Can this team win next year with all the same players?

[dreamingincolors 0]

quote:

Originally posted by Live or Die Magic:

Speaking from hindsight is a much more informed position that speaking about the future, which is essentially what everyone is doing here.

 

Keeping the same team does NOT mean getting the same results. There are way too many additional factors at play beyond simply having the same personnel.

I understand that teams acquiring great free agents really do changes the situation at hand, but I don't believe simply because you acquire a big free agent all of a sudden those teams that have the FAs are automatic champions. Anything can happen on any team at any time but the most important thing for a team to gel together and play to win in these playoffs is time, chemistry, sacrifice, defense, offense, energy, effort and luck and I pray all of that is on the Magic side next season.

 

[Nell2ThaIzzay 1]

quote:

Originally posted by Live or Die Magic:

Wow, you guys are seriously spoiled. Do you guys seriously think that a seven-game series with the Celtics that started RIGHT NOW would be the same as the one that just ended?

 

Do you think that another year of age on the Celtics players won't make a difference against a young team like the Magic? For those Magic players that actually contributed in this series, age is not even an issue.

 

A team with Dwight Howard, Jameer Nelson, Rashard Lewis, Mickael Pietrus, JJ Redick, Matt Barnes, Brandon Bass, Ryan Anderson, and Marcin Gortat can compete for a title every year. If players like Vince Carter, Bass, and Gortat are back next year, great. If not, then they will be turned into pieces that we can use. Keeping JJ and Barnes is a must.

 

Boston beat us, they were the better team for that series. Talk to Dwight and Jameer...I guarantee you they'd love to start the series over again right now, and they certainly would love to do again a year from now.

 

This. This right here x100.

 

This team is straight up a title contender, and CAN win a title. People act like getting beat in the Eastern CONFERENCE FINALS by a team that WON the title just 2 years ago is some embarrassing elimination in the 1st round to a lower seed or something. A title contender got beat by another title contender. That's, um, kinda what happens in the competitive nature of the league. You know, the Spurs ran off 4 championships with essentially the same roster, and even they got beat in the playoffs sometimes too.

 

Us getting beat in the CONFERENCE FINALS by a recent NBA champion, and potential champ this year, does not mean we are some team that can't compete with the league's elite.

 

In fact, getting to 2 consecutive conference finals, the NBA finals, and going toe to toe with the 3 other elite NBA franchises actually says that we CAN compete with the league's elite, and are among their level.

 

Remember - in the last 3 years, 3 teams have been to the NBA Finals. This team was one of them.

[Ryan the Magic Fan 253]

Yes yes it can. The pieces are in place, and a few small upgrades here and there will make it even better.

 

For those of you who say we cant win without a go to scorer? We HAVE a go to scorer right here:

 

 

Dwight has to be the beginning middle and end on offense. We all know he can do it. We all saw him take the steps in the ECF. The mental growth is there. Priority number one in Magic land should not be landing some huge name free agent. This team is already stacked. It should be in finally making Dwight that 25 point a night scorer. No more excuses from him or the coaching staff.

 

After that the only other things I'd like to see would be thus:

-Resigning of Barnes and JJ

 

-Lewis given moving to the SF so Barnes could be our energy guy off the bench (and maybe then getting rid of Pietrus...) Which then sets up for...

 

-Brandon Bass or Ryan Anderson moving into the starter spot at PF. We can keep the stretch 4 or roll traditional. We don't have to ship either off.

 

-New backup Point Guard. (CJ!!!!)

 

Other then that, as said before, unless Otis can nail some mega young stud like Bosh, Wade, CP3, Granger, etc (no I am not counting Rudy Gay in that lineup, I would rather have OJ Mayo), this team should stay the same. Let's not try to make Carter and Lewis into something their not. Carter can still give us an outburst of points here and there, but he is not a go to guy. Neither is Lewis. But both are capable of offensive explosions. Dwight is "THE GUY" and the team is his compliment.

[The Solution 0]

Albert Einstein once said "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results". Think about this quote for a second and ask yourself, does this quote apply to the Magic?

 

How about Vinsanity?

[Ryan the Magic Fan 253]

quote:

Originally posted by The Solution:

Albert Einstein once said "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results". Think about this quote for a second and ask yourself, does this quote apply to the Magic?

 

Seeing as this team was not the same team as last year of the year before that?

 

No.

[Miller4Prez64 1]

The same weaknesses that Boston exploited will be there again. These problems won't just go away by themselves. You also have to consider how different the East could look after this offseason. Wade getting a star like Bosh or Amare could have them in the mix.

[IronMaiden 43]

Could this team win a championship? Yes. Could this team get better this offseason and have an even better shot at it? Hell yes. I see changes being made for that very reason. There's always room for improvement on a team that failed to reach its goal.

[Tough Break There 96]

quote:

Wow, you guys are seriously spoiled. Do you guys seriously think that a seven-game series with the Celtics that started RIGHT NOW would be the same as the one that just ended?

 

Do you think that another year of age on the Celtics players won't make a difference against a young team like the Magic? For those Magic players that actually contributed in this series, age is not even an issue.

 

A team with Dwight Howard, Jameer Nelson, Rashard Lewis, Mickael Pietrus, JJ Redick, Matt Barnes, Brandon Bass, Ryan Anderson, and Marcin Gortat can compete for a title every year. If players like Vince Carter, Bass, and Gortat are back next year, great. If not, then they will be turned into pieces that we can use. Keeping JJ and Barnes is a must.

 

Boston beat us, they were the better team for that series. Talk to Dwight and Jameer...I guarantee you they'd love to start the series over again right now, and they certainly would love to do again a year from now.

 

Good post LODM.

 

quote:

That's just it, you can't go start it over again..

 

Uh, it's called next season. Pretty basic professional sports concept.

[jack l j 0]

i have to agree with almost everything tough break said. i would only hope to get a tough defensive pg for vc. i think jj and mp can man the sg position depending on match ups.

[Kris Brockington 0]

Even if we could beat the celtics next year, we wouldn't get past the lakers.

[ThisIsTheYear 241]

quote:

Originally posted by Kris Brockington:

Even if we could beat the celtics next year, we wouldn't get past the lakers.

 

You're basing this claim on what?

[Live or Die Magic 383]

quote:

Originally posted by ThisIsTheYear:

quote:

Originally posted by Kris Brockington:

Even if we could beat the celtics next year, we wouldn't get past the lakers.

 

You're basing this claim on what?

 

I would have LOVED a shot at the Lakers!