Okay everyone...with Orlando losing 5 in a row, it got me thinking: what would you rather have:

Orlando tanking the season and the Pistons getting a lottery pick

or...

Orlando playing well enough that they finish the season with a better record than the Heat, and the Heat miss the playoffs entirely

I have to say Heat missing the playoffs. That would be all kinds of sweet, plus they're probably still the Pistons' strongest playoff competition in the East!

At this point, though, it seems like there's almost no chance that it'll actually happen, so I guess I'll actually be rooting more for the slightly more likely option of getting a lottery pick. Though I don't think that's very likely either, even though the Magic are struggling badly right now.

I would love to see the Heat miss the playoffs.....but I have to stay true to myself and root for Orlando to lose,lose,lose, suck miserably and lose some more.

I figure Joe's due to make magic out of a lottery pick one of these days.

I would say that Orlando becoming a lottery team would be particularly sweet for us since the draft is so deep and rich this year. It would be a hollow victory for us to have Miami out of the playoffs because I want Detroit to play the best to be the best. I want to wipe that smug look off DWade's face after Detroit beats him and I love Dwayne Wade's game but the favortism shown to him by the refs is so sickening. You even look at him with crossed eyes it's a flagrant foul. Without Riley to guide the creaky ship the Heat aren't looking very formidable but when the Diesel gets back even at 1/2 speed he's still a big load. Bring 'em on I say and let's get that Orlando lottery pick out of the deal too.

I have been hoping for both. If I had to choose, as if it would matter, I would take the Orlando pick getting better.

Have not been following the Magic to know why they are losing, am glad they are losing. At least the Darko/Arroyo hype has all but vanished.


Seemingly Miami is on their way up and Orlando on the way down. The Heat will make the playoffs. They have delt with a lot of injuries besides Shaq. As annoying as they are - especially their stadium announcer ( Dwaaaane Waaaaaade ) they will be bouncing back soon.

This is the classic, want your cake and to eat it too. I've gotta sit on this and think.

__________________
Momma was queen of the mambo, Poppa was king of the congo, deep down in the jungle, I start banging my first bongo
Every monkey like to be, in my place instead of me, cause I'm the king of bongo baby, I'm the king of bongo bong
-Manu Chao

I reckon it would be sweeter to see the Heat get bounced unceremoniously from the 1st round (in a sweep even). There would be all this talk about them being the champion underdog in a 7th or 8th seed and all the ESPN stories would be filled with Wade-love carrying his team, blah blah blah.

Then all of that would come to nought as they get smashed by someone like the Bulls or Wiz.

To top it off we get an awesome draft pick. Who could ask for more?

If the Heat get the 8th seed it may benefit us by not getting a top seed... we could still face them deep in the playoffs and still have home court... along with a better draft pick.

I guess I missed something, somewhere, but I thought that if the Magic got a lottery pick, the Pistons would not get it. Only if the Magic gets a pick that is bad but out of the lottery classification, would the Pistons get it.

Anyway, I would rather see Orlando in the post-season and the Heat not even make it.

As for suffering through injury problems, the Heat has been no worse off, IMO, than the Magic. I thought that early part of the season, I thought we agree that the Heat would purposely blow the main part of the season, anyway.

Oh, yes, if you read the Magic boards, the Darko/Arroyo chatter has not subsided. On the Piston boards, I have been reluctant to talk much about it unless someone else does.

Maybe someone can correct me about when Detroit gets the Orlando pick and when they do not.

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

I believe the pick is ours as long as it stays out of the top 5.