Orlando center Dwight Howard (12) drives against Milwaukee forward Luc Mbah a Moute (12) during the first half of the Magic's game against the Bucks in an NBA basketball game at Amway Center in Orlando, Fla. Tuesday, April 5, 2010. (Gary W. Green/staff photographer)
If you watch ESPN’s popular debate show, 1st and 10, then you probably have a good idea that ESPN pundit Rob Parker has been a big believer in the Orlando Magic.
The dogfight among the top three Eastern Conference teams, Chicago, Miami and Boston sparked the question, “the Bulls are up 3 over Miami and Boston in the East, so who do you see coming out of the East?”
Rob Parker: The Orlando Magic and I know I’m going to keep beating this drum, nobody wants to buy them, they’re old news, you know the big trade. They’re still trying to put some pieces together. And they’ve faltered. They don’t look like a team that’s gained steam going into the playoffs. But when you get to the playoffs and you play half-court basketball and you have that big guy, Dwight Howard, who Skip would you admit is having an unbelievable season?
Skip Bayless: Uh, some nights. They’re good.
Rob Parker: If you can get these guys from the perimeter to make shots, they can win. We’ve seen it before. I know this isn’t two years ago and that team should have won the championship when they made the change of point guard late in the finals. But I like Dwight Howard, I like the shooting and they’re fourth or fifth-best defensively as well. Score from the perimeter, they can knock down 3s, they can play defense and they have a big man. All those things I love.
Bayless disagreed and added that the Orlando Magic is “handicapped because of its head coach [Stan Van Gundy]…this could be his last run.”
There’s no doubt the 2010-11 season has been quite the roller coaster ride for the Magic. But should the Magic’s perimeter players suddenly find consistency in their shots, and Orlando match up well with its opponents, anything is possible.
