You read it first here.

The Magic will make the playoffs this year.

They have awesome young talent and will move up fast this year.

Let's look at who they have to beat to be one of the top 8 teams in the conference.

Playoff Locks:
Miami
Detroit
Cleveland
New Jersey

No Playoff Locks:
Charlotte
Toronto
Atlanta

Fighting for 4 Spots:
-Top Tier-
Chicago
Washington

-Bubble-
Indiana
Milwaukee
Philadelphia
Boston
Orlando
New York

The Magic are certainly in the mix, but it's gonna be a dog fight to keep your head above the rest of the teams fighting for the last four playoff spots. The Magic may not have the maturity to do it just yet.

If I were betting, I'd say "no playoffs for Orlando this year."

4 open spots, Ben could be Subtraction by addition with Chicago, Washington is going backwards, Indy will make the playoffs, Milwaukee is treading water, Phily backwards, Boston is improving, Orlando and NY will be the suprises.

By my logic, 5 locks (adding Indy), Chicago, Orlando, NY, Boston, and Washington favorites for the remain 3 spots. Milwaukee and Philly are lottery dreaming.

BTW, my prediction, Orlando, NY, and Boston will fill out the last 3 spots. Orlando will be in the top 4 in the East, NY and Boston squeaking in over Chicago.

It is really early, even before pre-season, but I will join the prognosticators. As you all know I go by feel and heart, not by stats:

1. Cleveland - Miami is just too old; the Cavs are only a little better than
2. Detroit - Only slightly behind the Cavs and better than
3. Miami - They could drop like a rock if they do not get a lot of luck
4. N. J. - is on the decline but may be slightly better than the Magic; This could flip-flop.
5. Orlando - with a little luck could pass N. J.
6. Indianapolis - they always find a way to fail due to injuries, etc
7. Chicago - Just don't see Ben making a good difference there
8. Washington - will sneak in ahead of Milwaukee and Phillie.

The entire East is better so I don't look for any clubs to run off huge winning streaks or big leads in games won. The whole East will be pretty close for a big part of the season.

I feel that Miami's window is slamming shut. Cleveland and Detroit are something of the cream of the East, but I also place a lot of credence on the Magic's late surge. They lost games until they absorbed the new players and then beat quite a few of the best teams, all of whom were still playing hard for seed positions. They creamed Cleveland and had good wins against S.A., Utah, and Detroit, to name just a few.

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Things appear to be at their darkest . . . . . . . . . just before they go totally black!!

Sorry but your list seems very.... interesting. I See the east more like this.

Miami- Dwayne Wade is enough even if Shaq is on the decline
Detroit- Still the best team in central
Cleveland- If Lebrons supporting cast pans out
New Jersey- Carter, Kidd, Jefferson, enough said
Chicago- Better team w/Ben
Washington- Gilbert is playing with a vengeance
Indiana- No Artest Drama
Bucks- Villanueava

No predictions this year... last years predictions were documented and not acted on... sorry

I can understand thinking that Chicago still has the same problems with Ben or with Chandler, but, 16 mile, addition by subtraction? That's different. Why you think this?

wade got exposed in fiba games. he may not be the nba sweetheart anymore. he may have to play by the regular rules.
agree if flip plays the bench.
they won't
all will be injured
better at what?? ben brings ego to the team. i wonder if skiles will make sure ben gets his shots.
never met a shot he didn't like. he isn't enough
same city will find new excuses for not winning. it's time to blow it up
lost tj


orlando will by the end of the season either have arguably the best starting 5 in basketball in jameer, grant hill, hedo, darko* and dwight or do a major trade with grant's contract to push them over the hump into the playoffs. i have them all the way up to the 2 seed as a possibility. they were opening plenty of cans on people at the end of the season and it wasn't fluke games.

But why were they so bad for most of the season? Arroyo and Darko did not add that much.

I think they just got hot.

I see them with deficiencies at the point, SG, SF and Center. Nelson is not really a point, Tukoglu is not that good ( just got extremely hot for that period ), Hill will not last the season and Darko has a long way to go.

ORL will not make the playoffs but they will win just enough to give us a 10+ type pick.

Max, from what I have gleaned from reading the forums over there are several things. One, Darko, Arroyo, and Ariza DID add quite a lot. Two, the trade of the previous point guard (can't think of his name right now) lifted a real weight off the shoulders of the team as a whole. Three, they filled major holes with Carlos, Darko, and Ariza. The trades opened Dwight up to do more damage and Carlos gave them great minutes off the bench, bringing the crowd of Latinos into the game.

They have only one hole now, that of the 2 guard. There are those who believe JJ will fill it and they have added Bogans as well. And you will not convince them that Hedo is not that good.

You can't tell the Magic fans that Jameer is not a true point guard and there are some who think Carlos is the cat's pajamas, as well. They have a deep bench and even the question marks like Augustine and JJ could be solved. James should be able to play limited minutes and they are both experienced 4 year major college vets. JJ is very possibly the additional 3 point threat they have been needing. And with Hedo and Trevor, Grant might not play long minutes and therefore might last the entire season. And with Darko, Dwight and Carlos coming into the season with major accomplishments during the summer, they might hit the ground running.

The fans down in Florida believe in the coming twin towers rebirth. I bet you might admit that they have some scary potential. Just a couple of injuries on other East teams might let Orlando climb.

There are other things as well, but this is a Piston forum, so I will shut up. But I think with the changes in the Pistons and in the Magic, this will be a season I might really enjoy. I think they will both be interesting to watch.

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Things appear to be at their darkest . . . . . . . . . just before they go totally black!!