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After they beat the Nuggets in the first game of the season, a couple posters were saying "how the hell did they beat Denver?" I replied with "because Orlando is a playoff team." And I still believe that this is the case. I'm not saying they'll be a 4th seed but most likely an 8th seed which is what I predicted before the start of the season.

I gotta laugh at all the analysts who predicted Orlando would be dead last in the entire league because its pretty clear that they have a decent starting lineup and decent bench players even with Turkoglu and Harrington out. On top of that, it seems that they have a good coach because they have been pretty consistent throughout the entire season.

The big question mark is what they will do with Redick but with their assets (draft picks and possibly BBD/Turk being on the trade block) I think they will be able to acquire some expiring contracts in order to re-sign him in the off-season.

Except they aren't a playoff team even now, as you made this thread.

Let's examine a few of the teams they would have to pass to make it to even the 8th spot.

Indiana is already ahead, and hitting their stride, they have Danny Granger coming back, and have played a ton of road games already.

Chicago, ditto, except they have Rose coming back, who is better than Granger.

Philly is already ahead, and has Andrew Bynum coming back at some point.

Boston is already ahead, and tends to get stronger as the season goes on.

Who is Orlando going to finish better than out of those four teams to make the playoffs?

They have a real solid team, definitely a play off team in east. They play some beautiful team ball right now. They don't have a star on a team, but a lot of solid players.

Except they aren't a playoff team even now, as you made this thread.

Let's examine a few of the teams they would have to pass to make it to even the 8th spot.

Indiana is already ahead, and hitting their stride, they have Danny Granger coming back, and have played a ton of road games already.

Chicago, ditto, except they have Rose coming back, who is better than Granger.

Philly is already ahead, and has Andrew Bynum coming back at some point.

Boston is already ahead, and tends to get stronger as the season goes on.

Who is Orlando going to finish better than out of those four teams to make the playoffs?

They will give a hell of a fight for that 8 spot imo.. All those teams are quite equal imo.

daschysta wrote:Except they aren't a playoff team even now, as you made this thread.

Let's examine a few of the teams they would have to pass to make it to even the 8th spot.

Indiana is already ahead, and hitting their stride, they have Danny Granger coming back, and have played a ton of road games already.

Chicago, ditto, except they have Rose coming back, who is better than Granger.

Philly is already ahead, and has Andrew Bynum coming back at some point.

Boston is already ahead, and tends to get stronger as the season goes on.

Who is Orlando going to finish better than out of those four teams to make the playoffs?

I know they're not in the playoffs right now but IMO they will be ahead of Philly pretty soon. The team I think that will fall out of the race is Milwaukee which you left out.

I think Orlando trades a few veterans next February and misses the playoffs as a result. Which, as a Magic fan, I am perfectly alright with. That's not what this season is about. It is nice to see us win games and prove the doubters wrong though. John Hollinger had the Magic at 16 wins for the season. We may well be 13-13 after our next two games (WAS/TOR).

The need a go to guy, they have lots of good role player , but they need someone they can go to every play.

Cigamodnalro wrote:I think Orlando trades a few veterans next February and misses the playoffs as a result. Which, as a Magic fan, I am perfectly alright with. That's not what this season is about. It is nice to see us win games and prove the doubters wrong though. John Hollinger had the Magic at 16 wins for the season. We may well be 13-13 after our next two games (WAS/TOR).

That is what I keep reading but you guys will get something decent in return for BBD/Turkoglu or whoever you trade and with Nicholson playing well I'm not sure if those trades will automatically lead to losses.

Jaykoolzboy wrote:The need a go to guy, they have lots of good role player , but they need someone they can go to every play.

Afflalo, Redick, and BBD have all been pretty reliable (if I'm not mistaken) in crunch time. They're not superstars but they can be go to guys.

Cigamodnalro wrote:I think Orlando trades a few veterans next February and misses the playoffs as a result. Which, as a Magic fan, I am perfectly alright with. That's not what this season is about. It is nice to see us win games and prove the doubters wrong though. John Hollinger had the Magic at 16 wins for the season. We may well be 13-13 after our next two games (WAS/TOR).

More than likely, this is what will happen.

Magic have a team of really good role players. Just missing a horse.

With Hedo out, and getting very little out of our small forwards I am very surprised with this 11-13 start. Majority of the credit needs to go to Glen, Redick, Afflalo and this coaching staff.

I said this team would make the playoffs lead by Big Baby average 23/8 and people laughed at me. Where are they now ?

Thank you raptor fan for giving our team some respect. We struggled at first but this team has massively improved already on both ends.

Eh, we're okay. Clearly a better team than most expected.

I agree with Cig. I doubt we'll keep both Afflalo and JJ past the deadline, especially with JJ's value being at an all-time high.

Last Guardian wrote:Thank you raptor fan for giving our team some respect. We struggled at first but this team has massively improved already on both ends.

Not really respect. Any fan without blinders on who looked at the roster before the season would realize from top to bottom they had solid pieces, veterans that could ball, and would not finish last place in the entire league.

They're flying under the radar right now. I wouldn't be surprised if they end up making the Playoffs.

They're the only team that really gave the Warriors problems in recent games. Golden State is 9-2 in their last 11 games, with those 2 losses being against Orlando.

The Warriors also went 6-1 on their 7 game road trip which included wins against Brooklyn, Miami and Atlanta. The one game they lost in that road trip was against Orlando.

So being a Warriors fan, I've definitely witnessed what the Magic have the potential of doing.

cb1115 wrote:Eh, we're okay. Clearly a better team than most expected.

I agree with Cig. I doubt we'll keep both Afflalo and JJ past the deadline, especially with JJ's value being at an all-time high.

Afflalo is on a solid contract, I don't see a trade happening with him unless it's to bring in a definitive all-star.

Viper1500 wrote:

cb1115 wrote:Eh, we're okay. Clearly a better team than most expected.

I agree with Cig. I doubt we'll keep both Afflalo and JJ past the deadline, especially with JJ's value being at an all-time high.

Afflalo is on a solid contract, I don't see a trade happening with him unless it's to bring in a definitive all-star.

Yea. Trading him would be a mistake. If anything trade Redick + an asset for a good/above average starter

As a Warriors fan, they are the last team I want to meet in the finals if the Warriors somehow made it. It's the only team recently that have made GSW look extremely bad.

BD12 wrote:Yea. Trading him would be a mistake. If anything trade Redick + an asset for a good/above average starter

Or, more appropriately for this team, a good/above average draft pick in 2013 or 2014.

Cigamodnalro wrote:

BD12 wrote:Yea. Trading him would be a mistake. If anything trade Redick + an asset for a good/above average starter

Or, more appropriately for this team, a good/above average draft pick in 2013 or 2014.

I think Orlando has enough assets to trade for the Raptors' pick owed to OKC. I think they should go after Jeremy Lamb too.