hairybyrd wrote:We can agree to disagree on "continuity". It worked for Boston but I doubt it will work for Orlando. Remember, Rashard Lewis is suspended for the first 10 games so the Magic will likely run a bigger lineup in that time. Will they revert back to a running game? Who knows, but it's never good for a coach to impart two completely separate offensive philosophies in the first month of the season. Leave it to SVG.
First of all, Orlando isn't the only team starting the season without a player due to either suspensions/injuries. It happens to teams every year and I don't see how that guarantees failure at all. If anything, the Magic lost Jameer Nelson (who was arguably the 2nd best player while he was playing) for more than half the year and they did just fine.
Second, I'm baffled by the inconsistencies in your post. Making major changes during a summer worked for Boston and for many other teams in the history of the NBA, but it just won't for Orlando for some bizarre reason?
I think you're trying way too hard to shoot the Magic down man.
I guarantee the Celtics additions, as you put it, are "perfect fits". Rasheed Wallace and Marquis Daniels have added a fifth element to this team.
So like I said, you are basically assuming that Boston is immune to chemistry issues and gelling periods
So much for being objective...
I guess since you are throwing out the lame and meaningless guarantees, I might as well guarantee that Vince Carter, Brandon Bass and Matt Barnes are "perfect fits" too. Why? Well, just because I said so. Your talk is as good as mine at this point.
By calling Vince Carter "me-oriented" I mean that he admitted to not playing hard during his years in Toronto. Not playing hard and "team-oriented" are conflicting words so... His stats have always been great but that, to me, suggests he cares more about numbers than winning. You could probably come up with something to disagree but it came from the horses mouth: "I didn't play hard". I wish people quoted that like they do "Practice".
The chatter about his days in Toronto are old news, and boring re-tellings. If his sandbagging in Toronto 6 years ago have made you dislike him as a player, then that's fine. But to say that the Magic have become "Me" oriented by acquiring him is pure ignorance. Anyone who has followed his career or watched the Nets in recent years would know that Vince Carter has grown by leaps and bounds as a individual player, a team player, and as a leader of a team. For you to judge the merits of the trade based purely on an isolated event in 2004 is ridiculous. It's like you purposely chose to blot out all the years he's played in New Jersey after that.
As far as his style of play is concerned, Vince has never had trouble with players around him. These stereotypes of Carter being a selfish player even on the court are uneducated to say the least. He's a good passer, he always looks to get his teammates involved, and he's one of the bigger reasons why the younger guys in Jersey (Lopez, Harris, etc.) have been able to come along the way they have.
Actually the Gortat story isn't. Those were all misinterpreted and misleading translations of a quote from a Polish newspaper. Marcin admitted saying some things, but he denied there being any rift between he and Van Gundy. The two have a typical player-coach relationship. I don't see what sort of pseudo-drama you are trying to spin here. There are absolutely no concerns about the Magic crumbling because of friction between Stan and his players. No one's even talking about it. But hey, if you think there is reason to be worried, then go tell ESPN or NBA.com, they might want to hear your story.
"Orlando will implode" - Yeah, I said it. The Big O is the #3 team in the East and could even win 60 games. It doesn't matter, though, because the Celtics and Cavs are better and hungrier. The ONLY way Orlando has a shot at the title is with a #1 seed in the East. There is no way, I repeat, there is no way Orlando gets past Lebron AND the Celtics again - no freaking way. Plus, Van Gundy can't out-coach Mike Brown and Doc Rivers two years in a row with reloaded rosters.
He can't out-coach them? Yeah sure man. You do know that Stan Van Gundy is widely regarded as the best coach amongst the three mentioned though right?
Oh and that the Celtics and Cavs are better and hungrier, or that there is no way that Orlando gets past LeBron and the Celtics again is PURE opinion on your part. I respect your views man, but until you actually say something that can be backed by evidence, statistics, or anything of the sort, this is just useless homer babble without the slightest bit of objectivity. Saying "Orlando will implode", it's no different from me going on my high horse and saying "Boston is too old, Garnett's legs are shot, and they will collapse before the end of the season. Book it".
Based on trends and match-ups, Orlando has proven that it is capable of defeating either the Celtics or Cavaliers. And contrary to your belief, they didn't need a # seed to do it. Am I saying it will happen again? Nah, but I'm saying it can. And for you to say with definitive certainty that it won't, is laughable.
) 
). And yes, I post here expecting all of you to pick Boston as #1 for obvious reasons. I just think that it is possible to maintain an objective discussion even amongst 'homers'.