2024-2025 Regular Season Game 42: Orlando Magic (23-18) at Milwaukee Bucks (21-17) 8:00PM

[drsd]

Box-score thoughts:

It's not just that the Magic lost the FG% battle to lose the game (which they did), but it was so bad that these two things were true at the same time:
1) Orlando shot 23 more FGs than the Bucks
2) Milwaukee made 12 more FGs than the Magic

How is that possible? Beyond a ridiculous FG% rate, Rebounding. Orlando got destroyed on the glass: 49-32.

[eyriq]

In the Jazz game we were -16 in the paint, -8 at the line.

This effort reminds me of that game. Power Centers bother us?

When your outside shooting is as bad as the ours usually is, a good rim protector makes a huge difference.

Agreed. That's our cryptonite I think

[Orlando Dawg]

Worst game to watch of the year.

No hope from beginning to end.

[eyriq]

Read on Twitter

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[Last Guardian]

[list=][/list]

Offense is better when Franz plays / when Banchero is out. Last year and all the data proved team played better without Banchero.

Franz moves the ball and isn't ball stopper. Banchero slows down already anemic & slow offense and turns alraedy limited role players into even more limited role players, often just passing ball in last seconds where they have to hoist up impossible shot due shot clock going down.

Fact that nba champion, MVP and finals MVP is willing to grind screens for Aj Green in same game where Paolo just yells to get a ball and play endless isolation on Lopez is telling how much he has to mature to turn this team into contender and himself into ultra elite player.

Once again, in just 26 min of action, Paolo milked 32 possessions / 44% usage rate. That approach will never be winning basketball long term.

We can b*** and moan about role players, with Moe down, there isn't single offensive role player left, but our offensive rating for a season is around 108,5. In last 3 games, apon Banchero's return, it's 103 and our assist ratio is 3rd lowest in nba.

Banchero is player with elite potential, but he has to defer to team more and be ingaged in off ball action more OR become Jokić/Lebron passer. Second won't happen because he ain't that creative.

Paolo is getting his groove back after being out for 34 games with a roster where we have 8-9 players available while on a mins restriction. If he picks back up to how he was playing before the injury he'll be fine. He can be a bit more decisive passing wise but the roster we have currently is the worst we've had this season.

Atleast Franz had Suggs & Moe during his run without Paolo. We dont have any of the 3 with Paolo currently, along with Goga.

Tag that along with a harder schedule than that stretch, and we have overblown reactions after 3 games.

Agreed. Its nuts what people come up with when Magic lose a game. Paolo is the only reason the team even gets open looks and he's the only one who can consistently get his shot. We bitch about role players because they were the ones missing WIDE OPEN shots. If Magic could make those shots like a normal NBA team, we wouldn't have a bad offense. Its not really rocket science.

[Last Guardian]

In the Jazz game we were -16 in the paint, -8 at the line.

This effort reminds me of that game. Power Centers bother us?

When your outside shooting is as bad as the ours usually is, a good rim protector makes a huge difference.

Agreed. That's our cryptonite I think

Watching Mark Williams dominate the inside the other night...I feel we definitely could do more from the C position. And it makes sense for the way we play the game to have big, assertive C's. It was a step in the right direction to promote Goga, but it was only done because of injuries.

[VFX]

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I appreciate the positivity eyriq.

However, Im not sure what to take away from AB's growth when he plays 30 minutes and goes 0-2 from 3, 3-8 from the field, and ends the game with a 2:1 A/TO as a lead point guard.

Yeah I get that he's 20, but what is his role moving forward if Orlando is missing a few high usage players and he isn't necessarily stepping up?

[eyriq]

Read on Twitter

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I appreciate the positivity eyriq.

However, Im not sure what to take away from AB's growth when he plays 30 minutes and goes 0-2 from 3, 3-8 from the field, and ends the game with a 2:1 A/TO as a lead point guard.

Yeah I get that he's 20, but what is his role moving forward if Orlando is missing a few high usage players and he isn't necessarily stepping up?

During this time he's gone 12-17 from within 5 feet, good for .706 fg%.

It's all coming together bit by bit

[VFX]

Read on Twitter

?t=XnsiQtkGrASVIA3jDpKJSA&s=19

I appreciate the positivity eyriq.

However, Im not sure what to take away from AB's growth when he plays 30 minutes and goes 0-2 from 3, 3-8 from the field, and ends the game with a 2:1 A/TO as a lead point guard.

Yeah I get that he's 20, but what is his role moving forward if Orlando is missing a few high usage players and he isn't necessarily stepping up?

During this time he's gone 12-17 from within 5 feet, good for .706 fg%.

It's all coming together bit by bit

That doesn't answer my question.

What is this guys role moving forward?

[eyriq]

I appreciate the positivity eyriq.

However, Im not sure what to take away from AB's growth when he plays 30 minutes and goes 0-2 from 3, 3-8 from the field, and ends the game with a 2:1 A/TO as a lead point guard.

Yeah I get that he's 20, but what is his role moving forward if Orlando is missing a few high usage players and he isn't necessarily stepping up?

During this time he's gone 12-17 from within 5 feet, good for .706 fg%.

It's all coming together bit by bit

That doesn't answer my question.

What is this guys role moving forward?

Playmaking guard. During his stints he's generating above 20% of our assists currently, would love to see him get above 30%.

[MartinsIzAfraud]

I appreciate the positivity eyriq.

However, Im not sure what to take away from AB's growth when he plays 30 minutes and goes 0-2 from 3, 3-8 from the field, and ends the game with a 2:1 A/TO as a lead point guard.

Yeah I get that he's 20, but what is his role moving forward if Orlando is missing a few high usage players and he isn't necessarily stepping up?

During this time he's gone 12-17 from within 5 feet, good for .706 fg%.

It's all coming together bit by bit

That doesn't answer my question.

What is this guys role moving forward?

combo guard/wing who has youth and untapped potential..

[Skybox]

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Mr Silver Lining digging deep for this one

Stand by your Man

[Husky1]

wendell's highest shooting % in the last 4 games is 30%... as a center..

He is as bad a player as i can remember watching. That extension needs to be investigated.

[eyriq]

Read on Twitter

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Mr Silver Lining digging deep for this one

Stand by your Man

Stick to being a trade guru lol

[RichCollab]

Read on Twitter

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Mr Silver Lining digging deep for this one

Stand by your Man

Stick to being a trade guru lol

I’m a big AB fan and think he will be top 4 on our team. Problem is and has always been we need that top 4 guy to be an excellent shooter which isn’t AB.

[eyriq]

Mr Silver Lining digging deep for this one

Stand by your Man

Stick to being a trade guru lol

I’m a big AB fan and think he will be top 4 on our team. Problem is and has always been we need that top 4 guy to be an excellent shooter which isn’t AB.

Very true. It'll be interesting to see how they build around Paolo and Franz

[Skybox]

Stick to being a trade guru lol

I’m a big AB fan and think he will be top 4 on our team. Problem is and has always been we need that top 4 guy to be an excellent shooter which isn’t AB.

Very true. It'll be interesting to see how they build around Paolo and Franz

His shot looks good, especially last year...I just wish he'd take more. I'm not so much waiting for him, but I'm definitely not out on him. I think he can be KCP any day now and even more eventually. I'd just love to have AB become that "invisible connector" like Lonzo Ball of the last few years...smart passes, smart defense, opportunistic scoring, good cuts to the rim...AB's not that far off, but he's not really there yet either. Ideally, 12ppg (going for 20 once a month), 7 apg, 5 rebs, 4 3pta's, minimal turnovers, great defense...rarely stealing the show, but always contributing to winning.

BTW, KCP makes some nice interior passes.

[drsd]

Dear Mr. F-Wagner, please get your cardio in quickly. Please.

[AdamTheGreek]

I think the energy problems from this game are because our team is sick, we’ve picked up that illness going around the league.

[Skybox]

I appreciate the positivity eyriq.

However, Im not sure what to take away from AB's growth when he plays 30 minutes and goes 0-2 from 3, 3-8 from the field, and ends the game with a 2:1 A/TO as a lead point guard.

Yeah I get that he's 20, but what is his role moving forward if Orlando is missing a few high usage players and he isn't necessarily stepping up?

During this time he's gone 12-17 from within 5 feet, good for .706 fg%.

It's all coming together bit by bit

That doesn't answer my question.

What is this guys role moving forward?

Center, apparently