Interesting Profile Of The Magic

[wayray@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Most prognosticators will pick the Magic to finish ahead of the Celtics, and rightfully
so. They have the best player in the Conference in McGrady and a quality tandem of
forwards surrounding him. I think Pachulia may be a sleeper and they seem to have enough
tradeable material to upgrade the point position should they wish.....


Sep 28, 11:04 PM 

New-look Magic off to camp 

By John Denton 
FLORIDA TODAY 

Their eight-month journey begins this week in, of all places, Celebration. Now, the Orlando Magic are hoping to have a season filled with a similar sentiment. 
Of course, such a move did wonders for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last season. The formerly sad-sack franchise moved its training camp to south Orlando, soaked up a little Disney magic and proceeded to win a Super Bowl title. 
	
Orlando Magic coach Doc Rivers pumps his fist during a playoff series game earlier this year. The Magic start training camp this week.	
The Magic certainly have plenty of issues to deal with before entertaining any serious championship aspirations. For one, can the franchise finally get out of the first round of the playoffs? Can the Magic secure homecourt advantage so they can potentially avoid the heartbreak that happened last spring in Detroit? Can they possibly challenge the retooled New Jersey Nets, champions of the East the past two seasons? 
Those questions and many others are sure to emerge when the Magic open training camp at Disney's Wide World of Sports. Players with three years or less of service report Tuesday, while the veterans report Friday. 
"We really want to get beyond that first round and to do that you almost have to have homecourt advantage in the first round," said Magic coach Doc Rivers, whose team squandered a 3-1 lead and lost in seven games to Detroit. "Getting homecourt advantage is something you're going to hear from every day. If 50 wins is the number it takes, then let's get that. But if we want to advance we need to get a top-four seed." 
With training camp set to open, here are 10 story lines to watch for as the Magic try to put together the pieces of their team: 
1. Extra work for the rookies, rest for the vets 
The change in the reporting date for training camp came about when the players association agreed to extend the first round of the playoffs from five to seven games. That means that veterans Tracy McGrady, Juwan Howard, Tyronn Lue, Pat Garrity and Andrew DeClercq will get an extra three days off, or as McGrady said, "three days as an assistant coach." 
More importantly, it means the Magic's many youngsters get a three-day headstart on learning the system and what life in the NBA is all about. This will be Orlando's youngest team ever assembled with an average age of 24.9 years old. And it understandably has Rivers worried. 
"I think it's the most talent we've had since I've been here, but unfortunately a lot of it is young talent," he said. "There's no easy way to shorten that learning curve, but we're going to try." 
Another concern is that preseason games begin just four days after the veterans report. That means the full squad will practice together just six times prior to the first game. To combat that problem, Rivers plans to hold two-hour workouts on the mornings before preseason games. 
"The injuries are a concern because some guys might not be in game shape just yet," he said. "But I guess we're all in the same boat there." 
2. Can Howard and Drew Gooden play together? 
Howard can play some center, but his natural position is power forward. Gooden can play some small forward and center, but would prefer to play power forward. How these two co-exist will likely determine just how good the Magic can be. 
Rivers is determined to play them together, but he just doesn't know yet whether Howard will be the small forward and Gooden will be the power forward or vice versa. Howard's unique skills can make it work because he prefers to face the basket as much as he does playing on the low block. He has nice range from 17 feet and likes to take bigger defenders off the dribble. 
"I played some center in Dallas and Denver, but in this league there are only a few dominant centers out there," Howard said. "Players just play. Doc will just put the best five out there and let them play. Players who have a set position are limited. I feel with my game I can do whatever the team asks me to do. I've done it all my whole career and I can do that here." 
Gooden flopped at small forward while playing with Memphis and sulked when his playing time was cut. The Magic have no plans of moving him far from the lane because of his tremendous knack for rebounding. 
3. Point guard concerns 
Nothing worries Rivers, a former point guard, more than the Magic's situation at point guard. Tyronn Lue was signed away from Washington to replace Darrell Armstrong at point guard. 
Lue fashions himself as "a 26-year-old Darrell Armstrong," and he will be a definite upgrade at the position. He is a pass-first guard who will be more in control running the offense. And his defense is relentless, especially against waterbugs like Allen Iverson. 
But Lue is just 6-foot, 178 pounds and there are some worries about his durability. And behind him, there is nothing but youth. Reece Gaines, the 15th pick of the draft, struggled somewhat during the summer league making the transition from shooting guard to point guard. Keith Bogans could be a major surprise after slipping to the second round of the draft. Orlando sees him as somewhat of a combo guard in that he will play shooting guard on offense and point guard defensively. 
4. Defensive Donnell 
Donnell Harvey has been little more than a bit player during his first three years in the NBA, but the Magic believe that he could become a critical cog in their rotation. 
At 6-foot-8, Harvey has the athleticism to defend both forwards and guards. He is very athletic and plays with a nasty streak that the Magic have so often lacked in the past. After watching him workout prior to camp, Rivers said that his style of play compares to that of former forward Bo Outlaw. 
"Every team has to have a defensive stopper to be great and I think Donnell can be that guy for us," Rivers said. "He's a guy we can put on somebody and say, 'Go stop him.' We've never really had a guy like that before, but we think he can do that for us." 
5. Can T-Mac possibly be better? 
There is a theory going around among the Magic that if McGrady leads the league in scoring again this season, they could be in big trouble. McGrady blossomed into the NBA's most potent offensive weapon last season, averaging 32.1 points per game. But with little help from his teammates, McGrady often had to force shots and the demand to score so much took away from the other facets of his game. 
"If you watched the Detroit series, if Tracy wasn't carrying us, it was extremely difficult for us offensively," Rivers said. "That's where Juwan will help us. Guys can't just load up on Tracy any more because Juwan is a guy you really have to guard or he will hurt you." 
McGrady joked earlier in the summer that he saw no reason why he couldn't average 35 points a game. But a better scenario would be him averaging 28 points a game, running the offense through his hands and returning to the defensive stopper that he was earlier in his career. 
"I'm not saying I'm going to average more than 32, but I definitely think that I can," McGrady said. "I was just looking at last year and I averaged 32 while shooting 75 percent from the free-throw line. If I shoot 80 percent, that's a couple of more points a game. 
"But I shouldn't have to (average 32). If I don't average that and we're winning, then I'll be fine with it. But if we're losing, I'm going to have to take control. This is my team so I'm going to do whatever it takes." 
6. Where does the leadership come from? 
McGrady has always been the best player on the Magic. But the leadership role always fell into the hands of the fiery Armstrong. Armstrong always seemed to serve as the Magic's police, whether it was pushing teammates in practice, giving pep talks at halftime or willing the team with his hustle. 
But the Magic decided not to re-sign the 35-year-old Armstrong this summer, instead allowing him to leave for New Orleans. Rivers' reasoning was that he wanted this team to belong to McGrady and that never would have happened with the stubborn Armstrong still around. 
McGrady will be the team captain, but it's curious to see how infectious his quiet confidence will be. With his sleepy eyes and matter-of-fact demeanor, McGrady is anything but a prototypical leader. Instead, he'll lead with his practice habits and emerging killer instinct. 
Howard's professionalism also will be a good model for Gooden, who is high-strung at times and prone to being erratic. 
7. Giricek as a 6th man 
Giricek might benefit the most from a full training camp with the Magic. He came to Orlando last February along with Gooden in a trade with Memphis for Mike Miller. Despite having few plays run for him, Giricek thrived in Orlando's up-tempo, motion offense. He simply did what he does best -- attack the basket and fear nothing when it comes to taking big shots. 
Understanding the way Giricek plays better now, Rivers is excited about being able to draw up specific plays for him. And in a perfect world, Rivers plans to use his aggressive guard off the bench. He seems to have the perfect mentality for it because he's seemingly always ready to shoot regardless of the situation in the game. 
8. Zaza or DeClercq? 
If Gooden and Howard can share the forward slots, playing either DeClercq or Zaza Pachulia at center would finally give the Magic some size along the front line. They certainly might need it against the Nets, a team that could start a front line of Alonzo Mourning, Kenyon Martin and Dikembe Mutombo. 
"If Zaza or Drew can start at center, that takes us to another level," Rivers said. "If not, we're going to be a small basketball team again." 
DeClercq had his finest season with the Magic last year, making an impact on the boards with his hustle and grit. He flirted with the idea of leaving for Philadelphia this summer, but ultimately re-signed with the Magic. 
But DeClercq will be pushed for playing time at center by the 6-foot-11, 250-pound Pachulia. Orlando snagged him with a second-round pick and fell in love with him during the summer league. Not only does he have polished moves on the post, he plays with a toughness that makes Rivers' face light up. 
"We know right now he's going to be in foul trouble every game, but he's not your typical European player," Rivers raved. "He's (ticked) off at every European player that was drafted before him. I really think he's going to be the surprise of our team." 
9. Garrity gone 
It has been anything but a pleasant offseason for gunner Pat Garrity. He had surgery soon after the playoffs for a hernia suffered late last season. Then, he had surgery on his ailing knee in September. Now, it looks as if Garrity might not put up even one jumper during training camp. 
That certainly isn't good news for the Magic. Garrity's importance to the Magic often gets overlooked because he isn't a great rebounder or defender. But having him on the floor is nearly a must because he keeps defenses from cheating on McGrady so much. Had he not been hobbled so bad during the playoffs last season, Orlando just might have beaten Detroit. 
10. Make or break for Hunter 
When Steven Hunter first arrived in Orlando three seasons ago, he said that his game was a cross between that of Kevin Garnett and Marcus Camby. First, the Garnett comparison was downright ridiculous. But Hunter hasn't even lived up to the modest comparisons to the brittle Camby. 
Hunter has shown flashes of brilliance with his incredible athleticism and his ability to swat shots. But it's the other times -- the give-up defense in Game 5 against Detroit and the silly turnovers in Game 6 -- that have kept him off the court. 
He's finally healthy from a knee injury that retarded his progress last season. The Magic could desperately use him on the floor because he is their only threat to swat a shot. But without question, it's now or never for Hunter and guard Jeryl Sasser. Flop again in training camp and they could be out of the NBA for good.