Orlando
Magic
Southeast
| Team Rating | |
| Offense | Defense |
| 111.5 | 103.0 |
| 8th Overall | 3rd Overall |
Statistics through 1/20/10
W
33
L
10
PCT
.767
GB
2.5
CONF
15-6
DIV
7-2
HOME
16-4
ROAD
17-6
LinksStatistics | Tickets
|
Category | Grade | ||
 It's hard to find a better frontcourt in the NBA than Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu. They're tough to stop offensively and underrated on the defensive end.
|
a |
||
 The Magic needed more production from Jameer Nelson in order to join the NBA's elite, and they've gotten just that. The two guard position is their only weak spot.
|
b |
||
 With Dwight Howard blocking more shots and keeping opponents out of the paint, the Magic's defense is much improved and something they can rely on when the offense is struggling.
|
a |
||
 The Magic have had some injuries to their second unit, but they're finally getting a contribution from J.J. Redick and Tony Battie's return after missing a year gives them a reliable third big.
|
c |
||
 With his team entering the top tier and with his star realizing his potential on both ends, Stan Van Gundy is a Coach of the Year candidate.
|
a |
||
a
Summary
The Magic have clearly shown that they are one of the four best teams in the NBA. They're probably a step below the Celtics, Cavs and Lakers, but on a recent road trip, they showed that they can beat the best teams in this league.
The Magic beat all three Western Conference division leaders (the Spurs, Lakers and Nuggets) on that trip, opening the eyes of many a pundit who dismissed them as not much more than a good playoff team. In the other game of the trip, they set an NBA record with 23 threes in Sacramento.
Orlando has passed Detroit in the Eastern Conference hierarchy. The Magic have definitely closed the gap on Boston and Cleveland. But with not much size beyond Dwight Howard, the Magic may fall short come May. -- John Schuhmann
Explanation of Marking System
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