Orlando Magic are the team to beat in the east [Archive]

HarlemHeat37

11-03-2009, 03:30 PM

They have the best team in the NBA IMO..

I understand why others would have LA or Boston ahead though, so it's not a big deal..those 3 teams are on the top-tier of the NBA right now..

I've been praising them for a while now, and a lot of people here were shitting on them..

nkdlunch

11-03-2009, 03:33 PM

Celtics are the team to beat in the league. Lakers come next(assuming Gasol comes back healthy). Magic come next, then Spurs.

Allanon

11-03-2009, 03:40 PM

This has been the greatest development this season. Some real competition.

It's a toss-up in the East.

Magic, Celtics for tier #1
Cavs/Wizards for tier #2
Atlanta/Miami for tier #3

In the West #1 is now wide-open due to Pau's injury

Lakers (without Pau), Spurs, Mavs, Nuggets (MVP Melo) for tier #1
Blazers, Suns Tier #2

koriwhat

11-03-2009, 03:41 PM

fuck yall... spurs first then the rest come last!

bdubya

11-03-2009, 03:44 PM

After Howard, the Magic don't have much of a frontcourt. Can't possibly rate them ahead of Garnett/Wallace/Perkins/Davis (or TD/Dice/Ratliff/Blair/bonner, for that matter)

HarlemHeat37

11-03-2009, 03:50 PM

Gortat, Bass, Anderson and Lewis at the 4 is a very, very good frontcourt..I definitely disagree..

Wallace and Big Baby isn't as impressive as it sounds IMO..

Howard is currently the best big man in the NBA though, and that can't be ignored..

Allanon

11-03-2009, 03:54 PM

After Howard, the Magic don't have much of a frontcourt. Can't possibly rate them ahead of Garnett/Wallace/Perkins/Davis (or TD/Dice/Ratliff/Blair/bonner, for that matter)

Gortat would be starting Center on over 20 NBA teams.

ginobili's bald spot

11-03-2009, 04:01 PM

After Howard, the Magic don't have much of a frontcourt.

:lol

DUNCANownsKOBE2

11-03-2009, 04:06 PM

Granted the Raptors aren't a good team, being able to beat them without Lewis, Carter and Pietrus is pretty impressive.

Xylus

11-03-2009, 04:12 PM

nkdlunch

11-03-2009, 04:16 PM

The Magic are definitely not the team to beat in the east. Their defense is nowhere near Boston's level and never will be. The most overrated team in the NBA, the Orlando Magic, and that's considering the fact that they made the finals. Had KG been healthy, no way would they have advanced that far.

100% agree

don't know what the hype is all about. once playoff comes, magic cannot compete with the big boys.

Let's not forget magic needed 7 games to beat a Garnett-less Celtic team, the baby bulls took that same Celtic team to 7 games and 4 overtimes.

overhyped

bdubya

11-03-2009, 04:35 PM

Gortat would be starting Center on over 20 NBA teams.

That's because there's a major shortage of quality centers. I'm not saying Orl has no frontcourt at all...just that after DH, they're nowhere near the level of the Celts or Spurs.

Allanon

11-03-2009, 04:36 PM

That's because there's a major shortage of quality centers.

I can agree with this part.

An average NBA Center right now sucks.

HarlemHeat37

11-03-2009, 05:05 PM

As a Spurs fan, I can say that Orlando's frontcourt is definitely better than ours..Howard and Timmy are at worst(with my Duncan bias) equals right now..we don't have a Gortat on our team though, which would fill a huge need..at least IMO..

Orlando's defense was #1 in the entire NBA last year..Howard is currently the best anchor for a defense in the NBA..

ginobili's bald spot

11-03-2009, 05:06 PM

That's because there's a major shortage of quality centers. I'm not saying Orl has no frontcourt at all...just that after DH, they're nowhere near the level of the Celts or Spurs.

You just contradicted yourself.

redzero

11-03-2009, 05:15 PM

The Magic and the Celtics will take each other out and curbstomp whoever comes out of the West.

Allanon

11-03-2009, 05:27 PM

The Magic and the Celtics will take each other out and curbstomp whoever comes out of the West.

I guransheed a Western Winner.

HarlemHeat37

11-03-2009, 05:32 PM

Kobe and Vince actually have pretty good duels on both sides, one guy never dominates the other consistently..Carter's problem is always motivation, and he never lacks it against Kobe..

bostonguy

11-03-2009, 05:35 PM

Thing is can Orlando's D contain the Lakers O? A healthy Nelson can give LA problems, but they aren't beating LA 4 times in a shootout. If ANYONE wants to have a realistic chance of beating the Lakers in a 7 game series, you MUST contain them offensively. If you try to beat the Lakers by outgunning them, that won't get the job done.

bostonguy

11-03-2009, 05:36 PM

As for the thead title, I don't disagree with it. They won the East last year and are currently defending that bragging right.

HarlemHeat37

11-03-2009, 05:37 PM

We won't know that until they play..I do know that Orlando's offense is just as dangerous as any team though..they have the best collection of 3-point shooters in the NBA..everybody criticized them for "living and dying by the 3" last year, but it got them to the Finals..

mogrovejo

11-03-2009, 05:52 PM

I think Orlando is the best reg. season team.

The problem is that I don't like how they match with Boston. The Celtics have two guys to throw at Howard able to defend him 1on1 (and much of Orlando's power still depends on teams doubling Howard, Carter is the only superior creator off-the-bounce, like Hedo last season), and Rasheed Wallace/Kevin Garnett is a big problem for them because it forces Howard or Gortat to get out of the lane and that's the core of their defence.

Depth doesn't matter much in the play-offs, unless you have injuries (and I doubt any team can survive to injuries to one of their top-4 players). You play 8 guys, a 9 one to compensate foul troubles, and that's all. Orlando's awesome 4th big or 4th wing or 3rd guard are irrelevant. One of Anderson, Brass or Gortat will be stuck in the bench, so who cares if their much better than Sheldon Williams or Darnell Jackson? Who cares if JJ Redick or Matt Barnes are better than Vujacic or Luke Walton? Sitting on a bench, Tim Duncan doesn't deliever more wins than DJ Mbenga.

Hooks

11-03-2009, 10:07 PM

Have the Pistons returned to the Elites???

Pistons 85
Orlando 80

redzero

11-03-2009, 10:10 PM

The Magic better hope the Pistons don't make the playoffs.

bdubya

11-03-2009, 10:16 PM

Pistons 85
Orlando 80

I could say some unkind things about the ORL frontcourt here....but it's only one game.

Still....:lol:lol:lol

HarlemHeat37

11-03-2009, 10:17 PM

No Pietrus and Lewis, no VC down the stretch due to injury risk from the hamstring the previous game, horrible officiating in favor of the Pistons, and everybody can have a bad game once in a while..

JamStone

11-03-2009, 10:27 PM

Ugly game... neither team had their full complement of players. Orlando missing Lewis and Pietrus, VC gimpy. Pistons without Rip and Prince. Dwight in foul trouble for much of the game. Plus, Ron Jeremy decided to have his team shoot three pointers every time down the court. Mixed almost zero dribble drives and post ups in the offense. All quick three pointers or a few swing passes for three pointers.

The game doesn't really show anything about either team. As a Pistons fan, I'm happy about the win, but I'm not deluded in any way about its significance.

in2deep

11-03-2009, 10:29 PM

No Pietrus and Lewis, no VC down the stretch due to injury risk from the hamstring the previous game, horrible officiating in favor of the Pistons, and everybody can have a bad game once in a while..

wow talk about excuses. I would say this thread is premature ejaculation

TJastal

11-03-2009, 10:40 PM

The magic's young gunner Ryan Anderson went 2-14 (1-11 from 3). Ouch. I knew this kid would cool down but that's ice cold.

When Anderson is hitting half or more of his 3's the magic are as good as any team in the league.

Will be interesting to see if Anderson stays in the starting lineup once Lewis comes back.

SouthTexasRancher

11-04-2009, 12:52 AM

Presently Boston is smoking hot. Will they burn themselves out by June? If they are still going strong come playoff time they are going to be damn hard to beat. They play 'D' like the Spurs used to. And their 'O' is looking like the chemistry is back like their Championship year. But, for now it is too early to figure out how it'll all play out. There are several teams that could get hot come May and take it all. Hopefully, it'll be the Spurs but, we have a ways to go with the chemistry mixing all the new guys in with the regulars. Gonna be a fun season for all us fans.

DJB

11-04-2009, 01:22 AM

No way Orlando could beat Boston in a 7 game series. Boston is back to 2008 form.

DAF86

11-04-2009, 01:28 AM

Right now: Celtics >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> everybody else.

redzero

11-04-2009, 01:30 AM

Right now: Celtics >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> everybody else.

I support this assessment. The closest game was still decided by 10 points.

HarlemHeat37

11-04-2009, 01:35 AM

boston.balla

11-04-2009, 03:21 AM

Boston's problem isn't talent..they have the best collection of players in the NBA IMO..their issue is going to be age and injuries(which result from age) at the end of the season..

I don't think anybody is surprised with how they've begun the season..

true... we just need to stay heathy come playoffs time. I don't care if we are plowing through other teams from a ring standpoint, though from a fan standpoint i love it :D.

And I LOVE our d, that's our identity.

Lars

11-04-2009, 04:40 AM

Celtics>>>>>Magic>>>>>>Cavs

ezau

11-04-2009, 05:01 AM

Celtics always come out firing in all cylinders the past two years. Last, I believe they peaked too early and that killed them. KG's injury didn't help either. This year, there's no question that they're in 08 form. It's all a matter of maintaining that motivation thougj