 |  |
 |
|
| Thursday, August 31 Updated: September 5, 3:09 PM ET Users: Going to NBA Finals may take Magic ESPN.com |
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
We were a bit surprised to see many of the e-mails on our Orlando Magic Offseason Spotlight disagreeing with our assessment of how good they are. With Grant Hill and Tracy McGrady now in town we figured Magic fans would be thinking about a trip to the NBA Finals. Instead, many fans remain cautious, citing the lack of an inside presence and chemistry as reasons for worry.
Either way, here are some of the better e-mails we received on the Magic and our Team Offseason Spotlight. Enjoy, and check out our spotlight index page to see when your favorite team will be broken down.
Our only weakness is at the power forward position. No knock on Bo Outlaw, in fact he's one of my favorite players, but we need more size at that position. A good solution would have been for us to swap picks with the Bulls. They need a two or three, not another power forward. Mike Miller would be a good fit for them. Marcus Fizer would be the perfect fit for us; he'd start as opposed to Miller, who might contribute from the bench. It's not too late. Darrol Beamon Jacksonville, Fla.
That was a great spotlight of the Magic! I have been an Orlando Magic fan all my life, and I always will be. I have been waiting for this season for about four years now. I had very little hope for them last year, and fortunately, the great coaching skills of Doc Rivers proved me wrong and he truly deserved the coach of the year award.
The Magic are deep at every position and that will really help near the end of the season and the playoffs. I believe that they have as good a team as any other team in the East. The playoffs are a safe bet this year and I think they can get all the way to the Finals, with the mastermind in Doc running the show. This year and many years to come look very good for all us Magic fans out there! GO MAGIC!
Congratulations to John Gabriel and Doc Rivers for assembling a team that will seriously challenge for the Eastern Conference championship. By adding Grant Hill and Tracy McGrady, the Magic have instantly propelled themselves into title contention. Hill will have the luxury of not having to be the go-to guy on a regular basis, which will greatly improve his game. McGrady's potential is limitless, although it is "potential." I look forward to seeing the Magic soar above the rest of the Eastern Conference. Kevin Pfeffer Marietta, Ga.
How 'bout those Magic? Who would have guessed a few years ago that in the not-so-distant future there would be no Penny, no Shaq in Orlando? But instead, one of the most complete players in the league (Grant Hill), and a young gun named T-Mac? Yet John Gabriel and the other masterminds have managed to not let this team slip to the level of the Clippers. They have chosen a young professor to lead this scrappy team. They might not be the favorites, in fact, I don't want them to be the favorites. They have excelled when they were the underdogs, they have done it many times before. So I hope the critics don't pick the Magic, because the less expectations they have to reach, the more they can surprise everyone. Brian Bowers Lititz, Pa.
This Magic team has the same feel to it that Orlando had in '94 when they drafted Penny. Hill brings different skills but a similar talent level as Shaq while McGrady's upside promise reminds me of Penny's during his rookie season. They are still a Horace Grant-type player away from contending with the Lakers, but with the number of first-round picks available in the next four years, they could either draft or trade for a formidable frontcourt player at PF or C. After suffering the fiasco of losing Shaq in free agency for nothing, the future is suddenly bright for the Orlando Magic and their fans. Mike Smith Centreville, Va.
I'd say you've done an excellent and pretty accurate review of where Orlando stands. We definitely need another PF presence, though I think Bo Outlaw will be that this year. Just that with his grinning face he doesn't have that intimidation that Ben Wallace brings. It really isn't going to happen this year. We're not the best on paper in the East, but if Orlando gets a three or four seed, I think Orlando will have had an excellent season. Homecourt in the first round of the playoffs and then with the pretty good bench, run a depleted Miami bench or Indiana or New York into the ground. If it works great, if not we can address our frontcourt problem and be set to go in a year or two. I'll take the Magic to win 52 games this season. Not a bad start. Matt Woods DeLand, Fla.
I like Troy Hudson as an experiment at PG (I thought he was underrated with the Clips), but would have liked to have seen them keep Wallace at the expense of Williams or Garrity or the others. I liked the way Wallace banged and wasn't afraid to go after a loose ball. I don't think that point guard will be as big of an issue with both Hill and McGrady being terrific ball handlers, and if the guys on the bench don't get greedy, this team could surprise a few people (yes, even after last year). Corey Masten-Legge Seattle, Wash.
I loved the Magic last year. A bunch of no-names playing because they love the sport, remembering that being a team is important, not worrying about one player being the star. I wish that team could have been preserved. I was glad when Penny was traded, I liked getting rid of the big name. What remained was chemistry. Now we have another big name... but will we still have the chemistry? Mary Donohue Fort Collins, Colo.
Orlando has improved a lot over the offseason but I won't be surprised if they lose in the first round. Grant Hill is a terrific, complete player but if Orlando is going to depend on Grant Hill to lead them to the promised land they are in trouble. Hill is basically in the same situation he was in Detroit. Bo Outlaw is like Jerome Williams, and both Tracy McGrady and Jerry Stackhouse are slashers. Armstrong is a better passer but Hunter is a better defender. Orlando lost Ben Wallace and Chucky Atkins, two players who played a huge role in Orlando's unexpected success. And John Amaechi will struggle against bigger centers. A playoff berth will not be out of reach, but a team full of unproven players certainly can't make it past the first round. Marques Streety Detroit
I think the Magic have a very good team this year but they are about three to four years away from getting to the Finals. I don't see the Magic having a chemistry problem mainly because of Doc. He is the next Jackson or Riley. He has proved that he can take a bunch of players that hardly knew each other and turned them into a good basketball team. Now that he has Hill and McGrady, the Magic should have one of the better teams in the East. This team is young and they have time, something teams like the Pacers, Knicks and Heat don't have. The Magic have no roof as to how good they could be in the future and hopefully for Magic fans, Gabriel can assemble the right pieces to make the Magic into a championship team. Chad Staunton, Va.
I have been a Magic fan from the when the franchise first started. No matter what success they have had in the past, last year's team was the best looking one, and this year only looks more promising. It will be a real test to see how Doc Rivers can handle a couple of superstars in his lineup (something he hasn't had to do before), but from the way he was able to get his players motivated last year despite the general lack of expectations, he should do fine. This team might be a little shaky at first, but after a couple of games, should be towards the top of the division for the rest of the season. Come playoffs, if they are still putting the same starting lineup on the court, I cannot see them proceeding too far without a better center. I hope they prove me wrong. Jared Greenberg Bedminster, N.J.
Everyone keeps talking about the big free agent signings. But the biggest move they made was re-signing Bo Outlaw. He is contagious. Outlaw will make Hill and McGrady better players than they ever imagined. Between Bo and Darrell Armstrong this team should be called the Orlando Energy. Jeff Miller Orlando, Fla.
Although the Magic managed to pick up Hill and McGrady, this offseason could be construed as a failure. While Hill is unquestionably a star and McGrady is ready to be one, Duncan was the one free agent who would have made the Magic the favorite in the Eastern Conference. The big questions for the Magic now are can this frontline hold their own allowing the scoring to come from Hill and McGrady and who gets the ball on offense? Armstrong would be my first choice, but McGrady and Hill are guys who are expecting to touch the ball a lot this year. As far as the frontline goes it is deep enough to compete in the East with teams like Indiana and weaker teams like Detroit and Boston, but if they ever face Miami, Portland, San Antonio or L.A. in the playoffs they are going to need 60 points a game from Armstrong-Hill-McGrady, because Zo, Shaq Daddy and the rest will be dropping 40 on them. Dan Kahn Cambridge, Mass.
I have to agree with the fact that the Magic do not have the big man that they would have had Tim Duncan signed. However, I am sure that I speak for most British fans when I say that we will be following John Amaechi this season and hopefully he will be able to take his game to the next level. The team is building for the future. For this season look for them to again surprise a few people. They may not make the Finals, but they will be in the playoffs possibly making the conference final. Rob Knapper Cambridge, England
This team should be able to run with anyone. The only weakness I see is the lack of a bruiser underneath. Interior defense could be a problem against many of the league's bigger and stronger teams, especially in the Eastern Conference. However, Darrell, Grant, Bo and Tracy are fearless and very good rebounders. We should be able to get our points on a up tempo style of play. I want to see the look in the eyes of opponents when the three and four man break heads their way. J Dixon Orlando, Fla.
For the most part, I agree with you, Eric. Tracy and Grant are the talent, while the rest of the guys exemplify hard work and the coach did a great job last year. But finish third in the East? It's possible, but improbable. As you've probably guessed, I'm a Raptors fan -- not since Vince arrived and not since the Raptors were born, but way back when the thought of a team in Toronto was only a fairy tail. Tracy is a superstar in the NBA and I'm sad to see him go, but he wasn't born with "the will" to be a go-to-guy. Neither was Grant. He's shown that in Detroit. If you don't have a guy who can hit the buzzer-beater, you better have a combination of players who can get it done, and Tracy and Grant are not Kobe and Shaq. Sean Enns St. Catharines, Ontario
I'm tempted to do what I did last year ... shut up and let the team do its talking on the court (which it did, loud and clear). On a side note, I'm a little amused at how much other teams have apparently learned from John Gabriel, but not from Doc Rivers. I see a lot of other teams beginning their maneuvering for the 2002 free agent class, but I don't see a lot of teams talking "heart and hustle." Big surprise there. Brian Levine Orlando, Fla.
The Magic have made a huge mistake taking two players who basically left perspective teams with the same amount of talent. What is the difference between, Vince/Tracy or Grant/Tracy? What is the difference between Grant/Tracy and Grant/Jerry? The numbers aren't too far apart, but the winning is about even as well. Is Doc Rivers the difference? Maybe! I believe that no championship banners are in the future for this team and there will be feuds and finger pointing very soon if a big-time post presence is not headed to the Magic. Duncan and Hill would have been a much better match. Kevin North Carolina
While the Magic now have Grant Hill, a clear upgrade, Ron Mercer's numbers actually compare favorably with Tracy McGrady's, so that's a bit of a tradeoff. Then there's the loss of a number of key role players who showed great heart and determination last year despite all expectations. As far as the Magic bench players are concerned, the Magic swapped for basically the same level of players and talent. Nothing more than a tradeoff was achieved. Grant Hill is the only clear boost to the squad, and so it's unrealistic to believe the Magic will soar so much higher than last year. Around a 10-win gain is realistic. And a Finals appearance? Not this year. Jeremy Flanagan Florida
Though the Pacers and Heat have done their part by picking up a few key veterans, the Magic will still prevail in the East. The younger Magic showed the heart and desire which is necessary to compete in the NBA in the day in, day out grind which makes up the NBA schedule. The rest of the East (except for the Sixers) consists of aging teams with older talent that seem to do nothing but cry about why their teams are not performing like they should. These teams lack the energy, effort and enthusiasm that it takes to be a winner in this league. If those veterans would show only half of the heart that they had when they came into the league, many of them would have at least one NBA ring for their collection, instead of whining about why their teams have failed. Doc Rivers WILL lead this team to the Eastern Division crown. There's no pressure for this team. Just a lot of fun basketball ahead. Go Magic!! Mike K St. Petersburg, Fla
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||
