jsa

Orlando looked quite good for the opener. It is obvious they should trade Miller or Garrity, because having them both is a luxury and they need a Brain Grant type power forward, to hustle and defend and be a powerful inside player.

Iverson played well except shooting, and "playing the right way" will cost him his typical scoring rhythm for at least a while. He may yet be able to do it.

Orlando has more upside than Philadelphia, but the 76ers should grab the last playoff spot.

Jonathan Watters

I only watched the first half, but unless KVH tore it up in the 2nd, I don't see how anybody could be optimistic about his play. He was still soft and passive, and didn't even stand out against Orlando's assortment of sloths. If he's a legit second option, he should have scored 30 last night! Hell, in the first half, MacCulloch was a much better player.

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Yea, you did only watch the first half. He never tore it up, but he really played Pat Garrity. MacColluch was a better option, but the Magic played so small , he was really a problem being in the game.

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Sometimes, theres just not enough rocks.

Big John

Well, Orlando proved that it could win at home against Philly on a night when McGrady was hot and Iverson was stone cold.

jazzy1

Very impressed with Grant Hill he'll help Orlando alot this year with him and McGrady on the floor together it'll cause match-up problems because most teams don't have to quality 6-8 defenders, Orlando's main problem is interior defense where they're going to get kill every night, TMac is a stud as usual with a healthy Hill should help him at the end of games save energy to be better in the clutch. This team will be dangerous come playoff time if everyone stays healthy mainly Hill and TMac, Philly's in alot of trouble this year.

Big John

Hill Played well, but I'm continually amazed at his ability to milk the officials every time he doesn't get the call, without getting the refs mad at him. He gets better treatment from the refs than any player in the league, and that goes back to his days with Detroit.

He is just one more example of why NBA superstars have trouble playing against good international competition under the international rules. They can't understand it when they don't get every call.

jsa

Good point, Big John. With 6 injuries, who knows how the 76ers will evolve.?

If Orlando can trade a wing for a thigh, oops, I'm thinking Thanksgiving, I mean a good power forward, they could have the best team in the East.

"Matt!"

Tracy McGrady....Michael Jordan.
Grant Hill...Scottie Pippen.
???...Dennis Rodman
???...Great Role-Players

They have two of the pieces of a dynasty, arguable the hardest two to get, but are still an AMAZING defender and a really solid group of role-players (Horace Grant, Steve Kerr, etc.) away from being that kind of team.

Personally, aside from Kobe/Shaq, they are one of a handful of teams with the tools to get to that level.

San Antonio - Tim Duncan, Tony Parker (playing better than last night) & Manu Ginobilli
Sacramento - Mike Bibby, Vlade Divac, and Peja Stoijakovic
Dallas - Steve Nash & Dirk Nowitzki
New Jersey - Jason Kidd, Richard Jefferson & Kenyon Martin

Other than those four, there is nobody really poised on that level to take over the league on a several season tear of championships if given the rest of the pieces.

Big John

Orlando is like the Dallas of the East: they can score points in bunches but they can't stop anybody. And losing Horace Grant (who hobbled off the court last night with an injured knee after missing most of the preseason) won't help.

Please don't carry the analogy too far: Orlando is nowhere near as good as Dallas.

Hitman

Arguably the hardest to get??
I would say the two superstars are definitely the two hardest to get. And we are not talking about getting a team that will win 6 out of 8 championships. We are talking about a team that can make a serious run at the Eastern Conference crown. Any team with McGrady, a healthy Hill, and a roster full of other NBA players has a chance to do that.

Hitman

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