Magic Q&A

[shorty]

Apr 5, 2014 23:46:29 GMT rookieoftheyear said:

Which playoff level team would you least like to face in a series ?

So here's an analysis of teams we will be wary against facing; Despite 2-0 against the Bulls (when they were playing well) this season, that's not a matchup I wanna see pre-ECF for obvious reasons. It would also be concerning to face the Pistons, Pacers, or Cavaliers for various reasons. Pistons have beaten us both times this season, and Lebron always has a big game against us. Ron Artest on the Pacers circles Pacers-Magic games on his calender so he can defend McGrady, and KG is a perennial MVP for a reason. 

Out of these teams tho, I would say I least want to face the Pistons in a series. We just haven't beaten them this season, and that's concerning. There's a decent likelihood we will face them if we make it out of Rd1 and it'll be a great test for us and for our young PF Cedric Simmons who has had his hands full all season dealing with the studly PFs in the East (Amare, Dirk, KG, Nene, Randolph, etc...)

[itnas123]

Are you a better team now then you were last season?

[shorty]

Apr 7, 2014 2:40:03 GMT itnas123 said:

Are you a better team now then you were last season?

Talent-wise no because we lost two very talented players from last year. With that said, I think our record has clearly shown at this point that we are a better TEAM. While we had a very talented lineup last year, I can't help but feel that the team comp was off. We had too many lethal scorers and playmakers who needed the ball in their hands, and unfortunately, we aren't allowed to have more than one basketball on the floor. This year players on the team have been able to play to their roles better, and I feel we have a better mix of players who complement each other's skillsets. Francis and Tmac are the two elite, dynamic offensive playmakers while Jeff Foster and the big man lineup have done their jobs rebounding the ball and defending the paint. Our oFG% and team RPG have markedly improved from last season. This year's new addition, Shawn Marion, has proven to be a glue guy who rebounds, defends, and does whatever is necessary to win games. When Francis and McGrady were injured, Marion scored 46 points in a game one time becuase that's what the team needed. When Tmac and Francis are both playing, Marion defends, rebounds, and complements them on offense. This mix of players has played very well together, and we have recovered nicely from the loss of Dirk and Alvin. 

[malice]

Steve Francis, done unless you make a seriously long run in the playoffs. What is the worst case scenario for the Magic in round 1 of the playoffs?

[shorty]

Apr 8, 2014 7:32:14 GMT malice said:

Steve Francis, done unless you make a seriously long run in the playoffs. What is the worst case scenario for the Magic in round 1 of the playoffs?

We'll face either the Nets, Pistons, or Pacers. None of those three are an optimal matchup for us even when healthy. Worst case scenario is if another starter goes down in the final sim and we lose in the 1st round again. 

[rookieoftheyear]

Your team has been dealing with nagging injuries all season, do you expect to still make a playoff run with Francis out ?

[daedalus]

You look to have quite a bit of salary cap going into next season: Are you planning on resigning Francis and Marion or will Orlando be welcoming in a new star during the offseason?

[shorty]

Apr 8, 2014 12:51:18 GMT rookieoftheyear said:

Your team has been dealing with nagging injuries all season, do you expect to still make a playoff run with Francis out ?

We are answering this a little late, but we should be able to make the second round. Shawn Marion will miss a few games in the first round, but once he comes back, we SHOULD be able to get past the Bobcats. After that it'll be a brutal matchup against either the Cavs or the Pacers. Out of those two, I'd rather face the Cavs simply because Marion will get to guard Lebron, and Cavs won't have any superb defenders guarding Tmac, but we will be underdogs in both series due to Francis' absence. I would be content with losing closely in the 2nd round, but I would not be surprised if Marion and Tmac can help carry the team into the ECF where we are 3-0 against the Bulls with Francis healthy. 

[shorty]

Apr 8, 2014 14:53:19 GMT daedalus said:

You look to have quite a bit of salary cap going into next season: Are you planning on resigning Francis and Marion or will Orlando be welcoming in a new star during the offseason?

Best case scenario: both happens. We can only hope to sign someone with our cap space before resigning both Francis and Marion, but if we only get Marion and Francis back, that is still a great core to build our team around. 

[itnas123]

What will be key for you in advancing to the second round? Who will give you the biggest trouble in the first round?

[shorty]

Apr 10, 2014 5:07:33 GMT itnas123 said:

What will be key for you in advancing to the second round? Who will give you the biggest trouble in the first round?

Sorry this was a late response. I had anticipated Nene to give us the most trouble as he's been the Bobcat's MVP for the entire season. Cedric Simmons has had his plate full all year dealing with the elite PFs of the Eastern Conference, but Nene will be a handful. The key to winning the series (and as what actually happened) will easily be the play of Tracy McGrady. He's the only Magic star healhty for us in the 1st round, and with a favorable matchup at SG, Tmac would have been needed to help push us through.

I tried to answer that in context lol. Sorry for the delay in response

[malice]

What areas of growth can we look forward to seeing in Orlando?

[shorty]

Apr 12, 2014 3:48:18 GMT malice said:

What areas of growth can we look forward to seeing in Orlando?

A little late in response here, but at the time of asking, the only growth we would have been happy to see is to see is no declines. We have an old, but capable roster. In order for them to be capable, health is of the utmost importance. I would say health definitely played a role in our play at the end of the season in the prior season. 

[itnas123]

How far is your team going to go now after a very successful FA?

[shorty]

Apr 15, 2014 23:23:18 GMT itnas123 said:

How far is your team going to go now after a very successful FA?

We've had Finals aspirations for the past.. well forever. We will make the ECF and Finals on the strength of our perimeter play and interior defense. Now, this could very well blow up in our faces, and we'd have to be careful about injuries that can affect our playoff chances as well. Talent-wise, we should have what it takes to reach the Finals and win the whole thing. 

[entrapy]

How disappointed are you with the team's performance to start the season?

[celticfan]

Who is the most important player to your team and why?

[shorty]

Apr 21, 2014 11:52:35 GMT entrapy said:

How disappointed are you with the team's performance to start the season?

We shouldn't be losing to teams that are eons below us in talent, and we have already lost to some of the worst teams in the League. While disappointing, it's not a huge surprise either because it takes time to figure out to accommodate new players and a new roster. We have a lot of players who are getting the ball less often than what they are probably used to, and so it takes time to figure out. With that said, the last 11 days have been much better for us. We knocked off the Bulls twice, Jazz once, and both our offense and defense have clicked better. The addition of Vlad Stephania has been a big boon to our team. He provides the defense and rebounding at Center that we sorely lacked, and he's a glue guy that can help us get going. 

[shorty]

Apr 21, 2014 12:42:39 GMT celticfan said:

Who is the most important player to your team and why?

It's hard to say, but right now it's probably Steve Francis. His explosive play at point guard has been the difference for us in our recent winning streak, and PG play is always important in our league. It's hard to point out a single team MVP tho. Tmac and Artest are both valuable as scorers and defenders, and Marion will need to hold down the PF spot against all the elite PFs in this league. Vlad Stephania is also invaluable as a glue guy who rebounds and defends so it's tricky to say. 

[malice]

Are the Magic one of the favourites?

[shorty]

Apr 25, 2014 12:44:09 GMT malice said:

Are the Magic one of the favourites?

When healthy, yes. We've given the Wolves their only home loss even with Stephania injured. Our offense is one of the most unstoppable in the league, and we have many great defensive players as well who hound people on defense, and create many turnovers for the opponent. While McGrady has had a down year by his standards, Steve Francis is playing out of his mind, and both Marion and Artest have acquainted well to their new roles. We've been injured heading into the playoffs more oft than not the past few seasons, but if the stars align for us and we remain healthy, I believe we can win the championship. If you take away our terrible first sim, Magic has had one of the 3 best records in the league since then. 

[celticfan]

Do you feel you have the best starting lineup in the league?

[shorty]

Apr 26, 2014 14:17:39 GMT celticfan said:

Do you feel you have the best starting lineup in the league?

We've had our ups and downs, but when we play well, I'd say we are. Of course, I'm sure I'm a little biased when I say that. There are definitely other very talented teams out there with potent starting 5s that may not be as talented, but they play better together. 

[bloop]

Your team has dealt with some untimely injuries, but when fully healthy you possess a scary lineup. Are you worried at all about seeding come playoff time?

[shorty]

Apr 26, 2014 19:46:46 GMT bloop said:

Your team has dealt with some untimely injuries, but when fully healthy you possess a scary lineup. Are you worried at all about seeding come playoff time?

I'm confident we can overtake the Knicks for the #2 seed. We are probably too far back to get the #1 seed, but either way we'll have a tough 2nd round matchup against either the Pacers or the Cavaliers (assuming we can get past the 1st round, which isn't a guarantee since there are talented ass low seeds). The road to the Finals won't be easy that's for sure. 

[rookieoftheyear]

Is T-Mac still the leader of this team or are there now multiple people taking on that role ?

[malice]

What do you think your chances are of being the first team to garner a repeat?

[shorty]

Apr 30, 2014 21:38:44 GMT rookieoftheyear said:

Is T-Mac still the leader of this team or are there now multiple people taking on that role ?

Until last season, Tmac was undisputedly the captain of the team. It was always understand to be his team, and everyone else was along for the ride. Since last season however, he has taken a smaller role on the team due to the arrival of Artest, and the re-emergence of Steve Francis. He understood that to win a championship, he needed to focus more on the team, and him dropping 30/6/4 every year hasn't produced a ring for the franchise yet. With the renewed focus on team balance and team play, Tmac was merely co-captain last season, and it paid off. Tmac has been the face of the Orlando Magic for quite a while now, and he'll always be one of our leaders so long as he is part of this franchise.  

[shorty]

Apr 30, 2014 23:56:11 GMT malice said:

What do you think your chances are of being the first team to garner a repeat?

Repeating is never easy. Injuries can happen, and in our case, injuries AND salary cap issues. It's almost guaranteed that someone important is going to have to leave, and the question right now is, what can we get back? 

[itnas123]

Is your chances of going for a repeat set back now that you have traded T-Mac?

shorty