With the first month of NBA action about to close, the buzz has been how the big trio of Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce are leading the fabled Boston Celtics franchise to what could possibly be an absolutely dream season. We also get some news about how the San Antonio Spurs look good enough finally to defend their title, how the Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavs are looking great once more. Yet the Orlando Magic can get no love from the media.

What do we know about this Magic team? They are led by one of the most talented young big men in the NBA, Dwight Howard. Other than that we know they overpaid for Rashard Lewis this summer. Avid college basketball fans may also know this is the team that drafted past national player of the year JJ Redick. Anything else?

Well, how about the fact that the Magic hold the best road record in the NBA at 8-1? How about a 13-3 start to the season that has us NBA fans scratching our heads and saying that we never expected this team to be this good? I must admit just last night during a conversation with some friends and fellow NBA fans I struggled to name even the starting five of the Magic, let alone its key contributors off the bench. Why should I even know that? Well I usually know the starters of the top four or five clubs in the NBA, and the Magic as of today share first place with the Celtics in the NBA’s overall standings.

‘How about a 13-3 start to the season that has us NBA fans scratching our heads and saying that we never expected this team to be this good?’


So how can a team like the Magic be this good? It really all starts with the coaching. Stan Van Gundy is a proven winner and the best part about his game plans is that he keeps ‘em simple. You will not see Orlando running wild, free-wheeling plays nor will you see them running finely over-coached ones. The order of the day is a simple dosage of building up a game from the inside on out. When you have a player like Dwight Howard you might as well build the game plan around him, and that’s exactly what Van Gundy did.

With this game plan in mind you suddenly realise that Lewis is worth every penny for them. He is the perfect complement to Howard. Howard is the dominating force inside and Lewis is the outside threat you have to watch. Howard is just an amazing player, having an amazing season so far. He is averaging more than 22 points and 14 rebounds per contest. Even more importantly his more than two blocks per game shows his efficiency on the defensive end, whilst his shot percentage (over 60 per cent) shows the same on the offense.

Lewis might just seem to be doing worse than last year as he is “only” averaging 19.8 as opposed to 22 from last season. Alas, a look at his shooting efficiency shows just how much better than advertised has Lewis been. He is shooting a career high in both field goal and three point percentages. Naturally this is a result of getting way more open looks with a legit big man around him, but his other numbers have remained at the same level they were as well. He is impressively holding his own even when he is being used out of position at power forward.

Besides the “big two” two other players have a huge role in the success of the team. Hedo Turkoglu is doing an unbelievable Toni Kukoc impersonation right now. He is pouring in 18 points whilst providing six rebounds and five assists. Compare his stats to those of Michael Jordan’s fave 6th man’s on the Bulls and you’ll see the connection. Turkey’s top player is providing quite a third scoring option with true triple-threat play.

Jameer Nelson might just be the most underrated guy of this bunch, though his contribution might just be the most important. He brings energy, speed and hustle, but all in a controlled form. It looks as if he is ready to take the next step to becoming a great point man in the league. He’s averaging over 13 points and six assists per game, something that shows you he has finally grasped the NBA game. I have been a Nelson fan since his St. Joseph’s days in the NCAA, and I must admit, that I could see just how baffled Nelson was with the speed of the NBA game in his first three seasons. This year, it seems as if the game has slowed down for him. He is starting to connect on some amazing plays and he oversees the court at all times.

Add a supporting crew of Carlos Arroyo, Keith Bogans, Keyon Dooling and Adonal Foyle and you might just have the group that will pose the biggest challenge to Boston. Any way you look at it, at this very moment the Magic are sharing the top spot of the NBA’s world. How much sweeter can it get?