Locked On Magic: The state of the Sunshine State with Locked On Heat
The Orlando Magic and Miami Heat have both been consistently relevant throughout their nearly 30 years in the league. This year though is different for both
The NBA season is quickly approaching. In just two weeks — JUST TWO WEEKS — training camps will open and the NBA season will officially begin.
There are a lot of questions to answer in that training camp when it comes to the Orlando Magic. Questions we have gone over ad nauseum.
But, as has also been discussed throughout the offseason, the Eastern Conference both got better and more competitive and also much more mysterious. No one is quite sure who will emerge out of the Eastern Conference and each team has its own questions to answer entering the season.
That means this could be a rare season in the 27-year history of the Orlando Magic.
The Miami Heat and Orlando Magic entered in the same wave of expansion in the late 1980s. Since the 1990 season, when the Magic entered the league, at least one of the two Florida teams have made the Playoffs every year except four.
That is to say, being a NBA fan in the Sunshine State has been very good.
This year though presents a potential break in that dominance among the two teams in Florida. Both the Magic and the Heat face some major change and some major questions.
Dwyane Wade left the Heat after more than a decade with the same team, leaving behind a young roster with a player whose status remains questionable. The Magic obviously have some major roster questions as they overhauled much of the roster, injecting some veteran presence and trying to force an identity through player acquisitions like Serge Ibaka and Bismack Biyombo.
Both teams are in interesting and precarious spots entering the season.
They are actually not that dissimilar. Today on Locked On Magic, I discussed the Magic and the Heat’s season and where these two teams stand entering the season with Locked on Heat’s Wes Goldberg and David Ramil:
Among the topics we discussed on the podcast is how the Heat replace Dwyane Wade, what Chris Bosh’s return could mean and who might win a hypothetical seven-game series between the two teams.
What is clear when examining these two teams, they will both have to fight for a Playoff bid. And they have some serious questions to answer about fit too.
Both teams figure to be searching for some offense this year and trying to rely on youth, transition and defense to win games. Whether they are relying on rim-protecting bigs — like Hassan Whiteside or Serge Ibaka — or athletic, raw defensive wings — like Justise Winslow or Aaron Gordon. The Heat have a former All Star in Chris Bosh. But his health is still a major question mark, although the outlook is looking good.
The fight to make the Playoffs will consume both of these franchises this year in the packed Eastern Conference. It could add another line to a rivalry Magic fans, at least, want to happen. It should make for more evenly matched games in the series.
The Magic and Heat have something of a rivalry — certainly Magic fans begrudge those three championships — that is more about geography than competitiveness of late. The two teams have rarely been contenders at the same time and have just one Playoff battle to their name.
For the young Magic team of the past four years, beating the Miami Heat has been a major accomplishment. It was certainly symbolic of climbing over a mountain — especially considering they have only done it twice since Dwight Howard left.
The Magic and Heat are very similar and should be competing for the same precious spots in the Playoffs.
Be sure to check out Locked On Heat over on iTunes and AudioBoom. You can follow Locked on Heat on Twitter @lockedonheat and follow Wes Goldberg @wcgoldberg and David Ramil @dramil13.
Next: 2017 Orlando Magic Player Outlook: Aaron Gordon
Be sure to follow Locked On Magic on iTunes, AudioBoom and Stitcher. There are a lot of fantastic guests and conversations lined up this week as we make the turn toward training camp!