2010-2011 NBA Predictions: Orlando Magic Season Preview
Orlando Magic (2010-2011) Season Preview:
The Magic will look to return to the NBA Finals (2009) again this season after being defeated last year in a tough Eastern Conference Finals matchup with the Boston Celtics.
The Magic add Quentin Richardson and Chris Duhon via free agency, despite losing last year’s starter in Matt Barnes.
Stan Van Gundy again returns as head coach and will look to silence his critics with another return to the NBA Finals.
He will look to bounce back this season as he has an improved roster and a hungry Dwight Howard and healthy Jameer Nelson looking for a title.
Questions surround the Magic as they look to regain their 2008-2009 form. Will Vince Carter fit in the Magic’s scheme of things while staying healthy? Will Jameer Nelson stay healthy? Will Rashard Lewis' dismal year last season again disrupt the teams NBA Finals run? How much of a impact can Quentin Richardosn provide over last year’s starter Matt Barnes? Will Gortat, Bass, and Duhon be able to step in off the bench and solidly contribute?
Only time will tell if the offseason moves will have an adverse effect on the team or not, but one thing is for sure, the Magic will again be atop the Eastern Conference standings and with a high powered offense will look to not only reach the finals but win it outright.
Starting Lineup
PG: Jameer Nelson
Nelson will look to prove he can come back healthy this season once and for all (40 games missed during regular season with shoulder injury in 2008-2009) and build upon his career numbers (50 percent fg, 45 percent three-point shooting in 31 mpg, 3.5 rpg) and anchor the Magic into the Finals.
Nelson will need to improve on his assists per game and should this season with more offensive options and also look to build his way back after only playing 28 minutes last season while posting a marginal 12.6 points per game with 5.4 assists per game. He will again look to gain an All-Star appearance, and this time actually play in the game its self. More importantly, he will look to bring the Magic back to glory as they fight through to the NBA Finals.
SG: Vince Carter
Carter will look to again be a focal point on offense, but for the second year in a row, he will not have to be the first or second option in order for him or his team to be successful.
Carter will look to make his mark on the offensive end this season as he struggled a bit last season trying to stay healthy although playing in 75 games. He still has solid athleticism although not like he used to and will need to rely on his jump shot to carry him through games if he or the Magic have a chance to make some noise this season.
SF: Quentin Richardson
Richardson comes to the Orlando Magic after a very solid season in Miami and will look to upgrade the SF as the starter from day one. Richardson has a unique skill set which enables him to not only shoot well from the perimeter (39.7 percent) but also take smaller SF’s into the post and score with ease. He will be counted on to provide outside shooting and solid defense on the perimeter.
PF: Rashard Lewis
Lewis is a sharp shooting finesse forward who uses a combination of three-point skill (39 percent for career) and quickness to keep defenders on their toes.
Lewis had a dismal year in 2009-2010 after missing the first 10 games of the year following a violation of the league’s drug policy. He did not gel in the offense upon his return and just could not get going all season, posting his lowest numbers across the board since 2000-2001. He will look to regain his once promising form as he will be looked upon heavily as the second or third option as the Magic look to again reach the NBA Finals.
C: Dwight Howard
Superman will look to lead his team back to the finals as he has worked extensively on his low post offense and footwork again this offseason.
Dwight will look to build off another solid season in 2009-2010 and capitalize on the addition of Richardson and a healthy Nelson and Carter on the perimeter to heighten the team to the finals once again.
Dwight possesses a strong ability on the defensive end as well (2.9 bpg) and was the league’s Defensive Player of the Year winner as he will be looking to improve those numbers further this season.
Bench
F: Mickael Pietrus
Mickael is returning to his reserve role after a solid year in 2009-2010 as he will look to provide tough defense and solid hustle and shooting off the bench.
Mickeal also will look to keep the momentum of being the lockdown defender off the bench and will challenge newcomer Quentin Richardson for the starting SF spot.
G: J.J. Redick
J.J. is an outstanding three-point shooter (38 percent for career, 42.9 percent in playoffs in ‘10) and possesses the potential to be a solid contributor when given minutes. He posted a career high in points per game last season (9.6 in 22.0 minutes). J.J.’s trouble is his defensive deficiencies tend to keep him off the court along with injuries which seem to follow him after a slight build of success.
J.J. shined last season as a key contributor off the bench, and if he can find minutes early on, he will be asked to spot up and take advantage of double teams to Howard, Lewis, and Carter. Also, if he can play solid enough defensely to keep his opponent’s scoring down, then he will be primed as a candiadte for Sixth Man of the Year.
G: Chris Duhon
Chris comes to Orlando after a dismal year in NY with the lowly Knicks. He has the ability to shoot from the perimeter when his confidence is high and is also a very good passer but is best suited for a backup role. He had a career year in 2008-2009 averaging highs in field goal percentage (.421), assists (7.2), three point percentage (.391), and will be looking to return to that form as the primary backup to Nelson at PG.
F: Brandon Bass
Brandon is coming off a disappointing season in his first year in Orlando; the lone bright spot was his career high (.511) field goal percentage.
Brandon signed a four-year, $18 million dollar contract two years ago, hoping to be the starting PF but has been relegated to bench duty due to the spot being filled with many players needing minutes.
Bass will look to step in and play big minutes early on in the season as he will fill in again off the bench and bring his toughness, hustle, and improved post game to the high powered offense.
F: Ryan Anderson
Ryan is a third-year forward who is coming off a solid season in his first year in Orlando after being traded from the NJ Nets the season before. Ryan often played a solid role as a sharp shooting big man off the bench and will look to reprise that role this season in spot minutes behind Lewis and possibly Brandon Bass. It will be interesting to see how the minutes shake out this year as Anderson and Bass will be looking to lock up many minutes off the bench early.
C: Marcin Gortat
Marcin is looking for a breakout year after testing free agency two years ago (RFA who signed with Dallas but offer was matched) and a fair performance last season in minutes off the bench.
Marcin is a tough player to gauge based on his limited minutes behind Howard the past three seasons, but he did play a career high in games (81) and minutes played (13.6) and will look to improve those numbers as he will try to forget last season and build on his 2008-2009 season form.
Marcin is limited on offense but will look to make the most of his four-year, $33 million deal he signed with Dallas two years ago and prove he is more than just a tough nosed player able to fill spot minutes.
G: Jason Williams
Jason will return to the Magic after a solid season in which he played a major role as the back up PG. Jason is an exceptional passer (6.3 apg for his career) and always looks to get his teammates involved as a pass-first type player.
Jason also is a streaky shooter who tends to rely on his outside jump shot (39 percent fg, 32 percent three-pointers) when plays break down and has had some attitude issues which could play a factor on how he fits on the Magic.
Jason will battle Chris Duhon in training camp for the backup PG spot and is said to be expecting a smaller role than he had in Orlando last season. Again, he will be utilized as a facilitator on offense who uses his passing to make his mark and keep the defense honest with his mid-range and outside shooting.
C: Daniel Orton
Orton is a project after being drafted 29th overall in the 2010 draft; he comes to the NBA despite only averaging 3.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks in 13.2 minutes per game last season as a back up at Kentucky.
Orton will be sidelined with a knee injury and will need a few years to develop either way as he is very raw on offense and needs to better his timing on defense. Look for Orton to play extensively in the D-League this season.
F: Malik Allen
Allen is a solid front court addition who is looking to pick up limited minutes and provide a leadership role and solid offense off the bench as a 10-year veteran.
Predicted Finish: 58-34, third place in Eastern Conference
