Denton, "Go Figure" the day after saying our roster has major flaws.(blog)

[ball junkie 277]

quote:

Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2007 10:33 pm Post subject: MAGIC ROUT HEAT; GO FIGURE!!!

 

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This defies all logic. The same Magic team that had little fire and even less offensive execution Saturday night in a bad, bad loss to the Sacramento Kings pushed the red-hot Miami Heat around all night on Sunday.

 

How does this happen? How does this team lose to Charlotte, beat Utah, lose to Sacramento and beat Miami? That is downright schizophrenic, and it pretty much sums up what a disjointed, dysfunctional season it has been for the Magic.

 

It's why Magic fans have every right to be maddeningly frustrated with this team.

 

Sunday was about as complete a victory as the Magic have had in some time. They led 28-16 after one period, by 18 at the half and never saw the lead shrink to less than 12 in the second half. Every time the Heat made a mini-run it was blunted by some steely grit from the Magic.

 

How can it be that the Magic have won the season series against East powers Cleveland, Chicago and Miami and have seven losses to Atlanta, Charlotte and New York?

 

Let's just say this: I hope none of you out there are betting on the NBA. And if you've had money on the Magic of late, you're probably a little lighter in the wallet. Losing to Sacramento, losers of five straight? Winners against Miami, winners of nine straight and 14 in a row at home?

 

Go figure. Again, it defies all logic.

_________________

John Denton is a FLORIDA TODAY sports reporter and the Orlando Magic beat writer

 

 

Honestly, that is one reason I was so upset yesterday. Most of the time when the Magic play I'm always thinking we got a chance to win the game.

 

Yesterday? I thought we had "NO" chance!

 

Especially after the way we played Saturday.

 

Anybody that can figure this team out is a better man than me. Is it coaching? Is it major personnel flaws as Denton and Schmitz insinuated yesterday?

 

Can you figure it out?

 

 

http://forums.floridatoday.com/viewtopic.php?t=22808&si...2d772ddca0162ed13eed

[ball junkie 277]

quote:

Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2007 10:33 pm Post subject: MAGIC ROUT HEAT; GO FIGURE!!!

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

This defies all logic. The same Magic team that had little fire and even less offensive execution Saturday night in a bad, bad loss to the Sacramento Kings pushed the red-hot Miami Heat around all night on Sunday.

 

How does this happen? How does this team lose to Charlotte, beat Utah, lose to Sacramento and beat Miami? That is downright schizophrenic, and it pretty much sums up what a disjointed, dysfunctional season it has been for the Magic.

 

It's why Magic fans have every right to be maddeningly frustrated with this team.

 

Sunday was about as complete a victory as the Magic have had in some time. They led 28-16 after one period, by 18 at the half and never saw the lead shrink to less than 12 in the second half. Every time the Heat made a mini-run it was blunted by some steely grit from the Magic.

 

How can it be that the Magic have won the season series against East powers Cleveland, Chicago and Miami and have seven losses to Atlanta, Charlotte and New York?

 

Let's just say this: I hope none of you out there are betting on the NBA. And if you've had money on the Magic of late, you're probably a little lighter in the wallet. Losing to Sacramento, losers of five straight? Winners against Miami, winners of nine straight and 14 in a row at home?

 

Go figure. Again, it defies all logic.

_________________

John Denton is a FLORIDA TODAY sports reporter and the Orlando Magic beat writer

 

 

Honestly, that is one reason I was so upset yesterday. Most of the time when the Magic play I'm always thinking we got a chance to win the game.

 

Yesterday? I thought we had "NO" chance!

 

Especially after the way we played Saturday.

 

Anybody that can figure this team out is a better man than me. Is it coaching? Is it major personnel flaws as Denton and Schmitz insinuated yesterday?

 

Can you figure it out?

 

 

http://forums.floridatoday.com/viewtopic.php?t=22808&si...2d772ddca0162ed13eed

[bhnole 153]

The Kings game was maddening to me because of the Kings getting so many free throws. The refs were calling nothing in the paint but everything on the perimeter.

 

In the second half all the Kings were trying to do was draw fouls and yet we kept leaving our feet. Grant Hill was MIA agaist the Kings and Heat. Hedo going out with a tummy ache hurt us against the Kings. When he plays well, we have the wing scorer we need to compete.

 

The problem with this team is you expect young players to be inconsistent but when your veteran leaders are inconsistent (Hill, Battie and Hedo). Your going to have a roller coaster year like this.

 

Until we find a wing scorer that shows up work every night, we will continue to have these problems.

 

Anyone else notice JJ has outscored Grant Hill 30 to 21 in the last three games in less playing time?

[Secretly Space Jesus 670]

Honestly I didn't realize Grant had scored 21 in the last three games.

 

He's been terrible since he went down a few weeks ago.

[JJZ 0]

quote:

Originally posted by ball junkie:

Honestly, that is one reason I was so upset yesterday. Most of the time when the Magic play I'm always thinking we got a chance to win the game.

 

Yesterday? I thought we had "NO" chance!

 

Especially after the way we played Saturday.

 

Anybody that can figure this team out is a better man than me. Is it coaching? Is it major personnel flaws as Denton and Schmitz insinuated yesterday?

 

Can you figure it out?

 

When the same group of players is this inconsistent, it can't be "flaws" in the roster. I will reiterate my opinion from yesterday that it's the coaching.

[SmackDaddy 30]

We have a great group of players, that wehn utilized properly will be able to play with any team in the league.

 

Against Sacramento, Grant Hill was in foul trouble early and Hedo missed the second half with diarrhea. Our coach is not bright enough to figure out the following things...

 

1) If Grant Hill is not available, you put Bogans in to replace him at the SG position. This way JJ is still the backup SG, and Dooling is still your backup PG.

 

2) If Hedo is also not available, you put Ariza in to replace him at the SF position, and use Bogans to back him up.

 

Essentially you are splitting the second half minutes at SG and SF between JJ, Ariza, and Bogans. We have learned through a few key victories now and dozens of previous defeats that Dooling playing SG does not allow him to utilize his strengths. He is a defensive hustle player, but when inserted into the SG spot, he becomes undersized and outmatched on both ends. And when he is inserted at the SG position, this takes away from the rotation that has given Ariza and JJ a chance to shine recently.

 

Basically it boils down to our coach being mentally challenged whenever all of his pieces are not available to him. Think about it. It took him all season to figure out a decent rotation (even though he still hasn't figured out that G Hill and the team will flourish if brought off the bench at SF). What we're getting right now is baby steps. A few more baby steps from our coach and we may start to see victories accumulate more regularly.

[fishybashi 0]

I really think this Magic team is a lot more capable than what the win-lost columns have indicated all season long. It shows in how they are able to beat very good teams.

 

I've noticed that the victories hinge on Hedo's and/or Jameer's performance. When they are off or turning the ball over a lot, the team needs to find someone else who can carry the team offensively. It is almost as if they are the balance that makes or breaks this team.

 

Dooling on PG has been a great solution to solidify offensive control, which has been this team's biggest problem. The use of Redick on the outside has also been a new weapon that teams must now begin to worry about. It also opens the middle a little more, enough for our slashers and D12 to accomplish their jobs.

 

When our offense picks, so does the defense.

 

So why the schizophrenia? The team's inability to establish it's true identity. This team is a mix of run/gun and half court power -- not one or the other. If it relies too heavily on one (half court which it has tried for most of the season), and coaching doesn't supply the necessary ingredients for success, the team fails.

 

The talent is there. We really don't need too much more -- a Vince Carter may be the tip over the edge that we'll need to take us to the next level, and less reliance on an aging Grant Hill.

 

Heart and hustle has to be there day in and day out. Lackluster performances vs. subpar teams have been due to lack of leadership, and, quite honestly, poor rotations by the coaching staff. Poor performances by Meer and Hedo leads to overall poor team chemistry, and during those games the team has failed to find a go-to guy to compensate for their shortcomings.

[Secretly Space Jesus 670]

A huge portion seems to be we tend to play down to our opponents. We lost twice to Charlotte, three times to Atlanta, once to the sixers, once to Milwaukee, once to Golden State, once to Memphis without Gasol, to Toronto without Bosh, to NOK without half their startinglineup, to the clippers, and, most recently, to the kings. That's thirteen games we should've one that we didn't. That's fine, every team blows a few games over a season. Lets say we win, oh, 10 of those games. We'd be 41 and 29, and we'd have a shot at winning the conference.

 

As for the way the Magic play, I think we need to realize that this team plays effectively when it plays up tempo. We dominated the Jazz that way. We dominated the Kings in the first half playing uptempo, before reverting to the dunk-it-to-howard-and-stand-around offense in the second half. We beat Miami playing uptempo. I don't think it's a coincidence that a young team, with a VERY young second unit, excels in a faster paced game. The team seems to have, in the last couple games, a lot more energy and hustle than it had previously. Even Darko looks like he really wants it.

The next 5 games are important, particularly against New York and New Jersey. The Magic need a seventh seed in the playoffs. They have no chance against Detroit, but they have a (Very very)longshot chance of stealing a series from the cavs.

[Skywise316 211]

I don't think its that much of a long shot against Cleveland, seriously.

 

They have to be the worst 2nd best team in a conference ever. They're a more extreme version of the Magic.. other than Lebron, the rest of their guys are just as if not more inconsistent than us from Larry Hughes on down.

 

They have better defense, but also worse offense.

 

If the Magic could recapture that early season defense they had the first 20 or 30 games, Orlando could give Cleveland huge problems. Of course the X-factor would be Lebron in the 4th quarter.

 

Against Detroit.. yeah, Orlando wouldn't have a chance. Just the difference in playoff experience alone....

[MagicmaninMiami 0]

quote:

The problem with this team is you expect young players to be inconsistent but when your veteran leaders are inconsistent (Hill, Battie and Hedo). Your going to have a roller coaster year like this.

 

Until we find a wing scorer that shows up work every night, we will continue to have these problems.

 

Great post BHNole. Thats the answer to how to figure this team out. When Hedo is able to give us scoring we have competed when he is awful we have had little shot.

 

The only thing I disagree with is the problem being solved completely by getting a wing scorer. We need to be able to compete even when the wing scorer isn't healthy. Given the plays and player development time I think we should be able to get 30+ combined from Aziza and JJ especially in an inside outside game with Dwight.

 

As for Denton. Proves my post yesterday. There is nothing substantially wrong with the roster. Its a matter of coaching schemes and developing the great talent we have. Yesterday's win even looked easy.

[chosen12 75]

quote:

Originally posted by SmackDaddy:

We have a great group of players, that wehn utilized properly will be able to play with any team in the league.

 

Against Sacramento, Grant Hill was in foul trouble early and Hedo missed the second half with diarrhea. Our coach is not bright enough to figure out the following things...

 

1) If Grant Hill is not available, you put Bogans in to replace him at the SG position. This way JJ is still the backup SG, and Dooling is still your backup PG.

 

2) If Hedo is also not available, you put Ariza in to replace him at the SF position, and use Bogans to back him up.

 

Basically it boils down to our coach being mentally challenged whenever all of his pieces are not available to him. Think about it. It took him all season to figure out a decent rotation (even though he still hasn't figured out that G Hill and the team will flourish if brought off the bench at SF). What we're getting right now is baby steps. A few more baby steps from our coach and we may start to see victories accumulate more regularly.

 

Agreed!! As dim as it may appear, the light may be comming on for this guy (BHill). I also find it difficult that so much has been discussed as to what we need to do???? It is simple, have GHill throw away the playbook, free the players of that princeton (more like Prison) predictable offense. When we run, we beat the best the league has to offer, when you lock them in, prohibit the running game (which is our strength) you get Sacramento!! The proof is in the results, first half against the Kings, we ran them out of the gym, second half....Half court Princeton (Prison) offense! Sunday we face a well rested Heat team, and we run them out of the gym, we pressed the ball 94" and they never got into their sets...we win again...........Go Magic!!!!!

[richnba 3]

I will say again without Hedo, yes our rotation is extremely flawed, but with Hedo in the lineup it seems this team just blends together.