[kingofkings]

I am getting sick of hearing people keep knocking Grant Hill day in and day out. Sure, he is coming off serious surgery on his ankles but this guy only 2 seasons ago was putting up 25.8 points a game and almost 7 rebounds and 7 assists a game with the Pistons. He is a superstar.

Even if he comes back only 75% of his true self for the Magic, I can tell you he will still be unguardable. He is the key for the Magic. You know something, no NBA team in the league has three quality defenders to guard T'Mac , Hill and Armstrong. If he is able to come back and play the majority of the season, the Magic will win the East or come extremely close to winning the Eastern Conference.

His comeback will enable defenses to stop sagging on T'Mac and leave him free to do his stuff. As I said before, T'Mac or Hill will have the best on the ball defender on them and this will leave one of them free to pile up the points and assists. Grant Hill can play ball.

In his time as a superstar the only thing letting him down was his outside shot, which he worked on in his final season in Detroit. You all saw how Stackhouse fed of Hill in his last season in Detroit bumping his own average up to 23.4 points a game. Even when Hill played some games for the Magic this year, he was not scoring 25 points a game but he was going to the boards hard and that is what the Magic really need. Assuming Miller is not traded expect the Magic to go with Hill, T'Mac and Miller.

The last time I checked no team in the NBA has three 6"8 players in the backcourt at any time. They are going to tear up the league, both Hill and T'Mac. The word out of Orlando is that by October Hill will be 100% fit. How many dunks and alley oops will we see from the two of them. We never got to see both of them in action at the same time. Believe me, this would be a sight to see. Grant Hill can do everything on the court. Pass, score, drive, shoot, defend,etc.

The last time I checked he is but only a few in the league at the moment who can say they can do all of these things. When I briefly played ball in college my coach once showed us a video of Hill in action and slowed it down. It was when Hill never had the ball. My coach said this is what a good player does, he does not need the ball to be a good player. In that sequence of the game, Hill was solidly defending his man, getting around screens blocking out, then he got the rebound, passed to the point guard, ran down court, posted up, got the ball in the post, kicked it out to the shooting guard, who launched and hit a three pointer, then I understood, that this guy is the real deal!!

So remember you can criticise and kick him when he is down now, but let me just say this. BE PREPARED TO EAT YOUR OWN WORDS AND THEN SOME!!!!

 

[Shaqs big toe]

I would absolutely love to see Hill regain the form he once showed. he was truly a superstar.

Gotta wonder how those ankles will affect that explosive first step he had though. Still, I'd love to see him blow by someone for a jam on the first play of the opener and shut a few mouths.

 

[I Hate You]

the Magic wont win the East even if Grant Hills healthy. Look at early last year when Grant was healthy, they werent that good, so there's no reason to believe they will be great this upcoming season.

 

[Shadows]

Sorry to get your hope's up kingofkings but dont think Grant Hill will be the same guy who played 2 and 1/2 year's ago.

If you are expecting high alley oop's and great dunking your watching the wrong guy. You forget the fact that he has came off of 2 serious surgeries that will affect his game and his life in many way's.

One wrong step and he can mess it up again maybe for the last time. He know's that, This was not arthroscopic surgery this was a serious foot infury that he re-agrevated 2 times. Im not putting down the Magic fans in any way but I think most of you even know this wont be the same Grant Hill you saw in Detroit. Whenever a player goes through serious injuries like a Penny they never come back as the same player.

If im wrong and he's tearing up the league with 25 points a game I will be the first to congradulate him. I just dont see how a player can do that when every step he takes can be his last one on a NBA court.

 

[knicklizard]

I don't mean to blatantly disagree, but the duo of Hill and McGrady is the same thing as Hill and Stack or VC and McGrady. Granted these days TMac is a lot more mature, but Toronto never went anywhere with that duo, either did Detroit.

I was looking back at the 96-97 standings, because that was a foggy year for me as a fan, I didn't start following a lot until the end. I found it funny to see how much better the conference was. Chicago went 69-13, Miami 61-21, NY 57-25, Atlanta 56-26, and Hill's Pistons went 54-28, along with Charlotte. When the 5th and 6th seed win 54 games, you know you are in a good conference. Meanwhile out in the West, three teams made the playoffs with under .500 records.

And the game was still in the high 90s and low 100s. NY was known for their defense and they were giving up 92ppg, when still, in retrospect, that is a lot.

 

[shroombal]

yea... look at the other chronic injuires have done to others...

like penny, and zo

 

[JAG]

Nobody's putting down Grant Hill. But with legs as bad as his, they would if he were a horse....

 

[robyg1974]

Originally posted by <b>knicklizard</b>!
I don't mean to blatantly disagree, but the duo of Hill and McGrady is the same thing as Hill and Stack or VC and McGrady. Granted these days TMac is a lot more mature, but Toronto never went anywhere with that duo, either did Detroit.

This is a ridiculous statement. T-Mac did not blossom until AFTER he left Toronto. And the present version of T-Mac is LIGHT YEARS ahead of ANY VERSION of Jerry Stackhouse!

If Hill is anything close to 100% this year, and if he can stay healthy, the Magic will finish at or near the top in the East. No doubt. Doesn't matter if Shawn Kemp gets cut tomorrow because he's fat and worthless. Doesn't matter that Steven Hunter is out for the year. [I mean, STEVEN HUNTER? Who cares?] If Hill can stay healthy, this Magic team will ROCK.

 

[TheRifleman]

I know one thing, the Grant Hill I saw saturday against the Heat had that quick first step back and I mean back! He had some incredible moves while in the game.

Vaughn also was really good in relief of D. Armstrong, which will also help the Magic, as DA played too many minutes last year.

Shawn Kemp is needed so that maybe they can put Garrity on the bench where he belongs! That guy is the most rotten excuse for a Power Forward I've ever seen! How they made the playoffs last year is beyond me, especially when I think of how many games they had to use Garrity as their starting PF! That guy couldn't guard my grandmother.