2022-2023 Regular Season Game 62: Orlando Magic (25-36) at New Orleans Pelicans (30-31) - 8pm

[fendilim]

Great game by p5. Sucks we won but its ok

[Knightro]

So a couple of things about midrange shots...

Deep midrange shots *are* bad shots for most players in the league. Unless you're truly great at them and only a handful of guys - Durant, Booker, Kawhi, DeRozan, Kyrie, Beal among others - are really good at them, it's just not an area of the court that is going to yield as much points per shot compared to pretty much any other area on the court.

That said...

Thanks to a combination of A. most NBA players being not great at midrange shots, B. most NBA referees not wanting to call fouls on drives to the basket late in games and C. defenses being most willing to concede midrange jumpers, a lot of star players will attempt shots late in games from midrange because frankly in a lot of cases it's simply the easiest place to get a really clean look.

[fendilim]

Mid range shots are ok. You need to be able to shoot anywhere in the playoffs or when the game is on the line.

[ORLMagicGirl15]

Lol so people like mid range shots…when Paolo shoots them. But others it’s the most inefficient shot in the league

It's nice when they go in for sure.

[tooler]

I watched the highlights and Paolo had four Pelicans jerseys converge on him the moment he made his move. Mid range was probably the best option for him. You can debate whether it was the best option for the team overall.

I’ll never understand why the Pelicans are one of the more aggressive double teamers on him. Don’t they have lots of good forward defenders?

[Knightro]

Mid range shots are ok. You need to be able to shoot anywhere in the playoffs or when the game is on the line.

They're generally not good shots unless you're the best of the best.

But no matter what the NBA will tell you, the game is called different in the last few minutes of a game. When guys know they're going to get fewer foul calls when they drive to the basket, a midrange shot becomes more appealing.

[JF5]

I watched the highlights and Paolo had four Pelicans jerseys converge on him the moment he made his move. Mid range was probably the best option for him. You can debate whether it was the best option for the team overall.

I’ll never understand why the Pelicans are one of the more aggressive double teamers on him. Don’t they have lots of good forward defenders?

I've said this time and time again. When you're a young team. You have to play to their strengths. You can't worry about being exactly like the Warriors and just gun 3s and win. Every great team/dynasty is very unique and is hard to replicate. Just find what you're sensational at at dominate from there. This team will become a decent 3 point shooting team in the future. But just focus on what is attainable now.

Attacking the paint and defense is this teams calling card right now.

[Knightro]

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[pepe1991]

Strange game, both teams were bricking 3s so hardly.

Just when i got hopes up that hornets could go on some win streak, Lamelo gets hurt.

[thelead]

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If we get lucky on lotto night, the bandwagon is going to get full quickly.

I would imagine a Wemby/Paolo/Franz or Paolo/Franz/Scoot trio would be on national tv quite a bit (more so with Wemby obviously).

[drsd]

Paolo was SENSATIONAL down the stretch. Clutchhhhhh. Absolutely sensational. Easily vested.

The midrange shot is Alive!

I loved that in all three makes, these were iso-plays. All all three occasions, he called for the ball at the top of the key and cleared out the other players.

How long has it been since Orlando had a player that could/can manufacture points.
Orlando has its offensive ace.

..

[drsd]

With this win, the Magic is 1 game back from being the 6th worst team and 3 games back of the play-ins.

The Magic is at -10 in wins (26-36) and has been at that since game 32: that is, since 19 Dec., 2022

[fendilim]

Mid range shots are ok. You need to be able to shoot anywhere in the playoffs or when the game is on the line.

They're generally not good shots unless you're the best of the best.

But no matter what the NBA will tell you, the game is called different in the last few minutes of a game. When guys know they're going to get fewer foul calls when they drive to the basket, a midrange shot becomes more appealing.

by the numbers, they aren’t. But like I said, when the game is on the line, you take every good shot you can take.

[drsd]

Mid range shots are ok. You need to be able to shoot anywhere in the playoffs or when the game is on the line.

They're generally not good shots unless you're the best of the best.

But no matter what the NBA will tell you, the game is called different in the last few minutes of a game. When guys know they're going to get fewer foul calls when they drive to the basket, a midrange shot becomes more appealing.

by the numbers, they aren’t. But like I said, when the game is on the line, you take every good shot you can take.

If they go in, then it was a good shot.

Bancehro getting out of his slump by hitting those three 15t footers was Ace!


..

[basketballRob]

Ingram got anything he wanted until Suggs started guarding him.

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[basketballRob]

The new rotation change might make Markelle's advanced stats skyrocket. He was +19 against the Pelicans and +16 against the Pistons.

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[Ralof]

good win,on the road against a better team,very good defense.
this season it's gone and it's not a problem,but Mosley will have to do a better job on offense next year,hopefully with some roster improvement.

-Wagner has a lethal terrific good game,supreme effort on defense and taking what pels left there for him n offense,amazing,he is such a winning player.

-our bench scoring live and die with Cole Anthony,like it or not,we can't ask Moe this type of game so often,bol and suggs just lol

-the importance Fultz has on this team it's pretty obvious,denying it is just hate,is the responsable for so many of our good offensive iniziatives.

-Banchero played a very good game for 3 quarters,you can see flashes of C-Webb in some moves:at the elbow(those passes on the other side to Harris in the corner has to become a signature move)and when he receives next to the basket has been simply lethal.
then he forced shots in 4th quarter,this time gone well,but were terrible shots,the type of shots he should never take.

About pels:like them,they did a good job in assembling this team,but their only hope is really Zion.

[Skybox]

Great win...that's the kind of "takeover" you hope for in a star. Truly a guy who can just go get a bucket. But, troubling that our best offensive scheme is to give it to the best guy and watch him go 1 on 4. Stars deliver in those moments, but it's not a career plan. Franz, at his best, and Paolo have a lot of overlap in their games...not such a bad problem, but they need some help with some floor spacing, rim protection, and rebounding. Just to focus on the offense, you go-I go is not a sustainable program, even if they were already Tatum/Brown...maybe, if Franz starts stroking 3's at a higher % AND volume.

We're lucky to have a really mature, tough Paolo (who will get even better) but I'm not crazy about the way he's forced to work SO hard for every basket - that will wear on him. His best offensive teammate is the ref who protects him and sends him to the line. He really should be getting more easy PnR baskets, IMO.

[Bakomagic]

“Shots he should never take” bad shots unless they go in” ?

It is important to consider context when we judge shots! When defenses lock in and the whistle gets loose. Of course it is better for Paolo to get a layup or kick it out to an open shooter to knock down a 3 but you have to take what the defense gives you. They were sagging off because Paolo has been killing them at the basket, scoring, dishing or getting to the free throw line. This gave Paolo comfortable looks in the mid range. That’s basic basketball and that what it boils down to at clutch time.

3s and layups only strategy is great for role players and non- playoff, non clutch time situations. Almost all “true scoring superstars” need the midrange available to them for the very reasons listed above.

As long as Paolo spends most of the game getting to the bucket to score, assist or draw fouls it perfectly fine and often necessary to mix in some middys.

[JojoSlimbiid]

I feel like saying why don't people move in ISO situations with Paolo are looking at it in a rudimentary way. The reality of the situation is the cutter/off-ball players don't know how the isolated defender is going to guard P and how P will attack/counter after the initial defense. Just blindly moving will likely get in the way or more likely have your defender get in the way and help. It's often best in that situation to just stay as spread as possible and give Paolo as much options as he can in terms of moves to get off the play he has to get off in that situation.