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It’s May and the Orlando Magic aren’t playing basketball right now.

Weird.

The last time the Magic weren’t playing basketball in May was in 2007 when they were swept by the Detroit Pistons in the first round, which was Brian Hill’s final year as the head coach. Once head coach Stan Van Gundy arrived, Orlando became accustomed to continuing their season beyond April to the months of May and June but not this time around.

Instead, the Magic are spectators and sitting at home after losing to the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the 2011 NBA Playoffs.

As such, it seems appropriate to look back at what happened in the postseason for Orlando and chime in on Dwight Howard‘s future with the franchise. So without further ado, welcome to Magic Basketball’s first in-house roundtable discussion.

Credit goes to Matt Scribbins for the questions.

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If ifs and buts were candy and Zaza head-butts, the Magic would still be in the playoffs. What is your #1 if?

Nate Drexler: It would have been nice to see a healthy Magic team in the playoffs. If Gilbert Arenas was at 100 percent for the second half of the season, for instance, things would have played out differently. I only say it because Hibachi is a tremendous player, and the reason so many people are frustrated with his huge contract and poor play is they know what a huge impact he can have on a team.  As for this season, he was dead wood. That is why my biggest “if” is having Gilbert mentally and physically peaked for the playoffs.

Danny Nowell: The biggest if, for me, is what if Hedo Turkoglu had been the same Hedo Turkoglu that propelled the 2009 run. I know, I know, it’s easy to make him a scapegoat—and it’s not like he’s getting younger, so maybe his decline is strictly about aging—but what else would the Magic have realistically been able to get that they needed? Jameer [Nelson] showed up in spurts, Dwight had an historically good series; I think the key could have been a big ball handler that was aggressive when he needed to be and a creator when he didn’t. Hedo’s play was almost the direct inverse of that.

Matt Scribbins: The Magic would still be in the playoffs if they had a legitimate option on offense besides Dwight Howard. With help from the Basketball Reference database, I learned only seven players since 1947 have made 20 or fewer shots while attempting 68+ in the playoffs. Hedo Turkoglu did just that this post-season and bricked his way into the record books.  Hedo, one of the worst shooters in NBA playoff history, actually out did himself and provided his worst playoff shooting performance ever.

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It’s hard out here for Orlando Magic fans.

The Magic lost in the first round of the 2011 NBA Playoffs to the Atlanta Hawks.

There’s so much uncertainty surrounding Dwight Howard‘s future.

And general manager Otis Smith‘s continued quest to to find the right combination of players to surround Howard in hopes of being an elite team and championship contender before it’s too late is a difficult one, given that he’s dealing with the nearly unmovable contracts of Gilbert Arenas and Hedo Turkoglu as well as a shallow talent pool.

To be honest, the Magic are reaching a crossroads as a franchise and there’s not a lot of positive things to talk about right now.

However, it never hurts to look back and appreciate the MVP-caliber season that Dwight Howard had for Orlando, especially in the playoffs where he elevated his level of play to transcendent heights.

Despite being undermined by the lack of consistent contributions from his supporting cast, Howard was a man amongst boys against the Hawks. That description couldn’t be more apt than in Game 1 when Howard had 46 points and 19 rebounds. Howard’s point total was a playoff career-high and it also tied the franchise playoff record for most points scored in a game — Tracy McGrady had 46 points against the Detroit Pistons in a game during the first round of the 2003 NBA Playoffs. The 31 points that Howard scored in the first half was a franchise playoff record for most points scored in a half. Needless to say, Howard had a record-setting night.

Even though the Magic lost Game 1 despite Howard’s herculean efforts, it’s worth taking a look back at his performance because it’s a perfect example of the evolution he’s undertaken on offense. Everyone and their mother talked about Howard working out with Hakeem Olajuwon during the offseason, and Game 1 was an example of that hard work paying off. Rather than track every single basket offensively for Howard, let’s take a look at his first half output.

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• Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel: “J-Rich scored just four and eight points in the first two games, and then was suspended for Game 4 and is averaging just 10.8 points per game in the playoffs. Most importantly, they need [Jason] Richardson to prevent Hawks all-star Joe Johnson from getting the shots he wants and dominating the perimeter. This is just as big a moment for Johnson. He took the money in a wild free-agent derby last summer — re-signing with Atlanta for $100 million — instead of perhaps finding a stronger contender. Now the eyes are on Johnson to justify his deal in either Game 6 or 7. Johnson fizzled in Game 5 in Orlando, held to five points after scoring 20 or more in three of the four previous games. The outcome tonight likely will rest on whomever dominates this match-up.”
• Head coach Stan Van Gundy jokes around about receiving the dreaded “vote of confidence.”
• Josh Smith reacts to an article in the Orlando Sentinel.
• Gilbert Arenas needs to continue his recent stretch of good play.
• Grant Hill talks about what went wrong with his ankle when he signed with the Orlando Magic as a free agent in 2000: “I don’t think anybody really knows I started to have ankle problems at the end of the 1999-2000 season, probably mid-March. I was still able to go out and play. I still played well, but I was getting a lot of treatment. It was certainly bothering me. As we got closer to the end of the season, my ankle was really getting worse. I was missing practice. To the point where we had a nationally televised game against Philadelphia and I just pulled myself. My ankle was just killing me. We get back, we get an MRI. They say it’s a bone bruise. It’s still bothering me. I pull myself in the third quarter. They put me on some heavy medication and we had a long break between Game 1 and Game 2. While I was on this medication I felt great. Obviously it was masking the pain. Went out and played in Game 2 and I felt a pop in the second quarter, continued on in the third quarter and couldn’t go on. When we got back, we found out it was broken.”
• Make sure to check out the remainder of Hill’s explanation. It’s revealing.
• Trey Kerby of The Basketball Jones chimes in on Hill’s story.
• Kelly Dwyer of Ball Don’t Lie: “Nearly every road game of Hill’s final season as a Detroit Piston saw countless writers ask Hill about his plans for the summer of 2000, when Hill himself didn’t know where he was eventually headed, and the whole experience took its toll on a middling Pistons team. So much so that Hill, ever the professional, likely ruined his career in order to avoid of-their-day charges that he was taking it easy in his potential final days as a Piston. Detroit was in the running for a playoff spot deep in the 1999-00 season when Hill came up lame with an ankle injury, and immediately the on-record catcalls wondered aloud as to the severity of the injury, and whether or not it was just the free agent to-be’s way of guarding himself as the big pay day approached in the summertime.”
• Matt Moore of CBSSports.com previews Game 6 between the Magic and Atlanta Hawks: “The Magic really showed they were a better team when the shots were falling in Game 5. That has to put the fear of God into Atlanta. If the Hawks don’t get a break and have the Magic miss a few early ones, Atlanta could come undone. This is a deciding game in this series, and not just because the Magic remain on the edge of elimination. A loss and the Hawks enter full-on meltdown mode. Just like that, a series that looked to be theirs can wind up firmly in Orlando’s grasp.”
• Had Hill been healthy with Orlando, history would have changed.
• What are the odds that Dwight Howard remains with the Magic beyond 2012? Moore thinks Howard should stay: “You want to be an all-time player? You want to win a championship? Be the building block of the franchise. Otis Smith has shown he’s willing to do what it takes to make it happen. Bail and you’re just another attention-seeking bandwagon jumper. It’s his right to leave. Doesn’t mean he should.”
• Do the Magic need to rebuild? Chris Broussard of ESPN Insider makes his case that they do.

Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images

BOX SCORE

In a crazy game full of momentum swings, the Orlando Magic were able to defeat the New York Knicks by the score of 116-110 to extend their winning streak to three games. The Magic were led by a balanced attack, as five players scored in double-figures. Dwight Howard continues his brilliant play, finishing with 30 points, 16 rebounds, and five blocks. The Knicks’ lack of size hurt them against the Magic, given that they had no one that could slow down Howard. Shelden Williams, Shawne Williams, Ronny Turiaf, and Amar’e Stoudemire each guarded Howard in different junctures of the game, and none of them were able to do anything against him. Jameer Nelson had one of his best games of the season, contributing with 26 points, four assists, and three rebounds. After a slow start in the first half, Nelson scored 23 of his 26 points in the third and fourth quarters. Chipping in off the bench were Quentin Richardson with 10 points, J.J. Redick with 12 points, and Ryan Anderson with 16 points. It’s worth noting that Gilbert Arenas did not play due to a sore left knee, while Hedo Turkoglu got ejected in the second quarter after arguing a call. As such, different players — like Chris Duhon — had to step up in their absences and they were able to do so. Yeah, this was a weird game to watch.

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Rashard Lewis, now a member of the Washington Wizards, didn’t play against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday due to a sore right knee. It’s a shame because, given that the Wizards have exhausted their two road games against the Magic this season, that means Lewis won’t be returning to the Amway Center as a visitor until next season. And that means Lewis will have to wait until he can receive a proper standing ovation from the fans in Orlando — something that he deserves more than any other Magic player in recent years because, it can be argued, that he is the reason they became an elite team and championship contender.

Contract notwithstanding, Lewis defined the Orlando teams of recent years because he was the player that was asked to spread the floor for Dwight Howard and be the primary scorer from the perimeter. As a stretch four, Lewis was a matchup problem for nearly every team in the NBA because not many power forwards are accustomed to defending someone that shoots proficiently from three-point range and makes their living far away from the basket. Lewis’ transition from small forward, when he was with the Seattle SuperSonics, to power forward was a seamless one and created a unique identity for the Magic.

Although Lewis struggled in the 2010 NBA Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics and his production offensively fell off a cliff this year, Lewis’ legacy — if that’s the proper word to use — will forever be etched in the 2009 Eastern Conference Finals and in the minds of Cleveland Cavaliers fans for eternity. That’s where Lewis embodied everything that general manager Otis Smith saw in him when he brought him in as a free agent during the offseason in 2008. Lewis was a nightmare for the Cavaliers in that series and the memories he had will live on. For Orlando, Game 1 was where it all started for Lewis. That’s Lewis’ legend in a nutshell.

Let’s go back in time.

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When the Orlando Magic defeated the Miami Heat on November 24 by the score of 104-95 in front of a nationally televised audience and sold-out crowd at the Amway Center, these were two teams heading in different directions.

The win sparked a six game-winning streak for the Magic, which eventually pulled their record to 15-4 before the wheels fell off the wagon and general manager Otis Smith was forced to make two blockbuster trades on December 18 that brought Gilbert Arenas, Jason Richardson, and Hedo Turkoglu to Orlando. The loss put the Heat at 8-7, everyone was questioning how long head coach Erik Spoelstra was going to last on the sidelines, but a funny thing happened. Miami persevered. The Heat would win 22 of their next 24 games and in that stretch, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh began to mesh together. Injuries incurred by James, Wade, and Bosh have slowed down Miami a little bit in recent weeks. However, right now, the Heat are 34-14 and operating near full-strength — only Udonis Haslem is missing in action due to injury.

As for the Magic? Problems abound.

At first, the trades injected new life into Orlando’s roster and they were able to real off nine consecutive wins, which tied a franchise-record. Unfortunately for the Magic, they’re beginning to lose their way again. Recent losses to the Detroit Pistons, Chicago Bulls, and Memphis Grizzlies have revealed fatal flaws that have head coach Stan Van Gundy declaring that Orlando is not ready to contend unless they commit themselves fully to the defensive end. It’s safe to say that the roles are reversed when the Magic and Heat do battle once again on Thursday.

This time, Orlando is the vulnerable team and Miami appears ready to take advantage. Perimeter defense, as well as an interior presence defensively when Dwight Howard is out of the game, are holes that the Heat are more than ready to exploit with a three-pronged attack of James, Wade, and Bosh. Must-win games mean nothing to Van Gundy — someone notorious for dismissing the notion by saying that unless it’s worth two wins, it has no greater ramification than any other game.

That being said, even if Van Gundy believes it or not, the Magic are dealing with a must-win situation against the Heat.

Why?

Because it’s becoming harder to label Orlando as an elite team and championship contender, given that they’re dealing with issues that can be easily exploited by the likes of Miami, the Boston Celtics, and others. Howard may be in line to win his third straight Defensive Player of the Year award, but his capabilities defensively have been stretched far too thin and the Magic are paying for it.

Also, the perimeter attack for Orlando has short-circuited lately, with Arenas, Nelson, Richardson, and Turkoglu unable to play with any sort of consistency on offense. Many of the issues for the Magic are fixable, but it’s no guarantee they’ll be fixed.

A win for Orlando could quiet the dissenters in the short-term, providing a ray of hope that they can right the ship in time for the 2011 NBA Playoffs. Or a loss to the Heat, especially if it’s a convincing one, will only further discourage the Magic as they trek towards the postseason.

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BOX SCORE

In a revealing game that may have put the nail on the coffin for a team considered by many as part of the elite in the NBA, the Chicago Bulls were able to defeat the Orlando Magic by the score of 99-90. The Bulls were led by a three-pronged attack, as Derrick Rose, Luol Deng, and Carlos Boozer took turns dominating the game and befuddling the Magic defense in the process. Rose was spectacular, finishing with 22 points, 12 assists, and six rebounds. It wasn’t the most efficient outing for Rose but he proved that he’s deserving of being the All-Star starting point guard for the Eastern Conference. Deng was a force, putting up 26 points, eight rebounds, and two steals — he gave Hedo Turkoglu fits defensively, too. Boozer contributed with 16 points, 16 rebounds, and four assists. As for Orlando, it was the Dwight Howard show. Howard played one of the best games in his illustrious career in the league, dominating to the tune of 40 points, 15 rebounds, four steals, and three blocks. Only in Game 6 of the 2009 NBA Eastern Conference Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers was Howard better. Howard was transcendent at the United Center, yet it didn’t matter because a lack of support from his teammates wasted his herculean performance. Cavaliers fans can relate to that last sentence, which is scary in the grand scheme of things when talks of Howard possibly leaving the Magic in 2012 grow louder by the day. Unfortunately for Orlando, their loss proved something that will — undoubtedly — discourage Magic fans.

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BOX SCORE

The Orlando Magic were able to defeat the Indiana Pacers by the score of 111-96, getting back in the win column after losing to the Detroit Pistons on Monday. The Magic were led by a balanced attack, as six players scored in double-figures. Dwight Howard led the way for Orlando with 19 points, 16 rebounds, three blocks, and two steals. Howard befuddled Roy Hibbert defensively, holding him to four points and two rebounds in roughly 15 minutes of action. With Howard able to shut down the Pacers’ lone threat in the low post, they had to rely on a perimeter attack that couldn’t muster enough offense to overcome Hibbert’s lack of production. Yes, Indiana was able to make a game of it at times throughout the evening, but the Magic’s firepower offensively was too overwhelming. In total, Orlando was able to make 16 three-pointers, two short of their season-high. Jason Richardson finished with 19 points and nine rebounds. Hedo Turkoglu had an efficient outing, putting up 18 points (on 7-of-10 shooting), seven rebounds, and four assists. Ryan Anderson contributed with 14 points. Jameer Nelson had 12 points, while J.J. Redick chipped in with 10 points. Lights out three-point shooting by Orlando was the difference in the game, when it all comes down to it.

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• Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel: “It would be tempting to attribute the Orlando Magic‘s 103-96 loss to the Detroit Pistons on Monday night to midseason doldrums. Even the best NBA teams suffer two or three embarrassing losses at home. It happens. But perhaps the loss revealed larger problems that must be addressed before the postseason arrives. What will happen if the defense doesn’t improve? Won’t Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and the Boston Celtics carve up the Magic more easily in the playoffs than Austin Daye, Tracy McGrady and Tayshaun Prince did on Monday? How about LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat? ‘Either we get it together or we’re just going to be a playoff team that doesn’t win a championship,’ Magic center Dwight Howard said. Howard made that statement after the Magic allowed Daye, McGrady and Prince to score 20 points apiece and Ben Gordon and Rodney Stuckey to score 16 points each. Obviously, the Magic’s perimeter defense suffered through an awful night.”
• Josh Denton of OrlandoMagic.com: “When the Magic made two blockbuster trades on Dec. 18 with Phoenix and Washington, they sacrificed some of their defense for more offensive firepower. Gone is 7-foot shot-blocker/rebounder Marcin Gortat, gritty wing defender Mickael Pietrus and underrated post defender Rashard Lewis. Hedo Turkoglu, Jason Richardson and Gilbert Arenas are a part of the Magic now, but all three have made their marks in the NBA with their offensive exploits. Still, [Stan] Van Gundy feels that the Magic can get back to being an elite defensive team. Since the trades on Dec. 18, Van Gundy said the Magic rank sixth in the NBA in points per possession, a statistic that he said truly explains a defense’s true worth. But, as he stressed, that’s clearly not good enough.”
• Which team in the NBA gets the most bang out of their buck? Hint: it’s not the Orlando Magic.
• What DOESN’T make an MVP? Zach Lowe of The Point Forward ponders that question.
• M. Haubs of The Painted Area: “I rank Howard far, far ahead of Stoudemire, as his presence as the game’s most dominant defensive player has been the most important factor in keeping the Magic strong no matter who his teammates are. And, of course, Howard is displaying an expanded offensive game, to boot. I thought Dwight was the MVP through November, and he’s still a very strong contender to ultimately get my mythical vote.”
• Trey Kerby of The Basketball Jones: “Dwight being vocal about the Magic falling short in the playoffs isn’t very encouraging for this season’s prospects, and it’s even less so for the coming season. Entering the postseason with a defeatist attitude isn’t going to help win any games and actually losing in the playoffs could make Dwight resigned to his fate with the Magic. And an unhappy Dwight is one that might leave eventually. It’s basically the worst possible scenario for all Magic fans, and hearing the first inklings of it coming from their star player is especially worrisome.”
• A scout chimes in on the new-look Magic since the blockbuster trades: “I think Gil could make a bigger impact in the playoffs, but he has to learn how to be more aggressive learning the offense and trying to fit in as opposed to what it looks like to me, which is an NBA Finals contender trying to figure out how to fit Gil in. I haven’t seen it yet”
• Henry Abbott of TrueHoop wonders who’s the title favorite in the NBA right now.
• John Hollinger of ESPN Insider: “Regardless, Orlando’s play post-trade can no longer be ignored. The Magic are a small-market team and the narrative behind the improvement hasn’t been sound-bite friendly, plus 13-3 doesn’t sound quite as impressive as ripping off a double-digit winning streak. But they’re playing better than any team in the Association, and it’s not clear to me why one would expect them to stop any time soon. At the very least, that should be enough to get the presumed duopoly atop the East reclassified as a triumvirate.”
• Dwight Howard talks about last night’s loss against the Detroit Pistons: “Either we get it together and learn from games like this or we´re just going to be a playoff team that doesn´t win a championship. I have faith in this team and know what we can do when we are locked in and focused, but we can´t be flipping the switch on and off from game to game. Championship teams bring it every night and we have to get to that point where we play hard no matter the score or the opponent.”