PLAYOFF BOUND!! (What are you thankful for this season?)

[Knightro]

Every single one of you guys and gals.

This board wouldn’t be what it is without y’all and I personally am very appreciative of it.

[KillMonger]

Thankful for finally being done with being in the lottery every year wondering if we're going to hit on a player that will finally turn things around for us.....took a Lil minute but we hit on Jalen, hit on Franz and paolo.... Finally got a legit core, very thankful to have survived the chasson Randle, Dwyane bacon days.... Feels good, time for some other franchise to wear the "poverty" franchise moniker.... We're through with that

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[PigsEatHam]

My good vibes takeaways from the now, officially concluded regular season: a very young Orlando Magic core exceeded expectations and outright made the playoffs, beating last year's win total by 13 games and giving us our best season by record since Dwight was roaming the paint for us. Paolo established himself as an all-star (he has plenty to work on, but he's already a force in the league); Jalen worked his way into being a functional shooter and offensive threat, which means his elite perimeter defense comes with no glaring downside now. (Side note: I'm morbidly fascinated to find out if there is another gear to Jalen's competitive intensity come the playoffs. Is he always just at an eleven, or will he turn it up to thirteen?) JI stayed more or less healthy and showed he might still have a future with the team; if he can manage to stay on the floor, his impact is game-changing, DPOTY type stuff. Moe Wagner isn't just a warm body on the bench to keep his brother happy, he's a solid contributor in his own right. AB looks like he'll have a place in the league; can't wait to see what he looks like after a summer to work on his game. Mose showed himself to be a legit coach that's worth keeping around; he's got his shortcomings like anyone, but the man can command a locker room and manage the personalities involved with a professional basketball team, never mind that he's also encouraged good defensive instincts in the players.

Most of all, though, I'm just pumped to have watched the best season of Magic basketball I've gotten to enjoy since the early 2010s. It's been a long time coming. Can't wait to see how the young fellas do with the Cavs.

[BadMofoPimp]

I am thankful for the Magic provin em all wrong!!!

[Optimus_Steel]

I’m thankful the Magic are fun again. For years my wife has been on my case for watching dreadful teams so this feels nice.

[3ddman23]

No injuries . We had healthy roster from start to finish.

That's very true and it's a huge thing...also worth noting, everyone else but the Celtics did not enjoy that, so enjoy the success but keep working, Weltman.

???
I'm confused by this? No injuries?? Healthy roster from start to finish? Did I miss parts of December & January this year?

Sure other teams had injuries to star players but the magic don't necessarily have star players. It's a by commit and when parts of your committee miss time it hurt this team. We had Injuries jjst not at the same time most of these other teams had to end the season.

[Def Swami]

The entire cast of players and Mose. The single most fun team I've had the joy of following.

[CZ Eddie]

Putting things into perspective using a screenshot, here's 2023 vs 2024

[Husky1]

What a ride this year has been, fave game of the year was the Denver game when we beat them with a skeleton crew. Set up our year that game. Thankful we drafted the obvious guys, but I reckon well look back on this era and find that the Mosely hire as coach and Mo Wagner signing as the biggest culture changers. The energy of these two bring every night ( and Cole) just lifts this group and creates so much belief.

[drsd]

Putting things into perspective using a screenshot, here's 2023 vs 2024

Orlando improved by MORE wins (13) from 2022 to 2023, than the super impressive (12) from 2021 to 2022.

The 2021 Magic, i.e. the season just before Banchero, was a 22 win season. In just two years, the Magic added 25 extra wins to the annual total. I struggle to get my head around how good this team is getting, so fast.

Look: at season's begining we were all debating whether or not this Magic could claw into the 10-seed to tast the play-ins. Instead: the Magic bested the Pacers, the Sixers, The Heat, the Bulls, the Hawks, the Nets, and the Raptors. Many here had ALL of those teams as better than Orlando. And some had Orlando as under the Hornets.

[Optimus_Steel]

What a ride this year has been, fave game of the year was the Denver game when we beat them with a skeleton crew. Set up our year that game. Thankful we drafted the obvious guys, but I reckon well look back on this era and find that the Mosely hire as coach and Mo Wagner signing as the biggest culture changers. The energy of these two bring every night ( and Cole) just lifts this group and creates so much belief.

That was one of the best wins in team history. Injured team on the road vs healthy defending champs.

[JoshuaPotter]

Putting things into perspective using a screenshot, here's 2023 vs 2024

Orlando improved by MORE wins (13) from 2022 to 2023, than the super impressive (12) from 2021 to 2022.

The 2021 Magic, i.e. the season just before Banchero, was a 22 win season. In just two years, the Magic added 25 extra wins to the annual total. I struggle to get my head around how good this team is getting, so fast.

Look: at season's begining we were all debating whether or not this Magic could claw into the 10-seed to tast the play-ins. Instead: the Magic bested the Pacers, the Sixers, The Heat, the Bulls, the Hawks, the Nets, and the Raptors. Many here had ALL of those teams as better than Orlando. And some had Orlando as under the Hornets.

In before the "we are the paper tiger" or "too many other teams had more important guys go down longer"

While some of these narratives have merit. Our team is still wildly dependent on Paolo + Franz + Suggs. I do not want to look at our record without out key players.

I think the next total win shares goes to Isaacs availability.

The data is in, we need a third scoring option to take the next big leap. Some are suggesting overpaying in free agency while others are suggesting growth from within. But what will our teams management go with?

[magik9113]

Thankful for making the playoffs !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Looking back, I'm grateful to have witnessed our 9 game streak,
two wins vs Denver, including the one Husky1 mentioned when we were suffering badly from the injury bug.
Paolo making the all-star game, and having a ton of clutch baskets all season.
JI...with him on the court we always have a chance!
and slow-mo-Joe who sometimes gets a lot of hate, but is huge for our bench and was an underrated addition (the only addition?) this past off-season.

[Optimus_Steel]

I'm grateful also for Paolo, Franz, and Suggs because they are doing this as basically NBA toddlers. These guys are young.

[VFX]

PLAY THE SONG.

Shout out to the anti - tankers over the past 5-6 seasons.

Thunder are #1 in the West and Magic make the playoffs after drafting Paolo/Franz/Suggs.

[drsd]

PLAY THE SONG.

Shout out to the anti - tankers over the past 5-6 seasons.

Thunder are #1 in the West and Magic make the playoffs after drafting Paolo/Franz/Suggs.

The Long version!

Watch on YouTube

From the last playoffs:

Watch on YouTube

[MAGICian619]

Thankful for this team in general. The combination of being so young, talented, humble and good people/teammates is truly something special.

I am also thankful for the last two weeks (Now I am). I really do feel these last 2 weeks has given this team some extremely valuable experience that will really pay off going forward. They lost a lot of close important games and then put it together with everything on the line. Getting that kind of experience out of the way almost feels like it accelerated this teams timeline another full season and could really prep this team to make some noise THIS playoff season.

[Magic#1]

My hope and expectation was for them to make the play-in. They absolutely exceeded that and won way more than I expected. What is also exciting is that we have flexibility moving forward. Our best players are not at our ceiling and we are still in a position to add with our assets. Even a competitive series against the Cavs will be really good for this team. But a potential second-round matchup with Boston would really show them what it takes to win in the playoffs.

[Skybox]

PLAY THE SONG.



The Long version!

Watch on YouTube

What is the story with that song? Sounds like something that would be playing on the Riviera Deck on the Love Boat in '1978

[drsd]

PLAY THE SONG.



The Long version!

Watch on YouTube

What is the story with that song? Sounds like something that would be playing on the Riviera Deck on the Love Boat in '1978

The other youtube explains the song.

And here's the 35th version:

Watch on YouTube