2023-2024 Regular Season Game 49: Orlando Magic (25-23) at Minnesota Timberwolves (34-14) - 8pm

[pepe1991]

Didn't watch game but it's major W given Wolves were 18-4 before this game at home.

[jezzerinho]

Statement win.

That was special, against a great Wolves team.

Franz was outstanding. Since he got back Orl is a different team. The 3 ball form will come. It cant be easy to completely rewire it. Everything else is elite.

To beat a team with KAT, Gobert and Edwards in it, all of them in top form, is extremely satisfying.

Well done, Orlando Magic. One of the wins of the year.

[BadMofoPimp]

I'm serious...

If the Magic could figure out a way to turn the starting PG spot (aka the Fultz spot) into a top 50 NBA player, I'd be willing to go to war against ANYBODY in the East. I really would.

Murray says hello . . .

[GelbeWand09]

I'm thrilled they won, but I firmly expect the Magic to do nothing at the deadline which really stinks because they're not that far off from being really good.

Just need one high end guard really.

Yea even more with the Embiid injury. Boston is probably the only almost unbeatable team for us with a solid to good PG but only as long as Porzingis is healthy & we know how injury phrone he is. Without him, we have a layup line.

[zaymon]

Propably best win of the year.
We have so much more to improve its crazy. Both Fultz and Cole Anthony should be traded.
Gobert defending Fultz changed whole geometry of the game. We had little chance if that continued in the 4th. JI for Markelle was a benefit on both sides of the floor and JI is very limited offensive player.
If we can preserve JI we have lower need for someone like Claxton so we should not get desperate.
WCJ is ok in more limited role but watching him is strangely frustrating.
Im the long run someone like Jones/Brogdon should replace Cole from the bench and we should use most of our assets on top 25 guard. Question is when not if imo.

[RookieStar]

I'm with you, big run coming. Don't let the superstitious lot spoil your good vibes!

Well i know who im blaming if things goes south...

I legit get annoyed at stuff like this, not because of superstition, but people don't learn lol. We were saying the same thing with our hot start, then the injuries came, bam.

Imagine flying on a plane and then on the descent being like, "Thank god our plane didnt crash!" people would be like wtf?? just wait lmao

No point in counting your chickens before they hatch.

I do hope we take advantage of an easier schedule coming up though.

SOUL my man... you sweet summer child.. im glad to know a long time Magic fan like yourself can still see the good in the world. After enduring so much heartbreaks from the failed Tmac GHill TD dynasty, to the Tmacs excited to play in the 2nd round up 3-1, To Tmac forcing a trade when we just had a #1 pick... you cant blame the majority of us if we find comfort in our vodoo dolls and rabbits foot.


Just nessing with you.

[Bergmaniac]

Isaac is a real difference maker despite his limited minutes, being able to bring him on and reliably shut down almost any offense for a stretch is huge. Game after game we start by playing mediocre defence then JI comes in and we improve massively and this helps the effort on this end even after he goes to the bench. And being able to play him down the stretch is also huge.

I thought we'd be in for a long night after the first few minutes when our offense looked awful with Gobert being on Fultz and zoning out everything, but in fairness to Fultz and Mosley we adapted pretty well to this later on by moving the ball and forcing Gobert to commit and then finding the open man for a layup, and also pushing the ball more in transitiion and semi-ransition helped the offense a lot in the second and third quarter. Suggs' 3s were huge too. I still would prefer to see the team with a more typical PG, having your PG spend way more time setting screens and chasing offensive boards than shooting from outside and running the pick and roll is far from ideal.

Franz and Suggs's defence was crucial IMO.

Ant helped us down the stretch with some really dumb hero ball he played, as good as they are defensively I don't see the Wolves going far in the playoffs with him being still very young and prone to hero ball and Towns almost always disappering in the playoffs, but we will see.

[yoyojw17]

Fultz with 23 minutes, every other starter played 35+. LOVE TO SEE IT

I don’t get this narrative. Fultz wasn’t the problem, he actually played well. It was Paolo’s inability to guard either Rudy or KAT. Fultz was taken out so JI could guard one of the bigs.

Just pointing out evidence that Fultz isn't a core piece. Need evidence that coaches and management will do the right thing with Fultz.

LOL.... that's your reason?.... He's not a part of the core or did the situation dictate it? Cherry picking to fit your narrative is not the way to go about it. When fultz was in the game... he played great defense and also helped the facilitate easy plays on offense when things got hairy.

Fultz at time is one of the things that keeps the team focused. But hey... if they find someone that is what they want and need.... awesome. but i feel as though the focus on what fultz can't do and what people want him to do... always detracts from what he does do great on the court and what he brings to the team. And that might end being something that is seen by the team and FO... that is not seen by the fans. So... we will see what happens this season and off season.

[yoyojw17]

Didn't watch game but it's major W given Wolves were 18-4 before this game at home.

and coming back from a 17 point deficit after the first half. much props!!!

[magik9113]

Couldn't watch last night, just rewatched the 2nd half. Great stuff

[eyriq]

I don’t get this narrative. Fultz wasn’t the problem, he actually played well. It was Paolo’s inability to guard either Rudy or KAT. Fultz was taken out so JI could guard one of the bigs.

Just pointing out evidence that Fultz isn't a core piece. Need evidence that coaches and management will do the right thing with Fultz.

LOL.... that's your reason?.... He's not a part of the core or did the situation dictate it? Cherry picking to fit your narrative is not the way to go about it. When fultz was in the game... he played great defense and also helped the facilitate easy plays on offense when things got hairy.

Fultz at time is one of the things that keeps the team focused. But hey... if they find someone that is what they want and need.... awesome. but i feel as though the focus on what fultz can't do and what people want him to do... always detracts from what he does do great on the court and what he brings to the team. And that might end being something that is seen by the team and FO... that is not seen by the fans. So... we will see what happens this season and off season.

I'm curious what's going to happen with him, especially given we have AB in the wings losing PT to Fultz. Fultz getting relegated to an increasingly smaller role is a positive trend pointing towards Fultz getting phased out.

[eyriq]

I'm with you, big run coming. Don't let the superstitious lot spoil your good vibes!

Well i know who im blaming if things goes south...

I legit get annoyed at stuff like this, not because of superstition, but people don't learn lol. We were saying the same thing with our hot start, then the injuries came, bam.

Imagine flying on a plane and then on the descent being like, "Thank god our plane didnt crash!" people would be like wtf?? just wait lmao

No point in counting your chickens before they hatch.

I do hope we take advantage of an easier schedule coming up though.

Positive expectations should be ok, both for things in your control and things out of your control.

If the positive outcomes you expect are more probable than the negative, all the better.

[3ddman23]

Wow very impressive fourth quarter. I fell asleep right before the game started. Issac makes such a diffrence, sad this guy just couldn't stay healthy for all these years.

Sunday is very important. We play the pistons and the heat play the clippers. We could leap frog them going into the game against next week. Sunday is a must win.

[JF5]

Does anyone agree when Fultz was on the floor he is a winning factor for us. He makes good read on assists and he can finish around the rim. But in the 4th Q, I was happy we didn't play him either. We go big with Suggs, Franz, Paolo, JI and Wendell. Especially JI, that is why we win the game. Coach Mosley really done well with 4th Q lineup. That is why we won, plain and simple

Fultz really contributed in them getting back into the game at the end of 2nd quarter, and also when they took the lead in the 3rd briefly. He was good in the minutes he played in.

[yoyojw17]

Does anyone agree when Fultz was on the floor he is a winning factor for us. He makes good read on assists and he can finish around the rim. But in the 4th Q, I was happy we didn't play him either. We go big with Suggs, Franz, Paolo, JI and Wendell. Especially JI, that is why we win the game. Coach Mosley really done well with 4th Q lineup. That is why we won, plain and simple

Fultz really contributed in them getting back into the game at the end of 2nd quarter, and also when they took the lead in the 3rd briefly. He was good in the minutes he played in.

Fultz has done everything he could for the success of the team. I don't think we've even seen the best of him on this team. The funny thing is that they haven't played to the strengths of Fultz on the regular. Aka ... ball in hand and players move for easy buckets. Fultz with the ball in his hand and no jump shot is crafty and skilled enough to get pretty much anywhere he wants on the court.... opening space for both shooters and movements provides openings for cutters. Players will love easy baskets.

But yup ... I was hoping that his shooting.... corner three in particular could allow for him to be even that more useful for Paolo and Franz when they have the ball in their hands. I'm NOT sure where this all is going.... but I trust that the FO will make the right decisions... balancing fit... skill... contracts etc.

AB has proven his talents for the future to some degree... so it is possible that they are fine with Fultz as the team leader and stop gap. And we will see what they will prioritize for the trade deadline and for the off-season.