2024-2025 Regular Season Game 48: Orlando Magic (24-23) at Miami Heat (22-22) - 7:30pm

[BlueBalls]

This is all on clanking 15/25 from the line, everything else is noise.

That didn’t help. But Paulo was awful, Pope was mostly invisible and the entire team made boneheaded plays in crucial moments. That was a game they really needed.

[KillMonger]

Game should've been won in regulation got to hit free throws.... Paolo sort of a slow starter, he looks like the start of last year when he was struggling the first few games before he turned up... Its going to take a bit to get it all back.....franz too at the end there, just ran out of gas..... Miami had 4 players that hit at least 3 3's

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[ogmagicfan]

Paolo in the 4th Q and both overtimes.

2/8 FG and 5 turnovers.

All 5 of his turnovers for the game. Rough

[SloNick Russia]

Paolo lifted us to 2 wins in 9 games after his return...

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[MagicTownBaller]

Even if we want to beat on Paolo, I know he is probably beating up on himself.

I love the guy but he should be beating up on himself and we as fans should be as well. He has potential to be an all time great but tonight he looked like he shouldn't even be a starter.

That's not to say Franz didn't play horribly too, but he at least got us into OT so I will give him credit for this.

The biggest positive for our team was the continuity, the defense, and the coaching. When you can't stop the opposing team, whether because they're on fire or the refs won't let you, then you have to fight through that and you can't do that without the ability to score. We need another scoring option badly, there needs to be a change.

[Optimus_Steel]

What a devastating and frustrating loss. Do so many right things yet fail on the execution of the simple things (uncontested free throws, rebounds, fouling, rotations). Blown 14pt 4th quarter lead. Cole with idiotic fouls, as well as JI put them on the penalty early 4th quarter was a bad omen. Our lack of offensive options and missed free throws just killers. Paolo was absolutely awful in clutch time. Just a terrible loss.

[Jaxfann]

Paolo lifted us to 2 wins in 9 games after his return...

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Suggs, definitely missed!

[89Magicfan]

Eh I ain’t mad. Paolo and Franz still trying get back up to pace. Suggs in and out. We’ll be alright. Only thing that concerns me is the free throws. That can be a long mental thing or quick fix. With our shooting issues, I’m worried it turns into the former.

I do think at 100%, we need to still make a move. KCP needs to hit the bench.. Bring in Fox, Sexton, Simons someone who can spread this offense out.

[Knightro]

At some point very soon (now?) the whole "Paolo's not in shape" thing has to stop being a thing, right?

Like they gave the guy two full weeks purely for reconditioning and he's been back playing for 17 days on top of that.

That's a month, ya know?

[RookieStar]

It was frystrating but not really mad. It is what it is esp with our 2 stars not yet fully conditioned

[CocoaFan]

Isaac needed to play more than 18 minutes in that game, especially should have played more in OT. Are we going to baby him for the rest of his career? Paolo and Franz blow by their minutes restrictions. Why can't Isaac when the game is on the line?

[Idiosyncratic]

the overreactions here are hilarious no lie, what do you expect? Paolo is on a mins restriction and just played 40 mins against the Pistons & 43 mins tn, he'll be playing better once healthy.

Franz also completely ran outta gas at the end of regulation into OT. Same ****. No need for oversensationalize

I mean that game was just over twice if Paolo just plays in the flow of the offense. They had no chance in 2nd OT, conditioning just isn't there yet on Paolo/Franz.

No question his misplay cost us the game, and Franz on a lesser degree

I attribute it more to his need for conditioning than anything however. I dont think its something worth going on a tirade for, because reality is, oblique injuries take time to recover from, so in reality we should expect more inconsistent play from both Paolo & Franz for the rest of the season.

Yeah I agree with you. He should have known to not double down on going solo though, but yeah I'm not lowering my opinion of Paolo or anything, but that game was almost unloseable if he did anything else.

[89Magicfan]

At some point very soon (now?) the whole "Paolo's not in shape" thing has to stop being a thing, right?

Like they gave the guy two full weeks purely for reconditioning and he's been back playing for 17 days on top of that.

That's a month, ya know?

There’s nothing like real time my boy. Scrimmaging against your teammates all the time is not like playing different teams, players in a serious game.

[SOUL]

We literally got punished on any little mistake. Missed several and1 free throws, Isaac misses the easy dunk at the end of the quarter, TDS can't get a loose ball that drops into his hands and they score.

Un **** real only happening to the Magic stuff going on that all contributed to that tie score.

[Idiosyncratic]

Paolo in the 4th Q and both overtimes.

2/8 FG and 5 turnovers.

Could have run Wendell post ups for those 13 possessions and won. Game was not loseable from the spot we were in. It's just that he kept forcing it in the end of the 4th that bothered me. That wasn't no "because he doesn't have help" stuff, those were just really poor decisions. He kept doubling down on his misses.

Ughhh . Is what it is.

[Knightro]

At some point very soon (now?) the whole "Paolo's not in shape" thing has to stop being a thing, right?

Like they gave the guy two full weeks purely for reconditioning and he's been back playing for 17 days on top of that.

That's a month, ya know?

There’s nothing like real time my boy. Scrimmaging against your teammates all the time is not like playing different teams, players in a serious game.

Even still, this was his 9th game back. 3 1/2 weeks of real games at this point. Any sort of out of shape rust really should be gone.

[rcklsscognition]

Paolos handles have been horrible since he came back. Comically bad actually. Were they this bad before? It’s like he forgets he’s dribbling.

[Idiosyncratic]

We literally got punished on any little mistake. Missed several and1 free throws, Isaac misses the easy dunk at the end of the quarter, TDS can't get a loose ball that drops into his hands and they score.

Un **** real only happening to the Magic stuff going on that all contributed to that tie score.

Yeah if Isaac makes that dunk we win, crazy.

Happens, still a young team. Happens to good veteran teams. Sucks, but moving on.

[KillMonger]

I mean that game was just over twice if Paolo just plays in the flow of the offense. They had no chance in 2nd OT, conditioning just isn't there yet on Paolo/Franz.

No question his misplay cost us the game, and Franz on a lesser degree

I attribute it more to his need for conditioning than anything however. I dont think its something worth going on a tirade for, because reality is, oblique injuries take time to recover from, so in reality we should expect more inconsistent play from both Paolo & Franz for the rest of the season.

Yeah I agree with you. He should have known to not double down on going solo though, but yeah I'm not lowering my opinion of Paolo or anything, but that game was almost unloseable if he did anything else.

Let's also not forget the heat just started to hit every bad shot they took, seemed like all the contested jumpers they missed earlier started to hit

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[BlueBalls]

To further illustrate how disastrous that loss was, our next 5 games:

@Portland
@Utah
@Golden State
@Sacramento
@Denver

We’re at .500 now. If we’re lucky we win 2 of those 5. Much more likely we win 1 and going 0-5 is very possible.

48 games in, will be 53 after those. We’ll be 25-28 or 26-27 when the roadie concludes.

This season has been a huge letdown.