Orlando Coach Stan Van Gundy Set to Sour the Spirits of East All-Stars

Orlando Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy has been named coach of the Eastern Conference team in the 2010 NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 14.

After the Magic got hot to finish the week, Orlando jumped to the second best record in the East, improving to a 32-16 record. This topped the third place Atlanta Hawks' 30-16 mark.

Because the conference best Cleveland Cavaliers' head coach, Mike Brown, coached the squad last season, Van Gundy got the call to lead his second All-Star team.

This development should prove valuable to the Orlando Magic, as Van Gundy's negative attitude will damper the spirits of the stars he will be coaching. Starting center, Dwight Howard, is used to the abuse.

"You know players sometimes are like little puppies. We want to be patted on the head even if we make a mistake. We already have a lot of pressure on us," said Howard in November, referencing Van Gundy's negative attitude.

Van Gundy admitted to "berating" his players, realizing that it was "draining the enthusiasm" of the team. He vowed to lighten up, adding, "Hopefully, my comments will be more constructive than negative."

The Magic coach now has the opportunity to bring his crabby attitude to a wider audience and, hopefully, crush the spirits of the other Eastern Conference All-Stars.

Just wait until LeBron misses an assignment, leading to a timeout during which Van Gundy can let him know what an idiot he is. Or, maybe he will snap at Kevin Garnett for being too old to keep up with these kids' before benching him.

Allen Iverson will hardly have time to complain about anything himself before Van Gundy lets him know that he shouldn't even be here in the first place.

Dwayne Wade knows better than most what to expect from SVG, as he witnessed first hand the rift between Stan Van Gundy and Shaquille O'Neal. The trio worked together with the Miami Heat until Van Gundy left the team in 2005.

Van Gundy will be looked at to castigate three players from the rival Boston Celtics. Garnett will be joined by teammates Rajon Rondo and Paul Pierce. If Van Gundy can get in their head during the game, he can use that advantage over them come playoff time.

The same goes for the Southeastern Division rival Atlanta Hawks, who will be represented by Joe Johnson and Al Horford. Van Gundy will have the opportunity to browbeat the pair. Both play for lackadaisical head coach Mike Woodson, who doesn't even have 'brows to beat (look it up, no eyebrows).

If Van Gundy can effectively bully the All-Stars enough to really get under their skin, he could provide enough of a distraction to carry the Orlando Magic back to the NBA Finals.

On the other side, Denver Nuggets head coach George Karl will lead the West All-Stars. He will likely dominate the game just enough to let them down at the end of the game, just as he has done to his teams over the years.

Both coaches will do their best to gain a psychological advantage over their future opponents in preparation for the postseason. With these two unique methods at play, the game should prove to be an interesting one.