That's a pretty strong statement. I think that Steve will probably be traded from Orlando in about 3 years. They will want to surround Howard with more team- oriented players, just like the Rockets with Yao.
JV is right. I think Francis will flourish in Orlando. TMac won his scoring championships there, and Steve is moving to the same spot (SG). Stevie owns the East.
You got yourself a bet. (I was hoping non-contributing members, especialy those who sounded off in his thread would take the bet too! hint, hint )
What makes T-Mac any more team oriented than Steve? We're talking about a guy who quit on his team, who didn't want to play with his cousin because his cousin got more hype. Steve may make some dumb decisions and he can be frustrating at times, but to say he isn't team-oriented has no basis.
I expect the Magic will have a much better season than last season. The question is how much they will improve the year after next, and the year after that. Steve, Cat, and Cato have proven they can make a bad team good. They just can’t make a good team great. Until Dwight Howard turns into a Kevin Garnett type, the Magic will consistently be a mid to low 40 win team.
Thanks, I'd rather use my own definitions. This bet, like every other, has more to do with machismo than monetary gain, which is why every bet, even a gentlemen's bet, is gambling. Why don't you set yourself an appointment in your Outlook to call me on my prediction 10 months from now? Be sure to save a link to this thread so everyone can see the evidence.
As an irrelevant aside, wasn't it later discovered that McGrady and Carter weren't actually of any relation to one another?
You are talking about 2 different things. McGrady quitting on his team doesn't mean he can't run a fast break and encourage other teammates to run. It also doesn't affect his ability to run a pick and roll and find open teammates and get Yao easier shots. Yes he quit on his team, and that's bad, but it's not the same as Steve's problem, which was an inability to get teammates involved. We had little chemistry with Steve running the offense, that will definitely change with T-Mac. I agree with Doc Rocket when he said that we will be surprised at how much more team- oriented they will be with Steve gone.
I'm thinking 6th or 7th seed. They have the easiest division in the league. They actually benefit from packaging Cato & Steve together. That alley oop play is gold in any city. Howard will hit the rookie wall around 20 games into the season. I hope they don't plan on using him too much this year. If Grant Hill actually plays this year, that would be a major plus for them.
Everybody's to some extent. Who knows who would actually benefit from an actual fast break, better pick and rolls, and fewer turnovers? Probably Yao and Cat.
Exactly. Steve affected the whole team, he dominated the ball and should've been the last person to do so with his error-ridden skills you just mentioned. You know, I was wondering, can anyone in this thread tell me who's going to score for Orlando when Steve and Cat are off, or are out of the game? Cato? Gooden? Also, how can you think the Magic will do so great when they don't have any lowpost game to speak of AND the only time Steve and Cat were so great against the east (using their one-on-one game) was when there wasn't a zone.
I see the new Magic similar to the Heat .. run and gun team pushing the ball and releasing the reigns on SF3 to playmake and improvise. I see SF3 scoring in the 25 ppg with a higher FG% while getting some less assists maybe 4 or so. I think on this team he will be dominating the ball and looking to score more often and since his team will be more run and gun (my assumption due to the personnel) it should be more high scoring allowing players more opportunities to score. J
On offense they'll be fine, they were fine last season, all they needed was defense! Exactly what this trade gives them next season with Cato in the front court, and better defense in the back court with Cuttino and Francis.
I'm not sure if they'll have a #1 scoring option aside from Francis or Mobley. There was discussion that Mobley would be coming off of the bench and Francis would be shifted back to the #2 position. If Francis isn't on the court, the Mobley will be, and vice versa so it seems.
My guess is their record will be even. Could be higher, if Howard pulls an Amare Stoudamire. Could be lower, if Steve doesn't score like wild as a 2 guard. Or if they fail to use Mobley well.
