Happy belated Easter everybody. The NBA regular season ends this week. What does that mean? That means that the playoffs, which amazingly last even longer, start soon. But we're not going to talk about that. In an effort not to talk about what everybody else is talking about, we're going to discuss the Orlando Magic. The "white hot" Orlando Magic. The Orlando Magic who have won eight games in a row, including a win at San Antonio, where almost nobody wins besides the Spurs.
Yes, the Orlando Magic were eliminated this week from playoff contention. But ask yourself this, two weeks ago, did you picture the Magic even being mentioned in the same sentence as playoffs? Exactly. Of course, eight wins in a row will do that. But based on this streak that the Magic are on, they put themselves in perfect position to be a major force in the Eastern Conference playoffs next year. And don't get it twisted, these are the Golden State Warriors who put on a run at the end of last year, only to fall apart this year. This team is for real.
Dwight Howard, simply put, is a beast. There is no other way to describe him. He's 20 years old, and dominating in the post. I believe that, barring any injuries, he will be an All-Star next year and every year after that until he retires. He's that good.
Quick, ask yourself this question, who has been the best point guard from the 2004 draft? If you said Ben Gordon, you'd be close, but he plays more shooting guard than point. Devin Harris? No, he's been good, but injured a lot. The answer is Jameer Nelson. This season, Nelson has average 15 points and 5 assists per game. Since the Magic traded Steve Francis, Nelson has taken over the starting point guard spot and controlled the team, being a major contributor to the Magic's current streak.
Don't sleep on Darko Milicic. That should've been the title of this post, because he is the key to it all next year. Since coming over to Orlando from Detroit, he's been better than expected. Why is that? Well he's actually gotten a chance to play for one. He hasn't quite shown he was worth the #2 overall draft pick, and I don't ever expect him to. But I believe that he can be an All-Star a couple of times in his career. He has the talent to do it, and playing alongside someone who will be one of the top big men in the NBA next year, he should get his opportunities.
What do the Magic need to do this offseason to ensure their success for next year? A couple of things. First, they need a new starting shooting guard. DeShawn Stevenson is good, but he's not a starter. He'll be of better use to them coming off the bench. What else? They need to find a couple of serviceable veterans. A veteran post player who can come off the bench can create a great atmosphere for Darko and Howard. And another veteran wing player and a back up point guard can fill out the rotation and give the team depth, which they'll need for the long, 82 game season.
So watch out for the Magic next year. And make sure you watch the rest of the regular season and of course watch the playoffs. See you tomorrow.
