National Basketball Association

Arenas to make debut with Magic as a backup

Published Dec. 20, 2010 6:32 p.m. ET

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Orlando coach Stan Van Gundy says Gilbert Arenas will play as a reserve in his first game with the Magic against the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night.

The high-scoring Arenas was acquired from Washington. Jason Richardson, Hedo Turkoglu and Earl Clark were acquired from Phoenix on Saturday.

Van Gundy says Richardson and Turkoglu will start. The NBA certified the trades less than an hour before the tipoff.

Arenas will come off the bench because Van Gundy says he wants to keep guard Jameer Nelson as a starter.

Orlando called off its shootaround Monday because the four new players had to take physicals. Van Gundy says all four passed the physicals.

Hawks guard Jamal Crawford is missing his fourth straight game with a sore back.

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