Elite Status.., Are we there yet?

[Guardian 6]

Well I have just finished watching what was one of the most impressive, if not the most impressive road trip I have ever seen from our beloved Magic. I loved the way we clamped down on defense and contested shots on this road trip. I feel the only thing holding us back from Elite status was our defense, but man I have to say that I feel we are right there. Rashard and Hedo have been assassins and Jameer has been quietly the leader we all hoped for. Dwight, well a little mean streak would be nice. Do you all think we are there yet?

[Guardian 6]

Well I have just finished watching what was one of the most impressive, if not the most impressive road trip I have ever seen from our beloved Magic. I loved the way we clamped down on defense and contested shots on this road trip. I feel the only thing holding us back from Elite status was our defense, but man I have to say that I feel we are right there. Rashard and Hedo have been assassins and Jameer has been quietly the leader we all hoped for. Dwight, well a little mean streak would be nice. Do you all think we are there yet?

[SmackDaddy 30]

Hedo an assassin?

 

He shot something like 32% on that trip.

[Eyriq 0]

I don't think we are there yet, but I believe the pieces are in place and we can get there with this team as constructed.

 

Right now I'd say that on offense we need to work on limiting TOV's more and on defense creating more TOV's. Also, rebounding the ball better would help.

 

A bump in those areas was what I had been hoping to see MP bring to the table, and I am still am. So once he is healthy I think we can be elite if things click right.

[AcuWill 45]

We are not there yet until we get to the ECF.

[Chaz 0]

We can't class ourselves as elite until we make it to the ECF, but I think other teams are beginning to think of us as elite now. The media are also starting to recognise us, unwillingly, but they are beginning to.

 

A question I had earlier, was can we actually get to 60 wins?

[Penny Hardaway's Ghost 260]

no...

[Kramer 0]

The Celtics were elite before the postseason began last season. Playoff success isn't an absolute must before labeling yourself "elite" and yeah depending on what you mean we can and can't be. Are we a top 4 team in the NBA? Sure. Does that mean we'll make our own conference's finals if the season ends today? Probably not

[jack daniel 999 27]

we will be when we get to the FINALS.

[Chaz 0]

quote:

Originally posted by rtillaree:

no...

 

60 wins = 22 losses.

 

I don't think that's impossible, it'd be hard to reach agreed, but the way that were playing at the moment wouldn't rule us out.

[NJ_MagicFan 0]

I don't think we're elite yet by any means. We do have the pieces, as put by the previous poster, but things need to be consistent, gritty, and solid ALL GAME LONG.

 

Some ideas:

 

1. Limit TO's

2. Be better defensively

3. PLAY FOR THE ENTIRE 48 MINUTES (We've often seen how we start off with a bang, then let the opposition hang around until we pull a 3rd/4th qtr comeback. SVG has called this "waning energy levels". Good teams will punish us for this).

4. MAINTAIN LEADS (goes hand-in-hand with #3)

 

I think when Pietrus gets back, he will give us another bonus defensively.

 

I just don't feel like we have that certain something yet. I really can't explain it -- but I think the best way to describe an elite team is every time they step on the floor, NO MATTER THE OPPOSITION, you KNOW there is a good possibility they will win that game...

 

It hurts to say, but I just don't think we're there yet. On our way though...

[DonReid'sScowl 0]

It seems to as if we are ALMOST there. We are on the cusp, but still missing pieces. We have the offense, but I feel like we need some enforcing defenders.

 

If we to acquire a legit PF that could compliment Dwight and another defensive spark off the bench, then we are there.

 

Nothing against Shard, but he seems better suited at SF. Then again, the way we are winning now is by spreading the floor, with Dwight in the middle. If we were to go to a more traditional set; it might hamper our best asset,with Dwight kicking it out to the perimeter, etc.