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KillMonger wrote:I would very much like to break the trend of us losing to any good team that comes around.... Paper tiger reputation, beat up on the weak but get smoked when the strong comes around

I think the term paper tiger is misapplied for this team. For that to work, we would need to look like actual championship contenders on paper. No one believes that. Instead we’re exactly who we look like: a team that plays hard and beats bad teams, but isn’t good enough to consistently beat good teams.

It would work better to apply it to a team like the Celtics. They're the top team in the East by far, but maybe play a style that doesn’t work in the playoffs.

First sign of a decent team...beat the teams you should
Second level...beat them decisively, without miracle comebacks or buzzer-beaters.

Good win. NOLA is a good team and would be a significant win.

Skybox wrote:First sign of a decent team...beat the teams you should
Second level...beat them decisively, without miracle comebacks or buzzer-beaters.

Good win. NOLA is a good team and would be a significant win.

Love this. Nola is built very similarly to us and is ahead on the timeline. This will be a good test.

I believe without going backwards in the thread and confirming that we are at the very least play-in bound from here. The kids perhaps are alright after all.

SOUL wrote:

KillMonger wrote:I would very much like to break the trend of us losing to any good team that comes around.... Paper tiger reputation, beat up on the weak but get smoked when the strong comes around

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I feel like we just have a lot of chicken littles lol.. is that even our reputation? We just have had an easy schedule lately.

W vs MIA
L vs CLE (bad blowout)
W vs PHX
L vs DAL (I think we shoulda won this.. especially if Isaac is allowed to play more than 8 minutes)
W @ MIN
L @ MIA (disappointing)
W vs CHI (solid team now)
L vs OKC (just too efficient on offense)
W @ CLE (no Mitchell but hard game)
L vs NYK (3 in 4 nights without Suggs)
L vs IND (no Suggs, but would've won this one)

Seems pretty much on par with where we are talent wise... 5-6 where it could've been flipped with the Dallas game.. and if people want to use caveats with other players being out for other teams, then having our best guard and POA defender out is big for us too...

And we never ever started a team that featured Okeke and Houstan. Never ever did we do that. Ever. For sure.

MagicMatic wrote:Why in the actual **** does Fultz get minutes

Another impressive statline for Fultz tonight:

18 minutes, 0-4 FG, 0 points, 1 assist, 1 turnover

He doesn't even get assists anymore. That part of his game has disappeared too. 5-on-4 basketball.

Fortune Teller wrote:

MagicMatic wrote:Why in the actual **** does Fultz get minutes

Another impressive statline for Fultz tonight:

18 minutes, 0-4 FG, 0 points, 1 assist, 1 turnover

He doesn't even get assists anymore. That part of his game has disappeared too. 5-on-4 basketball.

I'm not here to defend him. My guess, sincerely, a +10 +- and a veteran stamp on his forehead.

Please understand, I would rather see Black out there. Somehow Black, Houstan, Cole, Harris, even the Admiral are not playing well enough either independently or collectively to absorb his 17MPG he had out there tonight.

I remember people talking about why he doesn't play. I think this is pure evidence of why in his younger years he didn't play. The hope was probably then that he could recover and have a successful career. Now? He has either by his own choice or because its a contract year he is forcing his feet to touch grass and i'm not sure that is helping his Free Agency case at all.

Again, TL:DR. He has the veteran stamp on his forehead so presumably when he is out there he makes the fewest mistakes of our montley crew.

Fortune Teller wrote:

MagicMatic wrote:Why in the actual **** does Fultz get minutes

Another impressive statline for Fultz tonight:

18 minutes, 0-4 FG, 0 points, 1 assist, 1 turnover

He doesn't even get assists anymore. That part of his game has disappeared too. 5-on-4 basketball.

Yeah, not sure why he's even seeing the floor with Suggs, Anthony, Black, and Harris all active. It's over for Fultz. And I was a huge stan of his for years.

Another comfortable win. The second quarter was extremely impressive. Yes, the Hornest are bad and clearly going through the motions, but such dominance is still very nice to see. Good to see Cole having a great game. Suggs continues his very impressive stretch since ASB.

Now I am quite curious how we'd look against the top teams, we will see shortly.

As for Fultz, he really needs to stop getting minutes. His teammates clearly don't trust him at all on offense, and for good reason. He is constantly open yet he only gets the ball as a last resort. It's downright hilarious at times the lenghts they'd go to avoid passing him the ball. Partly because of this he forces a lot of bad shots on the rare occassions he gets the ball. He also seems less explosive lately and can't get to the rim with his normal ease or finish there with his typical efficiency. Since the All-Star break he is shooting only 44.8% from the restricted area closest to the rim. Last year he shot 64.8%.

swarlesbarkley wrote:

Fortune Teller wrote:

MagicMatic wrote:Why in the actual **** does Fultz get minutes

Another impressive statline for Fultz tonight:

18 minutes, 0-4 FG, 0 points, 1 assist, 1 turnover

He doesn't even get assists anymore. That part of his game has disappeared too. 5-on-4 basketball.

Yeah, not sure why he's even seeing the floor with Suggs, Anthony, Black, and Harris all active. It's over for Fultz. And I was a huge stan of his for years.

His shoulder injury is definitely back and curious to know why the Magic are so hush hush about it. You can clearly see the hitch in every shot. I was a huge fan of his as well and really sad to see him fall off again due to that shoulder.

His jumpshot was getting their last year. Now I cringe every time he shoots the ball. He is definitely out there due to him being a vet though foresure.

RookieStar wrote:

Residual-Heat wrote:We need Isaac on Zion. If Im Mosley I sub him in early. Pelicans are a tough team. it should be a fun game.

I dunno... with how heavy anf compact Zion is, im afraid he will break JIs legs. Better let WCJ or Goga guard him.

He can handle him, but WCJ would too. Either way id insert JI and have him on Jonas in that case. The Pelicans are a big team and we have the size to match them.

Its going to be a tough game. Pelicans are really good IMO. They dont really have any obvious holes as a team.

Residual-Heat wrote:

RookieStar wrote:

Residual-Heat wrote:We need Isaac on Zion. If Im Mosley I sub him in early. Pelicans are a tough team. it should be a fun game.

I dunno... with how heavy anf compact Zion is, im afraid he will break JIs legs. Better let WCJ or Goga guard him.

He can handle him, but WCJ would too. Either way id insert JI and have him on Jonas in that case. The Pelicans are a big team and we have the size to match them.

Its going to be a tough game. Pelicans are really good IMO. They dont really have any obvious holes as a team.

They are 100% healthy like us. The next few games will be a good test to learn how to beat good teams.

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basketballRob wrote:

Residual-Heat wrote:

RookieStar wrote:
I dunno... with how heavy anf compact Zion is, im afraid he will break JIs legs. Better let WCJ or Goga guard him.

He can handle him, but WCJ would too. Either way id insert JI and have him on Jonas in that case. The Pelicans are a big team and we have the size to match them.

Its going to be a tough game. Pelicans are really good IMO. They dont really have any obvious holes as a team.

They are 100% healthy like us. The next few games will be a good test to learn how to beat good teams.

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yeah. SChedule is about to get a lot tougher.

Suggy bear been on one lately. Still so much room to grow.

Residual-Heat wrote:

basketballRob wrote:

Residual-Heat wrote:He can handle him, but WCJ would too. Either way id insert JI and have him on Jonas in that case. The Pelicans are a big team and we have the size to match them.

Its going to be a tough game. Pelicans are really good IMO. They dont really have any obvious holes as a team.

They are 100% healthy like us. The next few games will be a good test to learn how to beat good teams.

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yeah. SChedule is about to get a lot tougher.

Perfect time to toughen up this young team heading to the POs.

I do not want 5 straight cupcake schedule then we face a 7game series against CLE/NY right away. Our guys wouldn't know what hit them

I am about to lose it on the “we only beat bad teams” people…. How did some of you get so spoiled when this franchise has been in such a miserable state for 12 years?? We are the 4th youngest team in the league. It’s so easy for a young team to take their foot off the gas and have some bad losses. I am not pretending that doesn’t happen but Christ… I would have been very proud at a 41 win season if you talked to me back in October. I think most everyone would have. Not only have we hit that number but we still have like 10+ games left. The only conclusion is that some of you have done nothing but bitch for years now and you don’t know how to do anything else.

Clifford has to be thinking that he screwed up not being more patient watching that Magic team put this team thru the buzz saw.

Our team looked so good tonight.

Up 67 to 26 at one point!

Still a little hard for me to come to terms with, our team is good again finally after Dwight left.

Feel a little bad for the Hornets, after all these years they still suck.

bigdogdylan5 wrote:I am about to lose it on the “we only beat bad teams” people…. How did some of you get so spoiled when this franchise has been in such a miserable state for 12 years?? We are the 4th youngest team in the league. It’s so easy for a young team to take their foot off the gas and have some bad losses. I am not pretending that doesn’t happen but Christ… I would have been very proud at a 41 win season if you talked to me back in October. I think most everyone would have. Not only have we hit that number but we still have like 10+ games left. The only conclusion is that some of you have done nothing but bitch for years now and you don’t know how to do anything else.

well said, I'm on the other side in awe we have an all star, JI has played more than 6 games while decent, and Suggs is looking NBA all defense. Could we better sure but after being a Magic fan my whole life (started 97) I'll take whatever i can get.