Fully Healthy Wiz vs. Magic in 7-game series

[likwitdesi]

I think the Wizards mirk the Magic in a seven game series if fully healthy. Haywood and Etan have Howard's number and the Wiz have too much firepower with Arenas, Butler, and Jamison. They also have a couple scorers coming off the bench in Mason and Young. Blatche is a matchup nightmare for the Magic as well

[miller31time]

Let's not go so far as to say they have Howard's number. No one in the league has Howard's number. We just manage to play him very well and at least slow him down a bit.

On paper, I'd say the Wizards are the better team.

Arenas handily beats Nelson.
Stevenson beats Bogans.
Butler beats Turkoglu (though when they play h2h, it's usually pretty even)
Jamison beats Lewis
Howard beats Haywood (though Haywood and Thomas, as I mentioned before, at least slow him down a bit).

When the Wizards get healthy, we'll have a damn good bench, too. Daniels is better than their best bench player (not sure who that would be, to be honest). Heck, Blatche is better than any of their bench players as well. Young, Songaila, Mason and Thomas are all solid contributors as well.

The key, however, is actually getting healthy. Without that factor, this is a moot point.

EDITED TO ADD: Coaching is a factor that's heavily in Orlando's favor, though. Eddie Jordan and SVG are uncomparable.

[likwitdesi]

Let's not go so far as to say they have Howard's number. No one in the league has Howard's number. We just manage to play him very well and at least slow him down a bit.

On paper, I'd say the Wizards are the better team.

Arenas handily beats Nelson.
Stevenson beats Bogans.
Butler beats Turkoglu (though when they play h2h, it's usually pretty even)
Jamison beats Lewis
Howard beats Haywood (though Haywood and Thomas, as I mentioned before, at least slow him down a bit).

When the Wizards get healthy, we'll have a damn good bench, too. Daniels is better than their best bench player (not sure who that would be, to be honest). Heck, Blatche is better than any of their bench players as well. Young, Songaila, Mason and Thomas are all solid contributors as well.

The key, however, is actually getting healthy. Without that factor, this is a moot point.

EDITED TO ADD: Coaching is a factor that's heavily in Orlando's favor, though. Eddie Jordan and SVG are uncomparable.

I always go back to that one game early last season where Etan had that career game

[miller31time]

I always go back to that one game early last season where Etan had that career game

Yeah, but two things to consider.

1. It was last season. Dwight is now an MVP candidate.

2. It was only one game. Not saying Etan and Brendan don't play him well. They do. But don't expect a guy like Etan Thomas to come into a game against Dwight Howard and have consistent success.

[Cammo101]

Let's not go so far as to say they have Howard's number. No one in the league has Howard's number. We just manage to play him very well and at least slow him down a bit.

On paper, I'd say the Wizards are the better team.

Arenas handily beats Nelson.
Stevenson beats Bogans.
Butler beats Turkoglu (though when they play h2h, it's usually pretty even)
Jamison beats Lewis
Howard beats Haywood (though Haywood and Thomas, as I mentioned before, at least slow him down a bit).

When the Wizards get healthy, we'll have a damn good bench, too. Daniels is better than their best bench player (not sure who that would be, to be honest). Heck, Blatche is better than any of their bench players as well. Young, Songaila, Mason and Thomas are all solid contributors as well.

The key, however, is actually getting healthy. Without that factor, this is a moot point.

EDITED TO ADD: Coaching is a factor that's heavily in Orlando's favor, though. Eddie Jordan and SVG are uncomparable.

Mo Evans is our starter at SG and since becoming a starter like 16 games ago he has been much better than Stevenson. Also, Orlando has a much better bench than Washington. I think all the intanglibles go to Orlando. Better bench, better coaching, better clutch players, plus a team that has played together all year long. Also, anytime you have the best player in the series, you are usually the favorite. Dwight is that and Orlando would and should win this series. Would be a fun series to watch though.

[likwitdesi]

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Mo Evans is our starter at SG and since becoming a starter like 16 games ago he has been much better than Stevenson. Also, Orlando has a much better bench than Washington. I think all the intanglibles go to Orlando. Better bench, better coaching, better clutch players, plus a team that has played together all year long. Also, anytime you have the best player in the series, you are usually the favorite. Dwight is that and Orlando would and should win this series. Would be a fun series to watch though.

Washington's bench > Orlando's easily

Orlando does not have a big as good as Blatche coming off its bench. It also lacks that steady veteran PG and playoff vet performer the Wiz have in AD. Mason and Young, while less experienced than Dooling and Arroyo, have proven to be better scorers this season than those two. The only area you win is Cook over the sucky Songaila.

Better clutch players? Yeah, Hedo has been clutch but we have Agent Zero...you know the guy who is probably the 3rd most clutch in the game after Kobe and LeBron.

You may also have the best player in the series, but it is hard to overcome 3 all-stars

[risktaker91]

Fully healthy Wiz take the series in 5 games...

[TooNice00]

orlando easily has the fire power to keep up with the wizards. it will come down to who plays defense and since orlando has howard, who can dominate a game defensively, got to go with orlando.

[Cammo101]

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Washington's bench > Orlando's easily

Orlando does not have a big as good as Blatche coming off its bench. It also lacks that steady veteran PG and playoff vet performer the Wiz have in AD. Mason and Young, while less experienced than Dooling and Arroyo, have proven to be better scorers this season than those two. The only area you win is Cook over the sucky Songaila.

Better clutch players? Yeah, Hedo has been clutch but we have Agent Zero...you know the guy who is probably the 3rd most clutch in the game after Kobe and LeBron.

You may also have the best player in the series, but it is hard to overcome 3 all-stars

You talk about Orlando's bench yet have no idea who even plays off the bench. Arroyo hasn't played in a couple weeks. Orlando has a steady PG off the bench, Keyon Dooling. The Magic bench is among the best in basketball, with Cook, Bogans, Dooling, and Foyle along with the occasional drop in by Arroyo. Arenas the 3rd most clutch player in the NBA? Really? Based on what? Billups, Horry and about 20 other players would love to know your criteria. Turk has more game winners this year than Arenas has had over like the last 4. You can hype up your 3 all stars all you want, but Orlando has 3 all star level players too...and 2 of ours aren't wearing street clothes for half the year.

[Teddy KGB]

LOL at Orlando having 3 all star caliber players. Howard, obviously. Turkoglu, will give you that. Shard? Nothing special. Just an average player.

[otownflava21]

LOL at Orlando having 3 all star caliber players. Howard, obviously. Turkoglu, will give you that. Shard? Nothing special. Just an average player.

LOL at shard being average. he isnt better than bulter or jamison, but its pretty silly to say he is anything below an above average-all star calibre player.

[Teddy KGB]

k, fine he is above average. I would say that he is currently as good as Mike Miller. Don't see any real difference except that Shard gets like 14M a year more

[hermes]

i'll take the magic in 7, close series

[DrunkOnMystery]

I think in a series between Washington and Orlando, with both teams healthy, each team would steal one game on the road from the other. Those wins would nullify each other, so at that point I'd say whomever has home court advantage in the series would win the series in 7 games.

[likwitdesi]

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You talk about Orlando's bench yet have no idea who even plays off the bench. Arroyo hasn't played in a couple weeks. Orlando has a steady PG off the bench, Keyon Dooling. The Magic bench is among the best in basketball, with Cook, Bogans, Dooling, and Foyle along with the occasional drop in by Arroyo. Arenas the 3rd most clutch player in the NBA? Really? Based on what? Billups, Horry and about 20 other players would love to know your criteria. Turk has more game winners this year than Arenas has had over like the last 4. You can hype up your 3 all stars all you want, but Orlando has 3 all star level players too...and 2 of ours aren't wearing street clothes for half the year.

One of the best in the NBA?

Daniels > Dooling
Blatche > Cook
Etan > Foyle

Possibly the only matchup that Orlando wins off the bench is Bogans over Mason.

I'd also take Nick Young easily over Arroyo. Young is a guy that can create his own shot and when he gets hot, he is dangerous.

[likwitdesi]

orlando easily has the fire power to keep up with the wizards. it will come down to who plays defense and since orlando has howard, who can dominate a game defensively, got to go with orlando.

Howard is a great defender but so is Haywood. Although he is nowhere near as good as Howard, Haywood alters lots of shots with his wingspan, which is one of the longest in the NBA. Haywood statistically has had a great effect defensively on games throughout his career.

[yungal07]

This season, the Magic's bench rates better than the Wizards (28th vs. 20th). Both benches are pretty poor.

However, the Wizards have been playing undermanned all season, thus pushing bench players in starting roles, while normal 11th and 12th men are getting consistent minutes. With that in mind, I'd rate the benches about even.

The biggest advantage I see for the Wiz aside from Arenas - Howard vs. Haywood. Haywood is an excellent defensive player, and typically he does a pretty good job on Howard.

I think the Wizards would win in a close series. I think Jamison and Lewis nullify each other. Same with Butler/Hedo (although Caron is a much better player) and Deshawn/Evans. A healthy Arenas takes a huge dump on whoever plays point for the Magic and that's where the series is won.

[VintaGe36]

^How is a bench highlighted by Brian EFFing Cook and Foyle one of the best in basketball!?!

[Cammo101]

This season, the Magic's bench rates better than the Wizards (28th vs. 20th). Both benches are pretty poor.

However, the Wizards have been playing undermanned all season, thus pushing bench players in starting roles, while normal 11th and 12th men are getting consistent minutes. With that in mind, I'd rate the benches about even.

The biggest advantage I see for the Wiz aside from Arenas - Howard vs. Haywood. Haywood is an excellent defensive player, and typically he does a pretty good job on Howard.

I think the Wizards would win in a close series. I think Jamison and Lewis nullify each other. Same with Butler/Hedo (although Caron is a much better player) and Deshawn/Evans. A healthy Arenas takes a huge dump on whoever plays point for the Magic and that's where the series is won.

Your rationalization only goes one way. Haywood is a decent defender, but it will be tough to guard Dwight from the bench in constant foul trouble. Dooling has a much better chance of slowing down Arenas than Haywood does Dwight. Dooling is one of the best defensive PG's in the East and he would be a huge part of why i think the Magic would win the series. Dooling has shut down some extrememly good guards over the last month or so. Iverson, Billups, Ray Allen...

[Cigamodnalro]

I think it would come down to the three C's --chemistry, conditioning, and coaching. Healthy Washington and Orlando are pretty even-handed, except that Washington hasn't played healthy all season. With the big 3, they have lots of ammunition, but a dinky little pistol to shoot with. It's been a while since the Wizards trio played together with any success, and a few Arenas games at the end of the year won't put them level with a cohesive Magic team. There is the rust and conditioning factor as well--unless Arenas comes back in the next couple of weeks and gets himself in game shape, it's going to be tough to jump right into a playoff series. I would be surprised if Thomas plays this season. Wizards, I think, would be a better team in the second round than in the first. If they face the Magic in the first round, however, they won't have that opportunity.