I think they are going to win it all. that is all

They're looking good now, but damn, the Hawks are a bunch of flea-bitten mangy dogs and Charlotte was, well, at least more competitive than ATL...that's not saying much, I know.

If the Magic can once again beat (I'll presume here) Cleveland without having HCA (and having Cleveland/Lebron hell-bent on avenging last year), they could take the West rep. Orlando would have HCA if they get to the Finals.

Lakers would like to see orlando. this team isnt as good as last year.

How do you figure?

They are a much better team this season;

-The emergence of Pietrus
-A non-rusty Nelson
-Additions of Barnes, Williams, and Anderson
-Carter > Tubofglue


[This message has been edited by ItalAggie (edited 5/8/2010 8:32p).]

quote:

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Carter > Tubofglue

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lolz. come on now

Hedo is a better defender and rebounder, but Carter is a much better scoring option.

Orlando will beat Cleveland. Not sure who will win the final but Orlando seems most likely.

if you're a Spurs or Mavs fan the Magic have to be the team you're rooting for from here on out

Orlando is the only undefeated team thus far in the playoffs. Not that Charlotte and Atlanta are serious contenders, but there's really only been one close game (Game 3 @ Charlotte). Even with Dwight Howard on the bench due to foul trouble in the first series, the Magic still played very well.

They completely shut down Joe Johnson. The Magic have the best perimeter defense in the league, IMO.
Stan Van Gundy is a great coach.



[This message has been edited by TampaBayAg (edited 5/8/2010 10:59p).]

quote:

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Hedo is a better defender and rebounder, but Carter is a much better scoring option.

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They both blow heavily on defense and always have so that part doesn't matter.

I'm still interested to see what Orlando does against an inspired team. The Hawks are everything I dislike abt the NBA... loads of talent but just a bunch of paycheck cashers who don't care... as a Rockets fan, I'll be upset if they somehow end up w/ Joe Johnson.

As far as Orlando's perimeter defense, I'll say I watched them some this season and I strongly disagree that it is even close to the best. Dwight makes their interior defense tops in the league though.

hell Orlando should have won the title last year- they are better than the Lakers

ok, orlando has played charlotte and atlanta. people need to calm the eff down. they match up better than those 2 teams better than the rest of the teams they may see from here on out.

[This message has been edited by Simplebay (edited 5/9/2010 8:46a).]

someone is scared

LA hasn't exactly been playing the 92 Dream Team and the 95-96 Bulls.

Orlando has looked a lot better than LA.

id rather see orlando than Cleveland.

That's because you don't know very much about basketball.

yawn. you think orlando is better with vince carter than hedo turkeyglu in that system?

bwahahahaha and III don't know anything about basketball.

seriously. Vince Carter is garbage.

Even if true, that doesn't change the fact that Orlando is a better playoff team than Cleveland, and matches up better with LA than Cleveland does. Do you even try to understand what people are saying?

your logic is flawwwed.

Lakers beat orlando last year. orlando got worse. hence...

your argument should be how the lakers are worse from last year. introducing a matchup of cleveland/orlando is retarded. because the lakers have already beaten a better orlando team.

I think Simpleton stopped watching basketball in early march when the magic where so so and VC was struggling... since then they've been playing ridiculous defense and Carter has played better. this year they have a healthy nelson, no rafer, and can beat you a number of different ways.

the magic finished with the exact same record as last year...and last year they played without nelson in the regular season.

carter is clearly a downgrade.

they also beat the defending nba champs last year (boston) without having home court advantage.


there is absolutely no question that orlando was better last year. true, they matchup well against cleveland this year, but i think the lakers would match up better against orlando, and have the experience of beating orlando in the finals. whereas cleveland curb stomped the lakers in the regular season this year, and have clearly been eying the lakers all year.


the lakers want the magic again. they can win in orlando and orlando has a worse home record than cleveland.

hth.

quote:

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carter is clearly a downgrade.

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I was already pretty sure of it, but this clearly displays that you don't watch basketball. Hedo was the more clutch of the 2 players, but Vince is vastly the superior player... so much so that it isn't even close.

Combine that with Nelson being effective this go around and only a dumbass would think Orlando has taken steps back this season.

Cleveland and the Lakers are still better teams though.

quote:

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there is absolutely no question that orlando was better last year.

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Seriously, why do you believe this?

Seriously...read my post before.

Last year Orlando won a game 7 in boston against the nba champs. they finished with the EXACT SAME record as last year...WITHOUT NELSON.

and they won't get back to the finals this year. they won't get past the lebrons.

just because they are raping Atlanta and Charlotte....two HUGE mismatches in favor of Orlando, proves nothing. talk to me when orlando gets past cleveland in a game 7 in cleveland.


ron artest is clearly a more talented player than trevor ariza. but he doesn't work as well in the lakers system. this is the exact same case with vince carter/hedo turkeyglue. turkey was clutch and HUGE for them. carter is lazy, terrible on defense, and downright doesnt care sometimes.

[This message has been edited by Simplebay (edited 5/9/2010 2:47p).]

Okay first of all last year, they beat a Garnettless Celtics. Secondly, they are a better defensive team this year with the addition of Barnes. Peatrus is playing out of his head this year. And we can argue back and forward as to who is better, Carter or Turkoglu, so we won't. But Orlando's D this year is ridiculous. Not to mention, Nelson is a huge threat with a full season under his belt.



[This message has been edited by ItalAggie (edited 5/9/2010 2:55p).]

Oh and as for the same record thing, the Hawks and Cavs both got better. Not to mention, the Celtics had a healthier KG this year than last year.

But my pick for Orlando to win has nothing to do with this 8 game winning streak. I agree that it means nothing considering the two teams they beat.

i dont think they will get past cleveland. it would be an epic collapse for lebron(s). just dont see it happening. despite the fact that orlando does almost everything Cleveland does better than them.

quote:

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id rather see orlando than Cleveland.

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Since I was arguing against this point, it makes no sense to try to talk about who is better between the Magic and Lakers. It's about who the Lakers would rather see between the Magic and Cavs.

The Cavs have several talented players. They do not have a good coach. Only one of their players has displayed anything close to performing on a big stage within the last 3 years or so. Their post presence consists of slow-motion Shaq, Ilgauskas who doesn't even play anymore, Varejao who is scrappy but sucks, and Hickson who is good at finishing assists for Lebron but nothing else. Gasol/Bynum will eat Cleveland alive. Rotate Artest and Kobe on Lebron and you have can slow him down as much as anyone. Their perimeter length is improved with the addition of Anthony Parker, but still not ideal.

The Magic, on the other hand, have a half dozen guys who can hit 5 threes on any given night and have done it in the playoffs. Vince Carter and healthy Jameer Nelson can get to the rim very, very well. They have the best 1-2 punch at center in the NBA with Howard and Gortat, which means they can limit Gasol/Bynum much better than Cleveland can hope for. Top that off with multiple long perimeter defenders and a sound defensive philosophy and it makes life tough on opposing offenses.

Simplebay doesn't seem to realise the Lakers are worse than last year. You gonna tell me Portland and Utah are better than they were last year?

Simple -- I agree with you on Hedo because the guy played out of his mind in last year's playoffs but Nelson being back really bothers me. He killed L.A. when he was healthy last year. Carter doesn't worry me any more than Hedo did. Howard is going to get his regardless.

I would rather see Cleveland because I think Orlando plays better as a team, has a better coach, and has the recent finals experience. It would also be much harder for the Lakers to get up for the Magic again than the match-up even the casual sports fan would tune in for: Kobe vs. LeBron & Shaq. The two best players in the world battling; who gets rings #5 over the other...the storylines are endless.

That said, Phoenix was flat out dirty against the Spurs. Lakers are going to have to slow it down and bang it inside a lot. Once you get past Amare, the Suns are light in the shorts down low. Got to keep them off the three-point line.

Lakers struggle containing quick point guards who can score at the basket. Westbrook this year and Brooks last year gave Fisher and the Lakers Bench fits. Nelson would run circles around the Lakers backcourt and the Magic have plenty of shooters to make them pay if people try to help. The Cavs are more dependent on scoring in the paint, where the Lakers happen to be great defensively and like him or not but Artest matches up pretty well with Lebron. Your not watching the NBA if you think they'd rather see the Cavs than the Magic.

reeeetarded argument.

Cavs >>>> Magic

you clearly know nothing about anything in a world if you dont know this.

again, how clearler can it get. Cavs have a better record at home, have trounced the lakers this year, and the lakers proved they can beat a better magic team already in the finals. the magic want the cavs. the cavs want the lakers. and the lakers want the magic.

nuff said.

[This message has been edited by Simplebay (edited 5/10/2010 2:52p).]