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Well: the Magic has played most of their easy games and now is sitting on the 12th hardest schedule. Their collective opponents are at a 0.511 rate.

drsd wrote:Well: the Magic has played most of their easy games and now is sitting on the 12th hardest schedule. Their collective opponents are at a 0.511 rate.

Yep, although 4 of of our 7 "toughest remaining schedule" games are the next 4 games, then our schedule is easier again (2 of the Bucks games are the last 3 games, 1 or 2 may have the Bucks being rested if they can wrap up the #2 seed, which isn't exactly guaranteed yet).

It's why SOS kinda just sucks to look at it. People don't realize it changes and it's not a fixed thing lol.

I have no agenda against the Magic, I like my team but I can see the flaws. I could easily spout them here but like Optimus_Steel I withhold my opinions. If you think I'm a fake fan fine but I can meet you in Lake Underhill, any time any day of the week and prove to you otherwise.

Statlanta wrote:I have no agenda against the Magic, I like my team but I can see the flaws. I could easily spout them here but like Optimus_Steel I withhold my opinions. If you think I'm a fake fan fine but I can meet you in Lake Underhill, any time any day of the week and prove to you otherwise.

I mean, you don't have to PROVE you're a fan, I know you have/had posted here as recently as last season, I'm just wondering what will make you eat crow on some of your opinions or what your gripe with this team is that is outperforming 99% of people's expectations this year (even the homers), including YOUR own.. I'm just going on your post history.

If you made some posts I haven't seen, my bad, but...

In the last year:

1. Start of year you said the Magic lucked into a hot start because teams aren't trying hard and Magic are young and healthy.
2. You said the team's drafting (recently) is full of bad and mediocre players and Banchero is basically Aaron Gordon
3. You asked an OP where Orlando was on the "worst futures list" that included teams like Washington, Charlotte, Chicago, etc.
4. You said you'd wait on extending Mosley after he got his extension
5. You had the Magic 13th in the East going into this year in your standings
6. The latest post you had was saying how we're just beating up on bad teams

Like, what the **** do they have to do to make you say anything positive at all for this season? What exactly are they doing wrong as the 4th youngest team?

I'm not saying to come to grips that we're a contending team or that the team doesn't have a lot of work to do to get to that NEXT level (because they obviously do).. but basically all of your statements on them have proven opposite. Now, if you want to say they're a first round exit and not deep playoff hopefuls, of course, but the entire fanbase would've been extremely skeptical (and overjoyed) if you told them they'd have an outside shot at the 3 spot this late in the season.

SOUL wrote:

Statlanta wrote:I have no agenda against the Magic, I like my team but I can see the flaws. I could easily spout them here but like Optimus_Steel I withhold my opinions. If you think I'm a fake fan fine but I can meet you in Lake Underhill, any time any day of the week and prove to you otherwise.

I mean, you don't have to PROVE you're a fan, I know you have/had posted here as recently as last season, I'm just wondering what will make you eat crow on some of your opinions or what your gripe with this team is that is outperforming 99% of people's expectations this year (even the homers), including YOUR own.. I'm just going on your post history.

If you made some posts I haven't seen, my bad, but...

In the last year:

1. Start of year you said the Magic lucked into a hot start because teams aren't trying hard and Magic are young and healthy.
2. You said the team's drafting (recently) is full of bad and mediocre players and Banchero is basically Aaron Gordon
3. You asked an OP where Orlando was on the "worst futures list" that included teams like Washington, Charlotte, Chicago, etc.
4. You said you'd wait on extending Mosley after he got his extension
5. You had the Magic 13th in the East going into this year in your standings
6. The latest post you had was saying how we're just beating up on bad teams

Like, what the **** do they have to do to make you say anything positive at all for this season? What exactly are they doing wrong as the 4th youngest team?

I'm not saying to come to grips that we're a contending team or that the team doesn't have a lot of work to do to get to that NEXT level (because they obviously do).. but basically all of your statements on them have proven opposite. Now, if you want to say they're a first round exit and not deep playoff hopefuls, of course, but the entire fanbase would've been extremely skeptical (and overjoyed) if you told them they'd have an outside shot at the 3 spot this late in the season.

Wow....

Even pepe wasn't as pessimestic with those takes.

RookieStar wrote:Wow....

Even pepe wasn't as pessimestic with those takes.

I just don't understand constant pessimism with a team playing over expectations, just as much as I don't understand unbridled homerism.. we've all eaten crow with our takes and also overrated guys/expectations etc.. but when I see Gordon = Paolo, 13th seed, wanting to put us on the worst futures and then playing like this and still not giving ANY credit I get very confused on what the issue exactly is...

SOUL wrote:

RookieStar wrote:Wow....

Even pepe wasn't as pessimestic with those takes.

I just don't understand constant pessimism with a team playing over expectations, just as much as I don't understand unbridled homerism.. we've all eaten crow with our takes and also overrated guys/expectations etc.. but when I see Gordon = Paolo, 13th seed, wanting to put us on the worst futures and then playing like this and still not giving ANY credit I get very confused on what the issue exactly is...

I think Major League 2 captured the spirit of fans and their ups and downs pretty good.....

RookieStar wrote:
Wow....

Even pepe wasn't as pessimestic with those takes.

I'm sure pepe is just waiting for the trade he asked for?

Conventional wisdom would say that a team like Orlando, who is over-achieving results-wise and beating up on mainly inferior teams through defense and hard work, will get a wake-up call in the postseason.

Well, yes, that seems logical. But there are a couple of provisos that go with the assumption.

First, saying youre going to up the intensity in the playoffs and actually doing it are very fdifferent. Lots of teams aspire to it but don’t deliver, at least not consistently. Look at the Clips, theyre playing for home seeding and yet KL amd PG are out in the media complaining that their game intensity is sorely lacking. Thats a vet contender saying that.
Orlando can be grateful that high intensity , dialled in play is virtually a given for them.

Second, whats preventing Orlando ratcheting up their hustle, intensity and defence even higher? Young, healthy, fit and mobile roster - they've got headroom to be even more switched on come playoff time. If the Clips can dial it up.from.a 5 to an 8, we can as easily push it from a 7 to a 9.

And make no mistake, being a consistently high intensity team is a big advantage, being conditioned at executing when the pressure is on is a learned habit and a tough one to acquire.

So while i still think our age profile and spotty offense is going to hamstring our chances of a series win, i dont think our battle-hardened, intense style is one every other playoff team will just switch into without suffering a bit. Even when they do, they might find Orlando is even more focussed than before.

Thats got to be our calling card from here on in. And somehow hitting half our threes would probably help.

I think I said way back at the beginning of the season during/after the win streak that a 50 win team is on the table. Mathematically still is. Granted that was an optimist take and we sure have had some surprises this season....

Fultz losing most of his contract year value
Black surprising
Harris losing value and now clawing it back
Suggs rising defensive stardom
Paolo way better then expected on defense, gradually improving through the year
Goga being great
Everyone embracing that the Magic is a defensive team
Navigating injuries back down to .500 only to claw our way back.
Starting Okeke + Houstan

And a few other things I would like to mention without jinxing the team.

All the speculation about the team is irrelevant if one of our key players sustains an injury between now and then. That’s all that matters.

These next four games are going to be much tougher than the past stretch has been. Luckily, they're all part of our 8 game home stand and we're a very good team at home. Hoping we can go 3-1 as NYK's next four are against weaker teams and we're only 1/2 game back from them in the standings. Would really like to have HCA in a first round series.

I believe that the Magic would have the 3 way tie break over NY and Cleveland being the division winner. They have the H2H against the Knicks, but are 2-2 with the Cavs.

But in a 3 way, it would go to the division winner.

The Magic were not so good since 2011-2012!!
There is nothing more to say!!

AaronB wrote:I believe that the Magic would have the 3 way tie break over NY and Cleveland being the division winner. They have the H2H against the Knicks, but are 2-2 with the Cavs.

But in a 3 way, it would go to the division winner.

This is correct.

Division winner is a tiebreaker in a 3-way tie scenario.

Probably just need to go 2-2 over the next 4. We’re around .500 against teams over .500 so it seems doable.

Statlanta wrote:I have no agenda against the Magic, I like my team but I can see the flaws. I could easily spout them here but like Optimus_Steel I withhold my opinions. If you think I'm a fake fan fine but I can meet you in Lake Underhill, any time any day of the week and prove to you otherwise.

GameOver25 wrote:

Statlanta wrote:I have no agenda against the Magic, I like my team but I can see the flaws. I could easily spout them here but like Optimus_Steel I withhold my opinions. If you think I'm a fake fan fine but I can meet you in Lake Underhill, any time any day of the week and prove to you otherwise.

I'm just wondering - how do you prove this?

If you've never had a swirly in the urinal troughs at the old Orena or been graced by the presence of Greg Kite's mustache...you're not a real fan!

Audi wrote:

GameOver25 wrote:

Statlanta wrote:I have no agenda against the Magic, I like my team but I can see the flaws. I could easily spout them here but like Optimus_Steel I withhold my opinions. If you think I'm a fake fan fine but I can meet you in Lake Underhill, any time any day of the week and prove to you otherwise.

I'm just wondering - how do you prove this?

If you've never had a swirly in the urinal troughs at the old Orena or been graced by the presence of Greg Kite's mustache...you're not a real fan!

My guess is body art. Body art that could only be shown at Lake Underhill per local statutes.