http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/basketball/magic/orl-sptmagic17111703nov17 ,1,6907878.story?coll=orl-magic SALT LAKE CITY -- Doc Rivers will coach the Orlando Magic tonight against the Ut ah Jazz. Should the Magic lose again to see their streak grow to 10, Rivers coul d be listed as "doubtful" for Thursday night's game in Phoenix. The Magic would have two off-days before facing the Suns, giving them time possi bly to make a coaching change. Although Magic Chief Operating Officer John Weisbrod declines to discuss Rivers' situation, sources indicate management has a short list of candidates at the re ady. The Magic could fire Rivers and turn over the team to assistant Johnny Davi s, who has head-coaching experience. Davis coached the Philadelphia 76ers during the 1996-97 season. Another Magic assistant, Dave Wohl, coached the New Jersey Nets from 1985-87 and led them to a playoff berth in 1986. Or Weisbrod can let Rivers ride out the rest of this five-game West Coast swing. He can take into account how hamstrung Rivers has been by injuries and poor ben ch play that taxes weary starters. "I don't know if I can do a better job, actually, with a group of guys that we h ave right now," Rivers said, wearing the stress and strain of losing on his face . "But we're still losing games. "It's tough for me. It's tough for the players. It's tough for management. We pu t them [management] in a tough position because they have to look to see if we'r e doing a good job. I think we are." Riding a nine-game losing streak, the Magic are short-handed because of injuries . But other sources say it may be time for players to hear a new voice, hoping a change can snap the club's longest losing streak since the 1991-92 season, when the Magic dropped 17 in a row. Magic forward Drew Gooden came to Rivers' defense, saying, "It's not him. He's o n the bench. He can only do so much. "I hate it when teams are struggling. You don't look at what's going on, on the court; you look behind the scenes for an excuse. There's no way in this world th is is all on Doc Rivers. "We're all out there playing," Gooden said. "He's doing the best job he possibly can. He can only tell us so much. Doc Rivers should be our coach this season, n ext season, the season after that and the season after that." Rivers publicly does not sound like a man who fears his job is at stake. He talked of his team's improved play, its chances to win against Denver and the L.A. Clippers and signing more players or trading for others. "Nobody is giving up players now," he said. "If it was the middle of the season, you probably could pull a trade. We no doubt need a couple of guys, but we can' t get that." The Magic signed guard Derrick Dial, who will be in uniform tonight, and waived forward Britton Johnsen. As if Rivers' week hasn't been bad enough, he spoke to the University of Utah's basketball team Sunday night -- Johnsen's alma mater. Rivers perked up as he talked of the return of guard Gordan Giricek tonight. Giricek has missed the past eight games with a sprained right arch. The Magic ne ed his scoring after injuries knocked out Pat Garrity indefinitely and guard Sha mmond Williams for at least a week. Rivers could insert Giricek immediately at small forward in the starting lineup, joining Tracy McGrady at shooting guard, Tyronn Lue at point guard, Steven Hunt er at center and Gooden at power forward. Looking for some sort of spark, Rivers benched slumping power forward Juwan Howa rd on Saturday night against the Clippers. Howard scored a team-high 22 points, including eight in the fourth period of the 95-92 loss. But the rest of the benc h provided five points, and Gooden was held to eight. "It's an adjustment coming off the bench, but I've always been a guy to sacrific e for the team," said Howard, who hadn't played as a reserve in 134 consecutive NBA games. "I understood the reason why. What am I going to do? Tell Doc no? I don't have t hat right, especially now." McGrady, coming off a 51-point night against the Nuggets, was drained and scored 19 against the Clippers, including just two in the pivotal fourth quarter. Like T-Mac, Lue had to put in another 40-minute night, although he responded with 18 . The starters have been asked to play longer because the bench gives up leads. "When you take your key guys out, . . . you feel like you're putting your finger in the dam, and then there' s another leak," Rivers said. "It's very tough." Giricek's return tonight may come too late to save Rivers' job. Nor may it make a difference, given the losing atmosphere and Rivers' recent track record. "There's pressure on everybody on this team -- players and coaches," Gooden said . "It's all around. That's probably the problem right now." It sounds like piling on, but the Magic are 2-19 since Game 5 of the playoffs in May against the Detroit Pistons. Management is quite aware of that statistic. T he Magic lost their last three games of that series, losing in seven games after squandering a 3-1 lead. Then came the extreme makeover in the off-season -- eight new players, including three new starters -- and a 1-7 preseason. A 1-9 start this season has turned t he heat under Rivers from simmer to full boil. The Magic have three games left on the trip, and their best shot to come home wi th a victory is against the rebuilding Jazz. The Jazz have reacted to the foreca sted doom after losing John Stockton and Karl Malone with a surprising 5-5 recor d under Coach Jerry Sloan. Their starless resiliency can't help but reflect on the Magic's free fall. "I never thought we'd be where we are, not with the talent we have," McGrady sai d. "But hey, 1-9 . . . that's the reality." --

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