Team to Beat

With all the talk about Kobe repeating as champ, Lebron possibly leaving Cleveland, and Steve Nash's busted eye, the Orlando Magic have somehow quietly been the NBA's best storyline.

Through two playoff series the Magic are undefeated and unscathed. Their performances have been dominant and purposeful. More so then any other team, the Magic look determined to make it back to the Finals and earn the championship they missed out on last year.

It is easy for any team up 3-0 to coast through Game 4, knowing they have 3 more chances to put away their opponent. The Magic have never let up, making the games boring and uneventful through sheer dominance. Sure, the Bobcats are an inexperienced team that just looked happy to be in the playoffs. Of course the Hawks were a 50 win fraud. Even so, the Magic have sent a message to Boston/Cleveland that they will simply be the next corpse in the Eastern Conference graveyard.

Through 8 games the Magic are 8-0 and have a 17.7 average margin of victory. Criticize the opponents if you wish but Orlando has simply beat, and dominated, the teams put before them. They have a great blend of experience and hunger that will go a long way in delivering a championship.

Honestly, the NBA Playoffs have been a bore so far. The only drama we've seen is a 7 game series between Milwaukee and Atlanta...yawn. Double that with the fact that David Stern decided to expand the playoff schedule this year, and you get a watered down uneventful slate of games that seem to take weeks to finish a series.

If Lebron makes it through Boston then a rematch in the Eastern Conference Finals could provide some drama. After that, a potential Orlando-LA Finals rematch would be enticing. There are still a few opportunities for the NBA to salvage a month of boring games. In the end, however, the Orlando Magic won't boost the ratings---not until the Finals at least. Howard down low with Carter, Lewis, and Nelson outside is the formula for great basketball but uneventful basketball.

There is nothing pretty about the Magic. Fans love watching a Kobe/Lebron/Durant much more then a dominant big man like Dwight Howard. Stan Van Gundy is erratic and unpredictable. He's not as clean cut as a Phil Jackson. The Magic don't have the storied history of the Lakers or Celtics. They do, however, have the best team in the NBA.