Richardson, 23, could still turn things around. Both players need to hone their jump shots, however.James Johnson and Tyler Johnson -- no relation -- have been productive bench players for the Heat. But until they are able to surround Dragic and Whiteside with quality shooters, their demise will continue. Cheap Nike Shoes China . Most important, perhaps, it went off without a hitch. 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Wholesale Air Max Plus Shoes . - The Washington Redskins have cut defensive lineman Adam Carriker and punter Sav Rocca. PHOENIX -- Arizona and San Diego enter the final series of the regular season in search of smaller victories, unfortunately about all that is left to accomplish in a down year for each.Diamondbacks second baseman Jean Segura, whose credentials as a leadoff man were questioned following his offseason acquisition, enters the three-game series with a career-high 201 hits.Segura has a commanding nine-hit lead over Colorados DJ LeMahieu and the Dodgers Corey Seager in an attempt to lead the league in that category, and he is five hits from tying Luis Gonzalezs franchise record of 206 hits set in 1999.The only way the D-backs (66-93) can avoid a disappointing last-place finish in the NL West is with a sweep. The Padres (68-91) have won nine of the first 16 meetings while outscoring the D-backs, 92-69.San Diego rookie right fielder Hunter Renfroe looks to continue his final-week binge in his first appearance at Chase Field, one of the most hitter-friendly parks in baseball.Renfroe, who was promoted when the minor league season ended in the third week of September, has home runs in three of his last four starts, and his work in the first two games of the recently completed Los Angeles series was particularly memorable.Renfroe had two homers and seven RBI in a 7-1 victory over the Dodgers on Tuesday, book-ending his night with a three-run homer in the first inning and a grand slam in the eighth.The most impressive line in that nights box scores:Two-out RBI: Renfroe 7.He had four RBI the next night on a two-run single in the first inning and a two-run homer in the third in the Padres 7-6 victory. He had a single in the final game of the series and is hitting .360.I love Hunter Renfroes even-keel demeanor, said Padres manager Andy Green, who was Arizonas third base coach in 2015.Arizona rookie right-hander Braden Shipley, 4-5 with a 5.26 ERA, will makke his 11th major league start Friday, his third against the Padres this season and his first against them at Chase Field.dddddddddddd He has given up nine runs in 9 2/3 innings in the previous two starts.San Diego is expected to start right-hander Edwin Jackson, whose 14-year, 11-team trek through the majors includes a brief stop with the Diamondbacks. He threw a 149-pitch no-hitter for Arizona at Tampa Bay on June 2, 2010.Jackson, 5-6 with a 5.77 ERA, will be remembered as part of the package the D-backs received in a three-team trade in the winter of 2009 that sent eventual Cy Young winner Max Scherzer to the Tigers. The D-backs also landed Ian Kennedy from the Yankees, who received Curtis Granderson as their major piece.Jackson beat San Francisco in his last outing, and seven of his 12 starts for the Padres have been quality starts.Segura has been a bright light in his first season with the Diamondbacks, out-shining bigger-name offseason acquisitions Zack Greinke and Shelby Miller, neither of whom will take a turn in the final series.With three singles in a rain-shortened 3-0 victory at Washington on Wednesday, Segura reached 200 hits and became the 14th player in major league history to have 200 hits, 20 homers and 30 stolen bases in the regular season.Others on that list include Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Bobby Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, Larry Walker and Vladimir Guerrero. Jacoby Ellsbury was the most recent addition, when he had 212 hits, 29 homers and 51 stolen bases with Boston in 2011.Segura singled in three plate appearances Thursday before leaving in the seventh inning with cramping in his rib cage.Were hoping its OK so he can continue his quest for Gonzos record, Arizona manager Chip Hale told reporters. ' ' '
