2024 NBA Playoffs Round 1 Game 7: (5) Orlando Magic at (4) Cleveland Cavaliers - Series Tied 3-3

[Optimus_Steel]

Suggs letting Garland steal the ball from behind on that late inbounds pass was the nail in the coffin. Garland did to Suggs what Suggs would otherwise do to the opposition. 5 TO’s. That’s just sloppy. Then the rough mugged him on a fouled 3pt shot and it was just a spirit crusher (even though he got the call the next trip down).

He’s gotta find a way to channel his emotion into more focused play on offense. 2-10 from 3, and most of them were on good line they just popped out.

He def has to improve his decision making as does Paolo and Franz. There was one play in the 3rd that Suggs just went crazy and tried to barrel into 3 Cavs and it lead to a bad miss and fast break for Cleveland. Lets be smarter and make better decisions. Let be honest our decision making and overall execution sucked all year, thats mostly lack of experience, I do think they will get better at this. Today the frustration got to them.

[Ducklett]

I am not going to be too negative, but I think this is this team's ceiling as is. I don't know what to suggest or how they get better. Paolo will get smarter about turnovers, Suggs will get less streaky with the 3, Franz maybe learns a few new moves. But that still isn't enough to get into the finals or win one. Don't see a player that works outside of maybe Ant Edwards. Will be an interesting off season.

What? Lol

I'm open to suggestions on how to use our cap space. The suggestions of Tyus Jones, Claxton, and washed up Splash Bro aint going to make this team better.

[Bergmaniac]

We almost won a playoff series with a core of 3 players 22 or younger and despite our guards giving us barely any playmaking all series and the roster badly lacking in reliable 3 point shooting.

I don't get the doom and gloom. If we had someone Mike Conley - a reliable vet playmaker who can also shoot well from 3 - we would have won this series comfortably.

I was so disappointed to see Conley extend in Minnesota. Would’ve been perfect here.

Same here, he was my first pick for gettable PG who would have been a perfect fit for us.

[Rainwater]

LOL. I’m one of his biggest fans I definitely understand his defensive impact but we cannot just give him a ridiculous contract because we love his effort. I would LOVE for him to be worth a max or near max contract but he’s not. We absolutely can’t lose him either. We just need to be smart about his, and Franz’, contracts.

I love Suggs and the magic do need him but can’t imagine giving a 3D player max money.

I don’t think that’s even in the world of possibilities but I also don’t think that his contract should even be close to that. Herb Jones’ contract should be the starting point of negotiations IMO.

What did Herb get? And What did Marcus Smart get? I always thought Smart and Suggs were similar players.

And in terms of roles, I really feel like what AG is to Denver is what Suggs is to Orlando. In the ideal world the 4th or 5th option offensively but best player defensively.

[ogmagicfan]

Listen, I'm not going to go too far with the Franz stuff and suggest he's not a core piece now. But if you're not seriously questioning whether he is a second or third option after this series, I don't know what to tell you.

He shot 19% from three after the All-Star break. We saw an entire year of a different player, this was not a one-off series.

Solely banking on internal development and Franz working on his shot all summer when he will be giving his best basketball to his national team again would be a disastrous bet for Weltman this summer. We've got to be strategically aggressive to improve.

This is exactly where I stand on this.

I love Franz, he gave me something to root for his rookie season when he took over with Suggs out and showed great flashes.

He plays great on defense, even though this game he played poorly

My bigger problem is his shot & his lack of alpha mindset.

When Suggs was struggling from 3 as a rookie, I didnt worry because his form was sound and he was the player people hit whenever it was the end of the shotclock so I was confident he could build on it and he did

Franz's shooting form is completely broken. His jumpshot looks like a ventriloquist trying to get a puppet to shoot a shot, his arms, body, and legs look completely out of rhythm with each other.

He also has no in between game, although he did show flashes again during this series

That along with the demands & expectations of playing for the German National Team every offseason really worries me about his trajectory

I don't see 2nd option for him, and if his shot struggles continue I cant say that he can be a 3rd option either

[Optimus_Steel]

Franz had the worst shooting performance in ANY game 7 in history.

That level of ineptitude in a do or die game demands a complete reevaluation of a player.

We have no core, we have Paolo. Everyone else is expendable.

Really? Reactionary much?

[bigdogdylan5]

Really proud of this team. Going into this year this team surpassed all my expectations. I was expecting playing our way in. We ended up getting the 5th seed and taking a very good team to 7 games. This team is 100% ahead of schedule there is no doubt roster needs to be improved also need some internal improvement more than anything

[I Rasharted]

Spoiler:

also Franz and Suggs:

[PrimeThyme]

please, for the love of God, let’s stop being prisoners of the moment.

Franz and Suggs had very bad games today. But sometimes that happens when young guys get their first taste of the game seven.

They each had GREAT games within this very series, ya know?

I don't have much to say about Suggs, I thought he made magnificent improvements this year.

But this was not a moment for Franz, this was a season.

He improved in areas, but he he just shot under 30% from 3 for an entire season. I think we have to genuinely assess what happend this year, as Franzs ceiling as a player with an entire dimension of his game cut off is drastically lower. That player is not a second option on a championship team.

[BadMofoPimp]

Anyone saying this team as is, is at their Ceiling as if Suggs, Franz and Banchero will never improve. That is freaking laughable nonsense. One of those 3 will be the next Mitchell while the other 2 will be great all start compliments.

[RichCollab]

please, for the love of God, let’s stop being prisoners of the moment.

Franz and Suggs had very bad games today. But sometimes that happens when young guys get their first taste of the game seven.

They each had GREAT games within this very series, ya know?

I don't have much to say about Suggs, I thought he made magnificent improvements this year.

But this was not a moment for Franz, this was a season.

He improved in areas, but he he just shot under 30% from 3 for an entire season. I think we have to genuinely assess what happend this year, as Franzs ceiling as a player with an entire dimension of his game cut off is drastically lower. That player is not a second option on a championship team.

He is 22. We have a long ways to go to even compete for a championship. Franz is critical member of our core.

[pepe1991]

Franz sucked tonight, sucked. Him and Garland were unwatchable.

That said, to me, biggest dissapointment is Isaac. He is guy people here throw in random "DPOY " conversations, and in reality he just guy who plays harder than rest of players play in regular season, and has no second gear to kick in playoffs.

Happend vs Raptors, happend again. Has no offense, smart teams still know how to avoid him in pick&roll and Allen and Mobley simply outclassed him. Especially Mobley, given Allen didn't play in last 3 games ( after averaging 17-14 on 68% FG in first 4 games ).



Thing is, we rely heavily on our bench in regular season, and those role players play better at home, and that's pretty much how playoffs played out, we won at home ,lost on a road.


And lastly , congratulations to Cavs, Mitchell is incredible. Fact he went to talk to Garland, who looked like guy on verge of quitting basketball at half, says a lot about Mitchell as both teammate and person.
This is first Cavs Lebronless playoff series win in past 30 years.

[Optimus_Steel]

We almost won a playoff series with a core of 3 players 22 or younger and despite our guards giving us barely any playmaking all series and the roster badly lacking in reliable 3 point shooting.

I don't get the doom and gloom. If we had someone Mike Conley - a reliable vet playmaker who can also shoot well from 3 - we would have won this series comfortably.

True that. We are in good shape going forward. Keep adding to the team.

[Message Boar]

We had an 89.4% chance to win when we had our biggest lead, but I doubt those statistical models account for circumstance (game 7 on the road, and the Magic's league-best ability to go ice cold on offense).

Still, hurts like a mf'er though. What especially hurts is that it wasn't even close down the stretch. Normally I'd rather get blown out than lose a heartbreaker at the buzzer or something, but not under these circumstances. Hope it's gonna cause good scars not bad scars.

[thelead]

I love Suggs and the magic do need him but can’t imagine giving a 3D player max money.

I don’t think that’s even in the world of possibilities but I also don’t think that his contract should even be close to that. Herb Jones’ contract should be the starting point of negotiations IMO.

What did Herb get? And What did Marcus Smart get? I always thought Smart and Suggs were similar players.

And in terms of roles, I really feel like what AG is to Denver is what Suggs is to Orlando. In the ideal world the 4th or 5th option offensively but best player defensively.

4/54

That's obviously lower than what he'll get but that should be the starting point IMO. He's worth more to us than Herb is worth to NO but that what the negotiations should be about. Herb is an all-NBA caliber defender as well who shot 42% from 3 this season. I think Suggs has more potential but you can't overspend on potential.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10081320-herb-jones-pelicans-agree-to-4-year-54m-contract-after-team-option-was-declined

[SOUL]

They've all had fair criticisms this year but I think the least we could do is not involve them in trade packages while struggling in their rookie contracts lol. We're in a great spot, but we know how fickle this stuff is, so we also have to be proactive this offseason.

I was fine with losing today, both teams were getting curbstomped by the Celtics regardless.. just wish some guys had a better final game. But maybe they need that bitter taste to drive them.

[I Rasharted]

We have no true PG, and our starting SG can't score. I've never seen a team whose problems are more obvious. I'd love an old school in the paint rim protector going into next season, but our biggest priority has to be correcting our back court. Way too many assets invested in this area in recent years to be as big a question mark as it still is. This is the offseason it needs to be addressed (correctly) or the FO needs to go, simple as that.

[ogmagicfan]

The moment I knew we were in trouble was when Strus had 4 fouls in the beginning of the 3rd, Franz got extended rest and had fresh legs. His only mindset should have been ATTACK HIM. Strus was lost on defense and was hacking.

Instead he played passive and him not attacking allowed Strus to stay in the game, allowing that 3 pt barrage we saw at the end of the 3rd

[PrimeThyme]

Franz sucked tonight, sucked. Him and Garland were unwatchable.

That said, to me, biggest dissapointment is Isaac. He is guy people here throw in random "DPOY " conversations, and in reality he just guy who plays harder than rest of players play in regular season, and has no second gear to kick in playoffs.

Happend vs Raptors, happend again. Has no offense, smart teams still know how to avoid him in pick&roll and Allen and Mobley simply outclassed him. Especially Mobley, given Allen didn't play in last 3 games ( after averaging 17-14 on 68% FG in first 4 games ).



Thing is, we rely heavily on our bench in regular season, and those role players play better at home, and that's pretty much how playoffs played out, we won at home ,lost on a road.


And lastly , congratulations to Cavs, Mitchell is incredible. Fact he went to talk to Garland, who looked like guy on verge of quitting basketball at half, says a lot about Mitchell as both teammate and person.
This is first Cavs Lebronless playoff series win in past 30 years.

Bro Isaac is not what's swinging this series. Franz going 1-15 in a closeout game and shooting under 30% from 3 for the series, like he did for an entire season is what swings a series.

[VFX]

I can’t believe we went into this season with no real PG and a starting shooting guard who literally doesn’t shoot. It’s shocking they made it this far but if you keep running this nonsense back Paolo will bolt.

What’s with all these Suggs takes. The guy is 22 and in the top 2% of defensive players that increased his shooting % this season tremendously. People only say this **** coming off a bad game and are eerily quiet after a game 2 days ago. You are right about the PG situation.