Last week’s visit by the Toronto Raptors may have been played in the Amway Arena, but it was difficult to tell if it was the home team or the away team that was playing like the Orlando Magic. The inside-outside game being used by Chris Bosh and his teammates looked rather familiar. It was a distorted mirror image of the last visit by the Raptors in December, save for the Magic’s valiant, but ill-fated push in the 4th quarter. With the loss to the Raptors, the Magic stood at 7-7 in their previous 14 games. Then, when they followed that loss up with a curious 4th quarter meltdown against the normally hapless Washington Wizards, it signaled the first four game losing streak of Coach Stan Van Gundy’s tenure. As any proud Magic fan knows, the worst part wasn’t the losses, but who the losses came against: four straight sub-500 teams beat the Magic.
I find myself looking for but not finding any quick, obvious answers that quickly explained the reasons for the slump. A good friend of mine, who is also a passionate Magic fan and fellow Orlando Magic Message Board member, described the problem as a lack of good, consistent point guard play, combined with lapses in Dwight Howard’s playing level. That is as good an explanation as anything I can come up with.
But regardless of any slump or any easy answers, what time and again amazes me is the extreme, knee jerk reactions from Magic Fan. When the team is on a roll, he thinks the players should get sized for rings. When the team starts a skid, the club should fold or move to Seattle, if the city will even have them. It’s true that the Magic are struggling of late and have had trouble on the road. What was once perceived as a strength has now become a weakness at worst, and an uncertainty at best. As we sit poised for the first of a four-game road trip out West, I choose to view it as an uncertainty.
Although chemistry is truly not an issue with this team, familiarity with all the moving parts might be. We can’t seem to get healthy. “Healthy” for the Magic might have to be redefined as “any time the Magic can employ any three of the four all-stars on the roster.” So, the fact is, nearly halfway through the season, the team is still getting comfortable playing together. And in light of all of these factors, is 25-11 all that bad? It may not be the pace of an elite 60-win team, but we certainly shouldn’t be filling out our wills. The goal for the season shouldn’t be a specific win plateau but instead should be to finish with as many wins as possible and to finish as high in the standings as possible. For all we know, 55 wins might get it done! But really, it is just way too early to even predict where the Magic will finish. For now, it is sufficient to say that the Magic sit in a good position amongst their peers, namely, the Boston Celtics and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Home court advantage is very important, but we cannot forget that this advantage did not help the Celtics and Cavaliers last season. The Celtics have their own injury issues, and over the course of the next month, the Magic may be in a position to take advantage of it (especially if we can figure out a way to schedule the Atlanta Hawks a few more time, amirite!). The Cavaliers are more of an unknown factor. Frankly, I am still waiting for them to falter and I still don’t think they match up well against us in a series. But they have LeBron James, so…
So explain it to me Magic Fan. How can a fan base become so spoiled after only one season of true playoff success? It seems impossible for Magic Fan to just come along for the ride. I still remember how up and down, crazy insane last season was, but it was so much fun! By early June my buddies and I had agreed to get Magic tattoos if we won the title. Never mind that my tattoo would have been somewhere well-hidden, like, I don’t know…on my foot, maybe. The point is, we were excited, the Magic were world beaters, and we were prepared to promise anything – within reason – while basking in the euphoria of the Magic glow. It is much easier to enjoy this kind of team, and this kind of season, if you just acknowledge that there will be ups and downs, but many many more ups than downs! Let go of the wheel Magic Fan, buckle up, and relax!
This message was not subject of approval by the NBA or the Orlando Magic. The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of the Orlando Magic or the NBA, but solely the writer.
"My life will go on, this much I know. Cars and games will come and go. But never once will I forgetta, the way we danced, dear Dick Bavetta." - from "I Left My Heart In Dick Bavetta"
Posts: 9263 | Location: It's Hard Out Here for a Blog Pimp. | Registered: February 09, 2006
I don't think passion for the team is necessarily a bad thing. I not sure we're spoiled. I think we got a taste of the good times and want it to continue. The team got a taste of it. Magic management got a taste of it or they wouldn't have poured money into getting the good guys on the team.
I've been an Atlanta Braves fan forever (so goes my screen name). They were World Series Champions, National League Champions, Division Champions forever and then they weren't. They were the worst team in the league and then they weren't. Being a Braves fan isn't as bad as being a Cubs fan but it goes to say that the good feeling of winning starts to spoil a fan and when the winning stops, a true fan starts to question what's wrong with them, and starts to wonder if they'll ever win again. They don't turn their backs on the team. They hang in there with every win and every loss.
The Magic's four game skid was worrisome to the most passionate Magic fan. The win against Atlanta was not a fluke as the Hawks turned around and beat the Celtics a 2nd time in a week. This proves the Celtics are vulnerable and the Magic are real. I've found that out so the next time the Magic lose two in a row I may not be so worried if they'll ever win again.
The last thing I can say is that I think I will relax when Stan does and that's not likely to happen until pigs fly!
Prediction: The slump is over. It's the first game of the rest of the season so says Stan.
Posts: 883 | Location: Living the life of a Redickholic! | Registered: January 07, 2007
Awesome response bravlady...thanks for your thoughts.
"My life will go on, this much I know. Cars and games will come and go. But never once will I forgetta, the way we danced, dear Dick Bavetta." - from "I Left My Heart In Dick Bavetta"
Posts: 9263 | Location: It's Hard Out Here for a Blog Pimp. | Registered: February 09, 2006
I don't think all the sniping threads were because of the four straight losses, as much as the "way" we lost. Let me explain, I think we all know and expect there will be poor shooting nights - and as a team, we'll lose on some/many of those nights. And, we all know that there will be some nights - due to a long road trip or other dreadful scheduling quirks, that we can not always expect to see playoff-type enthusiasm on the floor. But when our offense resembles a sixth-grade dance, where everyone is standing around the perimeter waiting for someone else to make the first move and the defense is spending most of their energy looking over their shoulders at their man blazing by....well, it just gives us reason for concern. We really just want to know if the team cares as much as we do! Sometimes, it is hard to tell. But when they do have that outstanding game (like vs Atlanta) it just nuts us up all over again as we see the kind of team we thought we had - and we'd just like to see that a little bit more.
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - Former A-10 standouts and Associated Press National Players of the Year Jameer Nelson of Saint Joseph's and Xavier's David West have been named to the NBA All-Star team and will square off Feb. 15 in Phoenix, Ariz. It marks Nelson's first All-Star selection, while West earns his second straight honor.
Posts: 6642 | Location: Perpetual English Confounder | Registered: July 10, 2007
Originally posted by Live or Die Magic: For now, it is sufficient to say that the Magic sit in a good position amongst their peers, namely, the Boston Celtics and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Very true. And also if you look at the Cavs they had a pretty "rough" start themselves and only recently went on a nice run. Now granted I don't follow the Cavs much but aside from the Delonte West incident at the beginning of the season I don't think that they had to deal with any big issues (suspensions, injuries, etc.) and it still took them about 30 games until they integrated Shaq, Parker and Moon and went on a roll. So with five new players and all the things that the Magic went through I guess it's only natural that it takes our lineup a little longer to gel.
Naturally, a 4 game loss after the expectations that we as fans have placed on our Magic, is a huge thing. However as the other guys have said it doesn't mean we don't have a shot at a championship it means our team hasn't yet gelled and is vunerable. I think people forget that other teams will raise there game against teams like the Magic, especially those sub .500 teams.
We went through a lot of changes this offseason and the whole way our offense is run has changed with VC onboard. The key for our season is to try and work out how we use VC's strengths to help us win. At the moment it seems like everything goes through him and SVG needs to start recognising when he is having a bad shooting night and go to one of our MANY OTHER weapons that got us to the finals last year.
The luxury we have is even playing badly we will still reach the playoffs. So think of the rest of the regular season as time to improve our chemistry and work to maximising our many strengths in time for a push when it really matters.
Posts: 5193 | Location: Across the pond/O-Town | Registered: January 08, 2006
I don't think you can pin it all on the PG's, but we are still waiting on the pre-shoulder All-star calibre of play to return for Jameer.
The knee does not look 100% yet, but from someone who has the same injury in the past. Rest is not the only answer for it, just takes time to build the strength back.
The NBA season is a marathon, not a sprint and even the Lakers and Celtics will go into funks.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: bhnole,
Posts: 6536 | Location: Amway Arena Lot 3 waiting for the next game | Registered: February 23, 2006
Awesome stuff guys! Thanks for providing your insights and even offering an alternative point of view.
"My life will go on, this much I know. Cars and games will come and go. But never once will I forgetta, the way we danced, dear Dick Bavetta." - from "I Left My Heart In Dick Bavetta"
Posts: 9263 | Location: It's Hard Out Here for a Blog Pimp. | Registered: February 09, 2006
I think this slump that we're on is nothing to get too worried about. After reading Denton's story on Rashard, we all, or I, realized that only ten games were played together with our big 4 (Dwight, Jameer, Vince, and Rashard). I think that they just need more time to gell; not just in the game because it starts in practice where I can assure you they aren't pushing the ailed to do much.
I have realized that it is true that our Magic team have struggled with these plagues and rehabilitations. Jameer Nelson still admits that his body is not at 100% and Vince Carter's injury is not excuse, but more of a scapegoat to blame our losses on to qualify the 26-13 record that we face.
With this being said, the point guard position isn't what is failing us. I truly believe that it is our incapable time to rally the whole team together and get back on solid ground. It's still early in the season and a still a long time to get the team to start there streak to a great record and a memorable playoff strech, aka "ship."
Welcome to the boards, Magic Fanatic. I'm flattered to have your first post to be providing great insight regarding this issue.
I agree that time to gel is what this team needs. Can't wait to see what we do when we've had a chance to play a stretch of 10-15 games fully loaded.
"My life will go on, this much I know. Cars and games will come and go. But never once will I forgetta, the way we danced, dear Dick Bavetta." - from "I Left My Heart In Dick Bavetta"
Posts: 9263 | Location: It's Hard Out Here for a Blog Pimp. | Registered: February 09, 2006
orlandomagiczone.com 
