Jeff Van Gundy/ Marc Jackson debate on TV last night...

[ball junkie]

Mike Breen: "We've talked about the Heat...Let's talk about the Magic. This is a team that lost a close one in San Antonio on Monday night. Before that they won 4 in a row. They are now 9-4 (10-4)....But this is a team that still feels it can compete for a championship."

 

Marc Jackson: "And rightfully so, as far as I'm concerned...But when you look at Dwight Howard you want great players to come back and have something added to their game....He certainly listened to the reports....He heard the questions about his offensive game....He spent time with Hakeem "The Dream" in the summertime and came back with something added to his game....He's a better player....And that sends a message to the entire roster."

 

JVG: "He still shoots 54% from the free throw line....And, they don't have good enough wing play, to me, to compete....I think they have to make 'A" move to get into the discussion so that they can play with Boston, Los Angeles and Miami."

 

Marc Jackson: "The Magic are in the discussion with any team in basketball....When you talk about having Dwight Howard....a dominant big man....they get after you and put pressure on you from the perimeter....this team can win a championship."

 

This was pretty much word for word....

 

What side are you on?

[howard is a beast]

This was pretty much word for word....

 

What side are you on?

im with jackson on this one. i think the magic can win it all. we have the players, we just need everybody to bring it. i know my boy vc, fell off during the boston series, but he and everyone else must raise their energy to championship energy, and deliver the first punch. i believe that if rashard is on, bass is on, and redick is on, we can beat anybody. i say these because even if vince or jameer shots are not falling, they can still create for these other people, and we know we can always count on dwight. stan must must must must make smart substitutions. no need in building a big lead, and putting all bench players in, and expecting the starters to come back in cold and win the game.

[NickAnderson]

We can win as constructed but we would obviously have a better chance with better wing play.

[Miller4Prez66]

Both of them are idiots, but Jackson is right on this one.

 

I stil think Stan wants Jeff to say this kinda stuff to use as motivation. You never hear JVG saying a lot of positive stuff about the Magic.

[howard is a beast]

We can win as constructed but we would obviously have a better chance with better wing play.

they should know what weaknesses they need to improve on. i dont think that personnel change is necessary. vince needs to be efficient, meer needs to penetrate and dish or shoot, lewis needs to hit his shots and post up when possible. we can do it.

[Osprey]

The only way we win as constructed is if everyone refuses to have off games.

 

I agree with Barkeley in that Rashard and Vince are the keys.

[howard is a beast]

The only way we win as constructed is if everyone refuses to have off games.

 

I agree with Barkeley in that Rashard and Vince are the keys.

they are somewhat the keys, but everyone must be clicking, even if it is clicking by being a role player. i was looking back at some of the boston series and if we would have won game 1, that series was ours.

[My _th Rebuild]

they are somewhat the keys, but everyone must be clicking, even if it is clicking by being a role player. i was looking back at some of the boston series and if we would have won game 1, that series was ours.

 

No, they ARE the keys. If VC and Shard play well in the playoffs in every round, the Magic would win it all.

[Penny Hardaway's Ghost]

I agree with both of them. Obviously the Magic are in the conversation. But Dwight cannot hit FT's which makes him somewhat of a liability in close games in the 4th, and playoff games aren't typically blowouts so that is a valid gripe. Shaq was never a great FT shooter, but he did also have that premier wing player in Kobe which took some of that 4th quarter pressure off of Shaq, so here again, valid gripe. The Magic don't have to fit into the mold though, they can win a chip their own way with this very squad, they're just going to have to get on board with a plan and stick with it. Every player has to bring it every night.

[magicLA]

I have to side with JVG because we know that Dwight alone can not carry the team - so it would take the entire team firing on all cylinders to win. But this does not take into account the scenario that the Lakers, Celtics and Heat could also be firing on all cylinders. So which team is better when all are performing at peak performance.

 

To me the Lakers are playing very well and cruising without having entirely assimilated Blake and Barnes into their game. They are winning effortlessly. That is a scary thought because both are already paying off. They have both a clutch front and backcourt player both of whom can take over a game; plus numerous intangibles that have been proven to be effective during playoff type games vs this Magic system. Now replace the sketchy play of Farmar and old man Fisher with the solid two way pg play of Blake ...and then add to the mix Matt Barnes (who knows our system well) rotating with Artest and Kobe.

 

Can the Magic make it out of the East - YES: with all key players firing on all cylinders

 

Can the Magic beat the Lakers - No - unless:

 

- if JJ transforms into a 20 ppg player who can do it when teams are game planning to stop him. That means Kobe/Artest/Barnes focusing on him - same for VC.

or

- if VC goes against all historical facts of his performance in big games and also defies aging

 

those are two very doubtful ifs

 

+ what Penny's ghost said about D12 and the team's free throw shooting

[~O~]

I like that we're still not in the discussion with Miami despite us being 10-4 and them being 8-7 and on a three game losing streak. I guess records don't even apply anymore when it comes to ESPN.

[chosen12]

I think Jackson is dead on! JVG lost what little credability he had by predicting that the Heat would win 72 games! Then he tows the ESPN line of providing every excuse under the sun for the Heat, as to the reason why we beat them. If you are going to respected for your commentary, you should have an equalibrium!!! But...at the end of the day, we do need solid, unquestionable wing play to shut down the better teams and shut the ESPN critics up!