All Time Orlando Team
I know this sort of post has been done before, but I was watching a youtube video of Orlando vs Chicago from back in 1989 and it got me wondering about all these old players on that first team. Then it got me wondering about what would the best starting five would be of Magic players all time. I was thinking about limiting it to players who were in their prime when playing for the Magic. Then the first question that popped into my head was Dwight or Shaq? Now that is a tough question, if you were assembling an All-Time Orlando First Team, who would your starting five be? See mine after the jump:
First Team
g. Anfernee Hardaway - Sooooo much talent, it wasn't even fair.
g. Tracy McGrady - Soooooo much talent, it felt like everything he shot was going in.
f. Horace Grant - Finally, a player for the Magic that would do the dirty work.
f. Rashard Lewis - The perfect complement to Grant, could make the inside outside offense look easy.
c. Shaquille O'Neal - I don't like Shaq, but you cannot argue because his scoring ability was just ridiculous.
Second Team
g. Scott Skiles - All time single game assists record, great decision maker, pure point guard.
g. Nick Anderson - Up until recently, the all time scoring leader.
f. Bo Outlaw - The only other power forward that comes close to Grant, defensively, imho.
f. Ryan Anderson - He's new, but he is killing it this year.
c. Dwight Howard - Better defender than Shaq, but has never quite refined his offensive skill set in comparison.
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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Yeah, I think Hedo over Ryan is the way to go.
Not necessarily if we’re going for all-time best individual players (Ryan has loads more talent and potential than Bo), but if we’re going for a team, a guy like Bo is great for the 2nd unit. Great defensively, hustle and energy (concentrated in 15-18 minutes a game off the bench), and rebounding
Hedo (at his peak) helps provide size, playmaking, and spot-up shooting. Ryan (we don’t know his peak, so we can only judge right now) provides better spot-up shooting and offensive rebounding, but Hedo’s got him everywhere else.
I think Dennis Scott might deserve a spot on here, just don’t know over who.
A Penny-TMac-Shard-Horace-Shaq line-up is absolutely ridiculous though to even contemplate. Do any of the NBA2K games have all-time franchise teams? I would hope so.
"We just want to chill" - Chris Bosh.
Proud Jameer and Rashard apologist since '07
I think the All Time Magic Squad consists of...
Stats (in a Magic uniform)
1st Team:
PG Penny Hardaway 18.5 ppg, 5.9 apg, 4.7 rpg
SG Tracy McGrady 28.1 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 5.2 apg
SF Rashard Lewis 15.2 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 39.3% 3FG
PF Horace Grant 12.0 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 49.8% FG
(stats excluding 2nd short, less productive stint w/ Magic)
C Shaquille O’Neal 27.2 ppg, 12.4 rpg, 2.7 bpg
2nd Team:
PG Jameer Nelson 12.3 ppg, 4.9 apg, 3.0 rpg
SG Steve Francis 18.3 ppg, 6.4 apg, 5.3 rpg
SF Hedo Turkoglu 14.5 ppg, 4 apg, 3.7 rpg
PF Ryan Anderson 11.6 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 39.8% 3FG
C Dwight Howard 18.3 ppg, 13.2 rpg, 2.8 bpg
3rd Team:
PG Darrell Armstrong 11.9 ppg, 5.2 apg, 3.4rpg
(Stats excluding 1st two seasons playing total of 48 min.)
SG Nick Anderson 13.9 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 3.5 apg
SF Grant Hill 16.4 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 3.1 apg
(In 200 games in 6 seasons… what a sad, sad, terrible shame)
PF Bo Outlaw 7.3 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 1.8 bpg
(excluding 10 games of ’01 season b4 trade and limited minutes 2nd stint)
C Rony Seikaly 16.1 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 1.2 bpg
by yourdribbleizcookiez on Feb 10, 2012 11:29 AM EST reply actions
Yeah I'd put Hedo over Ryan
and probably DA over Skiles just due to my intense love for him as a player.
All Day I Dream About (Dwight) Staying
Sidenotes...
The List i posted i would consider to be based on Production at that Position.. that’s why Horace Grant is making it 1st team as a PF (Orlando has had some weak 4’s over the years… I’m looking at you, Jeff Turner) vs. Dwight running for the 2nd Team (numbers very comparable to Shaq, except a notable spread on points, wherefore O’Neal gets the nod)
by yourdribbleizcookiez on Feb 10, 2012 1:14 PM EST reply actions
1st Team
1.) Penny Hardaway
2.) Tracy McGrady
3.) Hedo Turkoglu
4.) Horace Grant
5.) Dwight Howard
2nd Team
1.) Darrell Armstrong
2.) Nick Anderson
3.) Grant Hill
4.) Rashard Lewis
5.) Shaquille O’Neal
RAWR! (╯°□°)╯︵ ƃuıuɹnqǝʞı˥ǝʇsɐ┴ɐ
by aTasteLikeBurning on Feb 10, 2012 1:38 PM EST reply actions
1st Team
1.) Penny Hardaway: 18.5 ppg, 5.9 apg, 4.7 rpg
Best PG the Magic ever had.
2.) Tracy McGrady: 28.1 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 5.2 apg
Uh, 28/7/5 stat line. Done.
3.) Rashard Lewis: 15.2 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 39.3% 3FG
Playing a large SF rather than a small PF, while still spreading the floor.
4.) Ryan Anderson: 16.5 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 43.0% 3FG (this season)
This seasons’ numbers so far are better than Lewis’ during the Finals run. Him and Lewis playing off each other would be wicked.
5.) Dwight Howard: 18.3 ppg, 13.2 rpg, 2.8 bpg
I’m defensive-minded in the paint. While Shaq was no slouch on the defensive end, Dwight Howard is the best defensive player the league has ever seen…and the wings around him have plenty of scoring ability to make up the difference.
2nd Team
1.) Jameer Nelson: 12.3 ppg, 4.9 apg, 3.0 rpg
Great shooter, heart like a lion, and when aggressive probably the 2nd best PG the Magic ever had.
2.) Steve Francis: 18.3 ppg, 6.4 apg, 5.3 rpg
Scoring punch with some playmaking help.
3.) Hedo Turkoglu: 14.5 ppg, 4 apg, 3.7 rpg
Didn’t make the 1st unit mainly because he’s simply not as good when he isn’t involved as much. The 1st unit would have relegated him to spot up shooter…the 2nd unit could easily have him running the offense most of the time — which is where Hedo thrives.
4.) Horace Grant: 12.0 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 49.8% FG
Dirty work, and one of the most solid all-around players to ever play the game.
5.) Shaquille O’Neal: 27.2 ppg, 12.4 rpg, 2.7 bpg
Holds down the paint just fine, and can take advantage of his skill on offense by clearly being the #1 option.
Our Fair City...a campy post-apocalyptic science fiction radio epic!
by The BBQ Chicken Madness on Feb 10, 2012 2:19 PM EST reply actions
LOL
Only 1 mention of Scott Skiles as the 2nd best PG in magic history??? You guys must not have watched the magic in the early 90’s.
"Generally, when I draw the play, it's just who's going where. Maybe I have not made it clear enough that we would like the ball to go in the basket."
by AB's triple double on Feb 10, 2012 4:27 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
In fairness...I did not.
Our Fair City...a campy post-apocalyptic science fiction radio epic!
by The BBQ Chicken Madness on Feb 10, 2012 7:45 PM EST up reply actions
I have to be honest ( and I have watched the Magic since 1990, their second year)
I think I would take Penny, Jameer, and Darrel Armstrong before Skiles.
If the Magic must trade Dwight, Hedo better stay. He needs to retire a Magic.
Darrell Armstrong was amazing for three years.
During the ‘98-’99, ‘99-’00, and ‘00-’01 seasons.
Those were the three best seasons by any Magic point guard not named Penny Hardaway.
He should have made at least one all-star team (politics).
RAWR! (╯°□°)╯︵ ƃuıuɹnqǝʞı˥ǝʇsɐ┴ɐ
by aTasteLikeBurning on Feb 11, 2012 6:51 PM EST up reply actions
and look how bad the team got after he left
I think DA’s effect on winning was huge.
All Day I Dream About (Dwight) Staying
I agree with the first and second teams as aligned in the original post except that:
- I would change the order of Horace Grant and Rashard Lewis on the first team so that there is no confusion on who is PF and who is SF.
- Replace Bo Outlaw with Dennis Scott on the second team … as much as I loved Bo’s defense, he had no jumpshot or free throw capability.
Learning is not compulsory, but have you learned anything today?
Bo Outlaw's free-throw motion
still gives me nightmares.
I'm going to brag. I drive the Nikola Pekovic fanwagon.
by Cynical Jason on Feb 12, 2012 8:55 PM EST up reply actions
Denis Scott, absolutely.
I’m actually quite surprised that no one mentioned the man until now. Penny, Anderson, 3D, Grant, and Shaq – my favorite team of all times. Though clearly, if we are talking about ideal all time selection – as we are, actually – McGrady would definitely start before Nick. But yeah, I just loved that team.
I mentioned him early on.
Penny and 3D were my favorite players on that team.
"We just want to chill" - Chris Bosh.
Proud Jameer and Rashard apologist since '07
Not as many nightmares as Nick's bricks...
still give me to this day, smh
by yourdribbleizcookiez on Feb 13, 2012 4:13 PM EST reply actions
Nope.
If the Magic must trade Dwight, Hedo better stay. He needs to retire a Magic.
by funny80sguy on Feb 14, 2012 11:14 AM EST up reply actions
Why would that be sad?
Where petulance happens
by Satch30 on Feb 14, 2012 1:44 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I wasn't sad when he was a big part in us getting to the Finals.
I was really not sad when he was burying cold-blooded 3’s against Cleveland in the ECF.
"We just want to chill" - Chris Bosh.
Proud Jameer and Rashard apologist since '07
by slickw143 on Feb 16, 2012 10:38 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Don't know about y'all but I'd have Shaq and Dwight in the same team :)
The FT percentages would be horrendous, but…
PG: Penny
SG: T-Mac
SF: Hedo
PF: Dwight
C: Shaq
Reserves: Skiles, Ryno, 3D, Shard, Nick Anderson, Jameer
Coach: Stan
All Time Magic Team 12 Man Roster
1st Team
PG: Scott Skiles (Less Talented than Penny but a better leader and floor general by far)
SG: Tracy McGrady
SF: Dennis Scott
PF: Horace Grant
C: Shaquille O’Neal
2nd Team
PG: Penny Hardaway
SG: Nick Anderson
SF: Mike Miller (Pre-Injury he was sweet)
PF: Terry Catledge (Going REALLY old school there)
C: Dwight Howard (Though the way he’s playing could eventually be first)
Top 2 “Fan Favorites” to round out my bench
1. Darrell Armstrong – Man what a competitor
2. J.J. Reddick

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