Interesting Read: The Magic Celtics

[AB_Celtic]

A story about how the Celtics gradually landed four (contributing) former Magic players on their 15-man roster in Bass, Dooling, Pietrus (likely gone) and now Lee. In other words, 27% of our roster is former Magic players.

Sure, the Magic let some of these guys go, and sure, Bass was traded to us, but it seems we've found a way to acquire some of the Magic's best mid-level talent while they remain occupied with the Dwight Howard nightmare. It just goes to show you what you can do when everyone on your team is working towards a common goal, and there are no distractions like DH12 to be found.

Link:
http://www.csnne.com/photogallery?gid=13201&gf=aggregate

[ManUp]

The Magic have always been great job at picking up solid role players. They just never had the star power to go with Howard. One star player and a bunch of glorified role-players just doesn't get it done.

[Celtic#9]

The Magic have always been great job at picking up solid role players. They just never had the star power to go with Howard. One star player and a bunch of glorified role-players just doesn't get it done.

I don;t know. I wouldn't conisder anyone on the Mavs stars except for Dirk and they won it all.

[Interceptor]

I don;t know. I wouldn't conisder anyone on the Mavs stars except for Dirk and they won it all.

Says a lot about Howard, if you ask me.

[syfy9]

The Magic have always been great job at picking up solid role players. They just never had the star power to go with Howard. One star player and a bunch of glorified role-players just doesn't get it done.

I don;t know. I wouldn't conisder anyone on the Mavs stars except for Dirk and they won it all.

I'd take Terry or Marion before any other Magic player not named Dwight Howard.

[bfrombleacher]

Three of them were on the same roster at one point I believe?

[action781]

I don;t know. I wouldn't conisder anyone on the Mavs stars except for Dirk and they won it all.

Says a lot about Howard, if you ask me.

A lot of things have to go right to win an NBA championship.

I don't think anyone disagrees that a lot of things went right for the Mavs to win that '11 championship.

A lot of things went right for Orlando to make the '09 finals.  Then a few things went wrong in the finals (C. Lee missed layup)

That, paired with Dallas' role players being better than Orlando's, doesn't really "say a lot" about Dirk vs. Dwight to me.

[AB_Celtic]

Three of them were on the same roster at one point I believe?

There's quite a bit of overlap, but I don't see three on the Magic during any one season. Then again that may just be my sources.

In 2008-2009, the Magic had Lee and Pietrus... and, interestingly, Tyronn Lue.

[MBunge]

A lot of things have to go right to win an NBA championship.

Look no further than this past season.  No Rose.  No Howard.  No Amare.  Boston losing 4 of their top 9 rotation players from the start of the season.

Mike

[Snakehead]

The Magic have always been great job at picking up solid role players. They just never had the star power to go with Howard. One star player and a bunch of glorified role-players just doesn't get it done.

I don;t know. I wouldn't conisder anyone on the Mavs stars except for Dirk and they won it all.

I'd take Terry or Marion before any other Magic player not named Dwight Howard.

This but you missed Chandler, but the 2nd most important player on that Dallas team.  He offsets all of Dirks weaknesses and finally made Dallas a capable defensive team.  He may not be a star but hes close.

I think Dallas was a rare exception and Dirk's amazing offensive run was enough to offset that they weren't as talented as Miami.


I have always thought Orlando's biggest problem was their refusal to go after a real PG and instead run Jameer Nelson at PG, who in my eyes is just an undersized SG.  If that team had a real PG they would have been far better.  It would have made their offense have more to go off of then 3 point shooting and would have made Howard a more capable offensive player.

[ManUp]

The Magic have always been great job at picking up solid role players. They just never had the star power to go with Howard. One star player and a bunch of glorified role-players just doesn't get it done.

I don;t know. I wouldn't conisder anyone on the Mavs stars except for Dirk and they won it all.

Your right. Teams like Dallas are the exception, it's possible to win like that just not probable.

I don;t know. I wouldn't conisder anyone on the Mavs stars except for Dirk and they won it all.

Says a lot about Howard, if you ask me.

He did get them to the finals. Unfortunately for him he ran into the worst possible match up for him in Bynum & Gasol. All the size and length need to neutralize Howard. When Howard couldn't get it done no one else stepped up. Guys like Nelson, Hedo, and Lewis were MIA.

[AB_Celtic]

Guys like Nelson, Hedo, and Lewis were MIA.

And now Lewis is headed to MIA.

Zing!

He did get them to the finals. Unfortunately for him he ran into the worst possible match up for him in Bynum & Gasol. All the size and length need to neutralize Howard. When Howard couldn't get it done no one else stepped up.

This is very true though. Howard is not wrong to be upset that he hasn't been surrounded with much talent in his career. He's had to carry the Magic since he signed with them. That said, he's handling the situation horribly.

[chicagogreen]

hey, AB - what's with that northwestern logo of yours?  Im an NU grad from boston still living out here in chicago, didn't think there were many of us on that path, for awhile I thought the logo was computer generated, like ESPN does with the user's city, but you put that in there intentionally, right?  howdy.

[AB_Celtic]

hey, AB - what's with that northwestern logo of yours?  Im an NU grad from boston still living out here in chicago, didn't think there were many of us on that path, for awhile I thought the logo was computer generated, like ESPN does with the user's city, but you put that in there intentionally, right?  howdy.

Yep, that's all my doing. I'm a rising sophomore in McCormick, living in the Boston 'burbs.

[Moranis]

The 2008-09 Magic team was pretty good.  Dwight was just coming into his prime, but that team had Lewis and Turk very much in their primes as were Pietrus and Nelson.  It also had some nice young players in Lee, Redick, and Gortat and some cagey veterans like Rafer Alston, Tony Battie, and Anthony Johnson.

What really hurt them was Nelson barely played in the post season.  I'm not sure they overcome the Lakers with him, but they certainly would have had a much better shot with a healthy Jameer. 

From that point forward, Orlando started making stupid moves based around Howard.  It is actually pretty similar to what the Cavs did with Lebron.