Miami Heat vs. Orlando Magic: Which Streaking Team Wins 15 in a Row?
The Miami Heat are leaving a scorching trail in their wake and are rising like a comet towards the blazing sun, but don’t look now, because their state rival and nemesis , the Orlando Magic are on their explosive tail.
These teams are currently the hottest in the NBA, both riding seven game winning streaks, both seemingly recovered from major early season catastrophes.
While the Heat have transcended their chemistry into a constant state of perpetual motion from it's previous constant state of flux, the Magic have imploded their team into something to behold.
The east is a beast and is stronger than ever and one thing is for sure, the likes of the Bulls, Knicks and Celtics are not going to let these two new super powers from the Sunshine state role over them without a fight.
But which of these scorching teams from Florida will reach 15 wins in a row?
Jan. 7, 2011 – Orlando Magic vs. Houston Rockets
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Projected Win: Win number eight
Power Ranking the Enemy: Fifteenth in the NBA
Last Meeting with Enemy: none
Analysis: The Rockets are coming off three straight losses to the Trail Blazers (twice) and Nuggets. They’re not a bad team that knows how to play defense, but sadly without Yao Ming in the lineup, this team will be hard pressed to crack the top ten teams in the league.
Dwight Howard and Gilbert Arenas will help lead the Magic to their eight straight win.
Jan. 7, 2011 – Miami Heat @ Milwaukee Bucks
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Projected Win: Win number eight
Power Ranking the Enemy: Twenty-first in the NBA
Last Meeting with Enemy: W 101 - 89
Analysis: This game marks the start of a five game road trip for the Heat.
The Bucks are coming off two straight losses and are playing less than .400 ball for the season. They are also the worst shooting team (41%) in the league, but they are as dangerous as can be as exhibited by their ability to takedown the NBA’s best including the Mavericks and Lakers. Brandon Jennings (broken foot) is out for the season.
For Miami Thrice, it’s not about proving that they’re good anymore, it’s about making a statement and after beating the Bucks decisively on Jan. 4, they will not be losing this game.
Jan. 8, 2011 - Orlando Magic vs. Dallas Mavericks
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Projected Win: Win number nine
Power Ranking the Enemy: Fifth in the NBA
Last Meeting with Enemy: L 99 - 105
Analysis: This game marks the start of a five game road trip for the Magic.
This will be a most interesting matchup given that the Mavericks are power ranked at five and the Magic are at four in the NBA.
Unfortunately for the Mavs, they have lost Caron Butler for the season (knee) and Dirk Nowitzki is still day-to-day (knee). Shawn Marion has enabled the Mavs to adapt to the losses of their two starters, but they lost a close one to the Trail Blazers on Thursday.
With Nowitzki in the lineup, this game might favor the Mavs, but one thing is for sure, this is not the same Magic team that lost to the Mavs on Dec. 21.
Jan. 9, 2011 – Miami Heat @ Portland Trail Blazers
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Projected Win: Win number nine
Power Ranking the Enemy: Thirteenth in the NBA
Last Meeting with Enemy: none
Analysis: How much bad news can one team take in a single season? After number one draft pick and total bust Greg Oden is confirmed as done for the season, the Trail Blazers learn that their star, Brandon Roy is also done (knee).
With Roy in the lineup at full strength the Blazers would certainly be a top ten team, but despite all the hardship this team has suffered, they are proving to be surprisingly tough, as they showed by beating up the Mavs last Thursday night.
This game won't even be close as Miami will tear the Blazers apart.
Jan. 12, 2011 – Orlando Magic @ New Orleans Hornets
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Projected Win: Win number ten in a row
Power Ranking the Enemy: Eleventh in the NBA
Last Meeting with Enemy: none
Analysis: The New Orleans Hornets have certainly surprised this season and after cooling off from their supernova like state, they are starting to find the win column again.
The Hornets are a very good defensive team that struggles all too often offensively. They are also undersized, and Dwight Howard should win the battle of the boards over the Hornets’ Emeka Okafor.
This game won’t even be close.
Jan. 12, 2011 – Miami Heat @ L.A. Clippers
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Projected Win: Win number ten in a row
Power Ranking the Enemy: Twentieth in the NBA
Last Meeting with Enemy: none
Analysis: The L.A. Clippers are a very young and exciting team to watch. The similarities between Blake Griffin and LeBron James are also astounding from their physical statures to their explosive dunks.
DeAndre Jordan (C) and Eric Gordan (SG) are showing (along with Griffin) that they can indeed play in this league. Talented PG, Baron Davis plays with a surprising non-urgency that reflects his overall laziness.
Miami Thrice will be too much for these youngsters who one day look to be dominant themselves.
Jan. 13, 2011 – Orlando Magic @ Oklahoma City Thunder
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Projected Win: Win number eleven in a row
Power Ranking the Enemy: Tenth in the NBA
Last Meeting with Enemy: none
Analysis: The Oklahoma Thunder are a very young and explosive club full of raw talent and promise. Last year, they put the league on notice when the Lakers barely escaped their clutches in the Western Conference showdown.
Kevin Durant is again leading the league in the scoring race and Russell Westbrook’s unencumbered, lightening play begs for slow-motion replay to be freeze framed in order to catch the slashing blur making a direct line to the rim. And Both Durant and Westbrook are NBA superstars in their own right, providing the Thunder with clout at the SF and the PG slots.
Jeff Green has been struggling for an entire month now and the Thunder are seriously lacking at the center position, which will bode well for Orlando as they continue on their winning streak.
Jan. 13, 2011 – Miami Heat @ Denver Nuggets
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Projected Win: Win number eleven in a row
Power Ranking the Enemy: Eighth in the NBA
Last Meeting with Enemy: none
Analysis: The Nuggets are coming off two losses in a row but are still good enough to be ranked eighth in the NBA.
This is definitely a sad season for Denver fans whose team is too distracted with the melodramatic Anthony and his trade demands to be a serious threat this year.
Miami will win this one handedly.
Jan. 15, 2011 – Orlando Magic @ Minnesota Timberwolves
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Projected Win: Win number twelve in a row
Power Ranking the Enemy: Twenty-fourth in the NBA
Last Meeting with Enemy: W 128 - 88
Analysis: Kevin Love is an astounding rebounder and has certainly no equal when it comes to that department in the NBA including the more athletic Dwight Howard.
The last time these two teams met, the Wolves suffered a 40 point drubbing at the hands of the Magic. The Wolves have no depth and are extremely inconsistent in their play.
Another Magic drubbing is in store.
Jan. 15, 2011 – Miami Heat @ Chicago Bulls
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Projected Win: Win number twelve in a row
Power Ranking the Enemy: Ninth in the NBA
Last Meeting with Enemy: none
Analysis: The Chicago Bulls’ tremendous talent has flown under the radar this year as a result of Miami Thrice grabbing most of the attention, but a healthy starting rotation including stars Rose, Noah and Boozer are a dominating combination.
The Bulls have one of the top PGs in Rose, Centers in Noah and PFs in Boozer and just like the Thunder's Durant and Westbrook, the young Rose's and Noah's transcendent talent is rising with experience and a growing maturity. The Bulls are also set at the SF spot with Luol Deng.
In fact, when healthy, the Bulls only glaring weakness is at the SF spot.
With Noah out of the lineup, the advantage goes to the Heat
Jan. 17, 2011 – Orlando Magic @ Boston Celtics
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Projected Win: Win number thirteen in a row
Power Ranking the Enemy: Second in the NBA
Last Meeting with Enemy: W 86 - 76
Analysis: The Celtics should be moving up to first place in the power rankings as a result of their recent win over the San Antonio Spurs.
The Celtics last faced the new-look Magic on Christmas day in a ten point loss. This time around, the men in green seem to be even less healthy as Rondo has just come back from an ankle injury, Garnett is suffering from a strained calf muscle, and Pierce also turned an ankle.
If the Celtics were healthy, this would be an exciting matchup for any NBA fan to watch, but they are simply not 100% now. This means that the Magic will win their second straight versus the Celtics.
Jan. 18, 2011 – Miami Heat vs. Atlanta Hawks
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Projected Win: Win number thirteen in a row
Power Ranking the Enemy: Twelfth in the NBA
Last Meeting with Enemy: W 89 - 77
Analysis: The Hawks are a fairly good team that will not get anywhere without a couple of trades. They are too small up front, Mike Bibby is not as effective as he used to be and the team overall suffers from a bad attitude that stems from their leader, Joe Johnson. The Hawks have great talent in Al Horford, Joe Johnson, and Josh Smith, but because of their disconnection, they are a first round playoff team at best.
Miami wins in a landslide at home.
Jan. 19, 2011 – Orlando Magic vs. Philadelphia 76ers
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Projected Win: Win number fourteen in a row
Power Ranking the Enemy: Twenty-second in the NBA
Last Meeting with Enemy: L 89 - 97
Analysis: The 76ers may become more significant after trading Andre Iguodala, but this team is too inconsistent at the moment. Evan Turner is a promising rookie and Elton Brand is turning back the clock, but this team needs much more than that.
Orlando wins their fourteenth game in a row.
Jan. 21, 2011 – Orlando Magic vs. Toronto Raptors
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Projected Win: Win number fifteen in a row
Power Ranking the Enemy: Twenty-third in the NBA
Last Meeting with Enemy: L 106 - 110
Analysis: Toronto seems to be in perpetual rebuilding mode. They have some nice pieces like Demar DeRozan and Andrea Bargnani, but this team is not going anywhere fast and all the injuries don’t help at all.
Magic win number fifteen in a row.
Jan. 22, 2011 – Miami Heat vs. Toronto Raptors
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Projected Win: Win number fourteen in a row
Power Ranking the Enemy: Twenty-third in the NBA
Last Meeting with Enemy: W 109 - 100
Analysis: Toronto seems to be in perpetual rebuilding mode. They have some nice pieces like Demar DeRozan and Andrea Bargnani, but this team is not going anywhere fast and all the injuries don’t help at all.
Miami wins number fourteen in a row.
Jan.27, 2011 – Miami Heat @. NY Knicks
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Projected Win: Win number fifteen in a row
Power Ranking the Enemy: Fourteenth in the NBA
Last Meeting with Enemy: W 106 - 98
Analysis The New York Knicks have been a tremendous surprise this year behind first year Knick Amare Stoudemire and as revealed from their eight game win streak that was eventually stopped by the Boston Celtics. Bouncing back from an abysmal start to the season, the Knicks are no longer Atlantic Division bottom feeders—that distinction belongs to the lowly 76ers, Raptors and Nets.
The Knicks look promising enough to make the playoffs for the first time in seven seasons and their entire starting rotation including: C- Amare Stoudemire (26 PPG, 9 RPG); PG- Raymond Felton (18 PPG, 9 APG); SF- Danilo Gallinari (15 PPG, 4 RPG); SG- Landry Fields (10 PPG, 7 RPG) and PF- Wilson Chandler (17 PPG, 6 RPG) are all having breakout years.
But still, they need a true center more than ever. Miami wins their fifteenth game in a row.
So What's Next? The Battle Of Florida?
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The Miami Heat and Orlando Magic are starting to cruise.
