When the original Dream Team tore through the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain, it was like the Beatles reunited.  With the likes of Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, David Robinson, Karl Malone, John Stockton, and Clyde Drexler suiting up, the team touted so much star power that opposing teams didn’t mind getting drubbed by over forty points a game.  Although a gold medal for Team USA was a forgone conclusion before the games even began, the team was still a joy to watch.  It was arguably the greatest sports team ever assembled. 

It became clear to marketing wizard David Stern that the NBA could significantly expand its fan base, and revenue, by actively promoting itself overseas.  As fans worldwide became more enamored with the game, the NBA soon found out that young Americans were not the only ones who wanted to ‘be like Mike.'

At that point, international competition paled in comparison to the American version.  In the 1980s and early 1990s, foreign players in the NBA were few and far between.  There was Detlef Schrempf, Drazen Petrovic, Rik Smits, Sarunas Marciulionus and of course, Hakeem Olajuwon.  While these players were all talented, Hakeem was the only foreign player to have a significant impact on the league, having won two NBA titles with the Houston Rockets in the mid-1990s.

Fast forward to the present-day NBA and find a dramatically different league overrun with international talent.  Three of the last four MVP award-winners were foreign-born (Nash in 2004-5; 2005-6 and Nowitzki 2006-7).  Tim Duncan, born in the U.S. Virgin Islands, has four NBA titles.  Manu Ginobili (Argentina) and Tony Parker (France) were alongside for three of them.  Andrew Bogut (Australia), Andrea Bargnani (Italy), Michael Olowokandi (Nigeria) and Yao Ming (China) were all number one draft picks.

In the past, there were few, if any, Latin players.  And zero Asian players.  Now the league features possibly the most recognizable athlete in the world in Yao Ming.  International competition has proven it is currently on par with the Americans.  The game has truly become global.

To date, the league has benefited from the influx.  Until now.

The NBA has recently seen one of its players leave overseas.  Former Atlanta Hawk Josh Childress recently made news when he announced he was signing with the Greek professional team, Olympiakos, for three years and twenty million dollars.  While Childress is far from a big name and has largely failed to live up to his potential, other athletes of note have also opted for international waters.  University of Arizona recruit Brandon Jennings decided to join the Italian professional league instead of going to college.  And during the recent Beijing Olympics, both LeBron James and Kobe Bryant have hinted that they would at least entertain the idea of playing overseas if the offer was on the table.  There was talk of international teams dangling as much as $50 million to top tier athletes to woo them overseas.  

The NBA has a rich tradition and is currently in great shape.  Despite still struggling with image issues, this year’s Lakers-Celtics Finals garnered the highest ratings in recent memory.  The league’s talent and star power are arguably at an all-time high.  The NBA still features the greatest basketball players in the world.  That being said, could the league survive an exodus of one of its biggest names?

This is not the first time the NBA faced competition from a rival league.  In the 1970s, the ABA gave the NBA a run for its money.  The ABA was able to pay more for college athletes and landed such big names as Rick Barry, Louie Dampier, George Gervin, Connie Hawkins, Spencer Haywood and of course, Julius Erving.  Since the ABA was able to throw more money at young college stars, the NBA had difficulty competing for the nation’s best college athletes, often losing out.  Many considered the ABA’s talent  on a par with, if not better than, the NBA.  Ultimately, the NBA won over and forced the ABA to merge.  Yet, the ABA offered players something the NBA could not.  International leagues may be poised to do the same.

The NBA’s salary cap, which is adjusted every year, does not allow for a team to sign one player anything close to what certain international leagues are rumored to be offering.  The entire team salary cap for the 2008-9 season will be $58.68 million, nowhere close to the purported $50 mil Olympiakos wants to offer King James.  And while most star athletes make up for their (lack of) league salary through endorsements, what’s to say those same deals would not exist abroad.  After all, McDonalds, Coca-Cola and Nike all do fairly well overseas.

While players like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James might yearn to be considered the best to ever play the game, accomplishing that feat now means having to win six NBA titles a la Michael Jordan.  Accomplishing that with the parity in the league these days is a near impossibility.  Most scoring titles are out of reach as well.  Kareem Adbul Jabbar is the league’s leading scorer after playing for twenty seasons.  He also holds six MVP trophies.  Both those records are likely unattainable considering LeBron hasn’t won one yet and Kobe just won his first.

So what is a player’s incentive to remain in the NBA?  The league’s rich tradition?  The hopeless quest to chase the legacy of Michael Jordan?  Dealing with a commissioner who won't allow them to wear a hat backwards or play basketball until completing two years of college?  Kobe and LeBron owe the league nothing.  If anything, the league owes them for its success.  Remember, even Michael took two years off from the league to pursue other endeavors.  Television ratings dropped as a result.

The league potentially has a serious problem on its hands.  Forget Brett Favre leaving the Packers.  If Kobe Bryant were to leave the NBA, that would be the sports story of the decade.  We’re not talking about a veteran player opting to finish his career elsewhere.  We’re talking about one of the greatest talents the game has ever seen thumbing his nose at the league in his prime.  It would serve as a harsh reminder to most ethnocentric Americans that our brand is not the best, or at least we can’t afford it.

David Stern will soon be faced with some difficult choices.  It is now Stern who will have to make adjustments, and the NCAA and/or multinational corporations may have to be involved.  Athletes are free to do as they please, unless they’re locked in to a contract, which LeBron won’t be in 2010.  This is a huge bargaining chip for the players’ union.  While the NBA has pushed for a franchise overseas, Stern may have to take a closer look at how the league now interacts with rival international leagues, possibly doing so on its own terms to ensure it does not cost them an exodus of talent.  Although the Association is currently thriving, it can likely not cope, if even survive, if Kobe and/or LeBron James leave the league.  Take a look at how PGA television ratings and attendance drop when Tiger Woods isn’t on tour.  While the NBA has more balanced star power and a more exciting product than the PGA, losing its biggest name(s) would undoubtedly have a devastating impact.

Of course, this could all just be talk.  Those offers might not be on the table.  Today’s player might have a change of heart and realize that the NBA is where they belong, for it made them into the stars they are today.  After all, there’s loyalty in business, right?  In the end, all it will take is one big signature on the dotted line to reverse all the good that Stern’s international impetus has brought to the NBA.

It happens every year.  I felt its onset again this week.  Its advance is inevitable.  I’m speaking, of course, of my post-NBA season depression.  Perhaps I should consult Brooke Shields on how to cope.

Yes, I know we’re smack dab in the middle of the NBA playoffs.  The action is (finally) starting to get good, and I should just enjoy it while it lasts.  But I still feel it coming on.  Nothing on television to watch until football season.  Ugh!!!  That’s right, I said it.  Baseball’s unwatchable.

Now, back to the NBA.  I was just one among many who was eagerly awaiting this year’s post-season.  With the parity and talent in the league and the intense competition, particularly in the West, these playoffs promised to be among the best ever.

So far it has failed to live up to the expectations.  Teams once thought to be on a par with one another have distanced themselves from the pack, often in impressive fashion, sometimes inconsistently.  While the Lakers look like the team to beat, the Celtics have yet to win on the road, dropping three in Atlanta and one in Cleveland… by 24!!!

Very few games have been memorable, if even competitive.  The majority have been blowouts (65% of the games so far have been decided by ten points or more!!!).  After the double overtime Game One of the Phoenix-San Antonio series, I thought for certain we were in for one heck of a ride.  As is turns out, that has been the only overtime game so far (until today... finally).  Game Three of the Spurs-Hornets was an instant classic with Parker battling against Paul.  Other than that, the playoffs have been relatively lackluster, particularly after the hype and anticipation surrounding them.

Let’s recap the inactivity to date, shall we?  In the first round, the Lakers seamlessly dispatched Denver, a talented, yet defenseless team in four straight games.  Few of those games were competitive, if even worth watching.  The smallest margin of victory was by six points in the final Game Four.  The Lakers won every other game by fourteen or more.

New Orleans dismissed Dallas, leading to the immediate firing of their head coach.  Three of their four wins came by double digits.  While Houston made every effort to give Utah a series, most fans knew that without Yao Ming, the Rockets would have a tough time advancing.  Once again, Tracy McGrady finds himself watching the playoffs from home in mid-May.  And a Suns-Spurs series that so many fans looked forward to saw the Suns set in five.   Their coach now works in Madison Square Garden.

In the East, Orlando handled Toronto who made Dwight Howard look like Wilt Chamberlain.  While the Wizards and 76ers both took their opponents to six games, the series favorites were never in serious jeopardy of being upset.  Same with Boston.  Although Atlanta took advantage of Boston’s inability to win on the road and took the Celtics to seven games (the only Game 7 we’ve had so far), Boston won that yawner by 34 points.

Similarly, the second round has been anti-climactic.  Only three games in this second round have been decided by single digits.  While Utah has played well at home, are Lakers fans really concerned about dropping this series?  Detroit has again created mismatches against the Magic and beat them without employing the services of their starting point guard.  The Celtics have more talent than Cleveland and have made LeBron look human… in Boston.  The only real watchable series is San Antonio-New Orleans and even those first three games have all been decided by ten or more points.  In fact, 37 of the 57 games played to date have been decided by double digits.  So much for TNT knowing drama!

Don’t get me wrong, I’ll be watching regardless.  I got a basketball jones and I have to feed the mo nkey.  But I would like to see some more competitive basketball  (Note: As I write this, the Lakers have made a ten-point, fourth quarter lead disappear in the final minutes… finally!)  Maybe they’re weeding out the pretenders and saving the best for last.  Celtics-Lakers?  Could be.  As long as the Celtics don’t lost a game at home, they’ll be hoisting the O’Brien trophy.  Even that doesn’t quite seem as predetermined as it was a few months ago.

Regardless, I sure could use a few more Game Sevens thrown in there to postpone the summertime and get my heart racing a little bit.  I guess I shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth.  Even though the games have been anti-climactic, it’s still better than the alternative.

The following article will be published in the May issue of Campus Talk, a magazine local to Tampa, Orlando, Gainesville and Tallahassee.  If you're a local, pick one up and increase their circulation.  They also have lots of pictures of pretty girls for extra motivation.  Please excuse the brevity, fellow basketball joneses... had to keep it to 750 words or less.

Lakers.  Celtics.  These franchises dominated the NBA in 1980s.  This year’s Finals might see the return of that storied rivalry.

If you like drama, this post-season will not disappoint.  Celtics-Pistons.  LeBron James.  Shaq versus Kobe.  The emergence of Chris Paul.  The rock steady San Antonio Spurs.  The fact the league features no clear cut champion or MVP illustrates how competitive the game has become. Furthermore, a flurry of unprecedented roster reshuffling should make this post-season the most thrilling in recent history.

While Boston has ruled the East, Western teams have jockeyed for playoff position in a league now characterized by its parity.  Whoever hoists the O’Brien Trophy at season’s end is anyone’s guess.

Boston Celtics:  The off-season addition of Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett instantly propelled Boston into title contenders.  Boston should boast home court advantage throughout the playoffs and although the Fleet Center doesn’t have the mystique of the old Boston Garden, beating the Celtics four times in seven games will prove difficult in any venue.

Detroit Pistons: Detroit has been a pillar of consistency, returning Billups, Hamilton, Prince and Wallace.  If any team threatens Boston in the East, it will likely be Detroit, who have a chip on their shoulder after losing to Cleveland last year.

Orlando Magic:  While many have already crowned Boston and Detroit, the three-headed frontcourt of Lewis, Howard and Turkoglu could present mismatches for other Eastern opponents.

Cleveland Cavaliers:  LeBron James single-handedly deflated Detroit last year in a playoff performance for the ages.  The Cavs added Ben Wallace, Joe Smith and Wally Szczerbiak to give him some support.

Atlanta, Washington, Toronto, and Philadelphia round out the remaining Eastern conference playoff teams, but should not pose much of a threat.  The Western Conference, however, is rife with teams that can ALL be the last team standing.

New Orleans Hornets:  Having played most of last season in Oklahoma City due to Hurricane Katrina, few expected greatness from the Hornets, however, MVP candidate Chris Paul has been nothing less than sensational.  New Orleans has flirted with the West’s best record all season.

Los Angeles Lakers:  L.A. pulled off a coup, obtaining Pau Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies.  Andrew Bynum’s return to the lineup, along with Gasol, Lamar Odom and Kobe Bryant pose one of the most formidable rosters in the league.

Phoenix Suns:  The Gasol acquisition sent a shockwave through the NBA as teams league-wide made moves to compete.  Enter the Big Aristotle.  GM Steve Kerr brought Shaquille O’Neal to Phoenix to add some size to their lineup.  At 36, Shaq is no longer the player he once was, but his presence frees up Amare Stoudamire to wreak havoc in the lane.  An eventual match-up pitting O’Neal and former teammate Kobe Bryant is enough to make even the fringe fan salivate.

San Antonio Spurs:  Winners of three of the last five championships, the San Antonio Spurs quietly prod along with their unassuming and disciplined play.  Foreign born Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili continue to prove that basketball is more than ever a global game.

Utah Jazz:  Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer led Utah to the Western Conference Finals last year.  There’s no reason to think they can’t repeat that same success.  Although it would be ironic for Jerry Sloan to finally win a title with this team when he couldn’t with Stockton and Malone.

Dallas Mavericks:  The runners-up two years ago have had a spell of bad luck.  They were defeated by 8th seed Golden State last year and Dirk Nowitzki is sidelined with a ankle and knee sprain.  Although Mavs owner Mark Cuban added Jason Kidd, only time will tell whether that duo can lead Dallas to their first title.

Denver Nuggets:  Despite being the worst defensive team in the league, nobody wants to face Allen Iverson, Kenyon Martin, Carmelo Anthony and Marcus Camby.  If coach George Karl can reign in this talent, Denver could do some damage.

Houston Rockets:  The Rockets were dealt a blow when they lost Yao Ming for the season, however, in his absence, they still won 22 consecutive games.  Role players like Shane Battier, Luis Scola and Rafer Alston have assisted Tracy McGrady in the recent Rocket success, but Houston will be hard-pressed to compete for a title without their big man.

May and June promise to showcase the most competitive basketball in recent memory.  And although the NFL still rules the nation, the NBA’s post-season will unquestionably feature some spectacular moments to add to the league’s rich history.

Prior to Sunday’s Spurs-Rockets game, I was listening to a  pre-game radio interview with Shane Battier.  In the interview, Battier was asked how the team was responding to the loss of Yao Ming, who only weeks ago went down for the season with a foot injury.  Battier began his response with “Well, when you lose your best player….”

This is now the second time recently that I’ve heard Ming referred to as the Rockets’ ‘best player.’  The other person who mentioned this was a sportscaster who I unfortunately don’t recall.

Now I have no problem with a member of the Rockets openly saying such a thing to support a fallen teammate and provide him with some encouragement.  But does anyone actually think that Ming is Houston’s best player??  Have these people never heard of Tracy McGrady?  Sure, Yao leads the team in scoring, barely.  He also leads the team in rebounds and blocks.  That’s his job.  He’s their center.  But is he better  than T-Mac?

In a game of one-on-one between Yao and T-Mac, who do you think would win?  Don’t you think Tracy would just destroy Yao, even though Yao would have a clear size advantage?  If you were a general manager and you had to pick one of those two players to field a team, wouldn’t you select McGrady over Ming?  McGrady is one of the most versatile players the game has ever seen.  He’s often a triple-double waiting to happen.  He can score at will.  And when the Rockets ran off that 22-game winning streak, most of those won without Yao in the line-up, McGrady’s name was frequently mentioned in the MVP conversation.  Could Yao Ming ever win the league MVP?

The careers of both Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady have unfortunately been riddled with injuries.  Fans of the game have yet had the fortune of seeing what these two can do in a full season, and post-season, when healthy.  One thing is for certain, however.  Without Yao in the line-up this post-season, the Rockets will still be somewhat competitive.  But with Yao and without McGrady, I don’t think anyone would expect this team to go very far.

Back in the day, when I used to reside in the City of the Rat, I had a friend that ran a local radio station.  Let’s call him Brotha E.  Now as a result of his high-standing in the community, and the fact that his radio station aired Orlando Magic games, Brotha E would often score free tickets into the pre-Dwight Howard O-Rena.  These were the T-Mac days, always entertaining since you never knew when Kid Auburndale was going to go off for 40.  Plus it was always enjoyable to see if Grant Hill’s ankle boot and crutches matched his $3,000 Armani suit.

As we were generally granted media passes along with our tickets, Brotha E, the Don Calvino and I would strut in through the back hallways of the arena and walk around like we owned the place, sneaking from bar to bar to ensure we were properly liquid-aided throughout the evening’s festivities.  The Magic were competitive back then, but as we now know since T-Mac has still never led his team out of the first round of the playoffs, how competitive could they be.

We must have gone to about twenty home games that year, watching most of them in the lower bowl and wagering with other Magic fans as Bo Outlaw (career 52% free throw shooter) would ceremoniously brick both attempts from the stripe.

Well, one night late in the season, the Magic were looking to make a playoff push and needed a veteran presence on the perimeter, so they decided to sign Dee Brown to a 10-day contract.  This was obviously before his San Antonio Silver Stars and ESPN analyst days.  That night, Dee came off the bench and gave the Magic the boost they needed to win the game, hitting some late, clutch three-pointers.

All of Orlando was in good spirits, as were the Treacherous Three as we were eight whiskeys in, but who’s counting.  Since we still had our media passes, we decided to check out the post-game press conference.  Doc Rivers was still coaching the Magic at the time.

Considering the Magic had just won the ballgame, the press room was surprisingly morose.  Rivers, giddy from the victory, sat in front of the cameras and reporters waiting for someone to ask a relevant question, yet the press failed to oblige.  The press room was morgue-like as if the Magic had just been defeated. That was until Brotha E, standing at the back of the room, Jack and Coke in hand and press pass dangling unevenly around his neck, shouted out “Coach!  Dee Brown!  Quality minutes!” 

A smile instantly came to Doc’s face as if this was exactly the question he’d been anticipating.  He proceeded to spend the next ten minutes elaborating on what an acquisition Dee had been, what big shots he hit and how he was just what they needed.  After all, Dee did help win the game.  Perhaps the press hadn’t been paying attention.  The Don, already nervous about sneaking into the press conference, looked on in amazement as Brotha E, as if sprinkling fairy dust with a single statement, had brought the Magic coach to life.  Brotha E has that effect on people.  It was much like those Coors Light commercials where the guys standing in the back of the room ask coaches questions that they give canned answers to.  If only we had thought of that first.  Oh wait, we did.

With another NBA draft comes another useless and ill-advised prognostication.  I often wonder why the media feels the need to crown the next big player as the savior for the franchise that drafts him.  

 In recent interviews after this week’s NBA Draft selection, both Jay Bilas and Bob Ryan were quoted as saying that Greg Oden would undoubtedly bring a title to Portland (assuming they draft him) within the next three to five years.  While I’m sure Trailblazer fans are ecstatic about the thought of returning to their glory years of Bill Walton and Dr. Jack Ramsey, unfortunately for them, a number one draft pick rarely guarantees a world championship.

A review of the top picks over the last twenty years supports this claim.  Only once since 1985 has a player chosen number one been the key factor in bringing a championship to the team that drafted him:

1985: Patrick Ewing, Georgetown, Drafted by New York.  While Patrick had a Hall of Fame career, he fell short of bringing the Knicks a title, thanks mostly to Michael Jordan.  Patrick only took his team to an NBA Finals once, losing to Houston in the 1993-94 season.

1986: Brad Daugherty, North Carolina, Drafted by Cleveland.  Brad failed to win a title with the Cavaliers, again thanks to Michael Jordan’s reign in the league.  An injury plagued career, Daugherty can now be seen on ESPN as a NASCAR analyst.

1987: David Robinson, Navy, Drafted by San Antonio.  Although the Admiral won a title, it wasn’t until the Spurs drafted Tim Duncan ten years later that they were able to get over the hump.  Robinson was consistently unable to get them there on his own.

1988:  Danny Manning, Kansas, Drafted by Los Angeles Clippers.  By the time the Clippers made a decent run at the playoffs, Manning was out of the league.

1989: Pervis Ellison, Louisville, Sacramento Kings.  Never played in an NBA Finals.

1990: Derrick Coleman, Syracuse, New Jersey Nets.  Never carried his team to a title.

1991: Larry Johnson, UNLV, Drafted by Charlotte.  Never won a title.

1992: Shaquille O’Neal, LSU, Drafted by Orlando.  Shaq’s legacy on the game is undeniable.  He won three championships with the Lakers and one with Miami, but none with the team that actually drafted him, taking the Magic to the Finals and losing to Houston in 1994-95.

1993: Chris Webber, Michigan, Drafted by Orlando.  Orlando traded the rights to Webber for Anfernee Hardaway.  Webber is only now getting to the Finals with Detroit at the end of his career and is hardly their go-to-guy.

1994: Glenn Robinson, Purdue, Drafted by Milwaukee.  The Big Dog finally won a ring as a role player with the Spurs in 2005 and was hardly a factor in the series.

1995: Joe Smith, Maryland, Drafted by Golden State.  Joe Smith is more famous for illegally signing with Minnesota than any magical playoff runs.

1996: Allen Iverson, Georgetown, Drafted by Philadelphia.  The Answer was able to carry the 76ers to the NBA Finals in 2001, only to lose to Kobe, Shaq and the Lakers.

1997: Tim Duncan, Wake Forest, Drafted by San Antonio.  Big Fundamentals is the exception to the rule, the one shining star of the last twenty years who has delivered several championships to the Spurs.  Duncan may go down as the best power forward to ever play the game.  Duncan also played a full four years of college basketball before declaring for the draft.

1998: Michael Olowakandi, Pacific, Drafted by the Clippers.  Think Los Angeles wants this pick back?  The Kandiman has averaged 8 points and 6 rebounds over his career and was selected over Mike Bibby, Antawn Jamison, Vince Carter, Larry Hughes, Paul Pierce and this year’s MVP, Dirk Nowitzki.

1999: Elton Brand, Duke, Drafted by Chicago.  No longer playing for the Bulls, Brand has been a consistent threat in the post, but as of yet, has not sniffed the Finals.

2000: Kenyon Martin, Cincinnati, Drafted by New Jersey.  Marred by an injury-plagued career, K-Mart did help the Nets make it to the Finals, but it was more Jason Kidd’s team than his.

2001: Kwame Brown, Glynn Academy, Drafted by Washington.  Not one of his finer scouting moments, Michael Jordan was able to lure Kwame away from a verbal commitment at the University of Florida with the guarantee of a number one pick.  Kwame is still finding his place in the league.

2002:  Yao Ming, China, Drafted by Houston.  Although one of the most recognizable faces in the league, Yao has been unable to get out of the first round of the playoffs, and that’s with Tracy McGrady as his teammate.

2003: LeBron James, St Vincent, Drafted by Cleveland.  The Chosen One is one series away from the Finals, but it doesn’t look like it will happen this year.

2004: Dwight Howard, SW Atlanta Christian Academy, Drafted by Orlando.  Dwight had a breakout season, but the Magic are years away from any Finals appearances.

2005: Andrew Bogut, Utah, Drafted by Milwaukee.  Too early to tell, but it’s unlikely Andrew will be the driving factor in bringing a championship back to Milwaukee.

2006:  Andrea Bargnani, Italy, Drafted by Toronto.  The Raptors won their division this year and Bargnani played well, but if Nowitzki can’t win a championship, do we really expect Bargnani to?

As you can see, the number one pick in the draft does not necessarily translate into titles.  So, by that logic, isn’t it premature to guarantee that Greg Oden, who only played one year of college basketball at Ohio State, will bring Portland, who didn’t even make the playoffs this year, a championship??

Let’s quickly compare Oden’s college career numbers to Shaq’s and Duncan’s:

At Ohio State this year, Oden averaged 15.7 ppg, 9.6 rpg, 3.3 bpg and shot 61% from the floor.

For his career, Shaquille O’Neal averaged significantly better numbers:  21.6 ppg, 13.5 rpg, 4.5 bpg and also shot 61% from the floor.  In 1990-91, his sophomore year, Shaq averaged 27 and 15!!

Duncan averaged 16, 12 and 4 over his four-year stint at Wake Forest and his numbers increased every year, averaging 21 and 15 his senior season.

I’m not saying Greg Oden won’t be a talent in the league, and I wish him and the team that drafts him the best.  But to prematurely state that Oden will bring Portland a title is ill-informed and borderline ludicrous.

As I sit here watching the Orlando Magic lose to the Pistons, I’m reminded of a number of things.

I’m reminded of the fact that Detroit has now won seven consecutive playoff games against Orlando, dating back to when the Magic had a 3-1 first round lead when Tracy McGrady mistakenly uttered at a post-game press conference that the series was over.

Noone has been more wrong.

Sure, the Orlando Magic have the blocks to build upon with Jameer Nelson, Dwight Howard, Trevor Ariza and the like, but their future holds more questions than answers.  Will Milicic live up to his draft billing?  Is Brian Hill the coach capable of taking this team back to the Finals?  Will JJ Reddick pan out?  Is Hedo the player you want as your primary offensive threat?  Is Jameer Nelson a full-time point guard?  Can you get Grant Hill to stay and sign for the league minimum?  And what free agents are out there that will benefit the team in the short and long run?

After watching this series, one thing is certain.  No one in the league can single cover Dwight Howard.  His freakish size is matched only by his uncanny rebounding instincts. Orlando is desperately in need of a consistent perimeter threat to free things up for him inside.  Ray Allen would be an ideal fit if only the Magic could wrestle him away from struggling Seattle.

The future wasn’t always as unclear in Orlando.  Several off-seasons ago, when the franchise announced it was going after McGrady, Grant Hill and Tim Duncan, half of Orlando waited eagerly to gobble up season tickets.  Imagine the possibilities.  Unfortunately, Big Fundamentals decided to stay at the Alamo, Grant Hill went down to career-threatening injury and was never the same, and T-Mac flourished, only to eventually leave the tourism capital of the world behind, as others have before him (insert Shaq reference here).

Detroit was clearly the better team, as witnessed by their ability to exploit mismatches and withstand a12-0 run and relinquished lead at the end of Game Four.  The sweep should serve as an indication to Orlando management how far they still have to climb to be able to compete in the Eastern Division.