Vince Carter’s Disappointing Season

I can see that Mike. Especially on a night like tonight if Mayo is on him.

I've been saying this to any one that cares to listen, if the Magic wan't to extract the most out of Carter, they've got to post him up. VC really is a forward more than a guard, not that he cant handle the ball. Most of his patented moves are from posting up on the wings. For whatever reason, the Magic CONSTANTLY give VC the ball at the top of the key, it makes him predictable, as he would drive right and most likely shoot a jump shot 80% of the time. Go look at VC's career and see from where he's done most of his damage. U just gotta post him up,....go back to even Nets footage from last season and see where Carter mostly operated from.

I like this article. Good job Mr. Andrew.

Carter really is a great player. And I also agree he is not injury prone and he is not selfish. But this season he has been shooting the ball way too much and I'm going to disagree with you Dan. I don't think the team should make VC their main guy. It STILL has to be Dwight. He was our main weapon last year and he should still be this year.

And as what Andrew just said, the 1-in 4-out configuration is our gameplan and I think changing the team into a conventional 2-in 3-out team would reduce the efficiency of all our guys. D12 won't have room to operate, our snipers would be well guarded. So I really disagree with people saying that Bass should start at the 4. He's a good player, but he'll just clog Dwight's space.

Now since VC has been shooting way too much and is not passing the ball, Dwight get's less shots, Rashard and the other snipers don't get unguarded. And now he's playing injured, I gotta admire his courage and determination, but he's just now efficient. He's making too many empty trips. But even when he gets better and starts playing like he used to, I still think with him being the main scorer still would make our plan and the rest of our guys ineffective.

Vince should play the Magic's system of moving the ball and getting the ball to Dwight. I think his role on this team is yes, being a go to guy and a play maker. We need him in the 4th especially during desperate situations. But making him our main guy, we need to change the entire line-up.

First off Dan, I love your confidence and do agree that both Vince and the Magic can get this turned around.

The Magic do often run plays through Vince, but you're right, they've gotten away from it a bit lately. I think one problem with Vince has been the way he runs the pick-and-roll. Every time Howard rolls, Vince looks for his shot rather than looking to make a play.

One point you are dead on with is that Carter is playing less minutes this season, but if you look at the numbers, Carter actually takes more shots per minutes than he did last season and I think he needs to pass the ball more often.

I do agree that the Magic need a playmaker and that Vince can and should be that guy.

Orlando was more than just a three-point shooting team last year. During the first half of the season, Jameer Nelson was that playmaker, which is what earned him a trip to the All-Star game.

There's a line between a 3-point shooting team and jump shooting team. 3-point shots are much more efficient than 2-point jumpers.

The Magic have these shooters because the plan is for Howard to clog up the middle by being double teamed and kick it out to an open man. And if Howard isn't double teamed, he should score.

" I honestly dont see much signs of the injury effecting him, its more mental. His confidence is down and VC has always been very unselfish and tends to play less than his potential at times, if team doesnt run plays through him he wont complain or demand it. Which is really why he never got to the next level."

I think you are correct here. Carter has gotten an undeserved rep as a selfish and injury-prone player. He's been neither throughout his career.

Thanks for reading and commenting Dan, HTD welcomes your comments and values your opinion.

While this article is quite interesting. How come nobody points out a simple fact, Magic just aren't running there offense through VC. Just look at the shot attempts over the last say five games 7-10 shots for your main scorer. Also, how about the lack of minutes. While the injury has slowed down VC and he has been taking bad shots. My question is when you're not getting the ball, aren't you more inclined to take bad shots? VC is a playmaker has been his entire career. He needs the ball lots, he will take bad shots but that gives him he option to pick and choose, either create offense for himself or someone else. You look at earlier in the season VC was avg. 18 points .425 fg cause magic ran alot of offense through him and magic were winning. Then he got injured sure it slowed him down, but if you watch someone of his makes he has perfect rotation, i think its more confidence and not enough touches.

Its quite simple, magic run a put howard in the middle and surround him with shooters offense. There too jump shooting, 3 point friendly team. That will never win you championships. But cause it worked last year they continue to use it. Thats why if you watch closely alot of plays in magic offense require carter just standing on 3 point line. Smith brought him to be a playmaker, cause this year when you play the Boston/Clev/Lakers all good defensive team, you're going to need playmakers. So they simply need to run more offense through him.

What i find intresting, when Howard isn't getting shot attempts magic started focussing on him or when Lewis claimed he suddenly started getting more shots. Now, your best scorer isnt getting plays or shots, why isn't Stan making a change? I've always said you want VC to be effective POST HIM UP, pick n rolls, and down-screens closer to the net. But no one does that. Instead Stan barely plays him, doesnt make plays for him and everyone expects all this? I dont get it just one game let him play 35+ mins lets him get 20 shots thats how he will break out. I honestly dont see much signs of the injury effecting him, its more mental. His confidence is down and VC has always been very unselfish and tends to play less than his potential at times, if team doesnt run plays through him he wont complain or demand it. Which is really why he never got to the next level. But as a coach you should motivate and make adjustments for your key guys, Stan isn't doing anything for him.

But im not worried, while they might not figure it out during the season. Once the playoffs come, the ball will be more in VC hand and he will prove everyone wrong.