Steve Francis - B: Has created new excitement, but he hasn't slowed opposing point guards. Grant Hill - A: After four years of painful disappointment, he is thrilled to be playing again, making everyone feel good about his game. Dwight Howard - B: Expectations are high for a No. 1 pick, and the leap from high school to the NBA hasn't been easy. Kelvin Cato - B minus: Statistically, it's the best season of his career, but he needs to become more of a defensive force. Hedo Turkoglu - B: Has never scored like this, but his lack of defense will take him out of the starting lineup. Doug Christie - C: Has played only six games here, and the jury is still out on the trade that brought him. Full list/link - http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/bask...?coll=orl-magic
Is this how Magic fans really think? Personally, I don't agree with that list. Sure, Hill's return is a feel-good story and all, but has he really done more than Steve Francis. The writer mentions Francis's inability to stop opposing guards, but the lack of defense on the Magic is a situation with the whole team, not just Steve. Francis is actually one of the better defenders on the team. Howard is getting close to a double-double on just seven shots a night. How much more do you want from a rookie? Cato is phenomenal blocking shots, yet he's not a defensive force? I can go on and on, but I think you guys get why I believe this list is BS. PS: You didn't write it did you, Ice? Apologies for the outburst if you did...
Most of the grades are on track and now I'm going to give my comments like the conduct codes on your report care. I think the Magic need to utilize Jameer Nelson off the bench more when giving Francis needs a breather. Whenever Nelson gets quality minutes, he brings a ton of energy and effort into the game and that really helps the Magic close out ball game or come back into them a lot of the time. Secondly I think the Magic should be looking to improve their defense overall. They seem to give up a lot of points inside, luckily they are able to with stand that a lot of the times with their great offense. If the Magic want to be successful during the playoffs, they are going to have to improve defensively as a whole.
Stacy Augmon gets a D? What the hell? He has been a solid reserve, although he hasn't found many minutes in the rotation of J. Davis. I would say he has played well in the time he has gotten, espicallly when you note that the oft injured K. Cato recieved a B-. I think that Orlando needs to find an actual point guard to run the offense. Penny Hardaway would be a good pick up when his contract runs out. He could be a solid starting point guard, and is also a fairly good defender.
^I agree with you. I don't like some of the grades either, eg how can you grade DC with a C when he just got here? And the F for Stevenson is something he can't do anything about, he doesn't get the minutes but that's not his fault when we have better options, that's the fault of our management who either brought him in or is just not trading him away for something, I even would like just a future 2nd rounder in return. Also I completely disagree with Davis' grade, come on, a B? This team has the potential to be much better than we currently are. I mean we started great with 13-6 and a lot of people were already seeing us as a Top Ten overall Team, ESPN had us once even as No 5. Since then we went 10-13.
You guys should come up with your own midseason grades. Don't let the opinions of others get to you guys.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting mrj18:</div><div class="quote_post">You guys should come up with your own midseason grades. Don't let the opinions of others get to you guys.</div> M.V.M.(most valuble magic)Francis-(A+) no one on the team has sacrificed more than him....he lost his partner and continues to play at a steady all-star near MVP place. Well who on the team has averages of 20+..him.......6+ assists.....him.....dunked on enough this season people to create a sportcenter marathon!!!!him.....who had almost every clutch game winning shot for us....him.............enough said. ROTY(Return of the Year) G.Hill-(A-) he came back from one of the most grusome injuries ever. His stats are amazing....I don't know about all-star caliber but then again look at Vince and Yao. He is doing his part to be our other weapon. He just does't dominate any games and is too much of a defensive weakness. Whoever said he has a better grade than Francis needs to be shot. One of the greatest players of all time....he's a player who we can't do without. BIG PROPS TO G-Hill for making the magic complete. ROTY(rookie of the year)- D.Howard-(B++) Come on now for a rookie to average this stats great. Remeber when he was 4th in the league in rebs. IF he went to Charlotte he would have the greatest stats ever. If he was the main focus of our team unlike Okafor his stats would be legendary. We might have a sub-500 record but his stats would be GREAT. Big PROPS to THE NEXT KG!!!!!!!!! Theses are our Main 3 Weopons no disrespect to the others but I'm not going to write about them. J.Davis (coach) A J.Nelson- B whoo little A.I keep up the good work H.Turkoglu-B this man is a dark horse ...watch out P.Garrity-C S.Augmon-C K.Cato-C when he was here T.Battie-D gets dunked on too much
