I guess I just wanted to talk about the Magic. Now that Rox are out of the picture they the team I'm rooting for right now the most. I really like how that team is setup, you can see how deep and talented that team is when they stomped all over the Suns even with VC, Pietrus and Rashard out, and I think a big part of that is the (essentially) Carter for Hedo trade. Hedo did a lot for that team, but he was also a big defensive liability on the floor (something that's really bad when both the Lakers and the Celtics have two good wing scorers on the floor). Carter's no Battier, but at the very least he can be adequate defensively when he's motivated. Losing Courtney Lee should have hurt, but Pietrus improved his game so much he made Lee expendable. Ryan Anderson was just supposed to be a throw-in, but the way he's been playing lately is top 5 lottery material. Seriously, he looks like Bargnani or Yi on a good day...every day! To top it off Smith went on a little spending spree and signed a whole batch of cheap but effective roleplayers (i.e. Barnes, White Chocolate,Gortat). Add Jameer Nelson coming back and that roster is something you'd build in NBA 2k10 Assoc mode with trade override on. Its too bad that Rashard got suspended, Pietrus caught the flu bug and Carter sprained his ankle. Had one of those things not happened they'd probably still be undefeated right now.
???????????? The Rocks are still very much in any picture I can think of that you may be talking about.
Gortat wasn't cheap. Smith went way over the luxury tax to pay for a backup center making MLE money. The dude essentially costs them 11-12MM to be a backup to dwight howard.
Agreed. Realistically guys, the rockets arent contenders this year no matter what you think. They will surprise people and be a great team to follow but they aint winning. PS. would happily eat crow mind you. Magic are the team to beat IMO. And i think the only team that can beat them are the Celtics if they stay healhty. They are just too deep and talented for even the lakers, barring a kobe miracle. I was thinking today of putting $100 on them winning the championship at 1-11? Wise?
You can't say a team is out of the picture 5 or 6 games into the season. There's no way you can predict what's going to happen in the next few months. The team is playing well right now and look like they have really good chemistry. Mac might come back, or he might get traded for a star. There's a lot of season left. As of right now Phoenix doesn't look that great. They have a nice record but they've been playing some subpar to average teams. Can't really say that their butt thumping by Orlando means that Orlando is the team to beat. If anything the Lakers are still the top team in the league, even if its just Kobe and 4 bodies.
I never really liked Dwight, but he is growing on me. I always thought he was just some roid head Shaq-lite no personality bible thumping b*stard child hypocrite. Then the media caught on to him after the scripted dunk competitions, and it got even worse. I have always been a VC fan. Watching this preseason and his mid air acrobatics still being half amazing, i got a little giddy to finally see his first deep post season run. Add in white chocolate and you have the two most "omg did you see that" players of the early 2k's. I will watch this team closely this season, but I'm just not ready to hop on the bandwagon.
I think that in your effort to try to be a "realist," you're being ignorant, no matter what you think.
Nets were desperate for some cap room after this year, but they still shouldn't have thrown a 20th pick in Ryan Anderson into the deal. A Lee-Carter trade was already lob sided enough, and they didn't have to act that desperately. However, that said, I still have my doubts with the Magic. Boston, Spurs, Lakers are better than them IMO.
I think the Magic are the best constructed team in the NBA right now, and I think come postseason everyone will find out why. So far in the preseason and the early going the media is still riding Boston and Cleveland's jock. I don't see either of those teams beating Orlando in the playoffs. People are overlooking Vince Carter the same way they dismiss T-Mac -- they think that because he has been on a bad team for so long he is no longer an elite talent. Vince Carter, Dwight Howard AND Rashard Lewis, on the same team? Plus Nelson running the point, the underrated Gortat at backup center and a host of effective role players? That is a winning combination if I ever saw one. This team beats last years Lakers, and they will beat this year's Lakers if they end up in the finals together again.
Yeah, I don't think anyone can say Gortat is underrated anymore. With all the hype he is getting, probably overrated now.
Not likely. Last year's Magic weren't particularly good--they only shined against one team in the playoffs: the Cavs, for whom the Magic's backcourt posed a matchup nightmare. In the Boston (sans half its roster) and LA series they were hardly world-beaters. I'm not sure that Carter is a good fit for them, either--does he belong in their backcourt or frontcourt? Hedo filled the gap much more nicely.
With all due respect, I completely disagree with ya! In 07-08 they weren't a particularly good team (GSW would've had a better record if they swapped conferences) But last year was a stronger year. And this year they've added some 'real' 4s. I think they'll win it all.
Celtics are the team to beat in the East, no question. Watch as Vince Carter's motivation, heart and desire go away, Watch Dwight Howard's useless low-post game, Watch Rashard Lewis be a streaky shooter. Magic will never win a championship for a long long time.
Um...and....? Another Nick Anderson moment in the Finals for them. Orlando are chokers in NBA History.
Hmmm I watched 4 games of Magic this season with Ryan Anderson scoring more than 15 pts. Yea he shooted well and played smart...thats it. Dwight and Vince grabbed all the attentions that basically left Ryan(or any of their shooters) wide open. Ryan has played his role properly on a stacked Magic team, I will give him that, top 5 lottery material? not even close.
They choked, and last season Dwight Howard did the same thing. There's a reason why no famous team plays in Orlando.
