Luke_FfS

quote: Originally posted by Live or Die Magic: quote: Originally posted by Luke_FfS: quote: Originally posted by gporter:Yo sky, you should work for the Sentinel, you have better reads than they do. +1 And I would add LoDM to the list. Thanks Luke...who should I make the check out to? You or just to "cash?" We really need smiles on this forum!!!! quote: Originally posted by davcivic:...kinda like forum mods.... LOL Seriously, I agree with that 100%, and sometimes it's really sad to see how human beings are exposed only for the will of some writers to create some buzz (and I'm not referring to basketball players, there're more serious situations that were handled in a terrible way)

quote: Originally posted by Marc Acres 3:16:Is Schmitz for real? Is he seriously trying to pick a fight with an NBA player? Is the Sentinel really this desparate? Unreal. When are we going to get a legitimate paper in this town? They seem really desperate, they were always the last ones breaking a news, and now they're trying to sell unreal info. Anyone has also noticed the change of the style in their articles? Seems like they're posting in a forum (no pun intended to this forum...), not in a serious online journal. So... quote: Originally posted by gporter:Yo sky, you should work for the Sentinel, you have better reads than they do. +1 And I would add LoDM to the list.

quote: It's getting less so after watching Orlando dismantle another opponent while the Lakers continue to scuffle along. The Magic stayed within half a game of the Lakers at 22-6, after Monday's 113-81 blowout of Golden State, and they're coming off consecutive wins over the Lakers and Spurs. Orlando also is tied with three other teams for the league lead with 10 road wins. The Magic are now within less than 0.1 of the Lakers in the current Power Rankings, and finish only one win behind L.A. in today's Playoff Odds, so certainly they have a case. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=h...&page=Perdiem-081223

Appreciation from Hollinger (it takes a long time, but finally...) quote: The Magic are now within less than 0.1 of the Lakers in the current Power Rankings, and finish only one win behind L.A. in today's Playoff Odds, so certainly they have a case. Looking at the talent on the two rosters, it doesn't seem clear how that could be. But it's high time we reevaluated one perceived weakness for the Magic -- point guard. Orlando's Jameer Nelson shot 9-for-9 from the field Monday, capping a four-game run where he's averaged 26.3 points while shooting 35-of-64. For the season he's at 53.2 percent from the floor and 43.2 percent on 3-pointers, and his PER of 20.87 makes the All-Star whispers you're starting to hear seem justifiable. _______ Nelson grades out as one of the league's most improved players, and a huge reason the Magic are threatening to move into the NBA's upper crust. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=h...&page=Perdiem-081223

quote: It's getting less so after watching Orlando dismantle another opponent while the Lakers continue to scuffle along. The Magic stayed within half a game of the Lakers at 22-6, after Monday's 113-81 blowout of Golden State, and they're coming off consecutive wins over the Lakers and Spurs. Orlando also is tied with three other teams for the league lead with 10 road wins. The Magic are now within less than 0.1 of the Lakers in the current Power Rankings, and finish only one win behind L.A. in today's Playoff Odds, so certainly they have a case. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=h...&page=Perdiem-081223

DoM, it's already five minutes that I can't stop laughing.... really really funny and awesome Christmas thread. And props to Marc too, the AK47 pic is wonderful.

quote: Originally posted by Skywise316:Mickael Pietrus. (The highest rising player. Jameer and Rashard are bumping their heads on their stock ceilings, but coming off of several weeks out and then solid defense but poor shooting and poor shooting decisions in his first game back against the Lakers, Pietrus beat up on his former team. 5 of 12 shooting. 4 of 8 from Three Land. 14 points. 2 boards. 2 steals. 2 assists. No turnovers. Solid defense once again. Very nyce, especially for a bit less than 18 minutes played.) Don't know if I agree. I'm glad to have Air France back, but IMO his shooting selection yesterday was questionable (at least) like in the LA game, with the difference that he's made some more buckets. Maybe he's trying to take back his role with stats (altough he must already know that SVG it's no all about points made like Don Nelson) or maybe he wanted to showcase himself playing against his former team, but a lot of his misses were awful. Clearly the thumb problem could still affect his shoot, but if it's the case, why not trying to penetrate a little more instead of taking long jumpers? quote: Originally posted by Skywise316:Free Throw Defense. (GSW only shot 18 of 28 for 64.3 percent. Okay, okay, just wanted to make sure you were paying attention.) LOL

quote: Originally posted by CarlosDarwin:Ayer el Maccabi sufri

LOL @ playing a fast pace game with Foyle at C and Gortat at PF.

I'm happy with our starters having a rest, but it's a shame for Meer, he was in the way to another 32 points game. But finishing 9/9 it's also a very good accomplishment.

If we could play all the game like the last 5 minutes, we would win 120-85... Meer confidence is really up in the sky right now. EDIT: where's Warriorsfan05???

Seems like our starters don't want to sit in the 4th, they like to play 35+ minutes a game and not give any possibility to our bench... :=) Seriously, I agree KITNO, but if the starters are not interested in the game, SVG could play more the bench guys, they will put a better effort. Anyway, Meer is well into the game, at least in the offensive side.

quote: Originally posted by KillingInTheNameOf:This team can't handle praise, I hope everybody keeps bashing us, & our players. +1

I don't really know why everyone thinks that Ariza is playing a lot better than when he was in Orlando, but in particular the shooting point of view blows my mind. http://www.nba.com/playerfile/trevor_ariza/index.html FG/3p%/FT 2008/09 = 0,477/0,292/0,657 Career = 0,476/0,253/0,647 For me this is only a minimal improvement. I'm not saying that I don't like him as a player, but all this talk about him being a better shooter is somewhat exaggerated.

Agree with DoM and, using the same example you've made, Atlanta is always a bad matchup for us, but that doesn't mean that they're better than us. Last year they won something like 10/12 games less than Orlando, so it would be a little unfair to any team to lose home court only for a bad matchup. Overall, I'm with you thinking that something must be done to have a more competitive regular season, but for me the major problem is teams that "play to lose" only for have a better pick in the draft. And they would still not be affected by your idea.

More props from Denton. http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?categ...ategoryCurrentPage=0

Great read as always, love to see all the cross references. quote: Originally posted by Skywise316:Gortat can hit mid-range jump shots?? He hit 3 this week! What the hell is going on around here!?) I don't know why a lot of people are surprised for that, Marcin had a good mid-range jump shoot when he was still in Europe. Probably the Magic are asking him for different things and high percentage shots, and for that reason we haven't seen him take a lot of jump shots, but he definitely has this kind of range.

quote: Originally posted by Luke_FfS:Early predictions: Dwight will go in foul trouble because of floppers. We'll have at least ten posts remembering how Ariza was good. Kobe would make 40+. But I really hope we could still win this game!! I haven't read all the 20+ pages and Ariza didn't play a great game, so I don't know if I get the second prediction. But all the rest was right on the target!!! I'm very proud of this team. And I think that we have to give more credit to K-Bo, in the second half he did a wonderful job on Bryant, and the first half wasn't so bad, but Kobe is Kobe and when he's on one of those nights, noone can defend him.

Bogans actually play the best defense on Kobe at the start of the quarter. This officiating resemble a playoff game, we need to adapt to it.

Officials are killing the game for both sides. We need to hang on until Dwight is back, and possibly make some free throws.

quote: Originally posted by Luke_FfS:Please give some minutes to Battie... really, PLEASE!!! But not at center....

Please give some minutes to Battie... really, PLEASE!!!

Is this a basketball game or a screaming contest? Smart play Meer.

Early predictions: Dwight will go in foul trouble because of floppers. We'll have at least ten posts remembering how Ariza was good. Kobe would make 40+. But I really hope we could still win this game!!

Great thread! LOL to "Stan" pic and the Magic starting lineup is very good!!!