31 replies to this topic

[Nirvana]

Why The Magic Could Be The Best Team In The East

Last season, the NBA Western Conference was one of the toughest sport conferences in the whole World. Despite winning 48 (58.5%) games, the Golden State Warriors were not good enough to make the playoffs. Guess how many games the Eighth Seed in the East, the Atlanta Hawks, won? 37. That’s a 45.1% win rate. I’m sorry, but that’s ridiculous. So while all the focus is on the West this season, it would still be appropriate to review who the best team in the East may be. After all, the team will have to play the best in the West in next years NBA Finals.

I personally believe that the Orlando Magic will get First Seed in the East next year. There, I said it. It may not be the most orthodox of choices, but it technically is the most clever. When you think about it, the Celtics and Pistons are aging. The average age of the Celtics big Three is 32. The average age of the Pistons big Three is also 32. Now I’m not saying that the Celtics or Pistons will not get the 1st seed because of their average age, but I AM saying that the Magic are the future and that they have more youthful flair. The Pistons almost admitted that last season was their "last haul at the big one". You can't fight forever, eventually age catches up. Of course, the Cleveland Cavaliers come into play here, but what have they done to improve their team? Their team is still basically LeBron.

Out of all the Centers in the league, Dwight Howard is the one I’d want on my team the most. I mean, when you are talking with your buddies about players who had good games the previous evening, if someone mentions that Dwight Howard has a 20/20 game, no one is shocked, because he is so good that 20/20 games mean nothing to him. Apart from being arguably the most dominant C, he is also a very good personality with an extremely high work rate. What more do you want than a big man who fights hard for every little board/ point/ block/ steal/ deflection he can get? Howard's on court excellence in itself is good enough to make the Magic a contender. But hold up here, the Superman has help, unlike LeBron, this makes him and his team a lot better.

So what help does Dwight have? First of all, he has Hedo Turkoglu, last year’s Most Improved Player. If Hedo can repeat his 20PPG - 6 RPG - 5 APG season, then the Orlando Magic have three great players on their team. Turkoglu has a very good all around game, and it will be critical for the Magic to re-sign him at the end of the season should he opt out of his contract. To add to Turkoglu, the Magic have Point Guard Jameer Nelson. Nelson was the vice captain on this Magic team last season, and it will be him who is responsible for distributing the ball and taking care of it. My personal beef with Nelson, is that he is not a real Point Guard. Still, he is a good player, and seems to fit in well with the other players. They also have Rashard Lewis, one of the NBA’s premier shooters. The Magic here have two very versatile players in Hedo and Rashard. Both players can play PG through to PF, and this allows a rotation to be made. You don't know which player is playing where. It opens up the court for Dwight do to his thing. Neither Lewis or Hedo are great rebounders, but Dwight's phenominal rebounding more than makes up for this. The Magic also picked up Pietrus who’s speed and offensive ability will help the Magic a great deal.

So as you can see, the Magic’s starting lineup is very strong. I personally believe that it is better than any other lineup in the East. Nelson - Pietrus - Turkoglu - Lewis - Howard. That’s a force to be reckoned with in the East. The Magic just needs to hope that one of their starters do not get injured though (and knowing Nelson, he will get injured), because they have little to no Depth for the stars. Should Turkoglu and Lewis or dare I say it, Howard get injured, the Magic have not got a chance. Still, their starting lineup works very well together, with good spacing and movement. It should be interesting to see what they can do. To add, Van Gundy is an excellent coach, who can pass on some well needed experience to the Magic players.

The Magic, in my eyes, are the Best team in the East. They may struggle against the experience of the Pistons and Celtics in the playoffs, but it still should not belittle their potential. They have one of the best in the game, two good Forwards and one good Point Guard. The team works well together. They have an excellent coach. What more could they want? I personally do not believe they will be able to beat out a Western Team in the Finals, but this could be their year to make the Finals.

Yes, the Superman may be seeing some Super action come June.

~ Darth Bynumite.

Edited by Darth Bynumite, September 25, 2008 - 04:53 PM.

[ファイナルファンタジ]

I think they could be the best team in the East as well. I'm not sure if they'll get first seed though, but it is a possibility. First I have to see how they perform this season as well as the other teams in the East too. Like with Boston and Detroit, many things could still go right even though they're an older team. Their experience may just carry them to the first seed as well but you have to remember anything is possible. Dwight is a beast though and his teammates aren't scrubs either, so they do have a good chance of obtaining the first seed over Detroit and Boston. I'm also tired of Detroit too since that team needs to fail already but I'll leave that for another time. :lol: Good post though.

[Nirvana]

I think they could be the best team in the East as well. I'm not sure if they'll get first seed though, but it is a possibility. First I have to see how they perform this season as well as the other teams in the East too. Like with Boston and Detroit, many things could still go right even though they're an older team. Their experience may just carry them to the first seed as well but you have to remember anything is possible. Dwight is a beast though and his teammates aren't scrubs either, so they do have a good chance of obtaining the first seed over Detroit and Boston. I'm also tired of Detroit too since that team needs to fail already but I'll leave that for another time. :lol: Good post though.

Well, it really is time for Detroit to die. I mean seriously, how long do they expect to keep fighting? As for the Celtics, they will either come back hungrier to defend their title, or have over inflated egos (this one is most likely). I'd put my money on the young, humble and fiery team.

Thanks for the post though.

[ファイナルファンタジ]

Yeh Detroit is like the Spurs of the East. I mean they're kind of a threat but also on the decline as well. They just need to hurry up and age faster so they can get out of the way. Then the new and young inexperienced teams can take their places and get abused in the playoffs.

[Nirvana]

Yeh Detroit is like the Spurs of the East. I mean they're kind of a threat but also on the decline as well. They just need to hurry up and age faster so they can get out of the way. Then the new and young inexperienced teams can take their places and get abused in the playoffs.

Spurs of the East is exactly what I was thinking. It's about time they just went into rebuilding mode. I don't see them posing a MASSIVE threat.

[ファイナルファンタジ]

It's weird too because the Spurs and the Pistons made it to the Conference Finals and they were both beaten by two teams that sucked last year that ended up becoming the best teams of their conference (Lakers and Celtics). I just want to see new teams in the playoffs; it gets boring seeing the same match ups (Jazz vs. Rockets, Cavaliers vs. Wizards).

[Nirvana]

It's weird too because the Spurs and the Pistons made it to the Conference Finals and they were both beaten by two teams that sucked last year that ended up becoming the best teams of their conference (Lakers and Celtics). I just want to see new teams in the playoffs; it gets boring seeing the same match ups (Jazz vs. Rockets, Cavaliers vs. Wizards).

Well the Magic making a decent run would be a change.

Personally, I think we we will be seeing the Jazz, Rockets, Cavs and Wizards for along time. However, there will be a point when the Spurs, Pistons and Celtics miss the playoffs for a few years. The same happened with us a few years back.

[ファイナルファンタジ]

Yeh every year a new team makes the playoffs but don't show up the next year. They also make it to the second round but lose in that round (Clippers 2006, Warriors 2007, Hornets 2008). Obviously the Hornets will break that chain since they're actually a good team compared to those Clippers and Warriors in 2006 and 2007. The East is all screwed up anyway since basically every team has a good chance if they win anything near 40 games. I want to see the Hawks make it again and maybe the Bobcats (since they've never been to the playoffs yet) and maybe even the Bucks just because Richard Jefferson had to move to Milwaukee. :lol: Overall, I could care less about the match ups because the Lakers will be winning the championship anyway.

[Nirvana]

Yeh every year a new team makes the playoffs but don't show up the next year. They also make it to the second round but lose in that round (Clippers 2006, Warriors 2007, Hornets 2008). Obviously the Hornets will break that chain since they're actually a good team compared to those Clippers and Warriors in 2006 and 2007. The East is all screwed up anyway since basically every team has a good chance if they win anything near 40 games. I want to see the Hawks make it again and maybe the Bobcats (since they've never been to the playoffs yet) and maybe even the Bucks just because Richard Jefferson had to move to Milwaukee. :lol: Overall, I could care less about the match ups because the Lakers will be winning the championship anyway.

You are spot on about the East. There are alot of teams who could win 40 games. So it means that a team like the Nets could be in the playoffs next year. I definitely think that the Hawks will be back though. Don't you think?

[ファイナルファンタジ]

You are spot on about the East. There are alot of teams who could win 40 games. So it means that a team like the Nets could be in the playoffs next year. I definitely think that the Hawks will be back though. Don't you think?

Haha yeh there's a possibility. But you have to remember the Heat, Nets, and Bulls didn't make the playoffs last year but they have a good chance of making it this year as well. So you can't have all the crappy teams make it, but they do have a better chance of making the playoffs.

[Nirvana]

Haha yeh there's a possibility. But you have to remember the Heat, Nets, and Bulls didn't make the playoffs last year but they have a good chance of making it this year as well. So you can't have all the crappy teams make it, but they do have a better chance of making the playoffs.

True, it is pretty open.

Not sure how the 76ers will do. I guess they are in the mix.

[ファイナルファンタジ]

True, it is pretty open.

Not sure how the 76ers will do. I guess they are in the mix.

Damn I forgot about them. Didn't they get Elton Brand? I think that will boost them up higher then.

[Nirvana]

Damn I forgot about them. Didn't they get Elton Brand? I think that will boost them up higher then.

Iggy, Brand and Dalembert.

That is a pretty good team to me. They should do a decent job. I still don't think that the Heat are going to make it though.

[ファイナルファンタジ]

I think it depends on D-Wade though. He did pretty well in the Olympics and although that doesn't necessarily mean he'll do good in the regular season, he's still an All-Star caliber player where the standards for making the playoffs aren't as high. But man, last year's record was a disgrace for the Heat though.

[mikedeezy2k8]

hey good read DB but i think the raptors will make it out if JO is healthy

[ファイナルファンタジ]

hey good read DB but i think the raptors will make it out if JO is healthy

Yeh I think the Raptors would have made it even without JO. I just think that by having him, it will increase their chances.

[Nirvana]

I think it depends on D-Wade though. He did pretty well in the Olympics and although that doesn't necessarily mean he'll do good in the regular season, he's still an All-Star caliber player where the standards for making the playoffs aren't as high. But man, last year's record was a disgrace for the Heat though.

Meh, we have to wait and see.

I personally think that last year will have caused some internal damage to the team.

[Nirvana]

hey good read DB but i think the raptors will make it out if JO is healthy

Thanks for the post.

[ファイナルファンタジ]

Yeh seriously. The season needs to start already.

[Black Sheep]

if Dwight ever develops a low post game then the Magic will be #1

until he does, they will not be the best east team