The Orlando Magic were suprised at how well rookies Drew Gooden and Gordon Giricek fit into the team when they arrived via trade last month, the Magic immediately going on a winning streak.

Those times are over, however, with the Magic losing three out of four and the two acquisitions having a hard time at points in the games.  Add in point guard signee Chris Whitney and Orlando has acquired three key rotation players within the space of a month, and Jerry Brewer believes we are now seeing this transition period after the honeymoon.

"Right now, they're where I thought we'd start when we first made the trade," Rivers said. "We're better because we have more talent. But as a team, we have a lot of growing to do."

"I'm ecstatic to be where we're at," Rivers said. "What we did running out to that start is giving us a cushion."

That cushion is not all that large. Orlando is only at .500. With six of eight games on the road during April and the Bucks, Wizards and Knicks hot on their trail the Magic need to be about four games above .500 to make life easier.

"We have to get on the same page defensively and offensively," guard Tracy McGrady said.