Can’t quite figure out why the NBA chose this game to be played abroad. I suppose they felt the Brits would be so excited about having to watch an NBA game, that it wouldn’t matter who they put out. If that’s the case, I’d call this a missed opportunity for bringing back Gheorghe Muresan, Rex Walters, Chris Jefferies, Sean Marks, and that guy who just served you McDonalds and forming a starting five that would entertain and delight, all for non-basketball reasons. Hey, what do I know? I’m just a guy with a typewriter.
I’m on the hook for writing a “preview” for this game, and I would put a genuine Bismack Biyombo-type shift in if it weren’t about the Magic, so I’m going to scale it down to a Terrence Ross level. The most important thing you need to know is that the Orlando Magic have the worst name in professional sports. Yes, even worse than the the Scottsdale Community College Fighting Arthichokes (not a joke, seriously). The best name? The Victorian Bushranger, which is coincidentally what Sam came to be known as in high school on account of his diving record, but that’s another story.
Orlando used to be a place where players wanted to play on account of the great weather and the state having no income tax. They attracted free-agents like Grant Hill and, and more painfully, Tracy McGrady. Somewhere along the way, they lost their way and became a Sacramentoish team which couldn’t hang on to their best players, Dwight Howard being the most notable. Being overshadowed by Miami, shunned by a big name free-agent, and forced to play by the NBA’s salary cap rules, the Magic have decided to give proper team-building a try and are in the third trimester of giving birth to a team that can be classified as respectable.
They haven’t cracked 25 wins the last four years. Somewhere in there they had Jacque Vaughan handle the clipboard, and it turned out you may as well have asked him to pilot a 747 because he would’ve been equally out of touch in either case. They installed Scott Skiles last season, drafted Elfrid Payton, which made for a strong backcourt partnership with Victor Oladipo. They signed Nikola Vucevic to a great DeMar DeRozanish deal, signed Tobias Harris for the same cash we paid for DeMarre Carroll, peppered it all with Mario Hezonja, and basically have their core set for the next three years.
The bastards also beat us snapping our 5-0 start.
What do I know about the Magic? Not enough to have an informed opinion so I got Zach Oliver from Oliver Jewellers (nah, just kidding, he’s from this blog) to pimp himself as a Magic expert on things. Let’s see what this man has to say about buying your old jewellery and paying in pure under-the-table cash….nah, it’s about the Magic:
Zarar: So what convinced the Magic that a trip to London was worth giving up a home-game? Or is the in-game atmosphere that bad at Amway Center (named after a Ponzi scheme, BTW)?
Zach: I think the big thing for the Magic in going over to London was the publicity. It’s a great trip to make, and it shows how important getting their brand out to other parts of the world is. They made the trip down to Brazil during the preseason, and now to London, so they’re making a real effort to get themselves out there.
Also, I think a big thing is their popularity over there. They have a huge following in London, and, from what I’ve been told, they’re more popular than any other team over there. The fact that they played in the first game in London between two NBA teams — a 1993 exhibition series against the Atlanta Hawks — has really helped them too and makes this trip make even more sense.
I don’t think it has too much to do with the atmosphere at the Amway Center, even thought it’s very much a “wine and cheese” type crowd all the time. It doesn’t have the same sound as the “O-Rena” did, and to be completely honest, I think might have too much going on that distracts so much from the actual basketball. That’s the biggest issues.
Why does this trip make sense for the Raptors? Is this something that shouldn’t be surprising for those who might not follow the team as closely?
Zarar: We got a couple of foreign looking guys like Valanciunas and Biyombo, and we also play in a country not called the USA so we’ have a continental feel to us. I suppose the NBA took that into account when cooking this thing up.
The Magic currently sit in the 8th spot, is this surprising to you? What were the pre-season expectations and are you exceeding them?
Zach: I think, to an extent, sitting in the eight spot right now is a bit surprising. Yes. they were expected to be better, but I didn’t think they would be THIS much better. Of course, that comes with the caveat that they still aren’t that good. They’re beating up on teams that they should — 15 of their 20 wins have come against teams under .500 — and losing to teams they should lose to.
I had this team pegged at about 32 wins coming into the season, which by all accounts was lower than most. I still don’t think they’ll make the playoffs this season, but that’s okay. They’re showing improvement, and I think they’re finally starting to figure out what pieces will actually work long-term, which is really what needed to happen last season, but they turned into pumpkins and were really, really bad.
Have the Raptors plateaued some? Or do they still have some more room to go towards their possible ceiling?
Zarar: Would you do a JV for Vucevic deal straight up?
Zach: I don’t think so, no. Vucevic’s contract is too good to deal value wise, and despite his shortcomings on the defensive end, is still a very valuable player. He opens up a lot in the offense with not only his floor stretching ability, but his much improved passing as well. Jonas would be very interesting and would make a difference, but I think overall, what Vucevic does is of bigger need for this team currently.
Zarar: No doubt, no doubt. What’s the long-term plan with the Oladipo/Fournier/Payton/Hezonja combination? Who do you see most likely becoming an All-Star or All NBAer, if anyone?
Zach: I think that’s where it gets a bit tricky. I think that Oladipo is still the guy they think can become a “star,” but at the same time, on the surface at least, it seems like Payton and Fournier, or Payton and Hezonja, make some more sense long-term. They fit better together and compliment each other more than Oladipo and Payton.
So, to answer the question… I would say Hezonja. I think he has the most star power of everyone that they have, and really think he’s going to be their guy moving forward, especially once he really gets defending down.
Zarar: Do you think Orlando as a city can still attract a big name free agent like it used to in the past? Think KD-level guy.
Zach: I think it’s possible, yeah. They have some very intriguing pieces that could interest someone. Plus, not having a state tax, as well as beautiful weather year round really does help. Do I think they get someone? No. Do they have the potential to? Yes.
Zarar: Cool, prediction for the game?
Zach: The Magic should have Elfrid Payton back after he missed the last four games with an ankle injury, the first games he’s missed ever. That should give them a nice boost, but, I think in the end, the Raptors win in a game that, quite frankly, could be a mucked up, ugly game.
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In closing, this game’s at 3 PM so it’s not like anyone other than Blake will see it.
Thanks to Zach, he’s been a real sport and a man’s man.
