2023-2024 Regular Season Game 70: New Orleans Pelicans (42-26) at Orlando Magic (41-28) - 7pm

[p0peye]

This was probably most important W of a season.

Orlando proved here that the team has promoted from "mediocre" to "good". Is "very good" next ?!?!?!?

I BELIEVE!

Not sure about that, really. We are part of the bunch that depending on health and luck can endup anywhere from 10th to 4th place in the East.

How do we call a team that is not guaranteed to make a play-in in the West? Or is a "good" only valid in conference context, screw the league?

To shift this team in the next gear I would repeat that trade or FA signing is needed at PG spot.

Then again, some would say we can be in the next gear simply because Paolo and Franz have that big of a jump in them yet to make, which in my opinion would need to be a significant jump, think of it like Paolo going for 30 points triple double average and Franz becoming a shooter he is not.

Some may say that another gear will be brought by Black becoming a point guard and dynamic scorer next season. Not sure which is more probable at this point.

[drsd]

This was probably most important W of a season.

Orlando proved here that the team has promoted from "mediocre" to "good". Is "very good" next ?!?!?!?

I BELIEVE!

Not sure about that, really. We are part of the bunch that depending on health and luck can endup anywhere from 10th to 4th place in the East.

How do we call a team that is not guaranteed to make a play-in in the West? Or is a "good" only valid in conference context, screw the league?

To shift this team in the next gear I would repeat that trade or FA signing is needed at PG spot.

Then again, some would say we can be in the next gear simply because Paolo and Franz have that big of a jump in them yet to make, which in my opinion would need to be a significant jump, think of it like Paolo going for 30 points triple double average and Franz becoming a shooter he is not.

Some may say that another gear will be brought by Black becoming a point guard and dynamic scorer next season. Not sure which is more probable at this point.

[Skybox]

I didn’t see what happened to Harris? What’s the severity?

(I was at the game so it couldn’t have been too bad…hope Ingram’s okay

[drsd]

I didn’t see what happened to Harris? What’s the severity?

(I was at the game so it couldn’t have been too bad…hope Ingram’s okay

At the presser, the last question to Coach was "How's Harris"? And the answer was "He's fine". And that was that. Sounds like nothing to worry about.

[JoshuaPotter]

I heard NOP player got injured and it might be bad. I hope its nothing serious.

I have had too many personal close injury calls and watched too many Orl players go down to repeated injury to not have sentimental attachment to it. Well wishes.

[Skybox]

I heard NOP player got injured and it might be bad. I hope its nothing serious.

I have had too many personal close injury calls and watched too many Orl players go down to repeated injury to not have sentimental attachment to it. Well wishes.

Ingram was down on the floor for a while with players huddled around. They didn't show replays in the arena either - typically a very bad indicator. But he did leave the court, with help, bearing some weight - so maybe not too bad.

*On a grim analysis, while Ingram is a very good offensive player, potentially worthy of a near-max deal...I think NOLA might play better without him (system-wise). Zion plays like our 250 lb PG and they've got two big 3&D wings (Herb & Trey) and sharpshooting combo guard CJ McCollum around him...another unconventional, but fascinating offense (like ORL). Zion's physicality is downright frightening...ORL locked him up pretty good, but every drive to the hoop made me feel like someone was going to get crushed. Someone earlier mentioned how fragile Isaac looked defending him - I saw that too (Isaac was great-just talking injury risk).

[JoshuaPotter]

This was probably most important W of a season.

Orlando proved here that the team has promoted from "mediocre" to "good". Is "very good" next ?!?!?!?

I BELIEVE!

Not sure about that, really. We are part of the bunch that depending on health and luck can endup anywhere from 10th to 4th place in the East.

How do we call a team that is not guaranteed to make a play-in in the West? Or is a "good" only valid in conference context, screw the league?

To shift this team in the next gear I would repeat that trade or FA signing is needed at PG spot.

Then again, some would say we can be in the next gear simply because Paolo and Franz have that big of a jump in them yet to make, which in my opinion would need to be a significant jump, think of it like Paolo going for 30 points triple double average and Franz becoming a shooter he is not.

Some may say that another gear will be brought by Black becoming a point guard and dynamic scorer next season. Not sure which is more probable at this point.

Good grief, whatever happened to "injuries are part of the game" and "it takes a lot of luck sometimes to win a championship."

Look, I see your point, lets chat about it.

The fact that 4-10th seem only an injury a way from being placed high or low is not a bad thing for the league. It's a good thing. If anything 1-10th should be that way. Furthermore, arguably 2-10 in the East is up for grabs right now. Usually when teams become top heavy in the standings it is because teams that think they have an advantage or a generational player tend to overspend.

Very soon, the league will be raising the lux tax and this should in theory increase parity more unless players who are good/great agree to sign for significantly less, and why would they if better parity is achieved?

I get it, we need to call Anfernee Hardaway and ask if he sired a boy now man and secretly he is 6 ft 8 and can play ball at PG.

Or, we need to take our currently bellow avg rated backcourt and somehow transform it into high PPG scorers who don't fit our identity that has been built the last 3 years.

Or we need wait until free agency go out and overspend and every player possible and pay that luxury tax because currently that is what other teams are doing.

I choose to enjoy the moment. "You only won because so n so got injured". We fielded a team that had Houstan and Okeke as starters this season.

[Skybox]

Orlando proved here that the team has promoted from "mediocre" to "good". Is "very good" next ?!?!?!?

I BELIEVE!

Not sure about that, really. We are part of the bunch that depending on health and luck can endup anywhere from 10th to 4th place in the East.

How do we call a team that is not guaranteed to make a play-in in the West? Or is a "good" only valid in conference context, screw the league?

To shift this team in the next gear I would repeat that trade or FA signing is needed at PG spot.

Then again, some would say we can be in the next gear simply because Paolo and Franz have that big of a jump in them yet to make, which in my opinion would need to be a significant jump, think of it like Paolo going for 30 points triple double average and Franz becoming a shooter he is not.

Some may say that another gear will be brought by Black becoming a point guard and dynamic scorer next season. Not sure which is more probable at this point.

I know many only want to hear corks popping after a good win (or even a bad one) but I really would like to know what basis there is for this "concept"?
Some may say that another gear will be brought by Black becoming a point guard and dynamic scorer next season

Players get better. Suggs is a great example but I just dont' see a PG OR dynamic scorer here. For Pete's sake, Chuma was bringing the ball up during the junk minutes when AB finally got off the bench in a game that was decided. I think Matisse Thybulle is the likelier projection...defensive specialist, opportunistic open-shot maker...That's not "hate", that's just what I think I see indicators of - a very useful, versatile but limited player of good size...but I'm not holding open a slot for him at starting PG. IF he is headed for that role - it will likely be at least a couple of years before it comes to pass. That's plenty of time for AB to progress to backup PG, then to backup PG playing serious minutes and maybe closing games, then finally to a starting spot. My point is, he's still got so much ground to cover that bringing in a starter this summer wouldn't be doing him a disservice or slowing down his (already slow) path to significance. If Brogdon, for example, is healthy, his age, skillset and timeline might make a lot of sense for AB's realistic path...that's if you're on board with the idea that AB is really going to become a PG that can be a "dynamic scorer" (even occasionally).

[Magicman125]

Not sure about that, really. We are part of the bunch that depending on health and luck can endup anywhere from 10th to 4th place in the East.

How do we call a team that is not guaranteed to make a play-in in the West? Or is a "good" only valid in conference context, screw the league?

To shift this team in the next gear I would repeat that trade or FA signing is needed at PG spot.

Then again, some would say we can be in the next gear simply because Paolo and Franz have that big of a jump in them yet to make, which in my opinion would need to be a significant jump, think of it like Paolo going for 30 points triple double average and Franz becoming a shooter he is not.

Some may say that another gear will be brought by Black becoming a point guard and dynamic scorer next season. Not sure which is more probable at this point.

I know many only want to hear corks popping after a good win (or even a bad one) but I really would like to know what basis there is for this "concept"?
Some may say that another gear will be brought by Black becoming a point guard and dynamic scorer next season

Players get better. Suggs is a great example but I just dont' see a PG OR dynamic scorer here. For Pete's sake, Chuma was bringing the ball up during the junk minutes when AB finally got off the bench in a game that was decided. I think Matisse Thybulle is the likelier projection...defensive specialist, opportunistic open-shot maker...That's not "hate", that's just what I think I see indicators of - a very useful, versatile but limited player of good size...but I'm not holding open a slot for him at starting PG. IF he is headed for that role - it will likely be at least a couple of years before it comes to pass. That's plenty of time for AB to progress to backup PG, then to backup PG playing serious minutes and maybe closing games, then finally to a starting spot. My point is, he's still got so much ground to cover that bringing in a starter this summer wouldn't be doing him a disservice or slowing down his (already slow) path to significance. If Brogdon, for example, is healthy, his age, skillset and timeline might make a lot of sense for AB's realistic path...that's if you're on board with the idea that AB is really going to become a PG that can be a "dynamic scorer" (even occasionally).

Thybulle can't make wide open 3s, Black already can. His progress from summer league to now on offense seems like he has much more composure and court awareness than he did previously when he does handle the ball/bring it up. We're just in prepare-for-playoffs mode so are not focusing on helping that development in-game for Black at the moment, which is the correct decision given where we are in the standings.

AB may not become a great floor general or dynamic scorer, but he'll end up a heck of a let better on O than Thybulle.

[JoshuaPotter]

Thybulle can't make wide open 3s, Black already can. His progress from summer league to now on offense seems like he has much more composure and court awareness than he did previously when he does handle the ball/bring it up. We're just in prepare-for-playoffs mode so are not focusing on helping that development in-game for Black at the moment, which is the correct decision given where we are in the standings.

AB may not become a great floor general or dynamic scorer, but he'll end up a heck of a let better on O than Thybulle.

AB is the new Suggs when it should be Jett or Houstan.

[Bergmaniac]

What an impressive win. Everything was clicking after the poor first 7-8 minutes. Isaac again turned the game around when he first came in, I've lost count of the times this has happened this year. Paolo's passing was beautiful all night and he recovered very nicely from his poor shooting start. Suggs had another great game. Cole was really good and even Fultz contributed solidly for a change.

[Skybox]

What an impressive win. Everything was clicking after the poor first 7-8 minutes. Isaac again turned the game around when he first came in, I've lost count of the times this has happened this year. Paolo's passing was beautiful all night and he recovered very nicely from his poor shooting start. Suggs had another great game. Cole was really good and even Fultz contributed solidly for a change.

If my recollection is correct...Paolo had 10 assists & Rebounds before he got his points

If that's correct (or even close) that's really promising - because we KNOW he can get his points whenever needed. Lifting the team is a much more significant area of growth.