<div align="center"><span style="color:#0084C7"><span style="font-size:10pt;line-height:100%"><span style="font-family:Garamond">(#3)</span></span> <span style="font-family:Impact"><span style="font-size:36pt;line-height:100%">Orlando</span></span> </span> <span style="font-size:18pt;line-height:100%"><span style="font-family:Book Antiqua">vs.</span></span> <span style="color:#c8362d"><span style="font-size:10pt;line-height:100%"><span style="font-family:Garamond">(#6)</span></span> <span style="font-family:Impact"><span style="font-size:36pt;line-height:100%">Toronto</span></span></span> </div> <div align="center"></div> <span style="font-size:24pt;line-height:100%"><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Impact"><u>SCHEDULE</u></span></div></span> <div align="center"> Game 1: Sunday April 20th: @ Orlando, 12:30 AM - TNT, TSN Game 2: Tuesday April 22nd: @ Orlando, 7:30 PM - NBATV Game 3: Thursday April 24th: @ Toronto, 7:30 PM - NBATV Game 4: Saturday April 26th: @ Toronto, 3 PM - TNT *Game 5: Monday, April 28th: @ Orlando, TBA (if necessary) *Game 6: Thursday May 1st: @ Toronto, TBA (if necessary) *Game 7: Saturday May 3rd: @ Orlando, TBA (if necessary)</div> <span style="font-size:24pt;line-height:100%"><div align="center"><span style="font-family:Impact"><u>STARTING LINEUPS</u></span></div></span> <div align="center"> <span style="color:#0084C7">Jameer Nelson - Maurice Evans - Hedo Turkoglu - Rashard Lewis - Dwight Howard</span></div> <div align="center"> <span style="color:#c8362d">TJ Ford - Anthony Parker - Jamario Moon - Chris Bosh - Rasho Nesterovic</span></div> <div align="center"><span style="font-size:24pt;line-height:100%"><span style="font-family:Impact"><u>ORLANDO'S STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES</u></span></span></div> <div align="center"><span style="color:#0084C7"><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%">"Their pace has quickened! They must have picked up our scent..."</span></span></div> Stan Van Gundy's done a remarkable job with this talented roster, assembling a formidable offensive attack. In Turkoglu, Lewis, Evans, Arroyo, and Nelson, the Magic have players at all guard and forward spots that can score points in a hurry. The team is bound to cause matchup problems with their length and quickness and when they get hot beyond the arc, opposing teams better watch out. As a team that thrives in a quick tempo game, they can jump out to quick leads very easily. <div align="center"><span style="color:#0084C7"><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%">"You shall not pass!"</span></span></div> Despite their productive offense, this team still suffers from a lack of distribution and playmaking from the point guard spot. Both Jameer Nelson and Carlos Arroyo play with a scorer's mindset, and the offensive production can be a tad streaky as a result. Obviously when the shots are falling, the team can get away with it. But in other situations, especially in close games, it can prevent the team from manufacturing quality scoring opportunities. <div align="center"><span style="font-size:24pt;line-height:100%"><span style="font-family:Impact"><u>TORONTO'S STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES</u></span></span></div> <div align="center"><span style="color:#c8362d"><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%">"Shoot her! Shoooot herrr!"</span></span></div> As one of the league's top 3 pt. shooting teams, the Raptors come into this year's playoffs hoping to avoid the shooting slump that plagued them for the better part of last year's playoffs. Almost everyone on this roster has range on their jumpshot and it can be a headache to guard for opposing teams (especially forwards and centers that are hesitant to step outside of the paint). The hope is that, this year, the opponent will have no choice but to space the floor for Chris Bosh. <div align="center"><span style="color:#c8362d"><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%">"Must go faster... Must go faster!"</span></span></div> Despite having an athletic, offensively-oriented lineup, Toronto has consistently been one of the slower paced teams in the league this year. Throughout the season they've shown difficulty in adjusting to faster paced teams that can get out on the break quickly and their transition defense leaves much to be desired. If they can't dictate the tempo in this series, that is sure to be exploited by this Magic squad. <div align="center"><span style="font-size:24pt;line-height:100%"><span style="font-family:Impact"><u>PLAYERS TO WATCH</u></span></span></div> <div align="center"> </div> <div align="center"><span style="color:#0084C7">Dwight Howard</span> & <span style="color:#c8362d">Chris Bosh</span></div> <div align="center"><span style="font-size:24pt;line-height:100%"><span style="font-family:Impact"><u>PLAYERS TO IGNORE</u></span></span></div> <div align="center"> </div> <div align="center"><span style="color:#0084C7">Adonal Foyle</span> & <span style="color:#c8362d">Maceo Baston</span></div> <div align="center"><span style="font-size:24pt;line-height:100%"><span style="font-family:Impact"><u>TOTALLY OBJECTIVE NON-BIASED PREDICTION</u></span></span></div> <div align="center"><span style="color:#c8362d">Toronto in 3</span></div>
Adonyl Foyle actually gets minutes. If he's ignored, he's likely to send a shot across the court. Because, ya know, that's pretty much all he can do. Oh, and for the millionth time, the Magic don't have traditional point guards. They have Hedo Turkoglu. He plays a role similar to Wade, Kobe, and anyone else like that. The point guards are meant to be scorers in that system. That's their niche. And don't forget Dooling either, he can put up a bunch of points in a short amount of time. In close situations, more than likely, Hedo will be handling the ball and making plays. He's the 4th quarter man. Once in a while, Rashard will take that role (rarely tho). The weakness you should pick up on is what the team does without Dwight Howard - they're horribly inconsistent when he's in foul trouble or in a funk resulting from foul trouble/lack of calls/poor calls from the refs. Also, is Brian Cook available? I have no clue. But when he comes in and hits threes, the team seems to always go on a run. Oh, and if Bogans isn't stilled hampered by injury, he'll be someone to watch out for. His injuries have really limited the Magic and has therefore affected their otherwise perfectly fine depth.
this series isn't going 3 games c'mon Chutney you know better then that, lawl <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (pegs @ Apr 19 2008, 03:44 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>The weakness you should pick up on is what the team does without Dwight Howard - they're horribly inconsistent when he's in foul trouble or in a funk resulting from foul trouble/lack of calls/poor calls from the refs.</div> this hurt T. last year with Bosh, and even Sam knows to attack Superman, or he better, this is one of TJ's job flip side, what if Rasho gets in foul trouble that can be trouble, big trouble, for the Raptors
I didn't point to the Magic's struggles without Dwight as a weakness, because I thought it was a bit self-evident. Both teams aren't particularly good without their best players. Orlando's shown that over the past two seasons and the Raptors made it very clear when they went winless in a 5-6 game stretch without Bosh. Plus, I couldn't find a relevant quote for it. I know people have been really skeptical about my claim that Rasho can guard Dwight Howard, so here's a nice article that touches on that point: link.
We're starting Bargnani. That's a risky move. He needs his shot to be going, because Turkoglu will get his points off of him. The Magic have started the game on fire, hitting their first 7 shots. I was afraid of this.
TJ Ford still sucks. Orlando is money from 3. Dwight Howard has barely gotten started, and Orlando is owning. I love Orlando's fans. They were sooo loud, you couldn't even hear the whistle on the foul call of the clean block by Hedo.
Friggin' hell. Why are we cheating so much off of the outside shooters? Dwight Howard isn't beating us right now, their 3 pt. shot is. Stay up on them and let them give him the ball, we're playing good D on him as it is.
It looks ugly now, but I think Toronto will cut into the lead and make this a game in the second half. Orlando can't shoot like this all game long and Toronto will eventually knock down some perimeter jumpers themselves.
howard hasnt gotten started offensively, but hes been huge on the defensive end....he already has 3 clean highlight blocks
^ It was clean. Solid defense down the stretch by the Raps. That's something to build on in the 2nd half. I think Mitchell has his lineup for the rest of the game. Parker, Kapono, Bosh, and Nesterovic were getting it done on both sides of the floor.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BasX @ Apr 20 2008, 01:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>shot counted?, i thought it was late but i only saw 1 replay, whatever</div> Nope, it was shot clock violation all the way. No basket.
good shot shouldnt have counted dumbass leo 13 point lead, if raps can control the first 5 minutes of the 3rd they will be fine
