The Magic have moved up to second in defensive efficiency,you may have noticed.

That is to say, Orlando has given up thesecond-fewest points per possessions of any team in the NBA this season. Boston is tops, at102.3 points allowed per 100 possessions, but the Magic are a strong second at102.6 points allowed per 100 possessions.

The team is eighth in offense, if you were wondering. Whichis actually quite a bit better than the team's No. 11 ranking in 2008-09. Thatwas the season they went to the Finals, mind you.

So, through all the injuries, the supposed turmoil and theroster upheaval, here are your Magic - improved on offense, nearly as stoutdefensively. All the nonsense about the team needing this or falling hardwithout that,and they're about to enter the season's final month with just about everythingsussed out. Have you noticed?

The team is also on par for 58 wins, just one win off of last season's total, and quite the accomplishment for a squad flipped upside downduring the summer. That's some sustained success for a team doubted andwondered about by people who really didn't start paying attention to things allblue and Magic-y until the squad dumped Cleveland in the Eastern Conferencefinals last spring.

And, as it's always been when the team's medical checkupsrun smoothly, there's no reason to think this team still can't dumpCleveland. Or any squad, for that matter.

Orlando sits just .3 points behind the Cavaliers in <a href="http://www.dougstats.com/09-10Teams.html">point differential, a statthat has long been the marker in this league of the standout and stand-in. TheMagic are dumping teams by a differential that far tops the Lakers, the Celtics(Orlando's one true playoff worry, having taken them to seven games last seasonwithout Kevin Garnett(notes) on board), or any of the new-ish also-rans.

This is to say, as it's been since last summer, the Magicare stacked. And only the Magic can get in the way of the franchise's firstchampionship.

More specifically, it won't be the players you think.

It won't be Dwight Howard(notes) and his free throws. It certainlywon't be Dwight Howard and his iffy post moves. The Magic won't lose becauseDwight doesn't remind you of Kevin McHale down low or Jack Sikma from theline. The guy is averaging 18.6 points per game, and Orlando has built a squadaround him that makes it so Howard doesn't even have to touch the ball in thegame's waning moments. Or far from wanin', even.

Beyond Dwight? Yeah, you're wondering. Here's the truth:Orlando won't lose because Vincent Lamar Carter isn't the fit you think he is.

Hedo Turkoglu(notes) wasn't the fit you thought he was. He was anice all-around forward who did well in late-game situations and really came toprominence late last season once Orlando started making more nationallytelevised appearances and Rafer Alston(notes) kept proving himself absolutelyterrible in Jameer Nelson's(notes) absence. But overall he was downright Turkoglu-ish,and if you'll remember the Finals accurately, you'll hone in on a man whocouldn't get a shot off when it counted.

In his place is Carter, who has done just as well in theclutch over the last few years, a guy who scores more efficiently, who can reboundas much, who passes (yes) just as well and who is more susceptible to takingover games down the stretch than Hedo was and certainly more than Hedo currently is.

It's not the big names you have to worry about,spackling-dotted TV guys. It's the helpers.

The All-Star helpers. No obscure names here, but worrisomeobjects nonetheless.


Rashard Lewis(notes), and to a far greater extent, Jameer Nelson. They'rethe cats worth fretting over.

Lewis has been awful of late. And Nelson? DeronWilliams(notes)-sized talent with a level of inconsistency that makes me sometimeswonder if the Magic might get caught looking in the second round. Much less theFinals.

Lewis' shooting percentages have gone up after a 41 percentFebruary, but he's only at 11.6 points per game in the month of March and,regardless of that massive contract, he needs to be contributing more if theMagic are to pull ahead of the muck. He has to be that stretch 4-man that teamscan't counter. That longer Antawn Jamison(notes) who can get shots off from thecorner or elbow extended far, far quicker and more accurately than any stretch 4 you can name.

And, yeah, he has to live up to his massive contract. Notbecause we're tapping our foot and admonishing him from afar, but because theMagic have sent so many resources in his direction. They've paid him the moneyto be the guy that pushes this team over the edge. A shooter with range shouldn'tbe the guy pushing teams over the edge, but he at least has to come close tothat ideal.

Jameer Nelson? He is the guy that pushes teams over the edge,good edge or bad edge. He has to play the role of mini-Deron Williams, knockingdown shots from all over, putting defenses on their heels with his penetration,even if he stops short to nail 20-footer after 20-footer. He has to hit shots.He has to be a threat. He has to be the player who gave the Magic the NBA'sbest record over the first half of last season.

Nelson has to come through. Name Andrew Bynum(notes), nameShaquille O'Neal(notes) (or any Cavalier beyond LeBron James(notes), really), name RajonRondo(notes), name them all. Nelson's more important. If he plays at a high level, theMagic aren't to be beaten. Because you can trust that Howard will do his thingand Carter will contribute. Even on a 3-for-12 night from Rashard Lewis, if Jameer Nelsonis on, the Magic are going to beat you.

Because while the game still goes inside out, and finding agood center is still the hardest thing to do in this league, the point guardposition is as important as ever. And Nelson is this league's most pivotalX-factor, if you can handle the redundancy, and the Magic don't go over the topwithout him contributing steadily and efficiently.

They're the keys, and Nelson is the biggest question. Butbeyond that, you're still looking at a championship contender. Not some teamthat lucked into a fourth-round finish last year and not some squad going onlyas far as Dwight Howard takes them.

No, the Magic can win it all. They can down the Cavs, noworries, and force Derek Fisher(notes) into retirement if Nelson is on.

It has to be "on" for him, though. This team doesn't goanywhere without him.

Related: Derek Fisher, Shaquille O'Neal, Rajon Rondo, Andrew Bynum, Dwight Howard, Jameer Nelson, Deron Williams, LeBron James, Hedo Turkoglu, Rashard Lewis, Rafer Alston, Antawn Jamison, Kevin Garnett, Orlando Magic





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