Season Recap

by Adonal Foyle

By many standards, this was a very disappointing season for the Orlando Magic.

When you look at where we came from over the past three years (making the Eastern Conference semis in 2008, the NBA Finals in 2009 and the East Finals in 2010) and to see us get eliminated in the first round, it is undeniable that this was an unfortunate ending to 2011. We clearly did not play well in our first round series with Atlanta and we did not rise to the level we need to in order to beat the Hawks. Anyone who has played - or even watched - the games will tell you the same thing. We never got it together during that series and we never played the game that made us successful all season.

Seeing the final four teams still alive in the playoffs, what's frustrating is that this is a team that potential to make a serious run back to the NBA Finals. The changes that were made during the regular season made the team a lot more explosive. At the same time, I don't think we realize our full potential. If we played as well as we could have, and still lost, we would have been able to accept that. But the fact that each and every one of us didn't think we played to our full potential, that's what makes it sting more than anything else.

As for the future, we have a lot to build on. We still have a core group of guys still nder contract, so they will be back. And I'm sure as General Manager Otis Smith looks toward the summer, he's going think about how he can keep this team a championship-caliber team. But the core is in tact and there is definitely hope for the future. This franchise deserves a championship, its fans deserve a championship and this city deserves a championship. And we're going to do the best we can to get back to where we were two years ago.

- Adonal