Orlando Magic Report Card

Orlando Magic Report Card

Preseason expectations: Win the Eastern Conference, Win the NBA Finals. If that's not possible, at least win the Southeast Division, get homecourt advantage for the 1st and 2nd rounds.
Overall based on preseason expectations: B

General: This is a three point shooting team generally speaking. They don't solely live and die by the three beecause they have some solid, well more than solid players in the trenches with Dwight Howard and Marcin Gortat.

Key to their success: Three point shooting (they make the most threes in the NBA); Rebounding (first in the NBA); and general defense (first in FG%age defense at 43%) - 2nd best point differential in the NBA, all results included, they win by 7.1 ppg.
Bad Points: Not too many bad points. Perhaps they rely too much on the three and their win differential may be inflated. Second, they don't dish out many dimes.

LeBron money available: Between 5 to 9 million available, closer to 5 realistically, esp. if J.J. Redick gets his qualifying offer. Redick should get it after his solid play as a 6th man last couple years. Matt Barnes has a player option, and he is more likely to test the market and I don't think he will re-sign with Orlando to be honest, but this team is still loaded without him. This team is pretty locked up the next three seasons so don't expect big moves, unless stars get traded and that's unlikely, so long as this team continues to play at a high level.

How far can ORL go: They locked up the 2nd seed in the Eastern conference playoffs. They beat Cleveland last year soundly. They realistically can go back to the Finals and they realistically can win the NBA title this year. And next, and maybe even the year after that if there is no lockout.

Good, but they have 0 chance at winning the finals..

I still think the Magic can beat the cavs.

Last year the cavs couldnt stop Howard and they couldnt guard Hedo and Rashard at the same time.. so while Howard was owning Z, LeBron had to choose between Lewis or Hedo.. I think he stuck with Hedo and Verajao got put on Lewis... Lewis burned Verajao...

now I just dont think Shaq can stop Howard for 4 games and Jamison isn't the best defender..

plus the Magic have VC... thats just too much

actually they came in and suprised alot of doubters who were saying that they should of kept hedo and vince will be a bad addition to the team, however he has shown the veteran leadership on the floor but on the ohter hand he is as inconsistent as a bitch...

I believe they have the most depth in their bench and if anything happened to say Dwight Howard, then we have Gortat right there waiting for an opportunity to start... if VC got hurt JJ Redick who has played a good bench role this year sometimes going off for 25+ off the bench, Jameer Nelson? we got Jason Williams...

we got Matt barnes who i reackon is getting comfortable with the team and i have to disagree with you, i believe he will pick up his player opt, btw he is OUR version of Artest, they trash talking defensive onslaught, we got Pietrus who has a great all-round game from defensive player to someone who can jack up good looks even from the arc and can drive/ attack the basket aswell... Ryan Anderson/Brandon Bass 2 young forwards who have gotten a little taste of minutes this year and when given them they take advantage very well (Bass though has been a little bit disapointing).

yes the team is the best 3-Pt shooting team and we got 3/4 players lined up behind the arc to just flick to the open man, and this is a plus with the advantages of having Redick, Nelson, Carter, Lewis and even barnes, Pietrus. Williams and Anderson. then we got Howard, Gortat and Bass at times who man handle other bigmen in the paint

i still have doubts about beating the cavs... cause its pretty much
Z, Verijao (Or whatever), Shaq, Jamison and Hickson VS Howard, Gortat...
and they have just as good 3 point shooters than us so yeah

longest posts ive ever wrote and i bet noone will read it

I read it. Orlando also has one of the worst, but tolerable NBA contracts out there with Rashard Lewis. He's getting paid 20 million to score 14 ppg? Then again, this team is winning, and these guys are gelling so no one is getting overpaid when you think about it since Lewis is still producing within the team's framework.

B+

They're a top defensive team, and it isn't just because of Howard. I don't think that was really something that was expected from the Magic coming into the season. Their defense has been on par with that of the Cavaliers and Charlotte Bobcats.

B+

They won't win be winners in the ECF but they will be a good team for this season....practicly if you can shut down their 3 point shooting,you can win games which isn't too tough for elite defensive teams

Mr Winner and Defense wrote:

B+

They won't win be winners in the ECF but they will be a good team for this season....practicly if you can shut down their 3 point shooting,you can win games which isn't too tough for elite defensive teams

yeah but the trouble with that is if you focus on their 3 pointers your forgetting all about dwight, who can really make you pay for leaving one man on him...

i believe lebron and the cavs will choke, they will get too clogged up in the paint and leave dwight to just block shots all day and if they double team lebron right and force mo will, parker, west to drive they are gonna have problems with dwight
well i dont believe they will choke i just hope...

Mr Winner and Defense wrote:

B+

They won't win be winners in the ECF but they will be a good team for this season....practicly if you can shut down their 3 point shooting,you can win games which isn't too tough for elite defensive teams

That's the great thing about the Magic...let's say you put 4 guys on the perimeter to stop the 3 (Jammer, VC, Barnes/Pietrus, and Rashard), that leaves Dwight Howard with a 1 on 1 matchup. You will NOT win that. You need to double Dwight and have a fast enough rotation to cover the pass and cover the swings, and no team is fast enough to consistently do that.

i dont see why people think dwight cant score. like raza said, put him 1 on 1 and the magic. how strong he is, you can foul as much as you want and the shot is still getting to the rim. if howard couldnt score, the 3 point game wouldnt be close to being a threat.

and last year, our offense was great; defense average or maybe even worse.

this year:
4th best opponent ppg.
1st in opponent fg%.
2nd in opponent assists.

the only thing orlando really cant defend at a championship level is the 3, and if anything, orlando would be better than the team theyre playing in 3 point shooting.

btw. orlando first in points difference... by a lot.


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