<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The frustration level of anyone who follows the Orlando Magic tends to be at its highest come the NBA playoffs. It has been one thing to see Shaquille O'Neal win four championship rings and Tracy McGrady playing while the Magic are preparing for the draft lottery. But imagine how galling it would be if Steve Francis keeps them from getting the seventh or eighth seed in the Eastern Conference. Francis, whose time with the New York Knicks was thought to be nearing an end earlier this year, has become a key component in their battle with the Magic, the New Jersey Nets and the Indiana Pacers for the conference's last two openings. Although he scored only nine points in their victory Sunday over Toronto, Francis averaged 20.6 points in the Knicks' previous five games. "What he's done as of late has been huge for us," center Eddy Curry told a reporter last week. "We've got to believe that part of our success is because of him." But not all is rosy with Francis, who is making more than $15 million this season and is owed more than $33.5 million over the next two years. He had back-to-back games of seven turnovers, the second of which came in a loss at Toronto where he went only 2-for-9 from the floor. And Knicks coach Isiah Thomas is making it sound as if the only reason he is using Francis is because of the loss of Jamal Crawford, who underwent surgery March 2 for a stress fracture in his right ankle. "When things aren't going well, who else would be the donkey that they pin the tail on than myself?" Francis was quoted as saying. "It's been like that since I've been here." Francis had seven points and three assists, along with four turnovers, in a non-starting role when the Knicks defeated the Magic a month ago in New York. The two teams will meet for the final time this season Monday. ? To say forward Tony Battie will make the difference in whether the Magic succeed or fail down the stretch is an overstatement. But their defensive field-goal percentage in the three games since his return last week suggests Battie is making an impact while playing between 22 and 28 minutes. The Utah Jazz, the Sacramento Kings and the Miami Heat combined to hit only 39.7 percent of their shots as the Magic went 2-1 in that stretch. Those games were the first in which the Magic had Battie, Trevor Ariza and Keyon Dooling all available since Jan. 10 at Golden State. And if you exclude that game because that was when Ariza suffered his sprained right knee, the three of them hadn't been healthy at the same time since Dec. 29 at Washington. "It's not a coincidence at all that when those guys are out there, we're an improved team defensively," coach Brian Hill said.</div> Source
The Magic are the unluckiest team in the NBA. That would be sad if it comes down to the Knikcs and Magic for the 8th spot and the Knicks get the spot.
<div class="quote_poster">Kobe24bryant Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">The Magic are the unluckiest team in the NBA.</div> This is the franchise that received the #1 pick two years in a row. The first time being lucky enough to draft Shaq (Minnesota actually had the worst record that year), the 2nd time defying all odds and winning it again despite being being the best lottery team, going 41-41 and missing the playoffs only because of a tie-breaker. They've had some bad breaks (Grant Hill's injuries) but mostly it's just been bad moves (trading McGrady for Steve Francis, trading away a draft pick which turned out to be Amare Stoudemire, trading away Ben Wallace, passed up drafting Tony Parker and Gilbert Arenas twice in 2001, drafting Fran Vazquez), though getting rid of Penny and Francis & drafting Dwight Howard were great moves.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">They've had some bad breaks (Grant Hill's injuries) but mostly it's just been bad moves (trading McGrady for Steve Francis, trading away a draft pick which turned out to be Amare Stoudemire, trading away Ben Wallace, passed up drafting Tony Parker and Gilbert Arenas twice in 2001, drafting Fran Vazquez), </div> Thats what im talking about. But, even with all the good moves, overall they are unlucky. I mean i expected this team to be in top 4 in the east.
<div class="quote_poster">Kobe24bryant Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Thats what im talking about. But, even with all the good moves, overall they are unlucky. I mean i expected this team to be in top 4 in the east.</div> I wouldn't say we are unlucky, just poorly managed.
The Magic have some of the worst management ever...The Magic actually have a lot to offer, but management always screws up one way or another.
I guess we'll find out if Francis is going to haunt us tonight against the Knicks. Hopefully we can lock him down and secure the seventh seed so we don't have to play the Pistons.
I don't think he got hurt. That must have been embarrassing for him. Anyways, it doesn't sound like the Knicks are too happy with Francis these days. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The Magic were practicing at Madison Square Garden on Monday morning preparing for a playoff-type showdown with the Knicks as General Manager Otis Smith watched the proceedings. "I've told you all along we'd make the playoffs," he said. I'm not betting the house and camper just yet. I then asked Smith where his club would be if it still had Steve Francis and the Knicks did not. Smith got one of those looks on his face, as if he had bit into a lemon. He shook his head. "I can't fathom where we'd be," he said. Oh, Smith knows: The Magic would be dealing with Francis' frequent missteps and also financially hamstrung by the $34 million left on his contract the next two seasons. The Knicks never worry about finances, but they are frustrated enough with "Stevie Franchise" to make him "Stevie Disenfranchised." They reportedly will try to buy out Francis' contract this summer, which, if true, will continue Steve-o's free-fall. The Magic might be holding the same backroom talks if they hadn't found a sucker in the Knicks last season (and stole away Trevor Ariza in a masterstroke of a trade, to boot.) Francis has taken his hits, and deservedly so. But while the Magic cleared the financial and emotional costs of keeping Steve-o -- essentially, Tracy McGrady's replacement -- the fact is the move hasn't translated in the standings. (Neither has the Darko Milicic-Carlos Arroyo trade, for that matter, with Milicic still an enigma and Arroyo benched twice this season.) The Magic went 36-46 in Francis' first season. They were 19-33 last season up until his trade and again finished 36-46 after a flourish. This season, the Magic might finish only a few games better than that, probably still under .500 and fighting for playoff crumbs. And turnovers are still their biggest problem. . . long after Steve Francis threw his last pass in Orlando into somebody's popcorn.</div> Source
