ESPN Showing the Magic some love??

[Drain-O 369]

I know WP posted something similar with his Chris Sheridan thread but here is the official ESPN NBA preview.

 

Southeast preview includes my favorite comment and a nice team picture from China:

 

Chris Palmer, ESPN Mag: Because they're less likely to cancel each other out, the Howard-Lewis-Nelson trio could end up being better than the one in Boston.

 

Linky:

ESPN Southeast Preview

 

Also if you go the side of the page you will see all the categories where Stan gets 5 Coach of the Year votes and Dwight Howard gets 2 MVP votes!!!

 

I am getting more and more excited for the upcoming season.

[Drain-O 369]

I know WP posted something similar with his Chris Sheridan thread but here is the official ESPN NBA preview.

 

Southeast preview includes my favorite comment and a nice team picture from China:

 

Chris Palmer, ESPN Mag: Because they're less likely to cancel each other out, the Howard-Lewis-Nelson trio could end up being better than the one in Boston.

 

Linky:

ESPN Southeast Preview

 

Also if you go the side of the page you will see all the categories where Stan gets 5 Coach of the Year votes and Dwight Howard gets 2 MVP votes!!!

 

I am getting more and more excited for the upcoming season.

[Live or Die Magic 383]

quote:

Chris Palmer, ESPN Mag: Because they're less likely to cancel each other out, the Howard-Lewis-Nelson trio could end up being better than the one in Boston.

 

Can you imagine if one of us had posted that? Even though we are all Magic homers, the person that would say that would likely get blasted by the rest of us!

 

Neither trio has played together...I think it is way to early to make a statement like that.

 

[but secretly, I'm praying that it comes true]

[bhnole 153]

I wish ESPN would show love by televising our opener so we could see it!

[Secretly Space Jesus 670]

I'm liking the positive predictions, though I can't believe Jemele Hill actually predicted JJ as MIP. He's probably the 3rd best prospect for that award on the team.

[MilitaryMagic 0]

I dunno what happened, maybe John Hollinger started convincing his co-workers as much, but there is more Magic Love on ESPN.com right now than I have EVER seen.

 

Predicted Out-Right Winners:

Magic winners of the Southeast

SVG for Coach of the Year

 

With honorable mentions for:

Dwight for MVP (!)

Dwight for Defensive Player of the Year

JJ for MIP

 

Now we've got the media (except that jack-arse Bianchi) believin', you know the fans are believin', the players are believin'... it's like that joke... PLEASE BELIEVE... well... I BELIEVE!

 

Hear that, JD? Wherever you are... I believe!!! LoL

[NotByChoice 2]

As much as I am excited about the start of the season and the optimism by some of the press. I'm concerned about galvanizing the Wizards or the Heat with these kind of predictions. Teams that play loose because they are the underdog and have nothing to lose or play with chip on their shoulder for lack of respect can be dangerous.

[Nyce_1 311]

Man, we were getting all this love last season 17 games into the season, then what happend? Brian Hill happened. What these analyst say or predict mean nothing to me. I'm not happy till we're in the top 4 on April 17th!!!

 

FYI Wash vs. Orlando on April 16th; this game better be played by 3rd stringers all night.

[Nyce_1 311]

Stan also got some love for Coach of the Year:

quote:

1. Stan Van Gundy (7 votes)

 

 

Jon Barry, ESPN Great coach. For now, he'll have to work through a lack of frontcourt bigs.

 

Jemele Hill, ESPN.com: Redemption for the coach who was ousted by Miami. His rep as a tactician and perfectionist will prevent the Magic from making their typical, head-scratching collapses. Expect a 10-15 game improvement.

 

John Hollinger, ESPN.com: Magic are a lot better than people realize, and he's part of the reason.

 

Jalen Rose, ESPN: Last year, not even in the league. Now his team's going to win the division. His teams are always well coached and play hard.

 

Marc Stein, ESPN.com: Stan Van did a lot for a young Dwyane Wade in Miami's pre-Shaq days and you can expect him to have a similarly positive (and immediate) influence on Dwight Howard and Rashard Lewis.

 

Chris Palmer, ESPN Mag: How sweet will it be when the Magic finish with a better record than the Heat?

 

David Thorpe, Scouts Inc.: Taking over a playoff team that was swept last season gives him plenty of room for improvement, and he has the tools on this roster to allow him to create all sorts of problems for opponents.

 

And Dwight got some love for MVP:

quote:

T-3. Dwight Howard (2 votes)

 

 

Chris Palmer, ESPN Mag: Could be the first of many. In fact, he'll finish his career with more MVPs than Kobe and Shaq combined.

 

 

David Thorpe, Scouts Inc.: Winner by a coin flip over Amare Stoudemire. Howard gets the edge thanks to improved shooting and better shooters around him. He is ready for a monster season and the ultra-exclusive 20-and-12 club.

[Adam_Magic 56]

WOW that is a huge comment by Palmer too say D12 will win more MVPs than Shaq and Kobe combined!

[chosen12 75]

I love our boy's.....but I am going to agree with Nyce and reserve my celebration for the expected results!! Don't get me wrong here, I believe...and I always will, but we need to turn the cornner here and step into the next level!! Go Magic!!

[ball junkie 277]

I just got around to reading this thread. Man, if your a Magic fan your feeling pretty good about now. I cannot believe the Magic got "10" first place votes from the ESPN experts! If I'm dreaming please don't wake me up.(lol) Twelve straight years of mediocrity from a Magic perspective will do that to a person. The hype seems to be rolling in, lets see if Stan and the boyz can produce.