THE BOOK an opposing team's scout sizes up the Magic

Ian Thomsen

October 30, 2000

"As long as Grant Hill's ankle is healthy, the Magic has two of the league's best players in him and Tracy McGrady. Orlando added a lot of skill to a team that was already playing with more energy than anyone else.... McGrady looks like he's on the verge of becoming a superstar. The thing about him and Grant is that they aren't selfish. Doc Rivers is really developing some chemistry there.... Mike Miller has a pro game right now. He can really shoot, and he can put it on the floor too—he has a nice in-between game.... Darrell Armstrong is the heart of the team. He might fire it up a little too often, but his enthusiasm and hard work are contagious. I can see him as the point guard of a championship team.... But that isn't going to happen this year. Orlando has absolutely no post-up game. The offense will have to come from transition and movement and screening, which means some nights the team's going to struggle. It's going to be tough for the Magic to win against a big physical team, especially in a long playoff series."