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Re: Sick of it already...
Perhaps most telling is the fact that the Celtics are 6-3 against Orlando
since 2001.
Basically, it breaks down like this:
2001-2002
Boston: 49-33, lost to New Jersey in Eastern Conference Finals
Orlando: 44-38, lost to Charlotte in opening round, 3-1
2002-2003
Boston: 44-38, lost to New Jersey in Second round of playoffs
Orlando: 42-40, lost to Detroit in opening round.
Based on the ultimate statistic--wins and losses--the Celtics have had a
better season each of the last two years, DESPITE what many people consider
disastrous personnel decisions prior to this summer. They have beaten the
Magic twice for every loss suffered. The Celtics made it further into the
playoffs than the Magic did. The Celtics are the better team.
Like Mark P., I live in Florida, and there's a REASON I don't read the
Orlando Sentinel (besides the fact that they use crayon to color the
comics). I'm not going to take Hoopsworld seriously if they really think
NOW that Orlando is the winner of the Atlantic Division. The Magic would
have to tear up the place over the months of October AND November before I
gave them odds of REACHING the playoffs. Nope, the Magic will most likely
be home by April's end, in plenty of time to beat the summer rush to Rat City.
At 01:54 PM 10/7/03 -0400, Mark Piotrowski wrote:
OK preseason is what 3 days old and i'm already sick of writers saying (in
some form or another -- either explicitly or by omission) that the Magic
are CLEARLY or SIGNIFICANTLY better than the Celtics (the
latest: Hoopsworld picking the Magic to win the Atlantic). At best the
Magic closed the gap a little, at worst the teams are even.
All these articles/opinions focus on the vastly upgraded Orlando roster,
but never really discuss that roster relative to any team -- least of all
the C's (who have had the better record for the last 2-3 years. AND who
have actually made it past the 1st round!). I would ask these folks to
account for the respective rosters before making such a claim so solidly:
BOSTON vs. ORLANDO (rough position/talent comparison)
1. Pierce vs. McGrady -- we could argue till the cows come home, but
basically a wash (EVEN)
2. Walker vs. Howard -- For all his faults, Walker is a clearly superior
player. I would have loved to add Howard as the 3rd option, but on the
Magic he's #2. (Advantage: BOSTON)
3. Battie vs. Gooden -- Closer than you'd think, given Gooden is 1st Team
All rookie and Battie is, well, Battie (and closer than the Walker/Howard
gap). Even as the 2nd option in Orlando and in 4 more mins/game, Gooden
only avg 6 more points than (a hobbled) Battie (13 vs. 7). Rebounds are
even. (ORLANDO)
4. E. Williams vs. Giricek -- nearly identical numbers (Giricek 3 more
points, EWill 1.5 more reb.). Giricek may be looking for his numbers
this year as he guns for a big contract, so I'd rather have EWill (ORLANDO
- barely)
5. Delk vs. Lue -- Say what you want about Delk not being a PG (or at
least a starting PG), but he's better than Lue (BOSTON)
6. McCarty vs. Garrity -- In 8 more Min/game Garrity could only muster
4.5 more Pts/game than Waltah -- and got the same Rebs (3.5) , Assts
(1.4), Steals (.8) & Blocks (.3). (EVEN - maybe even Boston by a hair
given the minutes disparity?)
7. Banks vs. Gaines -- Originally Gaines was going to be their starter,
now everything i read says the addition of Shammond Williams will allow
Orlando to bring him along slowly. What does that say considering the
effect the addition Shammond Williams had on JR Bremer? I don't think I'm
being a homer by saying that Banks is the more ready player right now --
he may even be starting by the All Star Break (BOSTON)
8. Blount vs. DeClercq -- DeClerq's my emotional favorite here (he led
the U of Florida to the Final Four when i was a student there), but would
he have been a Lottery Pick if he'd come out the year the C's signed
Blount? Jokes aside, Blount was VASTLY superior in his 2nd tour of duty
and while their numbers were virtually identical last year (5 ppg, 4 rpg,
.6 bpg, 17 mpg), I expect Blount to be the better backup Center this year
(EVEN)
9. Jones vs. Harvey -- While i would have prefered to add Harvey over
Jones (see again: U of Florida connection) and while their numbers from
last year are (again) nearly identical (Jones 2 more PPG, each = 5 rpg,
1.3 spg), Jones has demonstrated his talent more consistently and at a
higher level (Finals w/ Philly) than Harvey in the battle of
SF-Additions-From-Horrible-Teams (tm) (BOSTON)
10. Baker vs. S. Hunter -- regardless of which camp you're in with Baker
(the Don't-Expect-a-Thing one or the
He-Can't-Be-Worse-Than-Last-Year/It-Can-Only-Get-Better one (where I'm
currently paying dues)), he's better than Hunter, who's numbers were only
slightly better than the 0 PPg, 0 RPG, 0 BPG the Dont-Expect camp has
Baker penciled in at. If Baker can only repeat his horrid numbers from
last year, he's already better than Hunter -- and I'm confident he's going
to give us 7 & 7 this year (sorry i couldn't resist) (BOSTON in a shocker)
11. Brown vs. Sasser -- Most would say Even here for the designater
dunkers based on last year's stats, but Sasser in all likelyhood won't
make it out of camp, while Kedrick's finally 100% (BOSTON)
12. James vs. S. Williams -- Something old vs. something new. Not to
sound like a broken record, but nearly identical numbers (8 ppg, 2 rpg, 3
apg, 1 spg) but James sounds like the better locker room guy and seems
hungrier. I'm glad we have who we have (EVEN)
13. B. Hunter/Perkins/Cleaves vs. Johnsen/Pachulia/Bogans -- Only Cleaves
has played in a NBA game out of this sextet, while Pachulia & Bogans are
getting rave reviews, everyone does this time of year (INCOMPLETE)
So by my count thats 6 Boston advantages (Walker, Delk, Banks, Jones,
Baker, Brown), 2 Orlando (Gooden, Giricek) and 4 evens. Comments welcome.
- (the other) Mark
Gainesville, FL