Are the Magic Championship contenders ???

[ball junkie 277]

With a little help from ESPN TrueHoop Website.....

 

Well, and this goes back to the Magic’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on March 1, it’s that Orlando can hang with any team in the NBA with their current squad. But the key is that Dwight Howard has to play like the best player on the floor on the nights when the Magic play the Heat, or Bulls, or whoever. Getting Jameer Nelson to play at a high level is preferable but not a prerequisite. Not with guys like Ryan Anderson being able to pick up the slack. And even though the bench has its flaws, they’re not fatal. Plus the slow emergence of DeAndre Liggins as a rotation-quality player gives head coach Stan Van Gundy another piece to play with.

 

It starts and ends with Dwight, though. When he’s the best player on the floor against the championship contenders in the league, Orlando wins. When he’s not, as was the case against San Antonio, the Magic lose.

 

Magic fans like use the 2009 team as a barometer for this season’s roster. To be frank, Orlando this season isn’t too far off from being as good as the team that went to the NBA Finals. The problem is primarily the defense and the quality of the bench. Oh, and Dwight sticking around past the trade deadline.

 

If Dwight does remain with the Magic past March 15, then the answer is clear. Orlando will be a thorn on the side of the elite teams in the NBA.

 

Teams ranked ahead of us and our record against:

 

Bulls.....1-1

O.K.C....0-2

Heat.....2-1

Spurs...0-2

 

I say yes....Oh and, Go Wildcats !!!! (UK that is) wouldn't mind having some of those guys play for the Magic.

 

http://www.magicbasketball.net/2012/03/14/recap-san-antonio-spurs-122-orlando-magic-111/

[Optimist Prime 197]

It's refreshing to see the boards so slow.

 

Also, I agree with the post. Orlando can be a dark horse in the playoffs, especially now that they don't have that crazy fat elephant pushing them all against the walls.

[MoMagic1 11]

i deffinately think we can make a run. everyone just has to play with passion and heart ^_^

[VCplusD12 91]

no

[Bauncey Chillups 288]

Also JJ Redick needs to start.

 

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/38447/lineups-that-are-killing-it-in-the-east

 

How good has this group been with the ball? There isn't a five-man unit that's recorded a higher offensive rating or a larger point differential in its favor. This isn't Orlando's most-used unit -- that would be the starters with Jason Richardson at shooting guard instead of Redick (402 minutes on the floor versus 178). The starting five aren't chopped liver, but the Redick-at-the-2 unit blows them away.

[Shock Phantom 263]

ECF is our ceiling imo.

[~O~ 565]

We've caught the Spurs on a back to back to back on our first game and nearly won. The previous game thread about the Spurs game didn't even matter since it had 16 replies by the end of the game. Everyones focus was keeping Dwight before the deadline and/or the expectancy of being traded.

[Crazyhorse81 247]

It's refreshing to see the boards so slow.

 

Also, I agree with the post. Orlando can be a dark horse in the playoffs, especially now that they don't have that crazy fat elephant pushing them all against the walls.

 

 

We traded BBD after all? When did this happen????

[Beast From The East 663]

If Jameer plays at the level he has been playing lately i see no reason why we cant make it to the Finals

[Optimist Prime 197]

We traded BBD after all? When did this happen????

 

womp womp

[Tank Vogel 191]

No. Not mentally tough enough for when the intensity picks up in the playoffs.

[Optimist Prime 197]

No. Not mentally tough enough for when the intensity picks up in the playoffs.

 

After the year they just went through?