RealGM

Ok, so now we are looking decent, but can we take it to the next level?

It is all mental for the Magic at this point.

Decent - we have achieved that - elite - not there yet - want to start getting there?

1st step get big lead on Memphis and put them away - FINALLY, the Magic get a big lead and put a team away - that needed to happen especially after the Detroit win - SVG is great.

2nd step - beat the Pistons in Detroit after Mondays win - huge, huge, huge if that can be done as you know the Pistons will be gunning for us.

3rd step - win in Detroit and come back home and beat the Celtics - what does all that mean if it can be done (not saying it can be) - it means that we are now among the elite and can compete for a championship with anyone.

We lose to Detroit and Boston or one loss - we are decent.

I'd like a little more than decent.

I'd personally prefer to be a lottery team...

1. decent opening.
2. as the answers start accumulating, the next move will be to propose a way to make the team better than decent.
3. the following step will be contemplating what that next step might be which invariably will lead to the trade hedo obsession.
4. check mate in three steps.

devin3807 wrote:I'd personally prefer to be a lottery team...

I see your lottery team and raise you "a city that doesn't want you" ala Sonics.

mhectorgato wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



I see your lottery team and raise you "a city that doesn't want you" ala Sonics.

LMAO
nice

Well, wining the next two games does not make the Magic contenders.

Well, wining the next two games does not make the Magic contenders

True, but it would be a nice start

happypedro12 wrote:

Well, wining the next two games does not make the Magic contenders

True, but it would be a nice start

Not necessarily. We've been down this road before (16-4).

the first pick in the 2008 nba draft belongs too....the kansas city magic...

As long as the team insists on starting both Hedo and Lewis at the forward spots we will be decent and never contend. Unless Lewis or Hedo move to SG where THEY HAVE played before and allow us to start a real PF.

flyingvee wrote:As long as the team insists on starting both Hedo and Lewis at the forward spots we will be decent and never contend. Unless Lewis or Hedo move to SG where THEY HAVE played before and allow us to start a real PF.

why are you so narrow minded about this? having both hedo and lewis causes havoc for other teams, there are mismatches all over the place. all we have to do is pick up a decent big for certain situations when we can't have them both on the floor for defensive reasons...

mhectorgato wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



I see your lottery team and raise you "a city that doesn't want you" ala Sonics.

i see your lottery team with a city that doesn't want you, and raise you a fan base that doesn't support you! HA! (Nawleans)

UCFJayBird wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



i see your lottery team with a city that doesn't want you, and raise you a fan base that doesn't support you! HA! (Nawleans)

I see your lottery team with a city that doesn't want you and a fan base that doesn't support you, and raise you Pat Garrity.

Solid Snake wrote:I see your lottery team with a city that doesn't want you and a fan base that doesn't support you, and raise you Pat Garrity.

I'm out.

Buying the pot, eh?

I fold, too.

Solid Snake wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



I see your lottery team with a city that doesn't want you and a fan base that doesn't support you, and raise you Pat Garrity.

Game Over.

devin3807 wrote:Buying the pot, eh?

I fold, too.

That's what I like to see.

You gotta actually win in the playoffs, and beat the other elite teams close to half the time to be considered that.

devin3807 wrote:I'd personally prefer to be a lottery team...

I too enjoy sucking.

It brings balance to my life where I exceed phenomenally at everything else.

karizma87 wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



why are you so narrow minded about this? having both hedo and lewis causes havoc for other teams, there are mismatches all over the place. all we have to do is pick up a decent big for certain situations when we can't have them both on the floor for defensive reasons...

Yes it does in some cases, but you gotta figure both are logging at 35 min/game which means for most of the game you're going without a PF. And the bigger picture here is that you are leaving Howard out there all alone to do the dirty work and get pounded on with no one watching his back. Every great center has had his Robin sidekick. Shaq had Horace Grant. Olajuwon had Thorpe. Ewing had Oakley. Robinson had Duncan. And now Duncan has had his selection of PF. Howard is the franchise and you need a PF/goon if you may, to protect him otherwise trust me, the guy is going to say the hell with this and demand a trade. I'm sure if you ask Ewing about it, he'll remind you how he damanded that the Knicks resign Oakley or he would wanted out.

And checking the finals history, I don't see a single team going back to 1960 at least that got to the finals without a real starting PF. The closest you get are the Suns with Barkley who despite being being 6'5" averaged double figure rebounds, and the undermanned Knicks with a hurt Ewing that was playing Larry Johnson at PF. But again LJ was a good rebounder. You'll notice the current suns have not advanced to the finals with Marion at the PF, again Marion rebounds, Lewis and Hedo do not as good as him.