Just because the Magic are "less consistent" does not mean they are not a better team from last year. Had the trade been made in the off season, Orlando would quite possibly be gearing up to face Indiana. Plus the strides Dwight has made in his game, couple that with J-Richs' clutchness and I think there is no doubt this team is better. Atlanta? Any logical fan will tell you they have no chance. Its funny how everytime theres a great player and someone (Collins?!?!?!?!?) performs well against them, that player becomes the remedy for that teams problems Nelson is going to go off along with Richardson. Howard is going to get his, and this could quite possibly be a sweep again.
The Atlanta Hawks are the worst team in the NBA, I guarantee they lose this series. The problem is that they play in a crappy city with no fan support and the players/personnel don't give a crap either. They will probably win one game on the road and that's it.
The problem is that Dwight is the best player in the series and the Hawk can't guard him. After that, the Hawk's entire defensive integrity is broken and the Magic can go willy nilly from three. Watch for Jason Richardson to post a 35+ point game.
Magic in 5. Atlanta will one of the first two and the Magic will figure them out from there. And that's precisely the problem, all good teams have figured the Hawks out. The element of surprise is no longer there (that one Boston series).
Girlfriend moved to Atlanta and broke your heart? Seriously, where is all this unwarranted animosity coming from?
Just because the Magic are "less consistent" does not mean they are not a better team from last year.
Uhhh, yeah thats exactly what it means! If they were better, they wouldnt have lost 7 more games this year than they did the last 2 years...
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrUnstopable
Had the trade been made in the off season, Orlando would quite possibly be gearing up to face Indiana. Plus the strides Dwight has made in his game, couple that with J-Richs' clutchness and I think there is no doubt this team is better.
Dwight has made huge strides, but he's 1 man. Turk hasnt been any good, Redick hasnt played in nearly 20 games so he's probably going to be rusty, Bass is erratic as hell and never met a shot he didnt like, Gortat is gone so if Howard gets in foul trouble, we're in the shit. We are not better than last year. Less cohesiveness and less depth.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrUnstopable
Atlanta? Any logical fan will tell you they have no chance. Its funny how everytime theres a great player and someone (Collins?!?!?!?!?) performs well against them, that player becomes the remedy for that teams problems Nelson is going to go off along with Richardson. Howard is going to get his, and this could quite possibly be a sweep again.
Maybe so, and maybe it will be a sweep, but if we were so much better than ATL like you seem to think, why did we shit out and lose 3 of 4 to them this season?
Uhhh, yeah thats exactly what it means! If they were better, they wouldnt have lost 7 more games this year than they did the last 2 years...
Dwight has made huge strides, but he's 1 man. Turk hasnt been any good, Redick hasnt played in nearly 20 games so he's probably going to be rusty, Bass is erratic as hell and never met a shot he didnt like, Gortat is gone so if Howard gets in foul trouble, we're in the shit. We are not better than last year. Less cohesiveness and less depth.
Maybe so, and maybe it will be a sweep, but if we were so much better than ATL like you seem to think, why did we shit out and lose 3 of 4 to them this season?
Tho the Magic blew them out by 24 points per game last year in the playoffs, this year, they have a different team. This season they were ice cold from outside in 4 games, losing 1-3. Nelson & Howard are stil here, but newcomers Arenas and Richardson haven't clicked. Even new old Turkoglu has yet to rediscover his old form. The Hawks seem the same from last year, tho, except new coach Drew. Plus their perimeter defense will shut down the Magic's streak shooters, and force Howard to win the game by himself.Hawks in 7
I could see the Hawks winning the series, but they ended the season on a 6 game losing streak. It is going to be a 6-7 game series. It is either going to be Hawks in 6 or Magic in 7. Magic need their shooters to stay consistent if they want to win. Hawks need their players to play consistent if they want to win.
I could see the Hawks winning the series, but they ended the season on a 6 game losing streak. It is going to be a 6-7 game series. It is either going to be Hawks in 6 or Magic in 7. Magic need their shooters to stay consistent if they want to win. Hawks need their players to play consistent if they want to win.
Go check minutes. Hawks last 4 games have been resting starters. Bench been playing starting minutes. Starters going into playoffs fresh and non-fatigued.
Sayin all the negatives for one team and all the positives for the other team would make your argument seem compelling and correct...
But the magic lives and dies by the 3...
And the hawks have no heart...
Its either going to be one or the other in this series...
Who knows...
Why don't you tell me the Hawks strengths.
Even about 90% of the Hawk fans on hawksquawk have all but given up on this team. I'm actually afraid to look at this teams win/loss record since the all star break, but I know it's not pretty.
Something like 14 wins and 20 losses. Yikes!
Last edited by Hotlantadude81 : 04-14-2011 at 07:01 PM.
I have Magic in 5, although I think it will be a much, much better series than last year. It basically boils down to Joe Johnson for me. I know Jameer, Howard, Richardson etc are going to show up, I cant say the same for the Joe. If he plays to potential, the Hawks could easily steal the series because of the Magic's terrible perimeter defense but I just don't see it happening. I don't trust him. Horford and Smith can't win the series by themselves.
I'd say Magic take this one, but Hawks can definitely do it. Horford can stretch the floor and keep Howard out of the paint, while the multiple offensive threats of Atlanta can keep working it in, because we all know Howard is almost the entire Orlando defense. Jason Collins did a decent job on Dwight last time these teams met, and if he can keep it up, Dwight may be fairly quiet. Don't double team Dwight, because it'll leave shooters open, which is Orlando's greatest offensive threat. And if Dwight gets in foul trouble, then the Magic really are done, even if he doesn't foul out. A tentative defender is a poor one. The way the Hawks have been playing all season, however, as well as the perennial lack of home-town support, probably means that Orlando will embarrass Atlanta again.
You add in that he is one of the worst defensive guards in the NBA and you see a player that hurts the team with poor shot selection. He was traded to the Hawks for table scraps for a reason. They got one good year out of him and now... He just had the worst year of his career since 2002-2003.
Actually, outside of Bibby... There might not be a worse defender in the entire league.
Re: 2011 NBA Playoffs Round 1: Magic vs Hawks
Nelson is going to go off along with Richardson. Howard is going to get his, and this could quite possibly be a sweep again.
