<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Orlando Sentinnel)</div><div class='quotemain'>First-year Orlando Magic coach Stan Van Gundy didn't promise a championship just yet that will come later -- but he did promise today a team this season that will be considerably more exciting than it has been in many years. "We need to put a product on the floor that you can get excited about," Van Gundy said. "We have a roster of players and the talent now to compete with anyone in the Eastern Conference. It's our job to deliver." Van Gundy was speaking Wednesday to a breakfast audience at the RDV Sportplex of 150 new season ticket holders. His message was clear: This team will be an improvement from the one that finished with a 40-42 record and was rudely swept in the first round of the playoffs. After the season, the Magic fired coach Brian Hill after two years on the job.</p> "There are 30 organizations in NBA that talk about winning a championship, but the difference is whether they have the commitment to make it happen," he said. "We have that commitment here." The most noticeable difference in the Magic this season will be forward Rashard Lewis, a free agent who was signed to a six-year, $118 million contract, a more wide-open style of play, and an increased emphasis on taking 3-point shots. The Magic don't open training camp until Sept. 29, but Van Gundy said he is itching to start it today, and his players already are in good enough condition to do it. "I'm like a kid at Christmas just waiting to open his first present," he said. "We don't have a single guy on the roster who isn't working on his game on a daily basis right now. That's rare in the NBA during the off season. We've got four weeks to go, but I think everyone is ready." The Magic have had Van Gundy speaking to a variety of season-ticket holders in the last few week, providing a glimpse of what to expect this season. The Magic have 14 players already under contract. He said Wednesday that the off-season conditioning of his team should help with a fast start and a faster pace. He also said that despite speculation to the contrary, he has not settled on any kind of a lineup just yet, preferring to let his players battle in training camp to determine who plays. "I know a couple guys who are going to start (Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis), but after that, it's pretty wide open," he said. "It's not my job to keep everyone happy. This organization is focused on results. We've got 14 guys under contract, but that doesn't mean they can relax. Every fall there are 15-20 guys in the league with contracts who get cut." Although veteran forward Bo Outlaw is not on the Magic roster today, and he is unlikely to receive a guaranteed contract, there is a good chance that he will be on the training camp roster, hoping to earn a spot for this season.</div></p> LINK</p>
I'm sure they well, SVG is a much better coach than Brian Hill ever was. He did great job when he was on the heat and I'm glad to see Orlando impliment a new playing style. Also, in the past, the Magic have lacked in perimiter shooting and now that Rashard Lewis was added I expect them to have a much easier time scoring the ball.
Yeah, I think that the Magic should be quite improved. Van Gundy is a VERY GOOD coach. </p> I think Bulls (player development, Noah/Smith), Cavs (huge Lebron improvements), and Boston (huge Garnett/Allen improvements) are going to be at the top of the East, but I think it looks like Orlando is poised to pop up in the standings.</p> I'd say</p> 1. Chicago 2. Cleveland 3. Boston 4. Orlando 5. New Jersey 6. Toronto 7. Detroit 8. Miami</p> Billups looks toasted to me, so I think the Pistons will fall off. </p>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BG7 Lavigne)</div><div class='quotemain'> Yeah, I think that the Magic should be quite improved. Van Gundy is a VERY GOOD coach. </p> I think Bulls (player development, Noah/Smith), Cavs (huge Lebron improvements), and Boston (huge Garnett/Allen improvements) are going to be at the top of the East, but I think it looks like Orlando is poised to pop up in the standings.</p> I'd say</p> 1. Chicago 2. Cleveland 3. Boston 4. Orlando 5. New Jersey 6. Toronto 7. Detroit 8. Miami</p> Billups looks toasted to me, so I think the Pistons will fall off. </p></div> </p> This is hard to believe, first of all you have Washington falling out of the playoffs and we have probabely the third highest powered offense in the NBA, we can beat anybody on any given night. I seriousely doubt we'll fall out of the playoffs, we might not be even close to a solid defensive squad but that didn't stop us last year, before injuries struck we led the Eastern Conference. I could see us winning the division over Miami and Orlando, as Miami is just getting older and with Wade missing the first month of the season Miami seems destined for another season like the last one. Orlando will make improvements but it will take time to adapt to Rashard Lewis around the perimiter, Stan Van Gundy's new system, and the loss of Grant Hill. </p> </p> I agree with Chicago at first seed but can't see Cleveland at 2nd. They're not a good offensive team, they usually only score the ball because of offensive rebounds, and the team still can't defend any post scorers. I would take Boston over Cleveland because not many teams are going to be able to stop the trio.</p> </p> To be honest, I really can't tell what's going to happen with Toronto and New Jersey. You never know how the Nets are going to perform as they've been very inconsistent the past couple of seasons and just getting Jason Kapono isn't going to settle Toronto's in-ability to score once Bosh is double-teamed. </p> </p> Detroit will slow down but they won't fall off like you expect them to, they still have 4 players who are all capable of taking over a game. They're an amazing regular season team, sadly Flip Saunders seems to always lead his team to disaster in the playoffs.</p>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BG7 Lavigne)</div><div class='quotemain'> Yeah, I think that the Magic should be quite improved. Van Gundy is a VERY GOOD coach. </p> I think Bulls (player development, Noah/Smith), Cavs (huge Lebron improvements), and Boston (huge Garnett/Allen improvements) are going to be at the top of the East, but I think it looks like Orlando is poised to pop up in the standings.</p> I'd say</p> 1. Chicago 2. Cleveland 3. Boston 4. Orlando 5. New Jersey 6. Toronto 7. Detroit 8. Miami</p> Billups looks toasted to me, so I think the Pistons will fall off. </p> </div></p> More like Detroit, Chicago, Boston, Cleveland, New Jersey, Toronto, Orlando, Miami.</p> </p>
