What's the most recent NBA champion team the 2024 Orlando Magic beat in a playoff series?

[ronnymac2]

Why is everybody overthinking this? Orlando sucks in any 7-game series whether it's in 2024 or 1957.

LOL at anybody thinking the Magic could beat an NBA champion. Double LOL at comparing an injured 2024 Cleveland team - which btw, Orlando couldn't score against - to the Russell-led Celtics. This team sucks at offense WITH the benefit of 3-point shooting. What happens without it? Grab a clue.

Mind you, I like the Magic. Not trying to tear them down. Really good young trio, solid role players, and hopefully Isaac can get healthy, because he's really a defensive demon. They had a great offseason by virtue of not signing Paul George, and they have a bright future in general.

But again, I just have to at the jock-riders of this current stylistic iteration of NBA basketball who mistakenly think that NBA basketball constantly evolves to create better basketball. Again, I'm not going to just give out the answers, but...creating better basketball isn't what we're doing here. It's never been what this is about.

[Warspite]

Why is everybody overthinking this? Orlando sucks in any 7-game series whether it's in 2024 or 1957.

LOL at anybody thinking the Magic could beat an NBA champion. Double LOL at comparing an injured 2024 Cleveland team - which btw, Orlando couldn't score against - to the Russell-led Celtics. This team sucks at offense WITH the benefit of 3-point shooting. What happens without it? Grab a clue.

Mind you, I like the Magic. Not trying to tear them down. Really good young trio, solid role players, and hopefully Isaac can get healthy, because he's really a defensive demon. They had a great offseason by virtue of not signing Paul George, and they have a bright future in general.

But again, I just have to at the jock-riders of this current stylistic iteration of NBA basketball who mistakenly think that NBA basketball constantly evolves to create better basketball. Again, I'm not going to just give out the answers, but...creating better basketball isn't what we're doing here. It's never been what this is about.

You are 100% correct in that the NBA is not linear but it is cyclical.

The rules change for monetary reasons not evolutionary. Current NBA is not forward thinking. It is reactionary.


Any historic team with multiple bigs who are better than Banchero/Wagner or who have great guard play are going to beat the 04 Magic. No matter if its Russell/Heinshon, Unseld/Hayes, Daniels/McGinnis or Cwebb/Juwon Howard.

Conversely any team with superstar guards is going to overcome Fultz/Suggs/Harris who are mediocre in any era.

I cant find a single NBA champion that has an inferior backcourt to that trio outside of the 75 Warriors.

I have a hard time seeing any current team vs Russell and his Celtics. Can todays players play at that pace? Can a primary jump shooting team knock down those late game shots playing at that pace? The sixers/Royals/Lakers/Warriors never did. Teams with Oscar, West, Lucas, Greer and Barry missed critical open jumpers in late games due to fatigue resulting in Celtic wins.

Auerbach knows how to beat any team from any era. He plays great defense, turns you over, speeds you up and dominates the boards. You have to move outside and every missed jump shot forces you to press. Once the 4th quarter begins your gassed and his team time after time gets the bounce, makes the play and wins.

[iggymcfrack]

2006 heat seems like a good bet since they wouldnt get enough shooting to keep up with a 3 point shot offense

-2006 Heat averaged 6.1 3 pointers per game on 17.6 attempts (34.5%)
-2024 Magic averaged 11.0 3 pointers per game on 31.3 attempts (35.2%)

That doesn't seem like anywhere near enough of a difference to make up for the dropoff from Dwyane Wade to Franz Wagner as the top player.

FWIW, in the 2024 playoffs, the Magic had a TS% of .527 and in the 2006 playoffs, the Heat had a TS% of .559. Honestly, just given that the Magic were making their first playoff appearance this year and seemed to have some jitters, I think you'd actually have to go back decently far. The choke factor makes up for a lot of having a more modernized offense. I think I'd actually go all the way back to the 1990 Pistons. I can't see a scared Magic team in their first playoff appearance knocking off Shaq, Duncan, Jordan, or Hakeem.

[falcolombardi]

2006 heat seems like a good bet since they wouldnt get enough shooting to keep up with a 3 point shot offense

-2006 Heat averaged 6.1 3 pointers per game on 17.6 attempts (34.5%)
-2024 Magic averaged 11.0 3 pointers per game on 31.3 attempts (35.2%)

That doesn't seem like anywhere near enough of a difference to make up for the dropoff from Dwyane Wade to Franz Wagner as the top player.

FWIW, in the 2024 playoffs, the Magic had a TS% of .527 and in the 2006 playoffs, the Heat had a TS% of .559. Honestly, just given that the Magic were making their first playoff appearance this year and seemed to have some jitters, I think you'd actually have to go back decently far. The choke factor makes up for a lot of having a more modernized offense. I think I'd actually go all the way back to the 1990 Pistons. I can't see a scared Magic team in their first playoff appearance knocking off Shaq, Duncan, Jordan, or Hakeem.

Fair enough, albeit i would aegue magic would be better equipped to guard wade (albeit not shaq*) than 2006 dallas