I was absent for a long time, so I'm wondering...
by Dzogi on Feb 18, 2010 10:02 AM EST
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PrintOk, I was absent from OPP, and I was following only Magic results, due to lack of time. Results were, well, you know it. They were ok. Now, since I missed a lot of info on individuals, I would like to know this:
What is general opinion on Magic chances this season at the OPP, assuming that all teams are healthy, ready and complete?
How far are we going?
1st, 2nd, Finals, all the way?
Thanks for the thoughts.
This FanPost was made by a member of the Orlando Pinstriped Post community, and is to be treated as the opinions and views of its author, not that of the blogger or blog community as a whole.
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Answers.
- The Orlando Magic have the potential to win it all but the road to the NBA Finals got tougher.
- Personally? Considering the circumstances behind the Cleveland Cavaliers acquiring Antawn Jamison, I think the Magic top out at the Eastern Conference Finals. That isn’t to say Orlando can’t beat Cleveland in a seven-game series. But the Cavs are, without a doubt, the favorites in that matchup so it’s going to be tough.
I write for Orlando Pinstriped Post and have a Twitter account.
"The second unit is kind of crazy because the second unit is only white guys." - Marcin Gortat
Sharing a brain.
I agree 100%. It won’t be Lebron and the Lebron’s anymore..
It will be Lebron, AJams, and Shaq..
FEED THE BEAST!!!
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I dont think Shaq is part of that. But deftly AJams and LeBron now, which could be in my eyes, a minor improvement or a huge improvement. Either way, Magic will need to be on A+ game when they beat the Cavs this year :P
A game for sure.
but, Shaq has the ability to make it diffucult on Dwight on both ends of the floor.
Speaks to the talent at Center, but Shaq is still a top 10 Center. His Per 36 Minutes stats are good-18 pts and 10 rebs
FEED THE BEAST!!!
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Shaq is not a top 10 center. He defends Dwight ok, but anything where Dwight has space to speed by him or a pick and roll is set up, Shaq becomes useless. And he’s too old to score or defend that great consistently too.
Im not bagging on the dude’s career, he’s clearly one of the best to have ever stepped on the hardwood floor, but right now, his best asset is walking onto the floor, and then the @!$# refs thinking, “hey, lets put 3 quick fouls on Dwight and Shaq, and call it even!”
Dwight has a 75.00 FG% against the Cavs so far this year..
Shaq
Top 50 in PER, Per 36 stats are solid.
I hope your right, I would love to be wrong, but Cleveland is saving Shaq for 8-14 games at the end of the year.
FEED THE BEAST!!!
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Yeah -- a lot depends on how many minutes Shaq can play at the end of the season.
If he can play 30+ minutes effectively, we may be in some trouble. I still feel like he’s more of a defensive liability than the Magic’s offense has explored, though…
It's a good thing Larry Bird's initials weren't MJ. '80s basketball was confusing enough -- Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Marles Jarkley, Mominique Jilkins... Makeem Jolajuwon...
Or maybe Van Gundy is aware and doesn't want the Cavaliers to realize it.
I write for Orlando Pinstriped Post and have a Twitter account.
"The second unit is kind of crazy because the second unit is only white guys." - Marcin Gortat
hehe, well it certainly seems SVG is an avid practitioner of experimenting with matchups and defensive coverage schemes. He went from pretty egregiously leaving the Cle PFs wide open to holding them to 4 points combined in the 2nd half. Also, If Cle really is as powerful with Jamison as some say, then SVG would probably leave the series’ loss/demise making sure Dwight gets the ball a looooot, because the potential is there for Dwight to be unstoppable in practically every single offensive possession.
You know, I kind of believe this.
I really think Stan is not showing his hand in the regular season against the Cavs, because why? One or two regular-season games mean nothing — the playoff advantage is what matters.
It's a good thing Larry Bird's initials weren't MJ. '80s basketball was confusing enough -- Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Marles Jarkley, Mominique Jilkins... Makeem Jolajuwon...
I don't think it's that crazy.
Coaches frequently hold back plays and strategies until they’re going to make a difference. I’m sure Phil Jackson has some stuff he’s saving for the playoffs too. I’m sure Mike Brown…
…well, okay, I’m sure about Stan and Phil Jackson at any rate.
It's a good thing Larry Bird's initials weren't MJ. '80s basketball was confusing enough -- Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Marles Jarkley, Mominique Jilkins... Makeem Jolajuwon...
I'd suggest to Ben (he's at the game tonight) to ask Stan about it.
But I doubt Van Gundy would openly admit that he is holding back, if he is.
I write for Orlando Pinstriped Post and have a Twitter account.
"The second unit is kind of crazy because the second unit is only white guys." - Marcin Gortat
He's top 15
The real "Masters of Panic" are commenting on this blog.
by ben_gleicher on Feb 19, 2010 5:54 PM EST up reply actions
It will always be the Cleveland LeBroniers
Just like tonight’s game with the Nuggets: in a close game James will ALWAYS have the ball, won’t pass it (ZERO assists in OT), and will shoot long range jumpers.
Then lose and not shake hands. lulz.
Magic Fan since the 1992-1993 Season.
by North of the South on Feb 18, 2010 11:40 PM EST up reply actions
WTF?
First, it’s LeBron James. Of course he’s always going to have the ball. Who do you expect to have it? Anderson Varejao? Second, this isn’t Little League baseball with the whole handshake deal.
I’m aware that you’re probably being sarcastic with the last part of your comment.
I write for Orlando Pinstriped Post and have a Twitter account.
"The second unit is kind of crazy because the second unit is only white guys." - Marcin Gortat
I'm just saying that it doesn't really matter who is in his supporting cast, he will always have the ball.
That’s was big part in the Magic’s success last year in the ECF. It became predictable that James was going to have the ball, consume the clock, and shoot. Yesterday he had 15 assists in the game, yet none in OT, and shot something like 1-7 in OT.
I’m sorry, but he is a spoiled brat most of the time. If he wins, he dances and taunts the other team, if he loses, he storms out (almost cryng, quite pathetic imo). He also seemed upset that Wade got the All-Star MVP and not him. Great player, for sure, but very unlikable as a figure.
Magic Fan since the 1992-1993 Season.
by North of the South on Feb 19, 2010 9:09 AM EST up reply actions
I agree.
Going to LeBron ALL the time down the stretch is too predictable. Put Pietrus on him, Dwight down low, and cover his shooters, and its a great defensive possession no matter what LBJ does, win or lose.
Also, the way he leaves the court to the lockers, he’s practically jogging and he does it right after the buzzer. I’ve never seen any other players do that this season yet. He really likes to dance and taunt but he can’t walk out with an acknowledgement of defeat, or even with his own teammates. I know he doesn’t do this in all his losses, but I donno, some of them he can’t handle I guess (see last night’s game).
Last year
No one showed up last year, but Lebron. I don’t think you count on that this season. AJams and Shaq have playoff experience, they won’t disappear.
Lebron, Kobe, Durant, D Wade, Carmelo.. They are all going to have the ball down the stretch. Doesn’t matter if it’s predictable, they are un-guardable.
FEED THE BEAST!!!
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Exactly.
Who cares if it’s predictable. If you can’t stop it (and usually, you can’t), it doesn’t matter.
I write for Orlando Pinstriped Post and have a Twitter account.
"The second unit is kind of crazy because the second unit is only white guys." - Marcin Gortat
That's been the reasoning of some people.
But the stats don’t bear it out — you see a lot of stats, and these guys are all 42% shooters or 38% shooters or whatever in the stretch run. Worse, sometimes.
If you could get effective shots by dumping it in to one guy every time, why wouldn’t you just do that all game?
It's a good thing Larry Bird's initials weren't MJ. '80s basketball was confusing enough -- Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Marles Jarkley, Mominique Jilkins... Makeem Jolajuwon...
I know the stats sometimes don't bear out.
But it’s been shown, statistically, that LeBron is one of the best in crunch time.
I write for Orlando Pinstriped Post and have a Twitter account.
"The second unit is kind of crazy because the second unit is only white guys." - Marcin Gortat
Oh, definitely.
It’s not LeBron I have an issue with — it’s the concept of “crunch time.” It’s the notion that basketball games somehow change in the last few minutes, so much so that the balanced offense you’ve been employing all game must be abandoned in favor of a series of isolations.
(Though isolating LeBron has historically been one of the Cavs’ better choices throughout the game. But that’s LeBron.)
It's a good thing Larry Bird's initials weren't MJ. '80s basketball was confusing enough -- Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Marles Jarkley, Mominique Jilkins... Makeem Jolajuwon...
The Magic have had a pretty rough time in January after starting the season off well, all the new players and old players had a rough patch gelling together, Shard, Dwight, Barnes, VC, etc.. I think VC and Meer have had the biggest struggles due to the new player adjustments and health, but they will catch up and start looking really good with the Magic by the time playoffs start, meaning I still think Orlando will go all the way this year.
I think we should be aiming for the Finals again
We’re definitely good enough. But the Cavs are a really, really tough matchup and they’re deep and skilled, so to get past them will probably require a bit of VC magic, some DWIGHT SMASH and sweet daggers from Rashard – can we put it all together in a seven game series? Who knows.
Anything less than the ECF will be a disappointment – we’re better than the Celtics and the Hawks.
the magic can beat the cavs
it may not be easy but we have VC,D12 and Shard and they have shaq’s free throw. =)
in OTIS we TRUST...
Nice read overall
I got the picture.
I think E nailed it in the head….
Our only hope lies in the fact that he (and some other ppl, me as well) went with Cavs as a favorites last season too ;-)
It’s going to be cool half-season, that’s fo sho.
Not to mention tomorrows game!
Go Magic.
I favored Cleveland last year because LeBron is good enough to win a series on his own.
And he almost did it last year.
I write for Orlando Pinstriped Post and have a Twitter account.
"The second unit is kind of crazy because the second unit is only white guys." - Marcin Gortat
We all understand that.
Man is the best out there, and he really almost did it alone last season.
This season is what worries me, they added some support crew (If Ajams can be called ‘support crew’)
The Cavs smartly added a player that gives Rashard Lewis the most trouble..
the pogo stick power forwards. Guys that are active on the glass and in the post. Lewis may be 6’10 but history has shown he is not a strong rebounder or shot blocker. (since he’s a SF!!!) Jamison has the ability to guard Lewis on the perimeter which basically negates the advantage Lewis has against other bigger power forwards. This is not good for the Magic in any sense of the word. Now LeBron can relax and help off on Barnes/Pietrus on defense. Giving him more energy to tear us up on offense. The roster advantage that the Magic had over Cleveland last year is history. Its up to SVG to come up with something that gives us an advantage over them. (because Otis Smith sure as hell didnt)
I probably know Judo! How many of you can make the same boast?
by Souwantmyname on Feb 19, 2010 6:30 PM EST up reply actions
In fairnes to Otis, he didn't have anything to work with.
Biggest expiring deal was A.J. at $2 million.
Could have filled the trade exception...
by eltharion_doa on Feb 19, 2010 11:57 PM EST up reply actions
Oh, I don't have any suggestions
I’m just saying he could have made a move. I don’t think he should have, but he could have.
by eltharion_doa on Feb 20, 2010 5:39 AM EST up reply actions
I don't think the roster advantage if history.
I think people are giving O’Neal too much credit against Howard, so far. Dwight’s stopped himself due to foul trouble, not Shaq. I guess you can credit O’Neal for that, in a sense, but still.
I write for Orlando Pinstriped Post and have a Twitter account.
"The second unit is kind of crazy because the second unit is only white guys." - Marcin Gortat
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