2023-2024 Regular Season Game 77: Orlando Magic (45-31) at Charlotte Hornets (18-58) - 7pm

[Knightro]

Just to be clear, I'm not suggesting whatsoever that Paolo is a finished product.

It's just factual information that if your top USG player who uses up almost 30% of the possessions is only in the 30th percentile in efficiency, the odds are overwhelmingly likely you will not have a good offense.

[BadMofoPimp]

Miller is legit star. If Charlotte is capable of keeping Monk with Ball and Miller, just add a Center and watchout next season.

[Rainwater]

The bad offensive stuff I'm used to.

They shot 60/50/100 lol

They were basically making everything.

[thelead]

Pacers beat OKC. SGA and Jalen Williams were both out though.

[richi_v25]

Like for all the stuff we say about the Magic lacking shooters and all that, that's all true, but the biggest issue offensively by a wide margin is the fact that Paolo is just wildly inefficient offensively.

Until he upticks that, they just won't be good offensively.

while that is true, a) he's 21 years old, it'd be weird if he's a finished product, and b) isn't part of the inefficiency that he's facing packed paints and double/triple teams very often?

Anyway, to make things worse for me, I was stuck watching the Hornets feeds, and apparently this was their announcers' (and players?) Super Bowl for whatever reason. Yuck. But I did learn that this was their first wire-to-wire win of the year. Double yuck.

I was too and its ok only a couple seasons ago we were on the same boat looking for anything positive in a bad season. Sucks it happened against us but for the real fans that went to their game they got a show.

[Message Boar]

This is at the same time both a highly disappointing loss that we needed a win...

And also just one of those nights where one team can't miss, the other very much can, and you're basically destined to lose.

We of course did have a hand in that with our awful defense in the first...

[Knightro]

I'm not saying the defense was good, it certainly wasn't, but there was some fluky stuff happening tonight too.

Charlotte made 23/23 from the FT line. If they shoot their average, that's 5 less points right there alone.

[RookieStar]

I'm not saying the defense was good, it certainly wasn't, but there was some fluky stuff happening tonight too.

Charlotte made 23/23 from the FT line. If they shoot their average, that's 5 less points right there alone.

Yup.. it is what it is....

[RookieStar]

Miller is legit star. If Charlotte is capable of keeping Monk with Ball and Miller, just add a Center and watchout next season.

Monk????

Also they have a legit C in M.Williams already. Just injured.

[VFX]

Just to be clear, I'm not suggesting whatsoever that Paolo is a finished product.

It's just factual information that if your top USG player who uses up almost 30% of the possessions is only in the 30th percentile in efficiency, the odds are overwhelmingly likely you will not have a good offense.

This.

It’s painfully obvious too. It’s not like we are watching the game and thinking “man this is great offense, but the numbers don’t back it up”. It also looks like ass.

Sorry, this isn’t the 90’s where a guy just does a Carmelo Anthony impression for most of the shot clock while everyone stands around and watches him back down a guy 30 feet from the basket as our #1 play in the half court against a zone.

Then the bench comes in, the ball starts moving, and Orlando cuts the deficit to single digits… it’s happened all season.

I’m not arguing something ridiculous like trading him. I’m saying that he shouldn’t be bringing the ball up the court 95% of the time. He needs to be put in better spots and in action to score downhill.

I’d also argue Franz has looked significantly worse in this offense.

[SOUL]

The players got to come out and play but the coaching staff is supposed to have these guys prepared to play no matter who the opps are.... I've always thought that playing down or up to opps is a coaching issue, it's a mindset.... Don't just get up for the good teams, you have to be ready to go for everybody.... That played a part in this loss

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Do posters think coaches before every game decide to whisper "Meh, this doesnt matter" or "Yeah, this game is important" and that's how effort is decided from the players? I always find these comments funny... . If this was our first actual loss to a bottom 5 team, wouldn't that say they take it pretty seriously, struggles and all? Because I don't think any other team had as good of a record (maybe the Celtics).

Players know how important all of these games are. This one was more important than the one where they blew them out in the first half last time. Isaac is highkey the most important player on our team.

At least like rotation/challenges/set stuff can be discussed but this is just like.. idk... if your coach who is amped up all game barking every play needs to remind guys that these are important games down the stretch.. wouldnt that say more about the players?

[KillMonger]

Our best players got to be better but I can live with this because it's so early in their career....but Joe Ingles getting 22 minutes is boggling my mind, only 3 points and trash defense.... He can't play this much in the playoffs he just can't

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[thelead]

Miller is legit star. If Charlotte is capable of keeping Monk with Ball and Miller, just add a Center and watchout next season.

Monk????

Also they have a legit C in M.Williams already. Just injured.

BadMofo is stuck in 2019... the last ok-ish year of humanity

[SOUL]

4D chess is losing so the Bucks games dont matter again

but they're losing to Toronto so... ofc

[ogmagicfan]

The answer for our offensive struggles are the same as they were the past 11+ seasons

- We dont have a good 3 pt shooting team

- We dont have a good PG

Everyone wants to point out other things that would help our offense, but those are easily the top 2 reasons why, and until those are resolved, struggles will continue

[ORLMagicGirl15]

The mentality makeup of this team needs to change. Not only do we need shooters but it seems like we need an extremely solid vet that can get this team out of funks. I know he'll probably never come here, but Chris Paul would actually be good for this team next season. He's old, he's injury prone but I seriously think he could help the team.

[KillMonger]

The players got to come out and play but the coaching staff is supposed to have these guys prepared to play no matter who the opps are.... I've always thought that playing down or up to opps is a coaching issue, it's a mindset.... Don't just get up for the good teams, you have to be ready to go for everybody.... That played a part in this loss

Sent from my [Hands] using RealGM mobile app

Do posters think coaches before every game decide to whisper "Meh, this doesnt matter" or "Yeah, this game is important" and that's how effort is decided from the players? I always find these comments funny... . If this was our first actual loss to a bottom 5 team, wouldn't that say they take it pretty seriously, struggles and all? Because I don't think any other team had as good of a record (maybe the Celtics).

Players know how important all of these games are. This one was more important than the one where they blew them out in the first half last time. Isaac is highkey the most important player on our team.

At least like rotation/challenges/set stuff can be discussed but this is just like.. idk... if your coach who is amped up all game barking every play needs to remind guys that these are important games down the stretch.. wouldnt that say more about the players?

Well, that's how I see it you have to get up for everybody.... Nobody gets a pass here coaching staff or the players

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[Optimus_Steel]

I'm not saying the defense was good, it certainly wasn't, but there was some fluky stuff happening tonight too.

Charlotte made 23/23 from the FT line. If they shoot their average, that's 5 less points right there alone.

Yup.. it is what it is....

Eventually the team was going to lose to a bad opponent, just sucks it’s this late with playoff seeding implications. Had the Magic taken this game like they did the NO game they would have won, it would have been a close one but they would of won but you could tell from the onset they didn’t have the focus. When you allow bad teams to get comfortable early by playing lazy defense and lazy offense you are asking for trouble. The Magic gave themselves the trouble. Move on the next one, learn to take all teams seriously.

[GameOver25]

They did. But when the other team is shooting 3s at 50% and you're shooting it at 24%, and you can't get stops...well.

Did you watch the 1st quarter? It's clear Magic weren't ready to play. The starters were sleepwalking to begin the game.

Ummm yeah we watched it... Miller had 9/9 FG and 5 of them were all 3 pointers. He just destroyed our defense.

Yes, I'm very well aware. I was watching the same game you were.

[eyriq]

The mentality makeup of this team needs to change. Not only do we need shooters but it seems like we need an extremely solid vet that can get this team out of funks. I know he'll probably never come here, but Chris Paul would actually be good for this team next season. He's old, he's injury prone but I seriously think he could help the team.

We are literally crushing expectations, and have one of the best records against sub .500 teams, but we need to change our mental makeup? Good lord people bottle up bad takes and uncork them at the slightest glimmer of opportunity.