Game #71: MAGIC @ Clippers Saturday 3/18 NOON: CHANNEL 5

[Max Headrom]

If people here think the Magic are a bad team, you haven't been paying attention. They've played well since their bad start and have beat good teams. This was NOT a trap game

Orlando started the season 5-20. A few things contributed to that, but that's how they started. Coming into this game, they were 23-22 in the 46 games after that. So, yes, this is not the Spurs, and their record is not indicative of how they have played for over 40 games. Their problem is that they started off REALLY bad, so recovering to a decent record is tough. Sort of the opposite of the Pelicans.

Exactly. And honestly, with this being an early game, which I never look forward to, Kawhi being out and the way the Magic have been playing, I honestly felt this was a loss coming in. People are acting like they just lost to the worst team in the league or something.

And the Wolves and Warriors loss tonight so, as long as the Clippers get the game tomorrow, I think they're fine.

[og15]

So much for this team clicking. Lue still needs to be fired.

Who cares about mentioning or discussing Lue being fired at game 71 of the season? Lol. Whether Lue needs to be fired or not (a perfectly fair inquiry), at this point, that's off-season talk. No one is firing a coach at this point in the season, realistically, we're what, like 20 games past where any team trying to compete would fire a coach?

Magic also figured out quickly to double PG when he is the facilitator. He keeps saying he doesn't want that role yet he keeps doing it.

Well, sometimes things happen out of necessity. Whenever Kawhi is out it means other people have to do more. PG has to create more because you don't have those 15+ possessions a game where Kawhi is making something happen. Westbrook, Zubac, etc, etc all have to do more.

So on one hand, Kawhi's absence is directly related to this. On the other hand, Westbrook is the one that's supposed to alleviate that, and Westbrook wasn't necessarily Mr. Ball Protection in this game (and isn't in general). Mann can handle the ball, set up the offense, attack closeouts, make a play here and there, but Mann is not a primary playmaker and isn't a guy who is going to consistently shift the defense or draw multiple defenders. So from a roster standpoint I'm not particularly sure he needs to want to or not, it's just going to happen.

[NickP]

Without Leonard this team is mediocre and below average at best. The defense was especially atrocious this game. Clippers aren't even good enough without Leonard to beat a young Orlando team competing for a high first round draft pick. It is what it is I guess. No Leonard and this team becomes doo doo.

Spoiler:

Leonard? Oh he's a role player according to the resident +/- man here.

Baiting

[esqtvd]

Without Leonard this team is mediocre and below average at best. The defense was especially atrocious this game. Clippers aren't even good enough without Leonard to beat a young Orlando team competing for a high first round draft pick. It is what it is I guess. No Leonard and this team becomes doo doo.

Spoiler:

Leonard? Oh he's a role player according to the resident +/- man here.

[clipperlover]

So much for this team clicking. Lue still needs to be fired.

Who cares about mentioning or discussing Lue being fired at game 71 of the season? Lol. Whether Lue needs to be fired or not (a perfectly fair inquiry), at this point, that's off-season talk. No one is firing a coach at this point in the season, realistically, we're what, like 20 games past where any team trying to compete would fire a coach?

Magic also figured out quickly to double PG when he is the facilitator. He keeps saying he doesn't want that role yet he keeps doing it.

Well, sometimes things happen out of necessity. Whenever Kawhi is out it means other people have to do more. PG has to create more because you don't have those 15+ possessions a game where Kawhi is making something happen. Westbrook, Zubac, etc, etc all have to do more.

So on one hand, Kawhi's absence is directly related to this. On the other hand, Westbrook is the one that's supposed to alleviate that, and Westbrook wasn't necessarily Mr. Ball Protection in this game (and isn't in general). Mann can handle the ball, set up the offense, attack closeouts, make a play here and there, but Mann is not a primary playmaker and isn't a guy who is going to consistently shift the defense or draw multiple defenders. So from a roster standpoint I'm not particularly sure he needs to want to or not, it's just going to happen.

Ty isn't going anywhere. That kind of talk is utter non-sense.

Ty has never lost a playoff series with a healthy Zu. So, he has that going for him.