Game Thread 24: Orlando Magic (10-13) @ Charlotte Hornets (13-9) 12/9 7PM ET

[NEM]

Remember 2 games ago when everyone was telling us "negative nancies" "I told you so?"

I won't stoop to that level

By saying that, you are stooping to that level, and even if the Magic go winless the rest of the season you will still be a negative nancy because you never gave this team a chance to even gel and you already decided to go with the glass half empty approach and spread your negativity on this board, I hope youre having fun being right in these losses tough.

Regardless of this team being able to jell or not, you could already see that the team lacks a lot of talent. I don't see how team chemistry will help with this, when the problem is our offense and none of our players have shown anything that can break down opposing team's defense.

I think the sentiment where NEM is getting to is that this team is good enough to be a playoff team BUT not good enough to be a contender.

Which to me, is also a problem. As I don't see why we should settle for a mediocre treadmill team.

they're an upgrade at the 1 or 3 away from being in contention for the playoffs... id personally love if we can trade for lavine... I didn't like him in the draft but, I was completely wrong about him. I actually like him better than Wiggins. Seems to be more fluid on offense and you can tell that he just loves the game... I'd give up a lot for him tbh

[npiper17]

Winning flukey games to terrible teams and losing winnable games doesn't change the fact the roster is extremely flawed.

I don't care if we make the playoffs - we aren't winning the first round even if we get there.

Lol we might be the worst playoff team of all time. In fact, Lebron, Kyrie, and Love would average 24 mpg because we'd be down by so much at halftime that there would be no reason for them to play the second half.

This.

Look I understand that in most cases you have to be a 7th or 8th seed before your can ascend the playoff mountain - the Magic did it with Dwight and Brian Hill - but I really have no interest in seeing us be annihilated by the Cavs in the first round.

We desperately need more talent and this draft represents a great opportunity to get some.

[basketballRob]

I really think Founier is too frail to play big minutes, maybe he's better suited for the bench.

[Bergmaniac]

With the offensive limitations on this roster we just can't win games unless we play hard for the whole game (except when the other team misses its big star). And on offense the only way to be somewhat decent is to share the ball and play smart and unselfish basketball. We didn't do either of these last night so no wonder we got destroyed. Plus Charlotte is a good team with one of the best coaches in the league. Vucevis has been slipping defensively lately, and most of the other players have done it too. Plus Meeks is a way worse defender than Watson and when his shot is not falling he's a significant negative.

We have no margin for errors since we are lacking talent and the roster is poorly constructed. All the other team has to do to make it a tough nigh for us offensively is put a very good wing defender on Fournier, not overhelp on him and take care not to leave Ibaka or Augustin open from 3 much. Then we have to resort to Payton and Gordon taking long shots, Biz trying to somehow catch the ball and score and Vucevic shooting long 2s, which predictably leads to poor results on most nights.

[PrimeThyme]

I really think Founier is too frail to play big minutes, maybe he's better suited for the bench.

Evan to me would be best suited in a sixth man Manu role on a championship or playoff threat team. That way he could be the primary scorer of the bench and he wouldn't be such a liability on defense having to guard bench players more and starters less. Obviously this roster can't afford for him not to be starting, even if he is struggling on defense. But in the next couple years I think he'd be better suited in that type of role.

Moving Evan to a sixth man role wouldn't be a knock to Evan. I don't look at who's starting and who's not to determine who the better player is. I just think some players are better in those roles not having the pressure on offense and defense that they do starting.

[woosah]

I feel sorry for them right now. The mind is willing but the bodies are breaking down.

[OrlChamps2030]

I really think Founier is too frail to play big minutes, maybe he's better suited for the bench.

I disagree.

Fournier and Ibaka are the only two players on this team who would start on more than handful of teams in this league.

It's a little rough for him right now because he is a focal point on one of the worst offenses in the league but I think next to a good offensive PG and a SF that can spread the floor he would look like an awesome third option.

[pepe1991]

I really think Founier is too frail to play big minutes, maybe he's better suited for the bench.

I disagree.

Fournier and Ibaka are the only two players on this team who would start on more than handful of teams in this league.

It's a little rough for him right now because he is a focal point on one of the worst offenses in the league but I think next to a good offensive PG and a SF that can spread the floor he would look like an awesome third option.

If you dig into SGs you will figure out that this is most expendable position in the league. You limited number of stars on that position but army of solid guys that can fill a gap of 12-15 ppg ( Bradley, Evan, Beal, Boganovic, Kilpatrick, Hood, Tyler Johnson, JJ Redick Eric Gordon, Nick Young, Crawford, Ginobili, Booker, Barton, Matthews, Hardawy, Allen... and list goes on )

[Blue_and_Whte]

So we suck again?

Sent from my SM-N920V using RealGM mobile app

Basically

Sent from my D6708 using RealGM mobile app

[Blue_and_Whte]

Winning flukey games to terrible teams and losing winnable games doesn't change the fact the roster is extremely flawed.

I don't care if we make the playoffs - we aren't winning the first round even if we get there.

Lol we might be the worst playoff team of all time. In fact, Lebron, Kyrie, and Love would average 24 mpg because we'd be down by so much at halftime that there would be no reason for them to play the second half.

Would they even need to play that many minutes?

Sent from my D6708 using RealGM mobile app