Magic(0-1) @ Timberwolves(0-0)

[Optimus_Steel]

As much as it hurts to come this close to a win and end up losing, last night was a perfect game for us.
We had guys like Afflalo and Jameer playing well and raising their trade value while we still got the loss and got one step closer to a top 5 pick in a great draft.

Do you want to trade Meer though? I really don't unless he wants to be traded. I want him to retire with us especially since he signed back with us knowing we were goning to suck. I kinda want to keep him.

I am ok with not trading Jameer, but Afflalo and Davis need to be gone.

[Neon1]

these sarcastic responses about moe do make me chuckle in a good way, but really when I think about it he's shown enough times that he disappears more than I would like. there's enough there to start making evaluations imo. this isn't to say that he can't change especially if involvement simply turns out to be the key here.

I would be shocked if he didn't come back out on Friday (from the opening tip) looking like a completely different player mentally/focus/assertiveness.

Vaughn sitting him down will light a fire under his ass and wake him up I'm sure. If Tobias suits up on Friday, then I am betting we will REALLY see Harkless try to amp it his activity/motor.

[mhectorgato]

As much as it hurts to come this close to a win and end up losing, last night was a perfect game for us.
We had guys like Afflalo and Jameer playing well and raising their trade value while we still got the loss and got one step closer to a top 5 pick in a great draft.

Do you want to trade Meer though? I really don't unless he wants to be traded. I want him to retire with us especially since he signed back with us knowing we were goning to suck. I kinda want to keep him.

I am ok with not trading Jameer, but Afflalo and Davis need to be gone.

Co-signed.

Hopefully we'd get some assets from trades, but also open room in the lineup for our young guys to develop them. Until the team commits to VO at the PG, we need to keep Jameer (or to trade for one).

[MellowRose]

I want our team to be as fun to watch as the Jazz are.

Jazz redic fun to watch for those who don't know. Favors is a beast.

[Optimus_Steel]

I want our team to be as fun to watch as the Jazz are.

Jazz redic fun to watch for those who don't know. Favors is a beast.

I think we are fun.

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[doct3r dr3]

I suspected Andrew Nicholson actually played better defense on Kevin Love than Jason Maxiell did, and the numbers support my suspicion.

Kevin Love (TOTAL)...........[.500 eFG%, .610 TS%]: 31 pts, 8-19 fg, 3-8 3p, 12-16 ft

Kevin Love (vs. Maxiell)......[.688 eFG%, .729 TS%]: 14 pts, 5-8 fg, 1-3 3p, 3-4 ft
Kevin Love (vs. Nicholson)..[.250 eFG%, .556 TS%]: 8 pts, 1-4 fg, 0-0 3p, 6-8 ft
Kevin Love (vs. Jones).........[.429 eFG%, .523 TS%]: 9 pts, 2-7 fg, 2-5 3p, 3-4 ft


I could not find the respective minutes played in each of these match-ups, but I think the percentages are very informative.

Maxiell also stank at keeping Love off the glass. Nicholson and Jones did a lot of their rebounding when Love was on the bench, but when they shared the floor with Love, they actually more or less kept up with him in rebounding. Maxiell's the only one that got annihilated. (One Love Defensive rebound came with both Nicholson and Jones on the floor)



Love vs. Maxiell (Love: 9 Reb, 2 OReb)/(Maxiell: 2 Reb, 0 OReb)

Love vs. Nicholson (Love: 5 Reb, 2 OReb)/(Nicholson: 4 Reb, 1 OReb)

Love vs. Jones (Love: 4 Reb, 0 OReb)/(Jones: 4 Reb, 2 OReb)

[thelead]

I suspected Andrew Nicholson actually played better defense on Kevin Love than Jason Maxiell did, and the numbers support my suspicion.

Kevin Love (TOTAL)...........[.500 eFG%, .610 TS%]: 31 pts, 8-19 fg, 3-8 3p, 12-16 ft

Kevin Love (vs. Maxiell)......[.688 eFG%, .729 TS%]: 14 pts, 5-8 fg, 1-3 3p, 3-4 ft
Kevin Love (vs. Nicholson)..[.250 eFG%, .556 TS%]: 8 pts, 1-4 fg, 0-0 3p, 6-8 ft
Kevin Love (vs. Jones).........[.429 eFG%, .523 TS%]: 9 pts, 2-7 fg, 2-5 3p, 3-4 ft


I could not find the respective minutes played in each of these match-ups, but I think the percentages are very informative.

Maxiell also stank at keeping Love off the glass. Nicholson and Jones did a lot of their rebounding when Love was on the bench, but when they shared the floor with Love, they actually more or less kept up with him in rebounding. Maxiell's the only one that got annihilated. (One Love Defensive rebound came with both Nicholson and Jones on the floor)



Love vs. Maxiell (Love: 9 Reb, 2 OReb)/(Maxiell: 2 Reb, 0 OReb)

Love vs. Nicholson (Love: 5 Reb, 2 OReb)/(Nicholson: 4 Reb, 1 OReb)

Love vs. Jones (Love: 4 Reb, 0 OReb)/(Jones: 4 Reb, 2 OReb)

Nicholson has been beyond impressive so far. He fouled a ton last night but to me that shows that he is, at the very least, trying to focus on being more physical.

[Just Plain Mark]

Consider me also impressed with Nicholson. His intensity seems much higher (particularly on the rebounding side of things) and his offensive improvement is impressive since he was already pretty skilled.

[Orlwillbeback]

So remember preseason when there was a thread about us guessing Oladipos statline for the season?

generally everyone agreed on 14ppg 4apg and like 4rpg

so far that has been right on point lol

[doct3r dr3]

I suspected Andrew Nicholson actually played better defense on Kevin Love than Jason Maxiell did, and the numbers support my suspicion.

Kevin Love (TOTAL)...........[.500 eFG%, .610 TS%]: 31 pts, 8-19 fg, 3-8 3p, 12-16 ft

Kevin Love (vs. Maxiell)......[.688 eFG%, .729 TS%]: 14 pts, 5-8 fg, 1-3 3p, 3-4 ft
Kevin Love (vs. Nicholson)..[.250 eFG%, .556 TS%]: 8 pts, 1-4 fg, 0-0 3p, 6-8 ft
Kevin Love (vs. Jones).........[.429 eFG%, .523 TS%]: 9 pts, 2-7 fg, 2-5 3p, 3-4 ft


I could not find the respective minutes played in each of these match-ups, but I think the percentages are very informative.

Maxiell also stank at keeping Love off the glass. Nicholson and Jones did a lot of their rebounding when Love was on the bench, but when they shared the floor with Love, they actually more or less kept up with him in rebounding. Maxiell's the only one that got annihilated. (One Love Defensive rebound came with both Nicholson and Jones on the floor)



Love vs. Maxiell (Love: 9 Reb, 2 OReb)/(Maxiell: 2 Reb, 0 OReb)

Love vs. Nicholson (Love: 5 Reb, 2 OReb)/(Nicholson: 4 Reb, 1 OReb)

Love vs. Jones (Love: 4 Reb, 0 OReb)/(Jones: 4 Reb, 2 OReb)

Nicholson outplayed Love offensively when they were on the floor together.


Kevin Love..............[.250 eFG%, .556 TS%]: 8 pts, 1-4 fg, 0-0 3p, 6-8 ft
Andrew Nicholson...[.688 eFG%, .688 TS%]: 11 pts, 5-8 fg, 1-1 3p, 0-0 ft


...Interestingly, if you look back at both games so far, both times the last field goal Drew attempted before being yanked by Coach Vaughn was a made corner 3.

[NickAnderson]

If Nicholson can keep up what he's showed so far he'll be pretty damn good, I think a major problem is his stamina though, he seems to get winded quick and I really think that's why he gets "yanked" most of the time and rested for long periods.

[JBSouthpaw]

If Nicholson can keep up what he's showed so far he'll be pretty damn good, I think a major problem is his stamina though, he seems to get winded quick and I really think that's why he gets "yanked" most of the time and rested for long periods.

Nice Observation, thats what I was wondering too.

[JBSouthpaw]

Nobody can take your comments about moe seriously since you've had it out for him since Orlando traded for him.

@RygoBOOM- No he didn't play well but Aaron and Vuc were and the focus offensively as they seemed to be playing well along with Nicholson. Hark played with energy, played good defense as he normally does his performance just didn't stand out on the box score. He wasn't maliciously taking the night off as thelead is implying.

2pts, 1 reb, 1 ast in 20 minutes is not an okay game. Like I said, he might as well taken the night off. The guy has to play with energy and he didn't. He is an athletic freak, there is no reason for him to get only 1 rebound.

Totally agree. 1 rebound in 20 minutes for somebody with his length and height is shameful ****.

Moe was guarding a perimeter guy all night, he wasn't around the basket for Def. rebounds. I thought he played ok, had 1 real nice assist. and a nice cut on Offense. There were others taking the scoring lead. AA, Moore, Andrew and Vuc were very determined on Offense.

I thought Victor was playing out of control both on O and D. Settled down in the 2nd half. Played well with Nelson in the line up.

Team Defense (the excessive fouling, not putting a body on your guy) is the part I hope improves over more games. 2 games, and both opponents made almost twice as many FTs as the Magic have taken.

[Neon1]

Moe was guarding a perimeter guy all night, he wasn't around the basket for Def. rebounds. I thought he played ok, had 1 real nice assist. and a nice cut on Offense. There were others taking the scoring lead. AA, Moore, Andrew and Vuc were very determined on Offense.

But yet......All our PG's and SG's seem to miraculously find out how to do it though....I hate that its always gotta be me, but the constant excuses you guys create dude...good lord. He hasn't been rebounding (and were not talking just last night) is squarely because he stopped making an effort to rebound. Point blank Period. Theres always an excuse, it's never just "He just really has to do better."

Jameer 12.5%
Oladipo 15.2%
Afflalo 16.7%
Moore 2.4%
Price 12.5%

And then....
Harkless 2.6%

[rcklsscognition]

Harkless' rebounding rate has plummeted so far. On pace for 1.4RPG in 36 minutes compared to 6 last year. His FGA are up 2 a game already though.

[NickAnderson]

Moe was guarding a perimeter guy all night, he wasn't around the basket for Def. rebounds. I thought he played ok, had 1 real nice assist. and a nice cut on Offense. There were others taking the scoring lead. AA, Moore, Andrew and Vuc were very determined on Offense.

But yet......All our PG's and SG's seem to miraculously find out how to do it though....I hate that its always gotta be me, but the constant excuses you guys create dude...good lord. He hasn't been rebounding (and were not talking just last night) is squarely because he stopped making an effort to rebound. Point blank Period. Theres always an excuse, it's never just "He just really has to do better."

Jameer 12.5%
Oladipo 15.2%
Afflalo 16.7%
Moore 2.4%
Price 12.5%

And then....
Harkless 2.6%

Give it a rest its only been two games.

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[Neon1]

Moe was guarding a perimeter guy all night, he wasn't around the basket for Def. rebounds. I thought he played ok, had 1 real nice assist. and a nice cut on Offense. There were others taking the scoring lead. AA, Moore, Andrew and Vuc were very determined on Offense.

But yet......All our PG's and SG's seem to miraculously find out how to do it though....I hate that its always gotta be me, but the constant excuses you guys create dude...good lord. He hasn't been rebounding (and were not talking just last night) is squarely because he stopped making an effort to rebound. Point blank Period. Theres always an excuse, it's never just "He just really has to do better."

Jameer 12.5%
Oladipo 15.2%
Afflalo 16.7%
Moore 2.4%
Price 12.5%

And then....
Harkless 2.6%

Give it a rest its only been two games.

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No. It hasn't "just been two games". It has been dropping since last year, thru preseason and now through the opening of the season. Wake up.

[doct3r dr3]

Moe was guarding a perimeter guy all night, he wasn't around the basket for Def. rebounds. I thought he played ok, had 1 real nice assist. and a nice cut on Offense. There were others taking the scoring lead. AA, Moore, Andrew and Vuc were very determined on Offense.

But yet......All our PG's and SG's seem to miraculously find out how to do it though....I hate that its always gotta be me, but the constant excuses you guys create dude...good lord. He hasn't been rebounding (and were not talking just last night) is squarely because he stopped making an effort to rebound. Point blank Period. Theres always an excuse, it's never just "He just really has to do better."

Jameer 12.5%
Oladipo 15.2%
Afflalo 16.7%
Moore 2.4%
Price 12.5%

And then....
Harkless 2.6%

One consideration is that we added other elite rebounders who cut into Hark's rebound total: Maxiell, S. Jones, and **THE NEW AND IMPROVED ANDREW NICHOLSON**.

[Orlwillbeback]

The thing about Afflalo is: I actually like him on our team, just not for the role he is currently playing.

Hypothetical: Let's say we draft Andrew Wiggins. Well then we sign a FA pg and have

FA
Oladipo
Wiggins
Tobias
Vuc

Then I could see Afflalo being a nice 6th man playing 18-20 mpg and being a first option off the bench. We give him a modest contract and he has an old man's game anyways so he should age well and play well into his 30's.

[Neon1]

It started in March and April of last season.