Official 2023-2024 Magic General Season Thread

Post #301 » by **SOUL** » Tue Dec 12, 2023 5:27 am

D J C · Post #302 » by **D J C** » Tue Dec 12, 2023 5:38 am

Even if Boston wins their next two v Cleveland, if we take care of business in Boston again we can be the first seed in the East on Sunday (atleast until Bucks play Sunday night, if they go 3-0 this week)

The last time we were #1 this late in the season I believe was 2008-2009, the year we went to the Finals

Paolo was 6 years old. Anthony Black was 4.

Our 2nd oldest player Gary Harris was 14. Ingles was putting up 13 ppg for the South Dragons in the NBL.

Mosley was an assistant in Denver, coaching guys like Melo, Billups, and Jett’s dad.

tooler · Post #303 » by **tooler** » Tue Dec 12, 2023 5:50 am

It'll be tough to beat them at full strength. Let's hope the jump shots are falling.

Post #304 » by **SOUL** » Tue Dec 12, 2023 7:20 am

Watch on YouTube

Optimus_Steel · Post #305 » by **Optimus_Steel** » Tue Dec 12, 2023 9:06 am

drsd wrote:I like that the ESPN injury report now lists, "Est. return date."

That's helpful.

And: Carter and Fultz are estimated to return on 11 Dec. Unlikely for Carter, so there is probably a bug in the code. But the feature is a good idea.

David Steele said Wendell is close to returning during Cle game.

Post #306 » by **ChosenSavior** » Tue Dec 12, 2023 1:42 pm

SOUL wrote:

Read on Twitter

Post #307 » by **SOUL** » Tue Dec 12, 2023 1:48 pm

Magic game of the day:

https://www.landofbasketball.com/box_scores/2012/0123ORLBOS.htm

I can't believe that roster had our worst scoring game ever lol

basketballRob · Post #308 » by **basketballRob** » Tue Dec 12, 2023 1:54 pm

I think part of the reason we didn't draft Lively is because we had Goga. We better sign him to a 4 yr. deal.

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tooler · Post #309 » by **tooler** » Tue Dec 12, 2023 2:22 pm

I know we've been talking about a difficult December, but this next stretch didn't fully sink in until now. Yikes. 13 of the next 18 on the road as well, where we're only .500 at the moment. Everyone strap in for the hot takes.

JoshuaPotter · Post #310 » by **JoshuaPotter** » Tue Dec 12, 2023 2:30 pm

tooler wrote:I know we've been talking about a difficult December, but this next stretch didn't fully sink in until now. Yikes. 13 of the next 18 on the road as well, where we're only .500 at the moment. Everyone strap in for the hot takes.

- Fultz should start
- We turn the ball over too much, rebuild time
- Lost the rebounding battle again. WCJ should fix this
- Mo your interior rim protection. We need to trade him
- We could trade for Immanuel
- Are we tanking guys?

Optimus_Steel · Post #311 » by **Optimus_Steel** » Tue Dec 12, 2023 2:54 pm

tooler wrote:I know we've been talking about a difficult December, but this next stretch didn't fully sink in until now. Yikes. 13 of the next 18 on the road as well, where we're only .500 at the moment. Everyone strap in for the hot takes.

Playing .500 on the road is actually very good. If we do that I will take that gladly. Play .500 on the road, dominate at home, that's what the good teams do.

OnlyFranz22 · Post #312 » by **OnlyFranz22** » Tue Dec 12, 2023 4:54 pm

Love how Cole, Mo, & Joe have been playing off the bench. Hope Joe still gets his mins once everyone is back. Def gonna be a logjam.

RichCollab · Post #313 » by **RichCollab** » Tue Dec 12, 2023 5:01 pm

OnlyFranz22 wrote:Love how Cole, Mo, & Joe have been playing off the bench. Hope Joe still gets his mins once everyone is back. Def gonna be a logjam.

Who is coming back that would take minutes from Joe?

Post #314 » by **Knightro** » Tue Dec 12, 2023 5:02 pm

OnlyFranz22 wrote:Love how Cole, Mo, & Joe have been playing off the bench. Hope Joe still gets his mins once everyone is back. Def gonna be a logjam.

I am not concerned with Joe's minutes. I suspect the bench will remain the same as it has been which is Cole-Gary-Joe-Isaac-Moritz.

I am, however, concerned with exactly what they plan to do with Goga and Black when Carter and Fultz are ready. I really don't think you can just slide those two guys back to the third string.

basketballRob · Post #315 » by **basketballRob** » Tue Dec 12, 2023 5:14 pm

Knightro wrote:
OnlyFranz22 wrote:Love how Cole, Mo, & Joe have been playing off the bench. Hope Joe still gets his mins once everyone is back. Def gonna be a logjam.

I am not concerned with Joe's minutes. I suspect the bench will remain the same as it has been which is Cole-Gary-Joe-Isaac-Moritz.

I am, however, concerned with exactly what they plan to do with Goga and Black when Carter and Fultz are ready. I really don't think you can just slide those two guys back to the third string.

Rumors are that they could come back this week. I think we should start them out on the deep bench and put them in if we need a boost. I don't think you could just throw them back in the SL or disturb the second unit. Cole can play off the ball with Fultz.

Having them back will be insurance if some gets injured.

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Post #316 » by **Knightro** » Tue Dec 12, 2023 5:33 pm

basketballRob wrote:Rumors are that they could come back this week. I think we should start them out on the deep bench and put them in if we need a boost. I don't think you could just throw them back in the SL or disturb the second unit. Cole can play off the ball with Fultz.

Having them back will be insurance if some gets injured.

Whether it's the right decision or the wrong decision, I'm pretty confident both Carter and Fultz are going to go back into the starting lineup when healthy.

I expect the rotation to look like it did the first 5 games or so.

Starters: Fultz, Suggs, F. Wagner, Banchero, Carter
Backups: Anthony, Harris, Ingles, Isaac, M. Wagner
Deep Bench: Black, Howard, Houstan, Okeke, Bitadze

And no, Cole cannot play with Fultz. That pairing was awful last year and awful this year.

Skybox · Post #317 » by **Skybox** » Tue Dec 12, 2023 5:43 pm

Knightro wrote:
basketballRob wrote:Rumors are that they could come back this week. I think we should start them out on the deep bench and put them in if we need a boost. I don't think you could just throw them back in the SL or disturb the second unit. Cole can play off the ball with Fultz.

Having them back will be insurance if some gets injured.

Whether it's the right decision or the wrong decision, I'm pretty confident both Carter and Fultz are going to go back into the starting lineup when healthy.

I expect the rotation to look like it did the first 5 games or so.

Starters: Fultz, Suggs, F. Wagner, Banchero, Carter
Backups: Anthony, Harris, Ingles, Isaac, M. Wagner
Deep Bench: Black, Howard, Houstan, Okeke, Bitadze

And no, Cole cannot play with Fultz. That pairing was awful last year and awful this year.

With that Murderer's Row of an upcoming schedule, it's almost not fair to drop them right into the SL-doomed to take some lumps. Even a "Hater" like me can see the hot takes flying if we lose a bit. I'd be very happy "Bringing Fultz along Slowllllllyyyy" due to his tendinitis, but I'm really not sure what to do with WCJ. He's an excellent player, but we've seen that he's not the "type" of Center that melds best with our system...maybe he can adapt, really not sure how to manage that spot - but I sure don't want to just blow up the lineups and schemes that have carried us to such recent success...they weren't subtle shifts, they clearly changed the emphasis on positions/roles on both ends. It's not an argument as simple as "Who's better?"

basketballRob · Post #318 » by **basketballRob** » Tue Dec 12, 2023 6:53 pm

The Locked-On Celtics podcast fears the Magic. Around 24:30 they talk about it.

https://youtu.be/CKCaxlD9HiI?feature=shared

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VFX · Post #319 » by **VFX** » Tue Dec 12, 2023 6:58 pm

Knightro wrote:
basketballRob wrote:Rumors are that they could come back this week. I think we should start them out on the deep bench and put them in if we need a boost. I don't think you could just throw them back in the SL or disturb the second unit. Cole can play off the ball with Fultz.

Having them back will be insurance if some gets injured.

Whether it's the right decision or the wrong decision, I'm pretty confident both Carter and Fultz are going to go back into the starting lineup when healthy.

I expect the rotation to look like it did the first 5 games or so.

Starters: Fultz, Suggs, F. Wagner, Banchero, Carter
Backups: Anthony, Harris, Ingles, Isaac, M. Wagner
Deep Bench: Black, Howard, Houstan, Okeke, Bitadze

And no, Cole cannot play with Fultz. That pairing was awful last year and awful this year.

Sad. The current rotation is fine.

Post #320 » by **eyriq** » Tue Dec 12, 2023 7:07 pm

Knightro wrote:
basketballRob wrote:Rumors are that they could come back this week. I think we should start them out on the deep bench and put them in if we need a boost. I don't think you could just throw them back in the SL or disturb the second unit. Cole can play off the ball with Fultz.

Having them back will be insurance if some gets injured.

Whether it's the right decision or the wrong decision, I'm pretty confident both Carter and Fultz are going to go back into the starting lineup when healthy.

I expect the rotation to look like it did the first 5 games or so.

Starters: Fultz, Suggs, F. Wagner, Banchero, Carter
Backups: Anthony, Harris, Ingles, Isaac, M. Wagner
Deep Bench: Black, Howard, Houstan, Okeke, Bitadze

And no, Cole cannot play with Fultz. That pairing was awful last year and awful this year.

I expect the same. I thought that Mosley would prioritize developing Black and bench Harris and that did not happen and I do not think anything has changed. Very disappointing.