NBA Basketball 2008-09 Wagering – Orlando Magic Preview
The Orlando Magic (52-30 SU, 50-29-3 ATS, 36-44-2 O/U), must feel like Rodney Dangerfield BetUS NBA wagering fanatics!
Despite posting the third-best record in the Eastern Conference last season and won the Southeast division by a whopping nine games over the second place Washington Wizards, before defeating the Toronto Raptors 4-1 in their first round playoff series.
While the Magic crashed and burned in a big way against the Detroit Pistons in the second round, losing 4-1, Orlando management has clearly put their team on the right path to success – although I will admit that they got extremely lucky in landing head coach Stan Van Gundy after Florida University head coach Billy Donovan accepted the position only to say he didn’t want it just days later.
Now, the Magic will look to take another step forward as they get prepared fro the upcoming 2008-09 NBA regular season.
“We want to compete for a championship,” said center Dwight Howard. “If that’s not our goal, than why would we be playing?”
However, BetUS NBA wagering fanatics should know the Magic still have some important issues they will need to address.
Orlando averaged a stellar 104.5 points per game last season, sixth overall, and also recorded some surprising defensive statistics, ranking 11th overall, allowing just 99.0 points per contest and were one of the league’s best three-point shooting teams, ranking fourth overall by draining 38.6 percent of their three-point shots.
Despite their fine statistics during the regular season, the veteran Pistons easily manhandled the Magic in the postseason by keeping center Dwight Howard out of the lane and guarding Orlando’s three-point shooters as if they were wearing their respective jerseys.
While the Magic got 20.7 points per game from Howard last season and 19.5 points per game from forward Hedo Turkoglu in a breakout season for the veteran – and another 18.2 points per contest from small forward Rashard Lewis, Orlando’s lack of quality depth could be its Achilles heel once again this season.
The Magic added veteran swingman Mickael Pietrus for four years and $22 million to start at the shooting guard position and will use veterans, Keith Bogans, and J.J. Redick as backups, though Redick is listed fourth on Orlando’s depth chart at shooting guard behind 2009 first round draft pick Courtney Lee, an athletic 6-5 shooting guard Courtney Lee out of Western Kentucky who already has a fine mid-range game.
Orlando also added veteran Anthony Johnson to backup starting point guard Jameer Nelson after veterans, Carlos Arroyo and Keyon Dooling bolted to the New Jersey Nets and veteran forward Tony Battie to backup up Turkoglu and Howard in the front court.
The Magic did re-sign veteran center Adonal Foyle, and he will be the team’s third string center behind Howard and backup Marcin Gortat, the only NBA player from Poland in the league.
The Magic also lost a true franchise icon in sweet-shooting forward/center Pat Garrity, who has retired after nine years with the club.
The best news for BetUS NBA basketball wagering fanatics is the fact that the Magic were one of the best ATS teams in the league last season ranking second to the Boston Celtics in ATS wins last season.
Orlando posted winning ATS records both, at home, (23-15) and on the road, (27-14).
