Orlando Magic's Turkoglu finally in the zone (Sentinel)

[umut 0]

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Magic forward Hedo Turkoglu had just hit the game-winning shot in overtime to beat the Bulls in Chicago, which meant on-court, postgame interviews with television and radio, which meant he was the last person back to the locker room.

 

He walked in to find the team's postgame buffet already had been picked over. There were half-empty pizza boxes on the table and a tray of lasagna that looked like it had been put in a blender.

 

Turkoglu scanned the locker room and frowned.

"You see, I still don't get any respect," he said after the victory Dec. 31. "My game is good now. You think they would wait for me, but no. I still get what is left. Must have been the turnovers."

 

He laughed, then ate happily.

 

Rest of article

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/orl-magic0808jan08,0,582791.story

[umut 0]

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Magic forward Hedo Turkoglu had just hit the game-winning shot in overtime to beat the Bulls in Chicago, which meant on-court, postgame interviews with television and radio, which meant he was the last person back to the locker room.

 

He walked in to find the team's postgame buffet already had been picked over. There were half-empty pizza boxes on the table and a tray of lasagna that looked like it had been put in a blender.

 

Turkoglu scanned the locker room and frowned.

"You see, I still don't get any respect," he said after the victory Dec. 31. "My game is good now. You think they would wait for me, but no. I still get what is left. Must have been the turnovers."

 

He laughed, then ate happily.

 

Rest of article

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/orl-magic0808jan08,0,582791.story

[Soul Bro 1,422]

Great article. I give Otis props for believing in Hedo through his "flu-like" symptoms and coasting play. Denton told Junkie last year that Hedo was Otis' second favorite player behind Dwight. At the time, I thought Otis was nuts.

 

I also like how SVG called out Hedo in the preseason as an underachiever for his career, as stated in the article.

 

Last but certainly not least, as cited in the article, I love how SVG compared Hedo to Dirk. IMO, that is not to far off and is a good motivational strategy.

[MilitaryMagic 0]

Ugh, what the FRICK was Otis thinking when he signed Lewis. $118 million for a fricken league-average PF.

[MilitaryMagic 0]

I'm totally off the bandwagon now. I'll still watch games and be a Magic fan, but I've officially lost hope in our team. This article is the final proof that Otis and the Magic have NO CLUE what they're doing... putting all this faith into Hedo and then investing our entire future in a player that plays Hedo's position. Fantastic. How brain-dead can we be???

[SmackDaddy 30]

quote:

Originally posted by MilitaryMagic:

I'm totally off the bandwagon now. I'll still watch games and be a Magic fan, but I've officially lost hope in our team. This article is the final proof that Otis and the Magic have NO CLUE what they're doing... putting all this faith into Hedo and then investing our entire future in a player that plays Hedo's position. Fantastic. How brain-dead can we be???

 

LMAO. But you better watch out. You'll get lumped in with guys like me and Ghost if you protest too loudly.

[richnba 3]

Otis really has no idea, instead of going for the guy that could help this team, he went for the biggest fishj out there, he went for the biggest name, Wallace wouldof helped this tema much more then Lewis, and we would of been able to keep Darko.

 

Los

Wallace

Hedo

Darko

Dwight

or

Nelson

Bogans

Hedo

Lewis

Dwight that is Otis's "Cahmpionship team in his eyes, this lineup can evolve into a championship contender.

[Marc Acres 3:16 418]

I know Turk's D isn't the greatist but would it really kill us if we went really big with him at the 2? I know it isn't ideal by any streatch but we have got to get Rashard out of the 4.

[SmackDaddy 30]

quote:

Originally posted by Marc Acres 3:16:

I know Turk's D isn't the greatist but would it really kill us if we went really big with him at the 2? I know it isn't ideal by any streatch but we have got to get Rashard out of the 4.

 

I'm really surprised we haven't seen that combination on the floor yet. Maybe not to start, but at least to test out that lineup during games. IMO, Turk can guard opposing SG's due to his length, and there is now way they could guard him, especially in the post.

[Captain Hi-Top 791]

quote:

Originally posted by SmackDaddy:

quote:

Originally posted by MilitaryMagic:

I'm totally off the bandwagon now. I'll still watch games and be a Magic fan, but I've officially lost hope in our team. This article is the final proof that Otis and the Magic have NO CLUE what they're doing... putting all this faith into Hedo and then investing our entire future in a player that plays Hedo's position. Fantastic. How brain-dead can we be???

 

LMAO. But you better watch out. You'll get lumped in with guys like me and Ghost if you protest too loudly.

 

I'm still holding out... clinging to the hope that the real problem with Rashard is that he is playing at the 4, and once he gets moved back to his natural position he will produce at a higher level than Hedo.

 

Of course, he will never 'live up' to the contract, but if he can produce at the 3, and Hedo can produce in similar fashion that he has all year, but at the 2... then I may consider this a positive move.

 

However, and I can't belive I am typing this, if this 'experiment' is ever given some decent time (Shard at the three with Hedo at the 2 in the starting lineup) and doesn't pan out... I may have to concede and give props to Smack and Ghost.

[Marc Acres 3:16 418]

quote:

Originally posted by SmackDaddy:

quote:

Originally posted by Marc Acres 3:16:

I know Turk's D isn't the greatist but would it really kill us if we went really big with him at the 2? I know it isn't ideal by any streatch but we have got to get Rashard out of the 4.

 

I'm really surprised we haven't seen that combination on the floor yet. Maybe not to start, but at least to test out that lineup during games. IMO, Turk can guard opposing SG's due to his length, and there is now way they could guard him, especially in the post.

 

All he really has to do is keep them out of the middle of the lane, it's not like we need him to be lock down. You figure we have Mo, Keyon and Keith to bring in if he's getting killed, so why not?

 

I have this terrible feeling that the contract we gave Rashard is going to have the same impact as that huge contract had on Juwan Howard. Both of those guys are not capable of carrying that type of mental load. It crushed Juwan, I hope that isn't the case here.

[MilitaryMagic 0]

It's twisted that such a positive article about our best perimeter player is what's made me lose all hope in our coaching and management.

 

How can you drop $118 million on a guy we literally PLANNED on using as an out-of-position 3rd option? It's no wonder Rashard isn't living up to expectations - he's playing in the shadow of HEDO FRIGGIN' TURKOGLU. I never thought in a million years that I'd say that an all-star is playing in the shadow of Hedo. That's the kind of thing you say about Kobe, Shaq, LeBron. They have shadows.

 

Since when do people play in the "larger-than-life" shadow of Hedo Turkoflu?

 

I guess since Otis and SVG decided Hedo is the best thing since sliced bread. Unbelievable.

 

You know what, if Hedo is this ultra-versatile player that's untouchable and has all-star potential, why not freaking use his versatility and skillset to get other guys on our team going??? Move him around in the lineup and use his versatility for God's sake. If he's so versatile, shouldn't HE be playing PF so Rashard can get his game going again? Who's the versatile one again????

 

Our management, our coaching, our team, our fans, EVERYONE is putting too much value on Hedo. He doesn't even have an 18 PER. Statistically he's far, far away from being an all-star. And his aggressiveness is result of our coaches literally handing the offense to him. Our team could be doing things completely differently if they were being coached to play differently. I don't want to hear anything about Hedo saving our team. Since Rashard cooled off from the outside our team has been playing pretty friggin' bad. GDI.