Orlando Magic Real Fan

The Orlando Magic venture into this 2003/2004 season with a new team and hopefully a new attitude.

After being ousted in the first round of the 2002/2003 playoffs to the Detroit Pistons the Orlando Magic have gone out this off season and added more youthful depth in the draft and two new starters in point guard Tyronn Lue and experienced power forward Juwan Howard.

Orlando Magic head coach Doc Rivers will have the best team he has ever had with the magic since he signed with the team five years ago.

Many questions surround the Magic organization, like; will letting go of point guard and longtime fan favorite Darrell Armstrong hurt the Magic's toughness and hustle? Will NBA superstar Tracy Mcgrady leave the Magic if this team doesn't perform up to his standards? is this coach Doc Rivers last shot at getting this team past the first round of the playoffs after being ousted three consecutive years in the first round? and last but not least are the magic truly a better team than they were last year by adding newcomers Tyronn Lue and Juwan Howard through free agency?

Darrell Armstrong will definitely be missed on this team. He was the emotional leader and bulldog that gave the Magic it's toughest player. Tyronn Lue and Shammond Williams have some very large shoes to fill mostly with leading with an fight and emotion.

The grass can look greener on the other side of the fence for any player let alone a top five NBA superstar such as Mcgrady if your on a loosing team. Although Mcgrady has stated that he wants to be the first player to bring a championship home to Orlando, management will be nervous next year when Mcgrady officially can opt out of his contract. Look for the Magic brass to attempt to give Mcgrady everything that he wants next year, even a block buster trade to bring in a descent center. Mcgrady will stay but he will not make this easy.

If this new team doesn't get out of the first round of the playoffs this year coach Doc Rivers will not be coaching here next season. Look for Doc to be a gem for the Atlanta Hawks next season.

This team has the potential to be better than last years 43 game winning team, but not by much. The magic had problems last year guarding large point guards and had no inside presence at all. This year the Magic are very good at the power forward position with the addition of Howard but have yet to gain an inside force to compete with the centers in the eastern conference, and Tyronn Lue can shoot better than the Magic point guards of the past but at 6 feet tall will not be able to stop or slow down large point guards such as Byron Davis and Chauncey Billups whom both have had huge success against the magic in the playoffs.

The Orlando Magic have their hands full this year and the pressure is on everyone in the organization to get this team past the first round of the playoffs. Until they start winning meaningful games and show that they are a contender in the eastern conference fan support will remain down and pressure will continue to grow on the players, coach Rivers and Magic management.

For more of the Orlando Magic real fan email=vsparrow@atlas.valencia.cc.fl.us

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