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Stacking Up the Magic - Heat Rivalry By Taylor Agee This summer, the Magic added 2 top shelf players in all-star small forward Grant Hill, and oozing-with-potential Tracy McGrady. The Heat counterattacked with the trades for Eddie Jones, a defensive extraordinare, and Brian Grant, a hustling spark plug. Many predict the Heat to be the top team in the East this year, while some say the Magic are going to surprise. So...what’s it gonna be? Starting Point Guards
Now, Hardaway has not been re-signed by the Heat, therefore you have to take this prediction with a grain of salt. However, it is expected he'll re-sign after the Olympics. Anywho, 3 years ago, if you asked who between Hardaway and Armstrong is the better player, Hardaway would have been the universal answer. The tables have turned. Tim has constant knee problems, common injuries, and has lost a step on his killer cross-over. Meanwhile, Darrell has turned himself into, arguably, a top 10 point guard in this league. He has astounding leadership abilities, only knows one speed (all-go), and has all the skills to be a strong force. The overall breakdown.... Points-Armstrong
As you can see, Armstrong leads the category 7-3. While Hardaway is still quality, Armstrong is flashier and more up-tempo. Combine Armstrong’s overall skills with his leadership ability and clutch consistency, you’ve got a heckuva ballplayer. Advantage: Magic
Starting Shooting Guards
Now, THIS will be a matchup to watch! I consider these 2 guys to be the best defensive off-guards in the league, and as of now, Eddie has more offensive game. This comparison has to be based on past references, since Tracy is due to have a dramatic stock rise this year. Jones is one of the best overall players in the game, being 19th in the NBA in Points Per Game (20.1), 13th in Free Throw Percentage (.864%), 1st in Steals (2.67), 10th in Three Pointers Made (128), and 8th in Minutes Per Game (39.0). Eddie has proven he is not to be underestimated, but to this day, I feel he is severly under-rated. On the other hand, you have Tracy “Slash” McGrady. He could be called a freak, because he is bringing on new assets to the off-guard position. One of the league leaders in blocked shots? 6-8? A fearsome rebounder? All this at the incredibly low age of 21 years. That’s amazing. Deciding edges was tough, but here’s my take... Points-Tie (As of now, it’s Jones.
By next season? Could get interesting...)
Very interesting...McGrady gets 5 advantages, compared to 4 of Jones, and a tie in his favor as of now. Of course, you’ve got to take into consideration other things besides this. Jones chokes during playoff atmosphere. McGrady had a great series against the Knicks last year. Jones has proven he is a star, and has great leadership skills. McGrady is just 21, hasn’t proven anything behind Vince Carter. For right now, I’ll give the overall advantage to Jones. I don’t want to take anything away from him, he’s in his prime and deserves respect. But McGrady is knocking down his door. This WILL be a matchup to watch. Advantage: Heat
Starting Small Forwards
Obviously, Hill has the major advantage. Amazing scorer, great rebounder, finesse passer, good ballhandling, I could go on and on and on. He’s an all-star, an Olympian. He’s not only a great basketball player, but a fine human being. Never once has he gotten in trouble with the law. Plays the piano, keeps his fingernails clean. He’s the guy your parents wanted you to marry. Now reflect the mirror. Ahh yes, you see A-Mase, as they like to call him. Bad boy mirage. He and Dennis Rodman are exactly what the NBA doesn’t want in NBA players. However, he has skills, just like Rodman did. The one thing you will notice between Hill and Mason is that they both were, and still are in a sense, point forwards. They both rebound very well, and they both pass above-average for their height. Take a look... Points-Hill
The clear cut advantage goes to the Magic, with Hill having a 7-3 advantage. Hill is a prolific overall player, and, unlike Mason, makes players around him better. Mason will have trouble guarding Hill on the perimeter, and about the only thing he can hold his weight in is rebounding. Advantage: Magic
Starting Power Forwards
At this stage, it’s difficult to determine who will win the starting job, Outlaw or DeClercq. With due respect to DeClercq, my guess is that Outlaw will receive it for simple reasons. One, he’s familiar with the system. Two, he has been a consistent starter for the Magic in the past years. And three, he knows what Doc Rivers expects out of him, and the power forward position in itself. Now, if you compare Grant to Outlaw, you’ll see both are raw, dirty-work men. Grant and Outlaw both are above-average rebounders considering they are under-sized in a sense(Grant is 6’9, Outlaw 6’8, and Outlaw is only 210 pounds, compared to Grant’s 255, or so.) Grant does have a few offensive skills, he doesn’t have to rely on trailer dunks, put-backs, and layups, like Outlaw does. However, Outlaw has point forward ability, with astounding running ability, passing, and defense. Here’s the edges... Points-Grant
The outcomes are a bit deceiving, but I did try to base them on ability. Grant missed a quarter of the year last year with injuries, effected his play. Based on this, Outlaw has a 5-3 advantage without ties. Respectively, Grant is moderately over-rated, due to the fact he has not had a season where he played at least 75 games since 95-96. On the other hand, Outlaw likes to be the under-dog, and thrives at the helm at being it. Considering that Outlaw has more abilities than being a power forward, and is consistently healthy, I have to give this one to the Magic. My opinion may change once the season starts, because don’t get me wrong, Brian Grant is not to be taken lightly. Advantage: Magic
Starting Centers
On paper, Alonzo eats John for breakfast. “Zo” is 15th in the NBA in Points Per Game (21.7), 11th in Rebounding (9.5), 3rd in Field Goal Percentage (.551), and 1st in Blocks (3.72). You all know about him, he’s right there amongst the best. “Meech” is the question mark here. I’m sure most of you are wondering, “John...Ah, Mah, Chi?” It’s Amaechi. Ah-meech-ee. There you go. Now, what can he do? Well, he’s never heard of rebounding. Being from Britain, I guess it’s understandable, they only know the word “score”. And that’s what he can do for you. His agile speed and excellent range forces mismatches amongst the league, with most teams forcing their power forwards or even small forwards on him he is so quick. In this case, Alonzo plugs the middle, and Zo is fast enough to keep up with John. The report card... Points-Mourning
The advantages are closer than you thought, I bet. 4-3 in Mourning’s favor would be rather skimpy, if you take into consideration Mourning is a dominator, one of the best players in the league, has great floor leadership, and will take over a game. The advantage goes to the Heat by a big amount, but if Meech turns more consistent (there were times when he would score 20 one night, then disappear so badly the next night, you’d consider filing a missing person’s report.), he may turn some heads. Advantage: Heat
The Benches Point Guards
Anthony Carter is a vital asset to the bench, being a great passer and defender. Eddie House can pure light it up, and that’s what he’ll be off the bench - an instant scoring machine. Dee Brown is veteran savvy, being a 3-point threat and scoring force. Troy Hudson actually got the Clippers some wins last year, but does have an uncanny knack for throwing up too many shots to anyone’s liking. He can score, which is why he’s around. I’d give the overall advantage to the Heat. Dee Brown is coming off an injury-riddled season, and Carter is an up and comer in this league. House and Hudson cancel eachother out with their scoring ability. Advantage: Heat Shooting Guards
Ricky Davis was unhappy in Charlotte (who isn’t nowadays?), so he gets to come to a situation that’s almost identical. Playing behind Jones, he will get maybe 10 minutes a game, and at 21, his youth is being wasted. I say wasted, because he is a package, being able to consistently score, pass, and defend. Dale is a throwback to the game, but retirement is getting tired of waiting. He’s 40! The only thing you can count on him to do is chuck up 3’s, and make them. Mike Miller was the 5th pick in the 2000 draft. While some say he was a wrong pick for Orlando, I disagree. He is someone who can hit a jumper from anyplace on the floor, and take pressure off of Hill and McGrady when they are double-teamed. Mike is what you would call a “softy”, being a little too passive to be a force in this league. That will change. The advantage goes to the Magic, because Miller can do more damage than Davis can, and Ellis doesn’t help Miami’s case much, either. Advantage: Magic Small Forwards
“Thunder Dan” is still a reliable option, but he is decapitating fast. He missed 13 games last year. Even though he was a starter last year, his offense has gone to a minimum, and his defense isn’t far behind. Bowen proved to be a valuable option in the playoffs last year, and should just be a fresh pair of legs off the bench this year. Pat Garrity is a great 3-point shooter, but doesn’t do much else. He has some good potential, and perhaps behind Grant Hill, will develop other parts of his game. Monty Williams is a great guy to have as insurance, and is a true team player. He can and will do whatever is asked of him, which is a coach’s dream player. While I consider this matchup to be close to even, I will give the advantage to the Heat, because Majerle is a starter playing backup and Bowen does help the cause. Advantage: Heat Power Forwards
D-Mac is not “exactly” a good backup. He can score, but he does little else. It’s called being desperate. Harold Jamison is a great young potential, but in Miami, will get nothing. DeClercq can do a little bit of everything, being a rebounder, scorer, and defender. Reid provides a presence on the glass, a low-post option, and 6 fouls. Advantage goes to the Magic, because basically, MacLean being your primary backup just makes you laugh. Advantage: Magic Centers
Fuller needs a resurrection. He is a fairly decent rebounder, and isn’t a total stiff on offense. While he isn’t exactly what the Heat need, when you have Alonzo Mourning at center you can’t really complain about backups. Ernest Brown is a project as of now, with good rebounding skills. Michael Doleac is a quality center in this league, and coming off a sophomore jinx, looks to have a productive year. He can score inside-outside, and does produce rebounds, though at times, inconsistently. Advantage clearly goes to the Magic, since Fuller has proven hardly anything so far. Advantage: Magic Head Coaches
Rivers learned under Riley, so their styles are comparable. With all due respect to Pat, you have to ask yourself, “is this guy still for real?” His nemesis, Jeff Van Gundy, has kept him at bay in the playoffs for years. This past summer, Riley shook up the roster, hoping it would push him over the edge for a title. Riley is unquestionably one of the best coaches ever, but he has taken a good team nowhere for too many years. Meanwhile, Doc won Coach of the Year last year, being the backbone to “Heart and Hustle” Magic of 99-00. He is the definition of the players’ coach. He’s only 39, heck, if they needed it badly enough he could probably lace ‘em up and run the offense. He is still learning what it takes to be a smart coach, not just be a flash in the pan. Out of respect, I will give Riley the advantage. Saying that, don’t think Doc is a nobody - he is a little bit of everybody. Advantage: Heat Whew! Well, the final numbers are in. And it’s the Magic by a hair! The Magic have 6 advantages, while the Heat have 5. The Heat’s bench as a whole is a joke, with Carter-Davis-Majerle-MacLean-Fuller being the consistent unit. Compare that to Brown-Miller-Garrity/Williams-DeClercq/Outlaw-Doleac, and you’ve got a hit parade. However, the Heat have 2 all-stars in their starting lineup, along with an Olympian. The Magic have 1 all-star and one who should be one soon. All in all, it’s way too early to
predict who will beat who. Anything can happen. Someone may go down for
the year with an injury. Someone may have a long slump. So, after all this,
who’s better? On paper, it’s the Heat. When you’ve got 3 guys who all average
35+ minutes a game, the bench doesn’t seem all that important. However,
the Magic have the bench, the essentials, and the determination. You can
take either team. Both are capable of shutting the other down. All I can
tell you is this. The Magic and Heat are clearly going to be one of the
best rivalries in the NBA for years to come.
To contact Taylor, email him at
crazy7345@hotmail.com
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