Magic's ears perked to make trades (O-Sen.)

[Zara 74]

There is no realistic trade opportunity out there that makes us a better team.

 

That's one of the "problems" when you are a top team :headbang:

 

We do have Rashard's fail of a contract and that sucks bigtime; but at the end of the day, we don't really need BETTER players.

Our lineup is top5, and our roster is no1. We don't lack talent. Otis and SVG know that, by definition: they made it so.

 

The only thing we had missing last year was bad-ass-winning mentality. So Vince and Shard need to step up and show some spine and some hit-the-deck effort. We know they can, we don't know if they will.

 

We'll see in May.

 

I'm pretty confident that we OWN the Lakers (we also did last year), but we really need to focus and beat the hell out of the Celtics in order to get to them. Great CVs in their roster these Celtics, but they've seen Second World War. IT'S A MATTER OF EGO not letting Ray Allen outrun you out of the screens or Paul Pierce getting an offensive rebound in the 4th quarter. For the love of God... Last year we were far better rested and yet got ridiculously out-hustled. Let's learn from our mistakes, and we'll be fine.

[Jagsfreak27 44]

That's one of the "problems" when you are a top team :headbang:

 

We do have Rashard's fail of a contract and that sucks bigtime; but at the end of the day, we don't really need BETTER players.

Our lineup is top5, and our roster is no1. We don't lack talent. Otis and SVG know that, by definition: they made it so.

 

The only thing we had missing last year was bad-ass-winning mentality. So Vince and Shard need to step up and show some spine and some hit-the-deck effort. We know they can, we don't know if they will.

 

We'll see in May.

 

I'm pretty confident that we OWN the Lakers (we also did last year), but we really need to focus and beat the hell out of the Celtics in order to get to them. Great CVs in their roster these Celtics, but they've seen Second World War. IT'S A MATTER OF EGO not letting Ray Allen outrun you out of the screens or Paul Pierce getting an offensive rebound in the 4th quarter. For the love of God... Last year we were far better rested and yet got ridiculously out-hustled. Let's learn from our mistakes, and we'll be fine.

Good post, can't say I agree that we'll run through the Lakers though.

[Passenger57 65]

Is it bad that I snicker when I read Vince and "hit-the-deck" in the same sentence?

[GhostAnime 50]

The only thing we had missing last year was bad-ass-winning mentality.

.. Or better wing play.

 

Don't know why you're confident against the Lakers either. We split 1-1 last year unless you call close games "owning".

[ball junkie 277]

This was posted on my ESPN Insider by a gentleman by the name of Nick Borges:

 

Trading for Paul is highly unlikely, since the point guard is happy in New Orleans and the team has been reluctant to deal him. However, they might have enough players and picks to land Anthony.

 

-- Nick Borges

 

Also, just to clarify....I can understand why some of you thought I was saying the Bulls could beat us after re-reading the post since I was quoting Schmitz about Boston, L.A. and Miami already having a better team than us.

 

What I meant was that the Bulls are an up and coming team and a team that could be a force to be reckoned with being as how they are already highly ranked.... have been doing it without Boozer.....and have strong PG play....I didn't say they could beat us in a 7-game series.

 

I reserve the right to change my opinion after Wednesday's game, ha-ha....

 

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/features/rumors/_/date/20101129#19588

[Franchero MVP 391]

Nope. Vince sucks, JJ is our savior, Arenas will put us over the top, trade Shard for Brand, Bass needs to start. The usual.

 

Sounds like they actually want our team to win.

[~O~ 565]

Is it bad that I snicker when I read Vince and "hit-the-deck" in the same sentence?

 

No. I actually laughed at the thought of your sentence.

[magicLA 57]

That's one of the "problems" when you are a top team :headbang:

 

We do have Rashard's fail of a contract and that sucks bigtime; but at the end of the day, (1) we don't really need BETTER players.

Our lineup is top5, and our roster is no1. We don't lack talent. Otis and SVG know that, by definition: they made it so.

 

The only thing we had missing last year was bad-ass-winning mentality. (2) So Vince and Shard need to step up and show some spine and some hit-the-deck effort. We know they can, we don't know if they will.

 

We'll see in May.

 

I'm pretty confident that (3) we OWN the Lakers (we also did last year), but we really need to focus and beat the hell out of the Celtics in order to get to them. Great CVs in their roster these Celtics, but they've seen Second World War. (4) IT'S A MATTER OF EGO not letting Ray Allen outrun you out of the screens or Paul Pierce getting an offensive rebound in the 4th quarter. For the love of God... Last year we were far better rested and yet got ridiculously out-hustled. Let's learn from our mistakes, and we'll be fine.

 

- Points (2) and (4) essentially negate Point (1)

 

If Lewis and VC were 10 years younger then perhaps their physical abilities could improve and their soft habits could be broken and be turned into tough and gritty players - but unfortunately they're not and their future $ is more reliant on them being healthy not on wether they have won a championship. They are good enough to stay in the league and generate one last contract IF they stay healthy....so that (hit-the-deck effort) good luck with that

 

- I'm not sure what video game parallel universe your using to make the statement that we OWN(?!!!) the Lakers? As for Boston - they might be old but they already are that (hit-the-deck) gritty do anything to win type of players and have been they're whole career and its not going anywhere. Can the Magic's superior talent beat out the Celtic drive to win - so far we are 1-1 vs that team but they reloaded in the offseason in preparation for the tiebreaker.

[sharp/7/shooter 23]

- Points (2) and (4) essentially negate Point (1)

 

If Lewis and VC were 10 years younger then perhaps their physical abilities could improve and their soft habits could be broken and be turned into tough and gritty players - but unfortunately they're not and their future $ is more reliant on them being healthy not on wether they have won a championship. They are good enough to stay in the league and generate one last contract IF they stay healthy....so that (hit-the-deck effort) good luck with that

 

- I'm not sure what video game parallel universe your using to make the statement that we OWN(?!!!) the Lakers? As for Boston - they might be old but they already are that (hit-the-deck) gritty do anything to win type of players and have been they're whole career and its not going anywhere. Can the Magic's superior talent beat out the Celtic drive to win - so far we are 1-1 vs that team but they reloaded in the offseason in preparation for the tiebreaker.

 

I think Zara was trying to say that we don't need better players, because they posess the talent we need...they just aren't with the playoff mentality. I think that will emerge once we get into the thick of the season.

 

But I agree that we shouldn't take the Lakers lightly. They are the reigning champs and should be prepped for with that fresh in our minds. The Celts are a big deal as well, we were sent on our way because of them last year.... I think I'm going to have a violent breakdown if I continue to talk about last year's postseason, so I'm gonna go put myself in a happy place so I can get my work done :)

[GhostAnime 50]

What is playoff-mentality anyway? The Magic have been in the playoffs for how long now? When do you expect it to come and why this year out of the past years?

 

I also heard the same exact sentiments last year and look what happened.

 

All these excuses like "play tougher" or "was playoff shocked" just don't cut it anymore for me. It's not like this team is young.

[sharp/7/shooter 23]

What is playoff-mentality anyway? The Magic have been in the playoffs for how long now? When do you expect it to come and why this year out of the past years?

 

I also heard the same exact sentiments last year and look what happened.

 

All these excuses like "play tougher" or "was playoff shocked" just don't cut it anymore for me. It's not like this team is young.

 

It's early in the season and most teams aren't playing like they will a few months from now. When players can actually feel the atmosphere around them change, when that hardware is within reach, I think they play with more fire.

[Zara 74]

.. Or better wing play.

 

The way I see it, any team can do a lot of things better in their game - pretty much everything. Even Dwight Howard could be better (make FTs, don't get cheap calls, etc). But does that really matter, at the end of the day? All we needed last year was effort. Granted, A LOT OF IT; but still... just that.

 

Sure it would be great if we had Michael Jordan AND Wilt Chamberlain (:rolleyes:), but if we're simply talking about beating everybody else out there.. we could have done it last year, and we sure can do it this year.

 

Naturally, nobody has ever swept their way to the ring.

But THIS roster's 100% is the Championship and as such, success is a question of the % they'll put out on the floor.

 

I believe most of us Magic fans agree to that, and so does (again, by definition) the front office.

 

 

Don't know why you're confident against the Lakers either. We split 1-1 last year unless you call close games "owning".

On where we stand against the Lakers, of course we all have our views.

In my book, we play them twice a year in media-day matches; you know, with a Christmas-day mentality.

Stan said last year before the playoffs "I don't want to downplay the regular season, but...". I do.

 

Come the Finals (which can be our only playoff matchup), they have a better shooting guard, they get whistles, and they have a killer attitude.

We can trim 2 out of these 3 attributes without spending a penny. Once we get RED-DEAD SERIOUS* about the game and somehow manage ( :angry: ) the refs, they are a team with Walton, Vujacic, Ratliff, Brown, Blake and Barnes on the bench. I am not impressed.

 

Of course, that's just my two cents. It's up to the team to get there in May and whoop 'em :tongue:

 

*making the Lakers series means getting past the Celtics (or even Heat) series, so if we're there, it can be assumed that we're laying it out.

 

 

 

ps. The "hit-the-deck" wording was tailor-made for Vince :D