Orlando contenders in the east?

[ProfX]

Another point, the Magic have proven they can beat the Pistons and the Celts. A strong push to get further as a team (recall that Lewis is just coming to his stride and that Cook is only now in game shape, and that StM has only recently settled on a rotation), and there is every reason to see the Magic as a team in the Eastern Finals. From there, ???

I agree that this team will improve down the stretch. I hope we can work a better balance with the inside out game. If that happens we can definately beat anyone. However can and will are two different things. I like our rotation. Our defense has improved and Rashard is starting to come find his place with the offense.

We are a second round team at best. I believe our PG deficency will hinder us from advancing beyond that. While I like Dooling and Nelson, IMO they are both backup PGs. The both have talents but neither is a complete starting PG. For us to get to the ECF we need to upgrade there. I believe a backup big is our second priority in the offseason and should be an easy pickup.

I like our team .....

[Optimus_Steel]

Man talk about idiot analyst. The Magic are 20-11 on the road. We are only tied for second most wins on the road lol.

[magicman123]

i dont think we are serious contenders yet, of course we can do some damage in the playoffs, if battie was healthy that would be big, but i still think we need to upgrade our back court..

[TNMagicFan]

It all depends on our defense . When we play defense we can beat anyone . We have seen this throughout the season . The reason our defense usually falters is lack of focus . When the playoffs start I don't think there will be any lack of focus . Will we win the east ? probably not but I think we can really make some noise

[KingRobb02]

It all depends on our defense . When we play defense we can beat anyone . We have seen this throughout the season . The reason our defense usually falters is lack of focus . When the playoffs start I don't think there will be any lack of focus . Will we win the east ? probably not but I think we can really make some noise

I wouldn't count on us stepping up defensively. In the playoffs, if everythign else is equal, the team with the best player on the court usually wins. We simply do not have a one on one defender who can guarantee us a stop in any given situation. Who do we send out when Lebron isolates late in the game? How about for Bosh? Billups? Pierce?

[magicman123]

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I wouldn't count on us stepping up defensively. In the playoffs, if everythign else is equal, the team with the best player on the court usually wins. We simply do not have a one on one defender who can guarantee us a stop in any given situation. Who do we send out when Lebron isolates late in the game? How about for Bosh? Billups? Pierce?

have no fear, garrity is here..!!!

[Last Guardian]

In the playoff games, we just have to make sure Cook makes his first shot. Then he will consider himself on fire, and destroy the other team. A ring is coming to O-Town.

[craig01]

A ring is coming to O-Town.

Barnum and Bailey is coming?

LOL.

[happypedro12]

I don't get why people hate the Magic, we have the most road wins in the league, how can we improve that?? lol anyways, honestly I see three teams that would have a 60% chance or better to beat us: NJ, Tor, and DEt (det has like a 80% honestly). Other than that, I have confidence that we could beat anyone else, including Cle and Bos. they might be close series, but i really do believe that only those three teams have probable chances of beatin us. as long as DEt plays Tor first round, we're good

[AdamTheGreek]

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I wouldn't count on us stepping up defensively. In the playoffs, if everythign else is equal, the team with the best player on the court usually wins. We simply do not have a one on one defender who can guarantee us a stop in any given situation. Who do we send out when Lebron isolates late in the game? How about for Bosh? Billups? Pierce?

Hedo has already stopped LeBron.
Dwight can take Bosh
Hedo can take Pierce
And Jameer and Keyon have done a better job of punching Chauncey in the mouth, disrupting his normal absurd shooting performances.

[magictreat]

Of coarse we arent a contender. We will win 1 playoff series if were lucky, then get bounced in the 2nd round.

Now, had mumbleman gotten something done at the trade deadline maybe we would have been a contender. In my opinion if he had gotten the brad miller and garcia deal done we would have been the favorites in the east. They both would have been perfect fits. Too bad we have an incompetent mumbling jackass as our gm who cant form a coherent sentence let alone run a team.

DITTO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank You!!!!!!

ROTFLMFAO!!!!!!!! "incompetent mumbling jackass as our gm", LOL

[KingRobb02]

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Hedo has already stopped LeBron.
Dwight can take Bosh
Hedo can take Pierce
And Jameer and Keyon have done a better job of punching Chauncey in the mouth, disrupting his normal absurd shooting performances.

Lebron's lines against us:
Nov 14 - 15-27 39 Pts 13 Rebs 14 Ast
Feb 11 - 8-15 29 Pts 7 Rebs 10 Ast (In a game where his teammate went for 40)

Bosh's lines against us:
Nov 11 - 6-15 26 Pts 10 Reb
Feb 20 - 14-16 40 Pts 6 Reb

Billups's lines against us:
Nov 2 - 6-10 6 reb 7 ast 18 pts
Jan 21 - 5-11 2 reb 5 ast 18 pts
Jan 25 - 6-10 3 reb 6 ast 21 pts

Pierce's lines against us:
Nov 18 - 10-17 5 reb 6 ast 28 pts
Dec 23 - 8-18 3 reb 6 ast 24 pts
Jan 27 - 9-18 9 reb 4 ast 24 pts

We obviously have different definitions of what "stop" means.

[Optimus_Steel]

-= original quote snipped =-



Hedo has already stopped LeBron.
Dwight can take Bosh
Hedo can take Pierce
And Jameer and Keyon have done a better job of punching Chauncey in the mouth, disrupting his normal absurd shooting performances.

Lebron's lines against us:
Nov 14 - 15-27 39 Pts 13 Rebs 14 Ast
Feb 11 - 8-15 29 Pts 7 Rebs 10 Ast (In a game where his teammate went for 40)

Bosh's lines against us:
Nov 11 - 6-15 26 Pts 10 Reb
Feb 20 - 14-16 40 Pts 6 Reb

Billups's lines against us:
Nov 2 - 6-10 6 reb 7 ast 18 pts
Jan 21 - 5-11 2 reb 5 ast 18 pts
Jan 25 - 6-10 3 reb 6 ast 21 pts

Pierce's lines against us:
Nov 18 - 10-17 5 reb 6 ast 28 pts
Dec 23 - 8-18 3 reb 6 ast 24 pts
Jan 27 - 9-18 9 reb 4 ast 24 pts

We obviously have different definitions of what "stop" means.

Those are great offensive players. They are gonna get their numbers no matter what. Its how we defend the rest of the team that matters more, the role and lesser players. Show me what team has a Lebron stopper? I strongly doubt that Bosh is gonna go 14-16 again on mostly jumpers, that was a career game for him, that most likely wont repeat. Plus we put up alot of points, those teams have to worry about stopping us too.

[Big A All Day]

weve beaten all 3 of them this year, they have all beat us aswell. Season split with detriot shows that we can Step up our game when it counts though. Do we have enough to compete come playoff time? I think so but we gotta play our best Ball at the end of the season and go on a run to get our confidence up which i think we will do IMO.