Ledger: Lewis Has Lifted Magic From Mediocrity

[drsd]

Here's a little checklist to assist in determining whether the Magic should have signed Lewis. And just to make it easier, I'll even provide the answers.

Did Dwight Howard play for the Magic last season?
Yes.
Did Hedo Turkoglu play for the Magic?
Yes.
Are they playing better than they did last season?
Yes.
What was the Magic's record last season?
40-42.
Did Rashard Lewis join the Magic this season?
Yes.
What is their record now?
28-18.
When was the last time the Magic won a playoff series?
1996.
What are their chances of winning one this year?
Pretty good.

End of discussion.

Ledger: Lewis Has Lifted Magic From Mediocrity


Personally, I think Lewis has had a more positive effect on Turkoglu than on Howard. And that's surprising.

[Typhoon20]

Stan V Gundy has lifted Magic from mediocrity, not Lewis.

Lewis contributed, like D12, Hedo etc.

[whocares]

1. stupid, flawed, primitive logic with unsound consequence.
2. that is what rashard seems to have brought, it seems.

[The Letter J]

Dwight's improvement, the addition of Stan, and Hedo's more consistent play have to be taken into consideration as well. There's no question that we are better than we would be without Lewis, but Lewis doesn't deserve as much credit as that article implies.

We overpaid Lewis. Lewis makes us better, but not as much as other players who are paid that much could. Unfortunately for the writer, his article isn't the 'end of discussion'.

[MagicalMan]

conveniently he leaves out that we got rid of a lazy big, moved an injury prone black hole sf playing out of position at the 2g, and signed someone who actually knows how to coach.

But forget all of the other circumstances surrounding the teams improvement. Only focus on the one that supports your argument. Brilliant logic.

[mhectorgato]

Ra$hard i$ overpaid.

[MagicFan149]

conveniently he leaves out that we got rid of a lazy big, moved an injury prone black hole sf playing out of position at the 2g, and signed someone who actually knows how to coach.

But forget all of the other circumstances surrounding the teams improvement. Only focus on the one that supports your argument. Brilliant logic.

+1

[dieselpower]

HOGWASH. The addition of SVG, subtraction of Hill. The vast improvement of Dwight and Hedo. I don't really give any credit to Rashard. He's a weak defender w/ suspect handles. Nice guy, nice shooter. He definately adds to the Magic, but at that cost, no way.

[laVal03]

Ra$hard i$ overpaid.

you had too, huh??

[magicmamma]

Ra$hard i$ overpaid.

Did you forget unprofe$$ional?

[j-ragg]

We didn't have Marcin Gortat on the roster last year either.

[maginno]

Does anyone think its even possible that getting rid of Brian Hill and getting SVG wouldn't have improved ANY team?

Hasn't Dwight himself said he is enjoys the new system more? Hasn't Jameer and Turk said the same?

end of story.

SVG for president. Mind you Rashard will always be overpaid but I've been liking his game a lot more recently.

[N4U|Redux]

All the main arguments of why we're better (Dwights improvement, Hedo's consistency, the coaching upgrade, Reshard's signing) are speculative at best.

Sitting here bashing the article writer for saying we're better because of Reshard and then going on and saying "its obviously because of SVG" surely makes you look like a dunce -- you're doing the same thing except swap Reshard for SVG.

Personally, I think adding SVG and Reshard have been the foremost reasons for our improvement. Hedo's consistency is probably related to the fact that both Howard improved and Reshard is there thus he receives much less pressure than he'd otherwise have received.

[SS_MagicMark]

Once we got rid of that clown Diener, everything took off.

[magicman123]

there is no question,that we are better with rashard lewis then last year....can it be a combination of svg, dwight improving, and turk being consistant, no doubt...lewis makes us better you cant argue that...you cant strictly point it to one thing because we did have several changes this season...new coach, darko and grant gone, lewis signed, mvp diener left, and the ariza trade..but with lewis we are better..

[lovehoops01]

Man....you guys just hatin' on Lewis because he got paid.

That's no way to act. He helps the team. He is a distraction that makes it easier for other guys to score -- oh, and by the way, he scores pretty well himself.

All those other things you cite are reasons, too, but there's no way around it, Rashard is a key factor. Not to mention the fact that -- as Van Gundy himself points out -- he is sacrificing his own game for the sake of the team because he is playing out of position and in doing so gives up many of the advantages he has when he plays his regular position. The coach you all love and respect so much said that on Tuesday night on his radio show.

[drsd]

If Lewis had not been signed, player Hill and Milicic probably would have. With those two at the SF and PF slots, Turkoglu would be buried on the bench.

Without Lewis, Turkoglu would not be getting playing time.

[NEM]

lewis and van gundy

[DiplomaticMagic]

Stan V Gundy has lifted Magic from mediocrity, not Lewis.

Lewis contributed, like D12, Hedo etc.

damit u took my idea of a sig..i had it it in my mind for awhile and when i saw that game winner i thought that was the perfect thing to do it on..i was gonna have hedo at 1st tho with him dribbiling..he does with him shooting and that funky dance for he did

[Idunkonyou2]

SVG new system and Lewis are the difference. Now we just need to get a legit starting PF and PG. Once that happens, the Magic will truly become contenders.