Orlando Magic to win the title?

[The_Game]

They have swept both the Lakers and Spurs, along with 18-4 against the western conference.

they have a legit big man who averages 20, 14 and 3, have good defense and are a great three-point shooting team. They have it all to win it all. They are great on the road too.

Cavs and Celtics have their hands full mainly if Orlando get homecourt over them both.

[endrity]

There are two things that I still don't like about them:

1) They depend too much on the 3pt shot. They are hitting it like crazy right now, it's hard to think they can keep it up during the playoffs.

2) Howard's offensive game is EXTREMELY raw, I still don't think of him as a go to guy down the stretch. And as good as Hedo has become in Orlando, when you are putting your championship hopes in his hand, it probably means you'll fail sooner or later.

[The_Game]

Hedo averaged 17 points in the playoffs last year, I don't think he is a bad option anymore. Not with other guys around him

it is fine depending on the three if you get open shots..dwight gets doubled alot and that leaves open shots for those shooters. Dwight is still a power house inside and with the way nelson gets into the paint there is no reason why dwight won't dominate teams even with just a few limited post moves.

orlando have been so consistant from three it makes it hard to think it would change. if they had no post player inside i could see it drying up but they do have that man inside

[endrity]

Yeah but I think in the playoffs teams will live with defending Howard one on one. Again, his offensive game is not polished, and over the course of a series a good big man can learn to read him a bit more. If teams don't double Dwight, there is no way those threes keep falling at the rate they are.

[The_Game]

would teams really settle for playing Dwight one on one? yeah he doesn't have a huge amount of post moves but he has a few that work very well and he can still bully teams on the block. It's also not like the rest of the magic players are purely jump shooters. They can take you off the dripple.

Nelson seems to of taken his game to a whole new level.

Their defense is also good this year which is what you need to win titles.

[Soul]

There are two things that I still don't like about them:

1) They depend too much on the 3pt shot. They are hitting it like crazy right now, it's hard to think they can keep it up during the playoffs.

2) Howard's offensive game is EXTREMELY raw, I still don't think of him as a go to guy down the stretch. And as good as Hedo has become in Orlando, when you are putting your championship hopes in his hand, it probably means you'll fail sooner or later.


1. Our 3 point shot was horrid the first 3 weeks of the season and still won a bunch of games. We also have hit 5+ 3 pointers in EVERY GAME except one since not just this year but all of last year... it's not like we have guys that cant drive.

2. His offensive game is raw but not as bad as people make it out to be. I wouldnt trust him like I would Duncan or somebody but we have 3 players capable of heating up and taking over (and have over the last 2 seasons) in Nelson, Turk and Rashard. Don't see how it falls all on Turkoglus shoulders.

[IronMexican]

I think it is more important than ever to get the #1 seed in the East to avoid playing Orlando. If you consider LA a contender, you have to call Orlando one. I hope they can cool off come May.

[Rapper]

Yes
Orlando Magic will win the title this year

This is no doubt that Dwight already dominates the NBA

A new dynasty is coming

[TheMadHatter]

It's just like the Hornets last season. Teams simply haven't adjusted to the Magic. Look at NOH now, they are struggling with their offense because teams have figured out how to slow down CP3's one man show.

I simply cannot see any team this reliant on the 3pt shot ever winning an NBA title. At some point in the playoffs their shots will stop falling and they will lose because they don't have anything else offensively to fall back on other than Howard's post game.

[td4mvp21]

I think they could beat anyone that came out of the West at this point. But I don't think they can make it out of the Eastern conference. Cleveland and Boston will shut down them down.

[SenorSpur]

It's a strong possibility that Orlando could unseat either the Celtics or Cavs for Eastern Conference supremacy. As for their title hopes, that's another story altogether.

[hater]

well if Nelson keeps playing as the next coming of Isaiah Thomas and Turkoglu like the the next coming of Scottie Pippen, yes. they will win it

[Findog]

It's funny how the balance of power has shifted back to the East, since 3 of the top 4 teams in the league reside there.

[BRHornet45]

It's just like the Hornets last season. Teams simply haven't adjusted to the Magic. Look at NOH now, they are struggling with their offense because teams have figured out how to slow down CP3's one man show.

LOL son we have the exact same record right now as we did at this point during the season last year.

[ducks]

They have swept both the Lakers and Spurs, along with 18-4 against the western conference.

they have a legit big man who averages 20, 14 and 3, have good defense and are a great three-point shooting team. They have it all to win it all. They are great on the road too.

Cavs and Celtics have their hands full mainly if Orlando get homecourt over them both.

can hedo perform in the playoffs
if he can
they can beat the cavs and boston

[Lakers_55]

Can the Magic win it all? yes. So can 2 other teams in the east. However, getting out of the east is required first. As others have said, number one seed is important, because then the remaining two fight it out before they play the number 1 seed..

Expect a constant reshuffling of the leaders in the east as the second half of the season unfolds. Boston got hot, they slumped. Orlando will go through a slump as well. Same with the Cavs.

It's a long way off, and still no big trades to improve a team or throw a monkey wrench into anyones hopes

[de Soto]

No.

[Heath Ledger]

As much as Detroit stinks it up right now, if they bump into Orlando in the playoffs its curtains for Orlando. Detroit owns Orlando just like Utah owns Detroit.

[DrHouse]

I stand corrected about this team. They actually play defense, which is why I think they do have a shot to come out of the EC.

I want to see more of a killer instinct in Dwight Howard though. He's too much of a goofball on the court. The key to their team seems to be Jameer Nelson playing outside of his mind, if he really IS this good of a player then the Magic have a great chance this season.

[Findog]

I stand corrected about this team. They actually play defense, which is why I think they do have a shot to come out of the EC.



Well, they are coached by a Van Gundy.

[Lp26]

No.

[Bob Lanier]

Don't be ridiculous. Just beating a bunch of shitty Western Conference teams does not a champion make.

Orlando can't beat Boston, can't beat Cleveland, certainly can't beat Detroit. They'll go out in the first or second round like they always have.

[Ditty]

all i care is that either the lakers or celtics dont win it

[BRHornet45]

Don't be ridiculous. Just beating a bunch of shitty Western Conference teams does not a champion make.

Orlando can't beat Boston, can't beat Cleveland, certainly can't beat Detroit. They'll go out in the first or second round like they always have.

LOL the Pistons suck ass

[Bob Lanier]

LOL the Pistons suck ass
Yes, and they're still better than any team in the West by a good margin.

Laugh it up in the minor leagues.

[HeyIt'sMe]

How does anyone know if Orlando can beat Cleveland or not? They haven't had trouble doing it in recent years.

[BRHornet45]

Yes, and they're still better than any team in the West by a good margin.

Laugh it up in the minor leagues.

how did you like that beat down we put on your Pistons last night son? .... LMAO at you calling the West the minor leagues. you do realize that the CHARLOTTE BOBCATS are only 3 games out of making the playoffs now? Only in the East could a team like the Bobcats make the playoffs LOL .... outside of Boston, Cleveland, and Orlando .... everyone else in the East is pure garbage.

[Bob Lanier]

The Bobcats are better than four teams currently making the playoffs in the West.

[JoeTait75]

how did you like that beat down we put on your Pistons last night son? .... LMAO at you calling the West the minor leagues. you do realize that the CHARLOTTE BOBCATS are only 3 games out of making the playoffs now? Only in the East could a team like the Bobcats make the playoffs LOL .... outside of Boston, Cleveland, and Orlando .... everyone else in the East is pure garbage.

Outside of the LakeShow, Spurs, and MAYBE the Hornets, so is everyone in the West. And the bottom of the West is beyond bad.

The East is deeper at the top, and better at the bottom. It's a dead issue.

[DAF86]

No Orlando can't win it all this season, they're still a little too green IMO. I don't even think that they can get past the ECSF,

P.S: The west is still better than the east, in the west a very good team with a great record will not qualify for the PO in the east at least a team with a losing record will get in.

[NBA Junkie]

Celtics > Magic until proven otherwise

[Thunder Dan]

How does anyone know if Orlando can beat Cleveland or not? They haven't had trouble doing it in recent years.

Yeah and the Cavs beat the Spurs in the regular season quite often.

The thing is, the Cavs have never been a regular season team. They never win a ton of games, but their defense is what allows them to go far in the playoffs each year. I look at the Magic like the Suns of recent years. They will win a bunch of regular season games because teams spend a day, if that, preparing for them. They get off a bunch of 3-pointers which allows them to win when they hit them. Come playoff time their 3 pointers will be limited, and they will be forced to play a half court game, which gives a major advantage to both Boston and Cleveland. In the Playoffs if you shoot 25 3's a game, you are likely going to lose. I'm basing this on the history of teams the depend on the 3 pointer during the regular season. The Magic could very well upset the Cavs or Celtics in a series, but I don't see them beating both and making it to the Finals.

In the regular season you get shoddy defense because teams prepare for a team during shoot arounds, or a day of practice. In the playoffs, teams play eachother and prepare for eachother for a whole week- they see every single play a team has. I think the Cavs and Boston both defend better than the Magic and will limit their game by playing physical defense and shutting them down

[LEONARD]

SpursDynasty's head would explode...

[m33p0]

i'm unconvinced that a team that has hedo as a goto guy can win a championship.

[Lp26]

how did you like that beat down we put on your Pistons last night son? .... LMAO at you calling the West the minor leagues. you do realize that the CHARLOTTE BOBCATS are only 3 games out of making the playoffs now? Only in the East could a team like the Bobcats make the playoffs LOL .... outside of Boston, Cleveland, and Orlando .... everyone else in the East is pure garbage.

I really don't think you should brag about this right now. The Pistons are such a mess with their midget line-up the coach insists on playing they can't even beat OKC. I watch the Hornets and they are nowhere near even elite at the Western Conference level much less on par with the top teams in the East.

They are on the level of DEN. 2nd tier.

Next time we meet we won't have Tayshaun Prince guarding Tyson Chandler :bang

[z0sa]

i'm unconvinced that a team that has hedo as a goto guy can win a championship.

Hedo is moving more and more out of the perimeter go to guy spot, though he still possesses it right now. Jameer Nelson is the biggest reason for this, the guy is just money from anywhere on the court, yet gets to the basket very nicely. And that DHoward fella, who's steadily improved his back to the basket game and 10 foot jumper, might be the real goto guy on that team now.

[stretch]

I simply cannot see any team this reliant on the 3pt shot ever winning an NBA title. At some point in the playoffs their shots will stop falling and they will lose because they don't have anything else offensively to fall back on other than Howard's post game.

Sounds a lot like the Lakers. I guess you don't see them winning an NBA title either, cuz they are awfully reliant on the jump shot.

[BWS-1994]

I think Courtney Lee is another reason for the Magic's current success.

[Bob Lanier]

Jameer Nelson is the biggest reason for this, the guy is just money from anywhere on the court
Against bad teams.

[dirk4mvp]

Against bad teams.

You didn't watch the Laker game did you?

[layupdrill]

Orlando will definitely challenge Boston and Cleveland for the East this year. Neither have an answer for Dwight Howard.

[The_Game]

Against bad teams.

God you are a moron

since when are lakers, hornets, nuggets and Spurs bad teams? the magic swept the west road trip beating the spurs, lakers and nuggets...that is a sign of a great team

the pistons are garbage, they will be lucky to make the playoffs at this rate. The Magic have as good a shot as anybody to win it all.

[The_Game]

i'm unconvinced that a team that has hedo as a goto guy can win a championship.

you are making it like like Hedo is their only option. They have plenty of guys who can score and Hedo played very well in the post season last year..

make no mistake Orlando is still Dwight's team and he has the skills to take over games...although as mentioned Nelson has been their go to scorer lately.

[HeyIt'sMe]

Lanier refuses to give Orlando any credit just because they struggle with the Pistons. Therefore, if anyone on their team does anything, it's because it must be against a bad team.

Guy is a moron.

[IronMexican]

The Pistons are the measuring stick for the NBA. It's how I found out OKC were for real.

[sook]

i like the magic and Nelson hope they go all the way

[Bob Lanier]

since when are lakers, hornets, nuggets and Spurs bad teams?
The Lakers are a pretty good team, top-5 in the NBA probably. The Hornets, Nuggets, and Spurs would not make the playoffs in the East.

[Armando]

I can see the Magic beating Cleveland. They are a great road team so starting a series in Cleveland won't faze them. They are well coached and play great defense. Plus LeBron won't be able to coast on defense. He will have expend energy defending Hedo or Lewis and those guys will force him away from the paint.

[Armando]

The Pistons are the measuring stick for the NBA. It's how I found out OKC were for real.



And here I am thinking the Celtics are the measuring stick for other teams.

[ClingingMars]

The Lakers are a pretty good team, top-5 in the NBA probably. The Hornets, Nuggets, and Spurs would not make the playoffs in the East.

:lmao

good one.

-Mars