Youthful Perspective
Mike Lovecchio
Issue date: 12/5/06 Section: Sports
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Rediscovering the Magic
If the past three years are any indication, the Orlando Magic hasn't been all that successful of an NBA franchise. Ever since a heart-breaking exit in the 2003 playoffs after a
loss to the Detroit Pistons there has been little to no magic to speak of with a combined record of 93-153 - until now.
It's easy to forget because of the recent woes that Orlando actually had 11 straight seasons at .500 or better between 1994 and 2003 including a trip to the NBA finals in1996.
History can't repeat itself
There's one striking similarity between the NBA Finals team 10 years ago and the current Orlando Magic: a dominant big man. Sure, Dwight Howard isn't as much of a force as Shaquille O'Neal was in the prime of his career, but at 21 years of age Howard has already established himself among the league's elite. There's nothing he can't do: he can rebound, he can play defense, and he can score.
If you were to ask any NBA general manager to name one player they would like to build their team around, Howard would be mentioned right up there with Lebron James and Dwayne Wade. That's why the front office can't make the same mistake they did when they let O'Neal sign with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1997. No offer can be too high, whatever it takes to keep him here, sign the check.
If the Magic want to returnto the Finals they'll need Howard to do it.
A great supporting cast
For the first time in recent memory the Orlando Magic have started the 2006 season with a similar roster as the one they finished 2005 with. There was no reason to change a line-up that finished last year with an NBA best record of 16-6. If the Magic do in fact turn the franchise around, a lot of its success can be attributed to the 2004 draft.
Along with the No. 1 overall selection of Howard, the high school player of the year, they traded for the rights to NCAA player of the year Jameer Nelson. Now, three years later, these two are the core of one of the NBA's youngest teams that also includes former No.2 overall selection Darko Milicic.
The youthful exuberance of a younger Magic team is complemented perfectly by the veteran leadership of former all-star, but oft-injured Grant Hill. Mix in the inevitable emergence of sharp-shooting rookie J.J. Redick, who is currently injured, and solid play from Hedo Turkoglu and the Magic not only have a sure fire recipe for its first playoff appearance since 2003, but for the next few years as well.
OTHER NOTES:
NASCAR: Jimmie Johnson finally captured that elusive first championship, capping of one of the greatest first five years of a driver in Nextel Cup history. Racing fans don't have long to wait with pre-season Thunder testing taking place at Daytona International Speedway in January.
NFL: Why don't they just give LaDainian Tomlison the MVP trophy right now, and why am I the only one not afraid to say that he has the potential to go down as THE greatest running back in the history of the NFL? Following a Nov. 19 victory to the Denver Broncos, Tomlinson scored his 19th touchdown in his last six games and was the fastest player to ever score 100 touchdowns. You can't argue that.
MLB: I can't believe the Boston Red Sox spent $51.1 million simply to negotiate with Japanese pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka. No one player is worth that much money unless they're a guaranteed perennial 20-game winner - and he's not. He's as unproven as any pitcher selected in next year's draft, which makes me wonder if the Red Sox aren't spending the money just to spite their rival, the Yankees.
If the past three years are any indication, the Orlando Magic hasn't been all that successful of an NBA franchise. Ever since a heart-breaking exit in the 2003 playoffs after a
loss to the Detroit Pistons there has been little to no magic to speak of with a combined record of 93-153 - until now.
It's easy to forget because of the recent woes that Orlando actually had 11 straight seasons at .500 or better between 1994 and 2003 including a trip to the NBA finals in1996.
History can't repeat itself
There's one striking similarity between the NBA Finals team 10 years ago and the current Orlando Magic: a dominant big man. Sure, Dwight Howard isn't as much of a force as Shaquille O'Neal was in the prime of his career, but at 21 years of age Howard has already established himself among the league's elite. There's nothing he can't do: he can rebound, he can play defense, and he can score.
If you were to ask any NBA general manager to name one player they would like to build their team around, Howard would be mentioned right up there with Lebron James and Dwayne Wade. That's why the front office can't make the same mistake they did when they let O'Neal sign with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1997. No offer can be too high, whatever it takes to keep him here, sign the check.
If the Magic want to returnto the Finals they'll need Howard to do it.
A great supporting cast
For the first time in recent memory the Orlando Magic have started the 2006 season with a similar roster as the one they finished 2005 with. There was no reason to change a line-up that finished last year with an NBA best record of 16-6. If the Magic do in fact turn the franchise around, a lot of its success can be attributed to the 2004 draft.
Along with the No. 1 overall selection of Howard, the high school player of the year, they traded for the rights to NCAA player of the year Jameer Nelson. Now, three years later, these two are the core of one of the NBA's youngest teams that also includes former No.2 overall selection Darko Milicic.
The youthful exuberance of a younger Magic team is complemented perfectly by the veteran leadership of former all-star, but oft-injured Grant Hill. Mix in the inevitable emergence of sharp-shooting rookie J.J. Redick, who is currently injured, and solid play from Hedo Turkoglu and the Magic not only have a sure fire recipe for its first playoff appearance since 2003, but for the next few years as well.
OTHER NOTES:
NASCAR: Jimmie Johnson finally captured that elusive first championship, capping of one of the greatest first five years of a driver in Nextel Cup history. Racing fans don't have long to wait with pre-season Thunder testing taking place at Daytona International Speedway in January.
NFL: Why don't they just give LaDainian Tomlison the MVP trophy right now, and why am I the only one not afraid to say that he has the potential to go down as THE greatest running back in the history of the NFL? Following a Nov. 19 victory to the Denver Broncos, Tomlinson scored his 19th touchdown in his last six games and was the fastest player to ever score 100 touchdowns. You can't argue that.
MLB: I can't believe the Boston Red Sox spent $51.1 million simply to negotiate with Japanese pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka. No one player is worth that much money unless they're a guaranteed perennial 20-game winner - and he's not. He's as unproven as any pitcher selected in next year's draft, which makes me wonder if the Red Sox aren't spending the money just to spite their rival, the Yankees.
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