[TheLegend]

Well, we are coming off a pretty nice win against the Cavs. We are going to Chicago and the Bulls are very hard to beat at home, from what I’ve heard they have a pretty good record at home. We are currently 30-30 and back into the .500 mark and we need to look forward to improve that, we have a good chance to do so since we obviously are playing a team that on paper isn’t nearly as good as us. I have a lot of respect for the Bulls and their young guns Jayson Williams, Tyson Chandler and Eddy Curry do strike some fear in me but I have a lot of confidence in our new found trio of Giricek, Gooden and McGrady. We should be able to win this ball game but once again we cannot take the Bulls too lightly just because they have been struggling and aren’t the same team they once were. The Wizards lost to the Heat tonight which gives us a 1 game cussion, but on the other hand that’s just because we’ve played 1 more game then them so we have them right on our tails. We need to keep the 7th spot and go and try to put pressure on the Hornets, we have to do so!

I’ll post more about the game tommorow night, because this is a back-to-back game and it’s going to be at 8:30 eastern tommorow night like I said before. Let’s just hope for the best, and hopefully some of the boys here will start posting on this thread as soon as possible. Go Magic!

[Yyzlin]

All the Bull fans are all clamoring over their new twin towers, Curry and Chandler. It will be interesting to see how they do. I just hope, somehow, the Magic will find a way to contain them. It will be difficult though. McGrady should be able to tear apart Rose, a bad defender. This will not be an easy game. Bulls will provide a challenge.

[TheRifleman]

It was a nerve racking first half, as both teams seemed out of sorts. But then the 3rd and 4tth quarters, the Magic pulled away. Jalen was guarded by Giricek most of the night and did a decent job and Jalen is hard to guard, as he is a very good swing man!

I think this trade is helping the Magic - TMac had 13 assists, as the Bulls announcers kept saying that they were going to double TMac all night - they did!

[Louie]

Ouch! That game was ugly to watch from a Bulls fan's perspective. Jay and Curry took a serious step back from where they had been playing since the allstar break. Chandler played pretty good.

I'm not sure that this Magic team has what it takes to go to the Finals this year, but I really think that the Eastern Finals might be within their reach. There is really only one team in the East that I really don't think the Magic have any chance against in a playoff series, and that's the Pacers. Until the Magic get a real center, they're gonna have trouble against teams that are real big inside (Elden Campbell would be a nice F.A. offseason signing, no?).

But I really like the way this team is going, and I wouldn't be surprised to see them in the 2004 Finals. Gooden is gonna be an Antawn Jamison-type, and playing with McGrady will only make him better.

[TheLegend]

I watched the 3rd quarter and our team was really functioning as a whole and McGrady was dishing it out to everybody. I was impressed that Garrity was hitting his shots for the 2nd night in a row, his new bench role has really gotten him more energy off the bench and this spark plug helps our team out aswell. Tracy had nearly a triple-double with 26 pts, 13 ast and 9 rebounds. He never used to put up these numbers regularly before the trade! Some of you might be sick of how much I praise this trade, but seriously just check out our stats guys, the way that we always have 3-4 guys stepping up everynight is sick.

McGrady - 26 pts, 13 ast, 9 rbs, 3 stls
Gooden - 13 pts, 10 rbs
Giricek - 18 pts, 3 ast
Armstrong - 14 pts, 5 ast, 6 rbs
Garrity - 21 pts, 5 rbs


I'm sorry I just had to post that, that's just so great how our team is playing together! That's what won us the game tonight. Hats off to the new found teamwork that we have, all our starters scored 12 or more points! We are building an Eastern conference force to be reckon with! Go Magic!

[TheRifleman]

I pretty much agree with your posts. I don't think the Magic have a chance in making it out of the first round - unless this team clicks sooner than most new players.

If the Magic can ever FIND a decent center - just decent would be enough to get them over the hump - and into the next round!

Jay looked like a rookie last night. BUT, I am liking Crawford, who seems to be growing nicely in recent games. Tyson and his passion for the game will always make him a favorite of mine. Jalen is incredibly maligned and the guy gives all he has and that is plenty - an excellent all around player!

The 2 new "Gs" have made everything so much easier for the Magic team - imagine that - 2 rookies are helping this team.

I know I go on about Garrity - but anyone with eyes to see - can see how being a bench player with TMac and company helps this guy to get the wide open shots he needs. He could be a 6th man candidate next year - IF (that's a BIG "IF", too) he continues to play like he has the past 5 games since the trade