Little-knowns bring Magic big respect

Orlando, not expected to do much this season, exceeded predictions.

By DARRELL FRY

© St. Petersburg Times, published April 19, 2000

ORLANDO -- It started out being about wins and losses but ended up being a matter of respect and validation. The Magic wanted to prove itself this season, and in the process, it proved the experts wrong.

The experts said Orlando, embarking on the most extensive rebuilding plan in franchise history, wouldn't get anywhere with its roster of little-known players, yet it almost made the playoffs. They predicted the Magic wouldn't win 20 games, yet Orlando could slightly more than double that with a victory over Toronto in tonight's regular-season finale. First-year coach Doc Rivers and his bunch ultimately might end the season with a losing record, but in their minds, they've won loads of things besides basketball games.

"They are an amazing group. They made a year of it; they made a season of it," Rivers said of his team. "I think that every single player on this team has validated that they belong in this league -not only belong, but that they are real players in this league, too."

What the Magic accomplished is so impressive that Rivers is considered a strong candidate for Coach of the Year. The award likely will come down to Rivers and Phil Jackson, whose Los Angeles Lakers have the league's best record.

Though Jackson made a strong contender even stronger, Rivers inspired a band of mostly castoffs to play at a surprisingly high level. Star players Penny Hardaway, Nick Anderson, Horace Grant and Ike Austin were shipped off during the off-season. Others, such as Tariq Abdul-Wahad, Terry Davis and Chris Gatling, were brought in but later sent packing as Orlando continued to wheel and deal to find the right chemistry.

Despite the turmoil, the Magic has won 40 games by leaning on players such as starting center John Amaechi, who played in Europe; journeyman forward Monty Williams and point guard Chucky Atkins, an ex-South Florida star who toiled in Croatia before catching on with Orlando this season.

With hustle, tenacity and a dab of talent, the Magic slayed some of the league's best clubs, including San Antonio, Miami, Indiana, Utah and New York. What Orlando lacked in talent, it covered up with Rivers' fastbreak style of play that made it one of the seven highest-scoring teams in the league, averaging a little more than 100 points a game. Last season, with Hardaway, Anderson, Grant and Austin, the Magic struggled to average 89.5, the eighth-lowest in the league.

Every game this season, though, has been a tussle. With no marquee names until Ron Mercer arrived in a Feb. 1 trade, Orlando rarely got the borderline calls that usually go to the league's most recognizable players. Rivers and the players complained but soon accepted their plight and played harder.

"This whole season, nobody gave us nothing," guard Darrell Armstrong said. "Nobody respected us. We had to go out there and gain respect."

More respect may be on the way. In the June 28 draft, Orlando has three lottery picks: its pick and the first-round picks of Golden State and Denver. That means Orlando has a chance to land someone such as Cincinnati's Kenyon Martin, Iowa State's Marcus Fizer or Indiana's A.J. Guyton. Plus, in the 2001 draft, the Magic potentially has two first-round picks: its pick and Phoenix's.

If that's not enough, Orlando figures to be a major player in the free-agent market this summer, along with Chicago. Because the Magic dumped high-salaried players such as Hardaway, Anderson, Austin and Grant, it is believed to have as much as $18-million in salary-cap room, enough to possibly lure potential free agents Tim Duncan or Grant Hill -- or both. Toronto star Tracy McGrady, who grew up near Orlando in Auburndale, is also a possibility.

It's widely known that Rivers is good friends with Duncan, who hasn't said whether he wants to remain in San Antonio even though the Spurs are the defending league champions. Hill is undecided about remaining in Detroit, where the Pistons have yet to get far in the post-season.

Regardless, Orlando figures to be vastly improved next season under Rivers, which is significant considering other teams are beginning to give the Magic the respect it has always felt it deserved.

Said Milwaukee guard Sam Cassell after the Bucks eliminated the Magic from playoff contention Monday: "They're a (heck) of a team."

© St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved.